(yes, I know it's Monday 😜 but I have a tour post scheduled for tomorrow)
Question:
Do you find that it’s easier to read and review books that you have picked up on your own?
Yes and no? lol
If I buy a physical book up at the store, I tend to set it aside and worry more about my review books that need to get read on a schedule. Most of my purchased books sit on the shelf for months to years – unread.
If it’s a Kindle download, I read those right away almost every time. They are usually spontaneous purchases from someone linking a sale on Twitter. Mostly romances, and I loooove those as my *in between/pallete cleanser* reads. So I can read one of those in an afternoon and get right back on track with review books.
As for reviewing, I hate to review books I’ve picked up on my own. I do occasionally, if I loved them, and as I cut back on review books I guess I’ll have to do it more but they’re mine – just for fun – and I hate to dissect them and ruin the experience. I do write a short review on Goodreads though and occasionally do a post with mini reviews for a group of them.
Let me know what you think about this topic!
I haven't reviewed a book in a while but the last one was something I'd chosen and I enjoyed it. I don't mind reviewing a book I haven't chosen but maybe have more fun reviewing something I bought myself. Interesting question - I haven't thought of this before.
ReplyDeleteI review almost everything but not always on my blog. A lot of my *fun* reads only get a short Goodreads review. If I have something to say about a book I'll review it even if it was for fun but i do like to keep some reads just for myself.
DeleteLol palate cleanser are good, that I know
ReplyDeleteWe all need those!
DeleteFor me, even kindle books end up put aside in favor of review copies. But I enjoy reviewing my just-for-me books too. I mean, I don't force myself to review those if I don't want to, but some of them I do want to review, so I do.
ReplyDeleteI've cut so far back on review copies that it's easy for me to fit in fun reads in between. That wasn't always the case and I did put review books first then.
DeleteI'm the same - I don't make myself review everything but if I have strong feelings either way I will - even if it was just for fun.
I tend to set aside books I buy too - even e-books - in favor of review copies. I'm getting a bit ahead though, so I'm hoping to fit in more of my own reads. I don't review them ALL, but I do review most. Sometimes it's a shorter review though.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I donwload so many novellas that I manage to squeeze one in between review reads a lot of the time. They are almost always HEA romance/fun so it helps me clear the slate.
DeleteI snap up those twitter kindle book deals too! And my answer would be "yes and no" too, both because I worry about review copies and because I'm a horrible mood reader. So unless I'm REALLY itching to read it, mine purchased books also sit on the shelf for a long time.
ReplyDeleteSarah @ A Weebish Book Blog
I don't have many review books anymore so this was easier to answer now. The past few years almost 99% of my books were review reads and I rarely ever read for fun.
DeleteI'm pickier now so even my review reads are fun for me.
I used to review books for another blog as a guest reviewer and while I still do every once in a while it's for only a couple of select authors. These days I tend to only review books that I've picked out myself, from authors that I already like. Once in a while I'll read a review on a blog for an author I haven't read and I'll pick up the book and most times review it.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I'm heading towards. I'm only taking 2-3 books per month -if that - for review so it's mostly for fun reads and I tend to do mini reviews for them.
DeleteUgh I have so many books sitting around on my shelf and Kindle because of review books. I am trying to cut WAY back on those but still have so many to catch up on. If it is a book I own I like to do more of a mini review and not super intense.
ReplyDeleteI'm finally getting control of that but it's hard to juggle for fun reads and review when you're that overwhelmed.
DeleteI find that the books I purchased get forsaken for review books. I do manage to squeeze a few fun reads here and there. I also reviews, depending on the mood I am in.
ReplyDeleteI'm getting MUCH better about making time for fun reading!
DeleteThat's an interesting question. I tend to review books I've bought more since I don't do very many ARC's, but if I were doing review copies more I'd probably be the same. I would want to review those and keep up and so yeah my personal buys would probably sit for a bit!
ReplyDeleteThis will be me since I've got waaaay back on review books. But it should still be fun since I'm picking what I want to read and a lot of the schedule pressure will be off.
DeleteIt's interesting how its harder to review books you picked. I have the same fear that it will ruin the reading experience. But last year I learned that I needed a good balance between review books and books for fun just so I wouldn't get in a slump from just reading review books.
ReplyDeleteGreat discussion, Karen!
Thanks to blogging, I'm always analytical now lol but that's not the same as actually writing a review where you have to start picking it apart - so some books are just for me, warts & all.
