Happy Friday, everyone!
Truth be told, I’ve had a horrendous week. I just lost my grandfather, and since everything happened so suddenly, I didn’t make it in time to see him before he died. Which means that, to distract myself from dwelling too much on things I am powerless to change, I thought we could have some fun and do a tag related to the one activity that never fails to bring me comfort – reading!
Okay, fine. Basically every tag I do on here is related to reading. But the Currently Reading Book Tag has some particularly fun reading-related questions, and besides, I am not going to be that person who takes over a year to get to their tag backlog. Emily @ Frappes and Fiction tagged me to do this on September 12th, 2020, so what can I say? I’m basically super early š It hasn’t even been 365 days yet!
Of course, a huge thanks goes to Emily for tagging me and also to Charly Ray over on BookTube for coming up with the questions – even if I am just a tad late to the party, I know I’m going to have a fun answering these! Because what better way is there to out all of my controversial reading habits? š
How many books do you usually read at once?
Easy answer: ONE!!! Duh. Like, why would you read multiple books at once?! How could you ever fully immerse yourself in a story if you keep switching to different ones?!
Says the person who is literally currently reading two books at once š So if you want the complicated answer, here is my list of exceptions for when you are allowed to read multiple books at once:
1. One of the books is a reread. You are allowed to reread passages of old favorites while simultaneously exploring new worlds, because a) it’s not that distracting if you already know what’s going to happen, and b) sometimes you just need one of those old favorites, okay?
2. One of the books is an audiobook and the other is a physical copy or e-book. Listening to a book is not the same thing as staring at one with your eyes, so these things are obviously sufficiently different that you can justify doing them quasi-simultaneously. Like, I need my audiobooks for long car rides and walks in the woods! And it’s not like I’m going to refrain from reading anything else in between those.
3. One of the books is in a foreign language. This happens to be my current excuse. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself! Sure, Le Petit Nicolas is actually pretty easy to read, but I want to spread out that French practice and read a bit every day!
4. One of the books is a highly anticipated new release. If you think I’m not going to drop whatever else I’m currently in the middle of the minute Doors of Stone comes out, you clearly don’t know me at all.
5. One of the books is required reading for school and sucks so much that you’d never be able to motivate yourself to read another word of this crap if you didn’t also get some quality literature time in. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory.
How do you decide when to switch between multiple reads?
Source: https://i.redd.it/dbvhodxjsv041.png
Well… I obviously switch over to audiobooks when I’m doing something that makes physical reading a bit difficult. Like driving. Or walking. Or cleaning.
Other than that, I do it so rarely that I couldn’t really say. I guess it’s usually an emotional decision?
Trust me, I swore I wouldn’t pick up Words of Radiance until I’d written at least twenty pages of my thesis, but I kept seeing it on my bedside table, looking so interesting… And then I desperately needed something familiar and comforting, and thus, I succumbed to temptation.
(And now I hate you, Brandon Sanderson! How could you make me love a character this much and then brutally kill them off?? ššš I have enough death in my real life right now, I was not emotionally ready for this!!! Although I’m falling more in love with The Stormlight Archive with every word I read, so I might be willing to forgive you… Maybe.)
Do you ever switch bookmarks partway through a book?
Nope. I rarely ever use bookmarks, so if, by some miracle, I do decide to not just go with memorizing page numbers, I’m definitely not also going to be un-lazy enough to go grab a second bookmark š
Where do you keep the book you’re currently reading?
Source: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/528117493802598472/
If it’s a physical book
- on my nightstand if I’m at my parent’s place,
- on the floor next to my bed if I’m at my apartment and it’s nighttime (I do not have a nightstand there and am NOT getting out of bed again to put the book away š),
- on my desk if I’m at my apartment and it’s daytime,
and on my phone if it’s an e-book or audiobook.
What time of day do you read the most?
At night, after about 8 p.m. It’s horribly detrimental to my sleep schedule, but I just have so much work to do for university during the day that picking up a book earlier is incredibly dangerous. They kind of have a tendency to be very distracting…
How long do you typically read in one session?
Source: quickmeme.com
Usually at least half an hour, but more typically, one or two. Or three or four… Maybe five… It depends on the book, how long it takes me to finish it, and how bad my conscience gets about neglecting sleep š
Do you read hardcovers with the dust jacket on or off?
