1 Ugh! I'm in such a blogging slump! Somehow, with all the craziness going on in my life, I'm still managing to read great but blogging??? Not so much. So...I did write a review the other day and started getting annoyed with all the things I list. Like: Title, Author, Genre, Pages, etc. I love adding the first line of every book but are all those other things necessary? Do you even look at them? Sometimes I've seen people post the name of the series the book is in and what number it is which I really like but the other stuff...I don't know if it's necessary. Can't you just read the title and author off the picture of the book? I don't know tell me what you think.
2 Speaking of all the craziness. My husband and I own a duplex and had to send a tenant packing. We decided to renovate her side because it was in dire need of help. It's exhausting because we do so much of it ourselves. This time we decided to hire out the paint job because...well let's just say the words mental and breakdown were bandied about. So we got some bids, hired it out and...I should just do these things myself! I'm such a control freak I want to hover over their shoulders and correct every little thing they do! I'm going to get through this. I just need to remember to breathe!
3 Shout out time! I used to be utterly obsessed with TV. I'd watch a million shows live (none of that DVR stuff for me). I knew what new shows were coming out each season and would make a schedule so I could check them out...you may remember because I posted about it a few times. Anywho, I hardly watch TV now. I just can't seem to get in to anything anymore. BUT! I love Jane The Virgin. It's so ridiculously, stupidly perfect! Have you seen it? Cause season 1 is on Netflix. You should watch it. I also actually have gotten into another show too. ABC's The Family. You may have seen me Tweeting about it. It's so addicting! Go on, check it out. Oh, and Game of Thrones is coming back! Wahoo!
Sorry about your blogging slump. The next few weeks are going to be just reviews for my blog, boring! I hope I don't lose followers.
ReplyDeleteI kinda feel the same way while we've been remodeling our house. I want to hire things out, but I also want them to look the way I want them to look. But it is SO much work!
Reviews are great! I can't even get myself to write those lately.
DeleteRight?! It's so much work!
You have noticed that my list of "things" for reviews is getting shorter and shorter. Also, I tried a new review thing and i don't think I like it. It makes it harder instead of easier, which is not the point here. So watch me change back... LOL! Don't worry about hiring things out. It will be okay! And as for TV.. um... yeah. You KNOW what I say to that! Viki.com!!!! I will probably watch Jane sometime, from what people say I'll probably like it...
ReplyDeleteI liked your new review format but if it's too hard that's not good. I know, I know. I'll watch some kdramas soon.
DeleteI like to switch up the way I review books; it keeps me from getting bored writing the reviews and helps me not to get into long blogging slumps. I say, whatever you want to write, or don't want to write, is awesome. After all, it's your blog! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd good luck with your reno! Hope it goes quickly.
Thanks. I think I'll do what I like so I don't get so burned out.
DeleteOhhh I totally know about the control freak thing lol! And I love Jane the Virgin! I'm about halfway through season one right now! Even my husband enjoys it from time to time lol!
ReplyDeleteYay! I binge watched season 1 and am now watching season 2 live and it's sooooo slow! I want all the episodes now!
DeleteI'm sorry to hear about your blogging slump, even though I knew about it already. It's weird that blogging has become so hard lately for people. Like you said on Suey's post a week or so ago, there must be something in the water.
ReplyDeleteAs far as what's needed on a book review, I don't think it's all needed. I add it because I just do and because the plugin I use makes it easy to add it. If it weren't easy, I probably wouldn't bother, lol.
I need to check out Jane the Virgin. I've heard of it and I know you and Kathy love it. But, I've never been interested in it. Maybe, I'll like it, though. :) I just need more time in my day. I'd rather spend my time doing other things than watching TV because I feel like I don't have enough time. C'est la vie, I guess.
There's definitely not enough time in the day.
DeleteI do read all the parts of your reviews so I don't mind if you continue to leave all that stuff in but having said that the first line and genre are all things that could be cut if you don't feel like keeping them!
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine what it's like to let someone else do a job when you're a control freak.I am the same. Hence why I've put off getting the foundations of my house fixed for the past 5 years!!
