Getting to Know Kavita Rajesh - A Seasoned Book Reviewer

Hello, my lovely readers,

Trust you all are safe. Two weeks back, I had released my sixth romance novel, and the response has been amazing; thanks to all you wonderful readers and reviewers who continue to support me. A big, big thank you to each and every one of you. Your reviews and happiness after reading my work makes my day and pushes me to write more, (hopefully) write better!

Coming to today's post, I am super excited to publish this interview, since I wanted to interview this person for quite sometime now. Reviews are the magic potion that push authors to move forward. One such magician who has given so many authors the boost, is Kavita Rajesh, a very well known and respected book reviewer. Kavita is an avid reader who has read and reviewed a lot of books across various genres, in both the Indie and the traditional publishing world. She has an MD in Community Medicine, and is currently working as a Program Officer in a Healthcare Research Organization. A mother of two teenagers, she is constantly multitasking between motherhood, work, and books. 

Personally, I've benefited from Kavita's opinion and judgment when it comes to my books, and I definitely value her feedback a lot. I'm excited to share some information about seeking reviews and writing reviews through this interview. Let's get started!

DJ: Tell us how you got into book reviewing, and what makes you go on?

Kavita: I have been a reader all my life although the genres would keep changing. Somewhere in the years 2015/16 came across kindle unlimited and started reading a lot of books by Indie authors which I liked and enjoyed. At the same time I realized that quite a few authors are on FB and I used to contact them to say how much I liked their story. In one such interaction with Rubina Ramesh of TBC Blogtours, she nudged me towards reviewing books and that’s how I got into it.

DJ: I'm sure every author out there wants to know this; do you have any preferences when it comes to genres? What makes you pick up a book?

Kavita: I read most genres except erotica, horror, or books with vampires kind of stories. For the past few years, am in the zone where I like to read sweet romances with realistic characters and a relatable story. Mysteries and thrillers are my all time favourites. I do read a lot of self developmental and spiritual books too but these are strictly to help me grow in my personal space and not for reviewing purposes.

DJ: What do you most enjoy about being a reviewer, and what are some of the hardships that you've faced while reviewing books?

Kavita: As a reviewer, sometimes or quite a bit of times I get to read ARCs that is to read before a book gets published and the thrill of discovering a book before it hits the market is something I really love. Also due to some of the review requests from authors I have read books that may be I wouldn’t pick up on my own and that I feel has helped me broaden my reading experience.There are no major hardships while reviewing, but sometimes some authors do not agree with the star rating or do not agree with a line I have used in the review and the fact that I have to justify my opinion is what saddens me.Nowadays, I am reviewing books which I request from big review platforms and there these things do not happen. I have actually cut down on accepting requests from authors which I get on my messages.

DJ: Thank you for throwing light on that aspect. As a reader who has reviewed some books, I do understand how sometimes it becomes a little sticky with honest opinions that don't resonate with the creator. Anyway, moving on to the next question...:) 

Unlike how it might seem, I do know there's a lot of thought and work that goes behind reviewing a book. Can you tell us a little bit about the process that you follow while reviewing? Like, taking notes as and when you read, and so on.?

Kavita: I usually just read the book, immerse myself in it and then most of the times I write the review immediately after I read it. If I have taken some time to read a book then I write down important points in some place so I do not lose track of the story. Most of the times the points in my review are the ones that spontaneously come to me while reading the story, may be a few inconsistencies etc.

DJ: I know I might get into trouble for asking you this question, but name some of your favorite authors :).

Kavita: I actually do not have any favourite authors because I read each story denovo experiencing the story and not my baggage based on past experiences. Yes, there are a few authors whose books I prefer to read on the day of release but I really don’t want to name a few and miss the others.  

DJ: This is a personal question from my side, the answer for which, I've been dying to know for a long time. How do you find time to read and review so many books despite being a parent for two teens and handling a full time job?

Kavita: I read anywhere and everywhere. I carry my kindle with me, if not then on the kindle app on my phone. I take out small chunks of time to read. I do not watch much television or OTT platforms. Even if someone is watching at home I would be sitting along with them, sneaking a bit of reading on the phone.

DJ: Wow! That explains a lot :). Now for the rapid fire round...

• Indie or Trad? My present choice  Indie
• Reading for pleasure or reading to review? Reading for pleasure.
• Blind reading (where you pick up the book without knowing anything about it) or reading after checking the book? I do check the book before I read.
• An old, favorite author or a new, promising one? I prefer to give chance to new authors.
• Novella or novel? Novel
• Audio books or Ebooks? Books in all formats 

DJ: Thank you for those prompt answers :). Lastly, if authors need to contact you for a read and review request, is there a page or a site through which they can reach you? Do let us know if you prefer authors to send the review request in a specific format, too :).

Kavita: I do not have a blog, I have a Facebook page and an Instagram page. I respond to DMs on these pages. Authors can email me at kavitar9@gmail.com or kavitabooks9@gmail.com.

I would prefer to read the blurb of the book before I accept it. I do it for the pleasure of discovering new authors and for the pleasure of reading good books so I do not have many rules except that due to many books on my TBR pile, I will not be able to accept an urgent book review request.

Thank you so very much for accepting my interview request and gracing my blog. It was fun and a pleasure to get to know you. Thank you once again, for stopping by and telling us about being a book reviewer. 

Until the next post, it's bye from DJ. Stay safe and stay healthy!

DJ