reading habits

Sometimes I Do Things That Would Probably Make Some of You Cringe

May 17, 2013 by Jamie · 71 Comments

I already told you that I don’t care about having pristine books or matching covers and it makes me feel like a freaking unicorn in this community (but learned that there are others of you who don’t care either!!) so you know I’m not terribly particular. I don’t mind a used book and I love that sometimes my books are worn and look well-loved. That’s pretty much how ALL MY books when I was younger looked — tattered and loved.

However, I realize that I do some things that would make most book lovers cringe. I’m kind of not so nice to my books.

(Note: These things do NOT apply to borrowed books — so if you lend me a book I swear I take good care of it!)

I dog ear pages.

Shamelessly. I dog ear pages when I don’t have a bookmark or even a random scrap of paper (or am too lazy to grab something) so that I can find my page later. The majority of my dogearing happens when I read an AMAZING book with amazing quotes I want to copy in my quote notebook or passages I know I’ll want to remember so I can read over and over again (lots of swoony scenes). So the more dog ears = AHMAZING BOOK.

I read in the bathtub/pools/other bodies of water.

Reading in water (ESPECIALLY THE TUB) is one of my favorite places to read however I realize it probably gives most of your heart palpitations to get your book close to water for fear of water damage. Not going to lie, when I read in the tub my book does sometimes get little drops of water on it. I’ve never DROPPED a book in the tub but I’ve certainly got a little water damage on my books from wet hands or a splash. Nothing extreme but I know some of you would grimace as you look at the damage to the pages.

I eat & drink while I read.

I know others do this too but I’m BAD because I’m not careful. I have this tendency to drop things and forget to make sure my hands are 100% food free before I turn the next page because I’m just so INTO THE BOOK. I let my dear friend Jen of the now defunct Makeshift Bookmark borrow Mara Dyer a long while ago and I remember warning her that I spilled food because I was too into the book. I’m working on this one, I swear! Ain’t nobody got time to find a napkin when you are ending a really good page and need to get to the next one!

I have the tendency to throw my books around.

I throw my books (not very carefully) in my bags all the time — not really concerned if they get bent or what not. I throw them on the bed when I’m getting my pjs on to read in bed. I throw it in my car. I just THROW MY BOOKS around. I’m not gentle with them at all. As I was typing this I happened to look over and see the state of my current read that I had left on the couch and I had clearly thrown my bag on it. I kid you not, I did not pose this. I’m just not very gentle — probably why I don’t buy really fragile or expensive things often. Go ahead, call out my book manhandling.

I open my books WIDE.

I know some people don’t enjoy cracking the spines on their books but I totally don’t care. I bend them sometimes so the front cover is actually touching when I’m reading a paperback because it fits better in my hand.

So are you appalled with my manhandling of my books?? On a scale of 1 to 5 how much did you cringe while reading my bad habits? Do you do any of these things also or are some of these things like really bad reader behavior??

Filed Under: discussion Tagged With: bookish habits, discussion, reading habits, the bookish life

Before & After #11: Where Books Come From

May 15, 2013 by Jamie · 18 Comments

So you guys. Since early 2012 I’ve been working on this post I wanted to do about the differences between myself as a reader before I was a blogger and after I became a blogger because my habits have changed SO MUCH. I kept putting it off because of wedding plans. I wanted to make this cute graphic that was a list but, when I finally started to work on it this year, it was just looking TOO crowded with about 30 different things and overwhelming and not AT ALL what I had in mind. Then I decided…why not make it a series? The more I thought about it — it would lend to a better discussion if I just give you one at a time. I’m kind of glad my original idea didn’t work out because I’m liking this better. Check the end of the post for previous Before & After’s.

I had the vaguest notion of how books were published. People wrote them and then there were publishers who printed them? I really didn’t know much about the various publishers — I would see HarperCollins or Random House on a back of a book and not really pay attention to it. I just really knew NOTHING about the world of publishing. Books just magically appeared on shelves and I read them.

It’s insane how much I know of the industry now as a blogger (especially because I’m not also a writer). I could name tons of publishers, their imprints and a list of the some of their bigger titles and could definitely tell you the publisher of any recent book I’ve read in the past 3 years. I could even name agents and editors for some of my favorite books or ones that I’ve taken notice of. I understand more the process of how a book goes from author to the shelves of your bookstore. I’m aware of sales going on and I pay attention to industry trends. It’s honestly AMAZING how much I’ve learned about the publishing industry not even setting out to learn about it — definitely makes me appreciate each and every beloved book even more. I do think in some ways that I wish I didn’t know SOME of the things I do because sometimes being a reader without knowledge of the industry is bliss but I wouldn’t trade everything I’ve learned. Not at all. It’s an industry I care about and definitely am glad to be a part of it.

