Something to make you think...

Okay, so a thought has just struck and, while it's fresh in my mind, I need to blog about it.

The primary role of a book blogger is to review books. We all know this, of course. It's not exactly a theory. But, if you think about it, book bloggers, though they can enhance a reading experience, can also taint it.

Once you've read a review of a book, parts of it automatically go into your subconscious. You may not realise it but, during the time you're reading that particular book, you're picking up on the little things bloggers spoke of in their reviews. Whether good or bad. Small things which you might not have picked up on otherwise. Sometimes you can be grateful for it - it may make you appreciate the novel in a different way or help you understand a particular plot twist - but, horrifyingly enough, sometimes it can affect the way people enjoy the book.

It was rather slow paced to begin with.
This character got rather irritating after a while.
I didn't get the instant attraction.

I have more or less said these things - as well as numerous other comments - in my reviews at one point or another. Does that mean that I'm responsible if, after reading my review, that person also found the start of the story slow-paced or thought the romance was too much like insta-love? Maybe. Maybe not.

We all know about the hype monster. When the blogosphere just blows up over a particular book. Everyone raving here, there and everywhere. This book's incredible. This book's AMAZING. This book's perfection! Those of us who haven't yet picked up this 'fantastic' book instantly have high expectations. More often than not, for me, personally, anyway - and I'm sure for a lot of other people as well - the book falls short. You simply expected too much from it.

Quickly flash-back to when you didn't blog or when internet wasn't as popular. You opened up a book with no expectations. Nothing. And you loved it. You loved it a lot. You loved it because you, and you alone, read it through untainted eyes. You perceived it the way you did. There was nothing niggling away in your subconscious. Sometimes I miss that feeling. Knowing you really did love it, it wasn't because someone said this or someone said that. It was all you.

I don't quite know where I'm going with this post. This isn't an indirect way of telling you I'm not reviewing anymore. I will continue to review books because I love doing it. This also isn't a dig at book bloggers - I will also continue to read other book blogger's reviews. It just strikes me as interesting that a community such as our own can truly affect readers in different ways.

What do YOU think of all this?

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo