Kana_Haisha I agree with your take. The first four chapters makes or breaks it, you either decides to move on, or drop the book entirely.
But again, it's not just good writing of those 4 chapters that matter. Even with best grammatical writing and beautiful use of language if there is no take away or conflict a story won't hold a reader.
Again agree with you, my opinion is my own and another is entirely entitled to hold a different opinion. Hold a very different yardstick to measure what constitute a good book.

      Kana_Haisha that's what I said lol. The author already knows that there are grammatical mistakes and his writing isn't that good, so the review won't help him at all.

          Choka if he knows, then fix it? If every criticism is met with "I know that's bad, but how about you judge the stuff over here that I REALLY think is good" then it isn't really criticism, is it? works are judged in their entirety, not solely by their good, nor solely by their bad. I pointed out the things I genuinely liked about his writing in my review, but they were overshadowed by the bad, at least in those 5 chapters that I read, to such an extent that I simply didn't want to read more. I make sure to preface my review with that too, as not to mislead anyone.

              @Kana_Haisha finally someone who shares my frustration with the mindless 5* praise culture! I would love some actually honest feedback on either of these works (you can choose). I would prefer some feedback on the first one, but I’m aware that GL is not everyone’s cup of tea.

              https://m.webnovel.com/book/three-cigarettes-in-an-ashtray-(gl)_22283531906595005

              https://m.webnovel.com/book/and-then-dawn-broke-over-the-hills_19333533206174705

              @Galatea1o1 Sakura_Charmash Choka If anyone else is interested, please let me know. I’d be very happy to exchange some actual honest feedback.

                    RomanceFanatic028 To be honest, I’d rather not. Forgive me for not being all too eager since we already did a swap a couple of months ago, my review got deleted, and I never received anything in return.

                        Sigheti Really? I don’t remember swapping with you. Otherwise I always review back.

                        PS:- Anyway, it’s up to you who you should swap with.

                            Kana_Haisha I'm in! I don't have much chapters because I've been at a writer's block. I'll review your book once I'm done reading it(by the time I'm done posting this comment, I'm off to your book). An honest review, yes. Please 🙏 read and review mine. @A CEOs Love Story. Here's the link: https://dynamic.webnovel.com/book/24855973605013505?utm_source=writerShare&utm_campaign=4319793355

                                Hi! For those of you who are interested in reading my book and writing a review.
                                Name: Miss Troublemaker
                                Here is the link https://www.webnovel.com/book/miss-troublemaker_24900493706466205
                                It is a romance novel enriched with the thrills of laughter.
                                Well i am pretty sure that the novel will glue itself to you on its own but just in case!
                                I would really appreciate it if you read at least the first 5 chapters before jumping to the conclusion (they are small so it won't take much time)

                                Also

                                Those who are reviewing kindly drop the links of your novels so that i can add them to my library and give you a review and comments as well.

                                Let me know, I am waiting!!!!

                                  Sakura_Charmash It's published on your novel page. It's the most recent review and I had to scroll all the way to the bottom to see it, but it's there.

                                      Kana_Haisha Great! I’m looking forward to reading it, but are you sure you published it? I haven’t received it. I currently have just the one review from sakuracarmash, and your pharagraph comment.

                                          Web Novel Novel Ask