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?
Chantelle says
It all depends. If it’s a series and I’m feeling confident about the next one, then I’ll dive straight into it. If there’s been one ‘calling me name’ so to speak, I’ll probably start it right away – unless it’s really late then I figure I’m better off to wait until morning. I don’t always have time to read, so if I know I’m going to be super busy the next day I might not start a new one until I’m finished being busy.
DannyBookworm says
Hm.. good question! I’m definitely reading more now, much more! I mean I was an avid reader before but the blog turned me into a reading machine. But I must say, I always finished a book and picked up right the next one.
Fiona says
I try to give myself a little break between books. And by ‘break’ I mean a couple of hours. I also try to write the review during this time. I’m generally good at telling what I’m in the mood for while I’m finishing a book, so I generally have enough idea on what I want to read next. However, all of this takes place during school breaks when I am on top of my blogging game. During the semester, I’m lucky if I get any fun reading done.
Andy says
I am totally someone who starts a new book immediately after finishing one! I am always trying to spend any free time I can find reading. My TBR pile is so big that if I dont keep reading back to back I will never get through it!
-Andy
@ Escape To New Worlds
Elizabeth says
I’m the same exact way. I have this weird need to always have a “currently reading” book. As soon as I finish one I feel like I immediately need to start another. Even if it’s really late at night I will at least read the first chapter just so I can know I started a new book. It’s so weird, I know. And this is only happened since I started blogging about the books. Before I never cared at all.
Kelsey @ The Lost Book Reports says
Yes, this is definitely a then and now for me. Before I became a blogger and read whenever so that meant sometimes one right after another and sometimes months later. Now, I feel I need to be constantly reading. But I don’t mind it.
Ashley says
I’m always reading more than one book so sadly this means I rarely am caught without one. Earlier this year on goodreads I was only reading one book and it was strange to me. That being said, since I became a blogger I’m better at putting a book down if I can’t get into it. I’m one of those readers who MUST FINISH A BOOK, so putting a book down is a big step for me.
Dragana @ Bookworm Dreams says
Interesting idea, I can’t wait to read what blogging changed for you. 🙂 When I think about it, starting my blog sure changed some reading habits for me, although time between books is not one of them. I’m usually not pausing before reading the next book (books are my drugs and I’m like an addict rushing for the next fix). The only exception is if the book was very very good or very very bad… then I usually spend some time thinking about what I will read next – I feel like either nothing will be as good as that book or I dread that I will pick something even worse. LOL
Ciska @ Ciska's Book Chest says
I notice I am quicker in picking up books. This is due to the fact that there are more books to read too. What I do when I finish a book is set up a review and write out my thoughts first. This is not always what I post in the end but it is the base of the rest of the review. If this is in the middle of the night I will not pick up another book.
Next I line up my books in advance. I know my next 4 or 5 books for sure. So for me it is always clear what the next book is.
I do notice that if a book really touched me I delay picking up the next book, I usually develop a sudden interest in tv shows or go out for a walk.
Hillary says
I notice that I am much quicker to pick up a book after I started blogging. It alsmost that pressure to have SOMETHING new on the blog everyday that propels me.
Avanti says
Since I started blogging I’ve noticed that the time in between books I’d very short.I’ll finish one and pick up the next book minutes later. Even if it’s late at night I’ll start the first chapter just to have something read.before blogging Iwould take days to start a new book.I had no pressure to constantly read & have something to write about.
Kelly says
I am pretty much the same as you! Before, I’d finish a book and wait until something else struck my fancy before picking up another one. And I would go shopping for that book – I didn’t have books waiting to be read on my bookshelf; scandalous!
Now I’ve always got books waiting – whether on my Kindle or on my physical bookshelf – so as soon as I finish one, I’m picking out my next to update my “Currently Reading” widget and my status on GR. And I usually have my next read picked out; like right now I’m reading Strands of Bronze and Gold and I know my next read is going to be Deep Betrayal. Then I have some time before my next ARC is due, so I’m gonna pick up Unravel Me (and possibly The Indigo Spell if I have time!). It’s kind of exhausting to know I’ve got so many lined up and in order! Lol
Kimmy says
I’m the same! Before I had my blog, I would not only take longer to select my next book, I would take much longer to read any book. Now I read much quicker – I have chosen to devote a lot more of my free time to reading – and as soon as I finish a book, I have to decide on my next read, select a bookmark from my collection (or bookmark it on my e-reader), and update my ‘currently reading’ status. I can’t even help it.
