Quote:
Originally Posted by issybird
As far as the personal element goes, I'm most suspicious of a disproportionate amount of five-star reviews, which seem most likely to be driven by F&F and generally account for those 4+ averages. I think the most useful reviews are the two-star ones, which tend to focus on the substantive, but for an absolutely terrible book there is no alternative to one star.
|
When a bunch of 5 star reviews are dated the same as the published date, it's a clear sign they are suspicious. I see that all the time. I tend to automatically discount 5 star reviews, and usually start my reading with the 1 & 2 star reviews.
In one of the genres I read, book reviews are almost always glowing praise dripping 5 star reviews. And as much as I like many of the authors for the lite reading they provide, most of them don't write 5 star worthy books IMO.
Spoilers in book reviews are my current irritation.