Why Do You Review?

Is it for yourself?
The reader?
The author?
The free books?

Discussion on a couple of other threads have been branching out in this direction but I thought I'd try to get it all in one place. Add your answer and then post your blog.

Me?
Myself and the reader.

http://nobsbookreviews.blogspot.com

For myself and the reader, but the free books are a nice perk.

I do the reviews because it encourages me to take the time to read more, which I had gotten away from. Reviewing makes me a more thoughtful reader and a better writer.

I write my reviews for the reader, not the author or the publisher.

I blog to hold myself accountable and exercise the writing muscle at least a few times per week.

The free books are nice because I get to read current books and expand my reading tastes.

http://www.booklorn.com/

I have a degree in English Lit. and while I putz around a bit before graduate school I use my blog to encourage myself to read, research, and think about lit.

I'm working toward a degree lin Literature. I've always loved to read, and have always recommended books to my friends and family members, so technically I've been reviewing for some time. Blogging about it definitely has increased the number of ARCs I have access to.

I review because I'm forgetful and if I don't, in a few years I'll forget about the book and probably read it again, only to realize I already did so. It was getting annoying.

Now that I'm blogging what I read, I'm loving that people comment because I can see where I might be doing a poor job describing the book, or they might point out a different perspective. It really enhances the reading process and it's also helping me improve my writing skills.

To remember what I read, for other readers, and honestly for the authors I love to help get their books in front of more eyes.

As an English lit major, I've really, really missed reading and discussing books regularly since leaving college. My book blog is a way for me to start conversations, discuss books I love and really "organize" my thinking. By writing an actual review of the book once I'm finished, I better remember the plots, characters and "message" of the work -- it helps me be more connected with it. I love it! But I love writing in general, too, and that's another major factor in the blog upkeep.

http://writemeg.wordpress.com

I review for me.

Sometimes I read books or go to my classes at university and my mind is completely blank. Nothing grapples on my memory and I live a docile, sleepy life. Or I find a book that I like and I think about it a lot and then have no one to share it with because none of my close acquaintances have read it. The perfect solution is to blog about books and write reviews.

Review a book forces me to think about it and put my thoughts into words and clarifying them in the process. And having posted the reviews somewhere accessible, I can at least delude myself that I'm somehow communicating to people with similar book-interests.

http://daysreading.blogspot.com/

I primarily write reviews for me. Somehow, the writing process helps me straighten out my thinking... which seems to help make life easier the next few days. Secondarily, I write reviews for my friends; some have told me they find my reviews helpful. If someone else finds my reviews helpful, then I'm glad.

The free books are a nice perk, but, honestly, I'd probably keep writing reviews even if I got nothing tangible in exchange. At the moment, and as usual, I am behind - again. I should be writing reviews instead of this post. :)

http://blogs.delphiforums.com/dragonviews

I have just recently started to review. I write reviews on the young adult books because I use it as a book talk to get my students interested in the books that I read. I also want to show them that I read as much or more than they do. I'm trying to be a good role model.