Why I Still Read and Write Reviews

Lately there seems to be a consensus that review writing is sort of the “chore” aspect of running a book blog. People seem to think have to do it to be a blog, but it’s not the “fun” part of being a blogger. Many complain that review posts don’t drive as much engagement to their blog as features or discussions, or they feel that readers are more likely to skip them. It seems more bloggers are turning away from writing reviews or trying to find alternative formats for review writing. There’s nothing wrong with either of these approaches, or having these feelings.

However, I still really enjoy reading and writing reviews.

Writing reviews is the catalyst that started my blog in the first place. I wanted a space where I could talk through me feelings about the books I read, and have a space where I could record my thoughts about them for future reference. Integrating myself into the book blogging community made me love reviews even more, as I realized that people seriously wanted to know my opinion and in turn I could find even more book recommendations from reading reviews. I cross post all of my reviews to Goodreads and one of my favorite things to do when I add a book to my TBR is to go to that book’s Goodreads page and see what my friends have thought of it. Whether it’s a raving, scathing, or balanced review, I love seeing bloggers write about their experiences with books through reviews.

I also find that I have meaningful engagement through my book review posts, even if it’s not quite as much as a meme or feature. Every comment by someone telling me that I’ve really made them want to read a book or that they appreciated reading my analysis on a novel gives me that blogger-glow that comes from knowing I am sharing my passion and love for books successfully. There’s few feelings as rewarding as having someone come to you and tell you that a book you reviewed and recommended is now a new favorite of theirs.

I still appreciate the basics of my book blogging.

For me, reviewing books was the foundation of my blog when I started over a year ago and it’s something that will always be central to my mission as a blogger. I love long reviews, in-depth reviews, passionate reviews, and critical reviews. I love having a record of my thoughts on a book to go back to. I love being able to have a review written to back up a recommendation I give for a book. Not everyone feels this way, and there are so many book blogs I love that don’t have reviews as their central focus. However, I don’t feel reviews are passé and I think they are still a central and important part of the blogging community.

What’s your stance on reviews?

Do you enjoy writing reviews or do you see them more as a chore? Do you still read reviews? Do you find you get discussion and engagement on your review posts? Do you think book reviewing is still a foundation of book blogging, or that the focus is shifting? Let me know in the comments!

Discussion: The Cover Struggle

I have the epitome of a first world problem.

Ever since starting blogging I have become so much more aware of the existence and accessibility of different covers: hardback, paperback, special edition, anniversary, international, etc. With a little research, it’s not too hard to gain access to these various covers either. Thanks to Book Depository, I can order a UK paperback without the long wait for the US one. Or thanks to my B&N membership, I can snag their special edition covers at a discount. A lot of bloggers even swap and trade amongst each other to get the covers they want. With so many options, how do I choose which cover to buy?

If you’re a die-hard book fan, you’ve probably experienced this cover struggle. I used to be pretty flexible in the past (for example, many of my series are mixes of hardcovers and paperbacks, as I just bought them sporadically in whatever form I could find). However, since I started my blog I’ve found myself gravitating toward making my book series more unified looking. I’m THAT person who will wait to read something until I can own them all on paperback. But what happens when I’ve come across a book that I can absolutely NOT WAIT TO READ?

Finishing The Winner’s Curse this week put me in such a dilemma.

They’re both gorgeous covers, and I’m totally torn between which one to get. My copy of The Winner’s Curse is paperback, so I’m tempted to go for the UK/AUS paperback with the red dress, but I’m worried that it will be a different size/formatted differently than my US paperback. (Does anyone have any insight on this?)

(For reference, this is what my paperback copy of The Winner’s Curse looks like. Let’s not even get started on the fact that the paperback copy has such a different formatting than the hardback original!)

I also have similar dilemmas when it comes to series that change their covers partway through (such as with the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout, The Lynburn Legacy trilogy by Sarah Rees Brennan, and, more recently, The Worldwalker Trilogy by Josephine Angelini). Do I purchase the new covers of the installments I already have to match the new ones? Do I wait to read them all in paperback? Do I buy all of the hardcovers even after the paperbacks have been released?

