For What It's Worth


Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Tell Me Something Tuesday


Tell Me Something Tuesday is hosted by Rainy Day Ramblings and discusses a wide range of topics from books to blogging.

Question: Does your reviewing style change depending on the book?

I have no *style* when it comes to my reviews (and it probably shows lol). I’m pure emotion and I can range from OMG squealing, or very rigid with a breakdown of characters, plot etc, or just a few quick thoughts that sum up everything.


via GIPHY

It’s really just whatever hits me at the moment and if I feel like I have anything to say.

A lot of that came from HAVING to review books and it becoming a drain on the process. So, it became more homework than love of sharing my thoughts.


via GIPHY

I’m hoping to get back to the latter, since I rarely request books anymore.

My minis are just thoughts with a link to the book for more background but I try to summarize the plot and then my thoughts (pro and con) if I write longer reviews.

Ironically, reviews for books I LOVE are often the hardest for me to write and are either a hot mess of rambling or I do a mini review to try to reign in my thoughts.

 And books I don’t like come fairly easily. Which is interesting….

Do you have a review style and does it change depending on the book you review?

27 comments:

  1. By setting expectations on reviewing (format must be this, length must be this, etc), it becomes a chore. My reviews depend on my emotions as well. I might be super concise if I have nothing to say, or long-winded and rambly if I have a rant or a rave.

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    1. Yeah, I think we're pretty similar - no one knows what they'll get lol

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  2. Omg books that I love are SO hard to review, sometimes I am a crazy mess :D But it does show when you love a book

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    1. In some ways I think that's good in our cases. We don't LOVE many books so when we do the rambling can be forgiven lol

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  3. I do agree that the books I love can often be really hard for me to review. It's because there were so many wonderful things and I just want to make sure I do it justice. But yeah, I don't have a format, per se and like to switch it up to keep things interesting.

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    1. I also find it really hard not to spoil things when I totally in love with a book.

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  4. I am the same way, I have some system in how I write reviews but if I am raving about a book most times I am ALL over the place with it.

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    1. I have point sI try to hit but otherwise it's whatever pours out of me on that day lol

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  5. I don't have a style to my reviews or at least not one I'm aware of. I either do full or mini reviews and just write what I think. I don't make it any more complicated than that!

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    1. Same. When I try to do it a certain way I get reviewer block.

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  6. I like to think that my review style is pretty consistent, but this would be a fun question to pose to those who read my reviews.

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    1. A few people on various blogs mentioned posing the question to their followers which would fun!

      We might think we're doing one think but it may be received differently.

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  7. I think it definitely depends on the book for me. And the mood, and the urgency of which the review must be posted, etc. I am pretty much a mess of a person, and ill-prepared to do much of anything, so usually however it starts randomly coming out is sort of what I end up with! So I'd say it definitely varies by book!

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    1. That's how I am. I have to feel something to have anything to say so it varies.

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  8. My reviewing style doesn't change for the book. Mostly it's just how I'm feeling when I sit down to write the review. Although I will say if I love a book I'm more likely to take the time to write a longer, more in depth review. A book that was just good or okay will probably just get a mini-review or paragraph wrapping up my feelings.

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    1. See, I have a really hard time with the love reviews so sometimes I just keep them shorter lol

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  9. First off, I love these gifs. And I tend to review most books the same way. I do more mini reviews and round-up type of posts these days though, so those are definitely a lot shorter and more quick feelings and thoughts. I like to switch it up here and there sometimes though!

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. I do more minis now just because I haven't felt the urge to review and it's just easier to wrap up what I've been reading all at once.

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  10. I think my reviewing style is pretty much the same for each book.

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    1. It's funny how everyone has their own style and method that works for them. And that's really all that matters!

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  11. I think the only thing that changes for me is the length of my reviews. It mostly depends on how many different things I loved about the book or how many different issues I had with it. And on potential spoilers of course! So, it may happen that a book I adored gets a shorter review than one I had reservations about or plain hated.

    You may have no style but your reviews are always a joy to read, because they have that human touch.

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  12. Interesting question.

    I don't think it so much depends on the book but every now and then I do find myself trying a little something different when it comes to sharing my thoughts on books.

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  13. I am the EXACT same way. I'm less emotional than when I first started blogging (but I mean, I was 15, so that kind of goes without saying, haha) and I'm more... articulate (?) with my words so they make more sense, but it really just depends on my mood. I'm a firm believer that I shouldn't force myself to write more than what I feel I should write - otherwise, I'm just repeating myself over and over again when it's not necessary. I think it makes it more interesting for me and less of feeling like reviewing is a chore that way because I feel I have the creative freedom rather than confining myself.

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  14. It's been years since I reviewed a novel, but for the most part they stayed consistent. The only time it changed is when I had to write reviews for 3-4 books at the same time. I think I just tried to get them all done(lol) Hope you're doing well! Hugs, RO

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  15. I'm a little late getting to the TMST post this week. I 100% agree that books I love are hardest to review. I think because I experience a book through how it makes me feel. So how do I express something which makes me feel so much - I just want to say IT IS AWESOME - go read it now!

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  16. I don't have any style when it comes to reviewing either. I write what I write and that's that, lol, thus a complete lack of consistency but meh. It's my blog, lol.

    I'm with you on reviews for books I loved being the hardest to write though... Those things kill me or consist mostly of incoherent fangirling... But at least the enthusiasm comes thorough? 🤣

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  17. I don't think I have different styles of reviewing, other than reviewing Nonfiction books by topic sections. And yes, books I love are always the hardest to review. I think it's because we don't want to forget anything. 👍✨

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