Monday, July 13, 2009

Open Mouth, Insert Foot

Let's just say there are a couple of girls. We can call them Risa and Maura. They're a couple of aspiring authors trying desperately to get their book published and to pass the time they read books and review them on their super-lame blog.

So these girls think they're pretty funny and they pride themselves on being honest. To a fault. And they write a very honest review of a book. There were many, many things the girls loved about the book, but the ending didn't work for them for various reasons. It's subjective, the girls voiced their opinions and then, thanks to the powers of the interwebs, the author read all about them.

Well, this author is very graceful and apparently has a pretty good sense of humor and wants to post a picture of the girls on her website...giving her book a thumbs down. In retrospect this is the aspect of the whole debacle that Risa and Maura regret the most. So, they send the kind author the picture and accept the fact that their inbox will surely be flooded with hate mail from her many fans. Because let's be honest, if the author wants to post their shame for all to see, she's certainly within her rights.

So, dear readers, what say you about this disaster of epic proportions created by the ridiculous Risa and Maura? Do you post critical reviews on your blog or do you follow the golden rule of doing unto others and all that? And hypothetically speaking, say the slighted auther asked R&M to include a comment to post along with the wretched photo, suggestions? We'd love to hear you sound off in the comments.

Oh and feel free to take some jabs at Risa and Maura too. Those bitches deserve it.

21 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow! That is... horrifying.

And the precise reason I don't do book reviews on my blog. :)

As far as a comment to send with the pic, just be honest. Say that you loved the premise and the beginning, but the end just didn't work for you.

Hopefully you don't get too much hate mail- after all, it's just an opinion!

Danyelle L. said...

*hugs*

I do have a book review blog, but I don't ever review a book I didn't love. But I do have to admit that I appreciate the reviews people post of books they maybe didn't love so well, so long as they have a well reasoned why.

Risa and Maura don't need jabs. They need chocolate. And maybe some new shoes.

I do have to say that this author is awesome. Just like Lisa and Laur--er, I mean, Risa and Maura. :D

Sherrie Petersen said...

Well, on the bright side, now you know you've got VIPs reading your blog and your opinions DO matter. You never know. You might even get a book deal out of it. Just don't let her do a review ;)

Eva said...

You know what.... I read a fabulous book a couple years ago and have nearly the same review: Absolutely loved the whole book until the very end, which seemed a little thrown together and unlikely. The name of the book?

War & Peace by Leo Tolstoy.

Sally Koslow is in good company, as far as I'm concerned. So, I still want to read The Late, Lamented Molly Marx based on your book review. So, your review made another sale for the author.

My advice is to keep doing book reviews. And, IF (big IF) you ever receive a constructive, but not totally positive book review, then pay it forward by taking it with as much grace as Ms. Koslow.

Just my two cents.

Kimberly Derting said...

I want to tell you (I mean, Risa and Maura) something like: Awww, it's okay...keep your chins up. But all I can think of is HAHAHA!!! I was laughing through this entire post.

All I'm gonna say is, if you trash MY book, I won't be asking for the thumbs down picture...I'll be posting a D-Bag-O-Meter (patent pending) on my site! Again, for Risa and Maura, of course.

Little Ms J said...

I like Grey Street Girl's class. So glad she's one of our blog friends. Well said, GSG. Well said.

lisa and laura said...

Kat - Smart girl for not posting book reviews, although I don't think this will stop us from posting our opinions. After all, they are just opinions, and it's not like our blog is required reading.

Danyelle - Yum...chocolate. That sounds much better than having people yell at us. I would never review a book that I hated, but I will review books that I liked but didn't necessarily love.

Sherrie - I'm just bitter that statcounter didn't record any of this activity! I mean, who knows what we're missing!

Eva - I love you. That is the most perfect comment. THANK YOU.

Kimberly - I almost peed my pants when I read your comment. Well played, my friend.

LMJ - Thank you for introducing me to Eva! She really is amazing. I love all of our blog friends. I feel like we're all a little family. Oh god, apparently humiliation makes me sappy.

