This Week’s Topic: My Biggest Review Struggle
I often feel like my reviews are useless garbage, and I struggle to try and properly convey my feelings. I honestly believe, that if I don't give a book 5 stars, I should be able to come up with one reason why.
However, many of the things that rubbed me the wrong way would be too specific, and we all know I hate spoilers. This also goes for things that I may have really liked, and it pains me that I cannot yell out all the things that made me so happy. This is really an issue when it comes to a great ending. Time after time, a book's ending will be what earns it that extra star. It's that last impression the book leaves on me, but all I can say is, "The ending was good." I feel like you just have to have this blind faith in me, because I cannot divulge the details.
My biggest review struggle is that I feel like I have to be so vague, and it is really challenging to try and effectively communicate my adoration or disdain, while withholding so many details. Is there anything that makes your reviewing experience difficult?
Now it's your turn!
Do you ever struggle with writing your reviews?
Let us know in the comments!
I am all over the place when it comes to giving spoilers and being too vague. Sighs. If I have to spoil something -- usually bc it irritates me -- I always give warnings before the review starts.
ReplyDeleteAnd that is exactly the dilemma for me. I have to try and talk around something because it is a spoiler, and it's so hard. I know I really appreciate the warning from reviewers, but then there is the curious cat thing, and I can't help but read it.
DeleteOkay, first off, that last gif with the dog is all sorts of adorable. Now back to the topic at hand! LOL I do think that it can be hard to review a book without giving away anything really important, and reviews with big spoilers (without a warning) are not cool. I think your reviews are great though! I'm sure most of us have this issue of sharing enough, but not too much. :)
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I do think a reviewer owes their reader a warning that spoilers lie ahead, but that goes back to one of my discussions from last year, which discussed how something may be a spoilers without being super obvious. There are some things in the book, which are impactful, but other people may not see them that way. Another dilemma.
DeleteYeah it's hard to be vague, especially because different people have different concepts of what a spoiler is. There are things that aren't a spoiler to me but could be considered a spoiler by someone else.
ReplyDeleteI was just saying that! (and it harkens back to my post from last year. There are obvious spoilers, but then there are things that are more subjective, which just compounds my problem.
DeleteI really just love your gifs. They are all spot on, as well as being new to me.
ReplyDeleteI like the way Nicole at Feed Your Fiction Addition will sometimes write long, spoiler-filled reviews (WELL LABELED as such) for those of us who have read the same book. Since I am more likely to read a review after I've finished a book, I like that idea a lot. I am also one of those people who view nearly everything as a spoiler--I want to experience it all fresh for myself--so in any traditional review, I'd rather someone be vague.
Interesting topic, as always.
I used to think emojis were vital for communication, but now I try to imagine how I survived before I had reaction gifs. Bang Bang Book Blog also writes spoiler reviews. In fact, she will post two versions - one with, one without spoilers. And you brought up something really important, which a lot of people have mentioned today, spoilers can be subjective. I mean, in a murder mystery, you KNOW revealing the murderer would be a spoiler, but there are other details, which could be a spoiler for some readers and not others.
DeleteI think I sometimes give too much away in reviews, and should probably label them more "spoilery," because yeah, it's hard to write a review that gets across your feelings about the book while being vague. Some genres are easier than others - like with thrillers, I need to be more vague so as not to give the twists away.
ReplyDeleteI am glad I am not the only one who feels this way. Twists and who-did- it are obvious, but there are more subtle things in other genres, which could be spoilery without being obvious.
DeleteYOUR REVIEWS ARE SOOO HELPFUL! And I agree with you about wanting to outline why I didn't like it but also don't want to come across as nitpicky. I like the review structure of "likes" and "didn't like".
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement. I also am a fan of people who use the "like" "didn't like" style format. It makes it really clear. I always feel like when I start talking about something I didn't like, the reader will be able to extrapolate some more vital information from that pertaining to the plot. It's a slippery slope for me.
DeleteI feel as though I am sounding repetitive, because I am trying to mask details, which would be too revealing. --sigh--
ReplyDeleteDUDE, this is my absolute biggest struggle while writing reviews! Like just the other day I was writing one and literally ALL the stuff I didn't like (which luckily was only like, 2 things) were suuuuper spoilery. So I just had to be like "the only problems I had were spoilery, sorry" and left it at that? I mean, it's so hard! Luckily I wasn't reviewing it for a publisher or anything, but still. I hate this struggle- because spoilers are evil, but then I feel like a fraud when I say basically nothing. Though I will also say, I have not ever noticed this in YOUR reviews, so maybe we *think* we are being super vague because we read the book and know all the stuff? But when someone who didn't read it reads the review, they don't KNOW we're being vague, right? That's a good spin, let's stick with that.
ReplyDeleteSpoilers are evil, and I just like to leave them out, versus giving a warning and including them (though I really appreciate when other people warn me). I guess that is something to consider, that it may not seem vague to someone, who has not read the book. Yeah, let's stick with that. XD
DeleteHaha! I relate to this post in every way. Spoilers are my biggest struggle when I review. I like to hint about something that I think readers will really love about a book without coming right out and saying what that something is and then I feel like I've written a big, vague, rambling mess, lol.