I think a big part of that, for me, is that through my blog, I’ve discovered so many great book blogs (yours included!) and that has exposed me to so many more books than I ever would have found on my own, pre-blog, and so there are always books I’m eager to read next. It’s unimaginable to me now to have no idea what to read next and to wait even a day before starting another book!
Jen says
Sometimes I am honestly hesitant to start another book too soon after finishing one. If I’m on a reading rampage, then by all means YES. But if I’m kinda mehhh about it, I take a couple days. I hate the feeling of getting behind, but I hate the feeling of starting a book and not really wanting to read it, so I put it down and pick up another. AND DO THE SAME FREAKING THING. It’s depressing.
Heather says
I am not a blogger but I normally feel a compulsion to immediately pick up a new book as soon as I’ve finished one. This is mostly because i become used to spending hours reading at a time and I feel lost once I have stopped reading. This normally works out okay if I’m reading a series (I jus plunges through the last three beautiful creatures books in a week) but it gets confusing when I start to read a new book but haven’t mentally or emotionally come to terms with the last book I’ve read.
Charlie says
Unless I’m in a reading slump, I tend to be more or less the same as you. I’ll review the book after finishing it (I like to get the review done straight away when possible) and then start the next book. And my pre-blogger days were the same as yours. I definitely thought more about the books I read overall, whereas nowadays I only think about the classics for a while or books that had a particular impact. In a way I think that’s a good thing, but it is a loss of sorts. It’s partly why I like to go back occasionally and write a themed post about a book I’ve already read and reviewed.
Jessie Marie says
Interesting. I never really considered it but now that I am, I guess things have changed.
Before I was a blogger, there were definitely lengthy spans between books. In all honesty, it was probably because I had to get to the bookstore to get said new book before I could read it. I was much more disciplined in my book buying back then.
Now, I have a stack of three or four at close hand when I finish a book. I have entirely too many books (I don’t really think there is such a thing as /too/ many…) unread now. And I’m instantly itching to settle into a new book almost immediately after finishing one, no matter the hour of night.
There are a few exceptions, though. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, IF I STAY, and A STORM OF SWORDS were immediately followed by a book hug and several (ugly) tears. I thought about those books for several hours or days before picking up something else. THE NOTEBOOK inspired me to heave the book across the room at the nearest wall and I screamed at DELIRIUM and OPAL and others for obnoxious cliffhanger endings… for a good ten minutes. Okay, so I’m a little emotional about these books. What gives. ; )
So, things have changed. For the better, I think.
Alexis (the Literature Lion) says
Great idea for a new series! 🙂
Even before blogging I was one of those people that ran to get another book. I also have a pile of books next to my bed and on my bookshelf that I could read whenever I need to. Even if I’m going somewhere and I notice that I’m towards the end of the book, I bring an extra just in case I can squeeze in some time to finish one and start another.
Like you, I’d feel like I’d fall way behind if I waited too long in between two books. I just always need to have a book that I can say I’m reading. I’d feel lost if someone asked what I was reading and I’d say “I haven’t picked up another book yet.”
Helene says
It’s the same for me! Before blogging I would let the last book I finished sink in and than start a new one. This varied from a couple of hours until a few days. But since I started blogging I pick them up much sooner. First of all, because my TBR pile is way higher and I want to read all those amazing books! And sometimes days without reading feel like a waste… When I finish a book late at night I do wait for the next morning before starting another. Unless I already know what my next read is going to be. Then I might just read the first chapter!
Janita (Book, Interrupted) says
I still give myself a day or so to move on to the next book, but that’s usually because of classes. I still like to let books sink in and fully absorb them, that way I write a better review and don’t overdose on too much reading.
Brea says
I am not a book blogger but I do blog for my photography site. Which I realize doesn’t count. Haha.
For me it really depends on how great the last book was. If I was REALLY into it, I will probably go on to the next book quickly (especially if it’s a series) but if it took me a week or longer to get through a book, I probably wasn’t crazy about it, so I’m more likely to wait a few days before moving onto the next one.
