I’m back to posting for this event over here because it just makes sense. Whatever, I’m crazy. Let’s move on.

 

 

Today’s A Month of Faves post is all about how we read. The prompt: how do you pick your next book; what do you do after you’re finished reading a book (do you write a blog post, update Goodreads, put reviews on Amazon etc.; immediately start another book or let the book?)

I am a total mood reader. Except for when I read assigned books (at this point, usually through my two book clubs) and then I become a moody reader. I read what I want when I want. I DNF (do not finish) books without hesitation or remorse. I will sometimes force myself to finish a book and then, if I hate it, I get really crabby about it. I pick books based on their book covers, on what friends say, by the length of the book, by author, by title. Sometimes I participate in the library’s book recommendation Thursday (currently, they have taken to asking us to post pics of what we’re reading and whether we’d like a readalike or random suggestion). Every once in a while, I read what they suggest. When I sign up for reading challenges, I usually seek out books that fit the challenge.

My daughter asked me once how many books I think I’ve read in my lifetime, and I told her that my Goodreads total of 1,065 is only a fraction of the books I have read because I have been a voracious reader since I was four or five, and that total only takes into account the last 12 or so years of my life. And that doesn’t even count the books I have DNFed, some of which I have made it to almost the absolute end and said, “No more!” and set aside.

When I finish a book, these days I promptly (or within a day or two) go to Goodreads and log it, including the date I read it. I rate it and write a brief review–enough so that I know why I gave the book the rating I did. (People who do not leave comments with their ratings burn me up! Why did you think it was a four-star book or a two-star book? Give me some clue!) I make sure to leave a comment with my rating because when I go back and look at my old ratings, I cannot remember why I rated a book the way I did. Also, since I have read so many books, I often do not remember anything about many of the books I have read (I came across one that I had given four stars that I absolutely do not remember reading. Even reading the synopsis did nothing to jog my memory. My only guess is that it was for a class I was taking at the time.)

I am bad at shelving, though. That is a thing that I need to work on. Except for by date. And, now, by reading challenge. I am a slow learner sometimes.

Then, once a book is logged, I move onto the next one. I generally like to keep it light, but I love books filled with angst. I love teen lit, but am currently burnt out on it. So I have moved onto reading adult books about adolescents. So, yeah, I totally have a type. Let’s keep it contemporary, friends. For, lo, that is my jam.