As A Reviewer...

...you take risks. It is very easy to become the most popular person on the planet, and just as easy to become the most despised...all on how you review a book.

In the last few weeks, I've received two emails about reviews I posted many months ago. Both took me to task on my not so positive review. I went back and re-read both reviews in question.

Now, I'm very careful to do two things when I write: 1) I never attack the author or his/her faith in Christ; and 2) I never attack the reader who might absolutely adore a book I myself do not care for or enjoy.

I try very hard to do this because it isn't about PEOPLE, it's about books. And if I don't care for a particular book, that doesn't mean it's terrible--it simply means that I don't care for it. The nice thing about that is, I'm just me. Not a whole host of people...but just me.

So, if I review a book and you disagree with me, that's fine. I'll probably disagree with you a time or two as well. We're all entitled to our opinion, and isn't that great??

But do NOT make it personal with me if you disagree. I am also entitled to MY opinion, and this is MY review blog, where I post MY reviews as I see them. I will do my best to ALWAYS say "don't just take my word for it; read other reviews" and if I know of one, I'll link to it.

Remember this, dear readers: they are just books. They are pieces of writing of different calibers and different genres by different people at different stages and from different walks of life. And I'm not going to like every single book I read, for different reasons and I must be honest in my reviews, or I must stop reviewing.

If I see a note of caution is warranted, I'll put one, but I'll always tell you why, and feel free to ignore it. Feel free to tell others I'm in error. But attack me, and I'll ask you not to read here anymore.

I love all of my authors, whether I love their books or not. Rarely do I find a real, true stinker of a read. Usually, even if I don't enjoy a particular book, I'll still go back to the author's well for more, just in case I find a gem of a read. We all deserve another chance, even with books.

So, feel free to email me. Feel free to disagree with me. But do NOT tell me I'm stupid, ignorant, need to read it again, or a poor excuse for a believer if that's what I'm going to say about that ______________. That's not right, and I will never do it to you, to the best of my ability.

I will tell you what I think, do my best to back it up, and then let you decide. And I will do it all in love and in humble opinion and honesty. Or I won't do it at all.

Happy Reading,

Deena