Let’s Talk:

If you are a blogger — As a blogger do you feel like you know a lot more about the industry than you did before or have you stayed unaware of a lot things? Did you know a lot about the industry prior to blogging? What are some things you have learned that may have surprised you? Anything you wish you didn’t know? If you aren’t a blogger — Do you feel like you know a lot about the industry? Do you prefer not to know or just never had an interest in it?

Previous Before & After’s:

The Time In Between Two Books – 2/27
Being Up On New Releases — 3/6
Book Real Estate — 3/15
Re-reading — 3/20
Meeting Authors + Myths About Them — 3/27
The Number of Books Read Per Year — 4/5
Recommending Books — 4/10
Chunky Books — 4/17
Reactions To Books — 4/24
Having People To Talk Books With- 5/8

Filed Under: Before and After, discussion Tagged With: Before And After, bookish habits, discussion, reading habits

Before & After #10: Having People To Talk Books With

May 8, 2013 by Jamie · 29 Comments

I’d finish a book and literally had nobody to talk to and all my thoughts would just stay put in my heart with nowhere to go. I had one friend who was a reader but we read vastly different things so our recommendations would just go in one ear and out the other to each other. We’d politely listen to each other talk about our reads but just because we both loved books. There was no squeeing and excitement and FREAKING OUT! I didn’t have anyone I trusted to give me a recommendation so I mostly just got them from magazines or displays at the store. Mostly I just browsed.

When am I NOT talking about books or flail or rage or SQUEEE?? I can pop on Twitter and instantly talk about a book I was reading or write a review and share my thoughts and people will TALK BACK ABOUT IT — and on a personal level also. It’s honestly incredible to have so many people to digest these books with. It’s even more amazing to now get PERSONALIZED recommendations from people who know what I like in books. I’m never without a recommendation. Though sometimes I kind of miss just browsing without any particular recommendations in mind (but honestly it’s so amazing to be at a bookstore and be like TWITTER WHAT DO I NEED TO BUY??)

Let’s Talk:

If you are a blogger — Did you have people to talk books with before blogging? Anybody with similar tastes? Where did you get your recommendations from prior to blogging? If you aren’t a blogger — Who do you talk books with? Where do you get your recommendations from?

Previous Before & After’s:

Filed Under: Before and After, discussion Tagged With: Before And After, bookish habits, discussion, reading habits

Before & After #9: Reactions To Books

April 24, 2013 by Jamie · 31 Comments

I’d finish a book and the extent of my thought was “that was good” or “ehh I didn’t really like it.” Unless I had to think critically about it for school I didn’t really explore all the reasons why I liked or didn’t like it.

Obviously now as a blogger I DO think about why or why not I enjoyed a book. Blogging has challenged me to be able to explain the things I liked and didn’t like when someone asks rather just than saying “it was good” or something like that. I’m much more likely to talk more in depth about all the reasons I like a book though like I admitted here I’m not the most scholarly or whatnot in my reviews. Overall I think this is a positive thing to keep thinking critically and be able to explain myself BUT I will admit that there are some days where I miss the days of NOT having to explain why or why not I liked a book. I just want to either like it or not. lol. But that’s mostly on the days when I feel lazy or when a book maybe just doesn’t seem to lend itself to be talked about MORE.

Let’s Talk:

If you are a blogger — Did you always think critically about books before you were a blogger or would you kind of just have a simple that was good or that wasn’t good mentality? Do you sometimes miss the days when you didn’t think about every book to death? If you aren’t a blogger — Do you feel like you think critically about what you are reading or does it hover around “I liked it” or “I didn’t like it.” ? For everyone — Curious if there are certain genres or types of book that are a challenge to think MORE about outside of “it was good’ etc. I think for me sometimes it is those lighter, fluffy reads because I LOVED them but sometimes I can’t think past WHY except that they were fun and enjoyable.

Previous Before & After’s:

Filed Under: Before and After, discussion Tagged With: Before And After, bookish habits, discussion, reading habits

Before & After #8: Chunky Books

April 17, 2013 by Jamie · 66 Comments

I read chunky books often and without even thinking twice. If it was a book I was interested in it didn’t matter how thick it was…I was going to read it and wasn’t scared off by how big it was. I didn’t feel like I was slowing down my reading pace — I wasn’t even thinking like that. 1,000 pages? NO PROBLEM.

