OK well first the 'G' key on the computer went and then so did all the others......meaning that we need to seriously stop eating crumbly food at the computer.
So yes its been quiet but that'll be because of a lack of keyboard. We could still visit sites we just couldn't type anything which is very annoying when you want to sign into anything like e-mail.
Anyway we now have once again this essential piece of kit and will be back to our normal blogging selves. Reviews now need to be typed up (lots of them) and comments replied to (sorry that's been slack)
Over and out
On another note I have just been browsing down through the books I've read this year and looking at the ones I didn't bother writing reviews for. I noticed that I don't bother writing some reviews for two reasons;
1.Because I would absolutely nothing new to say e.g. Jane Eyre. If you haven't read it then you must, its brilliant. But nothing I could say about it would be anything particularly new. If I had hated it then I would have reviewed it for sure!
2.The other reason I don't bother is because I sometimes just don't care. You know those books that are alright or that nothing is exactly wrong with them but I need more of a response or reaction from a book (good or bad) to sometimes bother.
Does everyone else write about EVERY book they read?
Posted by Jess
I completely agree with the two reasons you gave for not reviewing. Alos, for me, sometimes I don't review a book because I love it so much but I can't put into words why. I can't capture the mood the author created, or a certain je ne sais crois about it...plus, we don't want to turn our joys into jobs, do we? We want to write about what we feel like writing about. Especially when the G key is working. ;)
ReplyDeleteI do review every book I read, but then I don't read as many books as some bloggers so it's not overwhelming. I must just be very opinionated, because I always have something to say!
ReplyDeleteI generally do review each book I read - helps fix it in my mind if nothing else.
ReplyDeleteYes I do, but then my LindyLouMac' Book Review Blog is just as much a personal record, as well as for anybody that might drop by to read it. I love to get comments as it is always interesting to know what others think.
ReplyDeleteI always review every book I read, even if I didn't like it - my blog started out as and still is first and foremost a personal reading record - I'm not that concerned with adding to the volume of critical analysis of Jane Eyre, but I do like to have a record of what I thought of it. I follow plenty of bloggers who don't review every book and I envy them their reading capacity!
ReplyDeleteI try to review everything because I don't want to give a fake impression of only reading great books, there are some real duds out there.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing what you think about Rules of Engagement as I have read it for International Anita Brookner Day ... but really hated it so kind of feel like I have to read another to see if it is any better.
thanks for shairng
martine
Yes I do! After spending so many hours reading a book I thought it's only fair for me to record my thoughts otherwise I'll forget about it! but I respect those who don't, then you won't feel obligated to write reviews after you read a book, all the time.
ReplyDeleteNot even close. But not for any consistent set of reasons though. Completely random. Do I feel like it? Do I have time? Will my comments run to such snark that perhaps I should just keep to myself? I have gotten pretty good about always posting what I am reading in my sidebar. People can see what I am reading. And hence, what I do not write about.
ReplyDeleteI wouldnt agree with your first comment. I think everyone has something new to say, especially with the classics. I have felt that way with some modern books that suddenly everyone is mentioning.
ReplyDeleteThe second one I agree with totally. Some books are just 'meh' and you have no desire to review them and revisit your thoughts on them.
I don't review all the books I read... straightaway. Last year I didnt review any of the Green Carnation books which is sad because I would have had over 50+ reviews to fall back on. At the time though I just got a little bit sick of them. I still have lots of the Orange long list reviews that I could use if needs be, though two of them are very 'meh' so I might not bother.
Bellezza - I know what you mean there, I struggle sometimes to write about books that I love, it ends up turning into a gushing session which is not a bad thing I guess.
ReplyDeleteTiny Library - yeah my husband syas I must not be opinionated enough!
Annabel - I do write the ones I read down purely for a record but sometimes books are meh
Lindy - oh yeah its the comments and the discussions that make it really
Yvann - Oh believe me if I dislike a book then I enjoy the reviewing process LOL they are the most fun!
Martine - see above! regarding The rules of engagement I think it would work better as a novella as it got really repetative and I just wanted to slap Elizabeth and tell her to go on a bloddy holiday!
JoV - well its only about 5 books this year that I haven't reviewed and mostly its because I just thought they were ok
Frances - oh if your think tthey will run into snark then please please review them LOL
Simon - ah yes the Green carnation prize that must have been frustrating not reviewing some of those I bet? I get what you mean with the classics but it was really I think Jane Eyre that I struggled with, aside from abit of gushing I didnt know what else to say.
I try to review every book I read, at least since I started my blog, but there are some books I couldn't be bothered to review due to a frustrating reading experience. Like The Catcher In The Rye for example, I know it's a classic and wanted to read it for that very reason but for the life of me I couldn't finish it, hence, no review.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm crazy about a book but can't review without gushing too much or if I'm crazy about it but can't pinpoint why, then I won't review. Generally other than that I will though because the first year I started reviewing I regret that most books I didn't write about and have forgotten their contents.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm holding off from finishing a book because the review beckons, and it's not been sent to me by a publisher etc, then I'll make the decision not to review then also.
Delia - I have to admit I rarely review books I didn't finish purely because I dont think it would be fair.
ReplyDeleteCharlie - its differcult with books you love so much, I cringe reading back over my review of Tender is the night because it is just a page gushing really LOL
I'm on the fence about this. I try to review each one, but sometimes I have no desire to review a book. I may have to just let some of them go.
ReplyDeleteIf I don't like a book, I don't waste time on it, if I just like a book but not enough to put in the effort if it doesn't inspire I don't & like yourself if I have nothing to say I don't. basically I have to like it enough to be inspired to say something, I have to be in love enough to tell everyone & enjoy doing so. A bit long-winded but about right.
ReplyDeleteI .. think I review about 95% of the books I read. I think last year 2 might have slipped through the cracks, and only because I'd fallen so far behind in my reviewing that it was too hard to remember sufficient detail to do the book justice. If I think a book is a bit 'meh' or I don't think that I'll be adding anything worthwhile to a book so widely read/loved, I'll usually throw several books together and do one post of mini-reviews.
ReplyDeleteI used to for a long while, but since I started blogging strangely I've just become lazy. I used to all the time on Goodreads.
ReplyDeleteI figured that for me - a review is my own personal opinion no matter if I had anything new to say about it. And I think personally, that all reviews have merit even if it's just a paragraph saying what people thought.
I like reading what my friends, or what trusted reviewers think of the books they read no matter what or how much they write.
But since about September last year I think I just became a little stressed out about it all. So I have a lot of books to catch up with at the moment...
I don't write proper reviews for books I didn't finish reading of course. On websites like Goodreads, I might just write down why I didn't finish it but I'd always state I hadn't finished it and it wasn't a review - but those would be for the books that I'd read at least 3/4 before dumping - and to read that much before quitting I think is significant enough to be able to have an opinion. I'm not going to bother even having an opinion if I couldn't get past 50 pages - usually that is because it just wasn't my type of book - which isn't really an opinion.
Oh on the same note as Belleza, sorry I forgot to mention - I do find the books I love harder to write a review for as well. I still haven't written one for The Anatomy of Ghosts by Andrew Taylor and I don't think my reviews for Haruki Murakami, or Shogun by James Clavell did either books justice.
ReplyDeleteI just want to write in capital letters THIS BOOK IS BRILLIANT AND FANTASTIC AND I LOVE IT which isn't really a coherent review.
I review every book (except the occasional Janet Evanovich novel), although I don't necessarily post the review right away. Sometimes I post it to coincide with the release of the paperback or the movie.
ReplyDelete