Reviews? Opinions, good and bad

So, what's with reviews? Whose opinion do you value? Book reviews sometimes provoke a war of words between author and reviewer. I notice too how journals with literary pretentions sometimes downplay the merit of 'commercial' fiction - you know, the books we all like to read - compared with the often totally perplexing literary fiction …

ElizaBeth Adams: her take on Julia’s Story

When I read the first few words of this review back at the end of May, I must admit I was a bit taken aback .... "All I have to say is, “Nooooooo!” Not, “No, don’t read this book,” or, “No, it isn’t any good.” “Nooooooo,” ...... AND THEN I COULD BREATHE A SIGH OF …