It's Time For a Break

I've been thinking long and hard these past few months about where I am with blogging. When I started blogging here with Jen, it was like my passion had been renewed. I was ready to throw in the towel with my own blog, so coming here was perfect timing.

Blogging here has been great. I've met so many different readers, and I've enjoyed interacting with all of you. Early on, I was able to do that more. I worked 20 some hours a week and had all the time in the world for blogging.

Then all that went to shit, and I'm kinda glad it did. I now have a great full time job and I'm able to provide so much more for my family. This year we are finally having our decks rebuilt and vinyl siding installed! We've been trying to get to that point financially for 8 years of being in this house.

The only downside to that, is I don't have as much extra time as I used to. I'm okay with that, but it leaves me tired in the evening. I've gotten to the point that I actually dread sitting down at the computer after I put Aubrey to bed, because now I have to work on a post. And it shouldn't be that way! Blogging should not feel like work, but I think when you are so busy, and feel obligated to do something, it will always feel like work.

That's not cool. I work my ass off all day long. That's enough for me. I've discussed all of this with Jen, and my gosh do I love that girl. She's been so supportive and honestly I knew she would be... We've had this relationship where we are both always honest with each other. No hard feelings ever. She's just amazing.

I'm going to take a break. I'm not quitting. I'm not sure for how long. At least the rest of June, This month is going to be crazy hectic in my personal life. When July comes I will re evaluate how I feel. It's no secret that I've been lacking in my contribution anyway. I think my reviews and every post I do reflect my disinterest, and it's not fair to Jen, the blog or any of you to put out garbage reviews. Jen will still continue posting, so I'm only speaking for myself here.

This break will allow me to spend more time with my family, and reconnect with reading, because that's what blogging is all about! It sucks putting down my kindle because I have a TTT post to work on, or a review that I can't think of anything to say in.

I will still be reading and updating my Goodreads page. I've found that while I haven't had time to visit blogs, reading reviews and keeping up with other bloggers has been easier through goodreads. Everyone is all in one spot, and I can scroll through the app on my lunch.

So this isn't really a goodbye. Maybe a see you later... I'm not sure yet. Time will tell. I want to thank you all for the love and support you've shown me since being here and I hope to be back here soon with a refreshed point of view. :o)

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Labels: blogging, breaks, goodreads, I'll miss it, me time, reading, real life, tired

The TBR Tag

Last week, we were tagged by Sabrina at I Heart YA Fiction to do a post all about our TBR piles. This tag was created by Rachel at A Perfection Called Books and Dana from Dana Square. It's a great way to discuss how we manage our TBR piles and showcase a few of the titles on them! It also has the potential to be quite embarrassing. =D


How do you keep track of your TBR pile?

Jen: Um, like this?

In all seriousness, though, I use Goodreads to add books to my TBR shelf, but I use a spreadsheet and Google calendar to keep track of my review TBR pile. I have a few shelves on GR that assist me in keeping track of these review books, but there is just nothing like that spreadsheet to a spreadsheet nerd like myself.

April: Goodreads...definitely. I keep track of my review books in a Word document.

Is your TBR mostly print or ebook?

Jen: Probably about half and half these days. I have more unread physical copies on my shelf than I care to admit, but the same is true of my Kindle. Oh, wait...you didn't ask about audiobooks...but that's probably a good thing, lol. If we were doing that split, it would probably be 40% print, 40% ebooks, and 20% audiobooks. *sigh*

April: Haha, if you asked me that a couple years ago, I would have said print. Now, it's kindle hands down. I have a serious problem when it comes to buying kindle copies on sale.

How do you determine which book from your TBR to read next?

Jen: Most of the time, I resort to my handy dandy review schedule, i.e. that wonderful spreadsheet I mentioned before. BUT, I'm a bit of a mood reader. So, sometimes, I'll just decide to read a book that's not due for release for months, just on a whim. I'll also nix things off my schedule when I've read enough bad press for a title that I no longer have any interest in reading it. But mostly, I try to read things in order of publication. Though, I have been known to sneak in some older books from my shelves. =)

April: I used to just read what I wanted. It was awesome. For the most part, if I really want to read something, I will read it, but more often than not, I choose a review book that's closest to release.

A book that's been on your TBR list the longest?

Jen:  I love Neil Gaiman. But for some reason, I am always scared to start his books.

April:  I kind of feel ashamed that I haven't read this one yet. I heard that she should have stopped with the first three. So I'm afraid to pick this one up.

A book that you recently added to your TBR pile?

Jen:  Just saw this on a WoW post this week and it sounds cute. Sometimes a girl just needs cute. ;)

April:   I saw someone add this to their TBR recently and anything that says mermaids sticks out to me because Aubrey is obsessed with them. :)

A book on your TBR strictly because of its beautiful cover:

Jen:  I didn't even know what it was about, but I saw that cover and knew it had to be mine. And then to find out it's a retelling of Sleeping Beauty? Even better.

April:  I haven't heard all that much about this one, but I added it to my list because the cover is gorgeous.

A book on your TBR that you NEVER plan on actually reading:

Jen:  Not a fan of Anna Carey's writing at all. I don't know how I made it through the first two books in the Eve series, but I know I rated them low and it's doubtful I'll ever finish. Don't know why I decided to add this to my TBR, other than everyone else was doing it at the time.

April:  I quit this series, but not before I added this one to my Goodreads.

Jen: Oh, don't feel bad, April. I've got a ton of Abbi Glines books on my TBR shelf on GR, too, probably even have one or two on my Kindle, but I have no desire to read them now, either.

