Book Blogger Confessions is a brand-spanking-new meme created by Karen at For What It's Worth and Tiger at Tiger's All Consuming Books.This week's topic is:
On the first and third Monday of each month, there will be a new blogging topic up for discussion. The idea to give bloggers a place to vent, share opinions and maybe solutions to the problems we all face.
How has the "job" of book blogging changed your reading habits? Both pro and con.
Wow. I don't even know where to start. I'll start with the "cons" and get that out of the way.
Cons~
That's easy. I don't get to read the books I want, when I want. And it's sort of dumb, really. I can actually do, or read, when I want. But I let blogger guilt get to me, reading the books I've been asked to review. For example, I've owned the Soul Screamers series for months. MONTHS. But I didn't read them until I went on a self-imposed "blog break" over the holidays. I loved them, they're now at the top of my Favorite YA series list. This won't (hopefully) happen again.
Pros~
This answer could be infinite. I read so much more than I used to. At the beginning of 2011, I wasn't in the blog/twitter community at all. When I did become involved, and went to GoodReads to join the Reading Challenge, my goal was 25 books. Seriously. I read 148 (I think) books this year. I don't think I'll read nearly as many books in 2012, and that's okay. I honestly think I read too many books in 2011. And yes, that can happen.
I've also changed by reading the books of a wider variety of authors. I live in a small town, with
Wal-Mart (ugh) as my only bookstore. Unfortunately, they seem to think the only books worth stocking are Stephanie Meyer, Cassandra Clare, Richelle Mead and a few others. And I like them, but they're not enough to keep me in a steady supply of books all year. Thanks to blogging and twitter, I've become aware of so many more authors, such as Jeri Smith-Ready and Rachel Vincent, Jennifer Armentrout, and many others. The biggest surprise has been the amount of indie authors that I've found/read this past year. Authors like Abbi Glines, Michelle Muto, Heather Hildenbrand; they're all fabulous and I would have never found them before blogging.
So, fellow bloggers, what are your thoughts? How was blogging changed your reading habits? I'm all ears!
I've also changed by reading the books of a wider variety of authors. I live in a small town, with
Wal-Mart (ugh) as my only bookstore. Unfortunately, they seem to think the only books worth stocking are Stephanie Meyer, Cassandra Clare, Richelle Mead and a few others. And I like them, but they're not enough to keep me in a steady supply of books all year. Thanks to blogging and twitter, I've become aware of so many more authors, such as Jeri Smith-Ready and Rachel Vincent, Jennifer Armentrout, and many others. The biggest surprise has been the amount of indie authors that I've found/read this past year. Authors like Abbi Glines, Michelle Muto, Heather Hildenbrand; they're all fabulous and I would have never found them before blogging.
So, fellow bloggers, what are your thoughts? How was blogging changed your reading habits? I'm all ears!
I can completely relate, the closest book store let alone wal-mart is about an hour from me.
ReplyDeleteI also understand what you were talking about when it came to having to do review requests.
Here's mine and thanks for the meme it is a good idea.
http://wonderlandreviews.blogspot.com/2012/01/book-blogger-confessions-1.html
I'm not a blogger, and I don't read, but I understand what you're saying. I wouldn't like being "forced" to read books when I might not want to. Heck, I can barely read a book a year that I actually *want* to read.
ReplyDeleteAs a writer, I'm counting on my trilogy being so awesome that book reviewers will be beating down my door to review. Hahaha! Wishful thinking, but a girl can dream. :-)
By far the most awesome thing about blogging is all the books I've discovered. I would be reading whatever is on the best seller list if it wasn't for all the wonderful recommendations from fellow bloggers and readers.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why we don't allow ourselves to read for fun once we start blogging. I know that isn't out intention when we start. It's interesting how it becomes a process of deadlines and guilt reading lol
Thank you for joining our meme this week. Hope to see again for the next question.
Yeah me too! I have so many books I want read and reread that I just don't have the time for them. I get guilty for not reading books I agreed to review too.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm trying to finish all if not most of the books I agreed to review and from now on only accept books that I can and want to finish, I also try to let authors and publishers know that it might take a few months for me read the book and the review to be posted.
All of the good bookstores in my town closed. And by bookstores, I of course meant that in the singular. It was a sad day when Walden books closed! We have a second hand bookshop in town, which is cool to find that rare gem of a book outside of my comfort zone, but I've never found any good YA books which is what I'm mostly interested in reading.
ReplyDeleteSo, I've kind of become addicted to buying books online at the Barnes and Noble site. Now I mostly buy for my Nook, but in the past I always forced myself to buy $30+ in books at a time so I could avoid shipping and handling fees. Not so great for my pocketbook!
Discovering new authors is definitely one of the best parts of blogging, and the thought that I can convince even just one person to read the book is amazing!
ReplyDeleteMy only local option for buying English books is travelling all the way to an incredibly overpriced (EUR 10 minimum) bookstore in Amsterdam - I still miss browsing for hours through a whole bookstore of choices!
I know what you mean about blogger guilt! I am trying to work on that this year! ;)
ReplyDeleteI also love the community that I have found through book blogging and have been introduced to so many amazing authors throught the blogs that I read. Can you believe that in 2010 I was actually at a loss for what to read?
Bonnie @ Hands and Home
My BBC: http://www.handsandhome.ca/2012/01/book-blogger-cofessions-1.html
This is the coolest meme ever! I'm going to jump on this train next time. Thanks for alerting me to it, Andrea. I've been wanting an excuse to vent about blogging and connect with other bloggers about the issues we all face.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I'd have to agree with everything you've said, pro and con. I read WAY more than I ever used to, and perhaps it's too much. And, I don't always get to read what I want to (but, I'm changing this policy on my blog this year). I've found great indie authors, and have discovered authors of all sorts that I never would have if I had remained a regular reader.
It's been mostly good for me, with a few bad things, but every good thing is like that.
I adore finding new books to fall in love with, and there are so many I don't think I would have ever tried had I not been exposed to them as a blogger.
ReplyDeleteBut I also have that mentality of, "If they send it, I must review it!" and so I feel I'm not always reading what I want, when I want.
Here's mine:
http://theirishbanana.blogspot.com/2012/01/book-blogger-confessions-1.html
Finding new authors has been the best, oh and winning free copies ;)
ReplyDeleteHa! Love your mention of "blogger guilt". Because I also /know/ somewhere deep down inside that I really can read whatever I want, and yet I often adhere to this self-imposed schedule of proper YA reading. :-)
ReplyDeleteThsnks everyone for stopping by! I really enjoyed your answers and the suggestions. See you next time!
ReplyDeleteThere are so many books I would have never tried or even heard of it had not been for blogging, and reading other book blogs. Soul Screamers, The Nightshade series, and the Iron Fey are examples of those. I too live in a small town with only a Walmart, so my reading really depended on what they had on their shelves. After getting into blogging, I order most of my books only, or from my local library. I have to agree with the blogger guilt, there are a ton of books I want to be reading. The problem is a feel obligated to finish my review books first, but sometimes I just have to take time to enjoy a book of my choice. Thanks for sharing, this looks like a fun new meme, I think I might have to check it out! Great Post!!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree about the town thing.. we had a borders.. but it's gone now.. it wasn't even there for all that long.. Since I started blogging, I have found so many other authors I normally would not have heard of otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the bookstore problems. I live in the Philippines and sometimes those books I badly wanted to read and own are not really available. But thanks to the blogging community I've learned of Netgalley and the use of Book Depository and such. And wow! Look at all the number of books you've read last year! I've read only 57 books last year and I really admire you for reading that many books.
ReplyDelete