Book Reviews: Subjection Lesson 2

One of my most least favorite words is reviews. In particular, book reviews! Oy! And I handle the review submissions for TMP and my reasoning isn't because I hate my job. I love it.

The reason for my disdain is because no matter what, book reviews are subjective. Plain and simple. Have you ever read the disclaimer about fair or impartial reviews. Great! I honestly believe that the reviewer follows this rule but their taste does not always match mine. And while they might love one aspect but they could hate another and I may feel the opposite.

If you are a new writer or have a book out or about to, please, please, please, remember that book reviews are subjective. The review is entitled to their opinion when it concerns your work. Never engage them. Some industry folks, including reviewers, say stay away. The review isn't for the author, its for the readers.

And the sad thing is many book sales or rankings are dependent on book reviews. But who actually pays attention to them. Do you make all your reading decisions based on reviews? Do you read them for every details or do you pay attention the over star rating? What sites do you refer to build up your TBR list?

Personally, I don't base my reading choices on reviews. I might scan the star rating and I occassionally will read one but I go on word-of-mouth or stick with my favorite authors. Heck, I've been known to do just a genre search and pick out a new author.

I read a wonderful blog post by Katie McGarry where she discusses reviews and the recent incident involving an author who stalked and contacted the reviewer. If you get a chance, click on the link and read her post. It is fantastic. Truthful. Honest.

And I completely agree.

Do you have a review story? As an author, did you thank the reviewer or stay away?

Dare You To Review: 5 Nuts!

From GoodReads:
Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all.



Did you read that line? How could you not fall in love with this book! I've said this before but I'm a HUGE fan and love Katie McGarry! Met her, loved her, wanna write like her!

I thought after Echo and Noah that she couldn't possible write about two more characters that I'd like but I was wrong. We are introduced to Beth in Pushing the Limits and McGarry rewards us for our patience with Ryan. We know the type. Jock, blessed with great skin, hair and all the girls love him and the guys wanna be him. But looks can be deceiving, which happens to be the theme of this book.

I fell in love instantly and couldn't put the book down and then was sad when it was over. Love these characters and if McGarry writes about Logan, I'd love to see these two again.

5 Nuts for Pushing The Limits

Blurb from Pushing The Limits from GoodReads:
No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

First off, I saw this book everywhere and people were talking about it but I didn't have time so I added it to my TBR list. Then I attended the Reader Author Get Together in Cincy back the second weekend in June and Katie was slotted to attend as a special guest.

Okay, I'm totally going to geek out on you.

When I arrive with my donated gift baskets, I was standing in line behind her. I didn't know it was "her" until I saw her gift. Then, Saturday morning, I sit down to breakfast with some co-workers and a few ladies I didn't know and BOOM Katie is sitting with us. I kept it cool and we talked about our kids, our love of donuts (because the hotel kept running out of them at the buffet) and where we were from. Which turns out, the other ladies I didn't know where also from Missouri! They live like 20 minutes from me.

Anywho, I had to buy her book and have her sign it. And I did. And I started reading it that night and couldn't put it down. BTW, I stayed up until 2:30 and needed to be up by 5ish to drive 5.5 hours back home. And even on the drive home, I couldn't let the story rest. I kept replaying scenes and I honestly think that's how I arrive back home so fast.

I had to finish that book!

I loved it! I absorbed every word until I moved onto the next. Love, love, love it!