How do you all like your reviews?
How I Like My Reviews
Personally, I like it when I read short to medium book reviews that are bubbling with personality with a dash of snark, but still able to make their point across eloquently about how they felt. :3
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| My face when I see a really long review |
I find it hard to be engaged in a long review unless the writing is compelling and I'm not feeling too lazy at the time. Usually, I'm still intrigued to read what the person has to say but I just skim it over and read their overall thoughts. (I hope I'm not the only one who feels this way about long reviews. o-o)
Thoughts and Past Reviewing Styles
I know, I know, I've asked this question so many times already. I'm curious to see your answers and I want to help better my reviewing system. :3 I like to switch up the reviewing system from time to time, mostly because of my fickleness and because I personally feel using just one system is kind of boring!
Some (if not, all) of my past reviewing styles:
- Regular paragraph reviews.
- I've seen a vast majority of the bloggers type their reviews like this, some I really like, some are okay.
- Example(s): Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
- Dear Author letters.
- I'm not sure if this is entirely original or not, but I really liked writing Dear Author letters.
- Example(s): Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
- ABC Style Reviews.
- Well, this may be my least favorite kind of reviewing system. I only dislike this because I had to think so much than I needed to when I was writing the review. I thought it was rather creative at the time...
- Example(s): Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
- Outlining.
- This is my current style of reviewing. I haven't gotten tired of this yet, but I'm kind of itching to write a review paragraph style again.
- Example(s): Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross, Taste by Kate Evangelista
Reviewing Styles I Actually Enjoy Reading
I enjoy reading a LOT of bloggers' reviews but a few that really stand out in my mind would be (and coincidentally, they're also on my blog roll):
- Mimi from Mimi Valentine's YA Blog.
- I've been following this girl since I first started blogging, and her reviews are awesome! They are quick, bubbly, but in the end, it totally gets the point across.
- Sarah from saz101.
- Sarah writes, in my opinion, well thought out, long reviews. She's one of the very few bloggers that I actually enjoy reading long reviews from. o-O
- Sophie from Sweet Sweet Pages.
- Sophie's reviews are also fun to read! She always explains in this lovely, coherent manner, and it's short and sweet which is how I like it.
The question still stands --- how do you like your reviews? Short and sweet? Snarky? Professional and well thought out?
31 lovelies:
Great post! :) Hmm... the length of the review doesn't matter much as long as it's well thought out, helpful, and truthful. I don't like overly critical or kiss-ass reviews. Haha!
I'm the same way. (: Long reviews bore me to death. And I find it amusing when people throw in gifs on their Goodreads reviews. That makes me laugh.
I always love engaging and fun reviews! I really like the three bloggers you mentioned reviews too! I don't care about the length, as long as their are fun to read. Rachel
@ Unforgettable Books
True! Engaging reviews = the BOMBSKIES. <3 And so do I! They are such three lovely ladies. :3
I love using GIFs for reviews! XD I hardly use them on the blog because I don't think it'd be very professional, but maybe I will in the future. :3
Thanks! :D Neither do I; overly critical reviews are pretty much just bashing on the book itself. >.>
I admit I'm sometimes guilty of writing (too) long reviews. I am trying not to do that, though, because I usually don't have the patience to read long reviews on other blogs myself, but sometimes I just get carried away. My reviews are mostly traditional paragraph reviews, but occasionally I find it easier to write bullet points for the things I liked/didn't like (which is also a good way to keep a review short) or I combine the two styles.
Which is totally fine! I mean, I use to do that all the time. :P When I want to express my feelings about a certain point in the book, I do tend to go rambling off about it. (WHICH, is a very bad habit of mine that I should fix!)
I think my reviews might be long. I have no idea. People still seem to read and enjoy them though. I love reading GIF reviews, especially for negative reviews. I couldn't never WRITE a GIF review as that's not really me but I adore reading them. I don't like when reviews are 95% synopsis and 5% ''I liked it''. It just feels like I'm reading the description in more detail!
I'm definitely guilty of writing long reviews, especially for books I adore so much. I get carried away! Even after editing, it's still long. *sigh*
My reviews are the traditional paragraph kind, but I think I want to change it up as well. I like the outline style because it's quick and simple. I need to find a balance of saying too much vs. saying too little.
Thanks so much for this post. It's really helpful and informative and really makes me think of fixing the way I write my reviews! :)
I try to keep my reviews short, but like others have said, sometimes I go long, for a book I really like. Or when I'm trying to explain why I didn't like a book.
I've played a little with bulleted lists for reviews, and I think it's something I'd like to do more of. It's a nice change from a paragraph review.
I do tend to skim through long reviews, especially if it isn't a book I've read.
D; I hate it when people just basically re-describe the book and then not put ANYTHING else besides that!
