Those of you who read my blog regularly might have noticed that of late my reviews have been getting shorter and shorter. You see I've had a bit of a problem reviewing books of late.
Don't get me wrong. I love reading and I love reviewing books, recommending them to people but of late I have felt a bit saturated. I have been in a very fortunate position that over the past three years publishers have sent me so many books to read. Books that I wouldn't have come across without blogging and I am always so grateful for that. However there is a downside to it. I got to the point where I felt under pressure to review everything with huge long reviews and I got to the point where at times I had very little to say about a book. Not because the book is awful but simply because I liked it but didn't love it.
In order to combat my reviewing fatigue I've had a bit of a break and purposely not been reviewing books I bought myself. I'm not saying I'll never again review books I bought myself, far from it as I usually love books I bought myself and want to review and recommend them and I certainly plan to get back to it soon but having that break that helped a lot and has given me a chance to get my towering TBR pile down to under 10 books and my blog schedule back down to no more than a month ahead.
I wanted to give a bit of blog airtime to those lovely books I have been reading of late that I didn't review at the time and won't get onto the blog unless I reread them at some point in the future. You'll see there is a nice mix of books here including some adult books which I've really enjoyed reading
Books I have been reading for myself
Harry Potter 1 - 7 by JK Rowling reread
I loved rereading these. I forgot how much I enjoyed them and how much better than the films they are
One day by David Nichol
Liked it but it felt dated
Before I met you by Lisa Jewell
I loved this book. It appealed to the history geek and I couldn't put it down
Me before you by Jojo Moyes
A fascinating read
The Girl you left behind by Jojo Moyes
Another read for history geek
Fashionistas Series by Sarra Manning
Liked them didn't love them
Diary of a Crush Series by Sarra Manning
teenage me was so excited about reading these. I literally read these days before the announcement that they would be republished by Atom
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzama
This was as shocking and sad as everyone warned me it would be.
Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy
Really enjoyed this one
Leaving Poppy by Kate Cann
Loved it as it was so creepy. I need to read more for her.
Light by Michael Grant
A fab end to the series
Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Really fun read
The Making of Us by Lisa Jewell
Loved it!
The Summer I became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller
I was desperate for this book and loved it lots.
Some Girls are by Courtney Summers
I didn't get the fuss around this book
Downside up by Hayley Long
Liked it but not as good as Jody Barton
After tomorrow by Gillian Cross
solid UKYA read
First Term at Malory Towers by Enid Blyton
This was more my inner child who delighted in rereading it.
The Last Letter from your Lover by Jojo Moyes
Liked it well enough
The Evil Gazebo by Bernie Mojzes
This was weird. My husband bought it for me. Figures ...
Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols
Loved it! Made me want to get out my cowgirl boots and bop along to Taylor Swift as I read it
Faking it by Cora Cormack
Nice enough. I still intensely dislike the name Garrett as a first name.
Something like Normal by Trish Doller
Really sweet but a bit too close to the bone for me.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
1st half snooze fest / 2nd half interesting
Life after Life by Kate Atkinson
Really and truly brilliant. I have since hunted down a signed copy to stroke and adore.
This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
Early Dessen is not my favourite we have discovered
Fall for anything by Courtney Summers
ummm not a fan
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
loved it!
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Loved it!
The distance between by Kasie West
really sweet read
The House we grew up in by Lisa Jewell.
Really enjoyed it on the whole.
So there you have it. The list so far.
What have I learnt as a result?
I do like reading adult books especially with a historical twist
I am not at all adventurous with my adult titles. I know who I like authorwise and stick to them and am reluctant to read new authors which is loopy because I'll read any author when it comes to YA titles.
I need to go book shopping because I have no new books I bought myself left!
What does this mean for me in the future in regards to the blog?
I do intend on slipping a few adult titles into the reading pile and I don't think I'll ever bother reviewing them. I don't feel like I have enough to say about them on the whole.
I do want to review YA titles I buy for myself and love. In fact my most quoted review is for a book I bought myself and reviewed and raved about (Just a rush by Jennifer Echols if you are interested). I like the idea of having reviews of titles that don't appear on every other YA book blog and reviewing my own stuff will do that.
However I did like not having to review those titles and it is nice to have to feel pressured into banging out a review when you don't have too much to say so I might be doing that more often with books that I bought, were perfectly pleasant but I have little to say about.
