I got to thinking recently about how I use reviews in my book life, both my own and other people’s. Why do I write reviews, and why do I read them? What do I want from them?I’ve tried to answer those questions here, and thus this really freakin’ long thing. I hope you read it despite the length, as I’m quite proud of it and, even more importantly, typing it all out gave me possible carpal tunnel syndrome. Don’t let my pain go to waste! 
Why I write reviews
In my own reviews, I try to include all my important reactions, especially those that related to my enjoyment of the book, and I try to include more technical stuff (more on that later). Basically, I use my own reviews as a more detailed reading log. Sometimes I might try to encourage people to read the book, but mostly I try to record how a book affected me and what I thought of it.
So, in my personal reviews I’m recording how I reacted to a book emotionally and intellectually, if I enjoyed it, if I liked the characters or the writing or the plot, if it relates in any way to my own life, and if I learned anything new from reading that book. (I don’t always achieve recording every single one of those points, but I’ve basically got it down.) My reviews are my reading diary, and if they make someone else want to read that book? Fantastic! But I almost think that’s secondary to my personal reasons for writing reviews. (I apologize if that sounds horrible.)
Of course I hope that my reviews encourage people to both read that book and then come back and talk with me about it! The desire to have discourse about a favorite book (or even a hated one) has been steadily growing in me ever since I started this blog, which is partly why I’ve been trying to include some sort of discussion question in my review posts. (It’s probably also why I want to join a book club so badly.)
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