has reading become competitive???

reading goals, page counts, trying to stay relevant .. have we accidentally made reading a competition??
Not a "Proper" Reader video: • Not A "Proper" Reader?
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[@JayGTheAwkwardBookworm]

yes yes yes yes yes yes. I feel like everyone is trying so hard to beat the next person... JUST READ FOR THE LOVE OF READING DANG IT

[@donnakirby6998]

Jay G. that's my feeling exactly. I don't have a youtube channel and I never will but I follow so many excellent booktubers. I get so many excellent book suggestions. I love to read and I'm not in competition with anyone, including myself. I just love reading, for my own enjoyment and my own escape to another time and place.

[@haleciar]

Going off on what you said about other forms of entertainment like movies and music...imagine if we treated movies and music the same in regards to rereads. People don't want to reread books because they feel they should use that time more wisely reading the newest book to reach their goal/keep up with the treads. HOWEVER one would never say "Oh I'm not going to listen to that song again because I need to listen to the newest hits." OR "I've seen that movie once I don't have time to watch it again because I need to go make time to see this new film." We treat it completely different it's so interesting! We all have that one song we played on repeat for weeks so how come we don't do that with books???? Because of the high expectations we place on ourselves and the added pressure of competitive reading. Idk what anyone say rereads are fantastic!

[@tashsouthwell762]

That is such a good point!

[@saintdonoghue]

SO much great stuff here to think about! Honestly, I don't know what BookTube would do without you.

[@saintdonoghue]

OOOOOH yes, there'll be a response! But there's so much bookish wisdom in this video, I'll hardly know where to start!

[@FrancinaSimone]

You two really are my go to’s for booktuber 😂

[@thuntz29]

Steve Donoghue I love you Steve. But I wonder if you have the same perspective than the average booktuber? You are what we aspire to become. A fast reader that gets to read all the new books, reread all the wonderful classics aaaand read pop books like romance and horror... ☹️ can you understand our pain of wanting to read faster, better and more books? Ahh I think you need to make a course on Steve-speed reading.

[@BiblioAtlas]

* waves hand with auction sign * 2nd the Steve-speed reading!

[@dumitruvasilica8647]

It would be better

[@eleya11]

I'm so here for booktubers reading random, unpopular books! Short stories, Vietnamese myths, 17th century philosophy, crime novels from Kenya, Frida Kahlo biographies! Could this please be a new series? I just bought an autobiography about an American dude who accidentally had to join the Korean army so I could totally join the movement 😂😂

[@lukem118]

Yes! There are some hardcore readers on here. I only read 17 this year & for that I'm proud 😀

[@priyankandatta5644]

which is 17 more than what i had read from 2011-2020. i started reading this may. so far i have read 5

[@shannonquinn]

I love this video! I can only speak for myself, but I watch your channel specifically BECAUSE you read things that are not always mainstream/hyped books. I can watch any of 100 other booktube channels if I want to know a synopsis or general thoughts on the latest new YA release. I watch your channel for something different. You choose books I have likely not heard of elsewhere, you have amazing insights and thoughts about what you read, and incredibly interesting, articulate, and insightful thoughts on other topics as well. No disrespect to other channels, they are completely free to do as they wish and as long as they're happy, it's awesome, but I watch your videos because you're NOT every other channel, if that makes sense. I don't care how many books you read or if you reread books too, as long as you're excited about what you choose each time you pick up a book, that's all that matters. Sorry I rambled. 😞. Take care!! Xoxo

[@ArielBissett]

Shannon Quinn 🙈🙈🙈 you are too lovely to me!!! I’m so glad that you’re finding something valuable on my channel 💕💕

[@sonjawilhelm4318]

Shannon Quinn I 100% agree with this!!! Ariel’s channel is so interesting and unique and different and that’s exactly what I love about it!

[@CristinaHernandez-gs4rx]

I'm here because of this too!! I find her thoughts and book picking fascinating, as I don't really care for YA (not saying it's bad, I just don't really care)

[@AnneleenRoesems]

+

[@tintin5013]

I am all for weekly rants. I feel like there's an irrational prejudice against older people reading books geared towards younger audiences. Personally I adore middle grade and children's books because the worlds are fantastically simple. I really enjoy your family videos, keep making more please!

