I have been thinking about this for a while and wondered if I was the only one. Here we have wonderful access to books before they are published via NetGalley, Edelweiss and other sites that work on the same format along with requests from authors and the beautiful book post that we receive. In the outside world, we also have bookshops/libraries where we love to go and then we buy from there and don’t get the chance to read them. I couldn’t count how many books I have bought from the start of the year and I think I have read 2 of them.
I made a firm decision, when I first thought about this, that there will be a month I will not be reading any books for review. Any posts that are blog tours or reviews of books I have been sent for review will have been read/written in advance. I honestly think that sometimes we need to take a step back and remember this is something we do because we love books but if we are feeling the pressure of ‘I must read this because I requested or was sent it’ we won’t be happy.
Take some time to yourself! Read the books that you bought, because you liked the look of it, and just lie up with your coffee/tea/wine or whatever your vice is and don’t think about it as a book for review. Enjoy the book and don’t critique it in your mind, no pen and paper making notes and all those fun things book bloggers do while reading for review.
Enjoy your books my lovelies,
Lisa xx
I had felt a little overwhelmed by blogging for a little while, but I have a plan of action that has started to make everything more manageable. I have read a few books recently for pure enjoyment and I’m going to make sure I do that more often. When start to feel forced to read something the feeling isn’t any good so I try to be a little selfish sometimes with my books.
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Yes it really is best to work things out so you do have that time. I have started using audiobooks for my personal book time. I always disliked them but they are handy when you are cleaning/driving/gym and so on but I adore a physical book.
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I’ve done that with a few books this year. Then I felt guilty for not reviewing them ๐
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Too funny!! I don’t remember when I wrote this tbh but, at the time, it was August that I had decided to take to myself then of course the Netgalley monster surfaced ๐
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Sage advice Lisa. I do feel a pressure to review all I read but on the other hand there are books with cobwebs under my bed that I bought ages ago…..someday!!!!
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I must have bought about 40 books this year (not counting Kindle books) and if i were to say I have read 2 of them it most likely would be stretching the truth. It is madness how much pressure we feel even to review books we own, it is like it is programmed into our DNA!
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100% agree Lisa. Have no other explanation!!! But a break is vital..
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Yes! One thousand times yes! I have been able to take a step back and rethink where I want to be with my blog though so the pressure is off a little. Thank you for reminded people just to read for a bit. I went book shopping recently and actually bought a handful of books I have no intention of reviewing, just 100% pleasure reads ๐
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Hear, hear! I haven’t requested anything from NetGalley for months as I overdosed on it and it really overwhelmed me! I’m just reading what I want at the moment and will get back to the Galleys when I’m ready. ๐
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Yes! Agreed!
This is exactly the reason I closed my blog for review requests at the beginning of 2017!
2016 saw me mostly accepting indie books ad while they were good, I had a ton of recs and personally purchased books I wanted to read but couldn’t make time for… closing for requests was the best thing I’ve done… yes, I miss out on some good indies, but blimey, I’ve had a good time reading in 2017! ๐
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This has been a fantastic yr for book!! I had to close to requests for a while this yr also and the day I took down the message I received 12 requests ๐ I regretted it there and then!
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hahah.. yeah.. can’t be dealing with this kind of influx just now… gosh, it’ll make your head spin!
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