Thoughts on Book Reviewing
And where you can find my book reviews
📖 Thoughts on Reviewing Books 📖
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How I share my reading experience with a book has evolved. I’ve gone through different phases of styles and philosophies. I went through a long period where I didn’t use ratings/stars because I felt like they were reductive and too subjective, minimizing the overall quality of the review. But I’ve since added them back due to my confidence in my ability to communicate their meaning to anyone reading my review.
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Currently, I have crafted a review format that works well for me. Writing two non-fiction books about books has helped me find my voice and shape the way I talk about books to other readers.
I’m extremely inspired by how librarians use Reader’s Advisory when helping a patron find something to read that will suit them. It’s a way of connecting the right book with the right reader, which is the most important aspect of sharing books for me. I like highlighting a book’s appeal—the themes, tropes, vibes, voice, etc. I enjoy expressing things I loved or didn’t love, too so that readers can decide for themselves if it sounds interesting to them. For me, it doesn’t feel right to slam a book or try to encourage people to not read it but that isn’t to say I don’t enjoy reading other people’s book rage 🤣 so I’m not advising anyone to change their game—you do you, always.
I’m just a big believer in every book having its audience and I’m happier helping readers find what they’re looking for as opposed to centering my opinion. If I love something, you’ll know it—but if I didn’t love it, I can still talk about it in a way that allows you to decide for yourself whether or not you want to read it.
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All that being said, I’m sharing my thoughts on The LineUp for all the new books I’m reading each month. My January-February article is up! All the books in the photo are mentioned plus a few more I read digitally.