[@gabbychiera8816]

TresfanC yesss! Middle grade is the best!

[@iorekbyrnison1]

I sometimes get this attitude from patrons at my library when I tell them I love reading children's books. Children's books and Middle Grade novels can be gorgeous and imaginative. Their length or age level doesn't diminish them.

[@naughtscrossstitches]

I read the treehouse books when my kids got into them and handed them to my father to read. Yeah it takes me only half an hour to read a book but I enjoy it and sit there laughing at the stuff in the book. Why not?

[@Behorn14]

From an outsider casual viewer perspective booktube kinda seems like a big book club where people talk about pretty much the same books which is ok, but not a lot of diversity. Who cares if a book is trendy or not read and talk about books that you want.

[@kw4898]

I agree, I had to do a lot of digging to find booktubers who read things I was interested in. While looking for those channels I found plenty of videos of people bashing those who read classics or non-fiction, as if that's some huge number of people on booktube. I guess the fact that most booktubers read things I'm not interested in keeps me from feeling competitive with them. When I find things I'm interested in, I just add them to my list and move on.

[@aless.andra9620]

Do you mean diversity of representation, or diversity of literature genres/styles? The last one is really an issue for me. I love 20-century literary fiction (not historical fiction about 20th century), but because many booktubers want to stay relevant, they often read only newly published books (and sometimes THE classics, but mostly because it's something trendy to do).

[@gerandpa6417]

Oh my god I can't stand when people say that they "can't" reread books. People should just read what they want! Rereads have gotten me out of reading slumps, which means that rereading has probably allowed me to read more than I would have without rereading! Funny enough, I think people would actually read more books if they just felt like they were allowed to read what they want. P.S. I reread a book 3 times in November and it felt great!

[@racheldemain1940]

I have one or two I re-read because I love the book or it's a comfort read when I am feeling down or poorly and turn to an old favourite or because I struggled with it the first time and want to try again.

[@bettyreads222]

That relevancy issue is so real. I used to buy a bunch of books, many of which I haven't even gotten to, because of the hype and the last 2-3 years I've gotten better at getting away from that. It's wild when you realize that you're comparing/competing without even meaning to so when I realized that years ago, I'm going to read what's calling me, not just what is being talked about. Great video, Ariel.

[@ArielBissett]

bettyreads Thanks, Betty! I love that you’re still in my comment section after all this time! 💕

[@anijathomas138]

I’m guilty for doing this!!!! My books has TRIPLED in size because of booktube. I need to pick up a book because I want to and not because someone says so.

[@breannenance3776]

One thing about challenges that stress me out are the ones with specific things like “read a book that is more than 500 pages” or “read a book that will make you cry” like I don’t want to read a book that’ll make me cry. But then I feel that I’m not doing the challenges properly and a failure. This video totally resonated with me.

[@shannont3115]

Not really relevant to the entire video, but I'd like to thank you for that little "this is the kind of video you put on in the background whilst you're cleaning your room" because that was actually enough motivation for me to get out of bed and start tidying..

[@gabbs_giss1871]

I was doing my homework and I thought "Great!"

[@bethanyfletcher5129]

It is always a mini competition between me and my sister throughout the year. We set the same goal (80 books) and see who can get closest. It isn’t serious, just fun. But I work a lot and she is at school in her exam year so we don’t have all the time in the world. It isn’t the goal to reach 80 it is just to encourage each other along and read as much as we can. We enjoy much the same stuff as well so she always uses my books so we can always talk about them together. It’s fun and engaging and just adds another level to my favourite hobby.

[@alinareadsanddrinks9235]

I agree with you when you said you feel the pressure to read certain books because of hype. I am African American and I feel the added pressure to read The Hate You Give even though I don't particularly care to read it myself. I do think the topic is important and I'm happy to hear people reading and loving it but I just don't want to read certain books even when they are so hyped! Lol Some genres and topics I'm just not interested in reading at the moment but I constantly feel like I should be reading the hype books instead of the books that genuinely interest me. But then there is a limited amount of people who have read the book I am interested in reading so it limits my option to discuss other books with people unless it's the hyped books 😩

[@ArielBissett]

AlinaReadsThat Thanks for commenting, I find this so fascinating! I also find myself feeling that pressure to read certain books even though I realize if nobody knew what I was reading, I probably wouldn’t bother!

