How Book Blogging Has Changed the Way I Read | Guest Post by Esther @ChaptAdventures | #WTTN16

Hi everyone! Today, we’re here with another new-ish book blogger! If you don’t know, WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD is a feature on my blog in which I introduce new bloggers through interviews and guest posts as well as a few giveaways! You can find more information here.

Today, we’re here with Esther from Chapter Adventures, and she wrote a guest post, which I loved!

How Blogging Changed the Way I Read

Before I started blogging my reading style was very simple: I was a mood reader. Did I feel like getting a bit creeped out? I went for a horror novel. Was I feeling a bit sad? A fantasy book was the perfect choice for me. It was very liberating to pick up any book I wanted after being told what to read in school and university. Then, almost 4 months ago, I started blogging. Everything was pretty much the same, but then, on the first week, I received my first review request from an author. This book was something I wanted to read and I picked it up when I felt like giving it a go, but I also felt a responsibility to read it quickly, write the review and publish it. Things had started to change.

A few weeks later, the next logical step for me was going into NetGalley and Edelweiss to request ARCs. In the following months I got approved for ARCs from those sites and some authors sent others to me. I had to keep track of the dates, so I wouldn’t miss their release. I had to start scheduling my reading. I would say to myself, “I can read whatever I want this week, but the next one I have to read the ARC or I’ll miss the date”. And that was just the beginning of the changes!

Now that I had to plan, design graphics, and write posts for the blog, my reading time was reduced. On my daily to-do list, blogging would come first and then reading, or else I would start reading and get nothing else done in the day! Then something else happened: I started seeing awesome reviews for interesting books in all the blogs I was following and I added them to my TBR. I got recommendations from other bloggers. I became more aware of the new releases, of books gaining hype, of series that were trending, and all of these things that I didn’t quite follow when I wasn’t a blogger.

Combine all of these things and clearly my reading style was bound to change. I wanted to keep up with the book community, read whatever I felt like, but also be careful with the release dates of the ARCs. With all of these in mind, this is how blogging change the way I read:

• I organize my reading. My TBR on Goodreads is no longer the only way I keep track. I also have a “TBR soon” list that prioritizes some books.
• ARCs always come first. This means reading the book even if I’m not exactly in the perfect mood for it. Missing the publishing date would suck and maybe the book would get archived without me reading it.
• I pay attention to the hype, but don’t always join in. I only read those that I’m very interested in and enjoy all the reviews, discussions, Twitter talks, fandom art, etc.
• I read more recommendations. None of my friends or family members read much, so I never get to discuss books with any of them, much less get recommendations. Since I joined the blogging community, I receive so many and I love that! By reading my blog and reviews, people start to notice my preferences and always recommend great reads to me. Sometimes they are out of my comfort zone, but if you check my Genre Exploration series, you’ll know I don’t have a problem with that.
• I don’t marathon series as I used to. Before blogging, I would always read every single book in a series one after the other. Now, that doesn’t happen very often. I alternate between ARCs, recommended books, and my personal choices so I don’t fall behind on my schedule.
• I pick books more carefully. As I said, I don’t have the same amount of time as before, so if I choose a book, I seriously consider if I’m going to like it or not. For example, I read more reviews and ask other bloggers what they thought of it.

Blogging has been a wonderful experience, but it’s definitely harder that I thought. Not only did it change the way I read, but also the way I organize my day. That doesn’t mean the change was bad. Not at all! I actually get more reading done and I know more about the publishing industry, the authors and the new releases. So, blogging has changed the way I read, but it was definitely a nice change.

MEET THE BLOGGER

I’m Esther! I’m 23 and from Venezuela. I love musicals, animals, baking, TV, and reading. If you join me in the Chapter Adventures, you’ll find recommendations, discussions, reviews, genre explorations and many more book related things!

Links: Twitter // Instagram // Goodreads

 

As part of the tour, I’m giving away one YA preorder of your choice (under $17), international as long as TBD ships. Full rules here.

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Did blogging change the way you read?