Who knew that reading would be such an expensive hobby? I spent $600 on books alone last year and my goal for this year is to read 100!
Jennifer | Book Den says
I don’t like to have an empty currently reading shelf either! I’m much more relaxed about blogging these days, and I find I actually read more because of it. 🙂
Ana says
I’m exactly like you! I would wait several day before moving to the next book BTB (before the blog…lol). Now, because of commitments to authors, blog tours, publishers, etc., I can tell you the order of the next 4-5 books I’m going to read at any time. As soon as I reach the end of one, I bring the next one up on my kindle. I’ve had to adjust my “digestion” period a little bit but I love books so much that it’s almost comforting to know what’s coming next!! 🙂
Kait says
I usually pick something up right away. Sometimes I even start two books at once because I can’t decide which one to read first. Then there are other times when I’m in a book slump[lately it’s been bad] and I will start five different books before sticking with one.
Asheley Tart (@BookwormAsheley) says
Haha, since I juggle multiple books at a time, I never have a time when I’m not reading something. I feel totally naked if I’m not reading anything at all, which is why I never let that happen. If I get to the point where I’m juggling too many, I may not pick up an extra one right away to let my “currently reading” number fall a little bit, but yeah, I’m constantly reading several. And I don’t put them all up on Goodreads at one time because I always get comments like OH MY GOD HOW CAN YOU READ THAT MANY AT ONE TIME BAAAHHHH so I keep it on the DL from the general public. I just juggle well. It works for me. It’s the same as watching more than one TV series at one time.
I know that’s not exactly the question you ask, but that’s what came to my mind. I like this feature!
DeAnna says
Like others have said, it really depends on what I finished. If I’m within a series, I usually will jump right into the next book. When I finish a series, sometimes it takes me a while to figure out what I want to read next. When I finished Harry Potter, it took me almost 2 weeks to start another book because I just couldn’t get myself out of that world.
When I first started my blog, I would force myself to write the review for the book I just finished before starting my next book. But I read something that said you should give yourself a few days to digest a book before writing the review, and honestly, I felt like I was writing crappy reviews just so I could rush through it and move on to my next book. Now I’ve started moving on to my next book and writing my reviews when I’m ready. I try to not let myself get more than 3-4 reviews behind, though.
Amanda @ On a Book Bender says
I love this discussion series idea, Jamie! I think blogging has actually done the opposite for me. Before blogging, I would finish a book, then pick up another without pausing. Now I actually stop, write my review, and then seek out the next book. (I’ve learned that if I’m going to write a review, it has to be done before I start a new book, otherwise I start forgetting things. Which isn’t good.)
Shannan says
Well, I’m one of those weird people that have 3 or 4 books going at once. So when I get to a point in a book where I can’t put it down, I focus on that one till it’s done, then go back to my normal reading routine. But when I finish a book I at least decide right away which one I’ll replace it with, even if I don’t start reading it right away.
Leah @ The Pretty Good Gatsby says
My readings habits have, without a doubt, changed since becoming a blogger. Before, I felt that 350+ page books were monsters and I needed a break after finishing them. Also, unless they were absolutely FANTASTIC I’d take at least a week to read a book, although that was mostly because I was still in school at the time. Still, the only time I really read was during my free period at school or occasionally during a lazy day at home. Although I was most definitely an avid reader I took my time reading a novel and then moving on to the next. Unless I had to read a book within a specific timeframe (library books, for example), I didn’t feel the need to rush.
These days it’s EXTREMELY rare for me to go a day without reading or even take a break between novels. & while 350+ pages are still on the long side, I have no trouble knocking them out in a day or two. These days I only take a break between books if a particular book deeply affected me (heavy material, REALLY loved it, etc). Apart from that though, I finish a book and almost instantly jump right into the next.
Ariel @ One Little Library says
Yes! As a fellow book blogger, I definitely feel the compulsion to pick up another book literally right away. My Goodreads goal contributes to this as well—I want to make sure I waste no time when I could be reading. Even though I do review the books I read, I still feel that they aren’t sinking in like they used to. I have to go back and read some of my earlier reviews to remember what a book was about! But I made my Goodreads goal much lower this year so that I could try to focus on quality instead of quantity.