[@alinareadsanddrinks9235]

Ariel Bissett yes! It's like your brain starts debating whether to read a book to join in on the conversations everyone is having or read a book that potentially no one is talking about BUT could be your next favorite book. The struggle is real lol most times I just read what ever I feel and try not to fight myself on it because then I go into a book slump

[@phyllis1744]

I feel that same pressure too, people were talking about how much they loved sing, unburied, sing and how it made them cry but I didn't like it. I almost didn't want to post my review on goodreads because I felt like I had to support it. While I do want to read more books about marginalized people, I don't want to feel like I have to read it and give it a good review.

[@alinareadsanddrinks9235]

Phyllis Turner I hate that feeling! But I think if we post our honest reviews there would most likely be one other person out there who agrees! If no one agrees then it's okay because everyone has different reading taste right

[@lucylume]

I'm the same with The Hate You Give x everyone calls it the 'important' read, you have to read it because of it's themes but I just honestly am not interested in it and it makes me feel bad x it's so silly really x

[@emmyrose77]

A side topic that I think coincides with feeling like reading is a race; is people being afraid of DNF-ing books. So often I see people, whether on booktube or in reviews on goodreads, saying 'I really had to push myself to finish the last X amount of pgs' etc. Then they give the book 2 stars. I just hate that there's this imaginary rule that says 'You must read every book you start'. Reading is supposed to be fun not a chore. If the book sucks put it down or grab a new one, you're not a bad person for doing so. You know what you like. Would love to hear your thoughts on this as well in another chatty vlog/vid thing :).

[@osotegreat]

Super old comment, but I wanted to reply. I personally try not to DNF books because to me, the whole point of reading is gaining perspectives, and finishing is a part of that. For example, I spent six months reading a biography of Alan Turing, and I was really glad I pushed through it, because I learned a lot. I totally respect people who do DNF books, but for me, I am missing out of someone's perspective.

[@emmyrose77]

@@osotegreat ...ok.

[@blevisky]

i love getting home from school to 25-min videos from my favorites yeaaahhh

[@blevisky]

btw hell yes to weekly rants

[@ArielBissett]

It’s a thing now hahaha

[@chloepenguins]

"every year is different!" in 2014 i read 54 books, 2015 i probably read 15 meanwhile this year i've read around 25? so it really depends!!!!! this is such a great conversation i often feel so pressured to read so many books BUT THERE'S WAYYY TOO MANY HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KEEP UP WITH ALL THE GOOD BOOKS???? i barely have enough time for school work :/?? i loved this!!!!

[@desdemona42]

Ariel, you have hit the nail on the head! I find it so sad that there are so many booktubers that the number has become more important than the books themselves. Why is the goal really that important? My sister is a booktuber and she did a challenge where she read a book a week for a year and she found that she spent very little time doing the other things she loves because she had made the commitment. This year, she is reading books that she picks out of a jar and is taking her time time with reading them and is much happier that way. It's a lot of pressure. I myself have found that pressure to read as being a product of watching booktubers and I actively have to turn that off in my brain when I read. Its such a nicer experience that way. Great video! Thank you!!

[@athenarose5103]

I LOVE this discussion because I feel the same way. I feel like reading should be a way to connect and enjoy and love and mull over. And there is always this pressure that all these good books are being published every day and that you have to read them. I know I feel this pressure often and I want to stop listening to it, but I feel bad when I want to read this one book slowly and leave the rest of my books on my shelf to collect dust. And I wish I spent more time reading for the sake of reading and gaining insight and just to love the time I spend doing it, but like you school gets stressful and its difficult to spend the time i want to on reading. This entire video was just me nodding along and agreeing and I cant wait for more of these in depth book discussions.

[@ArielBissett]

I'm so glad you enjoyed it and found something valuable in it!! And that after all of this chatter you still want more, hahaha!

