This week's theme is: BOOKS I NEVER REVIEWED. Which should have been an easy one to figure out. But I wavered over which ten books to choose. Should I choose ten books from off my own shelves? Books I rated 5 stars on Goodreads? Books I read before I ever started blogging? Romances in honor of February? Classics? Favorite kid books?
See how I sometimes way overthink things?
So, I decided to write down some of the reasons why I don't review all of the books I read instead. Whether there will be 10 or not is yet to be seen.
REASONS WHY I DON'T REVIEW EVERY BOOK I READ:
1. The book is too long or the plot is too complicated to be easily summed up in one or two paragraphs. Writing really long reviews is not my thing. And I can't decide if it's because I'm too tired, or just lazy. Or because I just can't think of anything profound to say.
2. Everyone else has already read and reviewed the book. If I've seen it on three or more blogs, I don't always feel it necessary to review it myself. Though there are exceptions.
3. I didn't really like the book. I don't like to write negative reviews or comments, so if I hated the way a book ended, or didn't even make it to the end, I'm not going to mention it on my blog. I prefer to write about the books I did really like instead.
4. The book is only a 3-star read. There's nothing really wrong with it, but I didn't end up loving it. It's a middling read soon to be forgotten...and I just never know what to say about those kinds of books.
5. And sometimes a book is so amazing I don't know how to put into words all the things I loved about it. Though I do try to at least mention those books on one of my Randomness or Quick recommendation posts.
There you have it. 5 reasons I don't review every book I read. Oh! I just thought of a sixth reason. I read a lot of books (last year I read over 200) and frankly, I don't have it in me to even try to review that many books. Because I read for fun, and forcing myself to try and review every book I read just feels like work. And who wants blogging to feel like that?
Happy reading!
Very good points about why we don't review everything we read. I have 2 books this year that I read and didn't care for so I didn't review them. And it's also true as you say that sometimes a book is wonderful and yet the word won't come I worry that no matter what I say I won't do the book justice.
ReplyDeleteThat's me. Sometimes I just can't find the words to explain how wonderful a book is.
DeleteI agree with number two. Have a wonderful day.
ReplyDeletewww.rsrue.blogspot.com
Hi, Regine!
DeleteI overthought this topic also lol and I like your take on it. If I didn't enjoy a book, I'll usually say so on my blog but I won't give it a negative review on Goodreads, Amazon...etc..
ReplyDeleteThat's kind of you. I don't like to do negative reviews about books on Goodreads or Amazon either.
DeleteNumber 3 is a big reason with me. I am a slow reader and by the time I finish and review, it is everywhere. Also, why is it so hard to review a book you love? I do the same. Here is my list
ReplyDeletehttps://girlsatthebookstore.blogspot.com/2025/02/top-ten-tuesday-top-nonfiction-books.html
Thanks for commenting! Can't wait to check out your post. :D
DeleteThese are all good reasons not to review a book.
ReplyDelete:D
DeleteNumber 3 is the main reason why I don't review a book. I don't like writing negative reviews. Also, number 5. I don't know why it's so hard to write a review for a book a love, but it is. It's like my words aren't sufficient enough.
ReplyDeleteI don't like writing negative things. Plus, I can't do it in a funny way like some people can. So I don't bother.
DeleteFabulous list, Lark. Reading that many books in a year does make it seem more or a chore than fun to review them all. It's so nice to see how we all approach blogging in different ways. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletehttps://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2025/02/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-books-ive-never.html
I do try to review the books I love and share my thoughts on those. But I don't love summarizing books or categorizing why they're good or bad, so that's another reason I don't try to review every book I read.
DeleteGood point about long reviews, many people don't read these anymore. Including myself LOL. However I'm a yapper, so I can't seem to stick to a short one.
ReplyDeleteI find it more easy to write a 3-star review than a 5-star one LOL.
My TTT: https://laurieisreading.com/2025/02/18/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-never-reviewed-on-this-blog/
I sometimes wish I found it easier to write longer about certain books. I just don't have that skill or inkling. But I enjoy reading the reviews of people who do it better than me. :D
DeleteThese are all very good reasons not to review a book. I overthink everything, so I can relate. LOL I ended up going the direction I did just so I could get something down for the books because I've stressing about not reviewing them. The ideal for me is to review every book I read, but that's not realistic. And the last few years have been especially tough. When I get behind, I get overwhelmed and then I have trouble moving forward with reviews of books I just finished too. That and not having time, and many of the reasons you mention here.
ReplyDeleteI love reading your reviews, whether in haiku format or a more traditional format or whether you just mention a book in passing.
It's awful to start feeling overwhelmed like that. Especially when you're funning short on time. I think that's another reason I started doing shorter reviews and haikus. They make it easier for me to write about the books I did really like.
