I never intended for this to be a book blog. It’s not, but books are a big part of my life and when one gets me particularly riled up in a positive or negative way, I come here to express my thoughts.
Some time back, an author called me out, claiming I do not know how to write a review and only offered my opinion instead. I could, I suppose, reiterate the blurb, name the main characters and identify the major and minor conflicts as well as address the author’s technical execution. But here’s why I don’t review that way: If you can read this sentence, you are perfectly capable of reading the publisher supplied blurb. I don’t wish to insult your intelligence by repeating the same thing.
My reviews are unabashedly my opinion. I will let you know if I liked the book or not. But I will also, to the best of my ability, place the book in its larger context. When I studied history, I wrote a lot of book reviews and historiographic essays. I incorporate that experience to my reading and reviews now. Books do not exist in a vacuum. There are only so many ideas and so many plots out there. I consider how the book stands in relationship to others when I offer my reviews. If I’m not comfortable with a genre, I won’t review a book in it. Some exceptions may be found in “The January Project” my made up thing to give books reviews.
So far, I review books found “in the wild.” They are book I have bought new or secondhand because the topic appealed or ones I’ve found at the library. I mostly review and post on Goodreads and my reviews have gotten shorter through the years, although if I read one with less than 50 reviews, I try to include a thoughtful review. I know how hard it is for a book lacking reviews to be seen or to gain traction.
If some author out there is really desperate for me to read their book, contact me through this site.
Lyra's Musings 