Some of you may wonder why I get so doggone excited when I find a new Cozy Mystery author to follow. Well, there's a very simple answer…
From time to time, I go through a "try new authors" phase… I read cozies by authors with whom I'm not familiar. I check out what other people have to say about the author, but ultimately, I decide for myself if the author might be someone I would enjoy reading.
I am not swayed by people who never write a negative review about a book or author. I mean, when 4 stars is the very lowest Amazon rating you ever see by a reviewer, it sort of cheapens the person's reviews. I don't even read those comments. (And, unfortunately, I don't like seeing those 4-star-or-over reviewers on the back of a paperback mystery or on an author's site… I get the same "avoidance" feeling, which I am sometimes able to overcome.)
I actually saw a person post an entry once who admitted to "having to find positive things about a book" he/she was reading to review. What?!?!
I don't post negative comments, but I do post positive, only when I truly feel positive about a book or author. Because of this, the authors/books that I truly do not like, I simply don't mention. I don't know if that's fair, but that is what I choose to do. I won't go out of my way "to find positive things about a book" just for that purpose.
Better to be positive than to have to find something positive…
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
That’s exactly what I went through this last week-end. I had not heard of Nancy Atherton before but loved the sound of the Aunt Dimity series after seeing it on your site. So I bought the first 2 in the series to get started. I just know I’ll buy the rest! But like you said, that’s what happens: I usually try to get as many as I can in the series, either at Half Price Books or Paper Back Swap and enjoy the heck out of them! Petie
If I am reading a book that just does not agree with me, I move on. I set it in the trade pile or the maybe get back to it when I might be in the mood for it pile. I do write negative reviews if a book I continued to read and it disappoints me, but I don’t slam authors or books. It’s a treasure hunt….sometimes that shiny stuff is fool’s gold….I love finding new to me authors. I tend to wander away from the ‘big names’ and keep to the midlist authors. I think the only ‘big names’ I follow still are Charlaine Harris and Kathy Reichs, they don’t disappoint.
I love finding new authors – cosy or otherwise – it’s such a treat – especially if they have several books already written.
I write a review of every book I read on my blog – I don’t go out of my way to be negative but I have written negative reviews when I’ve had a bad reading experience. I always try to find a more positive review to link to and I never get personal about the author (my comments are always about my opinions about the plot/characters/setting etc). I like to see the good and bad when I read reviews as I understand that it’s all a matter of opinion so that’s what I write too.
Hi ALL!
I appreciate it when someone writes a truthful review… be it positive or negative. I read both, and take both into consideration when I am deciding on whether or not to try a new author. Unfortunately, everyone’s barometer is different, so I try to weigh each review for what it is.
Speaking of finding new authors–I just read the first Blaise Clement (Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter). What a LOVELY, lovely read. I really enjoyed it. She will be added to my favorite’s list!!!
Thank you, Maria, for telling us about Blaize Clement.
Also, thanks for the idea for my next blog entry. I think that I’ll ask readers to let us know who they are currently reading… and enjoying!
Thanks, again……..
(Hopefully I’ll be able to sift through the “true” endorsements of authors VS those submitted by their agents!)
As I tend to be positive in my reviews, I’m probably one of those who you will see with only three or four stars or more on Amazon. That’s because I rarely write a review if I really don’t like the book, and then I try to find something positive about it. What I hate to see on Amazon are those that one or two star a book with a one line “dump” about the book or author. I’d rather know why they feel that way.
That said, I do try to be honest when I review. I’m wondering if those you find on Amazon who never have a review with less than four stars are just not posting if they don’t like the book.
Finding new cozy authors is a pleasure. I appreciate your lists and especially that you encourage your readers to let you know of any new-to-you writers. It’s great that someone goes out of their way to promote new writers.
I totally agree with you, Edie, about people who post bad star ratings for books but don’t explain why they are giving those abysmal ratings. I sometimes wonder if those people are just playing around on the computer and think that it’s funny. It hurts a book’s standing, and today, with a lot of authors being dropped by publishers, it’s a shame!