With the dust jacket on, obviously. Why would you take them off?? I was so astounded when I first heard that people did this. The flaps are such convenient bookmarks that even us page-number-memorizers have a hard time resisting!
What position do you mainly use to read?
Source: https://www.xdpedia.com/picture/2969/what_position_to_read_a_book.html
Draped across my bed, sitting on my bed, leaning against the wall behind my bed – preferably against my big Hogwarts pillow, lying in bed…
As long as it’s in bed, it’s a good reading position!
Do you take your current read with you everywhere you go?
No. I drag my books to loads of places, but not everywhere. University, for example, is usually off limits, because like I said, books can be very distracting!
Well, I do tend to have my phone on me when I go to places, so if you count e-books, I guess yes?
How often do you update your Goodreads reading progress?
Basically never? š I add a book when I start reading it, and then I come back to rate it sometime after I’ve finished it. That’s literally it. Sometimes, I’ll even skip the adding-it-when-I-started-reading part, although I have gotten a bit better at that since I included the currently reading section on my blog.
Who would you like to tag?
Anyone who would like to do this!
I’m so late in getting to this that I feel like lots of people will probably have done it by now… But if you haven’t and would like to, consider yourself tagged!
And that was it for today! I hope you learned something interesting about all my weird reading habits, and don’t hesitate to share yours with me as well! What is your favorite reading spot? Do you read multiple books at once or take the dust jackets off books when you read them? I would love to know!
A Book Owl's Corner 
I’m so sorry for your loss, Naemi…Stay strong! ā¤ļø (I’m sorry, I’m not the best at consoling or even acknowledging loss.)
As for the tag, I completely agree with you on the 1 book thing. I just can’t concentrate on too many books all at once! I don’t know how people do it. Give the book the respect it deserves š„ŗš
I also agree with the dust jacket thing. Why would anyone take off a dust jacket?? Baffling.
And there is no bad position to read a book. As long as I read something, I don’t even care half the time…š
(Cannot understand why and HOW everybody listens to audiobooks…Help.)
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Moi, that really means a lot ā¤ (And don’t worry, I’m not the best at responding to condolences, either, so it probably evens out š Just know that it means a lot to know you were thinking of me and took the time to write such a heartfelt comment! ā¤)
And yes, exactly! Why would you even need to jump to another book if you’re in the middle of a great story already? Reading one book at a time (with the dust jacket on and in a weird reading position) is definitely the way to go! š
(And I don’t like audiobooks as much as “regular” books, either, so I get where you’re coming from! Reading them is sooo slow, and you can’t even imagine the character voices yourself šŖ BUT: They’re a lifesaver for squeezing reading into places where you normally wouldn’t be able to. Audiobooks make long car rides so much more enjoyable! And there’s nothing like going on a walk through the woods with only a story for company š„° And besides, Scribd has so many amazing books available on audio!)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw…ā¤ļøā¤ļø
As for audiobooks, I don’t get the hype, but yep, they do make long car rides shorter! As for the walk through the woods, I prefer classical music or just complete silence. For the average 24 hour book nerd, audiobooks are a lifesaver, I guess š
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well, I do also like walks with music and silence every once in a while š But I can’t deny that books are great companions, too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sorry about your loss. And I certainly agree that reading can bring comfort. It was neat to read about your various reading habits. I typically don’t read multiple books, as I like to focus on one story at a time. An exception is reading a collection of short stories and a novel. I enjoy short stories for when I want a complete story that can be read in one sitting. And I don’t remove dust jackets while I read books. The cover is an identifying mark of what book I’m currently reading — and I sometimes mull over the design of the cover, whether I think it works well or not.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Dave, that really means a lot š It’s definitely nice to know we all have reading to turn to when we’re in need of comfort.
And I’m glad we see eye to eye on reading multiple books at once! š I also rarely do that, and like I mentioned in this post, I need both books to be sufficiently “different” from each other in order for it to work. So I see where you’re coming from with the short stories!
I also agree with you on dust jackets – taking them off feels almost like a violation of a book’s identity š I never pay much attention to covers when I’m choosing what to read next, but once a book is actually in my hands, I can’t help put contemplate its design, no matter how terrible it might be…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am so sorry for your loss, Naemi, but I totally understand what you are going through, since it’s happened to me as well. I assure you, even though the pain won’t go away altogether, it will definitely lessen over time.
As for the reading multiple books, I agree, it’s such a hassle! I mean, I literally will confuse the worlds together and then be like, oh, wait, no that happened in that other book.
And yeah, the dust jacket shouldn’t be taken off, it makes the book looks so much prettier!
Awesome post, as always!! This was such a fun tag!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Riddhi, that means a lot ā¤ I know losing a grandparent wasn’t easy for you, either, so I’m glad to hear you’re doing better. Maybe once the pain is a little less raw, I’ll have to go back and read that poem you wrote for your grandmother. It has already helped me more than you know and is still one of my favorites!
And haha, I’m glad people seem to be agreeing with me on reading multiple books at once š Honestly, when I see people balancing five or six at once, I am absolutely baffled. How can their brains handle it?!
And obviously, yes, dust jackets deserve to be admired while their book is being read! š
LikeLiked by 1 person
First of all, I’m very sorry for your loss, Naemi.
The fact that you still have faith in Doors of Stone ever coming out is impressive, I’ve basically given up at this point. Also, I always take off the dust jacket!! I don’t want to accidentally damage it, plus, the bottom of the spine usually bends a bit when I read so if I don’t use the dust jacket I can use it to cover it after I’m done, heh.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Maria ā¤ Seeing so much support from everyone in our community really means a lot to me.
And trust me – if that man doesn’t release that book soon, I’m probably going to show up on his doorstep at some point š¤£ I need Doors of Stone! Patrick Rothfuss chickening out is not an option!
And lol, I guess I kind of see your point, but then again, I don’t really mind if my books’ spines look a bit battered. To me, it’s just a sign of how well loved they are š„° And, to be perfectly honest, I’d probably be more likely to destroy the dust jacket while taking it off than I would just leaving it on the book š Think tears, blood from paper cuts, crumples in the cover – I’m dreadfully clumsy, and loose covers just lying around somewhere would definitely be in danger š¤£
LikeLiked by 1 person
I volunteer to come with you to make Patrick Rothfuss publish the damn book!
Oh hahahah, we don’t want that, so you better leave the dust jacket on, for your own safety š
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am so sorry for your loss. Reading is definitely a good distraction. This is such an interesting tag. I might give it a go sometime š
LikeLiked by 1 person
Merci, Pauline, that really means a lot ā¤ And I’d love to see your answers to this tag, so, of course, feel free to give it a go!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am really sorry for your loss, Naemi. Don’t worry, everything will get fine soon! š
You have done an A M A Z I N G Tag!! You’re really good at this! And yesss, we are really relatable I can just not read multiple books at one time.. That’s sooo confusing!
Dust jackets should never get removed! They make the book look much prettier!
Amazing post overall, have a great day and stay positive šš
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Betty. Itās good to know so many of you guys have my back ā¤
And Iām glad you enjoyed the tag ā feel free to do it yourself if youāre interested! Iām glad to hear you agree with me on reading multiple books at once and dust jackets, and would love to know which other opinions we share š
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m very sorry for your loss ā¤ļø
And of course I know why you hate Sanderson and I guess the timing of that wasn’t great. But you know that was what I was thinking about when reading your thoughts on that character in Way of Kings š I knew you were in for some pain.
Now however, you probably know we need to have a serious talk about the reading-multiple-books-at-once thing. It is not at all a problem. Can’t immerse yourself? Well that’s the same as saying you can’t be reading a book and then watch a movie or tv show because they’re different stories. Of course you can and I will die on this hill š My own reasons are rooted in laziness because I usually have a physical book to read when I’m at home and then my Kindle is in my bag for whenever I’m out. Then I don’t have to move my book all the time. Another reason is that I don’t want to become bored with a story by spending too much time only reading that book if that makes sense. By changing it up I’m usually able to stay interested.
