10 Things I DON'T Do in My Reviews on Goodreads

I find Goodreads a useful website and app for me, as a reader. Additionally, I've also started using other reading websites/apps, such as Litsy and LibraryThing. I use these reading websites/apps for the obvious reasons: keeping track of my reading, finding new books, finding new authors, etc.

However, I don't do certain things in my reviews on Goodreads, either because I never did them or because I stopped doing them. And these are things I don't plan to carry over to Litsy and LibraryThing.

Here are 10 things I don't do in my reviews on Goodreads (and won't carry over to Litsy or LibraryThing).

Item 1: I don't leave books DNF-ed without some sort of commentary.

This may sound a bit weird, but hear me out. I don't review books I DNF-ed unless I read 50% or more of the book. However, if I DNF a book before the 50% point, I don't leave a full-on review. I leave a bit of a commentary. I include when I DNF-ed the book (which I do all the time with DNF-ed books) and why I DNF-ed it. Usually, the why is something along the lines of "this book wasn't catching my attention" or "this book wasn't for me."

Item 2: I don't do long reviews.

As you all may know, all of my reviews often go up on my bookstagram, with the occasional one or two popping up here on my blog. As a result, my reviews are on the shorter side.

Item 3: I don't explain the plot.

This one does lead into Item 2. Because my reviews are on Goodreads, I don't summarize or explain the plot. People can easily go to the book itself on Goodreads. I will include a summary of the plot in my bookstagram posts, but they're not in the reviews themselves.

Item 4: I try not to repeat too much.

I will occasionally say things like "as I've said." However, I don't repeat points too much. (Usually, I include "as I've said" once in a review as a reminder.) If your review ends up being shorter because you're not repeating yourself, that is okay. And it can be a good thing. Which is why I personally avoid it.

Item 5: I don't say things like "this was a bad book" or "this was a good book" and leave it there.

Phrases like "this was a bad book" or "this was a good book" are ones everyone should avoid in book reviews, no matter why the review's being written. These are highly subjective. You can say "I didn't like this book because of ABC" or "I did like this book because of XYZ." Someone else may like a book you disliked or vice versa. (I.e. they may dislike a book you liked.)

Item 6: I don't not include some sort of critique.

The phrasing of this one is a bit confusing, but it needed to be included. I don't not include some sort of critique. In other words, I always include some sort of critique. No book is perfect. Even if I loved the book and would die for it, I try to say where the book may have fallen a bit short.

Item 7: I don't flip-flop on my opinions.

This is something I see a lot in reviews. People say one thing, and then they say something else on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. On occasion, I will add to my review after a reread (and I'll mention that it's an amended review). However, I don't flip-flop on opinions in a single review.

Item 8: I don't include spoilers.

I know that a lot of people include spoilers, but this is something I don't personally do. I mentioned in Items 2-3 that most of my reviews are also put up on my bookstagram. As a result, I can't easily hide spoilers on Instagram, even with the way I post my reviews. I can't control how people look at my posts. So I just don't include spoilers.

Item 9: I don't use quotes.

While I love quotes, I don't use them in my reviews. I don't mind seeing them in other reviews, I just don't include them in my own. I can't explain exactly why - maybe it's simply because they take up space.

Item 10: I don't review a book immediately after finishing it.

This is something that may seem weird. And you may be asking, "But, HBR, you should review a book ASAP after finishing it." However, I like letting myself payse before I give it a review. I may give it a star rating, but the review waits a little bit (no more than a day, though). And this is so I can collect my thoughts on the book. And if I'm not in a great mood, I don't want to give a book a not-so- good review as a result.