My own dilemma made me curious as to how many readers and bloggers out there went out of their way to buy specific editions of books, or if they even compare cover art and formatting between countries. So…

I want to hear from you!

• Do you ever buy international covers (as in, covers released in countries aside from your own)? Do you buy them because you want the paperback before it’s released in your country, or because you dislike your country’s cover art?
• Do you try to purchase all of the books in a series in the same format (such as hardcover or paperback)?
• What happens if you start a series in e-book or audio format? Do you keep all of your copies electronic, mix and match, or re-purchase physical copies of your e-books/audio books?
• Do you tend to prefer your own country’s cover art/formatting, or do you consistently find yourself coveting others?
• Which copy of The Winner’s Crime do you think I should get?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Why Bad Reviews Don’t Mean Regrets

As a book blogger, negative reviews are ultimately something that are going to wind up on my blog. Not every book is going to click with me, and I’m very upfront how I feel about what I read. My reviewing guidelines for books is to always be honest while being respectful. I don’t trash talk authors, and if a book overwhelmingly didn’t work for me but there were still elements I liked, I am sure to mention the good and the bad aspects. Writing negative reviews is inevitable, and usually isn’t fun for the blogger to write or for the author to read.  Yet I find that though I may dislike certain books and give them an overall low rating, I usually do not regret reading them.

Why I Don’t Regret Reading Books I Ended Up Not Loving

Now, I usually don’t pick up books that I purposely will not enjoy, but sometimes (often due to hype, not clicking with the writing style, not empathizing with the characters, etc) I read books that I rate “low.” For me, low ratings are 1-2.5 stars, as I consider a 3 star book to be a solid book, perhaps with some issues, that I enjoyed (I know 3 star ratings vary from good to bad depending on the reviewer). I rarely rate books 1 star because I tend to DNF them/not pick them up in the first place, but often times I will read a book I’m really HOPING to like that ends up being 2 stars, meaning I enjoyed the idea of the book but it failed in its execution to impress me as a reader. Why don’t I regret the time I spent reading 2-star books? Because they often contain certain elements, ideas, themes, or plot devices that drew me to them in the first place that I still enjoyed while reading the book, even if the entire text didn’t impress me. Oftentimes I will also read a book and not particularly enjoy the storyline or content, but I will enjoy the author’s writing style, and it leads me to pick up another book by that author that I end up immensely enjoying.

Books I Rated Lower But Don’t Regret Reading

Belzhar was a book I was extremely curious about, as it dealt with mental illness, magical realism, and my favorite poet. Yet it fell extremely flat on delivering all of these elements, and the big reveal at the end of the book felt like a joke. However, it’s the only YA book I’ve come across that has a story influenced by the works of Sylvia Plath, my favorite poet, and I am grateful that I was able to read a novel influenced by her poetry and personal life.

The Darkest Part of the Forest was a big letdown for me, because most other bloggers had rated it highly and I really want to love Holly Black. While I felt the plot was slow and the characters lacked depth, I’m glad I read it because it had wonderful and whimsical world building and I loved the folk-tale feeling of Black’s writing, which has me determined to try another one of her works.

Let It Snow had three short stories that varied wildly in quality.Though the second story annoyed me with its sexist and pretentious undertones and the third story felt shallow, I am forever grateful I purchased a copy because the short story”The Jubilee Express” by Maureen Johnson was one of the most laugh-out-loud holiday stories I’ve ever read.

I Was Here was a hard one for me to rate, and I gave it a 3-star review despite it not being as compelling as many other 3-star rated books I’ve read. However, there was just something raw and striking about Gayle Forman’s writing that stuck with me despite the lackluster plot, and I’m so glad it encouraged me to give her another chance because I just finished Just One Day and it was utterly amazing.

