You know, they say it’s good to look back and learn from your mistakes, but … eish.
The Writerly Way is over a year old now. Nearly a year and a half, even. Which means … there are a lot of things to look back on, and an equal number of mistakes made. I like to think I’ve learned from them, but who knows. Perhaps I’ve just locked them in a closet and told them to behave for now and I’ll deal with them later. That does sound like me.
So, I write book reviews (duh), but my reviews haven’t always been what they are now. Once, they were in their nasty little larval stage. You know, the sort that is wriggly and no one finds cute, but everyone bears because eventually, it might just become something worthwhile.
When this blog started, I had no frigging idea what I was doing. I mean, I still have no idea what I’m doing. I mostly just wing it and hope nothing catches on fire. But I’m slightly better at it than I was.
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is about the first ten books we reviewed. Since I’m not entirely a masochist, I’m limiting it to the reviews on this blog and pretending the others don’t exist. I mean … what others? *cough*
✦ How Things Have Changed ✦
✿ I used to divide my reviews between the good and the bad, but that felt so … binary. The things I don’t like aren’t bad. They’re just not for me.
✿ I’m much more careful and conscious about not giving away spoilers and also how I word things. Because words mean things.
✿ Graphics! I have them now! My early blog posts were a testament to white space and blandness, and I’ll have you know, I nailed it!
✿ I’m much less shy/afraid of giving my opinions. I used to feel bad about rating something low, because guys, people pour their hearts and souls into these books. BUT NO MORE! Because some people have lousy hearts and souls. Just kidding. But just like I don’t love every person I meet, I don’t love every book I read, and that says nothing about the author and everything about me.
✿ I’ve changed! I’m no longer that cute, idealistic 27-year-old I was a year ago. I’m jaded. I’ve seen things and read things and survived to tell about it. But mostly, I just know myself better, and I’m more comfortable with saying how I feel about a book. Because it’s my opinion. It’s okay for me to have one, and it’s okay for someone else to disagree. Even if they’re obviously wrong.
If I Fall by Ella Harper
Review || Goodreads
Previous Rating: ★★★★☆
How I’d Rate It Now: ★★★☆☆
If I re-read this book now, I’d definitely be harsher on the rating. This was my very first post, and I had no idea what my rating system meant. What even are stars? What’s the difference between two, three, and twenty?! Why is this so hard? Now, my standards are much clearer.
Keeper of the Watch (Dimension 7 #1) by Kristen L. Jackson
Review || Goodreads
Previous Rating: ★★★★☆
How I’d Rate It Now: ★★★☆☆
This is another where I didn’t know yet what my rating system should be. Pretty typical chosen one saves the multiverse YA type scenario, which I thought I would love at the time, because I did as a teenager. But … they’re just not my thing anymore? I’ve definitely cooled on this particular genre.
Downside Up by Jane Thornley
Review || Goodreads
Previous Rating: ★★★★★
How I’d Rate It Now: ★★★★☆
This is the point where I get on my soapbox and demand half stars! Because while I enjoyed it, it didn’t feel like a five-star book to me. Certainly not like all my others felt. But it felt a bit more than a four-star book, either. If I really had to re-rate it, though, I’d probably round down this time. I’m sort of disappointed that there’s not a sequel to this yet, though?
The Dead House by Billy O’Callaghan
Review || Goodreads
Previous Rating: ★★★☆☆
How I’d Rate It Now: ★★★☆☆
I’d still give this a begrudging three stars, but I’m not happy about it. Actually, this book left me a bit bitter, because the story had so much promise. But instead, it was only about 20% of what the blurb talked about and 80% this random character I couldn’t stand. That being said, I do still want a sequel, and I would gladly read that sequel, so …
Grey Lore by Jean Knight Pace and Jacob Kennedy
Review || Goodreads
Previous Rating: ★★★★★
How I’d Rate It Now: ★★★★★
This and its prequel Grey Stone (I read them out of order … so sue me) are two books I will never shut up about. It took some time to get into it and used to the style, but I loved them both and the uniqueness of them. I still want more. *eyes you suspiciously* Have you read them yet? Well, what are you still doing here? Off with you, then!
The Reunion by Samantha Hayes
Review || Goodreads
Previous Rating: ★★★☆☆
How I’d Rate It Now: ★★★☆☆
I’m still tempted to drop this to a two, because the ending was just so unsatisfying to me. So maybe I’d rate it a 2.5? I enjoyed most of this book, for what it was, but by the end, it stretched my suspension of belief too far and I didn’t buy the things that happened at the end.