Bonnie says
I’m crazy compulsive about ALWAYS having a book going. I’ll even catch myself contemplating what to read next while in the middle of the one I’m already reading. And then there are times when I’m really bad and I have upwards of 3+ books going at the same time. BUT… there are sometimes where I’m so blown away by the amazing-ness of a book that I sometimes have to take some time to let it sink in before I dive into the next one. Doesn’t happen often, and I mostly think it’s because I’ve raised my standards on what makes a book ‘amazing’ since I became a blogger, began writing reviews, and began determining what exactly made that book special.
Lynn @ Books on the Bay says
It definitely depends on the books! I’ll go through series much faster than individual books. Some books need time to sink into my head and for me to digest before I can move on. I feel really jarred if I jump from one world to another too fast. It slows down how fast I get through books, but it helps with the review writing process for sure!
Natalie says
I find that I mostly just finish one book then head straight on to the next! But sometimes if I’m really busy then I might be postponed a day or two… but when I have to do that it feels like I’m DYING INSIDE!!! The feeling of not having a book on the go is the absolute worst for me. Just thinking about not reading is KILLING ME!!! Now I’ve started thinking about when I go to University in September and how I probably wont have time to read and I’m getting all sad.. 🙁
Sorry for going off on that little tangenty-rant thing at the end LOL
Adelaida says
I’m not really a bloggler (though I’m soon to be come one) and I genereally choose a book right after I finish one
Molli says
I do read more and read faster since I started blogging. Before I blogged, I think the most books I’d read in a year (as an adult, working, dating, etc) was maybe 30-40. My first year of blogging I read 50, then last year, my first full year of blogging, I read 120. Before, I didn’t really feel any urgency to read, despite how much I LOVED it, unless I was reading a series and HAD to have the next book.
Now, I feel…almost guilty if I finish one book and don’t immediately start another one. I think that comes with wanting to keep posts scheduled ahead for the blog and such, and meeting commitments for review books and such. I feel like as fast as I read, I just can’t keep up. So I definitely don’t let any grass grow under my feet so to speak, in between finishing one book and starting another. It’s something I think I want to write a post about, because now that I’m requesting less books, I’m going to be able to slow down, and I’ll have to get used to that. 🙂
Tara says
It’s a rare occurrence for me to not immediately dive into a book after finishing another. I used to be the same as you–I’d ponder and contemplate the perfect book to read next, which could sometimes take a few days. Now, I get all panicky if I don’t pick a book RIGHT NOW or else I feel like I’m failing as a blogger. What’s up with that?! Reading should be fun, not a chore. I’ve gotten better at that this year so far and it’s something I have to constantly remind myself of.
Lily says
It’s so weird how I was literally thinking today of how my reading habits have changed since becoming a blogger. Now I like rush into the next book on my TBR list after I finish one because It’s like a compulsion. I remember before I’d only pick out books I REALLY THOUGHT i’d like and didn’t experiment too much with my genre choices, now I’m constantly buying books every week and trying different ones out and everything! Being a reviewer has definetly changed my book habits to more EXPENSIVE ones!
Lily xx
Kim @ Bookmark To Blog says
Before my blog I would read something and then take a couple of weeks to choose a new book. Now I have a new book chosen and waiting on my nightstand even before I’ve finished the previous book. I even go so far as to make a spreadsheet and tentatively plan out the entire year in advance, leaving space for new and interesting books that pop up along the way. This spreadsheet changes a lot during the year but it keeps things in perspective for me.
Michelle says
Ever since I started my blog I feel like a reading machine. It’s all I do in my free time (besides blogging) and if I’m not doing it I kinda feel guilty. I think it’s a sickness. I love reading and blogging SO MUCH! But it does feel like a job sometimes… I mean I can NEVER keep up with what I need to read and what I really want to read!! This month for instance, I had so many committments to read certain books and all I really want to read are the new books that came out in my guilty pleasure series Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game. Ughhh!
Nikki @ Foil the Plot says
Honestly, I find that blogging can SOMETIMES (not always) make reading feel like a chore. There’s all this pressure to read the newest “it” book and then by the time you finish it, you’re on to the next latest book/series and there’s very little time to digest in between. This isn’t always the case and I’ve noticed that a lot of the pressure is self-imposed more than anything, but there are days where it can feel a little overwhelming.
Before I started blogging, I was very lax about my reading schedule (and the fact that I didn’t actually HAVE a schedule) and though it was a favourite hobby of mine, it didn’t rank as a top priority in my life. In fact, in college I rarely read for fun because of pulling double-time school/work duty. Nowadays, thanks to blogging, reading has skyrocketed back to the top of my priorities list and I’ve found that it helps me to decompress from the adulty stresses in my life. So while it can sometimes feel a bit forced, I’m glad that blogging has gotten me back in touch with my bookish side. It’s made me realize how much I loved/missed it!
Annette says
I’m obsessive about always starting the next book immediately after finishing one. I’m not sure why — I guess because I want my mind to be working on something. Sometimes I only read 10 pages, but at least it’s started…CRAZY…..
Sarah says
I start a book pretty much as I soon as I finish one. I usually have several books going at once to begin with so sometimes I feel like I’m never really finishing books, lol.
Christine @Buckling Bookshelves says
For the most part, my habits haven’t changed in this regard. I like to choose what I’m going to read next pretty quickly, but it is impossible for me to dive immediately into my next book. No matter when I finish a book, I have to wait at least until the next day to start my new one or my brain gets all mixed up. Even if it’s only half a day, that little bit of extra time helps let the book sink in. I guess the big difference now that I’m a blogger is that I usually use that in between time to write up my review while the book is still fresh. Though occasionally I will start my next book before I write up the previous review. I just did this the other day because I was sick of staring at my computer screen! But this still happened a day after I finished my previous book.
Leoni says
I’m not a blogger, but I always like to be reading something so I will usually pick up something else straight after finishing a book.
Brittany @ The Book Addict's Guide says
Love this topic!!!
I’m TOTALLY the same. Now that I’m blogging, I have 80 million books I want to read so I always need to be reading one. I always need to have a book that I’m currently reading. ALWAYS.
Also I’ve noticed that it’s affected my opinions about the books too! Usually I would read a book, then think about it…. Now I immediately write a review so I don’t forget what the book is about and then when I start talking to people, new points get brought up and my opinions sometimes change. Then I struggle with, Do I go back and edit my review? Or is my initial reaction my true feelings?
Great post, as always 🙂
Rachel says
I generally wait a day in between finishing a book and starting a new one. I get so invested in what I’m reading that it takes some time for my mind to shift out of the previous book into a new one. If I finish one in the morning then by nighttime I’ll start a new one, but otherwise I do leave at least a small gap. If it’s a book that really impacted me, though, it does take a little longer than a day because I can’t stop thinking about it.
Philippa says
Since I started blogging I’ve really had the urge to pick up a new book immediately after finishing another one. I don’t always do it though, especially if a book made such an impression on me that I need to let that sink in first (a kind of book hangover). So sometimes I leave it a couple of days before starting a new book, and sometimes I get started on a new one straightaway. It really depends on the book.
I like this idea of describing certain things before and after you became a blogger. Very original 😀
Magan @ Rather Be Reading says
Geez, yes. This is so, so true for me. I almost always know what I’m reading next. That was never true when I was “just a reader.” Also! I followed book blogs and only read their five star books. So it was like I was reading a new favorite book every single time. Now, with review books, some of them aren’t hits and it kind of shakes me up to not like a book, but there’s no time to get over it or wait to move on. I have to just jump into the next one. There are definitely pros and cons with reading and reviewing, but mostly, the reading outweighs all the negatives. I do wish I could give my emotions a break sometimes, though. 🙂
Stormy says
One of the reasons I wanted to start my blog was because I wanted to get back in the habit of reading non-school books on a consistent basis. For the past couple of years, it wouldn’t have been all that uncommon for me to find two or three weeks had past in between books, but I didn’t like having that pattern. I’ve definitely read more in the past few months than I have in years, which has been wonderful for me–loved it! In January and February alone, I’ve already read almost half of the number of books I read last year. I definitely don’t feel like I HAVE to pick up another book right away, and sometimes I don’t for a few days or even a week, but in the past few months since I’ve been blogging, I think a week is the longest I’ve gone between reads–and that one was mainly because I had just read a book so excellent that I was in a bit of a reading rut.
