Paperback Reader

About a month ago we decided to do something a little different. We ran a special contest, one that required work from a few of you. Yeah, you instead of us. Some might call that lazy. We thought it was brilliant. Make you guys do the work while we watch.

See why that's so smart?

Well, whatever you want to call it, many of you took up the challenge and agreed to read a book and give us your thoughts. Brave souls... Now we kick off those guest reviews with one by Alyssa.

Thanks Alyssa!!

When we ran our guest review contest, we knew there was a chance one of the winners would end up getting a book she did not like. That meant writing a not-so-favorable review. It's one thing for us here at PBR not to like a book and say it. We have a mission statement that promises honest reviews. Along with that, we have a deeply ingrained view that open discourse about books and craft is good for the romance genre. To ask a guest revier to abide by those parameters seemed a bit, well, harsh. After all, it was supposed to be a fun contest. We did not want or intend to put anyone in an awkward position.

When Cathy turned in her contest review for Devour by Melina Morel and expressed some reservations about the book, we felt like we put Cathy in a difficult position. Then we realized Cathy wasn't complaining. She read. She reviewed. She wrote what she really felt. She was not nasty or personal. The book just didn't work for her. Simple. We admire that.

So, thanks to Cathy for being part of the contest and checking out Devour. Bigger thanks to her for keeping with the philosophy at the site.