How many times have you participated in CBR? Has it changed the way you read?
This is my 5th year. I think I read both more thoughtfully and with less anxiety. My first year, I was anxious and writing reviews as if they would be graded. That influenced the books I chose and the way I read them. As I became more integrated into the community, I have become less self conscious about my reading choices and more focused on what I have to say about what I am reading. This community has broadened my scope of reading, and made me so much more sensitive to intersectionality and representation in pop culture.
How do you decide what to tackle next from your To Be Read list/stack?
It’s an alchemy of what’s on my kindle or shelf, and my mood. My tbr list is vast. I’ll never get through it.
Did you hit your goals for CBR9? Do you have any new ones for CBR10?
This year I wanted to Double Cannonball, and I’m working on a review of a two book series that will bring me to 104 reviews. Next year I think I’ll stick to 52.
Which do you find easier to write, the 5 star or 1 star reviews?
I think 5 star. I went back and looked at my reviews, and I write many more positive reviews than negative. My favorites are when something about the book taps into something I’m passionate about or outraged over. My favorite review this year is the one I wrote about Christina Lauren’s Dating You, Hating You. The review wasn’t so much about the book as about the condescending roundup of romance in the NYT Review of Books.
What’s your favorite book-based movie?
Dr. Strangelove. Dr. Strangelove is possibly the most perfect satire/comedy/portrait of war and masculinity on film. It’s as relevant now as it was in 1964. I’ve never read the book on which it was based. Does that count?
Eggnog: cozy deliciousness, or a winter abomination?
Both. Well made eggnog is one of the joys of winter. The cheap stuff from the store is an abomination. The best eggnog I’ve ever had was at a 3 day New Year’s party on a farm in rural Massachusetts. The milk and eggs were fresh and some of the alcohol was homemade. The memory may be made rosier by the alcohol content of that eggnog. I’m always looking for a good recipe.
I prefer a good drinking custard to eggnog, myself. Mmmm, liquid pudding.
It’s funny that you mention becoming less self conscious of your reading choices. The same thing has happened to me. I no longer self-censor reviews of things I’m actually reading in fear of being judged. Well, almost. I have yet to review a novel-length fanfic. That is one border that I may not cross. And yet I may.
I just went back and read your Dating You, Hating you review for old times sake and enjoyed it just as much. Cheers.
Drinking custard? I need to know more about this.
Don’t you live in Texas? You should know about this! My dad was from Texas, and he used to make it every Christmas. Here’s a couple of variations. Mostly it’s whether you use milk or cream or half and half or some mixture of both. Nutmeg and alcohol are optional. Every time I taste eggnog I just want drinking custard instead.
http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2010/12/grandmas-old-fashioned-boiled-custard.html#axzz50V7i1J22
https://www.southernkitchen.com/recipes/drink/grandmas-drinking-custard
Huh, I was born and raised in Texas and have never heard of it. Thanks for the recipes.
If you try it you’ll have to let me know how it goes :)
It’s just gone on the list.
Don’t be mad! I just bought Silk Nog at the store so that I can put it in my coffee. (*hides in shame*)
I judge all kinds of things, but I never judge what people like to eat and drink.
<3
I think I’ve actually gotten more self-conscious with my reading choices. But I think that’s a masculinity issue. Being confronted with so many views different from my own, I’m not comfortable kicking back and reading the kinds of books that appeal to me on an instinctual level.
I mean, I do read those books, but I get self-conscious if I read too many of them in a row.
I hope you will keep reviewing the books that appeal to you. Even if it’s not my bag, I really appreciate the variety of tastes and genres.
I was very selective of what I reviewed for my first (and maybe second) Cannonball, and then I realised that if I was going to be able to actually compete and reach my reviewing goals in any sort of time, I had to review everything I read, whether it was a “guilty pleasure” or a “worthy” book. The older I get and the more in touch with my own reading preferences I become, the better I am at curating my book choices.
I love that I hear about so many books on here that I would never have tried otherwise, but unless it’s the only book that fits a particular reading challenge of mine, I’m also much less likely to read something I absolutely loathe nowadays. I am trying to branch out and read more diversely, but I’ve stopped ever feeling guilt about what I read and like and if I dislike something, I try to be very clear about why it didn’t work for me. I’m now very interested to see what happens next year – I suspect I will be reading, but I’m not sure I’ll have time to review much (especially since I can’t even leave a comment without going on and on). Brevity is not my strength. :D
You, personally, are a big part of why I was able to get so comfortable here. I thank you for that. I hope you will be able to keep reviewing, even if your reviews become thinly disguised baby updates. ?
If nothing else, I’m going to read a Romance novel before I’m done.
So I can stop misusing the word, if for no other reason. Thanks for setting me straight on that.
My go-to eggnog recipe is from the November 1997 Cook’s Illustrated! Yummy heart-attack-in-a-glass!