I periodically sign up to receive review copies of books that seem interesting to me. The books arrive and I open them with anticipation. I touch and cuddle the books and put them on a stack next to my computer, waiting for the magical day when I will suddenly be overcome with the desire to stop everything I’m doing and read them.
This day never comes. If you take a somewhat lame book that I purchased on a whim and stack it next to a quality book that I’m obligated to read and review, I will almost always pick the whim book because there are no strings attached. So I’m trying to figure out whether to do any more of these reviews. On the one hand, I like getting great new books free in the mail. On the other hand, I don’t want to read them because I feel like I HAVE to.
So, I’ve been reading through my stack the past few weeks and I’m hoping to get all my reviews up soon and then decide if I’ll do any more. Do you all like book reviews on this site? Honest opinions please.
I’d rather hear about books you happened upon on your own, or something that you really think we should read because blah blah blah…..not so much books that you didn’t pick out yourself.
I think we all kind of get to know the personalities of blogger’s we read and figure if we like you, we’ll probably like what you like. SO it’d make more sense to just promote the books you, yourself actually chose to read.
Sarah – I’m coming to feel the same way.
I love book reviews, I’m always looking for something new to read. Or maybe read. Or check out from the library and keep for weeks and then finally take back when it won’t let me renew any more.
Ahem. What I’m trying to say is — whatever you decide is fine. 🙂
I’m doing the book review “thing” as well.
I’ve made my peace with it by knowing that I’m getting free books [awesome!] and I’m writing what I really think.
If a books sucks, I’m going to write that it sucks. If I think it absolutely rules, then I’ll write that as well.
Also, because of Blogher Ads, I’ve made a completely different page for my “book reviews” so you have to actually search the review out in order to read it.
I would love to review books, if I knew they were going to fit certain criteria. For instance, I would not want to review Romance novels. I like clean literature.
I enjoy reading people’s reviews of books also, but I agree that there is something about reading a review of a book that someone CHOSE to read and wanted to write about vs one that was assigned like homework.
i like book reviews. i don’t like to write them. but i like them just fine when someone else is writing them.
Meh. I think I’d rather know about books YOU chose to read instead of books someone WANTS you to read. Life is too short and there are too many GREAT books to waste time reading stuff solely to review it.
Send them my way. I’ll read and review them, you can give the review your charm and then we’re all set!!
Depends on the book, really. If you review something that looks interesting, like something I might want to read, I’m going to be all excited to read your take on it. Whereas, if I have no interest in the subject, I’ll just ignore that post, you know?
No. I do not. Don’t like book review’s on anyone’s site. Was that too direct?
I quit taking book reviews too because I couldn’t stand the pressure – the obligation of doing something. Which is why I quit working back in the 80s, too much pressure to SHOW UP.
I agree with several others. I read your blog because I enjoy you, therefore I would enjoy things that you feel you want to share with me.
I dont’ think that a blog like this one needs to be a place to review things just because they happened to be sent to you. If it is really something you enjoyed so much that you want the world to know about it, then PLEASE tell us so I can go get me one!
I agree that reviews of books you didn’t choose are not my favorite posts. Your non-book-review posts are so great, that all others pale in comparison!
Honestly… I’m not a fan of book reviews. Although I do like when someone tells about something they love whether it’s a book, or product, or whatever.
I haven’t read one yet. And I’ve been reading you for about a year – ish. But if you want to read the books – who are we to stop you!
I am the author of “Searching for Mom” and I am also a reader of fiction. As an author, I would love to see a good review of my book on any and every blog, including this one. As a reader, I couldn’t care less. I buy most of the books I buy through Amazon.com. The reviews I read are on Amazon.com. After having seen how that there are some groups of bloggers who associate together for the purpose of putting good reviews on each other’s sites, I find it difficult to believe the reviews I find on a blog unless I know that the blogger will give an honest review.
I don’t shy away from writing mixed or negative reviews. If I give my opinion on this site, it will always be an honest opinion, whether I chose the reading material or not.
I like reviews from people I trust. I know you, and sometimes I trust you. It matters not whence the book came, just whether you liked it. But sheesh(ish), I’ve gotten past the point where I feel like I have to finish reading a book just because I started it. If I can’t take it, I find one I do like. Don’t do it if you don’t want to.
How do I review copies of books?
I liked the poetry book review I just read. I also liked that you finally got me to read “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” last summer. So, I guess it’s your opinion I value more than why you are reading something.