This Week's Topic
The Struggle is Real
I know we all struggle with reviews from time to time, but recently, it's been quite troublesome for me. I know it had something to do with being on my trip with no computer access, but the more I think about it, I believe there's another reason.
Have you ever read a book by an author that you loved so much, and you were so excited about their follow-up? But when you read the new release, it doesn't quite rise to the level of the previous book? This happened to me several times last month. The books were good, but I expected them to be better. I felt a bit let down, and thus, struggled with trying to put my thoughts about the book into words.
I wholeheartedly think a book should be judged on its own merits, yet, I kept thinking about how the author's last book was so much better. It's wrong and unfair, and I chastised myself for doing this. The more I berated myself for this behavior, the more difficult my review was to write.
I am glad to report that those reviews are FINALLY written. I hope I captured some positive feelings about the books because they were solid (4/5), and I did enjoy them. But, yes, it as a struggle.
Have you ever had a hard time reviewing a book? What reasons were behind the difficulty?
Now it's your turn!
Do you ever struggle with reviews?
Let us know in the comments!
Let us know in the comments!
I think it's just natural to make comparisons. I know I do it. I'm forever comparing and thinking "I liked this one better" or "This one didn't engage me as much as the previous one." I don't even think it's a bad thing, necessarily - I just make comparisons and notice the differences.
ReplyDeleteI struggled a lot more with reviews when I was actively blogging. I felt a (self-imposed) obligation to write a certain kind of review: more thoughtful, more in depth, longer, etc. Now that I am just reviewing on Goodreads, I feel such freedom to be as brief as I want to be, use whatever format I want, be as casual/stream of consciousness as I want. Oddly, I think I am reviewing more now and I think that's because the pressure is off.
I feel like I should be fair to the work as its own thing. When comparing it, I am not judging it on its merits, but rather, how it isn't the other book. You know? I gave up on feeling like I had to write a certain kind of review years ago. I shoot for coherent these days. LOL
DeleteJamie (jannghi.blogspot.com):
ReplyDeleteI was just saying on my blog today I tend not to say I like one book and/or series better than another of the same genre. In particular, I was talking paranormal romances, but I fell that same about any genre. And writing reviews has never been a strong point for me. I just tend not to think that way.
It's sometimes hard not to, but I do try. It's the idea that I feel a little let down by the author. I feel like they should have done better, but that seems wrong too.
DeleteI have had that happen. I read several series and sometimes there's a book in the series that just isn't as good as the rest of the books and I'm disappointed.
ReplyDeletePart of me feels like it's fair to compare books in a series since they are a continuation of a story, and there is an expectation with the same characters and world.
DeleteI totally agree as it just happened to me this weekend with The Wraith King by Juliette Cross. Iloved her Savoie Sisters series and this one suffered greatly by comparison!
ReplyDeleteI think it is hard not to feel disappointed when a new book from an author you love leaves you wanting, but I have to resist comparing it and simply judge it on its own.
DeleteI am struggling SO much. I don't know if it is about the books (unlikely) or me being so busy and tired (much more likely) but I just cannot pinpoint why I am having so much trouble! In your case, I feel like it IS kind of fair to have expected them to be of the same caliber? I mean- maybe it isn't FAIR-fair, but it is still your opinion and feelings, which you can't really control. So. I say you get to feel any way you like!
ReplyDeleteI think you have a very valid point there. It is harder to do any sort of endeavor requiring brain power when you are busy/tired.
DeleteI think sometimes if a beloved author of mine releases a book and I'm not crazy about it, I tend to be more forgiving of it? If that makes sense - I might overlook problems that I would point out in other books by other authors. It definitely makes writing a review hard. I used to write much longer reviews, and over the last couple years, I don't know what's happened, but mini-reviews are about as much as I can handle!
ReplyDeleteI can forgive certain things, but others, I cannot. I pretty much stopped reading an entire sub genre because the authors annoyed me so much. These were 4 star reads, not crimes, just not up to what I was expecting.
DeleteThis is one of the reasons I rarely read series. I'll love the first book and then feel meh about all the others. Then I think I wasted my time. I could have been reading a bunch of good books rather than a mediocre series.
ReplyDeleteI am not even talking about series. This happens to me when I read stand alone books by the same author. I can actually see comparing a book in a series to another, but still, I want to judge them on their own merit.
DeleteI feel like if my life is going through some struggles, I struggle to write a review. Which is totally unfair to the author and the book, and anyone who would benefit from reading a review of the book. But I just can't force myself to do it. And it sounds like you can't, either! Which makes me feel less alone, even though we struggle in reviewing for different reasons. I hope you get some solid 5-star books in your reading rotation, soon.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I would rather put out a good and fair review than something just to get it done.
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