***The Starry-Eyed Revue***: reading for fun

Sometimes, I just find myself staring out my office window at work. They're building a high-rise apartment building right across the street, and though it's early days, it's going to be a monstrosity. But I could watch that crane work all day. It's amazing the things the human mind can come up with to make life easier. And yet, I also love staring at the hawk that is perpetually flying around the crane and around my office building. Somehow, he's still made a home here in this urban jungle.

I'm not here to wax poetic about the shitty ways civilization has corrupted the world, either. I like some of the technology that's come from all of that corrupting of the environment. Namely, this computer I'm using to type up this post. And my phone. And my car. And I realize that there are still places where hawks can roam freely. I live in one such rural area and fear for the safety of Weasley, who is still small enough to be carried off by a (not-so-)friendly neighborhood hawk...or owl...when he's outside.

But I digress. I don't really know where I was going with all that. Other than that I've just been thinking alot. Or over-thinking, as my husband would tell me. 😝

You may have noticed -- or not -- but I haven't been posting all that frequently this year and even less so in recent months. And I expect to post even less in November and December because of the holidays and family obligations and all that jazz. Maybe I'll even go on hiatus just to get a fresh perspective. I haven't decided yet. I waffle back and forth. I'm a waffler.

And I've been in a bit of a reflective mood lately. (Obviously, look at all the tangents I went off on just in this post alone! Wow.) About what I take for granted. How I could be a better person in general. What blogging did and still does mean to me. All the things. Let me explain.

Basically, I've been reading a lot and not doing much blogging and it's like it was when I first started blogging and I kinda miss that freedom? Yeah, something like that. And then this happened today:

Actually, it happened last night, but I was too lazy to update Goodreads before bed, lol. Yep, barely into the 4th quarter of the year and I've already hit my goal of reading 225 books. And it's pretty much all audiobooks, re-reads, and review copies. I have taken to making a little more time for books that I just want to read -- I think I might do a post about what I've read lately tomorrow, time allowing -- but the bulk of what I read this year was for review or prep for the next book in a series...which was probably also received for review.

Which begs the question: when did it become all about reviewing?

But this is not going to be one of those posts. It's just...here's the thing: I've recently come to the realization that I tend to overextend myself...in all areas of my life. But especially when it comes to accepting review copies and blog tour gigs and the like. (She says after accepting yet another review request.) I gotta knock that off if I ever want to have a personal life/have free time devoted to something other than reading/not cower under the crushing weight of publisher expectations.

I just got rid of a ton of books that have been sitting on my shelves, unread. Because I felt guilty for hoarding them. For keeping them from the hands of people who really would read them. For accepting too many review copies knowing I'd never have enough time to read them all.

I know I've said it before, but I've really missed reading for pleasure. Just reading for the sake of experiencing a good book without any expectations. That's why it's been super awesome these past couple of months, just reading the bare minimum of review books -- those that I've already made a commitment to do some type of post for -- and then spending the rest of my reading time with books from the library and audiobooks that I never would have discovered I liked without the help of other bloggers and books from my shelves that I've been waiting till just the right time to read.

She says as the over-large pile of review copies threatens to topple over on her. But I do plan to read all of them. I just don't plan to full-on review all of them. People don't read full-length reviews these days. They like pictures of books and snippets from books and mini-reviews that basically let them know how you felt about the book while maybe highlighting some of the good and bad.

So. For the books where I haven't agreed to some type of promotional post, I've decided I'm going to start doing a reading round-up of sorts. Basically a collection of the short-and-sweet reviews I write up on Goodreads after finishing a book, maybe including some Instagram pics or quotes, but nothing like the tedious, time-consuming reviews I've written to-date. Not even like the mini-reviews I've been doing of late. Not unless the book calls for it.

I don't know what day I'll post these on, or if I'll do them sporadically when I feel like it. (I'm leaning toward the second option.) And I don't know how many books I'll include in each round-up. I'm just going to play it by ear. I'll include review books AND just for fun books. Because it's nice to discover backlist titles, too.

