This is a sore spot for me. As a reader, I might read the reviews, but I don't put any stock into whether to get the book based on what the reviewer wrote. I read the book blurb and look at average star ratings the book has, but in the end I'm going to read it based on that book blurb. Especially if there are a lot of reviews that bash the book, ESPECIALLY those that have a DNF (did not finish). As a reader, it's very rare that I don't finish a book. I might set it aside for a later time when I can focus now, but I'm doing the writer a big injustice by not finishing it unless the writing is actually terrible.
There are books that are bad. Just bad. For someone who has been reading for a long time, probably their whole life like me, you know the story is going to suck by looking at the cover and reading the back blurb. It's rare that I've misjudged the book, and has happened only once or twice that I've hated a book.
Regardless, what I might like someone else may not. And the same goes for a book I might not like much. Someone else may love it. I picked up a book a couple of years ago based on a recommendation of this author and I can honestly say I didn't finish the book. Rare for me, like I said. If there was a plot to this book, I was quite a few chapters in and still didn't know what it was. And sex, sex, and more sex. That's all it was. At least give me a crappy plotline to go with that. Nope. That's all it was. I don't mind reading a racy book, but there has to be more than that. Please. I wrote a review for that book, an honest one with my opinion BUT I did also put in my review that what might not be for me, might be for someone else. And that is the truth.
As an author, reviews are extremely important. As an independent author, even more so. One person might love the book, another not so much. Giving me a horrible review because you didn't like it will hurt my sales. Someone will read that and not buy it. If the book is poorly written with a lot of errors (admittedly, my first one had quite a few), then yes–write that review. I deserve it if the book is all around bad. Reviews in Goodreads and Amazon will make my books, and other independent authors I know stand out. The more the reviews, the more we get to the recommended lists without actually having to pay to be there. As an independent author, money isn't in abundance, so having to pay to be noticed is tough when you have small margins, anyway.
Being two years into publishing my own books, I still have very few reviews and my third one that just came out earlier this year has only two. Two! Pretty sad, but I've asked for reviews, to no avail. That means either people really didn't like it, or people just don't want to write one. I don't even have hardly any star ratings for that one.
People don't like to write reviews. I am one of them, unless the book was a fantastic read and I want people to know that. Again, it's subjective. I might have thought the book was one of the best reads I'd read recently, while another person might not like it as much as I did. Movies, music . . . the same. I know many people who like country music. Me? Not my favorite. But I don't give it a poor reputation because I don't like it as much as I like hard rock.
So, there you have it. That is my opinion about writing a review or not writing a review. Do what is best for you. Just keep in mind that the author worked very hard on that piece of work, and like I said, if the writing is horrible along with a plethora of mistakes and make even a bad cover, I might make a few mentions but I would not under any circumstances give the author a bad review. It's just hurtful to someone who might try really hard. And what's more, anyone close to that person should be telling them honestly that the book needed more work to be put into it. Don't let friends publish bad stuff!
Happy Reading!
Jodie