I’ve always had a bad habit of requesting a bunch of ARCs that I’m super excited for, receiving them, then not reading them straight away because the release date isn’t for another 3-6 (or more) months. But then, by the time it makes sense to read the book (1-2 months before release), I’m suddenly not in the mood anymore. Or, by that point there are already a bunch of 3 star (or lower) reviews and that puts me off the book.
Well, I’ve figured out a new plan!
Read books as soon as I get them!
I exercised this plan the first week of August and it resulted in me reading four 2015 ARCs all one right after the other. It was FABULOUS! First, there were almost no reviews/ratings yet for those books so I felt like I was going into them 100% untainted. I had no expectations beyond the synopsis. But, more importantly, I read the books as soon as I was excited about them. I think maybe waiting a few weeks/months after getting the book dulls my excitement a bit. But if I read them straight away then I can devour them when I’m most excited!
Some of the 2015 books I read and adored
Red Queen
A Wicked Thing
Liars, Inc.
I’m going to have to adopt this method! I always feel so bad, too, when I end up being less than interested in an ARC that I was previously thrilled to read.
Of course, I am incredibly impatient at the same time, especially when I’m excited, so if do end up reading ARCs months before a release date and really enjoy it, I will absolutely hate having to wait to post my review and thoughts of the book.
Especially since my blog pretty much the only way for me to share my thoughts on books. I have no IRL bookish friends- I’m surrounded by non-readers! D:
Lovely post, Ashley! š
Yeah sometimes if I ADORE a book I hate having to wait too. But I guess it can be a good thing too. I’m super excited right after finishing, then I have to wait ages so maybe I forget about it a bit, then the excitement comes pouring back in when the post finally goes live. So in a way, I guess it’s nice to be reminded after a while!
I know what you mean when you have to pick up the book closer to release date, you’re suddenly not in the mood for it. I’ve had that happened to me so often!
I wish I could do what you do because it sounds like a great plan, but unfortunately I have to finish up all my 2014 ARCs first. I’m happy to see you enjoyed Red Queen and Liars, Inc. I’m very excited about those two books.
Aw š I tend to read whatever I feel like it, obligations be damned! XD
But yes, Red Queen and Liars, Inc. were both fab!
I started with that way on August and so far it’s most comfortable, cool and productive. I read two arc last weekend, write the reviews on paper (old school I know) and later I programmed them. Last week I listened a couple of audiobooks and read two novellas. But I’ll return with the arc this week, I’m waiting for Best Plaid by Kate Roth tomorrow, Fragment by Ellie Wade, and Inked Armour by Helena Hunting (Netgalley)
I got two books on Edelweiss from 2015 but I’m planning to read them next month š
Woohoo! High five!
This IS a good idea! However, whenever I’ve read ARCs well in advance I always put off writing the review so when release date comes around, I’ve forgotten most of what happened in the book. I know, I know, organisation, my middle name, is not!
Oh dear. š I’m in a really good habit of writing reviews as soon as I finish the book. I’m just so eager to get my thoughts written down!
I read them as soon as I really feel like it. š It’s like you said, if you wait because it takes so long for it to release, you won’t be as excited anymore! That’s why I started my new feature What Tomorrow Brings. If I do read a book early, I can share my excitement a bit in that feature! š
How do you make those covers line up so good? I always see it in your book hauls too, if I just put them side by side, it messes up everything else in the posts, and the gallery’s only give thumbnails. XD Help?
I use my own HTML and CSS, but on Tweak Me you can use the column shortcodes: http://tweakme.supposie.com/shortcodes/
That is a good idea. I always wait to read ARCs and sometimes I lose interest.
Yeah, I hate that. Then I often end up not reading them at all.
I need to adopt this method because I normally try and wait till it’s almost released and then sometimes I reread the blurb and it’s like why did I request this or like you said see a lot of bad reviews and think oh maybe I won’t like it. I have all three of those books you read and liked! Good to hear you liked them! š
Exactly! And even if there are a bunch of bad reviews, that doesn’t mean I’d dislike the book… maybe I’d even love it! But I always look at the bad reviews and think, “It’s not worth finding out.” (which makes me feel bad to say, but it happens…)
I just feel a lot better about it when I read the books immediately, when I’m at the height of my excitement!