I have ideas and I'd like to see a post go up tomorrow before I have too many un-reviewed books under my belt, but Katie's off school for Fair Day tomorrow and even though I don't think we're going to the state fair this year, I'd still like to spend the day with her doing fall stuff. Like pumpkin-carving 🎃 and fall crafts. 😄 So I can't guarantee the first post will be up tomorrow. But soon.

I'd love to hear what you think! Do you often feel that sense of obligation that comes with review copies? Do you think my new post idea will satisfy that obligation? I mean, essentially they're for promotion, right? And that's what this would be, for the most part...

And with that, I leave you with your moment of zen:

(I said waffles earlier and now I'm hungry. Even though I just had lunch. But it wasn't waffles. *cries*)

Labels: blogging, discussion, reading for fun, reviewing habits

Reading books with absolutely no obligation to review them! There's just something so freeing, knowing you can enjoy a book to the utmost, without having to spend an hour or more reviewing it after you've finished reading it.

I've been going through a ton of audio lately, sometimes listening to more than one audiobook in a single day. (I slowly graduated from single speed to triple speed, and I'll never go back, even if my husband says it sounds like The Chipmunks to him.) And for the most part, I'm not reviewing any of it.

I've been tempted to, especially once I finished my series listen of the Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima. Those audiobooks -- that series, period! -- are phenomenal. And I wanted to shout it from the rooftops as soon as I finished the last book, but I didn't really feel like reviewing the books. So I posted a few words on my Goodreads reviews for each book and moved on.

So often since I started this blog -- nearly five years ago! -- I've felt obligated to review every book I read or listen to. I mean, that's why I started blogging in the first place: to share my love of books. But I'm learning that this doesn't mean I have to review every single one. Or even most of them. Hell, I hardly even read reviews anymore. I consider myself a more seasoned reader these days, and I don't rely on others' opinions to determine which books I pick up and which I don't. I read the synopsis, add it to my TBR, and hope I'm still interested by the time the book lands in my hands. Reviews on Goodreads do help me discover new reads I might not have ran across otherwise, but I don't seek out reviews much anymore. Not on Goodreads or on book blogs.

And I don't think I'm alone in this. I find that the posts that get the most views are those like this, that reveal something about me as a reader or just discuss reading in general. There are those reviews where I'm a gushing mess, and those do tend to see more attention, which is fine by me since those are the reviews that matter to me more because I felt something so strongly for the book -- and it shows in my review. I'm so over reviewing the technical aspects of a story. I just want to be wowed and feel driven to tell everyone about this marvelous book I just read.

I think I've come full circle in how I tackle this blogging thing. To a degree, anyway. In the beginning, this was basically just a reading journal for me. No promotions. No competition. Just reading for pure enjoyment. It's hard not to want to help promote authors I've become friends with, and I'll continue to do that. And I'll spend exorbitant amounts of time hunting for the perfect GIFs for my fanatic reviews of the books that just won't quit me. But I want to stop forcing myself to review because it feels more like a chore sometimes than a hobby.

There are those times when as soon as I've finished a book, I want to write up my review immediately or at least draft some of my feelings into a post. And that's when I know I've read a great book because I can't help but share my thoughts. But then there are other times when it'll take me weeks to review a book, even if I liked it, just because I'm not in the mood and I don't want to do the book or the author a disservice.

Reading and reviewing books out of a sense of obligation is just such a bummer. It also tends to send me into a reading slump because I'm forcing myself to read things and I have become such a mood reader these days. So, I'm going back to my roots: reading what I want, when I want, and reviewing it if/when I feel like it.

I don't know how this will affect the blog or how many reviews I put out going forward. I'm not trying to put that kind of pressure on myself anymore. I'll likely have a review up later today because I want to, but you'll also notice that it'll be the first review posted this week. (April seems to share my sentiments and is only reviewing when she feels like it, too.) I love that we've unburdened ourselves of that responsibility. Sure, I'll still post reviews and promo for tours and other commitments I've already made, but it's still on my terms. ;0) And I'd much rather take a step back than go on a full hiatus.

Back to reading just for the fun of it! YAAAAAASSSSSS!!!

Can you relate? Do you think there's any correlation between your sense of obligation and how much you're enjoying blogging? Does blogging sometimes feel like more of a(n unpaid) job/chore to you than a hobby?