Discussion Post: Am I Becoming a Mood Reader?

Hi Friends,

Welcome to another installment of My Thoughts Figuratively where I wax philisophically about things relating to reading and blogging. I used to do try and do discussion posts monthly and this is actually the second month in a row that I have posted one. Maybe I am actually going to be able to do that moving forward. But lately I have been thinking  a lot about my reading and I wanted to talk about here to get my thoughts out and see if you all have experienced it.

If you have been a longtime reader of the blog you know that I used to do monthly themes where I would read a bunch of books based on certain topic. It could have been a genre like historical fiction or high fantasy, or something more specific like pirates of "island adventures." I really liked the structure and being able to explore certain types of books in depth. But as time went on I wasn't able to think of ideas anymore and the themes stayed the same. Plus as I started to read more it became harder to predict what I was going to read each month and stick to a specific theme. Over time I slowly dropped the theme and just decided to read what I wanted every month.

But reading what I wanted in any given moment was easier then it looked. So instead of knowing exactly what I was going to read next I was faced with crippling indecision on what book to pick up after I finished one. I mean, I had a general idea of what I was hoping to read for the month based what new books were coming out and what books I had review copies of, but in general I didn't have a plan. And when I don't have a plan I tend to get overwhelmed and give up. Call it anxiety or whatever else but it made deciding what to read next a tough choice. So in those cases I have taken to Twitter and let my followers make the decision for me. It's sometimes easier when someone else tells you what to do.

So for a few months everything has been working out. I've been getting tons of reading done and there hasn't been much of a struggle deciding what to read next. Then suddenly, I feel like I've hit a wall. I feel like I have been getting burned out from fantasy, one of my favorite genres. When I do read fantasies, the ones that I have read haven't really been impressing me.And yes, that could just be the nature of the book but it felt like more than that. So I decided maybe I should take a break from fantasy, refresh myself a little bit before the winter when I know some highly anticipated books are coming out.

Then Wednesday night, as I'm deciding what to read next I asked myself what I was in the mood for. And that's when I realized that I have been asking myself what I am in the mood to read. A question I have never really thought about. I know that a lot of people are mood readers. It's a thing you hear all the time in the blogoshere "I'm a mood reader so I'm not interested in that right now." And I honestly never understood that. If a new book that you were really excited to read just came out, how are you not in the mood for it?

But now I think I get it. The type of book you are interested in reading can really shape your opinion of it. Often reading is just an expression of your feelings at the time of your reading it. How many times have you reread something that you loved only to be shocked at how not good it was? Don't lie to me, we all know you liked Twilight 10 years ago. I guess that's what mood reading is. Being in the mood for something can make you love it, and not being in the mood can make you not enjoy it. The fact that I am now in that boat completely changes the way I decide what to read next and honestly I am not sure how to proceed.

Are you a mood reader or can you set a TBR for the month? If you are a mood reader then let me know how you decide what to read next? HELP ME! Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Discussion Post: Do You Need to Read the Book Before Seeing the Movie?

Hi everyone. Wow, it has been awhile since I did a discussion post, or as I like to call it, My Thoughts Figuratively. But I have been mulling over this topic for awhile now after discussing it with CJ from Sarcasm and Lemons on Twitter. And with the movie adaptation of The Hate U Give coming out on Friday and my need for a post for the week I thought it was a good time to talk about this subject.

Movie adaptations of books are not a new concept, it's been happening ever since the dawn of Hollywood I'm sure. But today it feels like every movie that comes out is based on some book or another. And you know what, I am completely cool with that. There are a lot of really awesome books that have made amazing movies and plenty of books I wish would be made into movies or TV shows. And as readers we all have a tendency to want to read the book first. But is that actually a good idea?

How many times has your favorite book been made into a movie and you were just didn't like the adaptation? You felt like the completely changed the source material and it wasn't even the same story. I never read The Shining because the book seriously traumatized me but I know Stephen King notoriously loathed the movie for this reason. It's definitely a risk when you turn the rights over to a story and lose creative control. It's also just a completely different medium. Not to mention you often have an idea in your head of what a character looks like or acts like and if the movie adaptation doesn't live up to that it can be frustrating.

But there are also some benefits to having You can't always do in a movie what you can in a book. Being in a characters head is difficult unless you have a voiceover and there is often a lot of backstory that has to be cut because there is limited time. I have watched a lot of movies and TV shows where I had to explain to my friend what was happening and what it meant for the larger story. If that person had read the book beforehand they wouldn't be in that situation. Not to mention as bloggers, and people in general, we have a tendency to want to say that we liked something before it was cool and before it was popular some

But there are also benefits to not having read the books beforehand. Sometimes movies change things for the better. In my group of friends I was the only one who had read To All the Boys I Loved Before before seeing the movie. We all loved it so I was finally able to convince my friends to read the book. And it's not that they didn't like it but they absolutely preferred the movie, mostly because Noah Centineo's Peter K is way more likable but there were other reasons to. And for me, I absolutely am glad I saw the Lord of the Rings movies before reading the books. Tolkein is great and all but if he could go ahead and shorten everything that would be great. I really didn't need 300 pages of people walking around Middle Earth. And who cares about Tom Bombadill?

But the ability for a book to expand on the movie is actually a benefit to me. If you watch the movie first and you love the story you have something more that gives you background, deeper characterization, and additional storylines to explore and fall into. If you read the book first then you see the movie it will always be a truncated version which will possibly annoy you.

There is no hard and fast rule about whether you should read the book before you see the movie and don't let anyone pressure you into it. If you want to wait and read the book first go ahead and do that. If you want to see the movie and then read the book you should feel like you can do that as well. I think ultimately it is up to you.

Speaking of up to you, what are your thoughts? Do you have to read the book before you go see a movie or can you watch the movie first? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Discussion Post: How Blogging Has Changed the Way I Read

Wow, it has been a long time since I did a discussion post. For awhile I was trying to do at least one a month but that fell apart pretty quickly. I can't remember the last time I did a discussion past. Although I can tell you one thing, I have not done one since 2017. So needless to say, it's about time I did another discussion post.

And t be honest, this post has been a long time coming. I have been thinking about how my reading has changed since blogging for awhile now. A lot of this too is influenced by conversations I have had with some fellow blogger. I think anyone who has been reviewing books for longer than a few years can't help but change things a little bit, it's natural. So here are some things I noticed when it comes to my reading.

