It's been hit or miss...fashion_piranhaMay 30 2011, 14:27:11 UTC
I'd say that over time, the Early Reviewer program has gotten better at choosing books that will fit my general tastes - I mean, Bending the Boyne certainly looked good on paper! Archeologically based historical fiction sounds right up my alley. But - though I hate to say it - as a general rule the smaller the publisher, the sloppier the editing, and that can really impact my enjoyment.
Sorry to hear that the book wasn't up to snuff. I haven't looked for much fiction set in early Ireland...the only thing I can think of that I've read that is remotely close to that period is the Sevenwaters(?) series by Juliet Marillier, but then that may have been set in early Britain.
(And the Irish weren't really peaceful...there were lots of chieftains scattered everywhere and the like. They had ringforts for a reason. ;-) )
I've gotten a few things from both LibraryThing's and GoodReads Early Reviewer programs, and funny enough, one book I got from a small press (which had an archaeology plotline set in Central America) I just wasn't able to get through. Maybe it's just the archaeology fiction. ;-D
(And the Irish weren't really peaceful...there were lots of chieftains scattered everywhere and the like. They had ringforts for a reason. ;-) ) I figured as much. The only fiction I've read previously that's even close to the same time period as Bending the Boyne is The Princes of Ireland: Dublin Saga, part of which takes place in pre-Christian Ireland. They definitely weren't peaceful people. :-p Blood sacrifices and warring clans all the way.
How's the GoodReads Early Reviewer program compare to Librarything? I never got around to joining that site but I often think about it.
Hmm, I may have to check out The Princes of Ireland: Dublin Saga sometime. :-) Thanks for the title!
How's the GoodReads Early Reviewer program compare to Librarything? I never got around to joining that site but I often think about it.To be honest, I don't really remember. It's been so long since I've requested a book from either place. IIRC, I've probably gotten a few more books from GR than LT. You should be able to see their offerings without registering if you want to take a gander. I think if you request and "win" a certain number of books over a period of time, that they expect you to put a review of it on their site, otherwise you may be disqualified from getting any more books if you don't. (ha, does that sentence make sense?) I don't really know how closely they keep tabs on that sort of thing. (I also may be getting this confused with LT.) Clearly they never busted me for being a reviewer procrastinator, but then that was probably well over 2 years ago. Also, I think the popularity of GR has increased quite a
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Scam by "fashion piranha"
anonymous
June 5 2011, 12:18:50 UTC
Fasion piranha is posting nasty reviews of this title all over the web, only AFTER she was told to take down the copy she had for sale on Amazon, by LIBRARYTHING -- that violated the terms of Librarything's Early Review program.
Further, this very fine novel had a professional editor. "Fashion piranha" reviewos on Amazon as "Suze Hough" -- perhaps she should stick to evaluating shoes and handbags , or cookies and plastic pencils as she does there. Her book reviews often claim that the book has not been edited. Given the blatant grammar errors and misspellings in her reviews, it is clear what has not been edited.
Her comments don't fit with the trade reviews coming out about this novel, nor does her weak and insubstantiaol, poorly expressed opinion fit with the fact that this novel recently won a national prize. "Fashion piranha" doesn't tell you any of that. She wants to spew hate all over the web just for being told to take down her scam on Amazon.
Re: Scam by "fashion piranha"fashion_piranhaJune 5 2011, 13:47:53 UTC
To Anonymous --
I apologize that my review offends you so much that you feel the need to pursue me across the web. I do, however, stand behind my opinion of the book. It is, after all, only the opinion of one person, and if it is in conflict with the opinions with many other people that does not invalidate it.
I also apologize for posting your book for sale on Amazon. It was the end of my semester and I posted several books from school, including a bunch of archeology-related texts. It was an unfortunate oversight that "Bending the Boyne" was posted as well. I immediately removed the book when the mistake was pointed out to me.
Most of the reviews I write end up posted on four websites: Librarything.com, BookCrossing.com, my book blog, and here on Amazon.com. I was not singling out "Bending the Boyne" or posting in retaliation for an imagined slight.
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Sorry to hear that the book wasn't up to snuff. I haven't looked for much fiction set in early Ireland...the only thing I can think of that I've read that is remotely close to that period is the Sevenwaters(?) series by Juliet Marillier, but then that may have been set in early Britain.
(And the Irish weren't really peaceful...there were lots of chieftains scattered everywhere and the like. They had ringforts for a reason. ;-) )
I've gotten a few things from both LibraryThing's and GoodReads Early Reviewer programs, and funny enough, one book I got from a small press (which had an archaeology plotline set in Central America) I just wasn't able to get through. Maybe it's just the archaeology fiction. ;-D
Reply
I figured as much. The only fiction I've read previously that's even close to the same time period as Bending the Boyne is The Princes of Ireland: Dublin Saga, part of which takes place in pre-Christian Ireland. They definitely weren't peaceful people. :-p Blood sacrifices and warring clans all the way.
How's the GoodReads Early Reviewer program compare to Librarything? I never got around to joining that site but I often think about it.
Reply
How's the GoodReads Early Reviewer program compare to Librarything? I never got around to joining that site but I often think about it.To be honest, I don't really remember. It's been so long since I've requested a book from either place. IIRC, I've probably gotten a few more books from GR than LT. You should be able to see their offerings without registering if you want to take a gander. I think if you request and "win" a certain number of books over a period of time, that they expect you to put a review of it on their site, otherwise you may be disqualified from getting any more books if you don't. (ha, does that sentence make sense?) I don't really know how closely they keep tabs on that sort of thing. (I also may be getting this confused with LT.) Clearly they never busted me for being a reviewer procrastinator, but then that was probably well over 2 years ago. Also, I think the popularity of GR has increased quite a ( ... )
Reply
Further, this very fine novel had a professional editor. "Fashion piranha" reviewos on Amazon as "Suze Hough" -- perhaps she should stick to evaluating shoes and handbags , or cookies and plastic pencils as she does there. Her book reviews often claim that the book has not been edited. Given the blatant grammar errors and misspellings in her reviews, it is clear what has not been edited.
Her comments don't fit with the trade reviews coming out about this novel, nor does her weak and insubstantiaol, poorly expressed opinion fit with the fact that this novel recently won a national prize. "Fashion piranha" doesn't tell you any of that. She wants to spew hate all over the web just for being told to take down her scam on Amazon.
Reply
I apologize that my review offends you so much that you feel the need to pursue me across the web. I do, however, stand behind my opinion of the book. It is, after all, only the opinion of one person, and if it is in conflict with the opinions with many other people that does not invalidate it.
I also apologize for posting your book for sale on Amazon. It was the end of my semester and I posted several books from school, including a bunch of archeology-related texts. It was an unfortunate oversight that "Bending the Boyne" was posted as well. I immediately removed the book when the mistake was pointed out to me.
Most of the reviews I write end up posted on four websites: Librarything.com, BookCrossing.com, my book blog, and here on Amazon.com. I was not singling out "Bending the Boyne" or posting in retaliation for an imagined slight.
Reply
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