I like to think of myself as a mood reader. I go through phases where all that I’ll want to read is contemporary (the current one I’m getting out of), or dystopian, or sci-fi, or historical fiction, even cheesey romances (we all have this craving at some point though, right?).
For the “non-professional” readers out there, this is totally fine. Great, actually! You can wander into the bookstore and ask the bookseller, “Do you have more books like this? I just finished reading this and I want something just like it!” But for us bloggers and “professional” book readers, we’re under time constraints and it can be difficult. What if I don’t feel like reading this book right now? But it comes out next week and I’d hate to let the publisher down by not reviewing it when I agreed.
So yes, I confess that sometimes reading review books can feel constraining. Sometimes I don’t like a book as much as I would have had I been in the right mood for. But that’s okay, because I think we’re really all like this. I find it hard to believe that some people can just pick of any random book at any given time and fall in love with it.
Does mood reading make being a book blogger difficult for you sometimes, too?
Books & Cleverness 
Oh I hear ya. It’s why I rarely request ARCs because I can’t commit to responsibilities. And the pressure of reading books before release date just don’t bode well with me. It’s even tougher when one is a sporadic reader.
Normally I only request review books that I have a good chance of really enjoying so that it makes the task less of a chore. I still love reviewing ARCs though, don’t get me wrong!
I totally agree with you. I have quite a few e-books that I am suppose to read for netgalley but I can’t seem to pick them up and I feel such pressure to read them that it caused me to be in a reading slump.
That’s the one problem with eARCs… if only they never expired!
Oooh I can totally see why that would be difficult for you. I’m personally not as afflicted by mood reading as everyone else. I don’t love as many genres enough to want to jump around. I tend to just oscillate between paranormal and fantasy. BUT I do have this little thing where I read seasonally. I get inspired by my surroundings. Luckily it doesn’t stop the paranormal/fantasy vibe. I just means that I’d want to read something else ON TOP of that. Like now that I’m leading into Summer, I want to add a few fun, spring breakish contemporaries to my list but I could never give up some fantasy. Great topic choice though! 🙂
That’s great that your mood doesn’t affect you when it comes to reading. I’m also a seasonal reader! But like you I stick to my go-to genres and add some other things in here and there to spice up my reading. Thank you!! 🙂
Oh, yes, I’m a mood reader as well. I currently have a huge pile of books to read (for publishers and otherwise) and I’m just not sure I feel like reading any of them… But I don’t get that many ARCs so it’s not that much of a struggle.
And I’m *always* in the mood for fluffy romance, no shame in that 🙂
Fluffy romances are a go-to when you’re in a slump, that’s for sure!
I don’t like as many genres as you so it’s a bit easier for me, but yeah sometimes a book that sounded great when I requested it just doesn’t sound good now, but there’s really no choice but to read it. I think that’s part of the reason for my current reading slump. Luckily I’m almost caught up with all of the arcs I fell behind on. I wish you luck with your reading!
Yeah, sometimes when I see a book up for review I get really excited and hit request without thinking. Lately I’ve been restraining myself more before I request a book. That’s great that you’re getting caught up!
I can absolutely relate to this! I had trouble with this when I tried e-galleys and reviews for the first time. Reading suddenly felt like another chore, rather than an escape and something I love. I found myself slugging through it just to finish and get through the review, so I could check it off my list and be done with it. I think in the future I will be much more careful about what e-galleys I request, and when. Thanks for sharing!
Yeah, requesting is definitely a learning experience. I’ve become more restrained when requesting titles. Reading or blogging should never feel like a chore!
Absolutely!
I’m a mood reader too, that is why I don’t do deadlines. I read and review as I please and as my life schedule lets me. I read and review for fun, because I enjoy it and I intend to keep it that way. Good post. 🙂
Even though I request books I still read them because I love to. I never request anything just to say I got an ARC, because what’s the fun in that if you’re not even going to like the book?! I totally agree with you! 😉
I’m a terrible mood reader, which is why I’m probably not going to be asking for many ARCs, because I feel so guilty when I don’t want to read them but I have to. It also makes reading for college really difficult.
Oh yes, I can only imagine the workload you have in college. I’m in HS and it’s a huge amount of work already so I see where you’re coming from.
I couldn’t agree with you more. This is a major issue for me because I’m SO moody when it comes to reading. My moods change almost daily. And it makes it tough to accept review requests when I have no clue if I’ll be in the mood to read it – and I don’t want to disappoint anyone or give an unfair review because of my mood. Lately I’m trying to cut back on my ARC’s and accepting review requests only if it’s a favorite author and I know I’ll enjoy the book. I just don’t have enough time to read everything that’s coming my way, and just about every time I think I’ll like something – my mood will change! It’s a blessing (because it’s fun to read all sorts of different genres) and a curse (because I just want to be able to get into everything I pick up). 🙂 Great post and a very hot topic!
I’m trying to cut back as well. I hate it when I read a book because the release date it coming up but I just couldn’t get into it because of my mood. It doesn’t feel fair to the author.
I never thought I was much of a mood reader until I started blogging and “professionally” reading – then I found out that I’m extremely picky! Right now I can’t really even consider reading a contemporary book, and I want medieval type high fantasies or dystopians instead. One thing I’ve found that helps is just to be REALLY picky about what I request through NetGalley, that way I have a free queue to read whatever I pull from my shelves 🙂
I’ve found the same thing as you – I’m definitely being more picking when requesting and only sending request for books that are from my go-to genres or authors! It’s always nice to be able to be able to read whatever you want, whenever you want!
I’ve always known I was a mood reader, but I didn’t realize how difficult it would be for reviewing books. I just finished a book from NetGalley and I hated it, but I’m not sure if it was because it was poorly written or if I just wasn’t in the right mood. I had to read it and I’ve got to publish the review on my blog this week because it just got released. Grr.
I’ve found the same thing when reviewing books from NetGalley or Edelweiss. Sometimes I’m not sure if it’s just my mood causing the dislike or the book itself. For that reason I think it’s not always fair to the authors. If it wasn’t a review book I may have put it down to read something else until I was in the mood for it again.
Although I usually am a “mood-reader” I find that if I convince myself to start a book (even one that I don’t feel like reading) I tend to be sucked into the world and end up loving it and falling out of the mood. It’s worked so many times, it’s just the convincing that’s difficult.
Olgia @ Orange Owls & Books
That’s so great that you can do that. Normally if I’m not in the mood for a book I force myself to read it but end up not loving it as much as normal, or I’ll fall into a reading slump.
I’m a mood reader too, but I think I’ve found a way that works for me. I always read more books at the same time, so this always helps me when I feel like reading something else 🙂
That’s awesome that you can read more than one at once! I’ve tried that before but I always end up being drawn to one story over the other and just end up sticking to reading the one I’m more into, then returning to the other. Kind of defeats the purpose!