Whatcha Think About Wednesday (7)

Just a little observation.

What do you think when you see covers which look alike or are using the same picture? What about the outbreak of covers with girls in dresses (worse, when the girls don't even wear dresses in the book.)


*In no way is this meant to offend anyone.  Nor is this a reflection of the Author, Publisher or the content of these books.  This is merely a discussion on book covers, the coincidences and the trends.

What do I think?  On having the same picture:  I get it, I get how when you use stock photos (e.g. www.istockphoto.com) you can't guarantee your chosen photo won't be used elsewhere.  My thing is, if you see that your proposed cover/arc has the same image as one already released, or releasing before yours, wouldn't you want to maybe rethink your original cover image?  I know it takes time and money to create covers... but let's face it, bloggers are observant and I'm pretty sure people would notice notice if the two books happened to share a shelf.

On having similar covers:  Some covers irk me, being so alike.  Yet, others, not so much.  I'm not sure why this is... I'm guessing it is a mixture of being familiar with the titles and authors.  Then maybe also the fact that some books, no matter how much alike, have their own characteristics that they all stand out for one reason or another.  Maybe it is only when I'm unfamiliar with the books it bothers me because I can't come up with a personal identifier when I see the book floating around.

On having girls in dresses on covers:  Some covers, the girl in a dress belongs.  Example, The Vespertine.  Despite the use of that photo on another book, that cover actually looks like one of the scenes come to life.  Then there are books with historical significance and it makes sense- period dresses.  But, I can't lie.  There are a handful of books out there that no matter how much I try to understand, despite how beautiful the covers are, I just can't come up with the 'why' on why there is a girl on the cover in a dress.

Want some examples?  

  Here are a few covers which are alike but, honestly, doesn't bother me much.  They each have their own charm, no pun intended (HA!), and I could match the title with the book easily.

    

These aren't exactly the same but somehow they are even worse... these have the same look AND name.  I wouldn't want to go to a book store and say "I need a book, called The Fallen, with a angel guy on the front."  Despite one of these being YA and the other Adult, you must see my dilemma here?

  

And here are two books using the same girl, in the same dress...  I love both covers, and I KNOW The Vespertine's cover is very justified (it depicts a scene from the book)  It is just hard seeing the same girl, in the same pose on Dark Angel.  

(That you Kreag for helping me find Dark Angel when I was pulling up a blank on the title)

  

And correct me if I'm wrong, but this may be the same model, in the same dress, from another angle.

And more stock photo oh-nos.

      

And some more... It is the same guy.  

I also know there is another cover with that guy and that girl on it somewhere out there.  I just can't find it.   

    

Now for girls in dresses..  

So beautiful, but I will admit a few of these I just don't get.  

       

   

I think you get it..

Your thoughts on Girls in Dresses, same cover photo, cover lookalikes?

Whatcha Think 'Bout Wednesday (6)

So there seems to be a few authors going rogue in the blogging community and attacking those giving them what they see as negative reviews.

For the posts I've seen this happen in, the reviews are not out-of-line and are not personally attacking the authors, yet the authors took it upon themselves to attack the blogger along with others in the comment sections.

So my question is...

What do you think about Authors attacking Bloggers/Reviewers for giving well thought out negative reviews?
Do you think an Author has a right to contact the Blogger/Reviewer when a negative review is given?  Do you think there is a right way and wrong way to do this?  Do you think no negative reviews should be posted?  

You get the picture, right?  So tell me what you think!

What do I think?

I think that an Author has every right to contact a Blogger/Reviewer when posting either a positive or a negative review for clarification, comment, praise or question.  I do, however, believe Bloggers/Reviewers have the right to give negative reviews when displayed in a respectful and well thought out manner and in turn deserve the same well thought out email/comment and the same level of respect when an Author wishes to contact them.  With this, I think any negative conversation should be done in private, in an email, and that it should never include attacking either party.  I also believe that there should be no negative correspondence done in the comments sections of the blog, defacing possibly both the Author or the Blogger/Reviewer.