Renae @ Respiring Thoughts says
I think my habits have changed a lot since I started blogging, but in the opposite direction of yours! Before, I always put a book down then grabbed one off the shelf right away. (Or, I stared at the shelf complaining because I couldn’t find a book I wanted.) I always had a book or two with me, and I read all the time. In the car, in the bathroom, at breakfast, at school.
But once I started blogging I slowed down. Not so far as the number of books read; that’s definitely increased since I started blogging. But now when I finish a book I write my review immediately. Then I schedule that review. Then poke around Twitter and Goodreads. Then comment on blogs, then change the “currently reading” widget on my blog. And then I crack open my next book. Usually it’s about half a day later that I actually start reading a new book after finishing one, and since I usually finish my current read after I get home from school, I don’t start reading again until the next day.
I guess I like to have a system, and since blogging I more than just read books and giving them a star rating in a website, I made a process for myself. It tends to be a little convoluted and it does take up time, but this way I’ve found that I can read at least one book a day, write the reviews and other posts I need to, and still comment/Tweet as much as I want.
p.s. I really love the idea for this series! I look forward to future topics, whatever they may be.
Alexa Y. says
First of all, this is an AWESOME idea for a series. I can’t wait to see more!
And to answer your question… I don’t think my reading habits have changed too much when ti comes to the time in between the books I read. I’ve always been one of those consistent readers, who always has to have a book on hand, and that’s still the same until now. Choosing my next read, however, that’s definitely changed!
Jenni Elyse says
It depends. Sometimes, I pick something up right away. Other times, I wait. That hasn’t really changed since I started blogging. I’m not sure what makes the difference. It could be because I’m too busy with other things or I hated the book I just got done and need a rest. But, sometimes I pick up a book right after even when those two things are in the mix. I guess it mainly depends on my mood. I usually do have my next book lined up, though, even if I don’t start it right away.
prettybooks says
I *always* have a book that I’m ‘currently reading’. I agree that it’s a compulsion. It’s a tricky balance trying to savour reading and reading as much as possible.
Kristilyn (Reading in Winter) says
I think I’m kind of the same way. If I see my Goodreads ‘currently reading’ shelf empty, I scramble to find something to read! I also read more than one book at a time these days … something I would NEVER do before blogging! Actually, even in my first months as a blogger, I don’t think I did this. It’s been the last 6 months or so. I find that these days I really need to focus to keep up with things OTHER than reading and blogging. There are so many things I’m interested in, but I feel like I should be reading ALL THE BOOKS, instead of branching out with my hobbies.
Great post, Jamie! 🙂
PS – I just realized that I don’t follow you! You have such a beautiful blog and I’m adding you to my RSS feed right now!
Kimberly says
I’ve ALWAYS jumped right to the next book. I remember as a kid the fear of running out of books. I’d drag a book out for days because I knew I had nothing to read after it, and I wasn’t close enough to a library to walk. My license was the best thing ever. I had money from my summer job and the ability to get to the store or library. I’m always reading a book. There will be a day or two here and there when I don’t read a lot, but I always have at least one book. Usually more than one. I think since I spent so much of my childhood scared of not having a book to read that now I can’t stand being without a book.
Jenn @ Booksessed says
The last few months I have found that reading a lot helps me deal with my anxiety disorder. It gives my mind something to do other than freak out in a way that other hobbies of mine don’t match. I always have several books going at once.
I try to have a couple physical books (one of mine, plus a library book) an ebook and an audio in case I can’t sleep or just feel like being read to. I also try to stagger my finishing times as well. It me to make reading lists in advance. As much of a planner that I have become I’m slightly awful at schedule reviews timely.
I like having a few books going at once in case I get restless or a book is intense. I’m a pretty scattered reader but can’t be without a book. Even if I don’t have a chance to read every day, knowing that I have an organized list to return to is so comforting.
Vivian says
My reading habits have definitely changed since I became a blogger. I’m pretty much the same as you, which is why we click, I used to read one book at a time, digest it, then slowly get into another. Nowadays I read them one right after the other, often multiple books at a time, stopping one and continuing with another, then picking that other one back up later on in the day. LOL! I do wish I had more time to digest and revel in a book, especially if I loved it, but time constraints and all, it just works out better for me this way.
Great new series btw, can’t wait to see more!
Vivian
Confessions of a Vi3tBabe
Deity Island
Rachael @ Rachael Turns Pages says
I’m the same as you that I have to start a new book as soon as I finish one. I have been like that before I became a blogger. It just drives me crazy to not be reading anything.
Justine says
I’ve always started a new book immediately after finishing one. Especially if it’s a series, then I just read them like they’re all one big book. I’m trying to get better at it now that I’m back in the blogging game, but it’s a hard habit to break.
Katie says
wow that is sooo true. before book blogging i would go days before picking up another book.. but now.. for example last night at 1am i finished my current read and highly contemlated getting up and getting another book.. So i am the same way now if its daylight hours i will pick up another one because i too feel that if i don’t do that then i am falling behind! I like this before and after! you should do more! – katie @ Inkk
ivy says
I’ve always loved reading, but after being in a reading funk for way too long, I rekindled my love in the last year and a half or so. I need to make up for lost times. However, I tend to overestimate how much I can read in a given time and load my Kindle with way too many books from Overdrive. I just can’t help but request everything at the same time. I want to read them all! It breaks my heart when a title expires before I get to read it, or even worse, if I’m in the middle of it. I take my time with paper books, but when faced with a (mostly self-imposed) deadline, it’s on to the next pretty much as soon as I finish the last.
Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit says
This is one of the things I somewhat hate and love about being a blogger – I also have to rush straight to my bookshelf to read the next book to keep up. I didn’t do this before – I used to let things sit a little, but now I have no choice.
Sometimes (like right now), what I do to refresh is do a reread of a book that I absolutely love. Because I can’t always be jumping into the next book. It makes me go into reading slumps.
Amanda @ Late Nights with Good Books says
What a cool discussion series idea! This has definitely happened to me as well, more or less. I do like to be reading something, but if I finished a book one night then I’d give myself the whole next day to think over what I want to read next and not start something new until that following evening. Now I’ve actually been making reading lists so I know exactly what book I move on to next. It’s nice in a way to just know what I’ll read next, I suppose, but it definitely is a little more stressful to know I have all these books in line waiting for me to read them.
Sarah (saz101) says
Oooh, Jamie, I was the same. I could easily go days (sometimes I went weeks, and once, 6 months!) between books, but… not anymore. I finish one, I’m onto another, as soon as I finish a book and write my review. I kind of love AND hate it :/
Kara @ Great Imaginations says
Before I was a blogger, I only read about 20 books a year. Before I was a blogger, I went a long time between books and only read when I really wanted to. But now, reading is something I do every day and I go from one book to the next pretty much immediately. Reading is my number one hobby when I am not editing or blogging.
Katy says
I read literally CONSTANTLY. I actually juggle multiple books at one time, because if I ever find myself in a situation where I don’t have a book to read, I’m lost and confused and don’t know what to do with my life. So I have one book I read at home and one book I read while I’m out and one book on my ereader (which I can access on my phone) in case I accidently finish a book while I’m out. Is that weird?
Adriane says
Before, it would depend on the book. There were some books that I would be so obsessed with that I would totally need process time, for example, when I read the Hunger Game I read all three straight through. But when I finished, I took at least a week off to process them. They impacted me so much that I couldn’t pick up another book for that long. I’m still not sure if I like those books!
Fluffy romances I can go one to another. Now though, I have a schedule and committments, so, I have to keep reading…. I will sometimes wait until the next day, But I’ve also started an anticipated book at 1 AM (Miranda Kennealy’s Things I Can’t Forget!)
Xandra ★ says
I did the same with the Hunger Games! 🙂
Kari says
I am the same way you are. Since I’ve started book blogging, the second I finish a book, I HAVE to have another one that I am starting. This is the case no matter what time it is and I end up finishing most of my books while in bed before going to sleep. More often than not, I am choosing a new book to read around midnight and have a very hard time forcing myself to turn off the light and not start a new one. I never like being “between” books.
Christina (A Reader of Fictions) says
I read more than one book at once, and I actually have my next book pulled out to and ready to go, bookmark in place and everything, before I finish one. I used to just read whenever. I read WAY more than I used to. Left to my own devices, I think I read 100-200 books a year. Now it’s more like 300.
