Sometimes it feels like there is nothing original left to say. t’s all been said before, so why add my voice to the cacophony?
Especially when it comes to books, the author likely said it best… in their ACTUAL book? Where do my personal opinions of books with reviews, book club questions, and lists fit in?
In short, why read book reviews?
An Avid Reader’s Perspective on Reading Reviews
Well, as I see it, the same way every book will be different, everyone’s reading of it will likewise be different.
I do hope there is value to seeing these books through my personal lens because there is definitely value to me in putting my book reviews out there.
Oftentimes I’ll finish a book with only vague, general feelings about if I liked it and why. It isn’t until I dig into writing about it that I begin to unpack where those feelings are coming from.
By articulating my thoughts, I’ve discovered preferences I didn’t even know I had when it comes to my books and the authors I spend time with. It can seriously feel like book therapy in reverse!
And for someone obsessed with knowing the why behind things, understanding what it is about certain books that draw me in or repels me is pretty valuable insight into my psyche for me.
Now that’s why I write reviews. Why should you bother reading them?
Adulting Takes Up So Much Time
If you’re like me, long gone are the days of consuming multiple books in a week. Hours spent uninterrupted with a good book are relatively rare these days as life takes precedence in the form of kids, a full-time job, and just the things that make up an adult life.
While I miss my mornings spent in bed reading for hours so much that sometimes I could cry, I also recognize that that’s just not the place I’m in at the moment. Maybe I will be again one day, but not today.
So in the meantime, my reading time is greatly diminished and I don’t have time to mess around when it comes to book selection.
If I’m only getting an hour a day with a book, it better be a GOOD one. And that’s where reviews come in.
I will admit, not every book that makes it on here ends up being a 5 star read. But the fact that some of them aren’t (despite the reviews I had read before making my selection), is also pretty valuable information.
And as with everything, it’s all so subjective. But my earnest hope is that my reviews and tidbits of information about these books help guide you in some way to spending time with the books you will really enjoy.
Either by reading them on your own, or with a book club!
Now, go pick a good book and get back to what I believe is one of the greatest joys that exists: reading.