One thing I think we feel as book bloggers is pressure to review each book we read. I’m not counting star ratings, as we typically just do that automatically on Goodreads or Storygraph, but the reviews we take time to write out for others to read. I mean, that’s probably the reason we started our blogs in the first place, right? To write reviews.
However, I think we put too much pressure on ourselves to review every single book that we read, which is okay for a while, but it eventually becomes too much and we burn out. Personally, I read anywhere from 5-10 books a month, and I’m assuming I’m not the only one, so to review that many books a month while also doing this life thing (work, actually reading, family stuff, etc.)… that’s kind of a lot to add to our plates. So when it comes to book blogging, should we really review every book we read, or just keep it to the ones we liked the most and any ARCs we receive?
On one of my older blogs from about ten years ago, I made sure to review everything I read (and watched because it wasn’t strictly books at the time). But I also had a lot more free time on my hands, plus I wasn’t reading as much as I do now since I was in college at the time. Even so, I ended up burning out and that blog no longer exists because there was too much pressure to keep up with it. That’s one rule I made for myself when I started Genie in a Novel was to not pressure myself about posting reviews all of the time, and it’s worked so far.
So when it comes to reviewing books that I read, I don’t pressure myself to review each and every one. I would say that I review probably 85-90% of what I read anyway because I do enjoy sharing my thoughts on the books I read, but there are just some that I don’t feel like reviewing. I obviously don’t review anything I reread, unless I haven’t done a review for it already, and I also don’t typically review manga or classics. I just have a hard time reviewing classics for some reason, and when it comes to manga, some of them have so many volumes and it’s weird (for me) to review each one. After all, a lot of manga end mid-story, so it’s hard to review only a part of the whole story. I’d rather do a full series review when it comes to manga.
Another thing is that I think if you pressure yourself to review every book you read, it can sometimes take the fun out of reading. You start thinking about the points you want to make and quotes you want to share in your review before you’re even done reading. I typically just read and enjoy the book, then either the next day or a few days later, I’ll write my review. And if for some reason I don’t, then I don’t. The last thing I want to do is take my joy out of reading because I want to keep up with posting on my blog and make sure everyone knows my opinion of a book.
Now, the question goes out to you. Do you think book bloggers should review every book that they read? Are you choosy about what you review or don’t review? Discuss in the comments!
Genie in a Novel 
Interesting topic. I’m not a blogger, and I’m new to Goodreads, so I don’t write reviews. But if I like a book I’ve read, I’ll be sure to tell people about it or if it’s a library book I’ll leave a note inside with a mini-review.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great discussion. I personally review every book I read but I also have nothing but time on my hands since I am a stay at home wife. I will say that sometimes it takes me a while to actually post my reviews after I’ve finished the book. Reviews are actually my least favorite things to write but I like sharing my thoughts on books. If I tried to share reviews immediately after finishing them I think I wouldn’t like it as much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I get that. Sometimes I need a few days to process my thoughts on a book before I can write about it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I review a majority of the books that I read, but like you I don’t review Manga. I’m new to the genre so I wanted to take time and familiarize myself with it. I also don’t review any audiobooks I listen to. Even though I absorb the story I have a harder time reviewing them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think that might be why I don’t review it either. I’m definitely still new to it, even after two years, and it’s just not easy when some of the series go on forever. Audiobooks are interesting, but I don’t listen to enough. I have reviewed the few I’ve listened to in the past… and by few I mean two 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
this is a great discussion point!! I don’t write reviews for all the books I read either – especially because sometimes I don’t have much to say about the book
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah it’s hard when you don’t hVe much to say. I never do about classics (except for Gone With the Wind 😅).
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t have a blog, but I think bloggers should review what they want/feel like. If they’re not up to writing about a book, then they shouldn’t force themselves to. If I start one I’d do it that way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I used to not really review anything I read, but then I’d start ranting about books. I’ve run into a few books I’ve read that decided not to review, though I couldn’t really pinpoint what made me not review the books. I do have some series I’m in the middle of reading that I’ve decided not to review, but only because I didn’t review the first few that I’d read and I thought it’d be silly if I suddenly put out a review for books later in the series. I also won’t review nonfiction books, mainly because if I’m reading it, it’s something for me and I’ve got personal things I learn and take from those books that I don’t think needs to be shared around the internet.
LikeLiked by 1 person