Done with Denial

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Yep, I’m done. Not with blogging, not with reading, not with reviewing. With denial. See, here’s the problem. I love to read. I love to blog. And I love to blog about what I read. Reviewing is great. I love sharing my reads with my friends. But, well, I’m afraid I’m starting to burn out. Reading is becoming a chore, rather than pleasure. It is starting to stress me out. Big time. As far as I’m concerned, that is NOT acceptable. No way. No how.

The problem is …what do I do about it? Like I said, I’m having a LOT of fun. I don’t want to stop doing this. But, I guess I just have to learn to slow down. We don’t truly know our limits until we exceed them, and – well – that’s where I’m at right now. So, I guess this is what I’ll do. I have made commitments to people to read and review specific books. I will do my damnedest to get that reading done. BUT, I cannot promise with 100% certainty. I have a family. I have three young children. I also need time to do what I want to do – reading or otherwise.

So, I’m going to be cutting back. Or, at least, cutting back on reading things specifically for the purpose of reviewing them. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to stop doing that altogether. I just need to be pickier, more discerning, more careful about what I agree to read. I am still open to being approached about writing reviews, but I am not going to say yes to be nice. I’m done with that. I’m going to just do what I want to read. Nothing more.

So, dear readers, what does that mean for you? Well, not much. Just fewer reviews and fewer giveaways. I’m sorry about that, but my family has to come first. Absolutely has to. Life is too short to be stuck reading something I’d rather not read, to be stuck unhappy because I’ve overbooked myself, because I can’t say no. And if I get, oh, a few chapters in and I’m just not feeling the book, then I’m done. I’m not gonna waste my time reading something I’d rather not be reading. I’m done doing that. Again, life is too short, too precious, to be doing that.

I must say I really, really hope this doesn’t affect my nomination for BBAW. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll still be here, blogging. I’ll still be reading and sharing what I read. I’m just going to be doing less obligatory reading, more pleasure reading. I have officially tested the boundaries of my limits – and crashed through. Time to get back on the right side of that boundary and get back to enjoying what I’m doing. After all, I’m reviewing these books out of the goodness of my heart. Yes, some are sent to me for that purpose, but many – I daresay MOST – aren’t. They’re either borrowed through one of the book tour sites I participate in, or I actually purchase them. (Very rarely will I use the library, but that’s a different post for a different day.) Despite what some people apparently think, book blogging is not a money-making venture. At least not for me, and – I’m pretty confident saying this – not for most book bloggers. It truly is a labor of love. And for me, lately, it’s been more labor and less love.

So, if you are someone I had agreed to review a book for, and I miss my scheduled date, please, please accept my humble apologies. I’m doing the best I can, without sacrificing my family and/or my sanity. If your date comes and goes, PLEASE do not be ticked. Please understand. I will do my best to get to your book, but I’ve reached a point where something’s gotta give. And I know that something can’t be my family – or my sanity.

FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own.

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