1.) I am much more critical

When I read a book today I read it for a very specific purpose and that is reviewing the book. So when I am reading it I am looking for very specific things. Things like plot development, world-building, pacing, characterizations. Since I started blogging reading has become much more analytical. It's not just read and enjoy a book, it's purposeful and specific.

Now this in and of itself is not a bad thing. Being critical can be good sometimes. You definitely delve deeper into the book and it's less superficial which can absolutely be a god thing. But over time I think it has become a detriment. It's harder to please me sometimes. Like I can find a book totally brilliant and still be critical of it because of the pacing or characterizations. Blogging has taken away the grey area when it comes to reading. I'm looking for that perfect read and that means there are way more books that I think are good not great.

2.) I read way more books

Before I blogged I didn't really count how many books I read in a year but it was probably 2-4 books a month. Maybe 5 or 6 if I had a lot of free time. These days if I read 5 books in a month I feel like a complete failure. Most months I read about 10 books a month and in a good month that can be 15. I'm reading way faster and I'm reading way more.

This is definitely a good thing. More is more after all. The main reason I would say this is good is because I am able to tackle that TBR way easier these days. I just have to remind myself that if I had a slow month it doesn't mean I failed, I used to read only a few books a month and that's okay too.

3.) I am much more connected with the current releases

I think this is definitely a natural side effects of blogging. There's very much an association with the new and the current and the unreleased book. There is a lot of pressure to read the coolest most exciting book. I think part of this is a side effect of wanting to be up on the trends and to get people to read your blog by being the first to review that exciting release. But I also think it's just because we know about all the new releases. We are much more connected to the publishers and their latest releases. Gone are the days where you had to wait for books to show up in the bookstore before you learned about them.

This is another thing that is neither good or bad. I mean it can definitely seem negative to be follower of the trend and obsessed with the latest thing, but in my opinion as long as you don't take it to far and forget all about backlist books or the books who have been released a few months ago then I think you are doing okay. Just don't be a snob.

4.) I own way more books

Before I started blogging I had one three shelf bookshelf and it fit all the books I owned. It got a little full before I moved to Pittsburgh but after that I started blogging and the amount of books I owned exploded. I think this is a direct result of the previous one. Knowing about more upcoming releases and the latest books is going to mean that you want more books and if you are like most book blogger you lack self-control in this department and can't help but buy all the books. I mean you are all such enablers. You make me want to buy all the books.

This is another one that isn't intrinsically bad, but can definitely turn bad very easily. For one thing, it's very bad if you are buying books you cannot afford. I hope everyone is being responsible with their money and not using rent or grocery money on books. You need housing and food, for books you can go to the library. But also I think it's very easy to get out of control. You don't have to own every single book that was ever written. It is impossible to read all those books and if you are creating an insurmountable TBR I think that's a problem. But that's my opinion.

But these are all my opinions. My thoughts, if you will. What are your thoughts? How has your reading changed since you started blogging? Is it for the better or worse? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Discussion Post: Finding Time to Read and Blog

I know what you're thinking, "oh wow, a discussion post. How long has it been?" And honestly, I don't even know. I was trying to do at least one a month but I failed miserably at that goal and then at some point I just kind of gave up. It may have been around the time I moved and started a new job. But honestly I'm not even sure. It could have been way before that.

But this topic has been bouncing around in my head for months now, since about the time I moved and started a new job in fact. So I am finally taking the time to write this post so I can get this out of my head. And also to share with you all to see if you have any thoughts or tips for me.

This will probably come as no surprise but all of my problems on this subject started when I moved and got a new job. Did you know that I moved and got a new job? Anyway, I had a good system going for reading and blogging before. To be honest, I did a lot of blogging at work and I can't really do that anymore. My job is a lot more computer work so I can't do my blogging. I also can't listen to audiobooks like I used to because I have to listen to podcasts at work. Weird problem, I know. Finally, I don't take the bus to work anymore so I don't have time to read while I'm on the way to and from work.

Basically what this means is that the only time I have to read and blog are the few hours in the evening after I get home from work and before I go to bed. That's not a lot of time considering that I also have to make and eat dinner, and do other stuff like shower and such. Plus I now have a roommate so I can't really hide in my room and read like I used to. And I do have time on weekends to read but for some reason I never end up reading as much as I did before.

All of this has significantly reduced the amount of books I read in a month and that has reduced the amount of blog posts I have in a month. I used to be able to post five days a week and these days I am lucky if I can post three times. And I used to easily finish 12-15 books in a month and now I'm lucky if I can finish 10. I know this doesn't sound that bad but everything is relative and this feels like failure to me. Anything less than what used to be normal feels like I'm not doing my best. In my head I know I should feel bad about this because it's pretty good, but I can't help it.

But I am still plugging away. I listen to audiobooks when I drive to work and when I do stuff around the house, I read a little bit in the morning before I leave for work, I read on lunch, I spend my weekends doing nothing but reading. But I still wish I could read more. I know I used to not read at the level I did when I left Pittsburgh, and I just need to develop a new system but it's hard to get there and I want to be there now! Maybe in a year. We'll see.

So my question is, how do you get reading and blogging done? When do you find the time to read and blog? Do you have any tips that can help me get more read in a month and get more blogged in a month. Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Life Update: I Quit My Job and I'm Moving

Hi Everyone,
I hope you don't mind but I am taking a break from your regularly scheduled content to talk about something a little bit more personal. Yes, friends, this will not be a post about books. As the title leads you to believe, this is a post about my life. Although it does relate to books and blogging because it may cause a little bit of hiccups from the blog. I'm going to try and maintain my usual schedule but things are going to be very different for the next few weeks. Okay, let's dive right in...

1.) I Quit My Job (and got a new one)

For the past seven and a half years I have worked for a non-profit environmental organization. I don't often talk about my work here or on social media because honestly I just need a break from it. It's nice to have that work/life balance and the blogosphere has definitely helped me balance it all in the past four years that I have been more involved in it.

But the company I work for unites diverse communities to protect the environment and public health and make democracy work for all. I've been a community organizer in that doing a few different things including canvassing, event planning, and working with community groups to speak truth to power. It's a very thankless job. It's the kind of job that never really has a finish line. You just keep plugging away and moving the finish line. And after awhile the thing I liked most about the job became the thing that frustrated me. I felt like I was never going to win and that was just too hard after four years. After some personal struggles with my mental health this winter it became apparent that I needed to move on.

Enter a new opportunity. A friend of mine owns a start up called Interview Connections. It's a company that does online marketing and media with a specialization in podcasts and guest bookings. The company has been growing a lot in the past couple of years. Every time she is hiring she texts me and tells me I should come work for her. This time when she did I said tell me more. Well we talked more seriously and she ended up making a job just for me. I'll be doing the guest bookings, managing the staff, and planning training. I'm really excited for the new challenge and to work with my friend (and a few others who work for the company again).

2.) I'm Moving

Well part of why I had been reluctant in the past to work for my friend is that it would have meant moving. And like to a new apartment, no to three states away. But to be honest, I wanted to move but it was just too much work. So when I said yes I knew it required the move but I was ready for it.

For the past four years I have lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I never expected to be here that long. I assumed that this would just be a few year stop before I went somewhere else. But somewhere along the way I started enjoying Pittsburgh. It's a really cool place. It's not the old industrial Pittsburgh that it used to be. And like a lot of Rust Belt cities there is a lot of focus on revitalizing through science and technology. Plus there's great restaurants and a pretty active arts scene with plenty of festivals, museums, and theater. In the time I have lived here I have also met some amazing people. I joined a book club and made some good friends with the ladies there who also love YA. Special thanks to Michelle from Pink Polka Dot Books who introduced me to the book club and has become a good friend. Also in my time here, my brother and then girlfriend, now wife, moved here. They had a baby about six months ago and I am so in love with that little girl who is my goddaughter. Needless to say, I had a lot of reasons to stay.

And yet I am moving back to Rhode Island. Just after college I moved to Providence, Rhode Island to work for Americorps. One of the first things I heard when I moved there is Rhode Island grows on you. And it definitely grew on me. I lived for six years in Providence and I loved it. In the four years I have lived here in Pittsburgh I have only been back twice and both times it made me realize how much I missed it. I missed the beaches and ocean breezes, I missed the history of the region, I missed the music scene, the food, the neighborhoods, the friends I made there. Rhode Island is the place where I felt like I fit in. It felt right. And so I am so excited to move back.

But.. moving is a lot of work. I have lived in the same apartment for four years and in that time I have accumulated a lot of stuff. Obviously a lot of books. I have five times as much books as I had when I first moved here. But also a lot of other stuff too. A lot of furniture, a lot of clothes, a lot of stuff. I've known I was moving for weeks and I still haven't done much packing. Mostly I have just been culling things from my life. Throwing stuff away, donating stuff, just getting rid of everything that I have collected all these years. But this weekend I spent a lot of time packing and I'm not even close to being ready to move.

I have to be out of my apartment by the end of the month so the next ten days there will be a lot of packing and cleaning. And then I will be spending two days loading up the truck and two days driving back there. My Dad is coming down from NY to drive the truck so I can drive my car which is super helpful. And I have hired movers when we get to RI so we don't have to unload anything. But then I have to unpack everything before I start my new job on the 4th.

So why am I telling you all of this? Well because there is so much work to do in the next two weeks that I am not sure how much time I will have to read. What that means is that I am also not sure how much time I will have to review books and post here on the blog. As much as I want to read in October I am going to have a lot going on in my life. So bear with me if I am not able to post five times a week like I usually like to. I have some posts planned already and a book I have not yet reviewed which comes out in October so I won't totally disappear, but still.

Okay, that is all I got. That is my life update for the time being. I will still be around and you can always tweet me. I hope to come back in the same way I was before but until I know for sure how everything will go with the new job I don't know. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Discussion Post: I Have Bookish Amnesia

Recently I was having a conversation with Michelle, as we often do, about books. I can't remember the book that we were talking about but it was one that I had already read and she was reading it. She mentioned a part that she was surprised about, something that maybe she didn't like and I didn't remember that happening at all. It was a pretty big part of the book and I had no idea it had happened. And then I started rereading the Jackaby series in order to prepare for The Dire King coming out and when I got to Ghostly Echoes, there was an entire part of the big, again a big part. that I didn't remember at all.

And that's when it hit me. I have book amnesia. Something typically happens to me when I finish a book where I almost always forget what happened. And I'm not just talking about small details like what the character had for breakfast or how they got to school every day. I mean major plot points like why a character double crossed the other and who died in the big battle scene. Sometimes I will even forget entire plot points. Like I will look back at my Goodreads list of books when I am doing Top Ten Tuesdays and sometimes I will have no idea who the characters in a book were or what happened in the book.

And I don't mean I forget what happened in books I read a year ago. I mean I forget what happened in books I read recently. Like I finished The Epic Crush of Genie Lo less than a week ago and I've already forgotten the name of the male lead and how they defeated the big bad. And sometimes this happens the next day. Like if I don't write my reviews for these books as soon as I finish them I will forget how I felt about the book because I will forget what happened in the book.

But the most common thing for me to forget is romances. As many of you know, I am romancephobic. I don't really read a lot of straight romances and when I read books that have romance in them, I almost always forget the romance. Like not just that the characters had a spur of the moment make out session as the world was about to end, although I do often forget that. I mean I will forget that there even was a romance in the book. Like if the main character had a whole relationship with a ghost and couldn't decide between him and an actual human boy I will forget that completely (well until someone reminds me).

Why Does This Happen?

Well, it could be because of any number of reasons. It could be because I am reading multiple books at once. I am never only reading one book so it is hard for me to focus on any given book. And because I am usually do themed months I tend to read multiple books with the same themes and general plots. Because of this the books tend to blend together in my mind.I forget points of the book because I am getting them confused and my subconscious isn't able to grab hold of the details.

The other reason that I think this tends to happen is that I read too quickly sometimes. The problem with blogging sometimes is that we are trying to churn our reviews out in a consistent way. On the internet content is king and on book blogs, that means reviews. I usually try to have at least two reviews a week, ideally three. That means I need to finish one book every weekend and one every work week. This is sometimes challenging. If I am having a busy week and I don't have as much time to read then I will try to finish the book faster than I should. Sometimes that means skimming and sometimes that means just not reading as critically.

Is This a Good Thing?

No, probably not. Being this forgetful is probably not a good thing. I mean I don't think it bodes well for me as I get older. At this age I shouldn't be this forgetful. Although frankly, I have always been a little absent-minded. But general life stuff aside, it's probably not very good for me as a reader. I want to remember what happened in the books I read. I want to be able to talk about them with people who read them after me or later down the line. When sequels come out I don't want to be forced to do a reread because I know I will have forgotten all the details. I want to remember what happened.

But, sometimes I do think that being forgetful is a good thing. For one, I am not usually the kind of person to have a grudge on a book. It's very rare for me to look back on a book and not like it. Because the books I didn't enjoy are sometimes the first to go from my memory. Of course those that I actively despise are another story. But it also helps with book hangovers. Because I am so forgetful about what happens, it's easier for me to move on to the next book. My thoughts don't linger on the previous one. And honestly, years of attempting to avoid book hangers by starting a book right away (more on that here) might be one of the reasons I do get bookish amnesia.

How Can I Solve This Problem?

If I really don't like this then I need to do something about it. I can do one of two things. First I can make sure I take my time reading the book. In order to do this I need to not put so much pressure on myself to pump out reviews twice a week, every week. Sometimes I will just not meet that goal and that is fine. If I stop worrying about finishing that book and start worrying about soaking up every word that will probably help. The other thing I can do is write stuff down. I used to have a notebook where I wrote spoiler thoughts about the books I was reading but I stopped doing that. Maybe I should start that again. This way I would need to remember stuff and if I forgot I would have a way to remind myself.

There you have it, my bookish amnesia. Do you forget what happened in a book shortly after you read it? Why do you think that happens to do? If you don't forget anything, how do you remember? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Discussion Post: How Do You Decide What Books to Buy?

I think a few months ago I promised I would do a discussion about why I'm no longer on a book buying ban. That post never happened. I never even got close to writing it either. Because honestly the real reason is because I really wasn't on one in the first. I have never not bought books.

It's one of the unfortunate (read fortunate) side effects of being a book blogger. You are hyper aware of all the upcoming releases. Whether that is because you need to have your pulse on what is coming next from publishers for reviews or because you are just entrenched in the world and seeing them in your Twitter feed, Bloglovin list, or on Goodreads those upcoming releases are in your face. Before I started blogging I would made learn about a few exciting books a year and now I know about a dozen a week. This is great because I learn about all kinds of amazing books I want to read but it's also really bad on the wallet.

I don't know about you but I don't have much of an expendable income. I can spend some money on books but not as much as I would like to, especially with the fact that I know so many books that are coming out and want to read so many of them. This means I need to prioritize the books that I do buy. So instead of talking about my lack of book buying ban I decided to talk about that as my discussion post this month. So here is how I decide which books to buy.

1.) I Only Buy Books I Know I Am Going to Read

Now, I know that this is not going to be something that everyone can do. Many of you and many people out there in the world are mood readers and therefore they will read whatever they feel like at any given moment. It's hard to plan out your books if you are a mood reader. I'm not a mood reader. I will sometimes want to read something different but for the most part I am a hardcore planner. Most of you know I do theme months here so I plan out what I'm going to read. Because of that I can definitely say that I can and will read a book that month and therefore feel okay buying it.

This also helps me prioritize the books I buy because usually the ones that I know I am going to read are the highly anticipated releases I can't wait to read because they are the ones that I have already been waiting on. Often times these are sequels or new releases from favorite authors. They are the standards and favorites that I want to read really badly and therefore I can buy them knowing that I will read.

Well the main reason I only buy books that I know I'm going to read is so that I don't have a massive TBR and bookshelf full of books I have not read. It's so easy to do that as a book blogger and I really try to avoid that. I already have enough of that. The other reason that I do this is because I make sure I don't waste my money. Not that buying any book is a waste of money. But I think you get more bang for you buck if you are ensuring that you read the books you buy. But easier said than don, amiright?

2.) I Prioritize Preorders

This I think helps me do the first one on this list, which is buying books I know I am going to read. Because if I care enough about a book to order it before it is even released then I know that I really want to read it. Plus if you are ordering them early you can often get deals from places like Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and many authors do fun preorder rewards so you can get fun things like bookmarks or buttons. It's a nice bonus.

This is of course harder in months where a ton of really anticipated releases comes out. I kind of have to prioritize this even more (I'll give you some of my tips for that later). In those months, like the upcoming September and October which are full of books I really want to read, I have to be even more thoughtful about the books I want to preorder. I try to only get one book a week and because of that I need to think much more about what I know I will read.

The other real benefit to this is that it prevents impulse buys. I mean this in two ways. One, it keeps me from just going on line and buying a book just because it's one sale. And two, it prevents me from seeing something I didn't know that I needed when going into a bookstore. I used to (and sometimes still do) buy books all the time just going into Borders (may it rest in peace) and just pick up whatever. Or

3.) I Don't Buy Books if I Already Have an ARC

Okay so this one kind of makes me feel like a little bit of a jerk. I know there is no benefit to the author or the publisher if you don't buy the book. Publishing is business and if you want to support them the only way to do that is to actually buy the book. So why am I advocating not doing that? Well, if you are on a budget and don't want to buy too many books buying one you already have a copy of is the way to do that.

For me this is especially the case if I have a physically ARC of the book. I prefer paperbacks anyway so having a physical ARC is like having a paperback to me. Yes, sometimes they're not as pretty because the cover is not final or they don't have the embossing, the shininess, or the cool dyed edges but still. To me having a copy of the book already

I also try to prioritize reading my ARCs. Besides those preorders and highly anticipated reads I Now I also try to limit the amount of e-books that I buy by prioritizing my e-ARCs that I have. I would say I read the same amount of physical books as e-books each month so by prioritizing my e-ARCs I am keeping myself from reading e-books and therefor keeping myself from buying e-books  because they are not books that I know I am going to read.


4.) I Pick a Format and Just Buy That One.

I know there are some people out there who are collectors, they want all the books in all the formats and that is totally fine. If you can get a book in hardcover, paperback, foreign edition, audiobook, cover redesign and you want to do that more power to you. You do you. But if you are trying to limit the amount books you buy then maybe don't spend money buying a book that you already have.

But this is also the case when it comes to upcoming releases that you are super excited about. As book bloggers and bookish people we read books in any number of formats. You can buy a physical book, an e-book, or even the audio for a book. It's sometimes hard not to get carried away and buythe book in all the formats, especially if it's a highly anticipated book and you want to read ASAP. Maybe you need that e-book so you can start at midnight or the audiobook so that you can listen at work. But again if you need to reduce your spending, limit that as much as possible.

The hardest for me is audiobooks. I really love audiobooks and I want to have a physical copy of the book and then listen to the audio. In these cases I try to decide which I would rather have. Do I love the cover and want to look at how pretty it is? Then I'll get a physical copy? Do I love the narrator and would rather listen to them tell me the story? Then I will get the audio. But I am very weak to it for favorite series. But I'm getting better. Plus I'm trying to spend my one free audiobook wisely now that I have just that and I would rather spend it on a book I can't read.

