More than Just a Rating discussion

Believe it or not, this is an open topic, too. What seems natural to you isn't obvious to others, so please share!

Well I depend a lot on reviews when I choose a book because experiences have shown me that I am not good at judging a book by its cover. Along the way, I find that reading reviews is a good way to learn how to express myself in writing. And reviews with many 'likes' help me to see what style of writing most people would enjoy reading.

I read reviews to get a an idea about the quality and content of a book... but I do this cautiously, especially on Amazon. Amazon has a lot of problems with fake reviews. I haven't heard that goodreads has that problem. Now Amazon has a CERTIFIED BUYER tag if they know someone's bought the book from Amazon, so that helps a little.

Sarah wrote: "I read reviews to get a an idea about the quality and content of a book... but I do this cautiously, especially on Amazon. Amazon has a lot of problems with fake reviews. I haven't heard that goodr..."

Is the fake review that you mention the issue where the "author" is actually a number of people writing under a single individual's name? As I understand it, they are paid for a good review, which I suggest disqualifies it as review at all.

I really appreciate it when a reviewer discloses they have been given a copy of the book for the purpose of reviewing it. I see this quite often at Goodreads.

Yes, here at GR we've agreed to acknowledge that we've won a book through the giveaways program. GR tries to be more trustworthy, and less commercial (with the caveat that it is a for-profit company).

So, I've heard that some people actually read reviews just for fun, for books they have no intention of reading (for example). They are 'following' members who write clever reviews, for example. Do any of you do that?

I read reviews before I read a book to find the general consensus of those who have gone before me and judge whether or not to actually read a book I am not sure about reading. I also read the reviews to help write my reviews if I am having trouble getting my words out of my head.

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "So, I've heard that some people actually read reviews just for fun, for books they have no intention of reading (for example). They are 'following' members who write clever reviews, for example."

Yes, I follow a couple people who review books I'd never read. One guy reviews comic books and graphic novels, books that bore me stiff, but his reviews are hilarious when he doesn't like one of them. I find the fanboy rage entertaining. :)

I also read reviews for books or authors that get all kinds of hype and praise, because I usually don't end up liking them. (Expectations too high.) So I read reviews to find out what I would like as well as what to avoid. Lots of 5 star reviews (especially for more recent romances) are usually a red flag.

I read reviews mostly to decide if a certain book is one I'd be interested in reading. I also enjoy reading reviews on books I've read to see how others felt about books I've loved or hated.

Well I read reviews for a lot of different reasons, but I'll try and boil it down here.

Books I am thinking about reading/buying - the past year and a few unfortunate incidents of buying sight unseen have led me to be a lot more cautious about my buying/reading choices, so now I read through reviews to help me make choose.

Books I've reviewed already - sometimes once I've posted my own review I'll read through the other reviews to see what other people thought, and just for entertainment I guess.

Books I've no intention of reading - this applies to books that friends review that I've no intention of reading, and those books you wouldn't touch with a barge pole, again I read those purely for the enjoyment and entertainment factor.

Sarah wrote: "I read reviews to get a an idea about the quality and content of a book... but I do this cautiously, especially on Amazon. Amazon has a lot of problems with fake reviews. I haven't heard that goodr..."

There are so many different methods of review shenanigans at Amazon and it would take too much time to point them all out. Authors setting up fake profiles to give themselves bunches of gushy reviews. Harriet Klausner and her 25K recaps, and hardly a two or three star among them. The genre I read is fairly small and after a while I notice a few *regular* reviewers and while we don't always agree, I know they're giving me an honest opinion.

As for what is called the Amazon Verified Purchase, yes it does have it's purposes - but don't forget there are those like me who get the book from another source (swap, library, etc.) and thus don't have that badge. I do get an occasionable book from a publisher and do note that source in my reviews.

BunWat wrote: "I do that too. And if I see a review I particularly like, or one that makes a point I hadn't thought of, or says something I completely disagree with, well then I will comment. I've made some GR friends that way, by commenting on reviews and responding to comments on my reviews. Its quite a bonding experience, for example, to discover someone who also didn't like the character that it seems all your friends are in love with, haha!"

I've actually made a good few friends here on Goodreads exactly that way - reading the other reviews for my own entertainment, finding an interesting one, commenting on it, getting a conversation going with the reviewer, checking out their profile and comparing books and then friending them - and now we're really good friends, very similar tastes in a lot of things not only books, and we chat almost every single day here on Goodreads.

