Books, indie author, Out of the Box Blogs, Reviews

Bad Review or No Review At All?

I’ve been wrestling with a problem as of late, as our blog is growing and my presence on goodreads is getting larger: Is it better to put a bad review up or just no rating at all? Let me put this question in context. Authors need ratings, and recommendations, hey it’s how the world goes round in the book business, so in order to get that you have to get your books into people hands. The trend, and it’s not just indie authors since I’m also a member of netgalley, is to give away free books to people that will give you a review or blog about your book. Press is important. But as the old adage bad press is better than no press applicable here? I always tell authors, please be prepared I will be honest in my reviews, and that’s true I don’t hand out five stars just because I got a free book. But what if I hated it? What if I felt it was a one star flop? Still review? Tell all? Or just stay quiet? Let me know what you think in the poll I’ve attached, and this is not just for authors to vote on please do if you review books, or even if you just read tell me which would you prefer?

Out of the Box Blogs

Are You a Series Sucker?

I noticed today that a book that I absolutely despised released a second book in the series and found myself going to my library to order it so I could read the next book. Why? Cause I think I’m a series sucker. What’s that? It’s someone who continues to read a series to see what happens even if you didn’t like the story or the writing style. Once you’ve got me I feel compelled to at least read 2-3 books (the only exception to this was 50 Shade, I just couldn’t do it) regardless of how much I liked or disliked the actual book. It’s not as if I don’t have enough to read, I have a waiting list of 10 books right now that I have to finish by the end of the month, or a true interest in the characters, in fact most of the time I end up frustrated and angry. So why do I do it? Yeah….I got nothing, but that book, I’m gonna read it. And I’ll drag Les down with me 🙂

So what about you, can you stop a series if you don’t like the way it’s going, or are you like me forced into finishing reading just a little more?

Out of the Box Blogs

Bad Language and Me

Ok so, I want to know from you guys, do I really need WARNING messages when I post bad language?

I mean I will be doing a review and have to go back and change words, because sometimes I slip and write whatever comes into my head. 

So…..

A) Should I not use bad language at all? Would this offend you?

B) Do I really need a warning sign above the post? 

C) Do you even care if I sometimes have a potty mouth? 

Just curious how I should go about this. I mean we started this blog to have an outlet for how we really feel about books, but do I need to censor it. 

The curiosity is going to kill me!!!!!

Peace 

Les

Out of the Box Blogs

Dragon on Top by G. A. Aiken

*****WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS ONE VULGAR WORD IN A QUOTE********

WOW! This book is short, but AMAZING! All about dragons. Dragon queens, Dragon Warriors, Dragon politicians. I didn’t want to put it down.

Main character Ghleanna, is a dragon warrior captain, and she is hilarious. She is sent to protect Bram the Merciful on a peace treaty mission. Along the way her family of warriors becomes involved and the family dynamics are so freaking awesome. Of course there are fights, love, sex, banter, and foul language. I love it.

Everyone knows I love good banter, but this was awesome and I found myself loving all the characters. I love they way they interact with each other. The name calling, head butting, sibling affection.  The author did well with the characters, they told you key points about all of them.

All in all, I loved it, I would read it again. It is not a cliffhanger. So it has an ending, and if I might add, a good one.

I will give you some quotes from the book. I mean, you know I leave you guys hanging so you will read it, but I am in a giving mood today. HA!

“Wake up, ya lazy sow. Wake up!” – Ghleanna’s aunts

“Leave me be, you mad bitches!” – Ghleanna

And my favorite:

“I didn’t go through half-a-century of training and more than that in battles to end up the babysitter of Bram the Merciful.” -Ghleanna

Bram the Merciful responds “Would you like an actual blade to twist in my gut, Ghleanna?”

“It’s nothing personal,” she responds.

Ha! I love it! I could probably find one hundred quotes I loved. So you need to read it, so you can see what I am talking about.

GO NOW! RUN MY FRIENDS! YOU HAVE A BOOK TO READ!

Peace

Les