ReplyDeleteI admire those bloggers, who just go for it, and do the spoiler reviews, because they would be so much easier for me to write. However, I think I would feel guilty that I put the whole book out there in the universe for someone to stumble upon.
DeleteOMG this is so me too! I have such a problem conveying my thoughts onto 'paper'. Sometimes it takes me a couple hours to do so even, which is a huge time suck. And I hate spoilers too so sometimes I write a review and then sit there and wonder if I gave too much away, not enough? Ugh. It's a struggle. lol
ReplyDeleteEach review I write takes an hour or so. Once I am able to gather my talking points, I can get the words out quickly, but I usually spend a ton of time looking at the blank screen, and I am like you, I second guess what I wrote, and worry that I gave too much away.
DeleteYES! And it looks like you tapped into something with this review that a lot of others feel as well. I’m all about avoiding spoilers and that in itself can sometimes limit a review. So it’s like, okay what can I say without giving *anything* away? What I find myself doing is focusing on an aspect that *isn’t* spoilery. Like, if something dealing with a character is going to give too much away I’ll focus on plot and pacing, etc. If it’s the plot, I’ll focus on characters. It helps but still... always a struggle!
ReplyDeleteAnd it's not just the big spoilers, you have to worry about little things that might lead them to bigger things. --sigh--
DeleteFirst off I love your reviews! Sometimes I just need the pro's of a book to pick if up. I do try and be vague as well which is hard because you don't want to spoil it. I agree on the ending, if the ending is bad it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth and that I can remember.
ReplyDeleteAwe, thanks. When I am not happy with the ending, I usually say something like, "I wanted a little more" or "was disappointed", but I wonder if those, who regularly read my reviews will be able to read between the lines.
DeleteThis, this this!!! I'm not confident with my reviews either because it's extremely hard to take what you feel and know about a book and share it with others successfully. You have to find the right words and yes, sometimes you cannot say a lot about certain parts of the book... Reviewing is an art, really, and it takes a lot of practice to master it. Sometimes I feel I'll never be good at it, haha. Not that it keeps me from writing them :)
ReplyDeleteRonnie @ Paradise Found
That is exactly what I struggle with. Feeling like parts of the book are off limits, but they are the parts I really want to talk about.
DeleteI've had to go back to a few of my reviews because books in a certain series took too long to release and it wasn't has helpful as I would have liked. I am also way way too vague about everything in my reviews because I also hate spoilers and usually the things that make me adore or hate a book is riddled with spoilers. Unless a book really pisses me off I won't spoil anything. Though I've been known to write out a few spoiler-y lines and block them out so no one happens upon them by accident.
ReplyDeleteI often consider adding the hidden spoiler lines, but then I worry that there are people like me, who would elect to read them. 😂
DeleteAwwwww this is so hard! Because even when you're vague some people still consider it a spoiler! There is no winning... then reviews aren't the most read post you will ever post... but I feel like they are the hardest to write! That's why I try to read bloggers reviews because I KNOW it took them some effort. :D
ReplyDeleteAnd that goes back to a spoiler being sort of subjective. I have read things in the book blurb, which I felt was spoilery after I read the book.
DeleteThis is relatable. I usually know why I liked or disliked a book, but sometimes I can’t say why without spoiling it. Then I wonder if I should bother writing a review at all. I can usually come up with non-spoiler stuff to talk about, but it’s hard.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
My dislikes are usually really specific, and I can never really mention them. The old "some things didn't work for me" will get stuck in there instead. I just start to feel like I am saying the same things over and over again. So, I hope I can tailor it enough for the specific book.
DeleteYeah, for the ending you kinda have to be vague, and that can be difficult. But for the rest, I don't feel like everything has to be *that* vague. I try to be as specific as possible in my reviews, while still avoiding spoilers. Like, instead of saying, "The characters were great!" I'll describe their personalities so that other people can decide if they're the type of character they'd like or not. But yeah, certain books are harder to review w/o spoilers than others!
ReplyDeleteI think my problem is I like to give examples to support my opinion, and it's hard to determine what's off limits.
DeleteI struggle to write reviews for the books that don't leave much of an impression. The ones where you're like "it was fine, enjoyable enough, but not something I'll remember or give another thought to, ever" and you have no specific reasons for it it's just the way the book sat with you, lol.
ReplyDeleteIf I am not feeling anything, I usually stop reading the book. So, I never really find myself there, but I could imagine it is difficult to evaluate when you have no strong feelings, positive or negative.
DeleteYes definitely all for the same reasons that you've mentioned. As I was reading your post I thought...may be if we end the review and then have a spoiler section at the end where people can CHOOSE to read on or not. Otherwise a whole new post to discuss the book.
ReplyDeleteI have seen a lot of people do that, and then it's the reader's responsibility to read or not. I am really appreciative of people who LABEL the parts of their reviews or hide spoilers, because it just kills my desire to read a book when I know something I would rather discover.