I read reviews for books I'm considering when the summary seems inadequate for me. Some GR book descriptions don't contain summaries or any useful information about the book. I look for reviews to fill in my information gaps and give me a reason why I should read this book. I often read hidden spoilers, but I never feel spoiled. Sometimes it will be a criticism that clinches my decision to read a book. If for example, a review of a mystery complains about the paranormal content I then know that there is paranormal content. Since I am a paranormal fan, that's a plus for me.

I also read reviews of a book that I just read to see if my review will be a contribution to the discussion. If I see twenty reviews that say the same exact things that I would have said, I feel that I might as well just post a rating. On the other hand, sometimes a review that I disagree with will inspire a focus for my review. I then post my viewpoint and hope that other people will find it useful.

Wow, y'all do have lots of neat thoughts to share! Thanks!

If a Goodreads Friend writes a review, I pay particular attention, because her/his tastes are similar to mine. I've come to trust them so much that the appearence of their name means the book will be added to my TO READ shelf.

If books are suggested in a discussion thread, I first make note of the book's overall rating, then I read a few positive reviews, and then seek out the negative reviews. Positive reviews are kinda vague...negative reviews are usually specific. The combination of the two helps me make up my mind about making a choice.

I also, like Shomeret, read reviews just before wrting my own. No sense in repeating what some one else has said. They might place my focus on a particular point that has not yet been mentioned, or cause me to expound on one a that I had forgotten.

Yep, I read other's reviews before writing my own; especially the negative ones, as I sometimes don't notice the faults in a book if I'm overall satisfied with it.

BTW, you should definitely check out Almeta's reviews. She is one of my friends and her reviews are always clever, witty, and insightful. She always gets a "like" from me!

I will skim the reviews of a book I'm planning on reading, mostly just to get a sense of how many people liked the book. I don't like to closely read friends reviews of those books until after I've read them, I just check the star rating; that way I don't get "spoiled" in any way (inadvertently or on purpose).

Sometimes I read reviews of books that are hugely popular that I have no intention of reading just for entertainment - sometimes I have been intrigued enough by those reviews to actually read the books themselves.

And, finally, like Debra I will read reviews before writing my own for exactly the same reason she does. Well said, Debra!

Tammy wrote: "I will skim the reviews of a book I'm planning on reading, mostly just to get a sense of how many people liked the book. I don't like to closely read friends reviews of those books until after I'v..."

I'll read reviews when the book is weeks/months away, but if the book is next on the pile or I'm currently reading I'll stay away unless I'm having a problem with a book - then I go and look at the critical ones to see if anyone else is having the same issue.

As for writing the review, I also tend to stay away from them (especially friends who I know have similar reading opinions). I'm always afraid I'll say the same thing all over again :)

Like Misfit I do try and stay away from the reviews whilst writing my own review, as I don't want to be unduly influenced. But I'll read before I get the book in order to decide whether or not to get it, and after posting my review, to see what others said and for entertainment.

I'm way, way behind, but I try to read friends' reviews.

I also often read reviews of books I've just read, rated, and reviewed myself. I like to see what other reviewers have written. I tend to stay away from doing this until after I've written my own review; I don't want other reviewers' words in my head when I'm trying to write my review.

I also enjoy reading reviews of books in which I have or might have interest in reading, but not if I'm just about to read them for the first time.

I also enjoy reading reviews for books in which I have no interest. I don't have to worry about spoilers, and I often find the reviews much more entertaining than I would the books.

Edited to add: I tend to skip reviews of books, particularly non-fiction books, that just spit the books' contents back at me. The only time I read & enjoy those types of reviews is if I have interest in the book, but not quite enough to actually read it. Then, reading these kind of reviews gives me some information I find interesting and without my having to read the book.

Shomeret wrote: "I read reviews for books I'm considering when the summary seems inadequate for me. Some GR book descriptions don't contain summaries or any useful information about the book. I look for reviews to fill in my information gaps and give me a reason why I should read this book. I often read hidden spoilers, but I never feel spoiled."

Beth wrote: "Books I am thinking about reading/buying - the past year and a few unfortunate incidents of buying sight unseen have led me to be a lot more cautious about my buying/reading choices, so now I read through reviews to help me make choose.
Books I've reviewed already - sometimes once I've posted my own review I'll read through the other reviews to see what other people thought, and just for entertainment I guess."

Pamela(AllHoney) wrote: "I read reviews mostly to decide if a certain book is one I'd be interested in reading. I also enjoy reading reviews on books I've read to see how others felt about books I've loved or hated."

I can't say it any better than this :)

Kit★ wrote: can't say it any better than this :)

i>

Yeah Kit, I'm with you. Can we "Like" comments? ;o)

That would be a good thing for GR to add! I see comments I want to 'like' all the time on here!

If Im not sure about a book Im going to read I check out the review (without spoilers) and try and make my decision from there. But it dosent always work,as I have found some reviews that rate a book 4-5 stars..just gets a 3 from me after Ive read it..so everyone's taste is different,what may have been a great read for them may not work the same for others..thats why reviews are important (the good & the bad)even if they are short..it helps in the decision making.I also like to pick up a book and NOT read the reviews till after Ive read it..then compare what the reviewers wrote,to what I read.

Yes, very few books are going to get all the same(ish) ratings from everyone. I'm hoping that we in this group help each other to write helpful reviews that say a little bit about *why* we rated a book the way we did.

One of the reasons I read reviews of adult books is to try to learn about the Yuck Factor. I do not read thrillers, horror, Oprah picks, because I do not like reading about stuff like rape, child abuse, alcoholism. But lots of Literature and science-fiction also has that kind of stuff. So, I'm very grateful when reviewers warn me about Yucky Nasty stuff!

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "Yes, very few books are going to get all the same(ish) ratings from everyone. I'm hoping that we in this group help each other to write helpful reviews that say a little bit about *why* we rated a..."

Mentioning the yuck factor (including sex) is very important and I appreciate it when a reviewer does note it. Covers can be very deceiving and you never know what is really inside. Some like a lot of squicky sex, others don't. Neither opinion is *wrong*, it's just personal tastes.

I rolled my eyes at one Amazon review of a book that mentioned the sex was really a bit too much for a historical novel and she got slapped with a seriously snotty comment for mentioning it, something like *well it is the Plantagenets after all*. Geez, Sharon Penman has been able to write about them quite nicely without sinking down to overdone sex.

Misfit wrote: "Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "Yes, very few books are going to get all the same(ish) ratings from everyone. I'm hoping that we in this group help each other to write helpful reviews that say a little bi..."

I agree Misfit..I like it when the "sex" is "rated" in the review (I always can count on yours)Im not a prude,but some stuff is out of my comfort zone and I like to be aware of it before I waste the $$$.

Tx - I'm glad I'm not the only one who can admit to being squeamish about some things. ;)

I try to remember to put in things that I'm comfortable with, but I know that other people aren't. Like, I'm aware that folks like yall might get squeamish about some freaky sexy things going on. Those things don't bother me, but I try to remember to note. Also with squicky violence, or frightening scenes involving harm to children/animals. It's hard to remember sometimes, though, because those things don't always stand out in my mind because they make sense in context.
I remember being really surprised when I read a review about a series I just finished and some people were really upset that the main character killed a dog at one point. I had to try hard to remember that part because it was so minor to me, but obviously was a major problem to these readers.

Usually I read my friends' reviews to see what new books they've read, and whatever books they've liked almost always get placed on my "To Read" shelf.

If there's a book I'm thinking of reading and the synopsis doesn't give me a lot of information, I'll skim several reviews to get a gist of what other readers have thought. These reviews I usually take with a grain of salt if I'm not familiar with the reviewer at all. (Books are so subjective; what one person loves another may hate.)

And then I'll usually read reviews of books I've read and reviewed, books that I've had a strong opinion on myself, so see what others have thought about the same book.

Karen (EarthAngel2911) wrote: "Usually I read my friends' reviews to see what new books they've read, and whatever books they've liked almost always get placed on my "To Read" shelf.

If there's a book I'm thinking of reading an..."

I agree Karen..I do that too ( read friends reviews)
Then III put them on my *books to consider* shelf.
But its so true even with reviews what one my really like may not be your cuppa tea.

I like to know what others think about the book I am considering. If there are more bad reviews than good ones, then I don't read the book. If a book is rated good, the greater the chances of my enjoyment.

