WHY REVIEWS MATTER

       So, this question has been playing around in my head for awhile now, “Why are reviews so freaking important”? As an avid reader of African American fiction, all I want to do is retreat into the book, absorb its awesomeness and move on to my next read. But I keep seeing Authors begging for reviews, so I posed the question to a few Authors and readers to get their take on it. What I learned was that reviews have a lot of value if they are shared with pure honesty. I say that because some of y'all and yes, I said some of y'all and you know who you are can write some petty reviews. Sometimes when I read them I just shake my head at the nonsense. However, reviews contribute to the general consensus of how readers feel about the book. It helps the author know if they were on point with the story and if it was translated properly.

Negative reviews are helpful as well, they help the reader determine if they want to invest time and money in reading the book. I’ve come across a book that looked interesting based on the cover and synopsis however the very poor reviews made by more than one reader made me pause and pass on that book. If it’s an author I’m familiar with and the reviews are questionable I give it a try based on prior experience with the author. The thing is, even though many of us have our favorites, everything they put out may not always appeal to us. It’s ok to post an honest review but let’s try not to be petty with it.