Reading is not just a pleasure, to some it is an addiction; the thrill of immersing into another world. After reading a book we usually pass the book on to a friend or give it to a charity shop to resell for £1 (or few dollars) in order to
fund that charity, but how many of us secondhand readers go online and write a review of that book? If you buy a book from an on line shop such as Amazon then as a first buyer and reader it is more likely you will leave a review for other readers and the author.
As an author I realise that good reviews are crucial to future book sales and hence fund the writer to continue his or her next novel, surviving on a shoe string budget usually unless they have another job to pay the bills. Did you know that only 1 in a thousand, on average, readers leave a review which is 5 star or for some, even a review at all! If you do read a book and it isn't the usual genre that you like, then please remember that your review is for readers that specifically like that genre; taking this into account always allow for your own opinion as being slightly negatively biased. I am not saying leave 5 star feedback for a book that was rubbish, but if you found the story not to your taste then state the reasoning behind it; after all, it may put a reader that would love the book off purchasing it.
I admit to being soft on my reviews as I know how hard it is for writers, so I generally award a mark higher rather than lower; but this is because my taste is very narrow, liking mainly Wilbur Smith, Clive Cussler (Dirk Pitt) and the likes.
A photograph of Disney's Fantasia float Disneyland Paris, taken while researching for a future novel. Please leave reviews when you can, but above all be honest, and don't spoil the plot by giving too much away. Happy reading!