Katie Anderson said...

Allow me to offer my congratulations to Ms. Koslow that two adorable girls such as yourselves chose to read and review her apparently wonderful book!

If only you will choose to read mine someday and discuss it.

After all, all publicity is good. I bet EVERYONE wants to read this book now.

And now you are friends with yet another amazing author - all due to an honest review.

I applaud you! Please do it again.

Oh! And Grey Street Girl is cool.

Sarah Wylie said...

OMG!

Risa and Maura shouldn't feel too bad. It was their opinion and it *is* their blog. Also, as I remember, they did say some super nice things about the book, just weren't sold on the ending.

I have to admit though, I laughed a little (or a lot).

Anonymous said...

Oh no!!! I only review books I felt good about. That is just the way it is. Golden rule thing, you know :D

Tara said...

Now that is classic!

Jamie D. said...

I think your...uh, their picture should be one thumbs up, one thumbs down. After all, it's not like they completely hated the book, the ending just didn't do it for you...uh, them.

I think people *should* post about what they don't like, as well as what they do. If I don't care for a book or it doesn't do something I thought it would for me, I say so (as nicely as humanly possible). Writing is subjective like all art - and I really don't see anything wrong with that as long as people are nice to each other about their differing opinions.

Don't be ashamed or embarrassed - be glad the author is willing to accept your review and use it to her advantage. A win-win all around!

Um...I mean "their" review...

lisa and laura said...

Jamie D.--totally agree! That is our biggest regret--not putting the thumbs in the middle. I'll just pretend like it was all Lisa's idea.

Rebecca Knight said...

This is too funny :P. I happen to love Risa and Maura's opinions, so keep 'em coming!

I only review books I'm 80% positive about. I will say if I'm iffy on certain parts without spoilers, but try to do the sandwich approach (or s'mores approach, if you need to picture chocolate): something nice, something not-so-nice, something nice.

We love you guys :). Don't ever change.

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

I would only post ones that I recommend. But that is just me. I think its fine to do a constructive review.

cant you just not send apicture and pretend you did not get the email? :)

lisa and laura said...

Rebecca - Dude, we can't comment on your blog and it's driving me CRAZY. The word verification is hidden. Anyways, just didn't want you to think we were snubbing you.

Shelli - Great minds think alike...

Christina Lee said...

um...wow..really? Well, it wasn't a snarky review- it was overall pretty good and it made me still wonder about reading it...
but wow, how very classy of her-and I do agree the picture should be one thumb up and one thumb down :)

XiXi said...

I find nothing wrong with writing critical reviews. I recently read a pretty acclaimed book and despised the ending. I won't say what it is because your tale has frightened me, but it's not like I didn't appreciate the book as a whole. It was good writing. Really excellent writing.

And even if it wasn't good writing, as a reviewer, I'm critiquing the book, not the author. I'm sure the author is a very nice lady. I just didn't like her book.

PurpleClover said...

WOW. NICE. Embarassing too. Yikes.


Ummm go for it! You were just being honest. And you know what there is no such thing as bad publicity...I mean as bad as it got with Nicole & Paris...did you stop watching?? lol.

The best thing Steven King ever did for Stephanie Meyers was bash her book publicly. Then this whole King vs. Meyer debacle unfolded. And guess what? People that wanted to bash Meyer on behalf of Team King went out AND BOUGHT TWILIGHT. Now Stephanie Meyer is richer for it.

So maybe if you promise to send a pic, she'll promise to do her own bashing and you guys can begin a team vs team competition.

La Coccinelle said...

If you can't be honest, then what's the point of a review?

Kelly H-Y said...

You poor things! I think you're awesome ... you did an honest review - including both the good and the bad! I've only done reviews of books I've enjoyed thus far. I'm reading one right now that I really enjoy, but the writing is so very different from what I'm used to that I find myself not enjoying some of it. I've been debating whether to do a review and leave that out ... not do one at all ... or include everything I thought. I'm not sure I'll end up being as brave as you, if I do review it!

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