Lately, I’ve noticed something odd creeping into the literary corners of the internet—this unspoken tension around reviews. Not from readers, mind you, but from authors. We’ve become soft, and dare I say, too precious about our work. I say this with love, as an author myself: we have got to stop treating every critical review like a personal attack.

Here’s the truth: reviews are not for the author. They’re for readers. And when done with care and intention, they serve the greater literary community in powerful, necessary ways.

I believe in honest reviews—the kind that talk about how a story made you feel, what it did well, where it fell flat, and whether you’d recommend it to others. I believe that a thoughtful review, whether glowing or critical, is an act of literary engagement. It says, “I read this, and I felt something. Here’s what I think.”

What I don’t believe in are reviews that cross the line into personal attacks. There’s a difference between saying, “This character’s arc felt unearned,” and “The author clearly has no talent.” The first is critique; the second is cruelty. And if you’re writing reviews just to take shots at writers, I’m not your audience.

But let me be even more clear: A one-star review is not a bad review if it explains, with care, why the book didn’t work for the reader. One of the most important reviews I’ve ever written was exactly that—a one-star review for a book that glamorized the sexual assault of a minor. The story resolved with the abuser and victim ending up together in a romantic relationship, capped off with a pregnancy. I cannot, in good conscience, let something like that slide without warning other readers.

Some might say I’m being dramatic. But as someone who believes fiction can influence our worldview and self-perception, I think it’s dangerous to normalize harm—especially in stories aimed at young people. My review wasn’t an attack. It was a critique of the author’s choice to resolve trauma in a way that could perpetuate harmful narratives.

And that’s the thing. I love books. I write them, I read them obsessively, I review them because I care. I believe in fiction’s power to heal, challenge, inspire, and yes—educate. Even when we’re just “making stuff up,” we’re saying something.

So let’s say something honest.

Let’s make room for critique that respects the writer and respects the reader.

Let’s stop calling honest, critical reviews “bad” simply because they don’t stroke our ego.

And for the love of all things literary, let’s stop acting like the only good review is a five-star one.

We can do better—for each other, and for the stories we’re trying to tell.

Let’s keep the conversation going: Have you ever read a review—good or bad—that changed how you saw a book? Or maybe your own work? Drop your thoughts in the comments. What role do you think reviews should play in our literary culture?