DeleteOhhhh I feel this so much haha. If there's something I really have to talk about that is a huge spoiler, I will hide it so that people can decide for themselves if they want to read it, but most of the times it's just so hard. Especially when it comes to positive reviews. But at least we're not spoiling anything right? 😂
ReplyDeleteI personally have no self control, and must always click. I am the worst! But yes, it let's the reader exercise their free will and I know I appreciate the caveats when I see them.
DeleteI always have trouble - or maybe not trouble but feel compelled to - to point what I liked and didn't like so that the reader can decide if it's for them. But I want to do it in a way that doesn't put anyone off the book or that I think the book is perfect because then someone reads it and says Karen you know I hate *blank* but you didn't mention it in your review! lol
ReplyDeleteIn the end I just go with whatever feels right and hope people get soemthing out of it.
I think when you follow certain reviewers for awhile you get the shorthand or implication and it doesn't matter very much because you trust their opinion.
Karen @ For What It's Worth
It's a real skill to be able to point out likes and dislikes without scaring anyone off a book. As long as you are honest about what you like, that's all you can do, and if these are readers who follow you, they should have a good feel for the type of books you like.
DeleteAbsolutely agreed, OMG, yes!! And it also depends on the book. Like, some books have enough 'conceptual' good things that I can do 5 reasons about them, but some - some don't, not without some serious spoilers. By the way, that's why I do the 5 reasons - to be able to review without majorly spoiling the book. It's always pretty hard xD I've realized it's best to talk about the feelings the book gives you and why, rather than what happens. But that's never ever xD
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Will be sharing.
Absolutely. It's a lot easier when there are concepts I can talk about, but I always want to try and make it specific to the book, and that is when I get all frustrated. I like the "5 reasons" or category format for reviews too, because organizing my thoughts keep me from spilling too much as well.
DeleteI hear you on this no always feel mine are garbage and just a repeat. Like I always say the same thing use the same words. I guess I deal though by knowing they are my words. If they are repetitive or vague or nonsense at least I convey my love or hate for the book.
ReplyDeleteExactly. I feel like I have to withhold so many details, that I am not doing justice to the unique pleasure the book gave me.
DeleteI sometimes feel that you either write enough reviews that you find new ways to express yourself or you end up writing the same review, just different variations of it. It's a very cynical thought, but I sometimes think it. One thing that does help me is having a few days away from a review I write. I like to edit it before scheduling it and I end up having fresh eyes and sometimes more to say or at least better ways to say them.
ReplyDeleteWriting a lot of reviews definitely has forced me to become more creative, and I am not a writer at all, so it's quite a stretch for me. I usually write something right away, but revisit several times before I publish, and I agree, fresh eyes do help.
DeleteI agree that it can be so hard to write a review without giving things away. Sometimes I think vague reviews are fine, though. As long as I can get a sense of what someone thought of the book, that's enough for me. I don't want too many specifics anyway!
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
For the most part, I am all about the emotional experience the book delivers, so it works, but I hope that I am conveying enough of how the book in question specifically delivered something special to me.
DeleteI know what you mean! I feel so much the same way you do. Sometimes it's so hard for me to come up with anything of real substance to say and I feel like my review just sucks.
ReplyDelete--Sam @ Sharing Inspired Kreations
Saying something of substance without being too revealing is a challenge, which I lament almost every day. The harder it is with a particular book, the longer the review goes unwritten. XD
DeleteIt's indeed difficult to explain WHY a book is so good that everyone and their dog should read it without giving too much away. To me, it's not so much a spoiler thing (in the sense of, divulging some huge twist) as a "being too specific" thing. The real spoilers I can handle, but then...I find myself saying TOO MUCH about the book in general. I'm trying to write shorter, less revealing reviews lately, without being too vague...but I'm so talkative I always end up "telling, not showing" more than I should LOL.
ReplyDeleteThe BIG twists are easy to avoid, it's those details, which can be spoilery for some, but not for others, which I fear divulging. However, I have always been guilty of being somewhat terse. I look at other people's reviews, and think mine are so short in comparison, but I also know I don't want to read a dissertation on the book.
DeleteI'm with you. Writing reviews can be hard anyway and trying to keep them spoiler free can often result in vague reviews. Sometimes I feel like you should just say read this book, trust me. I don't think people would accept that as a viable review, though.
ReplyDeleteHow great would it be, if all we had to say was, "read the book"? I don't want to be the book report reviewer, who tells you everything that happens in the book, but I want to be able to say something specific to the book. So hard!
DeleteI really think reviewing is an art! It's hard to review! I totally agree with you! You want to give a lot of information but without spoiling it! I guess I strive to explain the qualities if the book :)
ReplyDeleteIt's even harder to review, when you are not a writer type, like myself. Information without spoilers is definitely a tough thing to balance.
DeleteIt's a troublesome thing and can be so hard to do. I try my best to walk in the middle of vague and specific. Vague enough that no spoilers are given, but specific enough that if someone has read the book they will always know exactly what I am referring to. Whether or not I perfect that... well, that's debatable :P
ReplyDeleteThat is my goal as well, just not sure I am accomplishing that 😆
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