The Book Wheel

Books, Politics, & More

  • Genres
    • Sortable Archive
      • Reviews by Author
      • Reviews by Genre
      • Reviews by Title
    • #30Authors
      • #30Authors Reviews
      • Lineup
    • Fiction
      • Historical Fiction
      • Mystery/Thriller
    • Non-Fiction
      • Biography
      • Economic
      • Memoir
      • Science/Tech/Psychology
      • True Crime
    • Political
    • More Options
      • 1001 List
      • Classics
      • Diverse
  • Book Club Picks
  • Lists
  • Other
    • Blogging
    • Career
    • Discussions
    • Lifestyle
    • Productivity
  • About
    • Accolades
    • Advertising
    • Policies
    • Resources
      • Authors
      • Contributors
    • What is a ‘Book Wheel’?

Does Book Blogging Make You Pick Better Books?

June 29, 2013 by Allison Hiltz 44 Comments

Book Blogging - Better Books

I’ve always been a book nerd. I started reading at three, barreled through Charlotte’s Web in a day when I was 6 (my first marathon reading experience), and never stopped. I won’t lie – I’m not proud of all of the phases I have gone through. I read (and enjoyed) all of the Twilights, was hooked on Nora Roberts for a solid few years, and read so much chick lit that I still have unrealistic expectation of my husband (or so he tells me).

And then I started blogging. Over the past year, I have have many little ‘epiphanies’ about how book blogging has changed my life. I have met some fantastic people, attend more author events, have stepped out of my comfort genres more often, and have tackled some classics I wouldn’t have otherwise read. But the one thing that I’ve noticed is that I pick better books.

Granted, my to-read list is a mile long and I’m on a self-imposed NetGalley ban (not that I adhere to it), but the quality of my list is a lot better than it was PB (pre-blogging). Even when I spend an hour trying to decide which book to read next, I know that it will be a good one. One would think this is a good problem to have, right? I’m not so sure.

Yes, I am picking better books. Yes, I am reading more “sociable” books that other people are reading and can have better discussions. And yes, I am honing my ability to know from the get go whether or not a book’s writing style is for me (for example, I know anything written in Precious-form is a no-no for me).

images-22The downside is that I have been giving out a ton of 4 star reviews. I’m still stingy with my 5’s, but I’m rarely giving 3’s. Whereas I used to have a mixed bag of star ratings, I find that while I’m picking better books, I haven’t quite figured out how to rate them on that scale. But then again, maybe I don’t need to. Just because I’m picking out better books doesn’t mean that the author should lose a star because there’s was only almost as good as the last great book I read. Of course, then I revert back to the whole argument that I should be choosing my ratings based on my own experiences, not the general public’s.

So my question to my fellow book bloggers is this:

Do you think that blogging has made you pick better book?

Have you altered your rating systems? Why or why not?

Related Posts

  • Star Books
Guest post: American Santa Claus vs. Dutch Sinterklaas
5 Unfunny “Comedies”: Movie Edition
8 Ways A Book Cover Will Turn Me Off
boost traffic
8 Simple Ways to Boost Your Traffic
Let’s Eat! 6 Delicious Food Books

Filed Under: Discussions

Email Newsletter

Sign up to get new reviews in your inbox the day they go live.

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter

Upcoming Reviews

Allison's books

Searching for Sylvie Lee
Searching for Sylvie Lee
by Jean Kwok
A Woman Is No Man
A Woman Is No Man
by Etaf Rum
The Leavers
The Leavers
by Lisa Ko

goodreads.com

Trending Now

‘The Blind Assassin’ is Brilliant (Book Review)

‘Secret Rooms’ is an Exposé of the Wealthy (Book Review)

Curious by Ian Leslie (Book Review)

Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer (Book Review)

“The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America” by Erik Larson

The Hired Man by Aminatta Forna (Book Review)

‘City of Thieves’ is Captivating

Content may not be reposted in full or without permission. This site includes affiliate links.

Copyright © 2021 · Magazine Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in