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Dec
09
Tuesday Thingers: Reading & Reviewing
2008 at 9am Posted by Rebecca Joines Schinsky
This week’s topic from Marie at The Boston Bibliophile: Most of us book bloggers like to write book reviews- if we don’t love to write book reviews- but here’s today’s question. When it comes to LT (and your blog), do you review every book you read? Do you just review Early Reviewers or ARCs? Do you review only if you like a book, or only if you feel like you have to? How soon after reading do you post your review? Do you post them other places- other social networking sites, Amazon, etc.?
The short answer to this question is yes, I review everything I read. Since I started blogging in July, I’ve reviewed every book I’ve read, except for Richard Russo’s Bridge of Sighs, which was so good that words failed me. But I wrote a post explaining that, and I feel like stating that a book is so good that I don’t feel like I can (or don’t want to try to) do it justice is a kind of review in itself. Was it the best book I’ve read this year? Maybe. It was definitely one of them. There was just something about it that made me want to leave it as it was, to not process and analyze it as I normally would. I wanted to let that book just be.
I do participate in LT’s Early Reviewers program, and I’ve been lucky to receive several books from it. I review those books and other ARCs here. Because my reviews are usually rather long, and LT seems suited for shorter reviews, I post excerpts on LT. I belong to Shelfari, but I don’t update it very often, and I don’t post my reviews there. I’m also on Facebook, but I prefer to keep that as a way to connect with my real-life friends, and I just leave a link to my blog on my profile there.
Because I review (almost) every book I read, I post reviews of the ones I love, the ones I like, and the ones that didn’t really work for me. I’m pretty good at selecting books I’ll enjoy, and I subscribe to Nancy Pearl’s “Rule of 50,” so I generally put down a book if I’m really not enjoying it, and I do not review it, though I may discuss it and my reasons for abandoning it here. So, most of my reviews end up being relatively positive, but I certainly don’t shy away from posting a negative review, and if I’ve committed to review a book, I’m going to share my honest opinion about it.
I usually post my review within a day or two of finishing a book. Sometimes, when my ideas are fresh and I’m feeling it, I go straight to the computer within minutes of finishing. Other times, I let my ideas marinate for a day or two, spend some time looking back through the book ,and go over the notes I made while reading. It all depends on the book, on how I’m feeling, and on how busy the other parts of my life are keeping me.
What about you? Do you review everything you read?
Related posts:
Since I started blogging in the last year or so, I’ve tried to review every book I’ve read. I’m a little backed up right now, so I owe myself a few reviews. But I’m still hoping to get reviews of all my 2008 books up before 2009 gets here!
I try to review everything I read, posting either to LT, my blog, or Amazon. But more often than I’d like, I usually dive into another book. Before I know it, I’m three books down the road! It’s easy for me to get caught in that “there’s never enough time to read everything” mentality and neglect what could be quality time of reflection. So it goes.
I do review everything I read, but some reviews are definitely easier to write than others. You’re right – it’s hard to do some books justice.
I probably need to abandon books more often. I often have 3-4 books in my short pile and if one of them doesn’t grab me right away, I’ll move on. Those get read eventually if I know someone is expecting a review though.
I try to write about everything I read- even the abandoned ones get some kind of note. Sometimes a book is so good I hardly know what to say, or I say too much and ramble on and on!
I’m glad you mentioned Bridge of Sighs. I have had it on my to be considered list for some time, and you have persuaded me that it’s worth my time. And thank you for your kind words on my TT post today. I hope your talk went well this afternoon. I hope you’ll write about it and let us know how it went.
I usually end up reviewing only what I’ve loved and your post here makes me want to revisit that…maybe a New Years’ Resolution? Yes, I think so! 2009 will be a “review everything you’ve read” year! Thanks for the inspiration!
Yes, I review every book I read and I write my post right away! Otherwise I forget what I want to say…
I review every book I read. Unlike many of the prolific readers among the book blogging community, I average only 4-5 books a month. The slow pace with which I read makes it manageable to write review as soon as I finish a book. My blog was a product of my major fallout with Amazon, which harshly censored some of my reviews on certain controversial subjects.
I review every book as a log for myself of what I’ve read – also helps to keep books straight!
I’ve tried to request books via ER, but haven’t gotten chosen for any yet.
Here’s my Thinger!
Wendi
[...] week, I wrapped up the Phraseology fest, discussed my reading and reviewing habits, finally participated in a few memes I was tagged for, and contemplated my reading [...]