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Read any good books lately? I have! Grab a cup of coffee or a beverage of your choice and sit back, relax, and have a peek at the books I've loved, the books I didn't, and the reasons why. Enjoy, and happy reading!

NOW LIVE!

It's official! The OGBDA Blog has expanded and our website is now live. Please visit the One Good Book Deserves Another website to see the new site and drop a line to my awesome webmaster, who I've finally let out of the webdesign dungeon...for a quick break, anyway, before he'll be commanded back to the grindstone. ;-)

This is the first of many exciting changes that will be happening over the next several weeks, so stay tuned for more news as OGBDA continues to evolve and grow, and as always, happy reading!

~Tracy

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Musing about...

The Subjectivity of Reviewing

It occurs to me as I just finished posting a new review, just how subjective reviewing is - or more to the point, just how subjective my reaction to the books I read is. A mainstream novel from a large publishing house is going to get much more harshly critiqued, and I'm going to be much harder on it for my enjoyment than I am for one that isn't.

For example, I recently rated a book I read a four stars, which means I liked it (with my rating system, anyway). It's an intensely complex and imaginitive urban fantasy novel from a series that's really impressing me. I also just rated a M/M erotic paranormal romance as four stars. Which means I liked it. Are the two even in the same ballpark when comparing technical skill and style, depth and scope of plot, and vivid depth of character?

Not even close. Not even close to the shadow of the idea of close.

The key, though, is I wasn't expecting them to, so I wasn't disappointed, and could still enjoy both. Not in comparison to each other. On their own. I realize that I enjoy (or not) books based on my own criteria, and rightly or wrongly, that criteria is a big factor in how I feel about, and write about, a book I've read.

How very subjective of me.
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Ratings Guide

Here is a rundown of what the star ratings mean to me! It's not a perfect system, so you may see me add in a .5 star here and there if my impression of the book falls somewhere between these:

5 Stars - Loved it
4 Stars - Liked it
3 Stars - It's okay
2 Stars - Didn't like it
1 Star - Hated it

2014 Challenge

2014 Reading Challenge

2014 Reading Challenge
Tracy has read 22 books toward her goal of 175 books.
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Goodreads

Tracy's bookshelf: read

Zero at the BoneHead Over HeelsLord of the WolfynIn Total SurrenderA Win-Win PropositionNorth of Need

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Book recommendations, book reviews, quotes, book clubs, book trivia, book lists

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