Last week, when I was celebrating the cover reveal of Trust: Pandora’s Box, the last book of the Trust Trilogy, I discovered three readers had already rated it with two stars.

Well, I ask you, how can a reader rate a book without reading it? The book had no cover, no blurb, and it’s not even published…, so how can it receive 2 stars from three readers?

I love to write. As an author, I research, I write and re-write, I edit and re-edit my book, and many things more. Because all I wish is my readers to have a happy time and enjoy a good reading. Ironic, isn’t it?

I’m not saying that everyone has to rate my work with 5, 4 or 3 stars. No. I’m just trying to understand the judgement that has been done – with no previous information – that the book is bad.

I didn’t know – and I still don’t – what motto these readers have or what they were trying to prove, but I tried not to care too much.

But who I was trying to fool? I care. This is my work. The next day I wrote a message to Goodreads, explaining the facts. The answer? “Everyone can rate a book without reading it with how many stars they want. This is our policy and has worked well so far.” Maybe for Goodreads.Because as an author, I call this gratuitous sabotage… and a hard let me down.

I hope the stones on the way don’t muddle the walk.

Sincerely, Cristiane Serruya.