Not all books will appeal to all people.  No one picks up a book to be purposefully disappointed or let down.  The fact someone sat down and read the whole book then took the time to write a review is respect enough, especially if they do it in a favorable manner, explaining themselves well.  Reviews are opinions.  Bloggers/Reviewers are all allowed to have them.  While it may hurt as an author to see someone who didn't grasp what you were going for, as long as that Blogger/Reviewer didn't personally attack the Author's character, I think an author should respect their opinion.  A fair written negative review does not merit an Author to slash the blogger's character, curse at them, or attack them in email.

I think there is a fine line between acceptable reviews and reviews that are better left off of the blog. I also believe there is a fine line between an Author contacting a Blogger/Reviewer over a negative review and what would be attacking them.

It really is a sticky situation.  I just think that attacking of any kind, from either party, should not exist.  Everyone works hard, on both sides of the book.  I think there should be a level of respect spread across the bookish community and unless you prove yourself not worthy of that respect (excessive attacking, bashing, etc.) that everyone needs to keep it in mind.

So tell me, what do you think?

Whatcha Think 'Bout Wednesday (5)

So, I've been going back and forth on a blog review related issue.

What do you think is the most effective way to review/rate a book?  Do you like when people use a star system, a grading scale, or do you think these things aren't necessary if your put up an adequate review?

Me? I just don't know.  I have a hard time sometimes because I can hold two books in my hand and in my book they are both 5-Star books BUT, here is where it gets tricky, they aren't the same kind of 5-star book.

I can't remember exactly, but I remember when I reviewed The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa.  I, of course, gave the book 5-Stars.  I then changed it to 5+Stars because for me that book was just FABULOUS.  But then I reviewed another book, on my scale it rated 5 star as well, but it wasn't the same kind of 5 star.

Is this making any sense?  Of course, when I pair my rating system with the best review I am capable of then maybe it all levels out but it still feels like I am finding too many books that are in the middle.  Example:  It is better then a 3-star rating but just shy of a 4-star.


What kind of rating system do you use and do you think it is always adequate or do you find yourself sometimes stumbling over it?

How would you feel if I took out my star rating?  

Whatcha Think 'Bout Wednesday (4)

The question making itself around the blogosphere has been...

Do Book Bloggers Sell Books?

Personally, in my experience, I believe that book bloggers do sell books.  Half of my books that I have purchased come at the recommendation of a Book Blogger.
I still find the whole situation that sparked this question comical but since it has been asked I have answered.

Want some proof?

Here is a post made by Ginger at GReads.  She'll tell you what she bought at the recommendation of others.  

Want a quick off-the-top-of-my-head list of books I have purchased because of a book blogger's recommendation or seeing it on their blog?

The Secret Year by Jennifer L Hubbard : saw it at The Story Siren
Anna & The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins: sat it at Anna Reads

The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning: heard about it from Bibliophile Brouhaha and Supernatural Snark
Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers: it is all Call Me Crazy Katie talks about, lol

Here are some more books in which I KNOW I have only purchased after reading what another Book Blogger had to say about them. Although, due to the fact that a lot of my books do come at the recommendation of book bloggers I can not remember off the top of my head each and every recommendation.

The Clearing, Fall For Anything, All You Get, The Healer's Apprentice, Dead Beautiful, Kiss Me Kill Me, Nevermore, The Water Wars, If I Stay, Forgive My Fins, Glimmerglass, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Dash & Lily's Book of Dares, The Hunger Games Series, Coffeehouse Angel, Rhymes with Cupid, The Ghost and the Goth...


So, do you think Book Bloggers sell?

Whatcha Think 'Bout Wednesday (3)

Whatcha think about Sex in Young Adult books?

