|DISCUSSION| The Conflicting Art of Reviewing

It would appear I have a talent for not being able to come up with clever titles.

And it has also come to a point in blogging where everything is making no sense to me. There isn't a issue with blogging itself, but rather how I go about reviewing my books on this blog. This is a problem that has been plaguing me for a while. You might have noticed a lack of reviews, a part of the reason is because I'm trying to work out a style that will not irritate me and will somewhat satisfy me so that I don't take hours typing up a review only to never post it. Another reason that Wake Up at Seven doesn't have as many reviews as it used to when all three of us were here is because, I must admit, I'm pure lazy and fail at this thing called book blogging. 

I sometimes do find myself reading through older reviews (never any of my really old reviews though because they scare me for obvious reasons) and feeling completely confused with myself. How could I hate something in one book and love it in the other? How come I thought this book was a certain way and everybody else seems to think it's the complete opposite? 

Or maybe it never did...

While I was reading my hideously written reviews, I started forming these arguments against what I was saying in my head. Then I started thinking, "If I could defend the opposite feelings in so many ways, how would my lovely dearest (no that is not my trying to flatter all of you wonderful people pshhh) readers react?" 

If you've ever wondered/asked yourself the following questions or had the following thoughts, you've probably had the same problem I had. 

• What if this book isn't moving at the pace of a turtle but instead the scenes I think are slow are necessary to everything? *runs around in panic mode* 

• WHOA HOLD UP. Why do I hate this so much while everyone seems to love this book? AM I READING THE SAME BOOK?! *tears book apart trying to figure out if it's a fake* P.S.: Please do not try this at home. Or anywhere. *holds books protectively* 

• Ughhh this book is so unrealistic. Nothing is making sense, nothing is explained, I don't understand any of this. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING.

But on the other side...

• Ughhh this book has wayyyy too slow and boring. All we get is pages of explanation and explanation. Do I look like I want to know how everything works? HAVEN'T YOU EVER HEARD OF MYSTERY? I might as well be reading realistic fiction and not dystopian. *grumbles*

• This main character is soo whiny. All she does is talk about her feelings and gets frustrated when things don't go her way. GROW UP. Life isn't fair, dear. 

Meanwhile...

*forgets that fact that most people do whine and get upset in reality when things don't go their way* 

• I want to write this quote everywhereeee because I love it. WAIT, what are you saying? IT IS NOT CHEESY. STOP. 

Maybe, just maybe something along the lines of this has happened to you: 

Me: This book was fantastic, and I adored it.

The Other Person: GOD no. Just no. This book is freaking terrible. 

Me:

I just really wanted to use this. I couldn't find one that says Twitter though. *cries*

Despite how it may seem at first, I've finally understood that all the feelings above are perfectly fine. When book bloggers post, they are posting their feelings. They are posting their reviews, they are not posting THE review that everybody will agree on. 

Some point along the way, I began forgetting the reason I began looking into blogging in the first place. I love each and every person who takes the time to read what I have to say, but I started blogging for precisely that reason. To be able to say what I want to say. And yes, maybe you don't agree with what I think but that is completely okay. In fact, I'm more than happy to engage in a conversation with someone who didn't like the book I loved, or vise versa. But it's important to remember that line of respect for other people's opinion, no matter what it is. Don't trample over it because you think yours is correct. 

What I feel might not be what you feel, and I think that's pretty damn awesome, especially when it comes to books. If what I don't like in a book, you like, I encourage you to look more into it. Because then I'll be super happy that I've help the right book connect with the right readers. 

And if I want to feel like a main character is whiny and don't care if it's realistic, then I will. And while I will, I don't always read books to feel like I'm living someone's normal life. Sometimes I just want something...not normal. And if you feel like a book is moving as fast as light while someone else feels like a turtle could beat the pacing in a race, that's fine. Those are your feelings, and you are entitled to express them in a way you deem fit. Because that's what most of us are doing in a review: expressing our feelings. Over-analyzing everything about my review wasn't working for me at all, so I learned to *cue song* just let it gooooo. 

If you feel hesitant on writing a review where you feel like the black sheep, then I would recommend reading few reviews of books you're looking forward to so that you don't feel to heavily influenced to feel one way and then feel conflicted if you don't. 

No matter what opinion on a book you have, a positive one is equally as important as a negative one. I have participated in and seen so many fun arguments for different opinions on books that really showcase passion for reading. These conversations are possible because we can respect other people's opinions, even if we don't agree with them. 

The most important thing I've learned is to write my reviews in a way that represents my feelings. Before anything else, write them for me and don't be afraid to say whatever the hell I want to say. But of course, I will always love all of my wonderful readers forever. *throws chocolate hearts around* 

Have you ever felt hesitant to post a review because you don't know how people would respond? 

~♥~

Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com

Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx