Wow what a dramatic title. But y’all. Reviewing books is hard. Sometimes it really is “what am I even doing?” So I thought I’d make a rambly post about it.
Why do I review books? I like it. It’s fun for the most part. In theory it makes me pay attention more to the books I read. I don’t take notes, usually. Sometimes I highlight phrases or parts I really like or even really dislike. That’s about the extent of things. Detailed (heck, even sparse) notes just don’t work for me, personally. But I do try and keep mental notes of things. For example, character development and character relationships (friendships, familial, romantic, etc.) are important to me as a reader. And honestly, I do sometimes enjoy reading a book without the “burden” of having to review it. (Note: I don’t actually consider it a burden. I’m just being dramatic.)
Reviewing books gives me a chance to talk about them with others. Full on gushes, mixed, or rants: they’re all reviews to me. No one I know in my physical life has a similar reading taste or even talks about books that much. So having an outlet to do that is great.
But it can be tough, at least in my own personal opinion. Am I saying the right things? What if I misinterpret something in a way that causes me not to like that element of the book? dO i SouNd CleVer? Have I actually said anything of value about this book? What if I forgot to mention a big aspect of the book in my review? These are the questions and more that occasionally go through my mind.
It can be intimidating when I read other people’s extremely detailed, well-thought out reviews or watch a BookTuber’s detailed analysis. It’s like, “So am I just saying ‘BOOK GOOD. READ IT,'” in comparison? Like the back cover is filled with philosophical-sounding blurbs, then along comes my “Wowee I liked this book!!”
But then again, does every review have to be this pRoFouNd piece of literature? Honestly, no. It’s nice to have these ideas of writing fancy reviews (whatever that means), but I’m content with how I personally review books. Is it still tough time to time? Heck yes. Do I still sometimes think, “What am I even doing?” Heck yes. Will I continue doing what I love, despite all of that? Heck yes.