[@modestysnooze6154]

This is so interesting! I was a keen reader until my early twenties, when I accidentally got a job in a bookshop. Fifteen years, five shops and two school libraries later, books are such a massive part of my identity that reading isn't something I can choose anymore. And I'm so grateful to have a career I love and spend so much of my time talking about books, but between various work projects, reviews for a professional publication, and the 'oh you must read...' recommendations from well meaning people, I rarely get to decide what I read next. Your video has inspired me to next year 'reclaim my reading' and try to make sure I get a bit more in for me. Thanks Ariel!

[@sshep0904]

Re-reading is important in itself... there is only so much your short memory can retain and by re-reading you're helping give it an opportunity to transfer to the long term memory that's according to Information Processing Theory. So quality as you say is important over quantity. The importance is the content and analysis you get from a book not just to say "oh I've read it" with no critical analysis. That's my opinion anyway. Keep doing you!! You're doing great! :)

[@racheldemain1940]

I reread old favourites, books I struggled with on the first attempt when I am in a better place.

[@lanebot]

3 years later and this is even more relevant now than it was when this was uploaded. thank you for this conversation! I feel validated by this rant :,) love your vids! and hope your move is safe and easy! sending love from detroit!

[@kittyyourock]

I think there’s a reason behind competition. For example, good reads insists you to choose a number of books per year for your challenge. It helps publishers and authors alike to make MONEY 💵 By making people think they need a high number of books to be successful, they are pressured to actually go and buy these books.

[@alternativetime2778]

In August, I've read 11 books. At first, I was so proud of myself but as time went by, I felt like I had wasted those books. I felt like I wasted the experience of reading such amazing books for the first time. Sure I can re read them, but you know its never really the same. It was really because of book tube, etc. I felt pressure. I felt like I have to be faster. It was horrible. Thanks for the amazing video❤❤!

[@snailfren]

I honestly feel like booktube has a huge impact on the competitive nature of reading now. It’s kind of stressful but I try not to compare myself to booktubers.

[@mikechuma1]

Nina Vo I agree. You see these videos where folks read 17 books a month and a part of me is jealous that I can’t read that much too. How do they do that? So in a way that is creating the challenge within ourselves to meet those numbers too.

[@racheldemain1940]

I don't read as quickly as I did when I was younger but it doesn't matter,I am reading that's the important thing to me.

[@mtl199813]

Yes!!! I totally agree. When I first discovered booktube, I bought so many books and ended up with a TBR of 70 books. I ended up putting so much pressure on myself, for no good reason. I've now got 10 books on my TBR, and I'm so chill about rereading and reading new books. I just don't care about quantity anymore, all I care about is loving the books I read.

[@lizzlocke3130]

I'm really with you on re-reading. I've reread my favorite series 7 times, and I re-read the third Harry Potter when ever i'm sad and I've re-read the last twilight book 7 times. The most frustrating thing is how nervous I get when I say Twilight! I used to get persecuted for loving that book! Those books were my world.

[@biljananeckovska7138]

Thank you for reminding me of what reading was about. I began stressing out when I started comparing myself to other readers, which is insane. I like reading aloud and rereading parts of a certain book or looking up for other interpretations of the book. After this, I'll surely focus on what I need instead of setting goals that disrupt my pleasure.

[@karisthelibrarian1442]

Your comments about relevance made me think about the way classics used to have a certain status among readers, but now new books have usurped that role. Back in the Dark Ages (when I was in school), books didn't have the expiration dates that many of them have now, and an impressive reading list would span centuries. Today, it's almost a race to see who can get an ARC sooner than everyone else, but the hot new book will likely not be remembered the following year. I love reading new releases and keeping up with trends, but I also appreciate the vastness of literary history. We need to find a balance between the two before our throwaway culture expands into the world of books. Thank you for your thought-provoking video!

[@harithaolaganathan8895]

This is an incredible video yet I have to be shallow person that comments on your beautiful hair!

[@ArielBissett]

That still makes me happy, haha!

[@JStar101567]

I knew I loved your channel when I watched one of your older videos about goodreads and you said, "Don't read to read, read to enjoy." I kinda live by this quote now

[@meganbrewer9678]

Watching this video 3 years later & I got into booktube maybe 6 months ago. It has its pros for sure & I enjoy it, but I’ve definitely had to take a step back & realize that I’m not a person who can read 6 books a month. This video was everything I needed to make me feel less bad about it & just to remember to read the books I want to read. I’ve recently decided to get back into reading classics, which I’ve always been into, instead of trying to read all the popular new releases when they come out & I’m feeling super excited about reading again. Loved this video!!

