The main distinction I want to make is in audience. I’m glad you are a “veteran” book reviewer and that you enjoy it. But I think book blogging is a different ball game. You say “anyone interested in becoming a seriously regarded reviewer must remain open to requesting and receiving ARCs.” I am not in that category and I don’t think most book bloggers are. We blog because we like to read and we want to share what we like with other readers like ourselves.

Further, you say “in fact, it is better to say nothing than to say something hurtful about a book” and I would say that is not correct in the blogging world. As some others commented earlier on this post, no one will trust a personal book blogger if the blogger isn’t completely honest about what he or she reads. If a book is trash or even if I just don’t like it, I will tell the world what I think! I don’t care what the publisher thinks of me. I don’t care if they send me another ARC since I don’t care if they send me one in the first place.

I agree when you said, “After all, readers of reviews are looking for well-reasoned advice about good books, so the reviewer/blogger, if interested in a reputation for honesty and good judgment, will only speak about good books.” Yes! I look for reviews of good books. I want to read good books, and I hope what I read is good so I can write a positive review of it. And I don’t intend to review everything I read. But I want to know what others are reading; if a book that I may want to read receives negative reviews in the “blogging world”, then I will avoid it. My goal in starting a book blog in the first place is to be more discriminating of what I pick up.

I read for myself, and I journal about it because I want other readers, like me, to hear what I have to say. It’s nice of publishers to distribute ARCs, but my thought is that as book bloggers we really should hesitate to do so: we should read for ourselves first and foremost. If reading the ARC fits that, then why not? Otherwise, forget it.

Publishing reviews for print is completely different. I read those reviews (sometimes) too and I enjoy the less biased perspective of “experts” in the field.

I’d be interested to see your blog. Come back and leave another comment when it’s up and running and I’ll come visit!

Blogging hasn’t really changed my personal reading habits much, but reading other blogs has familiarized me with many, many books I would not have even heard of otherwise. Even if I don’t choose to read them myself, I have recommended books to others based on reviews from bloggers.

Lezlie

I’m totally honest in my review of ARCs/review copies-otherwise I’d feel like I was ‘betraying’ my readers. I’m much more attached to them than to an author or publisher!

As to whether blogging has changed my reading habits, it definitely has, but more in that it’s encouraged me to lead a more examined reading life. Does that make sense?

Jessica, I realize if I cut myself off from all new authors, I won’t be very open, so I’m glad there are others reading ARCs and letting me know what’s out there. Thanks for your comment.

Christina, Wow! I’m surprised. You’d think authors who are published would be able to take accurate criticism, especially if they are sending books to you!

I’ve been offered a couple of ARCs. I accepted two. One of them I hated and said as much. I was left a nasty comment on blog by an “anonymous” person and sent a nasty email from the person who offered me the book. The second one I couldn’t get past the first chapter no matter how hard I tried so I sent the book back on my own dime. Needless to say, I’m very hesitant of accepting ARCs.

I think they are so intriguing because (a) they’re free, (b) it’s cool to read a book before it’s realized, and (c) it makes me feel like people actually listen and pay attention to my blog.

As for ARCs, I try to be selective, but open. Though I don’t always want to read an ARC, I like to do it to help new authors.

Amanda, I think my problem is similar to yours: I “rarely like modern writing.” I’ve found myself turning to classics more often since I started blogging to!

Natasha, I think you’re right that we have to be honest to be credible. And yes, not having time to read them all would make ARCs not fun anymore. I haven’t read them, but that’s a reason I plan on saying no.

Amy, I’m glad ARCs have mystique in your mind….I guess working at the publisher killed that for me! I like how you point out that reading ARCs opens your reading options, that you may not have found it otherwise. I’ll have to keep that in mind.

Ann Darton (Table Talk), That’s exactly why I’m hesitant to accept ARCs: fear they’d take over my reading. I’m glad I’m not the only one with that thought.

Myrthe, I guess that’s the key: only requesting books that interest you!