There you have it, the way I decide which books I am going to buy a month and some tips for deciding which books not to buy. I hope if you are on a book buying ban or you just want to spend your book budget wisely they help you. I know they have really helped me. Despite a few months where I bought more than usual, I've been only buying a few books every month.

How do you decide which books to buy or which not to buy? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Bookish Event Recap: ALA vs. Book Expo

Hi Everyone,

So as many of you know, I was at the American Library Association (ALA) conference last weekend. It was amazing and exhausting. I was originally just going to give you an ALA recap where I explained my trip, what I did, the books I am excited about, you know the usual stuff. But then I thought it would be fun to compare the two events. It's particularly interesting because I have attended both events in Chicago. So I think I can do a pretty good comparison.

On the whole, it was an amazing weekend. I got to see a ton of awesome bloggers, meet some amazing authors who I love and admire, and I picked up some really exciting books. It was my first year attending ALA after going to BEA (or the now named Book Expo) so I wasn't sure what to expect. I had heard from some friends that had been to both that ALA is much more chill and just about wandering the exhibit hall and talking to publicists about the books they have to offer. And while it was that, it was so much more. Alright, let's dive into the comparison.

The Exhibit Hall

This is a pretty good view of the booths.

As I said, I attended both events in Chicago so both events were at McCormick Place. After being there for BEA last year I knew exactly where I was going and how everything was set up. Or so I thought. I mean I did know where the exhibit hall was and the bathrooms, but the floor was super different.

At BEA, basically all you have is publishers' booths and autographing tables. I would say about a third, maybe even half, of the exhibit hall is devoted to the autographing area. The booths are then dispersed throughout the rest of the hall. While at ALA there is no autographing area so all you have are booths. However there are a ton of other booths besides those devoted to the publishers. There was artist's alley, a gaming and graphic novels area, education areas, vendors, all kinds of things besides publishers. I liked this because it added more variety and honestly there was more "empty" space. It was easier to find a corner to sit down and relax in and they even designated some space for that in the hall which was very nice.

However, at ALA the publishers booths were all in the same area. No publishers had self-contained booths either. They were all sort of like cubicals  and all really close together. There were a few exceptions like Disney, Sourcebooks, and Simon and Schuster but for the most part all the booths I wanted to visit were in one long line closest to the entrances. It was literally this order: Penguin/Random House, Harper, Macmillan, Abrams/HMH, Scholastic, Little Brown. There may have been one or two different ones in there to break things up a little but they were all so close together it really muddied the waters when it came to lining up for signing. Although it did make things nicer for walking around looking for drops and you didn't have to remember where all the big publishers were.

Winner: ALA. I would have liked the publishers to be spread out a little more but that congestion happens at BEA too in the autographing area and this was honestly not as bad. Plus they had a designated sitting area for you to relax in. Can't beat that.

Author Signings

The lovely Kerri Maniscalco

The first thing I will say about this is that there were way more signings at ALA than I was expecting. I think I had heard from people that there were only going to be a few authors that attend. And it wasn't anywhere near as many as BEA but there were still plenty of signings. If you have attended BEA you know that there are two different types of signings. There are in-booth signings and autographing. At ALA there is only one, in-booth. This is exactly what it sounds like, it occurs in the publisher's booth where the author sits at a desk and signs the books for you. And because there is no autographing area that means ALA only has half the signings.

I would also say ALA probably has more already released books because of the awards ceremony but BEA has more authors and probably bigger authors. Some publishers bring their big tent pole authors like Scholastic with Maggie Steifvater but for the most part it's more middle of the road names and big authors who had books out last year. And sometimes they are giving the book away and sometimes you buy the book. They also bring other books by that author you can get, Like for Maggie received All the Crooked Saints and could buy The Raven Boys.

But there are amazing authors at both places. Basically everyone who went to Book Expo was also at ALA. I got to meet Maggie Steifvater, Kerri Maniscalco, Alexandra Bracken. Marie Lu, Anna-Marie McLemore, Cat Winters, Sharon Cameron, E. Lockhart, Melissa Albert, Kristen Cashore, Adele Griffin, Stacey Lee, Brandy Colbert, and Amy Reed.

Winner: BEA. I have to give this to BEA just because of the sheer number of author signings. At ALA even if you have a bunch of author signings you still have time to chill and wander. At BEA, I have spent whole days in autographing areas and not been able to do everything because they were all at the same time. Which honestly is something in ALA's favor, more doable.

ARC Drops

This is probably where things differ the most. At BEA the ARC drops are extremely structured. The publisher will tell you exactly when they are releasing a specific book and that is the only time you can get it, When it's gone, it's gone. So you need to build into your schedule those times so you make sure you get there early to line up. At ALA that is not the case. Some publishers will have specific drop times, particularly first thing in the morning, but it's not so structured.

At ALA you can, and honestly should, go up to the publishers and ask if they have copies of a certain book. Many of them will not put the books out for a drop and will instead keep them in a cabinet for those who ask for copies. I don't think I ever saw Penguin do a formal drop like I'm used to, not even in the morning. But if you asked them they would give you any book that they brought copies of. Same with Macmillan.

The thing to keep in mind with this though is that you totally need to ask about this as quickly as you can. Your first day is the day you need to ask about that priority book you were hoping to get. They will more than likely give it to you if you ask or they will tell you when you can get. But keep in mind, everyone else will be asking too and they don't have an unlimited supply of the book. I saw some publishers run out after the first day. Don't assume that you can ask the next day, or even later in the day for the book.

Winner: ALA. You really can't beat the ability to ask and then more than likely receive any book you ask for. It's nice to not have to structure in drops throughout your day and to be able to check in when you get a spare moment. Plus when you ask about a certain book the publicist might say "oh, you like YA fantasies? Have you heard of this book?" and then they will give you a similar title which I think is awesome.

The Books

In both conferences there are seriously book everywhere and anywhere. It is an opportunity for the publishers to talk about their upcoming titles and put them in the hands of the people who can read them and then share their thoughts with others who might be interested in reading them. It's just as easy to get more books than you could possibly read at either event. I think at ALA it's probably more selective. You can ask about specific books and therefore get ones you are much more interested in rather than taking one you know nothing about because it's being dropped with a book you do know.

