Dragon Jude's Meandering Thoughts

After reading hundreds of reviews, I realized that not all reviews on the same characteristics or standards — so I decided to explain my approach using analogies. Oh – and I am a firm believer in KISS – keep it sweet and simple.

Just some directions for those who are not interested in wading through everything in the feed. Reviews are under ‘Book Reviews’ (yep – I know duhh); Discussion on transgressive elements is under Transgressive Elements; My meanderings are under meandering Thoughts; my poetry is under poetry and information about myself is under places to find me.

1 star: Yep toxic – think of spoiled meat. Can not even read it. (this is pretty desperate for me as I am an addicted reader and have a compulsive need to finish any book I start. You might say I am a little OCD in this)

2 stars: I finished it but it was like choking down Aunt Ruth’s dry, tasteless casserole out of politeness.

3 stars: It was okay. Either it was fast food for a meal and while had potential it lacked the needed development OR it was way too short so while it may have been well written it lacked the necessary development in the plot to make it a real meal. Either way more of a snack – something to fill the gaps.

4 stars: This is a good story. It usually has well developed, interesting characters, the world is developed so that it is solid (the reader does not have questions about context) and the plot is interesting with a nice amount of twists and turns.

5 stars: This book has everything. IT grabs the reader and hauls them into a well built, intriguing world. If it is based in reality, everything fits with what the reader knows. If it is new then it is built and crafted with skill so that it rings ‘true’. The characters are relatable and individual. The conflicts are also relatable, but with original twists and the plot is consistently built without such heavy foreshadowing that the end is easy to see.

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