After seeing an agent on twitter say she wouldn't represent someone who didn't like one of her clients' books, I had intended to do a book review only in the rare (read non-existing) event that I found a book I thought absolutely perfect. Honestly, I've never found a perfect book.
I picked up The Iron Queen expecting it to be pretty close, because well, I thought the other two were. I picked up an inconsistency about half way through the book and I still REALLY liked it--like it's my favorite in the series. But I wasn't planning to review it because to give an honest review I'd have to point out that there is an inconsistency.
Then by the end of the book I absolutely loved it again (though I still believe there is an inconsistency). I decided that I loved it too much not to blog it. The romance really picks up in this book, but the ending is so so sad. I'm really hoping the Iron Knightis a happy ending.
If you're interested I did a two part interview w/ Julie Kagawa last year that you can read here.
We read about this, too, and wondered how it could change book reviews on the blogs of unpublished writers. I (erica) posted a less-than-stellar review last December, but I think I was fair in admitting it was a bestseller and loved by many, but just not for me. Definitely something to keep in mind, though!
ReplyDeleteI love romance and it sounds like you picked up a really good one. I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI feel like most books don't live up to the hype. I'm on Goodreads, and have hardly given any books a 5 rating.
ReplyDeleteYour feeling about this series seems like how I felt about the Uglies series.
How cool you try to read your prospective agents' books.
I've seen the same thing, and here's the conclusions I've come to.
ReplyDeleteI am unpublished right now, but also review books. I don't give star ratings anymore except when it's forced on amazon or something.
I just focus on what I liked about the book. Even if its not perfect.
If I can't finish a book, then I don't review it. I rarely will finish a book that I did not like, so that is mostly how I handle negative reviews.
I will tell my friends or by email if someone asks for my opinion on a book I didn't like.
Hope that helps a bit!
Brandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog