Frequently Asked Questions
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Most of your reviews are highly rated, why is that?
All the books I review are chosen and purchased by me. To be sure I'm not wasting my money I look into the books a little before paying out my hard-earned. The method I find most reliable is reading the first chapter or two. This is usually enough to tell me if I might enjoy the book. But, obliviously, this method doesn't always pay dividends.
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Isn't a five star rating system a little vague?
Yes. But the idea behind having a quick and easy, if not wholly informative, rating method, is to give the viewer an instant idea of what may be in store for them. It's amazing how many people gravitate towards the reviews with only one star. Using more stars gets a little too complicated and laborious for me as a reviewer, so I think a five-star system works best for everyone.
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Do you accept requests?
Absolutely. All I ask is you please review my reviews, see what I did there? And try to make your suggestions along similar lines to the books you see on Blog That Book. Suggesting fantasy, gruesome horror or romance won't catch my attention since they aren't genres I like to read. I'm always up for reaching outside my comfort zone but those books have to be pretty attention-grabbing.
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You seem to review a lot of older books, why is that?
There are so many great books out there, there's no need to wait for the release of the latest and greatest to hit shelves. I also like the idea that I may influence a Blog That Book viewer to try a book they may have never heard of. And, honestly, every other reviewer rams the newest release down your neck and I want this place to be different. No pressure, just somewhere to relax and indulge in bookdom.
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Do you use a formula when writing reviews?
Not really, no. I know a lot of reviewers make notes while reading and use page markers as reminders and the like. I don't do any of that, I just read, and once I'm done I let things percolate a little then I write my thoughts. The overall point in reviews, I think, is whether the book is enjoyable, and I don't believe you can fully ascertain that unless you read the book like everyone else. Stopping to make notes takes you out of the book and away from the enjoyment. I will admit of late I have been writing portions of reviews before I've finished the book. But this is always when I'm away from the read, usually dinner breaks at work, when I have impressions of what I've already read nagging at me to be jotted down.
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Do you BookTube or BookTok??
I’m afraid not, I just don’t have the face for it. Joking aside, I don’t have the voice for it, or more accurately the accent. I’m from the North East of England, Newcastle upon Tyne, we are called Geordies. To people who know of us, we are famous for our accent, or rather how difficult it is to understand our accent. If I were to make a video with a focus on talking in depth about books, you’d barely understand a word. So I think it’s best for everyone if I stick to the written word.