Weekend Report is where I share what I accomplished (book-wise) the previous week! Feel free to join along and post your own Weekend Report on your blog/site. If you do, please leave the URL in a comment below.
My thoughts:
I'm about half-way through this book and enjoying it so far!
What I've read this week:
I didn't finish ANY book this week! What a depressing reading week... I just didn't have any desire to read - that seems to be ending now (at least I hope!).
What I plan on reading soon:
Reviews posted this week:
None
Current Giveaways!
Enter to win Where Wildflowers Bloom by Ann Shorey ~ US and Canada! Enter here.
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Giveaway winner!
The winner of A Bride's Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas by Erica Vetsch is...
Lady DragonKeeper
Congratulations!
~
I have a question for everyone - what are your thoughts on not finishing a book you received for review? If the book is really unenjoyable, how much do you think you should have to read? What if that book has a lot of curse words? I'd really appreciate your thoughts! :)
So that's what I accomplished (book-wise) this week, what about you?
Well I'm glad to see that I am not the only one that was in a reading slump this week. I finally finished a book last night that I thought I would never get through! It was good, I just wasn't in the mood for reading. That rarely happens! As far as not finishing a book that was sent for review; I had to do that once. I wrote the author that sent me the book and told her that I couldn't finish her book because there were too many sex scenes in it and it was not the book for me. I have written to publishers and have told them that I was unable to finish a book for them because the subject matter either didn't interest me or was offensive. You are not obligated to finish a book if it is offensive to you. I started to make very clear though after this happened what my criteria for reading was. When a publisher or author solicits me to read their book I always tell them that if it contains sexual situations or the excessive use of language then don't send the book. There are many other bloggers/readers for their book and time is too precious to waste on something that is not for you.
ReplyDeleteJulie @ My Favorite Pastime
Hi Melanie~ I think prtty much anyone would tell you to not worry if you do not like a review book. Let the author/publicist know that it wasn't what you expected, and that you could post a review of what you have read thus far, or just skip it. Also, in an attempt to give the book a better home, you could offer it for a giveaway, stating some of the reasons why it wasn't your cuppa tea and why you couldn't finish it.
ReplyDeleteThe more time you feel you are "wasting" on a book that is unenjoyable, the more resentful you are going to be of said book! It's best to move past it as fast as possible, even if it means you don't post a review!
Your currently reading looks fun! :) And congrats to the winner of Erica's book.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Lady Dragonkeeper!
ReplyDeleteI think you should email the publisher or author and tell them it's not one of your favorites. That you would have a hard time writing a favorable review and you would prefer not to write one at all. Most times they don't mind. Unless it's strong language and objectionable, you could even offer to pass it to another reviewer. I did that last year with a book that I just could not get into reading.
ReplyDeleteI think you will love Julie's book, The Silent Governess! That is one of my favorite stories :)
Congrats to Lady Dragonkeeper, enjoy your book!
ReplyDeleteHey Mel! I love your question, every reviewer struggles with that question at some point. This week I was reading a book about fairies and then the story went into uncomfortable territory for me. I got to Chapter 7 and stopped reading.
Check out my review for Fairies Fly; it was a debut novel and I couldn't finish it, but it ended up being a blessing. You are helping out writers and readers alike when you notify them about a book you were unable to finish because you didn't connect with the story or because it offended you. Do the best you can on the review and move on, it's not worth finishing when you're unhappy with the story. The very disclaimer we use states we are not required to write a positive review, only an honest one. You're a wonderful reviewer, Mel, don't sweat it girl!
Sorry you didn't have a good reading week, not cool. Praying next week is better for you. Of course you didn't feel like reading, you were unhappy with the material in front of you! You just had a bad streak, with Randy Singer and Julie Klassen that is sure to change :)
I've been catching up on reviews, I also have not been reading 5 star books lately and I'm hungering for better reading material :) Your blogging friends stand with you, Mel, as we discover books worth our readers' time!!
Blessings girl :)
Great Weekend Report, Melanie!
ReplyDeleteI used to try and finish every book I had for review until the beginning of this year. I decided that I don't want to be wasting perfectly good reading time with a book that I'm not enjoying at all. I usually give it at least 100 pages before I put it down. And if the book has things you're not comfortable with, like curse words or explicit scenes, you definitely shouldn't keep reading just because it's a review book. I would still write up a post explaining why I didn't finish, but without a star rating. Hope this helps at least a little bit :)
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI'm Grace, and I have read your blog a few times.I joined you in your "weekend book report."
Here is the link:
http://agenuineglee.blogspot.com/2012/03/weekend-report-book-post.html
Have a lovely week,
Grace
Thanks, Grace!
DeleteIf I have promised an author to review a book, I will normally try my best. The only time that it has been difficult was when it had so many curse words, that I just had to stop. Having said this, I will not do reviews for authors that have a lot of trash in their writing. There are so many great and outstanding Christian authors, that I have pretty much set my goals to read their books only.
ReplyDeleteLife is too short to clutter my mind with trash. Like Crystal has said in the post above me, I don't normally go past the first 100 pages and then I will do a review, but explain why it was that I did not finish the book.
I discovered three books recently that were sent to me for review that I could not finish or even read to review. My guidelines are that profanity, vulgarity of the basest sort, portral of moral and Biblically abhorred behavior or life styles are strictly against my personal code of reading, reviewing, recommending. A book produced by a publishing house diametrically opposed to my Christian beliefs is also shunned. Do I read "Amish" even though I'm not Amish? Yes. I set my standards and try to uphold them. I notified the publicist that sent the book that was from a publishing house whose doctrine I can not condone and the reply was a bit cold. However, I will still see what they offer since the publicist offers a variety of publishing house materials.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your comments. I decided to not finish the book I was talking about and will post my thoughts later.
ReplyDeleteThanks again! I really appreciate the feedback! :)