How I Read

Welcome aboard, train wreck.

I’ve had a few questions pop up since I announced my 31 in 31 reading challenge. How can you read that many books? Why would you try something like this? Do you get any work done? What is wrong with you? Let me answer those backwards. Lots. Yeah, ADHD is a great tool when you utilize it. Because I like to stretch myself so thin you can see through to my weeping soul. That last one is not so easy to answer.

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Please consider donating to help keep this going. $1 and I’ll ask you what your favorite book is so we can talk about it. $5 and I’ll write a review of a book you suggest. $10 and I’ll write a blog suggested by you.

How I read varies greatly on where I am. I’m a situational reader, if you will allow.

When I am at work, at my desk, or walking Lucy, I most likely have at least one ear bud in my ear with an audiobook going. That is how most of my books are read. And don’t hit me with the “audiobooks aren’t reading” line. That’s ableism and we don’t stand that here. Audiobooks are storytelling. I’m here for the stories.

Now, when we’re in the car, and I’m not driving, then I turn on my Kindle. I love my Kindle. And for some reason, it’s the only way I can read in the car. I learned this when we took a trip to the far southeastern corner or Arkansas and it took over twelve hours round trip. Usually, reading in the car makes me dizzy, nauseated, and car sick. But I guess with the Kindle that doesn’t happen because I can change the font and size. This is great news for our upcoming road trip to Florida.

Now, when I’m curled up on the couch or in bed, or sitting on the back porch wrapped up in a sweater drinking my coffee, that’s when the paperbacks come out. There is something so remarkably soothing about the sensory experience of holding and reading a book. I can’t begin to tell you how happy and relieved I was to learn that other people sniff books. There is comfort in the pages of a book.

And what happens when I can’t finish that book in one go? Bookmarks. Don’t you dare defile my book with that dog-ear nonsense. That is a hate crime against books. Use a receipt, a post it note, a leaf. I don’t care. But don’t mangle your books.

Now, I’ve seen a lot on BookTok about annotating and note taking for books. I see these kids writing in the books, highlighting, and the unholy amount of tabs and sticky notes. I have to say, they are way more organized than I am. I do have a book for keeping track of what I read and what I liked and didn’t like. But that requires me to remember to write it all down. And the sticky notes only work for physical books. I may develop a system eventually, but for now, I have to rely on the swiss cheese factory that is my brain.

Well, that’s how I read. How about you?

Again, if you like what I post, please like, comment, share, and subscribe. Please consider donating to help keep this going. $1 and I’ll ask you what your favorite book is so we can talk about it. $5 and I’ll write a review of a book you suggest. $10 and I’ll write a blog suggested by you. That’s all I’ve got for today, train wrecks. All aboard.

To help you get through your TBR, I’m including a printable bookmark. Just print it on cardstock. You can laminate it, it you like. Hope you enjoy.