In Which I’ve Become So Overwhelmed with My Piles of Unreviewed Books That You Get To Call the Shots
Well, I found myself Googling “how to write a book review” the other day. Seriously. Is this something that I should admit? Lately, I’ve found myself staring at the computer screen with so many fantastic books to write reviews about but yet at a loss for words. You’d think after two-and-a-half years of doing this gig that I’d be getting somewhat okay at it. It’s not that I don’t have things to say because I do! I’m reading more books than I’m reviewing and they are piling up on me! And I REALLY like to review every book I read.
I do have templates ready for most all of these books. So you tell me – what book would you love to hear my opinion about and are there any questions that you have about them that I can answer in my review? Help kick start my creative juices!
Fiction
- That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo
- The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris
- A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi
- Recovering Charles by Jason Wright
- Every Last Cuckoo by Kate Maloy
- Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea
- Torn by God by Zoe Murdock
- Searching for Eternity by Elizabeth Musser
- Silver Shoes by Paul Miles Schneider
Young Adult Fiction
- The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott
- Uglies by Scott Westerfield
- Pretties by Scott Westerfield
- After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson
- The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
- Bifocal by Deborah Ellis and Eric Walters
- Liar by Justine Larbalestier
- If I Stay by Gayle Forman
- The Teashop Girls by Laura Schaefer
- Love, Lies, and Texas Dips by Susan McBride
- Love You, Hate You, Miss You by Elizabeth Scott
- Keesha’s House by Helen Frost
- The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
- The Maze Runner by James Dashner
- Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman
- Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles
- Nothing but Ghosts by Beth Kephart
- A Loser’s Guide to Life and Love by A.E Cannon
- Slob by Ellen Potter
Middle Grade Fiction
- Operation Yes by Sara Holmes
- The Battle of the Red Hot Pepper Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales by David Lubar
- Witness by Karen Hesse
- Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford
- Brendan Buckley’s Universe and Everything in It by Sundee Tucker Frazier
- My Teacher is an Alien by Bruce Coville
- Charlotte’s Rose by A.E. Cannon
- Dessert First by Hallie Durand
- Long Shot by Mike Lupica
- The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
- The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
Non-Fiction
- Shattered Silence: An Untold Story of a Serial Killer’s Daughter by Melissa G. Moore.
- My Bridges of Hope: Searching for Life and Love After Auschwitz by by Livia Bitton-Jackson
- A Place to Hide: True Stories of Holocaust Rescues by Jayne Pettit (juvenile)
- The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
- Tone Deaf in Bangkok and Other Places by Janet Brown
- The Mistress’s Daughter by A.M. Holmes
- A Child’s Journey Out of Autism: One Family’s Story of Living in Hope and Finding a Cure by Leeann Whiffen
- The Mistress’s Daughter by A.M. Homes
- Cult Insanity: A Memoir of Polygamy, Prophets, and Blood Atonement by Irene Spencer
- Tone Deaf in Bangkok and Other Places by Janet Brown, Photographs by Nana Chen
Picture Books
Basically, any or all of the Cybils nominated fiction titles.
So? What would you like to see next?
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I would like to read your thoughts on The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.
on March 15th, 2010 at 9:57 pmHave you read other fiction by Richard Russo that you can recommend? Empire Falls and The Bridge of Sighs look interesting to me. Is he very lyrical in his writing, very descriptive or just the facts sort? Was That Old Cape Magic an emotionally satisfying read? I don’t need tidy or happy endings but I want more in a story than just relationship stuff-does he offer that? I’d like to try him but don’t like to know too much of the details of a story before I read it. What do you think of his work? Thank you in advance.
on March 15th, 2010 at 10:13 pmCharley – You got it! I really did like that one.