Hopefully that's my reviewing slump over. September is scheduled up with books I read in August. I've caught up with my towering TBR pile and almost wiped it clean. I'm now at that terrifying point of working out what October will look like on this blog with no really idea yet in my mind what will fill it until I have some review books arrive or I go book shopping. The possibilities are endless and I'm looking forward to being a bit more relaxed and reading what I fancy and seeing how it goes
Don't get me wrong. I love reading and I love reviewing books, recommending them to people but of late I have felt a bit saturated. I have been in a very fortunate position that over the past three years publishers have sent me so many books to read. Books that I wouldn't have come across without blogging and I am always so grateful for that. However there is a downside to it. I got to the point where I felt under pressure to review everything with huge long reviews and I got to the point where at times I had very little to say about a book. Not because the book is awful but simply because I liked it but didn't love it.
In order to combat my reviewing fatigue I've had a bit of a break and purposely not been reviewing books I bought myself. I'm not saying I'll never again review books I bought myself, far from it as I usually love books I bought myself and want to review and recommend them and I certainly plan to get back to it soon but having that break that helped a lot and has given me a chance to get my towering TBR pile down to under 10 books and my blog schedule back down to no more than a month ahead.
I wanted to give a bit of blog airtime to those lovely books I have been reading of late that I didn't review at the time and won't get onto the blog unless I reread them at some point in the future. You'll see there is a nice mix of books here including some adult books which I've really enjoyed reading
Books I have been reading for myself
Harry Potter 1 - 7 by JK Rowling reread
I loved rereading these. I forgot how much I enjoyed them and how much better than the films they are
One day by David Nichol
Liked it but it felt dated
I loved this book. It appealed to the history geek and I couldn't put it down
Me before you by Jojo Moyes
A fascinating read
The Girl you left behind by Jojo Moyes
Another read for history geek
Fashionistas Series by Sarra Manning
Liked them didn't love them
Diary of a Crush Series by Sarra Manning
teenage me was so excited about reading these. I literally read these days before the announcement that they would be republished by Atom
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzama
This was as shocking and sad as everyone warned me it would be.
Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy
Really enjoyed this one
Leaving Poppy by Kate Cann
Loved it as it was so creepy. I need to read more for her.
Light by Michael Grant
A fab end to the series
Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Really fun read
The Making of Us by Lisa Jewell
Loved it!
The Summer I became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller
I was desperate for this book and loved it lots.
Some Girls are by Courtney Summers
I didn't get the fuss around this book
Downside up by Hayley Long
Liked it but not as good as Jody Barton
After tomorrow by Gillian Cross
solid UKYA read
First Term at Malory Towers by Enid Blyton
This was more my inner child who delighted in rereading it.
The Last Letter from your Lover by Jojo Moyes
Liked it well enough
The Evil Gazebo by Bernie Mojzes
This was weird. My husband bought it for me. Figures ...
Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols
Loved it! Made me want to get out my cowgirl boots and bop along to Taylor Swift as I read it
Faking it by Cora Cormack
Nice enough. I still intensely dislike the name Garrett as a first name.
Something like Normal by Trish Doller
Really sweet but a bit too close to the bone for me.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
1st half snooze fest / 2nd half interesting
Life after Life by Kate Atkinson
Really and truly brilliant. I have since hunted down a signed copy to stroke and adore.
This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
Early Dessen is not my favourite we have discovered
Fall for anything by Courtney Summers
ummm not a fan
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
loved it!
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Loved it!
The distance between by Kasie West
really sweet read
The House we grew up in by Lisa Jewell.
Really enjoyed it on the whole.
So there you have it. The list so far.
What have I learnt as a result?
I do like reading adult books especially with a historical twist
I am not at all adventurous with my adult titles. I know who I like authorwise and stick to them and am reluctant to read new authors which is loopy because I'll read any author when it comes to YA titles.
I need to go book shopping because I have no new books I bought myself left!
What does this mean for me in the future in regards to the blog?
I do intend on slipping a few adult titles into the reading pile and I don't think I'll ever bother reviewing them. I don't feel like I have enough to say about them on the whole.
I do want to review YA titles I buy for myself and love. In fact my most quoted review is for a book I bought myself and reviewed and raved about (Just a rush by Jennifer Echols if you are interested). I like the idea of having reviews of titles that don't appear on every other YA book blog and reviewing my own stuff will do that.
However I did like not having to review those titles and it is nice to have to feel pressured into banging out a review when you don't have too much to say so I might be doing that more often with books that I bought, were perfectly pleasant but I have little to say about.
Hopefully that's my reviewing slump over. September is scheduled up with books I read in August. I've caught up with my towering TBR pile and almost wiped it clean. I'm now at that terrifying point of working out what October will look like on this blog with no really idea yet in my mind what will fill it until I have some review books arrive or I go book shopping. The possibilities are endless and I'm looking forward to being a bit more relaxed and reading what I fancy and seeing how it goes
Comments
I think a book buying spree has to be in order immediately to replenish your shelves!