Most of the books featured are fall releases. I would say that probably with ALA there is definitely more already released books. At BEA I only got a few books that were already out and at ALA I got close to 10. Plus because ALA is a little later than BEA there are also more 2018 releases. When looking through my books I had much more 2018 releases than I thought. Even some not coming out until March.

Winner: Tie. But ALA might have a slight advantage because you can be more selective. I like being able to ask about books I am interested in and being able to talk to publicists is way better than just hoping the book will be out or knowing when to come back.

The Lines

For both conferences there are also seriously lines everywhere and anywhere. I have never seen so many lines in my entire life as these kind of conferences. I'm sure it has nothing on ComicCon but I don't know that I want it to. This is enough for me, too much for me. I will say that because there are less signings and not structured drops, there are far less lines at ALA than at BEA when there is so much more going on at a particular period of time.

The other really great thing about ALA is that they actually let you line up in advance. AT BEA they were such sticklers about that sort of thing, You couldn't get in line until a half hour before and if you tried to they would tell you to leave. I felt like at ALA they were like "yeah, start a line, just stay out of the way and we'll grab you when we're ready for you." I mean I think I was in line for Maggie Steifvater for over an hour and a half and there were people in some lines for a few hours.

But the only problem with the fact that there are less lines during ALA is that those lines, especially ones for YA titles or big titles, can be insanely long. The line for Angie Thomas was out of control. I got so intimidated by it that I didn't even try to get in it. The line for Alexandra Bracken was also pretty crazy. I did something else and then got in that one when it died down a little and I ended up being one of the last people. SO, less lines but super crazy lines.

Winner: ALA. I'll take a crazy long line where they let you line up in advance any day. It never felt crazy or overwhelming in the way BEA did. There weren't any miscommunication of where the line was, it was just long. And the people working the booths were pretty good about crowd control. Plus at the end of the day my feet didn't hurt all that bad. Twice I even walked back to my hotel.

Blogger Dinner! (photo credit: Lauren)

The People

I mean, the people are great (for the most part). The people are great no matter where you are going. When you are bringing bookish people like authors and librarians and bloggers all in the same place you are going to have great people. My first time at BEA I remember thinking how amazing it was to be with all "my people." That's what I felt like at ALA this year. It was amazing meeting people and being somewhere with people who also care this much about books.

For authors, I have already talked a lot about this but I did feel like ALA had less authors and less big name authors. A few of the publishers brought their big names but for the most part I felt like ALA was more about middle of the road kind of authors and even debuts. And yes, I would have loved to see Leigh Bardugo and Marissa Meyer again but it was great to meet some new authors.

As far as bloggers go, there were actually more than I expected. I didn't go to BEA this year but I feel like I didn't even really know that many people going. There were a few blogger friends that I would have liked to see and hang out with but I do feel like there were great bloggers at ALA. I got to meet some new ones, see some I know, and hang out with a few at a blogger dinner. It was so nice to see Nicole from Feed Your Fiction Addiction (and her mom who is awesome!), Shannon from It Starts at Midnight, and Holly from The Fox's Hideaway. It was also amazing to meet Lauren from Stooting Star Mag who organized the blogger dinner and the ladies of Once Upon a Chapter, Stephanie and Alexa, who were my line buddies many times and gave me some helpful tips. And of course my lovely roommates Katie from Katie's Book Blog, Montana from The Book Belles, and Michelle from Pink Polka Dot Books who was stuck with me all weekend as we drove together from Pittsburgh. Although I did miss the rest of my girls from last year. It just wasn't the same without you awesome nerds.

And yes, of course there was drama. There is always going to be drama. Any time you get that many people anywhere there is going to be someone behaving badly. And bloggers, librarians, randos off the street who want to pay $75 for books are not exempt from that. But I'd say for the most part that everyone was really nice and professional. Although probably a little punchy because they were tired and hungry. That was me.

Winner: BEA. I think having so many less author signings means that I have to give this one to BEA. Plus like not that I'm ever invited to any but BEA has parties that bloggers are invited to and I think that publishers tend to gear more events to us. So if you are a blogger you may get more out of Book Expo because ALA is intended for librarians.

Okay, there you have it. My thoughts and kind of recap of ALA and how it compares to Book Expo. I don't think I can say one is better than another. They are both really fantastic. If you are going by these categories ALA gets a slight advantage. But they are both really fantastic and fun bookish events. There are amazing authors to meet, upcoming books to learn about, bookish friends to meet and hang out with, and plenty of exhausting fun. If you have the chance to go to either I would definitely recommend going.

 If you have any specific questions please let me know. But honesty, it was a lot of fun and super exhausting. I'm definitely planning to go again. Next year ALA Annual is going to be in New Orleans and I'm hoping to go.

Have you been to ALA? What did you think? Did you go this year? What was the best book you picked up? Have you been to Book Expo? Have you been to both? What were the major differences for you? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Discussion Post: Why I Think Audiobooks Are The Best Way to Reread

Hi Everyone,
In case you missed it a week ago when I talked about the new audiobooks to my wishlist, June is Audiobook Month. As many of you probably know I am a huge fan of audiobooks. I'm an audiotory learner and so listening to books is great for me. On top of that I can listen to them at work, on long walks, on public transportation, and while doing housework. Which are things I both love and hate. But in general, I think there are just certain books who are perfect in audio format.

But some of the best audiobooks are rereads. I really don't like rereading physical books. I have done it before but when it comes to rereads I would much rather listen to the audiobooks. I really think that audiobooks are the best way to reread a book. And just in case you haven't experienced this joy I decided for this month's discussion post, to explain that to you.

1.) You Can Experience the Book Faster.

I'm not a very fast reader. It depends on the book and what I am up to but in general it takes me about 4-5 days to finish a book. But when it comes to audiobooks I can listen to them in 2-3 days, that is if I actually hunker down and listen to them. Partially this is because you can alter the speed and read at 1.25 or in rare cases 1.5 speed but this is also because you can listen anywhere. It really is a super helpful way to read more books.


This is a good thing for reading in general but it's even better for rereads. Say that the book you have been waiting two years for, the sequel to that book you loved, comes out a week and you want to refresh your memory on what happened. You can read the whole book and nothing else, or you can listen to the audio while you're at work and be ready for the next book. I choose the latter.

2.) Doesn't Take Reading Time Away From Other Books

This sort of goes hand in hand with what I just said about reading books faster, but when you are listening to an audiobook you can still read physical books or e-books. I'm the kind of person that is almost always reading two or three books, one of them is an audiobook. And because of this I can keep my audiobook for rereads and have my other reads be new releases or upcoming ARCs.

