How I Rate Books

Hi guys!

I hope this post finds you well. I've been having some troubles that have kept me from the blogging/vlogging world. But, I have a quiet moment right now so I thought I'd write this up for you. I hope you enjoy!

So, I wanted to give you an overview of how I review books. I tend to rate most books four stars unless they are outstanding. For example, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell was a five star book to me. Contemporaries are usually a solid 4 to 4.5 stars in my book. If you asked me my thoughts on contemporary novels a few years ago, I would tell you that I hated them. The contemporaries that I read back then, I usually didn't finish or gave two or two and a half star ratings. Now that I am the age that most of the YA contemporary characters are, I feel like I can relate to them more. And that's why I've read all contemporary books this month!

A three star rating to me is right down the middle. It wasn't great, but it wasn't horrible either. An example of this would be Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. This was one of those books for me. While I am interested in picking up the sequel, I needed to wait a few months before I actually did that.

I very seldom give a two star rating, but when I do the book just didn't do anything for me. The story might have been good, but I didn't connect to the characters or the plot line. These are books like classics that I have to read for school. For example, right now for my English class we have to read Hamlet. I'm not that big of a fan of reading plays as it is, but add tragedy and death to it? It's really not my forte.

I don't think I've ever given a one star rating, so I can't give you an honest reason why I would give a book a one star. But if I ever do, I'll be sure to come back and update this post!

I'd love to know how you rate your books. Let's have a chat about it down in the comments!

Type at you soon!

Shea

Why I Don't Like Book Synopsises

Upon my discovery of book tube, I learned something about myself. I do not like book synopsises. Why? Well the answer is really quite simple. I like to go into a book as blind as I can.

Let me tell you something. When I read Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Leviathan, I didn't know that the title was, in fact, referring to TWO Will Graysons. That is how blind I like to go into a story. After I picked up that book, I read the back and the back clearly states that this story is about two boys named Will Grayson. 

I feel that had I gone into that book with the knowledge that there were two Will Graysons, the story would have had a much different effect on me. Especially the ending. 

Now, in saying this, I still watch book tube videos. I only watch reviews/book discussions unless I have read the books that the reviewer is mentioning. I watch mostly book hauls, book tags, and monthly wrap-ups and TBR videos. Now with that, there often will be a synopsis of the books. But, because, most of the time, it is not word-for-word from the back of the book or a full review. 

I guess you could say that I'm not a fan of how publishers describe the books they put out in their synopsises. Unless they sum up the book in three sentences or less, without giving too much away.  I guess I just feel like the synopsis wants us to develop our opinion about a book before we've actually read it. I prefer a synopsis to be short, sweet, griping, and vague. I like to hear short opinions from other avid readers in a shortened format, such as in a wrap-up video or TBR. 

When I do get around to reading a hyped book, I may watch some sort of discussion of the book, but I like to settle with my own thoughts of the book for a while rather than share them with the whole world. Give me a few days for a book to stew inside of me to see if I want to share my thoughts or if I want a more intimate relationship with the book. 

This may seem very confusing and I sort of contradict myself because I put up reviews on here and on my channel. But like I said earlier, I like those types of things when I have already read a book. 

So, here's a question for you. Have you really thought about how you feel about synopses of books, or have they always been there and you just grew used to them? Let me know and let's have a discussion in the comments!

Until next time, 

Shea

P.S. I will have a video up on my YouTube Channel soon. My internet speed has not been cooperating with me. If I try to upload a video it would take a veeeeeeerryyyyyy loooooooooong time. But, I will keep trying! 

Why Project TBR and Not #0by16?

Well, the reason is simple. I'm a mood reader and I love my local library. Also, I have books that are sequels that I ordered thinking they were the first in a series. Ooopsies!

I currently own 139 books that I have not read. I have organized them all on to a goodreads shelf (which you can see here). It would be grand if I could finish them all by 2016, but as I have mentioned in previous posts, I am coming out of a HUGE reading slump. Also, I have my last semester of High School and my first semester of College this year and I don't know how that will affect my reading.

With me participating in Project TBR, I have a goal in sight. But the goal of finishing my ENTIRE TBR pile that I own this year is quite impossible. I have a goodreads goal set for 50 books, which I'm pretty sure I can surpass because I set the same goal last year and didn't start reading until May and I still managed to surpass it. I'm thinking with a few extra months of reading thrown in there, I will be able to read more than 50 books.

But, as I am planning to read adult books and it takes me quite a while to read them, it may stay at 50 books. We will see.

I will frequently be updating this blog on how I am doing on project TBR and you can see what books I've read this year for Project TBR in that same link above.

I look forward to discussing more books with you guys in the coming months. I will have a video up on my YouTube channel soon with my monthly wrap-up. But I like to do them on the first day of the next month because my reading patterns are very unpredictable.

I will talk to you soon!

Until then,

Shea

Reading Goals for 2015

I know this is extremely late, but I thought I would share my Reading Goals for 2015 with you anyway!

1. Read 10 adult books

This is something that has scared me for a while. I'm not one for eroticness, and I thought all adult books had graphic sex scenes in them. But, I've learned that if I choose carefully, I can avoid this as much as possible. (As of today, I've read 1 adult book.)

2. Read at least one book with more than 500 pages

This is actually quite easy for me to accomplish, as most of my books have 300 to 500 pages in them. As I am typing this, I have completed this goal already! But I'm sure I will read several other large books (Game of Thrones is one of those huge books at the top of my list!).

3. Read a book written by someone under 30

I've probably read books like this unknowingly, but I would like to read a book written by someone close to my own age. A few years ago, there was a girl at my local high school that published a novel. That is my TBR for this challenge!

4. Read a book set in a different country

I really want to read a book set in all of the continents if I can get my hands on them. I want to be more aware of reading diversely. As of now, I've read a book set in Italy!

5. Read a book based on a true story

I really want to read Orange is the New Black because I am in love with the show. But, I also want to read a fictional work based on a true story. Any suggestions?

6. Read a graphic novel

I've realized that graphic novels became really popular this past year and I want to jump onto that band wagon and see what's so good about them!

7. Read 5 classics

If you know me, you know that I am not fond of classics. I don't know if it's the ones we've been forced to read at school that has lead to that or while I was in a giant reading slump that was what we were reading at school. But now, I want to see if I can read some good ones of my own accord.

8. Read an e-Book each month

I'm already failing at this one. There's six days left in January and I haven't read an e-Book this month. But, to make up for that, maybe I'll read two in February. Or, I might even squeeze one in. Who knows. My reasoning for this is because I really enjoy physical books, but I want to read the books that I've bought on my e-Reader that I've neglected.

9. Project TBR

I have sworn off buying books this year and have decided to participate in project TBR. I have around 150 books on my shelves that I have not read that I must read before I buy new ones. I'm not participating in #0by16 because I have so many  books that I don't think that I can complete it. I'd rather set a goal that I can actually see myself achieving. Thus, my GoodReads challenge is set at 50 books, but I can change that later in the year if I need to.

10. Read 50 Books

I've only recently come out of a hugenormous reading slump. I'm planning on doing a YouTube video about it on my YouTube channel in the future, but for now here's just a brief bit about why my goal is set at 50. I went almost 2 full years without reading anything but required reading for school. But in May of last year, I began to read again. I managed to read 50 books last year and I know I can surpass that goal this year, but I wanted to set a number I could surpass and then eventually change that number.

Well, that's about it for me for today! I will have January book reviews up possibly tomorrow or the next day. I'll talk to you soon!