Sandra – I LOVED Empire Falls but haven’t read The Bridge of Sighs although I have it. I read it back in my pre-blogging days so don’t remember too much about it other than very basic plot. There is a movie about it too which I remember liking. That Old Cape Magic was definitely more character development then plot. I think I liked Empire Falls more now that I think about it. All good questions for me to address in my review. Thanks!
on March 15th, 2010 at 10:27 pmI think sometimes the problem is not having nothing to say but having too much to say, so that the brain becomes overwhelmed and doesn’t know where to start!
on March 15th, 2010 at 10:46 pmI am laughing at you because I see so much of myself in this post. I also need to review Uglies, The Maze Runner and most of the Cybils picture books. Maybe we need to do a tag team review.
on March 15th, 2010 at 11:49 pmI vote you do Maze Runner and The Dark Devine. I’ve read both already, but would like to hear your thoughts on them.
on March 16th, 2010 at 12:33 amI would like to hear your thoughts on The Maze Runner. My Friend Amy and I both thought the emotional landscape was lacking, though it was a fast-paced, exciting read. Agree or disagree?
Also The Unnamed. Did it seem bleak or hopeful to you?
I’d go crazy if I had so many unreviewed books!
on March 16th, 2010 at 2:54 amAnother vote for “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind”. It is on my list of possibles for next months social justice reading so I would love some comments on it first.
on March 16th, 2010 at 4:41 amIt is horrible when you get the block, isn’t it? I start to feel like I am sliding into a hole! I would love to hear about the serial murderer’s daughter!!!
on March 16th, 2010 at 4:48 amI feel the EXACT same way. I think it might be winter doldrums for me – I’m soooooooo ready for spring (we had a breath of spring last week, but then it’s gotten cool again with the rainstorms we had over the weekend here in New York).
I, too, would love to hear your thoughts on Maze Runner – I read and reviewed it already but it’s a book I’m a bit conflicted on, especially in regard to Theresa. And more Liar reviews are always awesome (it was such a crazy book!)
on March 16th, 2010 at 5:35 amI would like you to review Tea Shop Girls!
on March 16th, 2010 at 6:01 amI vote for Cult Insanity. I am fascinated by cults and would read about a book that is focused on them.
on March 16th, 2010 at 6:46 amI thought my list was bad! Oh, Natasha, I say you grab the book nearest you and start writing!
If I had to choose, I would love to hear your thoughts on Joshua Ferris. I’m stuck on The Unnamed myself. I have one line of the review written. Let’s just say I didn’t love it like everyone else did. I’m interested to see how you felt.
Sometimes I have to actually stop myself from reading so I can catch up with the writing!
on March 16th, 2010 at 7:15 amI go through cycles, but reading the books is almost always easier than writing the reviews!!
I loved Uglies and Pretties, and so I’d like to see a review of that (and you could do them in the same post).
The fiction that I’m curious about is A Circle of Souls (because I’m doing the South Asian Authors Challenge and am steeped in that culture).
And non-fiction — The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
on March 16th, 2010 at 7:31 amI love every Helen Frost book I’ve read so I’d like to see a write up about Keesha’s House, one I have not read.
on March 16th, 2010 at 8:45 amI’m only about a month behind in my reviews, so I guess you made me feel better
I’d love to hear any of your YA or MG reviews (especially After Tupac). I still struggle to write reviews all the time – the summary being the hardest. I’ve learned that if I sit down relatively soon after I’ve read it and write the summary and a few of my thoughts, it’s easier when it comes time to flesh it out. Looking forward to whatever you review!
on March 16th, 2010 at 9:15 amI’d love to hear your thoughts on The Unwritten Rule! I’ve read it, and I’d love to see what your opinion is, if you liked it as much as I did.
I’ve read some varied reviews of The Unnamed, and I’ve been thinking of getting a copy of that, so I’d like to hear what you think of that too.
on March 16th, 2010 at 9:59 amThat is a LOT of books to review! I’d pick the ones that no one else has reviewed recently, personally
on March 16th, 2010 at 10:32 amI’d like to see Liar and If I Stay.
I just did a mini wrap up of the FOUR books I was behind on. You might have to do a longer one than I did!
on March 16th, 2010 at 10:44 amRichard Russo! I can’t stand getting behind in reviews.
on March 16th, 2010 at 1:22 pmYou’ve got lots of requests already so I’ll just say that I thought I felt overwhelmed! No I feel overwhelmed because I have so many books that need read! I just made a spreadsheet so I know which book I should read next based on publication date or at least as much as possible.
