Writing reviews: Is it for me?
Earlier this month I wrote my first book review on Serendipity: A Novel by Louise Parker. Essentially, I gushed a bit about a book I really enjoyed. I was absolutely honoured, and quite surprised, when the author took the time to thank me for my review of her novel!
@LouiseShaffer‘s tweets really made my day!
Over on my other blog, Road 2 Nowhere, I tend to gush about music I love. I absolutely adore music. I’m no good at making it, no one would ever accuse me of being a musician! What I am is one hell of a music appreciator. What I love about Road is that I have a place to share all the awesome music I love so much with anyone who will listen.
While loving something is great, and telling people about things you love is grand, it’s really not reviewing. Thoughtful criticism is the most useful offering you can give to a creator, be she an author, musician or artist. I don’t know that I’m the person to offer such insights. My motivation to write about another’s work always comes from that same place, the desire to share something I enjoy. I do not have the drive to write about things I don’t enjoy, and usually I don’t get through entertainment that I don’t enjoy. Reading crappy books is not for me. I may start a bad book, but once my interest is lost, I’m not going to be picking that book back up. My apologies to all the crappy books out there. Listening to sub-standard music is not for me either.
So, I’ve made a decision, to admit to what it is that I do, and what I enjoy doing: giving recommendations. I’ll leave the reviews for the critics.
hajbaji on 
Susan Hale Whitmore on 
Just because you liked it and recommended it, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t count as a review. I thought that you wrote a fabulous summary. So descriptive, made me want to read the book. Even if you only write about the stuff you love, I think it can still be considered a review, no?
That’s really what I want to do, share the things that I love! I guess it doesn’t really matter what you call it, does it?