Damn we are barely waiting six months to rehash things…Sit… Stay… Roll Over… Play Dead first posted on 1/6/06 and because there is never enough said about reviewing.
You had to see this coming
If you have visited Keishon aka avid reader’s blog in, oh say the last few days, you may have heard of a lil book called:
and her love for the novel. /sarcasm
Now we are:
A: Talking of a book I haven’t read
B: Talking of an author I have never heard of nor read
C: It is someone from Amazon that said the author requested the review removed
D: It is possible the author never saw the review.
But yikes, is it just me, or is it beyond tacky if an author askes to have a negative review removed from Amazon?
Being something of a potty mouth, free thinker, to each their own type of person – Keishon’s review doesn’t read to me as offensive. I could see someone whining about the gross comment in this sentence:
This story may not be my cuppa but it might be other reader’s (gross).
But hell I have read worse on amazon, is that because the author just didn’t remove it? Or can anybody request to have a review removed? Even if I didn’t know keishon, if I like the book, that gross comment isn’t going to keep me from sleeping at nights. Of course knowing keishon, and the fact she is sending me the book, if I do end up liking it she will just tell me I am gross ;). So hey either way score…
To me, amazon – which has been greatly getting on my nerve lately but that is a different post – reviews are public opinion and are not for the author to approve. And really I read some of the reviews just to get a handle on the book or to look for spoilers ;). In fact keishon’s deep love for this book made me look at it twice and think about buying it.
If the reviews are all happy happy, joy joy, I discount them out of hand. Fair? Prolly not. But for every book one person lovesese to death someone else hates – and isn’t that ok? When I review a book, I am thinking about what “I” thought of the book. I will say if it is going to AAR I think about my language vs if it goes on my blog I can curse a bluestreak. But other than that… a review is about what the reader thinks not the author. I would hope the author loves the book!
Or am I wrong? If I were to go to amazon and post a review on say…. Lover Eternal by JR Ward. (Which I could cuz I have read it. And a secret between you and me (and angiew) – it rocks, I would tell you more but nope) And after figuring out how to post a review on amazon all I say is JR Ward is a big fat ho don’t buy this book.
I could so see Ward sending an email to amazon telling them to get that off. That isn’t reviewing the book but the author. (btw ward is as kewl as her books, which means she isn’t a big fat ho. Well not that I know of at least 😉 )
But other than some type of attack on the author, or someone repeatedly posting a bad review from the same IP, is it ok to request to remove a review? As authors, if there are any of you guys out there, have you requested to have something removed? What made you do it? Did you think after the fact it was a good idea?
As a reader, a bad review can and does often peak my interest in a book. Is that just me? Or course I am still hoping the author didn’t ask to have it removed. Or maybe this is common practice and since I have never posted a review on Amazon I have never noticed it. Who knows… I have my own reviews to go finish.
If I recall correctly, keishon’s review was reposted, so hopefully after amazon looks into whatever complaint pulled fi’s her review will reappear as well.
The more things change the more they stay the same.
first link doesn’t work for me. How disturbing that the review is disappeared.
oh you know it wouldn’t because she has changed blogs like three times since then.
I should go take out the dead link.
okay… my brain is spinning… took three times reading this thru to figure out what you were talking about, sybil.
you’re either really confusing, or I’m more tired than I thought… I’m ditzier than I thought… both… *G*
I hate bad reviews as much as any author, but I don’t have any right to tell somebody they shouldn’t tell people they hated my book. They spent their money on it and they are entitled to that opinion.
Besides, sometimes getting burned in reviews gets you more sales. Can’t say that for blah reviews.
sorry shiloh, don’t you know you are suppose to be able to read my mind
geeze you authors I swear… *g*
I moved the other post so it is above this one and linked to it here where I say ‘rehash things’.
I am sure it is me. I am terrible about thinking everyone should be on the same wave link as me. Which means most people generally have no fucking clue what I am talking about.
speaking of reviews, I was just thinking about you *eg*
uh… okay, i’m terrified now.
unfortunately, being able to read minds requires USING your own. and mine is shot lately. totally, completely shot….
I’m very surprised that the review would be pulled, it’s not like she included her *Note*.
Hi Sybil–
Thought I’d swing by since you emailed this morning…
Anyway, yes, I have asked to have a review pulled before. The reason? A spoiler. A huge spoiler. And even worse–a huge spoiler that wasn’t even correct.
For THE VISCOUNT WHO LOVED ME, Harriet Klausner posted a review revealing the identity of Lady Whistledown. Except that Lady Whistledown A) wasn’t revealed in the book and B) wasn’t the person she said it was, anyway.
Amazon kindly pulled the review.
The only other time I thought about asking to have a review pulled was when someone accused me of promoting incest, which, frankly, baffled me. I ended up not bothering because the next reviewer refuted that claim, and I figured –her– review wouldn’t make any sense with the first one gone.
Oh, wait, there was also one that kind of sort of accused me of plagiarism. I think I asked to have refused and was declined. So it’s still there. Can’t remember which book.
Back to my cave…
Julie Q.
Tara: I know the review wasn’t directly what was on her blog but I can’t see anything on blog that would be reason to pull it.
JQ: nice to see you 😉
Well as a readers who has frantically searched for spoilers, I have to say meanie.
LOL I can understand the spoiler issue and can see that being a valid reason to pull a review.