Do you think body parts shouldn't be directly named?  What about motions? (think: Anatomy of a boyfriend.)
Is the "twilight fade out" more acceptable? (think: implantation of the idea of sex, followed by dialog confirming this and lots of feathers)
Do you think the idea of sex, at all, in any degree, doesn't belong in YA books?
Or...
Do you think it is what it is, being intimate is something we all know about and if it fits in the storyline then so be it?

Personally, I am on the side of 'if it is there, it is there, and it doesn't disturb or offend me.'  As a teenager I knew what sex was, my friends were doing it, and the idea of being 'intimate' with prince charming was like the ultimate romance.   Heck, I see more sexual situations on cable, watching shows targeting the YA audience than I see in YA books.  I think as long as the target audience is kept in mind (I don't want any teenage xxx, I'll migrate to the adult section to dabble in the more raw stuff) that this forbidden topic does have a place in YA fiction.  I like my YA fiction real.  And this is real....

So What do you think?

Do you think YA books which have intimate moments or sexual context be given a rating stamp on the book to warn parents and readers, like at the movies- to warn off those who are extremely against sexual situations in YA fiction?

Whatcha Think 'Bout Wednesday (2)

What Do You Think About Book Banning (of YA novels)?

Do you think that it is unfair?  Do you believe there is a need to ban books?  What do you think about book banning compared to what is available on cable television and the lyrics that make up today's hottest music?
For those book bloggers + readers who are still fairly new, this whole concept may still be fairly foreign to us.  So please ignore the repetitive nature of this post and those that were posted last year.  I'm playing catch up.

My Thoughts: 

[If this is too much to read, skip to the bottom and just read THE SHORT OF IT for my quick answer.]

[THE LONG OF IT]  SO being new to this whole book blogging world... and to the concept of book banning, with some very superficial digging I found this.... Top List of Challenged Books of 2009

1. ttyl; ttfn; l8r, g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle 
Reasons: drugs, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group 
2. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson 
Reasons: homosexuality 
3. The Perks of Being A Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky 
Reasons: anti-family, drugs, homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited to age group
4. To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee 
Reasons: offensive language, racism, unsuited to age group 
5. Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer 
Reasons: religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group 
6. Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger 
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group 
7. My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult 
Reasons: homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence
8. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler 
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group 
9. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker 
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
10. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier 
Reasons: nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group 

Ummmm.  Speechless! 

Do people not notice the 4 and 5 year olds singing Lady Gaga's music?  "I wanna take a ride on your Disco Stick."  and what about the little kids popping around to Katy Perry?  "I kissed a girl just to try it, I hope my boyfriend don't mind it."  If You Seek Amy, anyone?  What about the latest sex scene on The Bold and The Beautiful? How many toddlers do you think were scarred by that while their moms were indulging themselves in fantasies of the way-too-old-guy and that girl who was just 5 years old at the close of last Friday's episode?

Look, I'm not hating.  My 5 year old can sing along to most of these songs, and more.  I don't make my child turn his head at the sight of two guys kissing.  And I sure as heck don't throw my hands over my sons ears if there is a naughty word spilled.  I also don't wear turtle necks and jeans during all seasons of the year.  But isn't it My Choice whether I do this or not?  Why should One Group's ideals/morals be able to dictate something that is available to me or my family? Shouldn't they just continue to regulate what goes into their children's hands and be done with it?  Shouldn't they just accept today for what it is? An unique blend of lifestyles and beliefs?  What happened to censorship starting at home?  Why do we have to do it for them?

One Example:  Harry Potter and all like books have been unofficially banned at some of the local school libraries (elementary-high school.)  Why?  Because all of these *Creatures* are works of the Devil.  I totally respect that some people believe that, whether I agree with it or not, but why should my child have to be herded into the same category as these other children?

[THE SHORT OF IT:] I truly feel most of these banning reasons are nothing more then personal beliefs.  If they don't approve of these books then why not encourage their children to steer clear of them? Isn't that what people do with television, music, and lifestyle types?