Also sorry, but a dust jacket is just in the way. It needs to go š I’m still not sure why they’re there. It’s not something Danish books have so I was very puzzled by them when I started reading books in English. But also, now that they’re there, I don’t want to crinkle or damage them in any way while reading, so of course it comes off.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Line ā¤
I must admit, I was starting to get a bit suspicious once that character suddenly started revealing all this interesting information… It seemed like the perfect preparation for getting them out of the way and deprive a certain other character of their mentor – which I guess was a good move regarding character development, but it still really hurt, especially now. And then I had a slight moment of hope and all it turned out to be was Pattern doing voices ššš So yes, I really hate Brandon Sanderson!! Words of Radiance, though? I think it might even end up topping The Betrayals. I am seriously considering pulling an all-nighter to finish those last 500 pages š And maybe I’ll have to write a review for it, since trying to be vague enough to not spoil people who might end up reading these comments is killing me!
And, well, I guess it’s not so much not being able to immerse yourself, but not wanting to tear yourself out of the immersion. Like, if you’re already rooted in a world and invested in these characters’ lives, why would you want to read anything else before you know how the story you’ve already started ends? It’s totally different from TV shows, because those are nowhere near as immersive as books š Though I guess I do see your point a little, because when I’m not particularly loving a book, I might put it down to read something else in between š
And noooo, I love dust jackets! Those flaps š German hardbacks don’t have them, either, and it’s such a travesty. Instead, they sometimes have these weird string bookmarker things attached to them, which I hate because they’re usually always in the way… Dust jackets are way better, and I also like peeking under them to see what special design might be lurking there. But taking them off while reading would destroy their purpose! And besides, a random dust jacket laying around is probably in much more danger of being destroyed by me than a dust jacket on its book…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now I’m very curious to know whether you did that all-nighter because 500 pages still seem like a lot š I wouldn’t be opposed to a review obviously because there are so many scenes in those last 500 pages that I need your reaction to!
I think my level of immersion is more the same though with books and TV shows/movies so out of necessity, I’ve probably just learned to consume more than one thing at a time.
I own one book with such a string bookmarker and it’s my collection of Shakespeare works which I think works. It seems like an old-fashioned thing to me so I think classics are allowed to have them. In other cases I also don’t see the point of them. I’d much rather use one of my own bookmarks.
And a dust jacket isn’t just “lying around” when I take it off. I put it back on the shelf of course so it looks like the book is still there š
LikeLiked by 1 person
I read 300 pages last night before the words started to blur on the page, so then I got up at seven today to read the rest š So not quite the all-nighter, but yes, I just finished, am tired as hell now, and realized that SANDERSON PUT ME THROUGH ALL THAT PAIN FOR NOTHING!!! How dare he!! I’m not even sure how on Earth I’m going to review this, but I’m definitely going to try… Prepare yourself for lots of chaos š¤£ All I can say is that my thesis is extremely lucky that I only had enough room in my bag to take the first two books with me when I visited my sister…
And wow, that dust jacket tactic sounds so organized š I’d be way to lazy to go to all the effort of putting it back, but then again, my shelves are also kind of cramped and I’m not sure how protected the dust jackets would be from being squashed š It sometimes takes quite some effort to squeeze the books back into their spot once I’ve taken them out…
And those string bookmarks definitely do look better on classics! I still like that my Shakespeare collection is stringless, though š
LikeLiked by 1 person
My conundrum yesterday: how do I say “keep reading” without saying “keep reading”? š I’m thinking you still hate Sanderson but for different reasons? š And I’m looking forward to all the chaos!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You certainly managed to keep up that pokerface (pokerscript?) well š I’m very impressed, since I’m not sure if I’d have managed to not give anything away!
And yes, that pretty much sums up my feelings on Sanderson perfectly. How could he be so unnecessarily cruel??? š
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m very sorry for your loss, reading definitely brings comfort and distraction.
Lovely post, yes agree I can’t read multiple books at once and always keep the dust jacket on and a book on the floor next to my bed š¤·š»āāļø
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Sarah š
And I’m glad to see we’re in agreement! One book with a dust jacket on the floor next to one’s bed is the perfect way to go! š
LikeLiked by 1 person
i’m so sorry for your loss, sending you and your family all my love. I’m glad that you’re able to find some comfort during this time in books, that’s really great to hear and I enjoyed reading your answers for this. I also love dust jackets to use as bookmarks when reading, but I usually take them off because I always worry I’ll accidentally tear them!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Saima ā¤ Knowing our community (and books) will always have my back really means a lot!
And haha, I’m actually way more terrified of accidentally tearing the dust jacket while taking it off a book… So leaving it on is the perfect solution! š¤£ I’m glad we agree on how convenient those flaps are, though!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Omg Naemi! I am so sorry for your loss! I hope everything is fine and you’re doing okay! š
Also, I’m just gonna consider myself tagged here š. I have this post in my drafts, which I typed when I was very new to blogging, and I wasn’t even tagged by anyone but I just really found it cool š¤£. Loved your answers, so elaborate š.
I’m still making my way through Brandon Sanderson, someone do something to mske me love the final empire!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Nehal š Yeah, it was a pretty big shock, but I went home to stay with my family for the weekend, which has already helped a lot. And knowing everyone here is looking out for me really means a lot, too!
And sure, consider yourself officially tagged by me š¤£ I would love to see your answers – feel free to be equally elaborate! š
(Also, please just love The Final Empire? š„ŗš„ŗš„ŗ Please???)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Always here!!
I probably will love it now, your heart might not be able to handle the otherwise š
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so sorry for your loss! Glad reading can be a good distraction!
I do agree with your how to read many books at a time rules. I was also surprised about the dust covers, I always read with them on too, they’re the only books I don’t use bookmarks for because they come with their own! However, when reading I’m always updating Goodreads.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Meena š
Haha, it’s nice to see someone agrees with my reading-multiple-books-at-once and dust jacket rules š Even if we’re not on the same page as far as Goodreads is concerned, I’m glad we at least agree on the important stuff š¤£
LikeLiked by 1 person
No problem š
Yes, it’s so rare to see someone saying they read with a dust jacket on or multiple books at once but why would you not use the dust jacket? š
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can only read maximum 2 books at the same time! Any more and I’m way too confused and forget where I left off in one and what happened in the other. I like reading 2 books at the same time and find that the 2 books I choose often fit my moods e.g. a cosy, nighttime read vs. my book to read in the park during my lunch break.
I haven’t done this tag yet so I think I’m going to do it! Looks fun ā¤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I totally feel you on that! Maybe I’d still be able to juggle three books if they were all very different from one another – like some fantasy paperback, a bit of non-fiction for university, and an audiobook – but any more than that and I’d probably have no clue what I was reading š Even two books is usually too much for me; I’m basic and prefer sticking to one! š
And sure, consider yourself tagged! I’d love to see your answers to these questions š¤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Definitely! I think reading one book at a time really allows you to immerse yourself in the story completely!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey Naemi…
I came across your blog today and I must confess I love it. You’re an excellent writer and even better reader.
I’d like to read more of your post.
Anna
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Anna! I’m glad to hear my blog left a good impression, despite me being decidedly chaotic at times š¤£
LikeLike
I’m sorry for your loss and I hope you are having a better week this week
I can completely relate to procrastinating the tags, lol, and I love all your answers– looks like we’re pretty similar in terms of updating GR progress !
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Emily š Now that the shock is wearing off and I’ve spent some time with my family, things are already looking up, so I also have high hopes that this week will be an improvement!
And I’m relieved to hear I’m not the only tag- and Goodreads-neglector around here š¤£
LikeLike
Just read your post. I’m also really sorry for your loss.
I’m also really bad at updating Goodreads. I only joined this year and basically only update once a month (or once in two months). And I also like reading at night in bed up give up at 11 usually, at least on work night. Otherwise I’d be grumpier than usual at work š
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you š
Also, it’s nice to see there are people out there who are even worse at using Goodreads than I am š Although as long as we’re having fun reading, who cares whether or not we use it to its full potential! I like that it allows me to keep track of what I’ve been reading, and when I hated a book, it’s an excellent place to find reviews of people who sympathize (š), but that’s pretty much all I ever use it for…
I also really admire your self-discipline. I always tell myself I should stop reading no later than eleven when I have university the next day, but then I’ll look at the clock and it’ll already be one in the morning…
LikeLike
I don’t know about self-discipline. On weekends I always plan to read for an hour and then end up reading most of the day and not getting anything else done. And I do occasionally stay up late reading. I think last time was when I read Projekt Hail Mary. Maybe that was on a weekend, I can’t remember. š
LikeLiked by 1 person