{"id":273,"date":"2019-09-04T21:00:44","date_gmt":"2019-09-04T14:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jamoroki.wordpress.com\/?p=273"},"modified":"2024-09-29T13:06:37","modified_gmt":"2024-09-29T06:06:37","slug":"book-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Book Review, and How Important are They?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/commons.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Celsus-Bibliothek2.jpg\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img title = \"[Tags]\"decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/a\/a8\/Celsus-Bibliothek2.jpg\/300px-Celsus-Bibliothek2.jpg\"alt = \"300px-Celsus-Bibliothek2 What is a Book Review, and How Important are They?\" style=\"width:635px;height:476px\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Celsus Library was built in 135 AD and could house around 12,000 scrolls. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap has-text-align-justify\">What is a book review, is a question I never gave much thought to until I started writing seriously. The importance of book reviews, particulalry if you are a fledgling author, has since become apparent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is a pleasant feeling when someone says they enjoyed your book. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is OK if they say, it isn\u2019t bad, but I didn\u2019t like this or that. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>But it is hard to take if they say it is a load of rubbish.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_79 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#Definition_of_a_Book_Review\" >Definition of a Book Review<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#Getting_a_Reaction\" >Getting a Reaction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#Making_a_Living_as_an_Author\" >Making a Living as an Author<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#The_Importance_of_Book_Reviews_to_Authors\" >The Importance of Book Reviews to Authors<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#The_Value_of_Book_Reviews\" >The Value of Book Reviews<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#Honest_Reviews_Benefit_Everyone\" >Honest Reviews Benefit Everyone.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#Book_Reviews_Blogs_and_Book_Review_Sites\" >Book Reviews Blogs and Book Review Sites<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#What_is_the_Value_in_these_Reviews\" >What is the Value in these Reviews?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#Review_1\" >Review 1<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#As_a_New_Author_%E2%80%93_How_Does_it_Help_Me\" >As a New Author \u2013 How Does it Help Me?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#As_a_Reader_%E2%80%93_How_Does_it_Help_Me\" >As a Reader \u2013 How Does it Help Me?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#Review_2\" >Review 2<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#As_a_New_Author_%E2%80%93_How_does_Review_2_Help_Me\" >As a New Author \u2013 How does Review 2 Help Me?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#As_a_Reader_%E2%80%93_How_does_it_Help_Me\" >As a Reader \u2013 How does it Help Me?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#Treat_Book_Reviews_with_Care_and_be_Selective\" >Treat Book Reviews with Care and be Selective.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#Decide_for_yourself\" >Decide for yourself.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/#Why_not_Join_Us\" >Why not Join Us<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-definition-of-a-book-review\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Definition_of_a_Book_Review\"><\/span>Definition of a Book Review<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap has-text-align-justify\"><strong><strong><strong>A book review is an independent comment about an author&#8217;s work that affects the sale of the book and probably other author&#8217;s books. To understand the importance of book reviews, ask an author whose book on Amazon has none. Authors need them to create awareness and a <a href=\"http:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/can-blogs-boost-book-sales\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">better chance of getting sales.<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">So, the definition of a book review is that it should be a constructive comment where the book\u2019s content is analysed for the value and authenticity it brings to the reader. The length may vary from a paragraph to a wordy article. The average length of reviews for genre fiction novels on Amazon is between 50 and 250 words. The reviews are usually written based on personal taste and a desire to thank or berate the author. Sometimes reviewers take the opportunity to voice their own opinion or ideas on the subject matter of the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">There are different types of book review covering such things as;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Advocacy \u2013 a recommendation to read.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Commercial \u2013 business, marketing, promoting financial gain. &nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reader &#8211; &nbsp;primarily personal views on fiction books<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Editorial \u2013 critiques and opinions voiced by trade professionals, such as editors and publishers.