What Changed Since I Started Book Blogging

Next week, April 20, this blog will be turning five months old.  I can't believe that I just wanted to do a blog for my book rants, and then came ARGH, and then the awesome followers, and now Brush Up On Your Reading has already been running for five months!

He does that every time.

Lately I have been noticing things in how I read books.  There were times when I would catch myself thinking to myself, "The voice of the narration sounds really inconsistent," or "Why is this book reading too slow?"  I also found myself itching to get to the computer as soon as I finish a book and start writing a review.  When I can't do that immediately, I feel so guilty, like I'm failing the book - especially if it was good.

So what changed for me since I started blogging about books?

The Good

Patience.  Before I started writing reviews and just reading for fun, I was ruthless when it came to slow-reading books.  If a book was unable to interest me in the first few chapters, I oftentimes would just stop reading it altogether.  When I decided to blog about books, I felt that I owe it to the book and the author to give it a chance and try to read it until the end so that when I review it, I am sure about what I am talking about as I already read the whole story.

The Eye.  I used to just go read without appreciating the small details:  Voice, characterization, writing style, etc.  A few months into my blogging, I noticed that I was noticing these elements while I am reading and in a way, it felt nice because I was allowing myself to have more reasons to appreciate (or hate) a book.

Confidence.  I am not much for speaking my mind about particular issues, like bad books, even the fact that I love books.  I used to only share my love for books with my mother and a few close friends that not even my co-workers know I love to read!  That has changed though, as I now am able to freely speak my mind about books I've read because I've finally found an outlet that isn't too judgmental, unlike when you talk about books to another person face-to-face.  But I am already beginning to open myself to that now, too.  I finally had the nerve to actively push people into reading because I have a better grasp of what that particular book is all about and how I could interest a specific person to read that story.

The Bad

"Are you saying I'm part of The Bad?"

The Eye, Part II.  With the acquisition of that ability to note the small details that make a story interesting, that same ability sometimes destroys my capacity to go ahead and just read something for fun.  It's like I am beginning to read like a reviewer, and not as a reader.  I consider myself first and foremost a reader and master MS Paint ARGH illustrator, and book reviewer second.  I would still like to have a lot of fun reading books and not just for the sake of having something to write a review on.  Which is why I sometimes write reviews in a different format - to remind myself that there is more to reading than just writing an in-depth review.  And also why I created ARGH.

The I'm-Not-Sure-If-This-Is-Good-Or-Bad

Hoarder.  Ever since I started blogging, I have found really interesting books and I began to keep a wish list.  What used to be a habit of passing time in a bookstore turned into spending money in a bookstore.  In just a few months, my very modest book collection tripled in number and I had to move some of my college textbooks into another storage just to make room for new books in my book shelf.  I have already began looking for a new book case in the event that my current shelf is not enough to hold my collection.  My books are beginning to rival that of my Mom's!

I know, but where do I put them?

Brother Reader.  My brother got into reading because of the books I own, especially those YA fiction titles.  Sometimes, I would find myself looking for a particular book I haven't read yet and would learn that he has been reading it - EVEN BEFORE I HAVE OPENED IT.  I'm not a really selfish sister and I love it that my brother and I have a new interest that we share but sometimes, it's a bit annoying to have him read a book first before I can even get to it.  But oh well, at least he would never ever laugh at my hobby and we even have more inside jokes because of the books we've shared.  He is even asking me for help  for a blog he is thinking of creating.  I'll be sure to share it with you when it's finally done!

We're as close as them, but they're way cuter.  Especially the little brother.  Mine is even bigger than me.

And that's what changed for me.  How about you?  Has anything changed for you since you began to blog?