I rarely ever read chunky books anymore. Any time I want to read a book that is borderline chunky I side eye it. I wasn’t aware about how this habit changed but I know I felt pressure to read more books so I could review them. I would think, “Well in the time it would take me to read this book I could read 3 or 4 other ones.” I HATE that my subconscious thinks this way and prevents me from picking up those massively huge books more frequently. It’s not that I don’t read thicker books anymore but I’m just less frequent about it and it prevents me from picking up books I really want to read. One of my bookish resolutions this year was to read more chunky books so I’m really going to try to achieve it!

Let’s Talk:

If you are a blogger — Do you read more or less chunky books than before? If you read less is it because you feel pressure to read more so that you have stuff to review? If you still read a lot of chunky books how do you make it work for you blog and having reviews? Or do you just not let it bother you? If you aren’t a blogger — Do you read chunky books often? Do they ever intimidate you or make you feel like you could be reading MORE books in that time? For everyone — Curious as to what the biggest book you’ve ever read is? What chunky books are on your TBR?

Previous Before & After’s:

Filed Under: Before and After, discussion Tagged With: Before And After, bookish habits, discussion, reading chunky books, reading habits

Before & After #6: Books Read Per Year

April 5, 2013 by Jamie · 48 Comments

This one, besides the book real estate thing, is definitely the biggest change in my life. I read probably 20-30 books a year — which I know was more than a lot of my friends or the average human being I’m sure. Like I said in my first Before & After, I waited a longer amount of time before I would pick up a book upon finishing one. Sometimes I would wait a few weeks before I picked up my next book so I definitely read at a slower rate PLUS I wasn’t spending as much time per day reading a book — I’d read for an hour maybe before bed. There were times when I would spend a whole day reading on a rainy day but most of the time it was just a little time here and there.

I definitely read WAY more than I did before blogging — probably between 75-100 books a year (though last year was only 55 because of wedding planning, my job stress and moving). I definitely read more often and take less breaks in between books. I think there definitely is a pressure to read MORE as a blogger to make sure that I can have reviews for the blog. I confessed this in my Things I’m Afraid To Tell You post but I often feel bad because I know I can’t review as many books per week as many other bloggers because I’m simply not reading as much as them but that’s the choice I’ve made and have decided that 2 reviews a week is doable for me at the rate I WANT to read books. I don’t push myself to read when I don’t want to and there are times when I go for days without reading. I think I also read more as a blogger because I am so hyper aware of all the books out there –especially with all the habit of anticipating all the books as I mentioned in another Before and After.

Let’s Talk:

If you are a blogger — Has the amount of books you read per year increased or stayed the same since becoming a blogger? How much of a difference is there? Do you feel the pressure to read A LOT more so you can have reviews? If you aren’t a blogger — how many books would you say you read per year? Does this number fluctuate or stay pretty much the same? For everyone — How much reading time do you think you put in per day? Do you ever go days without reading or do you pretty much read even a little bit every day?

Previous Before & After’s:

The Time In Between Two Books – 2/27
Being Up On New Releases — 3/6
Book Real Estate — 3/15
Re-reading — 3/20
Meeting Authors + Myths About Them — 3/27

Filed Under: Before and After, discussion Tagged With: Before And After, bookish habits, books read per year, discussion, reading habits

Before & After #2: Anticipating Books

March 6, 2013 by Jamie · 43 Comments

I literally never knew when new books were coming out. I only knew they were NEW if I saw them on a New Release table or shelf at a bookshop. I never had anticipated reads for upcoming seasons. Even if I had a favorite author I never knew when they had new books coming out. I just didn’t follow or even know WHERE to find that information. Even when I got into Goodreads, I really didn’t seek out new releases. I just would track what I was reading and then see what other people were reading.

Now I could tell you books coming out a year from now and have my Catalog Creepin’ posts to indulge in this obsession. I have a whole slew of anticipated reads that I’m excited about. I know about new books from my favorite authors pretty much right when a deal is announced. It’s like this never ending stream of new books to be excited about that it’s almost overwhelming. I do like being in the know though but I will say that I miss not be surprised by what is on the new release shelves in the store.

Let’s Talk: If you are a blogger — were you really aware of books coming out or was I the only one that only knew which was new by the new release shelves at the bookshops? If you were aware of them previous to blogging, how did you find out about them? Do you ever feel overwhelmed with talking about releases a year from now? If you aren’t a blogger, I’m curious if you feel like you are really aware of what is coming out and have huge lists of anticipated releases sometimes a year out? How do you find out about them? Book blogs (I totally didn’t know that this existed)? Newsletters? Following publishers? I’m so curious!