I'm trying to stay away from TV at the moment because of NaNo but I have a whole lot of Walking Dead to catch up on! I've heard of Jane the Virgin but haven't seen any of it as yet. Though it kind of reminds me of the face paced funny style of Suburgatory!
I need to check out Suburgatory.
DeleteI include those details in my reviews, but I have to admit that I rarely pay attention to them when I'm reading reviews. I focus more on the actual review. So I would say do whatever works for you.
ReplyDeleteI've heard so many good reviews for Jane the Virgin. I'll have to check it out when I have a little more time.
Yeah. I don't pay attention to them in other reviews I read so...yeah.
DeleteYeah, I watch so little TV nowadays because most of it sucks. I'm waiting for a couple of shows to return to TV for a little while, but they're likely to be over after that. I don't even know the fate of The Goldbergs, but that show is super funny. Lately, I've been rewatching anime. That might count as TV....
ReplyDeleteAnime counts!
DeleteI don't really pay attention to any of the stuff at the top of your reviews. At least I don't think I do. Do I? I do like to know if a book is part of a series, but if you mention that in the review, I'm good. You're welcome for that extremely helpful comment :( Ha ha.
ReplyDeleteVery helpful!
DeleteI have Wordpress, so I use the Ultimate Book Blogger Plugin, which does most of the work for me when it comes to the book info. Because that is literally the worst part of reviewing. And I do that Short and Tweet review format because I just can't do long reviews for everything I read, but that doesn't mean I don't want to mention it. I am thinking of doing something new for my audiobook reviews. I'm not happy with them, and I need something fresh.
ReplyDeleteI hope the paint job goes well and that you get a fabulous new tenant who owns lots of books you can borrow.
I used to be a big TV person too, but now it's just too hard to keep up with shows. The only shows I watch with a regular basis is Grey's Anatomy and The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, but I love occasionally binge watching a series on Hulu or Netflix (Community is my new fav).
I love your Short and Tweet reviews. I'd steal the idea but I don't read fast enough. When I finally finish a book I feel like it deserves a full review.
DeleteI like your short reviews. I also like seeing the first sentence. Sometimes that's what draws me to a book. I don't necessarily need all the other facts about the book but do sometimes like to know if it's YA or not. I used to read more YA but now that I've raised 3 YA's I'm feeling a little old for teenage angst...or the simplicity in writing that I see in YA books.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I used to own residential rental properties. Can't say I miss it. The things people do to the space you've spent time, energy and money on. Always, just when you think you've seen it all...someone shows you something new...and not in a good way.
Good luck and hope you find your blogging mojo.
Pam
Yeah, I think I might drop some of the info on my reviews.
DeleteRentals are hard. You have to find the perfect renters and sometimes you think you have and then they prove you wrong. Not fun!
If the title and author are in the subject line, no, you don't need all that stuff. But, I confess I waffle about adding it or not. I don't do the same thing every time. You've probably noticed. I love the fact that you add the first line. I never think to do that but I always enjoy reading first lines. And, yes, it's good to know if a book is a series book *where* it falls in line (and maybe how many there are -- duology, trilogy, series that the author can't seem to end).
ReplyDeleteFunny about you and TV. I've been reading less, this year, since I'm having such a slumpy year. That means more TV. I watched You've Got Mail, last night. And, tonight is Big Bang Theory night, so I'll be on the couch at 7:00. We've never owned a DVR so I watch everything live or miss it.
I love adding the first line. Mostly because, after reading the whole book, I enjoy going back and reliving that first sentence. I don't have a DVR either I do have On Demand though. So I can watch some shows after the fact.
ReplyDeleteJenny, the house renovation sounds great. Will you post some pictures? :)
ReplyDeleteAnd, you are right. Just the book's title and the author's name should do for me. I usually skip all the other details.
I haven't watched a lot TV shows. 'House' was the only one, and I loved it. :)
I like the first line you add in, but I confess that I ignore the rest of the stuff. This would be why I don't add it to my own reviews actually.
ReplyDeleteI hope the renovation stuff has been going well! That definitely sounds not fun.
I haven't watched Jane the Virgin, but have seen enough clips on youtube that make me think I'd probably get obsessed if I actually started it! :)