Thank you Angela for asking us another wonderful question!
Angela: This question is for all the reviewers:
Do you read a book differently if you are reading it for a review on Love Bytes than when you are reading a book just for your pleasure and not for a review? If so wich reading do you prefer?
Chris:
Yes, absolutely, when reading for review my mindset is completely different than when reading just for the pleasure of it. For one, if I’m not feeling a book I’m just reading for fun I feel completely justified in walking away from it for a day, week (…year) until I am. Can’t exactly do that when I am reviewing. But also just on a more basic level, when I go into a book I’m reviewing my mind is dissecting the book from the start. The relationship, the writing, the themes, the overall feeling the books gives…all of it is running thru my mind as I read. I’m comparing it to other books the author has written, to other books in the genre. Does the cover match the tone of the story? Is the editing up to snuff? How do I feel about the pov it is written in, and do I think it works best for this story, or would something else have drawn me deeper into the book? All these things I have to ask myself–and I know I’m gonna ask myself–so I can’t really get away from them as I read. I’m also piecing together bits and pieces of my final review as I go. Sometimes just in my head, but other times I’ll make notes in my kindle. I’ll also pay attention to if I think there is a quote I come across that encompasses what I feel is the major theme, or tone, of the book. And while I might do some of that while reading just for the pleasure of it–habits die hard and all that–it is not nearly as prevalent. It is also the reason I have some series I absolutely love, but refuse to review for this blog (Jordan L. Hawk’s Whyborne and Griffin series, to name one). Not because I think they don’t deserve all the kudos, but because I have absolutely no desire to ruin the pure fun I get out of sinking into those stories without having my brain always running in the background. I don’t know if I prefer one experience over the other (I am at heart a guy who adores lists and spreadsheets and analyzing things to death–even as I love losing myself in a good story), but I will say there needs to be a balance of the two. And if all else fails, I can always go back and reread old review books just for fun.
Tammy:
I give the same consideration to every book I read. I love reading regardless if it’s for review purposes. It’s all for pleasure in the end because I’m reading.
Becca:
I read differently yes. I look for more when reading for a review such as the editing or how the grammar is. What another reader would look for and how they would see it. When I read for me I just read for fun
Pizzygirl:
Absolutely. When reading for Love Bytes, I need to read slowly and critically as well as for enjoyment. I need to focus on the craft as well as the story. When I read for myself, I tend to read a bit faster and only focus on how the story makes me feel. I like both methods really, but need some personal reading time to break the stress or the reviewers block. It’s how I decompress.
Sarina:
While it can be a bit of an easier read if I’m just reading for myself, I find I still catalogue the books the same way. Check, at this point I find myself mentally adding tags whether the book needs it or not. Lol
Cindy:
I think I only know how to read one way. I either get completely swept away by the story or I can’t get into it at all. If it is a book I’m supposed to review, I will probably give it a few more chances before giving up, but in the end, I need to be caught in the story, no matter what it’s for, or I won’t be able to finish it.
Donna:
I’m not going to lie, I much prefer reading for pleasure rather than for reviewing. When I’m reading a review book I’m constantly highlighting and concentrating on details rather than kicking back and relaxing.
Roberta:
For me…I just read the book. The process starts for me when I start my review. That’s when I really start to put my thoughts in order for my review so that they make sense…kinda…at least to me. I am of the belief that if i just try to read for review…then it makes it work and not fun…i read for pleasure and then review…it works for me.
Marieke:
Very differently. If I read for a review I read way more critically and try to remember everything that’s either good or bad about certain parts. If I read for fun, I try to enjoy the story and forget little plot holes or typos. You can’t do that with a review book. It’s harder to really get into the story when you have to also focus on the other stuff, so it takes more energy (for me) to review than read for pleasure.
Jen B:
When I read for pleasure, I tend to relax and just enjoy the story. Reading to review is a little less pleasure-y in that I try to pay more attention to details and am always thinking about what I need to remember to put in my reviews. I like reading for pleasure, but the perks that come with reviewing are too enticing to ignore. 😀
Dani(elle):
I think pleasure is always a preference as it is whatever you feel like reading no pressure no time limit not anything. for reviewing I will read differently because you know you need to have a review for the book that has meaning and makes sense. Where for my pleasure I can just say gosh I loved that book and that will be sufficient 😀
For a chance to win a $5 store credit donated by JMS Books leave us a comment to let us know what you tought about the answers 🙂
All of these answers were so insightful.
Since I’ve starting writing reviews (for Goodreads and Amazon) for all the books I read, I try to notice anything I can that will help future readers. I’ve always noticed grammatical and editing errors…after being the designated proofreader on an elementary campus I think it’s just part of me now. I’m always highlighting errors in books and notifying Amazon of them. I often wonder if there really is someone out there checking these reports to see if they really do correct them. 😉
I’ve recently been asked to be a beta reader by an author and have just started my first book. I don’t find myself reading any differently but am reading for everything I’ve always done. I hope the author lets me know how I’ve done when I finish!
I can see how it must be different to read for review and pleasure. As a reader of blog reviews, I want to know what worked well or not so appreciate the effort you guys put in
Interesting to see all the different responses. I guess it’s less pressure reading for pleasure than to review. It just shows how much effort and concentration you put into it.
I’d imagine you’d have to be more analytical in a review situation…
This was a fascinating glimpse into the reviewer mindsets. I’ve wondered how you manage to read for pleasure and also analyze, and I see now that you’re not really allowed to do both equally while reviewing. Well, very few seem to pull it off. It definitely gives me a greater appreciation for all of you. I wouldn’t want to give up my reading for pleasure unless it was for a critical study of something besides romance. I can talk about certain aspects after reading but I’m kind of hopeless at the details, which is why I’m pretty rubbish at leaving reviews.
They were all pretty great!!
Thank you for the question and for the answers. I guess it is different reading for pleasure or for reviewing. When you read for pleasure you can just say that you liked the book. You don’t have to go in detail. Therefore I very much appreciate all the efforts that goes into your reviews.
Thanks for these interesting answers!
Thanks for the interesting answers. Some surprised me, b/c I expected everyone to say it’s a different read depending on purpose. That’s true for me (such as sometimes I do beta reads and I watch things more closely).
That was a really great question and some really good answers as well. It is something I never thought about, but it is true that I read a book differently when I’m acting as beta reader so…
I definitely have different mindset when I am reading for ARC reviews and pleasure. Which is probably why I don’t do ARC reviews very often because it can be a bit exhausting *lol*
Thank you all for answering my question. I really enjoyed reading your answers and i can totally understand that reading for a review takes a different look at the book than reading for your own enjoyement would.
Another great question and hadn’t realised that reading for reviewer has to be different than when you are reading a book for pleasure.
I would agree that reading strictly for a review (ie for a site like NetGalley) vs reading only for my own pleasure is different because there’s more pressure to remember details when reading for a review.
I agree, I take notes if I am going to write a review, so it takes a little longer to read if I’m not just reading for pleasure. Thanks for all of the great answers.