Previous Before & After’s:

The Time In Between Two Books – 2/27

Filed Under: Before and After, discussion Tagged With: Before And After, discussion, reading habits

Before & After: The Time In Between Two Books

February 27, 2013 by Jamie · 85 Comments

So you guys. Since early 2012 I’ve been working on this post I wanted to do about the differences between myself as a reader before I was a blogger and after I became a blogger because my habits have changed SO MUCH. I kept putting it off because of wedding plans. I wanted to make this cute graphic that was a list but, when I finally started to work on it this year, it was just looking TOO crowded with about 30 different things and overwhelming and not AT ALL what I had in mind. Then I decided…why not make it a series? The more I thought about it — it would lend to a better discussion if I just give you one at a time. I’m kind of glad my original idea didn’t work out because I’m liking this better.

From the time I finished a book and then started a new one a few days would lapse. I would take my time picking out a book and really loved to let a book sink in before I moved onto the next one.

I finish a book and then rush right to my bookshelf to pick out a new one. If I finish it really late at night I might wait until the morning to pick up the new book but typically it’s right after I put the other one down. It’s almost this compulsion to have a book on my “currently reading” shelf and I don’t feel like I can wait a few days to start a new book or I’d fall really behind.

Let’s Talk: Even if you aren’t a blogger, how long do you wait before you start a new book? If you are a blogger, have your habits changed in this regard? Do you jump right to your book shelf upon finishing or do you let the book sink in for a certain amount of time?

Filed Under: discussion Tagged With: Before And After, discussion, reading habits

I Should Just Start A Blog Called “Things Jamie Fears” Apparently

February 21, 2013 by Jamie · 54 Comments

Ok, so here we go with another thing I’m terrified of (I seriously have issues – first this, then this and now we have to have this discussion). I have a lot of bookish fears that I’ve been realizing lately.

This one crept up on me because…gulp…a ton of my favorite authors have new books that have either come out recently (Gayle Forman, Ruta Sepetys) or that are due out this year (Jessi Kirby, Stephanie Perkins, Sarah Dessen, Sara Zarr, David Levithan).

It goes something like this:

Breaking News: My favorite author has a new book out!

I wait, and wait and wait for what seems like forever.

As the release date draws nearer….reality sneaks up like the bitch she is and says,” HEY, there’s a chance you could REALLY REALLY hate your fave new author’s book. What nowwww?”

And that thought gives me the case of the major sads, dear friends. I mean, there’s always that potential of not enjoying a book when we pick it up….but the bar is set so HIGH with a favorite author. They have already moved you, enraptured you in their story or beautiful prose or gave you characters to love. Your heart is already theirs. It’s just a different sort of feeling. Who wants to hate their favorite authors newest book? (I have this similar problem with my favorite bands when they put out new albums).

A lot of the times I end up loving the new books. Maybe not as much or maybe in a different way but I think there is something there initially, at least in my own experiences, that had me declaring “favorite author status” (which I’ve totally done after one book because I feel so strongly) in the first place — something that in some way makes its way into other books. Sometimes there is a dud unfortunately. And that is an awful feeling. The one that had me terrified the most recently? Just One Day by Gayle Forman. I LOVE Gayle Forman. Her books just do things to my heart that make me remember why I love reading so much and she creates the most memorable characters. Luckily I LOVED Just One Day SO MUCH but I was seriously afraid of that feeling of “Uh oh…I’m not digging this so much” because I wanted to love it so much. (PS. I’m always super aware if I’m just being blinded by “favorite author status” when I’m reading. I take a bit to digest and think through it before I review just based on OMG THIS IS MY FAVE AUTHOR).

So I want to know…do you ever feel this way when it comes to your favorite author’s newest book coming out? Or am I the only neurotic weirdo that things of these things? Do you find that you end up loving it because, as I mentioned, there’s just something THERE that made them your fave in the first place? Have you ever unfortunately NOT LOVED a book put out by your favorite author? What are some books coming out soon by your favorite authors that you are looking forward to? Have you ever felt blinded because it was a favorite author to sit back later and think, “hmm that wasn’t that great.” Is it easy for you to get back into their works after a dud?

Filed Under: discussion Tagged With: bookish fears, discussion, favorite authors, reading, reading habits, things that make me sound like a weirdo

Do You Juggle?