I normally wait to read my review books until a little closer to release date since I don’t post my review until a bit closer to release date. But I do think that it would be nice to read a book knowing nothing going in, not being biased by other reviews. And I definitely agree that the initial excitement wears off after hanging onto the books for a while. Maybe I should try your method!
Even if I read it 4-6 months early, I don’t actually post my review until about two weeks before release. So it works out quite nicely. š
I try to wait to read the arcs until a month before they come out. I have too many to read and I don’t think it would be fair to read them out of order. But I totally understand what you’re saying. When you get the book you are so excited. But sometimes after a few months that excitement dwindles. I always post my reviews when I read the book. But I think it is an interesting idea to do what you tried.
Sometimes I read them not long after I request them if I’m in the mood for them, but lately I’ve been waiting and I’ve had a few of these books for months now. I should really try what you said and read them right away, maybe it would help, but I’m such a mood reader that I’m not sure if it would work.
I’m a mood reader too. I don’t think it really matters when you read them, it just matters that you read them at the height of your excitement. For me, I’m usually most excited right after I get them and thus that’s when I’m in the mood to read them. But if you’re not in the mood right after you get them, then wait!
I LOVE that cover for Liars, Inc!
I used to be like you, requesting and then waiting until it was closer to release. Obviously that didn’t work, because then the release date came and went while I had other books I was more excited for. Now I try to read them as soon as possible so I can schedule my review in advance. It’s so much more relaxed!
Since I’m still a newer blogger I don’t get too many ARCs, but when I have a bunch to read (like right now my Sept. pile is huge!) I try and read them about a month before the release date. But there are a couple here and there that I’m just SO excited for I reward myself for getting accepted and read a bit early! š
This is actually the main reason why I gave up requesting ARCs. I was terrible at reading them. Like you, I used to wait, and by the time I *had* to read them, my excitement wore off. Which really isn’t fair for the author and the publisher. So I decided not to read ARCs anymore. It seems that just when I decide not to request them, the books that look most promising and end up on my TBR mountain are coming out *rolls eyes*
I think the main reason I don’t do this is that I’m never very far ahead of my review schedule – but I think its a great idea – because I have definitely had that happen to me too. Plus it could be lots of fun when the reviews finally go live months later – kind of reliving the books all over again š
That’s actually really smart! I don’t always read them immediately. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don’t. Depends a lot on my schedule. You’re right, though. The longer I wait, the easier it is for me to put off reading due to all sorts of reasons. I think I need to make myself start doing something like this!
LOL I have the same problem and I think you are so right with your solution:) Just read them right away! It’s the problem I have right now with “Vault of Dreamers” or with “Dissonance” – I also tempt to be more excited when I haven’t read so many early comments before!
OMG yes I have that problem with Vault of Dreamers! I thought it sounded really cool when I got it months ago.. now I’m just not that excited :/
I have the same problem! I will request a book and then wait to read it closer to the release date. However, I’ve found that when I read them right after (which has only happened twice so far) I enjoy them so much more!
I have the same problem…and I think your solution is a great one. (If only I could get myself to write the review right away too!) So many times I come upon the time to start a scheduled read and am either already in the middle of another read or series or just in the mood for a different genre!
Oh, that cover for Red Queen looks very interesting! And Liars, Inc. sounds promising as well, I’ll be sure to look out for those books in the future.
Not being a fan of ebooks and living in Germany, I’m not likely to receive any ARCs anytime soon, but I get what you’re saying about reviews. I often think a book looks good and then I read the reviews and it’s like meh, maybe not. It’s not even just that my excitement dwindles: if someone points out something bad about a book in a review, I am much more likely to notice that thing too and then, if I agree, enjoy the book less than I would have otherwise. I guess I’m easily influenced. š
I might have to try your method. I’m still playing catchup from when I took a mini-hiatus. But I’m almost all caught up. But my new plan is to stop getting so trigger happy when it comes to requesting them.
