I am like a million miles behind on my ARC reading, it’s crazy. I didn’t intend for it to happen but it did. I actually used to be a really good reviewer. My Netgalley rating was in the 90% range and I only ever had books on my shelves that weren’t published yet. I was totally in control and ready to conquer all the books. I would request and be confident my review would go up on my blog around the time of publication. Then something happened this year and I don’t know what. I got into some reading slumps. My mood reading got crazy. I just didn’t feel a strong urge to read. Whatever happened my ARCs got out of control. I think I requested books I wasn’t totally convinced I wanted to read. I gave into hype pressure and then avoided reads. I waited until it was too close to the publication date and I am the worst about reading when the pressure is on. My brain gets all contrary. ‘Oh, you need to read this book by next week? Don’t you want to reread that book you read five years ago instead?’ because yeah, my brain sucks.
I have plans on how to conquer my ARC pile (and books which have sat gathering dust on my shelf for forever). I will embrace DNF-ing with those which are way, way overdue and I’m not getting into and start focusing more on those books on my shelf. ARCs will be just those books I genuinely cannot wait to come out.
My question to you guys is: is there a point you give up on ARCs? Like, do you admit you’re never going to get that review up if it’s been two months after the release date or is it better to review whenever, regardless of how long after publication it is?
Obviously, if I receive a copy of a book and actually agree to take part in a blog tour or whatever I put the pressure on my brain and force myself to read, no matter how much I’m not feeling it. I make sure I get to the end and get my thoughts on screen or whatever, but those ARCs I requested off of Netgalley and then get approved for like three weeks later and am slightly less excited for so they then linger on my Kindle until well after publication. Should I still be getting reviews up for those? Should I spend my time reviewing them? Or should I just focus on current releases? I mean, I feel like it’s only polite to put the effort in and review. I put the effort in to request and it’s my own damn fault I didn’t read them sooner. I obviously want my Netgalley ratios to be good and for a publisher not to blacklist me (do they do that? I bet they do). I’m just wondering, at what point do you not even bother attempting to read an ARC? I’m planning to read, or attempting to read all those on my shelf but I wanted to know what your ARC attitude was.
Anyone else failing with their ARC reading? What do you do when you get behind? Do you still review all old ARCs and what about DNF-ing ARCs?
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