Enjoy writing your reviews! When I get this backed up I start by writing short reviews because Nicole #1 hit it on the head, I usually have so much to say so you need to condense it down!
on March 16th, 2010 at 1:23 pmI know just how you feel! I often find myself reviewing the picture books because they can be easier to wrap my mind around!
Liz B. once recommended KT Horning’s From Cover to Cover. I loved it. A new edition is being released late spring, and I’m definitely looking forward to it.
Good luck with your mountainous pile! I really enjoy your reviews!
on March 16th, 2010 at 3:10 pmEvery Last Cuckoo by Kate Maloy
on March 16th, 2010 at 6:33 pmEven though I have never heard of the book or author and just because it is interesting sounding.
I read the Watsons Go to Birmingham as a child and I remember thinking it was really funny. So I would love to hear your thoughts on it. was there a good mix of serious (since it is about Birmingham during the ’60s) and lightheartedness?
I’ve never heard of Bifocal so that would be interesting to read a review of.
I compleltely understand how you feel! Sometimes I LOVE a book, but I don’t want to review it because a) I don’t know how to describe it without gushing b)I’m tired from staying up late to finish it c)I don’t want to be redudant. Ah the life of a book blogger
on March 16th, 2010 at 7:37 pmI just wanted to say that seeing your backlog of books to review makes me feel better about my backlog.
on March 16th, 2010 at 10:24 pmThat is amazing! No wonder you feel overwhelmed.
I’d like to see your opinion of The Maze Runner since I liked that one a lot (enough to want to read the sequel) but wasn’t fond of the slang. What did you think of the world that he built, the slang terms, and will you continue on with the series?
I’m interested in what you thought about The Unnamed because I’ve been thinking of reading it.
I also read Recovering Charles, and had mixed feelings about it. Generally if I have mixed feelings about a book that prods me to read more reviews by other people to see if they agreed or if I’m the odd one out.
Good luck with your reviews!
on March 17th, 2010 at 12:37 amI’d love to hear your thoughts on “Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials” by Rosalind Wiseman
on March 17th, 2010 at 3:00 amOkay, here’s what I want your reaction to:
on March 17th, 2010 at 9:56 amLiar
That Old Cape Magic
Unnamed
Into The Beautiful North
Every Last Cuckoo
The Maze Runner
Uglies/Pretties
Nothing But Ghosts
Oh my goodness, that is a LOT of books to review. I thought I was behind and I only had 4 books I needed to review. Does that list stress you out? It sure would me!
Start with Russo. I have a love affair with him.
on March 17th, 2010 at 10:11 amI would love to read your review of A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi…mostly because my opinion of it seems to differ from all the blog reviews I read.
on March 17th, 2010 at 5:35 pmSo actually, I am just looking for someone to agree with my opinion…lol
Natasha: I’m going to psychoanalyze you and propose that the ones that you actually want or need to review the most are The Mistresses Daughter and Tone Deaf in Bangkok because you listed them twice.
on March 17th, 2010 at 7:48 pmI thought The Maze Runner was great, am very interested in If I Stay, but really, I want to hear your take on The Loser’s Guide to Life and Love.
on March 17th, 2010 at 10:29 pmSounds like me these days while I declutter the books I’ve already read or will never read again (or open *gasp*)…
I’m interested in what you think of the nonfiction: Shattered Silence: An Untold Story of a Serial Killer’s Daughter by Melissa G. Moore
I just might have to go out and get a copy to read myself.
on March 18th, 2010 at 10:13 amCult Insanity: A Memoir of Polygamy, Prophets, and Blood Atonement by Irene Spencer
I mean, seriously? By title alone I’m tempted to request it from the library. I’d love to know if you think it’s actually any good.
on March 18th, 2010 at 8:11 pmYou’ve never read Westing Game? Say it isn’t so! Must read! Oh, I loved/still love that book. I can’t wait for people to read books I loved for the first time! But as a writer, let me put my vote for something published more recently.
on March 19th, 2010 at 5:05 pmOh, dear. I know this probably doesn’t help you feel any better, but your list really put MY list in perspective. I have about 15 awaiting reviews.
My technique is to take a scratch piece of paper and jot down 3-5 points I want to make about the book. That makes writing the review a lot easier because I don’t feel like I have to cover *everything*.
on March 22nd, 2010 at 10:09 pm