I read reviews because I enjoy seeing a book through someone else's eyes. I also find reviews helpful because they can present the salient facts of a book, and help me to predict if a book is something I want to chance reading. I think that I can learn just as much from a positive review as a negative, but I really don't care for snarky reviews that attack the writer as a person. Those don't help me much. I'd rather the review tell me about the book and how the reviewer felt or reacted to it.

I do read reviews for fun, even if it's a book I don't plan on reading. I find it very fun, and it fills my idle moments when I have nothing better to do.

I try not to read others' reviews before I write mine. I like to write my review cold, and based on my unique impressions of the book. It's uncanny when I read a review after I've posted mine and we had the exact same feeling about the book.

I agree with others who have said they use reviews to see if the content is something that is in their comfort zone. I am the same. I don't go in for a lot of kinky erotic elements, or extreme violence.

Ditto Lady Danielle. The only thing I would add is that I also stay away from reviews when I'm getting ready to start a book. That way I approach a read with no preconceived notions or expectations.

My reasons:

1. Sometimes it's just for fun! I'm bored and don't really have anything to do. Times flies when I read them!
2. I want to know other people's opinions on the book, hopefully finding some that are just like mine.
3. I want research on book reports (or in some case literary outlines,) and want to refresh my memory.

They are fun to read - and yes time does fly!

I only read reviews after I have read the book. Same goes for movies. I used to read reviews first and it ruined my movie experience. If the reviews were negative I went into it with a negative attitude, thinking the book/movie will be terrible and I start to pinpoint everything about the movie/book I dislike.

If 5 star ratings I go into it with high expectations. If someone says a book is funny, expect good jokes and sometimes get disappointed. It's better for me to go into it with 0 expectations. The only thing I should go by is the description.

Wow. So, do you have a lot of books that you don't finish?

David wrote: "I only read reviews after I have read the book. Same goes for movies. I used to read reviews first and it ruined my movie experience. If the reviews were negative I went into it with a negative att..."

I like to read reviews after I've finished the book too. I do often read (or skim) a few beforehand, but after I've finished a book I feel passionate about (whether it's love or hate!) I like to go through tons of review and like or comment on the ones that resonate with me. That's the part I really enjoy.

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "Wow. So, do you have a lot of books that you don't finish?"

I finish them eventually hahaEven if its 5 years after i started reading it ha

I like you David but I don't empathize!

Ok, to clarify - my attitude is, there are lots of amazing books out there. I want to spend my time on the best ones. I don't want to even check out the ones that don't have reviews that make it look like it'll be a good read, and once I'm into a book, if it's a struggle, I'll put it down. That's me. Obviously that's not you. Interesting. :)

I read the Scarlett Letter, I'll read it completely once its in english ahhaha

heh-heh

If I read a review about something before reading the book, then it's because I want to check to see if it's clean.

I agree. And we've talked about it a bit already in this group. I'm thinking I'm about to go off topic with a question, though, so I'll start a new thread. It's about trying to find more of the kinds of reviews we want to see, trying to get writers of reviews to be more helpful...

I don;t read reviews. They influence your decision. We all like different things, so if someone gives a book a bad review, I might actually love the book.

However, i do read reviews after I have read the book, to see who thinks like me aha

I read reviews before I make a decision to read a book if I feel that I need more information after I've read the description. So if the description is vague and a review contains some specific information about the content of the book that gives me some basis for deciding whether I want to read the book, then that review is very helpful to me.

Yea, I've been burned a few times David - but if a reviewer makes comments that are more helpful than the description, as Shomeret points out, I can at least know whether a book is worth considering.

I mean "best book ever!" and "worst book ever!" aren't helpful, no matter how cleverly written. But if the review says *what* is appealing or unenjoyable about the book, I sure do appreciate it.

Usually I need to scan several reviews to decide whether to read a book or not, though.

Indeed, I just found an example today... the reviewer made it *much* more clear what the book was about than the blurb did. The blurb was about the horror, the thrills... the reviewer says it's a quiet, thoughtful, insightful book. I didn't add it to my list (and, sorry, have already forgotten which one it was that I was considering) anyway, but at least the reviewer made it sound much more tempting than the baity blurb.

Please, folks, I'd love to know when the blurb is right or, especially, when it's misleading! I'd love to know more about the experience of reading the book than what it's 'about' too.

Some blurbs are more hype than information and that makes reviews more important. What review says, rather than rating or hype, is often the most useful information found.