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">It is important to note that any one of these reviews can help your book become a success but a combination of all four will give you the best chances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">There are also journals on and offline that produce book reviews, and promote good books, such as Book Bub and Kirkus Reviews. For more on this go to my article &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/find-the-right-book\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to find the right book\u2026 <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-getting-a-reaction\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Getting_a_Reaction\"><\/span>Getting a Reaction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">What matters most is that I am read, that my readers benefit from the reading, and we have connected. If I have evoked or aroused feelings of sadness, joy or laughter I am happy. When a reader learns something they didn\u2019t know before then I have added value. If I make them angry, I am sorry. Knowing <a href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/write-first-novel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">how long it can take to write a first novel<\/a> and get it to market, I appreciate every reader and their book reviews<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-making-a-living-as-an-author\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Making_a_Living_as_an_Author\"><\/span>Making a Living as an Author<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">Few authors make much money from writing fiction. And for most authors, writing is a passion which may turn into a profession. We are all entitled to offer our work to readers, wheteher you work for the big publishing houses or are dedicated enough to publish yourself. But <a href=\"http:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/novice-publisher-how-to-publish-a-book\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">as I explain in this post, don&#8217;t get into a spin.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">Many highly skilled professional authors are now choosing the latter, preferring to control their businesses, and if successful make more money in doing so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-importance-of-book-reviews-to-authors\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Importance_of_Book_Reviews_to_Authors\"><\/span>The Importance of Book Reviews to Authors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">If you want to know how important book reviews are, ask an author whose book has been published on Amazon and sitting on Goodreads for a year and hasn\u2019t got any reviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">Authors need book reviews as an endorsement from readers to potential readers and to create greater awareness and a better chance of being discovered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">In short, <strong>book reviews increase sales.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">On platforms like Amazon, books with loads of good reviews will be given more exposure in preference to books with only a few reviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">It\u2019s all logical but a bit of a \u2018chicken and egg\u2019 scenario. Which comes first?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-value-of-book-reviews\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Value_of_Book_Reviews\"><\/span>The Value of Book Reviews<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">A Fiction Book Review, if it is to have any value, should be a serious, critical and constructive appraisal of the book. It should add a dimension and summarise the work, to help a prospective reader and the author. It should not be abusive, taken lightly or frivolously, and above all, it must be sincere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">If it meets those criteria it will add value to readers and authors alike. And reviews help other people discover books, and get more exposure when retailers like Amazon promote them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-honest-reviews-benefit-everyone\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Honest_Reviews_Benefit_Everyone\"><\/span>Honest Reviews Benefit Everyone.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/commons.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Martin_Amis_in_Le%C3%B3n_Spain_in_2007.jpg\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img title = \"[Tags]\"decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/d\/de\/Martin_Amis_in_Le%C3%B3n_Spain_in_2007.jpg\/300px-Martin_Amis_in_Le%C3%B3n_Spain_in_2007.jpg\"alt = \"300px-Celsus-Bibliothek2 What is a Book Review, and How Important are They?\" style=\"width:192px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Martin Amis gives a speech in Le\u00f3n, in northern Spain, in 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">One-liners, although they may have some value, are not strictly reviews. They are a quick comment on whether or not the reader liked it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">By way of example, I bought a novel, \u2018Lionel Asbo\u2019 by the very successful, Martin Amis, whom I had never read. There are five \u2018one-liners\u2019 on the front and back covers. here are two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u2018Gloriously funny and incisive\u2019 \u2013 Sunday Telegraph.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u2018Terrific, both funny and serious\u2026\u2019 Guardian.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">I didn\u2019t have time to read a chapter so I bought it on spec. \u2013 not something I usually do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">After all, I thought, it\u2019s Martin Amis and the book is dedicated to a legend, <a class=\"zem_slink\" title=\"Christopher Hitchens\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Christopher_Hitchens\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener wikipedia noreferrer\">Christopher Hitchens<\/a>, so it must be good. I ploughed through half of it and could not manage any more. I didn\u2019t enjoy it one little bit. It wasn\u2019t for me.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/commons.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Christopher_Hitchens.jpg\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img title = \"[Tags]\"decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/c\/ce\/Christopher_Hitchens.jpg\/300px-Christopher_Hitchens.jpg\"alt = \"300px-Celsus-Bibliothek2 What is a Book Review, and How Important are They?\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5011764705882353;width:240px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Christopher Hitchens from the Randi Foundation The Amazing Meeting 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">We all have different tastes, and this one didn&#8217;t taste good to me. So please don\u2019t let that put you off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">You may love it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-book-reviews-blogs-and-book-review-sites\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Book_Reviews_Blogs_and_Book_Review_Sites\"><\/span>Book Reviews Blogs and Book Review Sites<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">We are all entitled to our opinions, but if I see ill-informed, malevolent and destructive criticism, I have to question the critic\u2019s motive. It is good to see more book review blogs and book review sites online now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">It indicates that more and more readers are keen to share&nbsp; polite, honest opinions to help other readers, and authors alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-value-is-there-in-these-reviews\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_Value_in_these_Reviews\"><\/span>What is the Value in these Reviews?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">I thought it would be interesting to consider the value of two critical reviews as an example. I have taken two posted on Amazon, of a book by a famous author, Dan Brown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">80% of the 20k+ reviews of <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/34AT8BX\"><strong>Origin<\/strong><\/a> are 4 or 5 Star so we can probably assume Dan Brown is not that concerned that 8% are 2 and 1 Star, and will find zero value in them. I would be surprised if he ever reads them, anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">But, let\u2019s look at them from a readers perspective and imagine we are new authors, not Dan Brown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-review-1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Review_1\"><\/span>Review 1<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Disappointed\u2026 wish Brown would find a new model.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I wish I could give this 3.5 stars, but it doesn&#8217;t warrant 4 in my opinion. <span style=\"color: #339966;\"><strong>I love Dan Brown&#8217;s novels, his writing style, and his extensive use of history\/tech in most of them, and I always learn something when I read his books.<\/strong> <strong><span style=\"color: #339966;\">Robert Langdon is one of my favorite fictional characters<\/span>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, as this series moves on, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><em><strong>it&#8217;s more of the same<\/strong>.<\/em><\/span> Brown has a plug and play format that he follows, and as I read this book, it&#8217;s basically Robert Langdon at some educational\/art venue where a friend\/colleague, etc. asks for his presence only to witness a murder or event that threatens the world. &lt; insert new villain here that is on a mission from God because his\/her family was wronged&gt;. Run to this historical place, find something they were looking for, find it quickly and then all is right again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There was supposed suspense, in that you want to find out what in the world Langdon&#8217;s friend had to say before his murder&#8211;and of course, you have to wait until the end to find out. But <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong><em>I skimmed a lot of it because it was just more of the same. By the end of the book, I wasn&#8217;t particularly enlightened by the so-called &#8220;discovery that would change the world.&#8221; And, the side plot (that actually seems like part of the larger plot) of the Prince and Bishop was a distraction.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The only part that was remotely interesting was the use of &#8220;Winston&#8221; in the novel. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong><em>I was hoping for something more original from Dan Brown, especially after paying $15.00.<\/em><\/strong> <strong><em>I wish he&#8217;d return to the days of Digital Fortress.<\/em><\/strong> <\/span><span style=\"color: #339966;\"><strong>He&#8217;s such a talented writer,<\/strong><\/span> but if this is his whole mantra for novel writing, I&#8217;m not sure I&#8217;ll buy the next one.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-as-a-new-author-how-does-it-help-me\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"As_a_New_Author_%E2%80%93_How_Does_it_Help_Me\"><\/span>As a New Author \u2013 How Does it Help Me?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">Here are a few points that are helpful and would make me think. (See highlighted text)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The reviewer thinks I\u2019m a talented writer, enjoys my books and learns from them. That\u2019s a good start. &#8211; I\u2019m entertaining my customer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I need to think about keeping the reader focused. Seems like a sub-plot takes readers on a detour and doesn\u2019t move the story forward. &#8211; Watch out for this in future.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Price seems to be an issue. I\u2019m giving value, but is it value for money?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The reviewer seems a bit confused. On the one hand saying, \u2018<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\u2026it\u2019s more of the same.\u2019<\/span> Then saying, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\u2018I wish he\u2019d return to the days of Digital Fortress.\u2019<\/span> \u2013 This doesn\u2019t help me and I have no intention of writing two books with different names that are the same. I\u2019ll ignore it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-as-a-reader-how-does-it-help-me\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"As_a_Reader_%E2%80%93_How_Does_it_Help_Me\"><\/span>As a Reader \u2013 How Does it Help Me?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It looks like the author\u2019s work is worth reading.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The negative comments seem to be more opinion and personal preferences.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>On balance, I\u2019ll put this author and the book on my to read list.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-review-2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Review_2\"><\/span>Review 2<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Very poor book<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong><em>really bad book<\/em><\/strong>.