Cat Johnson Braves Doll Lil’s Word Association Challenge!

Day: This is complicated in the way that reviewing is . . .
A review is subjective and rarely are feelings about books black and white so is it any surprise that my feelings about “review policies” would be the same? There are shades of gray (and far more than 50 but that’s a different book and topic for another day).

I want to review every book that interests me, and half the time accept review requests that do however, where it gets tricky is when – (A) I can’t get instantly into the story within 25 pages – (B) Life gets too busy – (C) all the above & more.

I just do not have time to force myself to read a book that isn’t speaking to me at the moment and I want to give it a fair review by actually reading it, so I will push it aside and try again later. Sometimes this works and I end up LOVING a book that I didn’t like at first glance (like J. R. Ward’s BDB) simply because I read it at a moment when my mind and mood were ready for something different. Other times it doesn’t work out as well and I end up writing a review that is less favorable. Either way, if I don’t keep a set policy and adhere to a strict timeline for reviewing I at least know that I gave an author’s creation a fair shake and multiples attempts to “woo” me.

Because of my experience, yes I have changed the way I review. I have learned that promising a certain time frame for a review is difficult and also that it isn’t always in the books best interest for me to keep a deadline.

Where review pitches are concerned, I like a more personal approach especially if it’s an indie author. Something that shows that they actually have read our site and reviews or done their research. Submissions that are CC’d to every blogger out in cyberspace do not appeal to me.

The honest and human approach is what always gets my attention and will usually be the ones I try to make happen first. That extends to correspondence with those who request as well. If I have a polite exchange with a publisher, author or media marketer I find that I become more willing to make time to read their book. If the communication is poor, rude or too pushy it becomes a turn off and I am less excited to read the book. This actually happened recently with a publisher that emailed me after BEA about a review on a first in trilogy book we’d done for a debut author. I was a huge fan of the author and really impressed with the writing and book in general so when the dialogue with publisher ended with them telling me we’d be one of the first to get to read book 2 and help promote the next release next year I was more than excited and eager to help. But, when next year came and I not only didn’t get the book but didn’t get any of the things promised and the communication with the publisher that was once so pleasant and peppy had run dry – well, I became less excited about the release. Don’t get me wrong, I will still read the book when it comes out, but I won’t rearrange my schedule for it.

In summary; personal and honest requests with good communication are good. Policies are good but difficult for me personally to keep.

Paperback Dolls is made up of women from different parts of the world, with different backgrounds, different tastes and beliefs that were brought together through a love of reading. We like to think of ourselves as a cyber version of "The View" that focuses on books, authors, and reading. We are proof positive that one common love can unite the most opposite of people and form lasting friendships that introduce other ways of life and perspectives to each other.

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