Hehe, no worries! I think everyone's guilty at some point. Heck, my first review was long. ;) And thannk YOU for reading! <3
So do I! :D I try not to write TOO much for a review unless I have things that must be said.
I like my reviews snarky.. If I like the writing, I can sit through a long review. I actually REALLY hate short reviews. If it's two paragraphs or less, I feel like the blogger doesn't have enough content to really tell me anything substantial.
Long reviews can be broken up with gifs or with silly stories. I write pretty long ones myself, anywhere from 4-10 paragraphs, with five or six being pretty standard. I know lots of people don't like reading that much, so I try to make sure the first and last paragraphs will convey my basic opinion of the novel for those that want to just hop through. I like to provide some serious analysis, though, so I don't write short ones.
Generally, I'm the biggest fan of simple, straightforward paragraph reviews. Some people do have a unique review style that works for me, though. Esther Ever After, for example, has a brief summary and then goes into likes and dislikes in a bullet list (written in paragraphs though). A lot of the non-paragraph things are just too gimmicky for me.
Giannaaaa~~! *hugs*
What an interesting post! I also sometimes find it hard to read very long reviews, mainly because I don't have much time. And I LOVE reviews that are snarky, reviews that have humor in them, where you can see the reviewer's personality. I used to read a girl's blog, about manga and anime. What made her the best blogger I've known is that you could see her love for what she was doing with each of her posts. She's my inspiration.Now, about styles... I really like yours, outlining. It's very easy to read and get your points across. Sadly, I don't think I'd ever be able to pull it off, so I'm stuck with the traditional way LOL Not that I'm complaining! I think I haven't even reached 40 reviews, so I'm still learning :)
I think I write medium length reviews, although some turn out short and some turn out long. As for reading long reviews, it really depends on my mood. I know some Goodreads reviews are as long as the book itself! It's crazy! I usually just skim 'em, but there are a few reviewers that can definitely compel me to read every word. I prefer my reviews medium length with a good amount of personality and humor! :D Fabulous post, Gianna. <3
:O Interesting point of view! I just like short reviews as long as they pack a punch! Nothing like 95% synopsis, 5% review. :c
*tackle hugs* So do I! When reviews shine with personality, I find it so much more interesting to read. And thank you, hun! :3 Your reviews are sensationallllll~ to read!
Nice thoughts, Sophia! :3 I definitely agree, humor and personality are key elements I look for in a review. And thanks! <3
For me, it totally depends on the blogger. If they write in a fun, engaging way, then I don't care how long the review is (well, unless it goes on and on and on and on). I've read some really great short ones and some really great long ones. So, just depends. Mine tend to be on the long side. I TRY to make them entertaining, though ...
I actually prefer short to medium reviews as I like the review to get the message across in a direct manner. I don't want to read a 1500 word essay which virtually does nothing more than summarise the book for me or doesn't really have any opinion until the last paragraph.
Usually if I see a review is more than 4-5 paragraphs I won't read it.
There are very few bloggers whose words I find extremely compelling to read if it's a long review. :P I know: mine can get long, especially if I'm trying to explain the awesomeness of a book! It's so hard to make it short. XD
I see! I know, I tend to get lazy myself and not read long reviews. I do skim it though!
Aw, Gianna! Thanks for the mention!
Oh goodness, can I just say: "Personally, I like it when I read short to medium book reviews that are bubbling with personality with a dash of snark, but still able to make their point across eloquently about how they felt." I feel EXACTLY the same way. I look at a long review and balk... but I every. damn. time. I write a review, I tell myself I'm gonna keep it short... and invariably, it winds up being, well, NOT. NOT AT ALL O___o
Ultimately though, what I will and won't read depends on the blogger.... Brodie, Lisa and Sam write longer reviews, but I'll read them every time, because I value what they have to say, fi you know what I mean? But I LOVE short, bubbly, astute reviews and... seriously :D
I also REALLY enjoy negative reviews when they're well done :D
No problem! :)
And OMG YES. I think to myself, "I WILL NOT WRITE A LONG REVIEW" and BAM. I write a long review! D;
And that is so true! (Especially in your case!! ;D) Bubbly reviews FTW girl. Negative reviews are GREAT as long as they're done in an elegant manner and it's not pure bashing. x-x
*hugs* I kind of love you, you know? YOU ARE SO MART :O
XD OMG! Thank you! I think I may luuurrve you too. ;D But how so? o-o
This: "Bubbly reviews FTW girl. Negative reviews are GREAT as long as they're done in an elegant manner and it's not pure bashing"
:D:D:D
This: "Bubbly reviews FTW girl. Negative reviews are GREAT as long as they're done in an elegant manner and it's not pure bashing"
:D:D:D
This: "Bubbly reviews FTW girl. Negative reviews are GREAT as long as they're done in an elegant manner and it's not pure bashing"
:D:D:D
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