January 3, 2013 by Jamie · 96 Comments

When I was a wee little reader I used to read multiple books at one time. I’d read a chapter of Little House on the Prairie, then a chapter of an RL Stine book and then perhaps a chapter of the Babysitter’s Club. I’d literally sit there with a stack of books and just diligently read a chapter from each and then on to the next one until I finished one and then would put another into rotation. I have no idea WHY I did this. I can’t really recall if it was because I just wanted to read ALL OF THE BOOKS, if I couldn’t pick between them or if I just had an attention span like a gnat.

But now? I can only handle one actual book and an audiobook while I work out. Two years ago, one of my bookish resolutions was to read more classics. I thought perhaps it would be such a good idea to read what I was normally reading and then also read a classic too so that I could have something more fast paced while reading some of the classics that were a little bit more daunting.

But this is what I found instead of that little reader who so methodically juggled multiple books.

I couldn’t switch back so easily between them because I’d prefer one more than the other and would just not pick up the other one or I’d like them BOTH so much that I just couldn’t pick which one to read at which time. Young Jamie must have had way more discipline.

You want to know what I’m blaming? College! So many nights where I’d be jumping from book to book to book reading anything from Old Testament history to business law cases to philosophy readings. My whole brain was just jammed with so much much stuff all at one time and now my brain is revolting and just wants to concentrate on a single story.

But all joke-blaming aside, I think that now in my old age I just like to enjoy and immerse myself in one story. There are so many more distractions in my life, at this age, that I don’t need to switch my attention to a new story because I’m always getting interrupted from whichever book I’m reading anyways. Either that or I’m just getting old and my brain can’t handle juggling more than one book?

(I will say that I’ve been able to read a chapter of a time management book every other day or so while also reading my normal fiction. That’s about all I’ve got in me.)

But I’m just curious about YOUR reading habits? Do you read multiple books at one time or do you need to just be reading one thing at any one time? Why or why not? I love learning about your habits — like about reading in the car or rereading or your bookish pet peeves!

Filed Under: discussion, most popular posts Tagged With: discussion, juggling books, reading, reading habits, reading multiple books

Sometimes I Do Things That Would Probably Make Some of You Cringe

However, I realize that I do some things that would make most book lovers cringe. I’m kind of not so nice to my books.

(Note: These things do NOT apply to borrowed books — so if you lend me a book I swear I take good care of it!)

I dog ear pages.

I read in the bathtub/pools/other bodies of water.

I eat & drink while I read.

I have the tendency to throw my books around.

I open my books WIDE.

So are you appalled with my manhandling of my books?? On a scale of 1 to 5 how much did you cringe while reading my bad habits? Do you do any of these things also or are some of these things like really bad reader behavior??

Before & After #11: Where Books Come From

Let’s Talk:

Before & After #10: Having People To Talk Books With

Let’s Talk:

If you are a blogger — Did you have people to talk books with before blogging? Anybody with similar tastes? Where did you get your recommendations from prior to blogging? If you aren’t a blogger — Who do you talk books with? Where do you get your recommendations from?

Before & After #9: Reactions To Books

Let’s Talk:

Before & After #8: Chunky Books

Let’s Talk:

Before & After #6: Books Read Per Year

Let’s Talk:

Before & After #2: Anticipating Books

Before & After: The Time In Between Two Books

I Should Just Start A Blog Called “Things Jamie Fears” Apparently

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However, I realize that I do some things that would make most book lovers cringe. I’m kind of not so nice to my books.

(Note: These things do NOT apply to borrowed books — so if you lend me a book I swear I take good care of it!)

I dog ear pages.

I read in the bathtub/pools/other bodies of water.

I eat & drink while I read.

I have the tendency to throw my books around.

I open my books WIDE.

So are you appalled with my manhandling of my books?? On a scale of 1 to 5 how much did you cringe while reading my bad habits? Do you do any of these things also or are some of these things like really bad reader behavior??

Let’s Talk:

Let’s Talk:

If you are a blogger — Did you have people to talk books with before blogging? Anybody with similar tastes? Where did you get your recommendations from prior to blogging? If you aren’t a blogger — Who do you talk books with? Where do you get your recommendations from?

Let’s Talk:

Let’s Talk:

Let’s Talk:

But I’m just curious about YOUR reading habits? Do you read multiple books at one time or do you need to just be reading one thing at any one time? Why or why not? I love learning about your habits — like about reading in the car or rereading or your bookish pet peeves!

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