Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week the theme is Changes In My Reading Life.
I am reading since I´ve learned it in school. And for many, many years it was no problem for me, to read several books within a week or a month and still know what the story was. While studying at the HAF I learned to make little notes on a notepad while reading a book and that has itself proven to be very helpful when I sit down to write my reviews.
While reading I don´t notice that I am taking notes. It happens mostly subliminal. Despite other fast-paced readers who like to cross-check some pages in a novel while reading the book, I am one who reads the entire book. That counts especially for books I receive for free from a publisher. Sure, some books I´ve read over the years didn´t stick in my memory, but that was never a problem. Or better said, it never was a problem for me. How others handle that I can´t tell.
Well, it seems that for whatever reason my reading has changed during the past eleven months. Not only have I noticed that I don´t read that fast anymore but I also noticed that I am not reading for hours anymore. Right now, I can´t even tell you if I get too easily distracted because the book isn´t able to grip my attention or if another reason is causing it. Somehow, I need to step away from a book after reading some chapters to do something else.
Am I slowing down bookish things that way? For sure. Am I reading less than I used to read? Certainly. Do I have an answer to why that is? Not at all.
The only thing I can say for sure is, that this year I probably won´t make my set goal for the New Release Challenge for the first time since I am participating in that challenge. Does it give me a bad feeling? Rather a mixed one. I don´t like to fail when I am doing something. But in this case, I don´t see it as failure concerning the circumstances. Reading and blogging are meant to be fun. And I am still having fun while reading. No matter how fast or slow I am reading now, I still enjoy the genres I used to read in the past and today. And I don´t see any reason why that should change in the future. Reading is calming me down, always has and always will. It is as simple as that. But it is interesting to notice that change and to realize that something is responsible for it, but I can´t quite put a finger on it. As long as I am able to read a book, I am happy.
So, yes there were some changes in my reading life. But none, I am too worried about. And for sure none I feel angry about. I still love reading books and am passionate about them and blogging. To discuss a novel with others who´ve read it too, is always very interesting, though we might not share the same opinion about it. On the other hand, if we did, it would be boring, wouldn´t it?
And how has your reading life changed? Has it changed at all?
Happy reading
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I'm reading less these days as well.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT.
Good to know I am not the only one *smile* Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteI agree. There's no rush when reading. I like to just take each book as it comes, fast or slow, depending on my mood and how the story goes.
ReplyDeleteI hope that things will change back to how it was before. Right now I feel a bit stuck. Thanks for your visit, Greg.
DeleteI need to do the notepad thing. I'm always at a loss when I sit down to write reviews.
ReplyDeleteIt is a huge help. Looks a bit funny when I carry it around with me no matter where I go but that is ok *smile*
DeleteI think it's normal for things to change over the course of our reading lives... I certainly don't read as much or as fast as I used to either. :(
ReplyDeleteMaybe it is just the time of year. Or me in general. As long as I have not lost my passion for books and reading is still fun, I am not too worried about.
DeleteI’m not too worried about the changes in my reading life, either. Reading is supposed to be fun. I’d rather live with the changes than force myself to correct them. Nobody cares if I read fewer books this year than last year.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
True words spoken!
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