My Little Pocketbooks: Reading Habits

Every since I started blogging about books (all of one year and three months) I have noticed a few things have changed in regards to my reading habits. I mean it's not a real big deal, but I think it kinda goes to show you a community of people has an influence on you whether you notice it or not. It may be a good influence, like helping others. Or a bad act like committing a crime but like Grandma always said "Birds of a feather..." No she never finished it. Just the first part and nothing more. LOL!

For some crazy unexplained reason, I wanted to share these new and different reading habits I have picked up or dropped because of you. Yes! You! The person reading this blog. You! Book bloggers mostly read this blog so this ones for you. :-)

New Habits

1. Counting My Reads

I never, ever thought about counting how many books I have read in a year. Much less count how many books I have sitting around unread. Or what about how many books I have read in a month. In real, life people just read books. There is no counting in reading! FYI, here is my current count so far. *hehehee*

2. Reading More YA

I read YA when I was a YA. I also read all the Harry Potter books as they came out as an adult. But dang! Now my YA reading is...umm..about 40%-ish of my overall reading. Say what!? I am not happy, sad, or upset about this. Just making a note about it. I have to say that I was a genre for a month or two type of person. But it seems YA is slowly moving in more and more.

3. Making A Reading List
Currently, I have a Word file on my desk top called "Books to Read in 2013". I know right! And it's all the books I have in my house divided up my ARC, Audiobooks (Audible and Overdrive are separate), E-books and Books. I have completed the Audible list and now I am pushing through the Overdrive list. It would never have occurred to me to make a list before book blogging. I mentioned my list to the book club ladies once and they all looked at me like I was....OCD! Wait! Am I OCD about my books now? Crap!

4. Planning My Reads For The Week
I remember when I started book blogging, I would read post from other bloggers about "Next Up", "Reading List for (insert month)". I thought that was crazy! I would read a book and then pick up the next one based on how I was feeling at that moment, book length to activity level ratio, and interest. Length to activity is always a factor for me. That is a special equation that I use in my head. Right now, I can't believe I have figured out the next 4 books I am going to read for the month of April already. I even wrote them down. Who does that? Oh wait....

Busy week = Short Book

Easy week = Bigger Book

Chuckster = Yeah Right!

5. Reading Hype Books

I believe in the power of PROMOTION. I believe in the power of a great recommendation. I even believe in the power in commercials. Hype books are sometimes a good thing like The Immortal Life of Henritta Lacks (Review) and The Fault of Our Stars (Review). I would totally recommend these books to friends and family. But what the heck? Book bloggers seem to talk about the same 10 books FOOORREEVVERRR!! OMG! Really! When a book is on everyone's top ten list, reading list, book of the year list and just general shout out I seem to give in to it. There are currently 10 or so books on my bookshelf right now that I bought solely based on the hype/peer pressure from you guys. For so long I was the lone wolf who read books no one heard of, until now. *sigh*

6. Power Reading
I know there is no one sitting somewhere waiting for my review of a book. I know! I do! But I feel like sometimes I need to read and review a book quick, fast and in a hurry. Why? I don't know. I just do! Every Monday a review HAS to be up. So now I will "POWER" read a book just to make my self imposed deadline. Power reading is the same as speed read or cramming a book in. Can we say bye bye to leisure reading? I see so many book bloggers running through 3 to 5 books a week. WTF? Really? How do you retain anything on one plot? I wish I could!! I average 1 book a week and that counts audiobooks.

7. Talking to Authors
I was never an author fan type of person except for Judy Blume (when I was a kid), Dean Koontz (when I was a teen) and Anne Rice (as an adult). Everyone else I didn't pay attention to at all. Like movies, I am about the story. ONLY! And I have no idea who wrote it or directed it. If it was a bad story then I would just move on to another book. I would have never just written off an author from a bad read. I couldn't even tell you who wrote it anyways. So how would I know if I picked up another book by that person. But now that I blog, I get emails, tweets and facebook post from authors. I even attend book signings now! I NEVER EVER did that before blogging. EVER!