Tis the season for end-of-year wrap-ups,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Yeah, I’m lazy and can’t think shit up,
Fa la la la la, la, la la la.
Also, I may have used this tune before. See lazy comment above. Heh.
Earlier this year, I did a series about ratings; what people thought about them, do they actually mean anything at sites like goodreads, blah, blah.
In one of those posts, I was particularly interested in who your ‘go to’ reviewer/rater was when you were tossing up whether to buy a book, and I talked about my old mainstays, Jenre and Kassa.
I invited you to share your favourite reviewers, raters and sites and, through your recommendations, discovered Cole, Alex at Between the Covers and Cryselle’s Bookshelf.
I was pleased to find their reviews gave me enough information about the pros and cons of a book to be able to decide which stories would appeal the most to my readerly tastes. I don’t know about you, but I tend to think avoiding wasting my money on shite is always a good thing. 🙂
Anyways, given this is all about the end-of-year wrap-up thing and that I might be an incredibly nosy curious person, I wondered which reviewer/rater you discovered in 2011 who gels with your readiosyncrasies?
Do share with the other boys and girls.
Kris + Books = Good. *Sometimes*. 
*mind goes blank*
Alex and Cole are on my list, too. Plus Nikyta on GRs. And other people I'm not remembering at the moment…
Well, Ruby at our site gels pretty well with me, actually all of us reviewers there are pretty similar in taste.
I also found jayhjay at Joyfully Jay seems pretty well meshed with me.
To be honest, either I don't pay much attention to those who don't mesh with me or we all feel think the same. (Stepford Reviewers?) Of course no one is 100% but I've not found too many who I look at and wonder what the hell they were smoking. Probably some on GR, but I don't pay much attention. If I see you always give 2 stars no matter what I likely ignore you, same with 5 stars constantly.
There's a few people at goodreads that I always check out (Chris, Kris (*mumblesuckupmumble*), Nikyta, Eyre, Bubbles and Heather C). Between all of them, I get a pretty good idea of whether I'll enjoy the book or not.
(my veri word is grated… Like I did to your nerves yesterday. It's a sign)
Bubbles has changed his name on GRs to Honey Badger…
That made Kristen and I laugh our loud Chris when I saw his new name. 🙂 I missed him. He's usually pretty close to my ratings as well.
Chris: Nikyta is someone whose ratings I look at on goodreads too.
Tam: “I also found jayhjay at Joyfully Jay seems pretty well meshed with me.”
I've only recently come across this site so am still getting a handle on how closely we mesh in terms of reading tastes.
“If I see you always give 2 stars no matter what I likely ignore you…”
Are you trying to tell me something or what.
Nic: “Between all of them, I get a pretty good idea of whether I'll enjoy the book or not.”
I think that's a good point, Nic, because I tend to check out a number of people's views about a book to see if it's worth my dosh… you suck up. 😛
Chris & Tam: Durty minds.
Yeah, less of the old, buster! Not that I'm feeling at all sensitive about that 'milestone' coming up next year.
I'm another person who discovered Jay and often read the reviews at that blog.
Another person I've discovered is Darien at Pants off Reviews. She has an unusual reviwing style which is sort of snarky but not nasty, if you see what I mean, and she makes me snort into my morning cuppa.
I came across one of your 'tasters' on GRs the other day, Kris. You should resurrect them :).
Thanks for the rec, Jen. I'll definitely be checking Darien's review out.
“I came across one of your 'tasters' on GRs the other day, Kris. You should resurrect them :).”
Did you not see my lazy comment in the post or what?
Are you trying to tell me something or what.
Noooooooo. But there are people on GR who appear to have never enjoyed any book as more than “ok”. Really people, find a new genre. You must love SOMETHING. Cookbooks? Car repair manuals? Come on. But then are those who LOVE everything they've ever read ever and ever and it's freaking amazing awsomesauce. Um. Yeah, take a chill pill.
I have to confess I don't have a lot of time to surf review sites.
I always check Book Utopia. Very intelligent, literate lady. She does cover a lot of m/f romance, but nobody's perfect. 😉
I'm afraid if I start mentioning other people, it'll sound like a roster of reviewers who've said nice things about my work. So I won't even get into it.
I'm not all that familiar with regular GR reviewers. Besides, I read a lot outside the genre, which means the commenters' names are more random and don't stick with me.
Tam: LOL. I love the way you describe things, hun.
“I have to confess I don't have a lot of time to surf review sites.”
I think you should change that to 'for review sites' full stop. Well, other than your own, of course. 🙂
KZ: “I'm afraid if I start mentioning other people, it'll sound like a roster of reviewers who've said nice things about my work..”
But if you did mention names wouldn't that increase you chances of getting a similar review in the future?? ;P
“But if you did mention names wouldn't that increase you chances of getting a similar review in the future?? ;P”
Nah. They've got too much other stuff to review. BUT . . . there was this incredibly smart, sweet person *cough* who graced me with an extra star based on an epilogue alone.
*mindblank*
*checks goodreads*
Oh. 😛
I think that's the first time you've ever described me as being sweet, KZ. Needless to say that I will be saving your comment for posterity and for the purposes of proving precedent.
*mindblank*
Looks like I have to retract the “smart” part.
Only if you want me to start reviewing only your books, KZ. I'm sure it would be a truly splendid experience.
For me.
Ummm. Chris, Jenre and Kassa – all on GoodReads because I have been very bad at late at reading people's blogs.
I adore GoodReads…it's amazing what I find 🙂
Orannia: I enjoy googreads too for exactly the same reasons. 🙂