A page & a promise

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love books, from the days before I could read for myself and my parents read to me every night, to now, when any spare time I have is given over to the escapism of a good story.

My average per year ranges from 150 – 180 books and I love every page (even the books I dislike, because bad books only make you appreciate good books more.)

Tonight however, I read a review for a book I love, in which the re-written synopsis  gave away pretty much everything you ever needed to know about the story and that made me sad because the magic of this novel was in the not knowing, and in how it played out.  It’s the type of reviewing I dislike immensely.

So when it comes to reading or writing reviews? These are my thoughts.

Tell me about the book? Yes please.  Thrilling & adventurous or clunky & slow? Doesn’t matter to me, all opinions are valid.

Re-Write the Synopsis? If needs be, because sometimes even the publishers give too much of the story away.

Tell me the story in 100 words or less? Fine, if your target market is people who need to be told how the book plays out before they read it.  Please note, I am not one of that number and if you market your book as such I will immediately discount it as worthy of note because let’s face it why bother to read a book when I can just read the blurb?

Write a 1,000 word essay? Seriously? Please don’t burble on about imagery, story, plots, complexity, or behave like you are the reviewer for a British broadsheet.

Books are to me are, and always will be, personal treasure chests sitting on a shelf all gleaming and bright (even the old battered twenty second hand ones) just waiting for me to open their pages and lose myself in the adventures inside.

As such I will endeavour to keep my reviews intriguing and honest, yet informative and concise.   Comments are welcomed, but be polite about it or I won’t give you the webspace. Otherwise please feel free to discuss anything you like / dislike about my reviews via the e-mail address provided.

You will find the above post also available as a page entitled the LOC Philosophy…..