Why Yelp Reviews Are Not Always Trustworthy

Yesterday morning, I was doing returns. In the book industry we have the option to send back titles that don't sell. I had pulled about a hundred books to return, and a lot of them were stacked on the counter in high piles. On the other side of the counter was a customer who was ordering a book.

Another customer walked in and, instead of coming straight into the store, circled around our front table to try to find a book. When she couldn't find it she asked if we had it in stock. I told her we were getting some more in next week, since we'd just done an event with the author and sold all our copies. Then I went back to helping the other customer.

The other lady--we'll call her "Number Two"--stared at me for a moment and then stormed out of the store. Customer Number One and I gave each other a "that was a crazy person" look and continued with the ordering.

Today we discovered a bad review on Yelp, which reads as follows:

"I must have come on the wrong day. I was very excited to check out this local independent bookstore. There was no one in the store when I arrived. I was looking to buy "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers. The woman behind the counter told me it was out of stock. I asked when it would be in, and she shrugged. I had come in intending to sign up for the notifications of upcoming events, etc, but this staff member clearly had no interest in engaging. I would have been glad to give a phone number or email so that they could notify me when it arrived, but again, there was no involvement-and no one else to distract her. Odd."

Now, I can see how this woman might have been confused if she couldn't see the other customer. I find it hard to believe that she didn't see her--our store isn't big enough to hide a person--but from where she was standing it might have been hard to see the woman I was helping, especially with the towers of books on the counter. And it probably DID appear as though I wasn't doing anything, since I was just scrolling down a list to find the book I was trying to order. But the part about just shrugging and not talking to her? Blatantly false.

This is just an example of how Yelp reviews can be a bit misleading. I can see where Number Two was coming from, although I probably wouldn't have been so quick to storm out if our roles were reversed. Still, her 30-second experience has the potential to harm our business and that's kind of scary.

The moral of this story is that you shouldn't believe everything you read on Yelp. And you should shop at our store, even if I sometimes appear to be ignoring you!

Secret Bonus and a new project!

Lots of interesting news at the bookstore, but first things first:

The FINAL SECRET BONUS TASK is: tell me about your favorite book. What characters are in it? What is the plot? What do you love about it? Your explanation should be a full paragraph. Please include your first and last name, the title of the book, and the author.

Remember, August 14th at 5 p.m. is the last possible minute that you can hand in a reading record or a Secret Bonus Task for the Summer Reading Challenge. The Grand Prize Drawing will occur at 5:01 and we'll call the winner at 5:05!


You may have noticed that we have a new window display at the store. We are entering a Julie and Julia display contest! As if I needed a reason to do more cooking, I'm using the contest as an excuse to cook EVERY RECIPE in my favorite Ina Garten cookbook: Barefoot Contessa Family Style. Every time I try a new recipe, I'll write about it here. I'll also post pictures and short videos. I'll be starting next week, so prepare to be amazed!

How To Be The Best Customer Ever

Today we sold books at Splashdown 2009, an event at the USS Hornet in Alameda. Buzz Aldrin dropped by at 1 p.m. and gave a speech, and then the 1000+ people who had bought his new book got in line and had it signed. Yes, that's right, one thousand people bought the book from us, and most of them bought it between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. In the middle of that crazy bookselling bonanza, the following customer interacted with me:

[Enter customer dressed in a yellow volunteer shirt and an orange volunteer vest. Customer buys two books from Jessica and then turns to Jake, who is attempting to finish a transaction with someone else.]
Customer: Can I have a bag?
Jake: I'm sorry, we just ran out of bags.
Customer: Well I can't really carry these books.
Jake: You could try the gift store. They might have a few left.
Customer: Well can you go get some?
Jake: You know, I asked them a little while ago and they didn't have enough to share with us--no one expected to be this busy today.
Customer: Well I don't want to carry these books.
Jake: I'd be happy to hold them here for you until the signing.
Customer: I'd really like you to go get me a bag from the gift store.
Jake: Ma'am, we have a really long line right now and I can't leave this table.
Customer: Well I want you to go get me a bag!
[Elaine, observing the exchange, moves to intervene.]
Elaine: Is there something I can help you with?
Customer: I'm just not used to dealing with bad professionalism!
[Customer literally runs away.]