DeleteI never thought about this before, but I have a hard time just picking up a book if I'm in a bookstore, EVEN IF it sounds totally up my alley. I guess I prefer to rely on recommendations before I pick something up at random. Also yes, I totally have a stack of review books that I tend to prioritize so I don't always get around to reading the others in a timely fashion!
ReplyDeleteI'm the same now! I used to grab almost anything that looked good but I'm so much pickier now. Maybe because I have a bajillion books already lol
DeleteI've always accepted review books that the blurbs made me want to read them right there so I've never had an issue. There's always those books I didn't enjoy so when they are review copies its harder to review since I don't have a lot to say. Likewise if I really loved the book then I have no words for it, I'm too overwhelmed LOL!
ReplyDeleteI'm really bad reviewing books I loooooooved. It's just a big word jumble of love lol
DeleteI'm the complete opposite with kindle reads. They sit on my kindle no less than one year before I pick them up!
ReplyDeleteI tackled my Kindle reads last year (this year is my psychical books which isn't' going well O_o) so I guess it's not overwhelming to me and I just get the book out of the way quickly and then go back to review books.
DeleteHonestly I just find it hard to review books at all, haha, I'm so lazy with them. But I feel like there's not enough pressure with books I've bought myself, so that's nice.
ReplyDeleteBeen there! lol I'm just now getting my reviewing groove back. I didn't want to talk about anything for the past few years.
DeleteThey're about equal for me to be honest. I only request/review books I know I want to read or would have bought in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI'm getting back to that point so I guess if you ask me this question in a few more months my answer would be the same as yours.
DeleteHa - we are so similar. I use Goodreads to log every book I read. And usually I trick myself into writing "just a few sentences" about the book on GR and usually a few sentences turns into a couple paragraphs and there is a review! If I don't have much to say I also do the mini-review thing - love those! And yes, if I buy a book for myself I feel way less pressure to review or write anything - sometimes it's nice to read just for fun.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my new site and helping me test comments - you are the best!! Jen Ryland
My quickie GR's review often turns into a mini review for the blog lol
DeleteThat's a very interesting question. For me, it all depends on how badly i want to read a book. if it's an ARC i've been dying to read, then i'll read that first. but if it's a new release that i've been salivating on, then, for sure i'll forgo everything else for that book. i guess, i agree with you? yes and no? ;p
ReplyDelete
DeleteCheck...It's complicated lol
I've finally gotten to the point that I can read my review books almost as soon as they've come in which is great but means I already have some for 2018 done. lol Weird reading that far out. I review just for fun books, too, though. Feels weird to skip them.
ReplyDeleteI put my books in order by date and read them one to two months before the release date but that's more because I'm a pantser.
DeleteIf I read ahead to 2018 books I wouldn't' have anything to post now. lol
You are a much better/more efficient blogger than I!
Ever since I got back into book blogging I've been picking up books that I WANT to read, and haven't had too much trouble with reviewing, so that's good. I would like to start getting review copies again (I did read a recent review book just last week too, but that was the only one I've gotten since starting again) but I like the freedom of picking and choosing, and not having to stress over release dates. I can just read at my own pace! Even though I'm averaging like 3 days per book, though I'm back to uni (post-grad). And work. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, I get into the habit of reviewing the book before I can move onto the next read. It's been serving me well so far. :)
Cass @ Words on Paper
Great post!!
DeleteCass @ Words on Paper
Good for you!
DeleteI'm the same now. I learned my lesson!
Great post! I'm the same way with my personal books, I want to just enjoy them. So, unless it gives me some strong emotions that I just have to share, or if I'm not taking in as many review books to keep the blog going, I don't review them.
ReplyDeleteI will review my books if I feel something strongly about them or throw them into a mini post so that I didn't *waste* my time reading and have nothing to review. But I need some fun reads now or I think I would burn out again.
DeleteI review almost everything I read (or at least I try to), whether it's one I chose for myself or a review book from a publisher. Usually I'm pretty good about reading my review books in a timely fashion thanks to the deadline of the pub date, but honestly, sometimes I have a *really* hard time actually reading the books I buy for myself. Not spontaneous Kindle purchases, I pretty much read those right away, but hardcovers I saved up for seem to languish unread for a long time. Maybe it's my subconscious punishing me for spending money, LOL.
ReplyDeletePunishing you - lol that's so funny and probably has a grain of truth to it.
DeleteI read all my kindle purchases right away too. I think it's because I snap them up right when everyone is going so crazy for them and get right to it.
That's a great idea!
ReplyDelete