Christina (A Reader of Fictions) says
Oh, and, yeah, I HATE not having something on my currently reading shelf!
Kristin says
I used to immediately jump to a new book after I finished a current read, but lately, I’ve been letting time lapse between finishing one book and starting a new one for two reasons. One: I’ve been too busy to immediately pick up something new, and Two: I am having a hard time deciding what to read next. I’ll start something and then put it down because I’m not in the mood. This is something new for me because I used to be a fairly non-discriminate reader. My mood rarely, if ever, dictated my reading habits, but currently, I’ve been avoiding serious “issue” books, but I can’t stand “fluff,” so I’ve been vacillating somewhere in between – there’s not a lot here!
Kat (AussieZombie) says
Oh what a great idea for a series!
I too used to finish a book and wait a while before picking up another. Now sometimes I literally read the last page, put the book on the table and pick up the one that was beside it and keep reading. Although then I get confused!
Sara says
I think I was/am the complete opposite of you Jamie. Before I was a blogger I would finish a book and I would immediately start a new one. I couldn’t not be reading. Now, I stop and think about the book that I just finished. I might start thinking about my review, go back and read certain parts. But this usually doesn’t last long. I’m generally reading something else an hour later. What can I say?
Sara @ Just Another Story
April Books & Wine says
Even if you aren’t a blogger, how long do you wait before you start a new book? Like 10 minutes.
If you are a blogger, have your habits changed in this regard? Not really. I’ve always been the sort who has jumped from book to book to book. Like, in my Freshman year, I read the Redwall series and legit, I read them within 2 weeks because I just read one book legitimately right after the other. I’m not really the deep thoughts sink in sort of person.
Do you jump right to your book shelf upon finishing or do you let the book sink in for a certain amount of time? I hop right to it.
Kerrie Read and Repeat says
I’ve definitely noticed that I don’t wait as long to pick up a new book as I used to before I started blogging. I think this is mostly down to the fact that my TBR pile is quite large and also I want to get review books read so that I can read some of my own in between. I don’t think it is that much of a bad thing but I do feel that sometimes I don’t let a story sink in before moving straight on to another.
Melissa @Harley Bear Book Blog says
I like to finish books at night so I have time between my next read. But I used to go days/weeks between reading before blogging. I wrote a post recently on how blogging has affected my reading experience now that I mass read. Here’s the link if you’re interested http://harleybearbookblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/can-book-blogging-have-negative-affect.html
Julie G says
Love this idea! I immediately start my next book. Actually, to be more accurate, I’m usually working on two or three at a time, so when i finish one I’ve got at least one more going. I’ve always read that way – before and after my blogging days.
Jasmine Rose says
I’ve always had the need have a book on my “currently-reading shelf,” but before I started blogging I always waited a little while, be it an hour or a day, after finishing a book before starting another. I needed to let the book kind of simmer for a bit or I felt I wasn’t really giving it proper respect (I know, that sounds a little crazy.)
Now, I don’t feel like I’m completely done with a book until I review it, but as soon as I finish the review I’m onto my next book. I feel kind of like I’m cheating if I start a new book before reviewing the previous one.
Liz says
I typically wait overnight to start something new because I like to start new books with a relatively fresh perspective. Sometimes I will start a book but then just get interested in picking up another title, and then if I finish the book that distracted me, I may go back and finish the first book I started later that day. There may be times when I finish a book in the morning or over lunch and then start a new that evening, but that’s not as common.
Great conversation starter!
kimberley says
This is such an interesting question. I usually take a break between books. I never pick up another book immediately after finishing one, I usually wait until at least the next day to start another. Sometimes I just feel like doing something else, most of the time it’s 2am in the morning and I’m exhausted, and sometimes (if the book is really good) I’m left in it’s world, still thinking about it and unable to move on!
That being said, I’m not a book blogger so there’s not that pressure to keep reading!
Jenni says
I usually jump right into the next book especially if I already know what I’m going to read next. A lot of times I’m so indecisive about what to read next though. There are so many books to read and that I already have lying around but I still have a hard time picking. I need to come up with a new method of picking books haha
Tamara says
For me it mostly depends whether I’m going to review the book. If I am I usually make myself write the review before I start the next book so I usually don’t start a new book right away.