How long between the reading and the reviewing?

She forgot post-its don't require staples...

Normally when I write a review I have just finished reading the book. I may have recently started the next one, but the first book is still fresh in my mind. Not this time. My computer vacation meant that I had reading time without immediate writing time and thus I'm doing these reviews* after some time has passed. I know a lot of people let some time pass between the reading and the writing to let the book percolate and really gather their thoughts. This sounds very mature and intelligent and a sure way to get well thought-out, well-rounded post. I never do this and I don't think I have the chops to. I am almost comically absent-minded** and out-of-sight-out-of-mind is entirely true for me.

So what do you do? Do you have to get your thoughts down immediately? Do you let some time pass? Maybe you write down your initial thoughts, put it aside and then after some time has passed write a review? What do you do if you end up way behind on your writing?

*This post began with me writing a review of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and ended up being this. Because procrastinating on writing by writing something else is a special level of avoiding the responsibilities I have put on myself.

**Unless the topic is obscure pop culture references. I am all about those because my head is jammed with them instead of actual facts. Means I rock at bar trivia and can't for the life of me remember what I just walked into the kitchen for.