This is a great idea. I, as you before, wait until the release date is near and by then, as you said, in a lot of cases I am not interested to read those ARCS anymore. I just might copy your method. Also, I accept any excuse to read Red Queen. It looks bloody awesome!
BTW When are you going to post reviews for those 2015 ARCs? Right away or later?
I always wait until later to post my reviews. Publishers always seem to prefer that you wait until at least one month before release, so I abide by that. I personally find the best time to post ARC reviews is two weeks before release, so I usually do that.
However, I usually post a few sentences or a paragraph about what I thought on Goodreads straight away.
That’s good to know.
Thanks for an advice.
And you are definitely right about publishers preferences. I usually get auto-approval on NetGalley from those where I posted review on or very close to release date.
Excellent suggestion. I always plan to do this, but then life interferes and the ARCs get pushed back anyway, lol. I know it’s a good feeling to see how much you’ve accomplished.
The freedom from hype that goes with being first is really nice, but I also always feel a different sort of pressure. I’d really like to be able to do this with my most coveted things and I might when I get through the BEA pile of DOOOOOOOOOOM.
Glad you enjoyed these, as they’re all in my pile. I can only hope I feel the same way!
Oh gosh, I have a BEA pile of doom too!
I usually just read my ARCs whenever I want to now. I used to have a proper system and all but now, there are just too many too care. I just pick one and go with it haha. :3
Same! I used to note them down in a Google calendar when I got them. Then I kind of woke up one day and thought, “What the heck am I doing? This feels like a job with deadlines.” So I stopped. Now I just read books whenever I feel like it. Sometimes that means I never get around to certain books or I read them pretty late, but I don’t worry about it. It’s better this way!
Haha, I do the same thing and have ended up with a bunch of books I’ve committed to reviewing for the end of the summer. Reading books as soon you get them sounds like it works pretty well ā I might have to try it, but like you say, a lot of the time I’m just not in the mood. Especially if I request on Netgalley then get approved 3 months later :/ . Nice post š
“But then, by the time it makes sense to read the book (1-2 months before release), Iām suddenly not in the mood anymore.”
I have the same problem!! I’ve been trying to power through my unreleased ARCs, because I don’t feel like reading any of the ones that have already come out anymore. And LIARS, INC! I can’t wait to read that one! I want to get to it now, but because its release is so far I want to read others first =/
I try to read ARCs asap, but sometimes I put them off because I’m in the mood for something different. I always add the release date to my Google calendar and set reminders. I don’t allow myself to put off ARCs any later than three weeks before the release date because I need time to read and review it, so it can be posted on my blog 3-7 days in advance.
I’ve been in such a slump recently that I’ve been binge reading ARCs. I’ll go for months without requesting anything online, unable to pick up a physical book let alone an ecopy, and then I’ll blitz and go straight through and read about a dozen ARCs.
I’ve read two 2015 releases as well, or books at the start of the year that aren’t released until later in 2014. Sometimes if a book just *speaks* to me I have to read it straight away – a la Red Queen. Which was so good! Sometimes I’m left disappointed though, and it makes me fall straight back into a slump again. I’m a definite serial binge reader.
Yes I know exactly what you mean! I’m now back in a slump too. š
Love this– great plan!
Question– Do you right the review right away, after you’ve finished the book and are still excited, and just save it in your drafts to schedule when the book is releasing, or do you wait to write the review too?
I always write the review straight away. I like to get my thoughts down as soon as possible because that’s when they’re strongest. Then I schedule the review to go live about 2 weeks before the book’s publication date.
This is a great way of thinking. I will have to do this too. I have tons of books on my shelves that I asked for or accepted for review and then went “meh” when it was “time” to read them. Perhaps this way of thinking will keep the excitement there when reading them. Plus you can always write your post right away and postdate them for the right time…. so smart! Great post!
Exactly! That’s what I do. I draft my review/post while my thoughts and feels are still fresh, then just schedule it closer for to release date. š