I also think if people are going to target books perhaps they should target the bigger of the evils, the stuff that is touched by more people.  Television and Music. 
BUT don't misread that.  I said IF people are going to... Not me.

Do You think Books are targeted because it is easier to go after the smaller of the *evils* rather then go up against television stations and record labels? 

Want to see a 2009-2010 List of Banned or Challenged Books and see WHY they were banned? Just click the link.

Why don't we just ban LIFE seeing as apparently Bella's virtue was too racy and therefore needed to be banned ;-)  
I kid, I kid!

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Whatcha Think 'Bout Wednesday (1)

Thought I would try something new.  I've always been one for discussions and user interaction and thought with the new year I would add a new level of blogger-ness to my blog.  Join in, read it, comment... whatever.  It's just one of my many "whatcha think about" moments.

Whatcha Think About Wednesday.
[button to come.  maybe.  eventually.]


How do you think HYPE and REVIEWS affect you and your book buying, book reading, and book preferences? 

When you see a book that not only the publisher and author really promote but you also have a ton of readers going Fan-Girl/Fan-Boy status does that sway you one way or another?  When person after person rave on and on about an *IT* book do you find that you are adding that to the top of your list or are you picking one that isn't so out there or for one with reviews that go all over the board? I'm talking new releases and those that are already seasoned.
How does Hype (and the reviews) to go with it affect you?



The Short(er) Answer:  I will admit HYPE scares me and can and usually does put me off.  There are many books that seem to make everyone's Top Five of All Time book lists, giving it ten stars when their scale only goes up to five, and they are practically tattooing the characters name on their bodies and I am sitting there completely stunned and left feeling a huge empty spot in my soul after I read the book. 

I know everyone has different preferences but I sometimes really feel mislead. Sometime, I don't believe that some of these Hype Books are receiving HONEST FULL reviews. When I come across this kind of Hype spilling over into reviews I set out to find that ONE Not-So-Great review where the person keeps it real with me and tells me what no one else does.  Am I the only one who does this?


The Extended Version: I won't lie, I am completely Fan-Girl status over several books/series and my reviews for those books obviously show it but I try to make sure that I touch base on the major aspects of the book from my point of view. Meaning, I try to relate to you WHY I loved the book so much.  Perhaps you don't swoon over what I do BUT I try to give you that option to see that.  My reviews are far from perfect but I do try- sometimes I feel like others are more concerned with more then giving a fair review.

 Here is a good example I found that Anna did on her blog, Anna Reads. 
Anna reviewed Love on the Lifts by Rachel Hawthorne.  I, too, have read this and I know this isn't a Hype Book, but this review really stuck out to me. Anna gave this book a 3 Star Rating and said,
"Do I expect them to be Oscar-winning? Nope. But will there be cute boys and romance and will it end exactly the way I want it to? YOU BET IT WILL!"
Had I not already read Love on the Lifts, Anna's (full) review would have told me exactly when I needed to pick up that book... when I wanted a cup of hot cocoa, needed something fun, light and quick. I would have known I wasn't getting a masterpiece but I wouldn't have picked it up if that was what I was expecting.

Is this making any sense?  I'd totally pick up these Hype books sooner if I felt I was getting a real feel for them... but sadly sometimes I'm not.


On another note, there are several books and series that I completely protested because of the HYPE surrounding them but I found myself completely in love with them once I read them.  The Hunger Games series was one I totally snubbed until I there was commenting going on with Jenny from Supernatural Snark and she said something that made me go out and get the books to read.  She said something real beyond "Team Peeta/Team Gayle."

And on one more, negative reviews and reviews pointing out the not-so-cool-to-you points about a book aren't always bad either.  I found a lot of not-so-great reviews about Illyria by Elizabeth Hand because of the darker themes BUT that is why I chose that book and that is why I absolutely loved it.  I got the essence of the book and those themes didn't bother me.  So those DETAILED not-so-great reviews actually are what helped me make the leap to buy the book.