There's a big debate in the YA community right now over book bloggers. Writers love to get great reviews, but there's always a question about whether aspiring authors should be critiquing published authors. Will they burn bridges before even getting an invitation to cross over? It's a valid question.

But that has nothing to do with why I don't write book reviews.

I've worked in multiple libraries and even managed a bookstore for a couple years. Part of my job was to give people book recommendations. I did so successfully for years and here's the secret:

Just because I love a book, it doesn't mean you will.

Think about it this way - you love chocolate chip peanut butter cookies. Your best friend hates peanut butter. Do you think she'll love your cookies just because you love them? Do the math.

Book recommendation is the same way. I adored The Mists of Avalon, but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. In fact, I wouldn't recommend it to most people I know. It doesn't change Marion Zimmer Bradley's genius, but if I'm going to recommend a book to you, I want to have some inkling you might enjoy it first!

So while I'm on Goodreads, I don't write up reviews. I don't want total strangers thinking a book I loved is for them if they don't like that kind of book to begin with. If you ask me for a recommendation, I'm first going to ask what books you already love. That helps me so much more than telling you what I love. For instance, there is an extremely popular children's series that I thought was terrible. In fact, I couldn't finish it. My husband thinks I'm insane because he loved it. Would my dislike stop me from recommending it to other readers? Absolutely not!

So let me take a stab in the dark with my blog readers. My crystal ball tells me most of you are writers, probably unpublished. You're looking for instruction and inspiration. Am I right? Then, how about giving The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide by Becky Levine a try? I'm giving away a signed copy through Tuesday, August 17th at noon. Head over to my earlier post, an interview with Becky, to enter! Good luck!

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