DeleteWhat a great list! And your thoughts apply to a lot of the books that I've not reviewed as well. You can mark me down as another 'overthinker' - I've tried to rein that in - sometimes more successful than other times. LOL
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only overthinker out here. It's something I try not to do, but it's a struggle. :D
DeleteI tend to write some kind of review for every book I read on Goodreads, but those reviews may be as simple as "Great read!" or "It was ok, nothing great" or "It was a DNF for me." Others get full posts on my blog, and I'll often copy the review from my blog to Goodreads.
ReplyDeleteOccasionaly, when I'm stumped for what to write for a longer review, I'll look at ratings that are vastly different from mine and give my feedback based on their ratings.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/favorite-mysteries-i-read-in-2024/
I tend to write the same phrases over and over in my reviews...which I don't like. So I've been trying to be more specific and not say "it was fun" all the time, but it's hard sometimes to think of other things to say.
DeleteI'm just the opposite: I review every book that I read on Goodreads and generally on my blog as well. It's a way of firming up my impression of the books and storing them in my memory.
ReplyDeleteWanting to remember more about the books I read is one of the main reasons I started blogging. Reviewing a book does help it stick in my memory...but I also don't love writing long reviews. So it's a catch 22 for me. ;D
DeleteI agree with all of your reasons! I don't like to post negative reviews. Not that I'm against someone doing that it's just that I don't want to spend the time on it. I will usually write a few lines on GRs on why I didn't connect with it. Time the biggest factor on why I don't write a review. If I didn't get it as an arc, where I'm required (for the most part) to write a review I probably won't write one. This is one of the reasons I don't request near as many books. To be honest, most of the arcs I get are from invites. I do list all the books I read on my Sunday Post so even if I didn't review them people get to see them and my rating and maybe a few words. I had a hard time with this week's topic, as well. I was thinking that I'd list some 5 star books I didn't review and in the end I was working a puzzle while listening to an audiobook and I just didn't feel like working up a post, lol! I love what you came up with. :)
ReplyDeleteI like that idea of writing why you didn't connect with a book. That's a good way to handle a book you don't end up loving. I'll have to remember that. :D
DeleteThe last reason is one that I struggle with. I often post reviews later than I planned because I can't give the book justice. All of these are great reasons not to review a book.
ReplyDeleteI really wish I was more eloquent at summing up why a book impacted me or why I loved it...but words fail. ;D
DeleteYes to all of these! I used to force myself to write an in-depth review on my blog for every book I read. That got to be very overwhelming and stressful, so now I review everything I read on Goodreads—even if it's just a sentence or two—and I only write longer blog reviews when I feel like it (which hasn't been a lot lately). Although I do need to be more disciplined about posting blog reviews, for the most part, this method works really well for me. No more stress!
ReplyDeleteHappy TTT!
It is overwhelming and stressful sometimes to have to come up with another review or another post. I'm glad you found another way to talk and write about the books you're reading. :D
DeleteI totally understand all your reasons why you don't review every book. I try to, even if I didn't like the book. I feel it easier to compare whether I would like a book reviewed by someone else if they do both. But I usually mention that not every book is for everyone. And no, I don't write really long reviews every time, only rarely, I just give a glimpse of my feelings.
ReplyDeleteI like that you do that. Getting a glimpse of your feeling about a book often helps me know if it's one I want to read. :D
DeleteI often hear that, therefore I try to write at least a couple of lines.
DeleteI like your topic! I was going to do the TTT this week, and then decided it would be too much to work to figure out which books I read but didn't review. :) My reasons for not reviewing overlap with your for sure. 3-star books are hard -- the book might be fine, but I often find myself with nothing much to say about it. And sometimes I end up not reviewing "big" (as in bestselling) books, because (as you point out), I feel like everything to say about it has already been said.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one who finds both 3- and 5- star books sometimes hard to write about. :D
DeleteI could've written this list! Blogging should not be work but a platform for when you do have a thought you want to share.
ReplyDeleteExactly! and I'm trying to get better at doing that.
DeleteGreat list, and I do agree with all of these. Most of the time I won't review a book if it was really bad or I didn't finish it. Happy Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteI didn't even think about the books I DNF. I never write about those, though I do keep a list...mostly so I won't accidentally check them out again. ;D
DeleteYes to ALL of these!! I do try to review, even a quick review, for each book I read. Same for DNFs, I try to at least list them on Goodreads so I remember I tried the book and don't pick it up again.
ReplyDeleteI try to keep a list of DNFs, too, because I have checked out books again that I never managed to read the first time around. ;D
DeleteYes! I used to write really long reviews, but very few people read them, so it started to feel like a waste of time.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason to stick with shorter reviews! ;D
DeleteYou read so many books and quickly too that I can imagine having a feeling not to review each one #6. I think I don't like to review books that I disliked which is rare anyways but commenting negatively about a book is not too enjoyable. #3.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't want to take time thinking or writing about a book I didn't like. Life is too short.
DeleteThese reasons are wonderful! I tend to feel like I should write reviews for every book I read, but I'm rethinking this notion after reading your post.
ReplyDeleteWhen you feel like you have to do something, or 'should' do it, then it becomes a chore. And blogging should be fun.
Delete