Every Heart A Doorway (Wayward Children #1) by Seanan McGuire
Review || Goodreads
Previous Rating: ★★★★★
How I’d Rate It Now: ★★★★☆
I loved the novelty of this book, even though I felt it was a bit … sparse, maybe? It definitely felt like a novella, but it was book one and I figured, heeey, it’s a feeler, right? There’s so much room to grow. Looking back now, after reading four books in this series, that’s just how the series is, which isn’t bad, but it does sort of irk me that I never really fully feel immersed in the book because of the things it glosses over to maintain the novella length.
The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman
Review || Goodreads
Previous Rating: ★★★★★
How I’d Rate It Now: ★★★★★
Can I give this thing a million stars? Here at The Writerly Way, where the stars don’t matter, just like the fact that the characters aren’t real. Doesn’t matter; still love ’em. We love them anyway. This book was my very first Backman book, which is a special thing, okay? He’s fabulous. My reading life is so much better for having discovered him, and I can’t recommend him enough. If anything, I’ve only grown more endeared to this book since this review. Which I didn’t know was possible.
Down Among The Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children #2) by Seanan McGuire
Review || Goodreads
Previous Rating: ★★★★☆
How I’d Rate It Now: ★★★★☆
I … actually don’t think my opinions on this one have changed at all? Huh. Jack and Jill were always my favorite characters from Wayward Children (though, I mean, Kade is right up there, too, obviously, and Christopher). This is probably my favorite book of this series so far, and I’m still demanding hoping for some more Jack and Jill.
The Lightning Stenography Device by M.F. Sullivan
Review || Goodreads
Previous Rating: ★★★☆☆
How I’d Rate It Now: ★★☆☆☆
Listen, I didn’t know how to rate this then, and I still have no idea. The book was weird, is all I’m saying, and I ended up skimming large chunks of it because I was bored. But I still LOVE the last third of the book. It’s the action-adventure fantasy I’ve always wanted and it has one of the best talking swords. I still sort of low-key hope the author will just take the last part and write an entire book around it. Because having dreams is important.
I understand you completely! When I first started my blog, I was only 14. I was so worried that I was going to share my honest opinion and that everyone was going to like hate on me for it. Yet, over the years, I don’t give a crap and I just let my feelings spill out in the reviews. If I hate a book, I hate it, and I’m going to let everyone know why.
Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian
Oh, 14. Bless you. As far as the world is concerned, I was never 14. xD My 14-year-old self was … phew. I don’t even know.
I think those are the reviews I enjoy reading the most, though, honestly, where people just say whatever they mean. I don’t generally read ones that are just blatantly “I love this” or just “I hate this.” I want an actual opinion that I can hang off of. 😛
It was so much fun to see your evolution. I hope you continue writing book reviews for many years to come.
My TTT.
Thank you! Me, too. This has been way more fun than I ever imagined it could be. I mean, mostly because the community is awesome, but this is just sort of my thing now lol. I love it.
Oh I love the way you structured this – I wish I did it the same now 😂 Really love that you highlighted how your reviews have changed. And Beartown by Backman is one of my favorite books of all time and I adore it, but for some reason I am so hesitant to pick his other books up? As if they’d tarnish my love for Beartown. I am looking forward to checking out The Deal of a Lifetime!
Thanks! It’s amazing how much things can change in a year haha.
I actually haven’t read Beartown yet. I started it, but gosh, I had such a hard time getting into it at that point (I’m definitely a mood reader). I intend to pick it up again, but it didn’t feel quite like the same tone as the other books I’ve read by him.
So if you love Beartown … I mean, I don’t see why you wouldn’t love the others? xD But for me, personally, the tone did feel a little different, from the about 15% that I read. The Deal of a Lifetime starts at the end, with a murder, and goes backwards, explaining how it happened. Super quick read, but I loved it.
My favorite Backman book for sure is My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry. The main character’s grandmother used to tell her stories about a world she made up, which is based on the real world and Granny’s life. And the two slowly combine as the story unfolds. Granny dies super early on (not a spoiler, I promise, as it’s sort of the entire premise of the book and in the summary), and Elsa is trying to cope with the loss while also learning about who her grandmother was. It was absolutely beautiful. I laughed, I cackled, I cried hysterically, and I fell in love with pretty much all the characters. Even Britt-Marie, Heaven help me.
