The only important thing in a book is the meaning that is has for you
— W Somerset Maughamome
Why are book reviews so important?
Well, it seems that there is much more to leaving a review than meets the eye. For me leaving a review has always been a way for me to express how much I enjoyed the work. I'm not thinking about how useful it will be to other readers whose time and money is precious. I just need to get the joy of reading it off my chest.
But there is more to it than that for both reader and author.
I don't usually give bad reviews because I'm rarely disappointed with my choice of books because honest reviewers make my life so much easier. Little did I know how much I was contributing to the enhancement of my favorite author's career.
I used to think it was a need for authors to receive adulation from their many fans, a kind of group recognition of how good they are. Well, l changed my tune on becoming a writer myself. I'm the type of consumer who recognises the need for critics, but I've never made them stop me from watching a film or reading a book. I'm not saying that they have no influence over me because they do. Let's say I go in prepared for the possibility of
disaster or redemption when I go against their suggestions. I thought I was Mr. Average when it came to my tastes in film, books and music. If Rotten Tomatoes had a high ranking for a movie, chances are I'd enjoy it. There have been some notable exceptions namely Batman v Superman and After Earth with Will and Jayden Smith - I loved them both, although they got low RT ratings. Amazon star rating for books and music is an even better barometer of enjoying my purchases, and I've
had a very few Faux Pas with it.