Now this is particularly important for rereads because if you are taking the time to read something again then it means you can't read something new. But if you're doing it on audio you can have your cake and eat it too. So many times I've thought I wouldn't be able to reread a book because I had review books I needed to prioritize but this way I don't have to worry about that. Everyone wins, especially me.

3.) Gives You a New Perspective

One of the things that I love about audiobooks is how they set a very specific tone for the book. It establishes the atmosphere of the book because the narrator can do certain things like speed up their voice during really thrilling scenes or build the suspense with dramatic pauses. It makes you feel the tone of the book so much more that way.

And for rereads this has an even bigger effect. You can see the book in a whole different way just because of the narrator. There has been times where I started reading a book and I liked it but as soon as I picked up the audio and got the tone of the book it was like a whole different story. A good narrator can make you see things in a totally new light. And when you are rereading a book isn't that what you want? And if they are really good and the audio is good enough, it's like you are experiencing the book for the first time. Plus presumably you liked it before but maybe you'll love it this time.

4.) Immerses You in the World

Again, this goes hand in hand with what I just said about giving you a new perspective. Because just like that one, this is all about the narrator being able to set the scene and create an atmosphere for the book. A really good narrator is able to do that in such a way that you are able to forget about the real world or your location and you are transported to wherever the book takes place. If I am being entirely honest that rarely happens to me when I'm reading a book but when I am listening to an audio it almost always happens. It's like I'm there, I can see the sights, hear the sounds, smell the smells, feel the feels. I am immersed in that world.

Now again, this is even more beneficial when you are rereading a book. It's like a more extreme reaction to the book. And when you are experiencing a book again you want that stronger reaction because then you will appreciate the book as much if not more. It's happened to me many times where I loved the book so much more on audio because I was able to feel immersed in the world. It almost ruins the actual reading of the book for me (more on this later), but it's honestly a good thing for me. Plus when you are rereading a book it's usually because a sequel is coming out and being able to reimmerse yourself in the book helps you jump right into the next one.

5.) Helps You Reconnect With The Characters in a Different Way

You can probably tell that one of my favorite things about audiobooks is the narrators. A lot of what I have been talking about here is how a good narrator is able to create the scene and pull you into a book. But a great narrator is also totally able to embody the character. There are certain books and certain narrators where I have just thought, that person is that character. MacLeod Andrews is David Charleston, Steve West is Sean Kendrick, Elizabeth Evans is Celaena Sardothian. These narrators become the characters so much that you can't help but connect with them because it's like the character themselves is talking to you. This is even more amazing if you have a full cast or multiple perspectives, that narrator becomes the character.,

This too is even more heightened for rereads. In these cases you already met and probably connected with the character. So when it comes to rereads you can just let go and allow them to soeak to you in their tone and their way. Sometimes this can happen so much that I can no longer read a book because I will have the narrators voice in my head. I'll hear the dialogue in their tone and inflections. It's like they have embodied that character so much that I can't experience them any other way. And while this is a good thing, often I'll be like "it's not the same" and I'll just get the audio. But in the case of rereads it really does help you jump back into the characters head which is super helpful.

There you have it, all the reasons I think that audiobooks are the best way to reread anything. I am currently doing my own audiobook reread of This Savage Song. I'm really enjoying it. There Plummer is definitely able to set the tone of the book and immerses me in the world of The Monsters of Verity. She is also able to embody Kate Harker, she's so perfect for Kate. I'm not sure she gets August just right but still it's really good. I'm so ready for Our Dark Duet, I just need to finish this audiobook.

What do you think? Do you like listening to audiobooks on rereads? What are some of your favorites? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Beautiful Places in Florence Inspired by The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence by Alyssa Palumbo

When I received an email from the folks of St. Martin's Press to ask if I wanted to read a copy of The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence by Alyssa Palumbo I was so excited. For one thing, I am a big fan of historical fiction and some of my favorites have been published by St. Martin's and even more of them have dealt with art or artists. But mostly it was because I absolutely love the city of Florence.

When I was in college (I don't really want to admit to you how long ago that was but it was a substantial period of time, like it's in double digits). I spent a semester abroad in Florence. There really wasn't a good reason as to why other than I wanted to go there. I did study history and political science but I did focus more on the recent era which isn't exactly when Italy and Florence was the most important place in the world. But it is still a city full of history.

And it's gorgeous. I've been really wishing I could go back lately. A few friends (I'm looking at you Pili) have gone lately and it makes me jealous af of them. But while I can't make that happen I can live vicariously and remember some of my favorite places and all the beautiful places to go and things to see in the city. So I wanted to share with you all some pictures with you as I prepare to start the book.

I mean seriously, look at how gorgeous that view is. But this picture was also taken from my all-time favorite within the city...

Boboli Gardens

Giardiano di Boboli are the grounds of the Pitti Palace, which were the main seat of the Medici when they controlled Tuscany. They're a sculpture garden full of roman antiquities and of course renaissance sculptures by the like of Stoldo Lorenzi and Guilio and Alfonso Parigi. There are lots of walking trails and little nooks to stop and read or do your homework.

My favorite thing about the Boboli Gardens is how quiet it is. It's on the southern side of the Arno which is mostly removed from the touristy part of the city and when you are up there you almost forget that you are in one of the largest cities in the country/world. It's like being in the wilderness.

Il Duomo

No, that doesn't stand for dome but it does have one. Duomo basically means catherdral. Every city in Italy has one. The one in Florence is pretty well known though. I used to know all kinds of facts about Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (Catherdral of St Mary of the Flower) because when I was living there I became a Duomo Tour Guide for a work study job. I didn't give many tours but like it was still a pretty dope job. (Yes, I said dope).

But it started as a Gothic design by Arnolfo di Cambio and the dome was designed by Brunelleschi. It has the fifth largest free standing dome in the world but at the time it was the largest. On the interior of the church the dome is painted with a huge fresco of The Last Judgement (a very common ceiling painting at the time). Outside there is the campanille (bell tower) which was designed by Giotto and I would suggest climbing if you want a good view of the city center because it's cheaper and less popular than the dome. It also has the Baptistery which has Lorenzo Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise which have these gorgeous bronze reliefs on them.

Seriously, if you are in Florence you cannot avoid the Duomo and you shouldn't. It's huge and beautiful and worth a visit.

