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I appreciate all the comments! It isn't often when I initiate my sometimes controversial opinion that I get people involved! There are many valid comments about my process. To verify, yes, I am a book blogger--there are many of us out there! Still others only review for Amazon or some other online bookstore. I do, however, know that there are many individuals that I personally have tracked down when I see a low rating on what are award-winning books and find there is no pic and they often have only one or two reviews. I know that Meghann has many more, but, I'm sorry if I doubt "the who" when I find short negative sentences.
I have always made a simple assumption about low ratings and, then, affirmed my final decision. This was mainly based upon what I found for myself. I've found that there are MANY award-winning books that I don't personally like! What that made me realize was that giving my personal opinion was indeed unfair and biased...simply put, what good was my personal opinion alone? It only meant that this one person, me, didn't like the book. Yet...there were many others raving about the book, so unless I could explain in a fair and unbiased manner, why the book was not a book I could recommend, I was not really helping potential readers.
One time I read a book that was fantasy. One image within the book was personally extremely offensive to me...it involved child sexual mutilation... I gave it a low score and posted it. I was immediately bombarded so much so that school students were texting all their school friends and getting them to go post against my review. I took it down fairly soon, mainly because I had to accept that my personal opinion about one issue did not negate the fact that the book was good overall. I also had to admit that I personally didn't enjoy some fantasy. That taught me much about what value my personal opinion provided...You know what I was told the most? That it was fantasy and that the mutilation had never happened to the real boy...which it had indeed said in other parts of the book. I knew there was a reason I didn't like some fantasy writings!
I've also received a number of books that have blasted Christianity. They were extremely hard for me to read! But I realized that to be fair I could not use my personal faith issues in providing my review.
My point in sharing these two examples was that I learned the hard way that, if I could learn to set aside my personal opinion, and try to be fair--most books are good books basically, if you don't apply personal opinion. What that meant to me is that I should grade/rank based upon the quality of the book, but that I would use my words to share my personal opinion. So, when you read my reviews, you will see something like, Those of you who enjoy fantasy...or Readers, you will have to decide whether this book is for you...or recently in my blog but not yet posted her because a book is not out yet, ...This book falls short for me...
I know, I know...with all of the reality shows that forces Americans to choose The Voice, or America's Idol, or the best dancer, model, chef, etc., most of us are being forced into a situation where we routinely choose who is best based upon our personal opinion... But when I watch those shows, I realize, there as well, that there are many talented people on those shows. Did the winner of the $5M contract on the XFactor really deserve that much money in relation to the top 12 or so...personally I can't accept that as logical...and that also has influenced me in deciding to review and give the ranking based upon quality of writing and the book itself as opposed to whether it is my personal opinion.
Meghann, you note that you thought I woud consider it illogical to accept the sexuality issues in this book...I couldn't even consider it as logical or not given that people do do these things...I flip through some of the daytime shows such as Jerry Springer and some of the milder talk shows and I'm personally amazed at what people do!!! People do strange things, sometimes they may later regret them. But, frankly, in today's world as I see it in the media...it is quite logical to have exactly what happened in the book, actually happen (no matter what my opinion of their choices might be) which is another whole issue...Let me go back to identity of the individual. Sure, I believe it is important for people to establish a solid identity online. I've been scammed out of money from a supposed long-term friend whose email identity had been stolen, I've been approached by people for activities in which I have no interest...and when there is no picture or I don't know them, I try to find out more about them before I'm willing to connect. There are many dangers online. From a reviewer or any other professional who is working online, all of the experts recommend you establish your identity in order to establish credibility. You may think it is to drive individuals back to their sites...sure it is! But, like I said, if you looked beyond my "rating/ranking" process, and actually read my reviews, I think you would find that getting a supporting RANK response is not continually accolades...
I worked with an author as an editor who said he didn't want to seek other reviews because all he had now were 5-starred reviews...and I see on television that many top movies or books claim 4 out of 5 stars...and I always wonder, if they are making millions why aren't they 5 out of 5...
Neither or these make sense to me...but, then, I personally believe that celebrities should not be making millions while the teachers that taught them barely make a living wage...you can see that I just don't understand how you can make decisions except on the basis of quality, quantity, or value of the work--not on personal opinion... Yet America does it continuously classified "entertainment" or "sports" "administrators/bosses/CEO's/politic
Note: This discussion started on Amazon Re Book, Megan's Way...Comment there, on my blog, or at any of the sites where you might be reading this!
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