About the Blog

History

Blonde Blogs Books started in March 2011, when I was a junior in high school. I used it for a few months, but wrote only a few reviews and basically forgot about it afterwards. However, the end of my freshman year of college (May 2013) I decided to revive the blog and use it as a way to express my thoughts on books as an English major. The blog began at blondeblogsbooks.tumblr.com, but has relocated to blogspot as of 2014.

What I Review

Children: As a future teacher, I really love children’s literature. That being said, I am not going to be reviewing The Cat in the Hat. I look to find Middle Grade novels that have a broad appeal- something you can read with your little sister and you can both get something out of it.

YA: I have an unabashed secret weakness for YA. While all my fellow English majors are reading Tolstoy and Pynchon, I’m the one reading John Green (though I have read both Tolstoy and Pynchon). I really think that as great at classics are, it’s always refreshing to read a book that we can relate to, especially ones that give us a great take-away message. I don’t really read fantasy or sci-fi, but occasionally I might try something of that flavor if it gets enough good reviews (such as Harry Potter or Hunger Games).

Adult: As I’m getting older, I’ve been venturing to the upstairs of my library at home- the adult section! After beat my initial intimidation, I discovered that adult books were basically like YA books with older people in them. I’m mostly drawn to adult books that are contemporary or historical. No fantasy, sci-fi, trashy romance, or grocery store line murder mysteries.

Classics: Remember how I mentioned I’m English major… as much as I wish I could read YA all the time, I most definitely have to read books for school and for the life experience of reading them, so I try to read few classic works of literature whenever I get a chance to keep myself cultured.

Review Policy

Want to have your novel reviewed by a blonde? Specifically me?

I’m currently accepting requests to review books. I will post my honest opinion of it. All reviews from ARC will be noted as such. I accept no compensation in exchange for it, just my own thoughts, however blonde they may be.

Please inquire at my ask or e-mail for more information. The book must fit under “Things I Review" and cannot be a kindle/e-reader book. I’m also definitely game for giveaways, guest blogs, or anything else you can think up- so just let me know if what you’d like to do.

Rating System

So far I’ve been playing around with my rating system, but it is a little different than you’ll see elsewhere. I rate from 1 to 30. I am an appraiser for Destination Imagination, and this is how we rate things there, so this it works better for me. I think it allows for more nuance than your typical 1 to 5 rating.

Here is how I think about it

1-5 = Rubbish, threw it across the room, icky, no good

5-10 = I appreciate something about it, but on whole still kind of a flop

10-14 = Slightly disappointing, just below average read. Not necessarily terrible by any means, but not any new literary hit, something might still have been missing for me

15 = Your average book

16-20 = I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It might not have a place on my book shelf for all of eternity, but it is definitely worth reading.

20-25 = Very good book. If you see this in the book store, at the library, on your friends shelf- please read it!

25-30 = WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN’T READ THIS? Drop everything now, right now, right this second and read read read it!

*Classics don’t have rankings, if they are regarded as a classic, they don’t need me to rate them, their reputation speaks enough