An unpublished book on your TBR that you're excited for:

Jen:  Soooo many but probably this one most of all.

April:  I'm so freaking excited to read this one.

A book on your TBR that basically everyone has read except you:

Jen:  I know.

April:  Especially now that the Starz show is out.. everyone is reading them.

Jen: Yeah, I'd planned to read it, too, April, but it's mammoth. Even the audio is 30+ hours. I love the show, so I'm just going to stick to that and maybe one day when I have nothing else to read, I'll pick up Outlander. (Yeah, right....nothing else to read, pshaw.)

A book on your TBR that everyone recommends to you:

Jen:  Actually, it's the second book that comes so heartily recommended, but I can't very well start the series in the middle, now can I?

April:  I've had numerous people recommend this one. Good thing I have it! Just wish I had the time.

Jen: I know you have a physical copy, but I was recommended the audio and I'm kind of in love with it now. And one of my least favorite narrators performs it, if that tells you anything about just how good the audiobook is.

A book on your TBR that you're dying to read:

Jen:  Soon, my precious...soon.

April:  This just came out...and, oh, how I want to read it. Maybe someday. lol.

The number of books on your Goodreads TBR shelf?

Jen: 1,662...and growing by the day...it was 1,646 when I first started this post :P

April: 855, I guess that's not too bad in comparison to Jen's. lol

We now tag:

Marlene @ The Flyleaf Review
Kristen @ My Friends Are Fiction - she's taking a bloggy break :)
Summer @ Blue Sky Bookshelf
Danielle @ Love at First Page
Cait @ Notebook Sisters
Nereyda @ Mostly YA Book Obsessed


We hope you have fun with this, too! =D

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Labels: goodreads, tags, TBR pile

Thoughtful Thursdays: The Great Goodreads Debate

I usually refrain from offering up my two cents on these author/blogger debacles, unless they involve a friend, and only then to comfort said friend.  But this change in the Goodreads ToS affects us all, some more than others, obviously.  (I didn't have an author-related shelf on Goodreads.  At least, it wasn't labeled as such.  It's simply listed as "not in this lifetime", but the objective is the same as those who had "due to author" or "authors behaving badly" as their shelf titles.)

Anyway, I don't agree with Goodreads' handling of the situation. At all. If they'd at least given notice prior to doling out this twisted retribution, things might be a little different.  I might not have been directly affected by this change, but I feel for those reviewers who lost hours of hard work in the form of honest reviews.

I agree with so many others before me that this move seems very pro-author. Goodreads has always been a site for readers, for book lovers, for people who just genuinely want to discuss books.  We don't always like the same books, and for the most part, we've always been okay with that.  There are some trolls out there who will never stop trying to convince us of this or that book's superiority, but there are far more honest-to-goodness book lovers on the site.

I didn't interact with authors all that much in the beginning on Goodreads, and to be honest, I still don't really. I've added some as friends, but for the most part, my interactions with authors, at least on Goodreads, has been very limited.  I've only had a few comment on my reviews, and it's usually a pleasant experience.  I called one a debut author in my review, and she politely pointed out that the book was actually her second novel.  Another simply wanted to thank me for taking the time to read her book.  Those interactions are nice. I've never had a not-nice situation with an author, luckily.

But to be truthful, I've always believed Goodreads should have remained a place for readers to interact with each other.  I understand that authors are readers, too, but their presence on Goodreads should remain as such.  Especially when it seems that so many of them cannot take constructive criticism.  It's unbelievable how some have treated our fellow reviewers.  I daresay they'd think twice about attacking a reviewer from a major publication.  But we're no one to them and so we're easy targets.

At first, I wasn't going to say or do anything.  And then I read more and more of that thread and got more and more incensed.  It does almost seem as if Goodreads is rewarding bad author behavior.  I know, I know.  They're cracking down on that, too, or so they say.  I understand where Goodreads is coming from...they just want everyone to go back to their separate corners, call the fight over.  Honestly, isn't that what we all want?  But is this change the way to go about it?

I like Goodreads...I didn't want to abandon ship after several great years.  And I still haven't completely because they provide valuable content that, so far, isn't easily accessible all in one place.  I know a lot of people are heading to one of Goodreads' competitors:  LibraryThing, Shelfari, or BookLikes. I debated if any of these were right for me, or if should suck it up and hope that Goodreads would set things right. They've tried to make amends, but for some, it's too little, too late.  In the end, I decided to make a new home for myself over at BookLikes.  I think it's the only of these sites that isn't at least partially owned by Amazon.  In general, and from a purchasing standpoint, I like Amazon. But they have no place on a site made for readers.  Not when all they're attempting to do is collect data from us and line their own pockets. And definitely not when, because of their influence, a site I favor over all other social media has struck out against its very own users.

So, yeah, I've still got a profile on Goodreads.  I may never fully leave it, simply because of the wealth of information it provides.  I know I have a little while before my shelves finish importing over to BookLikes...something like 44 hours.  And it'll take me awhile to familiarize myself with the general setup of BookLikes.  I like it, but I don't love it.  Not yet, anyway. But I'll keep playing with it.  In the meantime, I've still got a foot planted firmly over there at Goodreads, despite everything.  I can't help it...I feel like I've lost a good friend, but we're still trying to work on the friendship, ya know?

How are the rest of you coping with these changes?  Were you affected?  Are you completely abandoning Goodreads, or are you still feeling things out like me?

If you've moved to BookLikes, feel free to add me; I'm under starryeyedjen.

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Labels: authors behaving badly, goodreads, thoughtful thursdays