Susan, exactly my thought: if I’d get to reading it anyway, I would want to read it on my time table.

Heather Johnson, I’m noticing my order changing too, and that is reminding me that I told myself I wouldn’t join any challenges! (I did….) There are bonuses and negatives to challenges, huh.

Lisa, Glad I’m not the only one!

Chain Reader, I like reading others reviews of ARCs too! I just don’t really want to do it. You’re right, book bloggers probably shouldn’t try to conform to a schedule. We should read what we were going to read.

Alessandra, I’m glad the book made it.

Kathy, I don’t know how they found my site! If you are interested, I’d say make sure your email is prominent on your site and maybe leave a note that you’re interested in ARCs. I don’t know how they find people, but they must work through those they already have and click on links? So get involved in the book blogging community…

Receiving a free book always makes me happy. Sometimes it’s books I wouldn’t normally have considered, but I end up liking them anyway, and this makes me think that maybe I should expand my horizons and consider books from different genres.

I read more, pay more attention to what I’m reading, and think of what to include in my review as I read. And that’s ok with me.

My TBR pile still grows in the same way, but I’m adding more because I’m hearing about more books. Again, ok.

But what I don’t like is the ORDER in which I’m reading books. I joined several challenges and this made me rearrange my list of books to read. Once I’m done with these challenges, I’m going on hiatus so I read WHATEVER I want!

As for ARCs, I am choosy about which I accept. It’s fun to be the first to rave about a book, and the chance to interact with the author is exciting to me (provided that I like the book). I AM honest in my reviews, although I felt bad about that at first. Now I’m upfront about this with the author/publisher/etc. before I agree to read the book.

That said, one of the review copies I received in July (an unrequested one at that) is going to be on my end-of-the-year best books list. Would I have stumbled upon it eventually at the library? Only time will tell, but it came to me in the mail at the exact right time and for that I’m grateful.

It is very difficult not to be too drawn into others’ enthusiasms and stick with your own original plans and whims. I remind myself I already have 500 plus unread books around the house, but sometimes that doesn’t work. Okay, it usually doesn’t work. But as long as I’m reading what I want to be reading I’m usually happy.

Besides, I only accept offers for books that really do interest me, so most of the emails I get, go unanswered anyway. I don’t want the pressure of having to read and review books I might not be interested in. The books I accept for reviewing are mostly those books that I would at least notice and pick up for a closer look/read while browsing in a bookstore. They might not necessarily be books I’d end up buying, but they’d somehow pique my interest.

I used to get regular emails from one publisher, but as soon as I replied to two of them saying I was interested in reviewing these two books and mentioning that I live overseas, I was apparently struck off the emaillist and I haven’t received anything from them since.

Basically, the same goes for entering drawings: I only enter drawings when I am interested in the book. Also, unless it is mentioned explicitly that the drawing is open to anyone anywhere, I always mention that I live in Europe and if that is a problem, it’s okay if they don’t enter me. No hard feelings from my side at all.

Free books are a nice side-effect of bookblogging for me, nothing more, nothing less.

By accepting books for review I wouldn’t have bought on my own, I’ve really expanded my reading horizons. On the other hand, I sometimes feel stressed out over how much I have to do!

I review for two blogs as well, which makes me feel like I’m going crazy sometimes…but enough to get me to stop1!

As far as ARC’s go, I don’t even respond to about half of the request’s I receive. While free books are a bonus, like you, I won’t take just any free book. I only respond if it sounds interesting, I’ve heard of it, and is in a genre I read, or has a great cover. Plus, I don’t have time to say yes to all requests. It just wouldn’t be fun anymore. I get a lot of requests for chick lit, mysteries, and thrillers all of which I don’t read. Just the other day, I opened up the mail to find a book that I wish I hadn’t said yes to and I hadn’t even opened the cover yet. I should have looked into it a bit more.

I’ve been thinking about adding a review policy to my contact me page. I think that it would help out a lot! Another thing to add to my to do list.

It’s kind of cool to get singled out like that, though. Congrats!