Piazza della Signoria

This was my favorite place to people watch in Florence. It's sort of tucked away but it is also the location of Palazzo Vecchio which is the old town hall of Florence. The piazza also is where the Loggia dei Lanzi is located which has bunch of really gorgeous sculptures. It's also the entrance to the Uffizi, the main art museum in Florence. What I'm saying is that it's really well trafficked.

But it's also very popular because Palazzo Vecchio is also the location of the original Michelangelo's David. It used to stand outside at the entrance (you can see it on the left-hand side of the image on the right). Now they have a replica because I think it caused too many crowds blocking the Uffizzi. There is also a sculpture there called lovingly "Big White Guy," which totally sounds bad and is not at all specific because like every sculpture is white because it's made out of Carrara marble/

And just before you get to Piazza della Signoria is one of my favorite gelaterias in Florence. It's called Perche, No which means why not in Italian. So yeah, why not get gelato and then go hang out in the piazza watching tourist go by taking pictures of the David.

Ponte Vecchio

No I'm really only including Ponte Vecchio because it's super well-known. I mean don't get me wrong, it's super well-known and really pretty. It is the last surviving Medieval bridge in Florence. They used to all look like this but over time floods and earthquakes took care of the other bridges but not this one.

The bridge is full of different shops and stalls which you can see on the sides there. It used to be where the butchers would set up shop but now it's just really expensive jewelers and other artisans along with tourist traps.

I used to cross the Arno at Ponte Vecchio all the time because my friends lived across the river and also there is a really good gelateria just on the other side of the river called La Strega Nocciola.

There you have it, some popular and gorgeous places in Italy. Today I am starting reading The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence and I will make sure to keep an eye out for all these locations. I'm sure a few of them will be mentioned. And if you happen to read the book and you see them you will know what to look for.

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to come back on Monday for my review of The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence by Alyssa Palumbo. HAPPY READING!

Discussion Posts: What Makes You Comment?

Hi Everyone,
When thinking about what to write about in my monthly discussion post I had one idea. I've been thinking a lot about blog comments lately. I'm not sure why. Maybe because I feel like the comments over here have been down lately. Now don't get me wrong, I never did get a ton of comments but I could usually count on each post to get one or two and if I was really lucky four or five. But these days I feel like I am lucky if I get two comments on my posts. And it doesn't matter if it's a review, a discussion post, or a meme comments are down.

One thing I want to say before I go any further is that it's not like I expect comments. There is nothing that mandates people comment on my post. I mean there is nothing saying that people have to read my posts. It's nice when they do one of those things but it's especially nice if you do both. Seeing comments is the best way to validate that you read and liked a person's post. It shows them that "I was here and something resonated." So even though I know there is nothing saying people have to comment I can't help but feel like maybe my posts aren't as good or maybe people aren't reading them as much. I know that's not true and I'm a Ravenclaw and therefore a logical thinker so let's break it down to make me feel better.

Why Do I Comment?

I have to take a second to think about the reason that I might comment on a post. And there are any number of reasons why I might comment on a post. By far I think the posts I comment most on are memes like Top Ten Tuesday and Waiting on Wednesday. I think this is normal. The whole point of this is to connect people throughout the blogosphere and it definitely does. Then I think I am more likely to comment on reviews for books that I have read. I think when I read a review of a book I have read there is a tendency to add something akin to "me too." I want to add things like "I also found the pacing slow" or "I know they didn't work for you but I liked the characters."

I also tend to comment on the posts written by my blogger friends. There are just some blogs that you read every day or every time that they post. Maybe it's because you really like what they have to say or maybe it's because you really like them as people. I know cliches are bad but friendship is good, right? Over the years I've developed some good relationships with fellow bloggers. These are often the people whose blogs I like and reviews I trust. So when I see that they have a new post I will definitely read it and I want to support them by adding my two cents.

I will also sometimes comment back to people who commented to me. Now admittedly I am not very good at this. If I see someone has commented (whether they are an old follower or a new one) I usually forget to check out their site and to say something. And sometimes I will go to their site and not have anything to comment on. I can comment on anything but as statated above, I prefer to comment on books I have read so I can say "me too" instead of saying "I want to read this, it sounds really good." Which to be entirely honest is stupid. Some of my favorite comments are people saying that I convinced them to read the book I was reviewing. I should try to be better about this.

Why Wouldn't I Comment?

Well, again there are a few reasons why I might not comment on something. For one I think you have probably figured out that I wouldn't comment on a post if I have no interest in reading the book. We all have different tastes which is totally fine. It's one of the best things about this crazy blogosphere that you can find all kinds of different people and reviews. But if I see a post from someone that is about like an adult romance I am not going to read it and therefore not going to comment.

But the weirdest reason is if I haven't read the book but want to. These are often reviews I will read but not comment on. Maybe because I think I have nothing meaningful to say. Like often I will read multiple reviews for the same book, especially if it's a hyped up book just to see what different people are saying. Because as stated, different people have different opinions. But you can only say "I can't wait to read this book. Great review!" so many times.

I also read recently that the amount of engagement matters, I can't remember who wrote a post talking about this. It's frustrating me because it's one of the reasons why I decided to do this discussion. But last week someone said something about people are least likely to comment on posts with a lot of comments or ones with no comments. And this I think is true for me. When a post already has a ton of comments I think that I can't add anything else and I don't comment. But at the same time if there are no comments I don't want to be the first. But isn't that a thing on YouTube. People are always trying to be the first to comment. We should get more like that.

What About People Commenting For Me?

Well, if I am operating under the assumptions that people comment similar to me than I can come to a few conclusions. For one, I need to explore more and comment more. The best way to get comments and expand the interactions is to make the first move. I'm definitely not very good at this and should get better. I also would like to start finding some more blogs. When I first started I was all about finding that awesome new blog that could share some insight I didn't have and talk about books that I also loved and hated. I've gotten away from that.

I also think that other that that there isn't much else I can do. I know that reviews never get that many comments. I shouldn't really be upset if a review doesn't get any comments. But I can't help but feel like I'm doing something wrong. If people are like me and they prefer to comment on books that they have read and/or are new to them then I guess I could share some different books with people. But honestly there have been some books that I thought would be really popular like The Song Rising, To All the Boys I Loved Before, and A Conjuring of Light that didn't get many comments. But maybe I could read some different kinds of books that are either really popular or new to people.

But for the most part I'm just curious about what makes you comment on a post? What would encourage you to comment more? What about your posts? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!