<\/span> It is <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong><em>boring<\/em><\/strong><\/span>, there&#8217;s no payoff at the end, it&#8217;s just <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong><em>terrible<\/em><\/strong><\/span>. The story is attenuated and <strong><em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">not well thought out<\/span><\/em><\/strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">,<\/span> and the ending is <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong><em>not worth the waste of time<\/em><\/strong>.<\/span> Brown is <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong><em>not a great writer,<\/em><\/strong><\/span> and some of his stories are good, but this is <strong><em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">just awful.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-as-a-new-author-how-does-review-2-help-me\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"As_a_New_Author_%E2%80%93_How_does_Review_2_Help_Me\"><\/span>As a New Author \u2013 How does Review 2 Help Me?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">This review is a destructive, opinionated rant which offers no help to me as an author whatsoever. I don\u2019t understand what the reviewer was thinking or why he wrote it. This is not a review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-as-a-reader-how-does-it-help-me-1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"As_a_Reader_%E2%80%93_How_does_it_Help_Me\"><\/span>As a Reader \u2013 How does it Help Me?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">This is not a review. Just the rantings of a man who got out of the wrong side of the bed and wanted to take it out on someone. How did he think he was helping anyone? It only reflects badly on the writer of the review, not the author.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-treat-book-reviews-with-care-and-be-selective\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Treat_Book_Reviews_with_Care_and_be_Selective\"><\/span>Treat Book Reviews with Care and be Selective.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">So be careful. While Reviews can be helpful, many of them are of little or no value. Read them but don\u2019t place too much reliance on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">I remember one of the best books I have read had 5% of 80,000 Amazon Reviews as 1 Star and they are scathing. I couldn\u2019t resist buying it. I\u2019ve read it twice and watched the movie. I enjoyed both immensely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">So, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3oFy0T0\">The Girl on the Train<\/a> comes highly recommended by me but not by everybody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-decide-for-yourself\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Decide_for_yourself\"><\/span>Decide for yourself.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">I decide whether or not to read a book by reading a sample first. I don\u2019t need book reviews or one-liners to make my decisions, but I do find some of them helpful. It is also interesting to read the opinions of others occasionally. I like to trust my own judgement and the integrity of the author in deciding what to read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">However, as an author, I value every reader&#8217;s opinion, when the purpose of a book review is to help other readers. And I am thrilled when one of them appreciates my books enough to take the time to write a review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-not-join-us\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_not_Join_Us\"><\/span>Why not Join Us<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you enjoyed this article, we would like to offer you two gifts \u2013 our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jameskingbooks.com\/starterlibrary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Starter Pack of 4 James King\u2019s books<\/a>&nbsp;and our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jameskingbooks.com\/contact\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Weekly Digest,<\/a>&nbsp;which you can receive by email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Updated April 2024<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is a book review, is a question I never gave much thought to until I started writing seriously. The[&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11657,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","footnotes":""},"categories":[1201],"tags":[3919],"class_list":["post-273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-book-marketing-publishing","tag-writers-help"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v15.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What is a Book Review, and How Important are They? &bull; Author Indie<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A book review is an independent comment about an author&#039;s work that affects the sale of the book and probably other author&#039;s books.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/book-review\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is a Book Review, and How Important are They? 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They have all provided rare material which he uses to great effect in his writing.Blogging, writing articles about Thailand and poetry, led to writing novels. With a literary bent, his character-driven stories are dramatic, suspenseful, thrilling and emotional. There are always romantic and sinister elements at play in his plots.James\\u2019 poetry drifts from the romantic to fear for the survival of our world, human rights and the darkness of death. Inspired by music, film, and literature. Shakespeare, Dickens, Hesse, Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan, among others, have all had a profound influence on his life, his writing, and the messages within.\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=273"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14971,"href":"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273\/revisions\/14971"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11657"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamoroki.com\/authorindie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}