And a Man Called Ove is pretty much a classic at this point. It was a bit dark, but offset with a lot of humor. And Ove is such a lovable curmudgeon who never failed to make me laugh.
So wow this was long, but yeah, I highly recommend them! Those are the ones I’ve read so far, because my library doesn’t have any others, so I’ve been sort of waiting to order them. 🙂
Thank you so much for the long reply, I appreciate it!
I actually do think I would like his other books, it’s more that they feel different in tone and I am not sure they would match Beartown so I want to have this idea of Backman’s writing being exactly like Beartown 😂 it’s silly, I will definitely be picking up the rest of his books. And everyone always says that My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry is their fave! I am looking forward to picking it up!
Yeah, I understand that. It definitely is a different tone. Did you read the sequel to Beartown yet, Us Against You?
Oh! There was one novella I forgot to mention. And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer. It’s a novella told from the perspective of a man with dementia who is desperately trying to cling to his memories. It was so frigging BEAUTIFUL. But I’m not gonna lie, I ugly cried through 90% of it. It hits even harder now that my grandfather’s been diagnosed with dementia. Would so much recommend it, though!
I did yes, I loved that one too! It was different than the first one but I loved it just the same! Oh that sounds heartbreaking, but I’ll add it to my list of Backman to read!
I like how you’ve shared what has changed in terms of your reviews!
Thank you for stopping by and leaving me a comment on my TTT post earlier today~
Thanks! It was certainly fun to see how it’s changed.
Nice! I like how you’ve given your GR rating and what you’d rate it now! I think if I look back at some of my earlier reads (that I only rated, but didn’t review on GR) I probably would find myself rating them less than I originally did. Wonder what it’ll be like a few years down the line! 😅
It’s so funny as your tastes change, isn’t it? I don’t feel particularly different than last year, but I do know that my reading tastes are slightly different. xD I find that interesting. Would definitely be interesting to look back in, say, five years.
For sure! I think that reading to review books will definitely influence how you read and I guess in turn, what you read too. At least, I think it makes me more critical and pushes me to read wider!
Wow, so many books that I haven’t heard of but I’m very interested in Grey Lore. I’ll have to check it out. And mistakes can be good …. they make us better, right? 🙂
Mistakes make us better, as long as we don’t, like, lose any limbs or something in the process? xD
I like how you added how you would feel about it now. Thats a great idea. Its funny how in such a short time period of a year we can really change with these things.
Isn’t it? Going in, I sort of figured that a year wasn’t so much time, so not much would have changed. But then when I actually looked at the reviews, I realized it definitely had.
Do you think we all get harsher/more jaded as we go along? I certainly have! Though I try to be nicer about it now–I was pretty blunt in the beginning. This was such a fun topic to explore!
It’s a neat question to explore. I think people change, but I’ve actually seen a few people who initially hated books and ended up loving them. I think your tastes naturally change as you grow and experience different things. I’ve definitely gotten harsher, but like you said, I try to word it more diplomatically, because it’s just my opinion, and my goal is just that, to share my opinion, rather than to tear down a book. I think when I was younger, if I hated a book, I just wanted to hate on it, so my aims have definitely shifted, and that’s shifted how I approach it. :3
FIRST OF ALL, “they were in their nasty little larval stage” is SO relatable. Because, well, same. Second of all, it’s so interesting seeing what everyone’s first reviews were of and then hearing what it might be, now. Thanks for sharing!
Ha, that was a theme I saw a lot. xD It’s so nice to know you’re not alone in cringing at your old reviews, isn’t it?
It’s so interesting that review styles can change over a year! I like the way you analyzed yours. 🙂
Thanks! It was more fun than I thought it would be. xD
Great list! I love how you went back and showed both how you originally rated them and how you would now 🙂
Thanks! So much can change in just a year, apparently. Who knew? xD
The discipline of sitting down and writing things up is such a learning experience – not to mention seeing how others respond, and how others tackle the same challenge. This week was a fascinating topic for looking back at where we all started 😀
Right?! I feel like there’s always something I’m tweaking or doing just a little differently. And I get so jealous of these blogs that have just awesome formatting and lovely, easy-to-read reviews. It gives me something to strive for. :3