So. How to be the best customer ever: don't be a crazy volunteer lady. Not to say that you shouldn't volunteer or be crazy--just be careful mixing the two.

Secret Bonus Task #5

Think of a character from a book that you loved. What do you think happened to that character when the book ended? Write me a story about the character and what happened after the end of the book. Be sure to include:

• YOUR NAME
• the title of the book
• the character's name, age, and some details about him or her (3+ sentences)
  
• what happened after the book ended (5+ sentences)

You can email your story to p1ratewench@hotmail.com or bring it to the store.

Reviews and such

The Story of Forgetting
by Stefan Merrill Block
Adult fiction
Available now in paperback

This is my favorite book cover of all time. Normally that would be enough to convince me to read the book, but this one is not my kind of novel--it's about two men, Alzheimer's, and Texas...none of which are things I normally read about (see below for confirmation). I read this because Stefan Merrill Block is a hilarious and awesome person, which I learned at a BEA luncheon in May. I'm really glad I read it. The book is about Abel, a hunchbacked old man who has lost his twin brother to familial early-onset Alzheimer's and now lives alone on the family farm; and Seth Waller, a 15-year-old boy whose mother is suffering the same disease. The narrative shifts back and forth between them and is interspersed with tales from the fictional land of Isidora. Block's prose is somehow both spare and emotionally complex. I found myself identifying very strongly with Seth, whose primary goal is to be invisible. All in all, a very good literary debut. (HOWEVER: Stefan Merrill Block is only 3 years older than me, which made me feel like I need to get on the ball and accomplish something fairly soon.)


Scarlett Fever
by Maureen Johnson
Young Adult Fiction
Due February 2010

Yes! Scarlett, Spencer, Lola, and Marlene are back in this follow-up to Suite Scarlett. Scarlett is still working for the crazy Amy Amberson, who does not disappoint--when she lands Spencer a role that makes him instantly infamous, the Martin family find themselves at the center of a media whirlwind yet again. Meanwhile, Scarlett is trying to get over Eric and survive Max Biggs, her new "work project." This novel is full of all the things we expect from Maureen Johnson: slapstick humor, loveable characters, crazy antics, teenage drama, regular drama, and general hilarity.

Ways You Can Support Your Local Bookstore...

...without leaving your computer:

--check Facebook for their fanpage. Become a fan.
--give them a good review on Yelp.com.
--comment on their blog. If they know what kinds of customers are reading, they can tailor their writing to those customers.
--send an email telling them how much you appreciate them and why.
--sign up for Indiebound.org. Find the bookstore and become a fan.
--mention on your blog, Twitter, email update, Facebook status, etc. when you've had a good experience there.
--instead of ordering a book on Amazon, send them an email and have them order it instead.

Did I miss anything? Leave me a comment if you can think of other ways to support a local bookstore without getting out of your chair.

Secret Bonus Task!

Next week's Secret Bonus Task is:

Come to the Young Adult Author Night on Wednesday!

Where: A Great Good Place for Books
When: Wednesday, July 22nd at 6:00 p.m.
What: A chance to meet, question, and hang out with four amazing authors.
Who:

• Ellen Klages, author of The Green Glass Sea and White Sands, Red Menace
• Sarah Quigley, author of TMI
• Cheryl Herbsman, author of Breathing
• C. Lee McKenzie, author of Sliding on the Edge

Why: Because they are awesome, you are awesome, and there will be awesome snacks and prizes.

Reviews

The Healing Wars Book 1: The Shifter

by Janice Hardy

Middle grade fantasy

due October 1st

Review by Alyssa Kirk

The story centers around 15 year old Nya who is a Healer...but with a defect. She can only shift the pain and injury into other people, not the magical stone pynvium. This little 'quirk' is something she and her younger sister, Talia, a normal healer, keep secret because they're not sure if the Duke would have Nya killed or use her as a weapon in his wars.

Soon Nya's secret is uncovered by a nefarious fellow and Talia is in imminent danger. Nya must use her gift in ways she dislikes in order to not only save her sister but other Healers in the league, and foil a political plot that could put the whole town in danger. In the process she also discovers abilities she never knew she had.

