Well said!!! I LOVE the chance to have differing opinions, that's our right and our choice. Thank you for always doing as you say, giving us your opinion AND the evidence to back it up. I may see it differently and that's MY opinion. Isn't it grand?!?!

I tell my students in my classroom that they can have any opinion they want, they just have to back it up - we call it "claim and evidence". There are some pretty great discussions in our classroom this year because of it.

Thanks for all of your well reasoned reviews and great suggestions. I can always look to you for the "whole" picture AND still make my own decision. I love it!

PS - we actually had the A/C on tonight!

I personally don't write negative reviews, but I also hope to publish one day and may have to work with the authors or publishers I trash now. I will point out aspects I don't care for, as long as I can balance it with positive things as well. I've had reviews like this before and people comment that they still want to read it despite the flaws, which makes me happy!

I don't mind that others do, though, and think you should review exactly as you do now. There are so many different ways out there for us to express POV!

This is a great post. As a book blogger I think about this issue a lot. I empathize with the authors and feel for the seeming unfairness of the issue, but I think you articulated beautifully why we, as book consumers, should have the right to voice our opinions about the books we read. Our time and money are valuable, and authors need to be aware that when one is selling a commodity (in this case a book), one loses the right to complain about how it's received.

One of the reasons I read your blog consistently (although I don't usually comment: my very bad) is that you are honest in both your positive and negative reviews. I appreciate that. I like reading book blogs that give both the good and the bad. I tend to avoid blogs that seem to be part of a promotion campaign. I want honesty and insight from a reviewer, not blind adoration.

I could not have said it better! :)

I am not a book blogger but a long time reader of this (and other) book blogs. If a book blogger consistently gives out positive reviews on books that I dont like then I will delete them. I keep coming back for your honest opinion.

BTW- Favorite line in the is post - Is talking to random people about books like in the dentist office. That is me!! If you have a book in your hand I will probably ask what you think about it.

The reason I don't post negative reviews is because I don't finish reading books I don't like. I just can't do it!! It would feel like homework! They usually have to be at least 3 out of 5 stars in my mind to continue reading past the first 50 pages. I've never been able to force myself to read something I don't enjoy. So seriously good for you for reading books you don't like. It is good for people to read both positive and negative reviews to help make their decision on what books to read.

Amen! What more can I say?

I'll take an 'amen' :)

I wanted to comment on the last post, but I felt silly! After having read this post - or at least most of it ;) - I decided I needed to comment!! I've seen that book The Evolution of Thomas Hall at Deseret Book so often and, solely based off the cover, I decided it wouldn't be worth my time. After your review, I really want to read it! I'm so glad you do take the time to really analyze and bluntly tell it like it is. I've picked up a lot of books because of this and I'm a new reader of your blog. So keep it up! You're awesome and don't let others drag you down because they're offended. I appreciate your honesty!

I'm an author, and guess what? I completely agree with you! There are so many books out there and it is impossible to know which ones are worth your time unless you can see honest reviews. I see a lot of books (mostly from Indie authors) with great 5 stars reviews, but after reading the first few pages, you can see that those 5 star reviews came from the author's friends and family. It's not fair to anyone--even the author. You can't grow and become a better author if everyone tells you that your work is great, even if it isn't. Sure it's hard to read bad things about your work, but as long as the reviewer is honest and not malicious, it helps in the long run.

I appreciate your honesty. Keep it up!

I never comment, but I had to join in with a "Thank you" for the honest book reviews. I usually agree with your reviews, but every once in a while I read a book that you liked and think, "Really?" and sometimes I'll read one you didn't like and love it. But I always check your blog to see what you're reading and what you're saying about it. It's like an on-line book club :)

AND Authors whining about negative reviews is a big turn-off to me--we don't all like the same things! The world would be boring if we did. It was an amazing feat just to get a book published so feel proud of yourself and don't worry about all the different opinions--at least people are talking about it.

That's one thing I absolutely love about your reviews - if there's something you didn't like, you say it. I think it's a great thing to have reviewers who are entirely honest with what they think. I hope I'm that way. I used to finish every book I started, no matter what. It's only recently I gave myself permission to stop reading a book. That being said, I just finished an audio that made me want to die as I listened. But I'm still alive and the whole things was listened to. Still trying to figure out what to say about it...

I love your blog and respect your reviews. You are fair and un-snarky and dead on (if not kinder than you should be- B minus for the Wedding Letters?!?!) I have read things I would have skipped because of your reviews. Don't you dare get discouraged! You provide a valuable service!

Susan, I think you write some of the very BEST reviews out there in blogging land. They're terrifically written and fun to read to boot. I love reading about the strong and the not-so-strong points of a book. Thank you for all the time and effort you put into this. xoxo