To me, one of more difficult things about being a reader is explaining why I didn't like a novel without sounding like a) a jerk, b) a passive-aggressive dweeb, or c) a small-minded fool. The rub is thus: You want to be discerning, without sounding douchey. But that's so much easier said than done. What follows is a tip sheet I've developed based on my own reading, and as a connoisseur of book reviews. I hope it'll help.