The Shifter starts out with a bang and, other than a few slow steps, keeps rolling quickly. Hardy covers a lot of ground. She touches on prejudice, moral choices, what should be given up for the greater good, family/friend loyalty, accepting yourself and others, personal sacrifice, and even throws in a pinch of romance between Nya and the young guard who chases her down in the first couple of pages.

Nya is likeable and believable. She and her little band of friends and family are characters you care for. The reader is routing for them to win in the end. Even the 'bad' guys had some depth and weren't simply two dimensional.

Hardy utilizes good description and some great lines. My favorite was when a ferry accident occurs during a storm and Nya can't get out into the water to help all the survivors. She says, "My heart reached farther than my hands ever could." How beautiful!
Good suspense, nasty political intrigue, a few surprises and a great twist on Nya's abilities. Overall The Shifter is a very enjoyable middle grade novel that is worth the read.

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac

by Gabrielle Zevin

Young Adult fiction

Available now in paperback

Review by Jake the Girl

I'm not going to lie, I read this book because I liked the cover. I'm glad I did--it's so engrossing, I couldn't put it down. Sixteen-year-old Naomi falls down the stairs one day, and when she wakes up she is in an ambulance with a tall, dark stranger--and she has no memory of the last four years of her life. As she tries to figure out who she has become during those years, she finds herself living two lives: the old Naomi, who had some hobbies (and a boyfriend) that the new Naomi isn't so sure about; and the new Naomi who can't stop thinking about that boy in the ambulance. I liked this book because it asked a question that I'd never thought about: if you could go back to the person you were at age twelve, with no recollection of the intervening years, would you be happy with who you had become?

Review by Laurel

Flight

by Sherman Alexie

Young Adult fiction

Available now in paperback

Review by Laurel Wong

A fascinating book about the choices we make, Flight is one of my all-time favorites. It follows the story of Zits, a foster child living in Seattle, as he runs away from his 21st foster home and is detained by Seattle police. While in his cell, he meets a boy named Justice and eventually they plan to take over a bank and kill everyone inside.

When Zits starts shooting, a security guard shoots back, killing him. When he wakes, he is in the body of an FBI agent living in Red River, Idaho during the 1970's. He then finds himself in the bodies of an American Indian child, and aging tracker, and a pilot.

When at last he is finally himself again, he's still at the bank--before the shooting. He must choose whether to obey Justice, whose motives (and real name) are unknown, or to walk away.

Flight is one of my favorites because it shows how much we shape our own lives, which stands the test of time and comes into play with everyone he inhabits. I recommend it to everyone.

What I've Been Reading

Forest Born
by Shannon Hale
Young Adult fantasy
Due September 15th, 2009

This is the fourth in the Books of Bayern series. The first three books focus on characters that have been present throughout the series, but Forest Born introduces a new character: Rinna, the sister of Razo. Rinna has gifts that she has tried to hide for years, but when Razo invites her to the city for a season, she decides to leave home and figure out what makes her different from others. I love this series. Shannon Hale is a genius when it comes to developing characters. Each one is complete and different, and we learn a little bit more about them in each book. My favorite character will always be Enna, but Rin is pretty cool too. : )



Suite Scarlett
by Maureen Johnson
Young Adult fiction
Available now in paperback

I love Maureen Johnson, and I think she really hit her stride with this book. It's got a great cast of characters who are funny, wise, and complex. Scarlett, the heroine, is the second-youngest of four children. Her family owns a historic hotel in New York which, at the moment, only has one person staying in it: Mrs. Amberson. When Scarlett becomes Mrs. Amberson's personal assistant, her summer goes from lame to...unique. My favorite character was Spencer, who had me laughing out loud every time he appeared. I can't wait for the sequel!

More reviews!

