Best Books that I Didn’t Review Last Year [Discussion]

Posted 31 January 2020 in discussion /7 Comments

My Thoughts

I started writing this as ‘one last list looking back on 2019’, but I realized it would make an interesting discussion topic: why a book blogger might not review a great book they read. After all, isn’t one of the primary aims of a book blogger to uplift the books we love? I recognize that’s a bold statement coming from me (someone who is not prescriptive when it comes to the purpose of blogging). But I do think it holds true for me at least.

When I wasn’t blogging because life took over (i.e. finishing grad school, starting three news jobs, visiting family), I ensured I still prioritized reading. Without reading, I wouldn’t have a blog. It is the act of reading that gives me the most joy, that I find most valuable. I don’t have a lot of priorities in my life but blogging falls at the bottom. It is the first to go when other priorities become more weighted. This explains why most of the books on this list went unreviewed. It was easier to devour so many great reads than to stop and review each one.

Another factor is fear. I fear sometimes that I can’t do a great book the justice it deserves in a review, so I avoid reviewing it altogether. That is unhelpful, of course! I should write something, so I can at least share my thoughts and boost the book a little. (And also to practice getting better at writing such reviews.)

The List

My initial purpose in drawing up this list was to boost titles that I didn’t really boost last year. I narrowed it down by only picking books that made think “Dang, that was a good book, I wish I had told people about it” (AKA books that I gave four or five stars. I’m more generous nowadays with four stars than I used to be, but that’s another discussion.)

I’ve divided the list into #ownvoices, middle grade, young adult, and everything else. I still have plans to shares thoughts on a few books so I’m not including Nevermoor, Wundersmith, Little Fish, Little Blue Encyclopedia, Tolkien, Race and Cultural History, On the Come Up, or Some Places More Than Others. Writing this list made me realize I do have THOUGHTS on some of these titles, so you may still see a brief review in the future.

#ownvoices

This list contains titles which I could confirm have #ownvoices rep. I note the genre and the identity being represented as #ownvoices.

  • Cover of A Mind Spread Out on the Ground

Middle Grade

Young Adult

  • Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman – young adult speculative fiction
  • Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno – young adult fabulism
  • Piglettes by Clémentine Beauvais – young adult contemporary

Everything Else

What were some of the best books you read but didn’t review last year?
Why didn’t you review them?
Do you think you might review them in the future?

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7 responses to “Best Books that I Didn’t Review Last Year [Discussion]”

  1. Emer @alittlehazebookblog

    I always review each book I read (on Goodreads at any rate) but sometimes I do not transfer over my reviews and typically that is when I can’t coherently explain why I loved a book! Case in point The Binding last year. Loved that book but for the life of me could not figure out how to review it other than to say ahhhhh I loved it, go read it…etc etc! I rarely have that problem with one star reads however, if i don’t like a book I can prattle on for days lol XDDD

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Falling Letters

      Good point! I think when we really love a book, it’s often for very personal reasons… this probably goes for when we hate a book as well, lol, but I understand how it can be harder to put love in words.

      Reply
  2. Kal @ Reader Voracious

    This is such an interesting idea for a discussion post and I love that you boosted some of the amazing books you read but didn’t review!

    I make an effort to review every book that I read, at least on Goodreads, but I have fallen behind a number of times due to mental health or just writing slumps. Sometimes by the time I get to them, I barely remember what I read and have to hope my notes were good enough — I am actually experiencing this right now with a book I read and didn’t necessarily enjoy. I forgot I even read it until writing my wrap-up post and am now like “oops?”

    Reply
  3. Katie @ Doing Dewey

    I’m also more likely to keep up with reading than blogging when I get busy. Reading is relaxing for me, while blogging begins to feel like work when I have too much going on. And I also empathize with your worries about doing a book justice. I have that worry sometimes too! And other times, I feel like I don’t have anything to say except ‘it was awesome’, which doesn’t feel like enough for a review 🙂

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Falling Letters

      Sorry, I missed replying to this comment! You hit the nail on the head with reading = relaxing, while blogging = work when I’m already busy. It is tough when you read a book you know is great but aren’t able to articulate why!

      Reply
  4. Annemieke

    Sometimes I don’t review books because I have little to say. Other times because it is a own voices/diverse book tht has been reviewed a lot in the diverse community, that I think would benefit more from my boosting than from my review as a white reader.

    Reply

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