Sometimes It’s About The Journey, Not The Destination

As cliché as that phrase is, I find it’s often the truth about books I don’t fall in love with. Since most books I choose to read have some element I’m drawn too, I’m able to find either some enjoyment, insightful ideas, or interesting themes from reading it, even if the overall plot falls flat or the ending is lackluster. I’m grateful for the experience of many of the books I rated 2-stars, as they help me in either steering me toward or away from certain topics, authors, and genres, and that’s why I rarely tell people NOT to read a certain book, because there could be something there for them that wasn’t for me. Therefore, I’m honest in saying while I may occasionally rate books lower, rarely do I regret reading them. Amidst all of the internet drama that crops up due to authors/bloggers reacting to bad reviews/behavior, I think it’s important to remember that there’s a difference between not enjoying a book and regretting reading it, and readers can still take away elements they like/appreciate from a book without rating it highly.

What About You?

Do you find that when you write negative reviews the book was a waste of your time? Are there 1 or 2-Star books that you enjoyed reading, but rated lower because of specific plot/character issues? Was there ever a book you rated/reviewed negatively and ended up either liking its sequel or another book by that same author? Is there a book you rated negatively but had themes you appreciated or enjoyed? Do you try to point out the good points of books you didn’t love or do you like to get snarky and sassy in your reviews? Let me know in the comments!

Cristina’s Close Look [2] Boyfriend Knows Best: On Oppressive YA Relationships

As someone in their twenties, I’m often considered to be an “older” YA reader, as publishing houses market the YA demographic as targeting those who are 12-17. Being a YA blogger makes this difference and age range seem insignificant, as many of those who primarily read and purchase YA span an age range well into the 40s and 50s. Most of the time I don’t feel disconnected from YA novels due to being a bit older than the characters, but one of the exceptions can be romance. Since I’m out of my teen years I have a wider range of romantic experience and to draw upon than when I was in high school (and thus the age of many YA protagonists) which causes me to look a little more critically at the way romances and intimacy are portrayed.

One of the biggest romantic tropes that I’ve noticed and that has continually grated on my nerves while reading YA is the uneven power dynamic in couples, notably with the submissive female and the oppressive male. The realization of how much deep rooted this trope is in YA dawned on me while reading Splintered by A.G. Howard. Though I enjoyed the book, I could not believe the power discrepancy between Alyssa and Jeb. What masquerades as a protective “big brother” attitude is really a demeaning, superior attitude that constantly affirms to Alyssa that she can’t be trusted with her own fate or decisions (Alyssa’s dad even let Jeb make the decision as to whether or not she should be allowed to go to school in Europe…how does that even make sense?) I was sure that Jeb was going to be a villain which would explain his characterization as such a controlling know-it-all, but no such luck- if anything Alyssa values him more at the end of the book. Now, I admit that I haven’t read the rest of the trilogy so maybe his behavior eases up and he starts letting Alyssa act like an autonomous character…but I have my doubts.

Are You a Seasonal Reader?

It’s the cusp of February, and my local weather is having a nice little glimpse of spring. The sun is shining and various little woodland creatures have started appearing in my yard to taunt my cats through the windows. The temperature is just a hint shy of being short-sleeve weather. I’ve noticed this turn in weather just doesn’t alter the type of activities I want to do and clothes I want to wear, but it alters what I’m in the mood to read as well. This got me thinking: are there patterns in what I read depending on the season?

After reflecting upon this, I think the answer is a resounding YES. I gravitate not just toward reads that are blatantly seasonal during certain times of the year (such as reading Christmas themed books in winter) but I’m much more likely to read certain genres during different times of the year as well. I almost never read books set in the summer during the winter (I just feel like I can’t get into them as much) and my motivation to reread books is usually highest in the winter (which is when I almost always do my Harry Potter rereads…there’s just something about cold weather, hot tea, and blankets that makes you want to curl up with a familiar book). After analyzing my Goodreads challenges for the past few years, here are the trends I’ve noticed:

• Winter: rereads, fantasy, heavier “issue” based contemporaries
• Spring: contemporary romances, fairy tale retellings
• Summer: books made into movies, vacation/destination/travel novels
• Fall: thrillers, mysteries, spooky reads, paranormal

Of course these trends aren’t always the case. They get trumped by things like a new book in a series I love where I must read it the second it comes out, if I’m buddy reading a book with someone else, or it just so happens that I am able to get my hands on it at the library. Yet for the most part I prefer certain genres and types of books at certain types of the year. I always do a re-read in November/December (in 2014 it was the Shiver trilogy, in 2013 it was the Twilight series, and in 2012 it was Harry Potter). In the summer I tend to bulk up on many novels that have turned into movies since they are usually being released at that time of year, and in the spring I like to pick up more lightweight contemporary romances because they’re quick and feel-good reads that I can throw in my bag for a trip to the park or the pool. Unsurprisingly, fall puts me in the mood for mysteries and paranormal, as Halloween gets me into the spooky spirit.

Up until now I had never really taken the time to think about the books I gravitate to during certain seasons, but I find that I’m already doing it a month into 2015. Most of the books I’ve read in January have been fantasy (such as Splintered) or heavier, issue based contemporaries (Eleanor & Park). I keep meaning to read Lola and the Boy Next Door, but I find myself wanting to save it for sunny weather and a carefree day…so obviously I’m holding out on reading a cute contemporary romance for the spring!

Do you think you reading habits are impacted by the season? What types of books do you gravitate to during certain months? Do you like reading books in the season they take place, or do you like enjoying a summer book in the middle of winter to give yourself a mental break from your current weather? Have you already fallen victim to seasonal reading habits in 2015? If you have habits like this, would you want to change them? Let’s discuss in the comments!

 

Cristina’s Close Look: Marginalized Identities and Intersectionality in Eleanor & Park

I’m really excited to launch this new feature! Cristina’s Close Look is a more specific type of discussion here at Girl in the Pages, where I find a trope, topic, or theme and explore the topics more in depth with a little bit of analysis and a lot of enthusiasm. Feel free to join into the discussion in the comments!

Topic: Marginalized Identities and Intersectionality in Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

*Warning: This post will contain spoilers for the novel Eleanor & Park. Just a heads up if you haven’t read it yet!

I picked up Eleanor & Park for the first time this month to join in on She Reads A Lot’s Book of the Month feature. It’s a book that had been on my TBR for quite a while, and the last I had to read to complete all of Rowell’s books. I had a vague idea of what the book was about (I had also heard about the controversy about how some areas were trying to ban it) and I had high expectations going in, which can often ruin a book. Instead, I found Eleanor & Park not only to be a five star read for me, but I was extremely impressed at how Rowell manages to represent so many marginalized identities and intersection of multiple systems of oppression that her characters suffer under without overwhelming the reader or lessening the experiences of those groups.

The story is set in 1986 in Nebraska, and within the 328 page novel Rowell includes marginalized identities and sufferers of oppression including:

• Minority races in a predominantly Caucasian area (Park’s Korean heritage)
• Families living in poverty (Eleanor’s family)
• Victims of domestic abuse and sexual harassment, esp. females (Eleanor, her mother, siblings)
• Victims of bullying (Eleanor and Park)
• Males and Females who do not conform to societal gender norms (Eleanor and Park)
• Stigmas surrounding weight and “fat-shaming” (Eleanor)

Not only are all of these oppressed and marginalized identities represented, but Rowell expertly portrays the very real problem of intersectionality between different systems of oppression, such as poverty and domestic abuse, or race and gender.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater Review & Discussion

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

My rating: 4/5 Stars

Publisher: Scholastic (2009)

Length: 390 pgs

Series: The Wolves of Mercy Falls (#1)

Genre: YA Paranormal Fiction/Romance

Format: Paperback

Goodreads Synopsis: For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can’t seem to live without.Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again.Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It’s her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

I first read the Wolves of Mercy Falls series around five-six years ago, when I was in high school and fresh into my love affair with all things paranormal. I had never really heard of Maggie Stiefvater and picked up the series on the recommendation of a friend who really enjoyed werewolf books. I ordered the first book in paperback to try and found myself smitten with the lyrical prose and the angsty characters. Rereading this book for about the third time (I believe I reread it a few years ago before that last book in the series, Forever, was released) I found that Stiefvater’s writing still struck a chord with me, but for very different reasons.