Each Little Bird That Sings

by Deborah Wiles

Young Adult Fiction

Available now in paperback

Review by Isabella Hershey

I recently read a book called Each Little Bird that Sings. This book is about a 10 year old girl who grew up in a funeral home in Snapfinger Mississippi. Because Comfort grew up in a funeral home she thought that she could handle death, until her very beloved Great-great-aunt Florentine dies. Comfort's annoying little cousin Peach had always loved Florentine, but since she has died he went to Comfort. Just when she thought that her life coudn't get any worse her best friend Declaration starts to turn on her and get really mean. When walking to a funeral with her dog Dismay and Peach, they find them selves in some trouble and Comfort realizes how brave and strong she can be.
I really enjoyed reading this book, and I can't wait to read some more of her work soon.

Smoke Mountain

by Erin Hunter

Middle Grade Adventure

Available now in hardcover

Review by Anna Granados

Smoke Mountain is a wonderful novel based on three bears of different species: a black bear, a polar bear, and a grizzly bear. They are led by a shape-shifting bear whose destiny will affect them all. It is a very moving fantasy book that will take your heart away with every word. But very few survive the smoke mountains... Of all the books, this one will have memories 'til the end.

Secret Bonus Task #3

This week's Secret Bonus Task is:

Donate a book to the Children's Book Project!

There is a blue collection bag at the store. The Children's Book Project takes picture books, chapter books, and Young Adult novels. If you'd like to know more about the CBP, check out www.childrensbookproject.org.

Make sure you let a GGP employee know that you're donating so you can get your prize!

Reviews!

The Alchemyst

by Michael Scott

Young Adult Fantasy

Available now in paperback

Review by Jonah Heller

The Alchemyst starts off with Nicholas Flamel, disguised as Nick Fleming (not a very good disguise is it?), a bookstore owner. He guards the Book of Abraham the Mage, the book that can bring back evil Elders that eat people. So one day, Josh Newman gets a job at that shop, and his twin sister, Sophie Newman, gets a job at the Coffee Cup, a little store across the street. A few months later, an evil immortal named Dr. John Dee comes to Flamel's bookstore, and attacks with golems, creatures controlled by the person who created them. Dee gets the Book of Abraham the Mage and runs off. The twins are Awakened, so that they can now use their powers, and help fight. The book is good, and has a few sequels. In my opinion it is well written, but every few chapters it changes from different peoples' points of view, and not everybody likes that. I recommend this book to anyone who likes science fiction or fantasy. The sequels are equally well written, and I recommend those too.

Twilight

by Stephenie Meyer

Young Adult Fantasy

Available now in paperback

Review by Isabel Tran

Twilight is about a girl named Bella Swan who falls in love with a vampire. Edward Cullen (the vampire) can't keep himself away from her so Bella gets into a lot of trouble. I liked this book because once I read it I wanted to read more. I think that a lot of people would like to read this.

The Indigo King

by James A. Owen

Young Adult Fantasy

Available now in hardcover

Review by Lex

John, Jack, and their friend Hugo, one September night, vanish through a mysterious doorway into a strange land. England has become a dark and dreary place known as Albion, ruled by the evil Mordred. The three Oxford scholars must travel through different times and places to discover Mordred's true name and stop him taking over the world. The Indigo King was just a fabulous adventure book. The author does a great job mixing historical and mythological characters and events. The plot can be confusing at times with lots of name changes and time traveling. Overall I would give The Indigo King a 9/10. The first two books in this series (Here There Be Dragons and The Search for the Red Dragon) have also been just as great.

an email

Hey y'all, sorry I haven't been doing many reviews! I'm taking summer classes (and at the moment I'm also in...Kentucky) but when that's done I'll be on the ball again. Until then, check out this email I just got!

Hello Jake-the-Girl,

I'm writing to let you know about a couple writing contests going on right now from Narrative Magazine, a free, online literary journal. I know a lot of avid readers are also writers, and I've included some contest information and links if you think it would be a good subject for one of your posts.

Here's Narrative's website: http://narrativemagazine.com/

There's a story contest going on right now for fiction and non-fiction with a first prize of $3,250, deadline July 31, 2009. Here's a link to the info: http://narrativemagazine.com/spring-story-contest

And the first-ever poetry contest with a first prize of $1,500, deadline July 18, 2009. Here's a link to the info: http://narrativemagazine.com/poetry-contest

Thanks!