[@wanderflock]

I still feel like I've discovered booktube only recently even though it's about 2 years now and I'm so grateful this community exists! I feel like it has helped my reading a lot. Not only did I get a ton of wonderful recommendations for books I wouldn't have otherwise known about, but this competitiveness helped me push myself and realize I can read 50 and even 100 books a year. Granted, I have the time to do that. And granted I've only did it for a bit. But I totally agree with you on the downside of this competitiveness. I don't feel like a bad person, but I definitely feel not relevant for not having read "the hate they give". At the same time the more people talk about it the more wary of it I become. Then again you have to factor in the popularity or outreach and thus power the booktube has gathered. There are plenty of channels or videos promoting certain books. I have to say I became addicted to reviews and ratings and I don't remember the last time I bought a fiction book without checking it's standing. Which of course is ridiculous, and the goodreads statistics is incredibly skewed. Yet, here I am checking every time. Or getting a book because of a favourite booktuber review (thanks again for "so you've been publicly shamed :) ) One thing I most definitely don't like, and I feel like it falls within the book competition, is book hauls. The popularity of this genre on booktube feels incredibly ugly to me. I don't think there's anything but ego-stroking and performance there. It makes me feel jealous, even though I know I wouldn't been doing it even if I had the option. And it makes feel sad more. I wish we talked more about what we read and how it made us feel, and less about how many book we bought, and how we then arranged them on our bookshelves. Thanks for doing these talkative videos, Ariel!

[@lanibarr7577]

Also please do more videos like this, it’s super interesting and opens up new conversations about things I’ve never considered before. It’s really refreshing to watch and reflect with

[@samgaekwad]

17:00 the best and most intelligent thought I've heard on booktube so far.

[@samgaekwad]

20:00 another intelligent thought.

[@TheLibraryOfSarah]

"It makes it a performance" yes yes yes to this entire video! I find myself reading or not reading certain books- with the thought of "well it'll be on goodreads/booktube for all to see, should I really read this?" =( and then recently, I'm trying so hard to reach my goal for the year- like you said, reading short books and graphic novels, and I found myself continually wanting to re-read an old favorite- a nearly-600-page novel, but I put it aside because there's no way I'll finish it before the end of the year. What the hell!! It has become for me, very much about the number of books rather than enjoying the book. I need to change my mindset somehow. You're so right about all of this, Ariel- great video.

[@lyndeegardner6178]

I love that you don’t just read YA. That’s what drew me to your channel. I miss welldonebooks for that very reason. Keep it up!

[@simplyromii191]

Oh my God! I'm so happy i watched this video! i recently started booktube and I've been having a lot of questions and worries about my reading experience. So i'm truly thankful for your discussion

[@jenniferdavis3670]

I got rid of my Did Not Read shelf on Goodreads because it made me feel bad about not wanting to finish every book I pick up. I appreciate this discussion so much! Also love that you do have a variety of YA/Non-fiction/Adult/etc that gives me ideas on how to spread out a bit and find other books I might love. You're one of my fav people on KZbin for your conscientious honesty, and I appreciate you.

[@bookofdaisy9124]

Amazing video! So many good points to think about! The other day, I caught myself thinking about what it was like before booktube. How readers would go into a bookstore or a library and just pull random books from the shelves to read the synopsis, trying to find one they thought might be interesting, instead of how it is now, with people just looking for that popular book that everyone was reading, or looking for the cover they saw in their fave booktubers haul. It feels like nobody just looks at random books anymore, it's always either directly recommended to them or they're just following the hype. They go into the bookstore, go straight to that book they so desperately need to read, buy it, and then straight back out. And I'm ashamed that, when this thought came to my head, I started wondering "Omg, how did people do it? How did SO MANY people just always pick completely random books? How did they go into a bookstore without any inclination of what they were specifically looking for???" I kind of had this realization that lately, I've been letting other readers dictate my own reading. And I don't like it... yes, I've found so many great books because there was hype about them and because they were what everyone else was reading, but I really miss the times when everyone would just pick books at random and search for their OWN favourites. I can also say that a large portion of my reading is re-reading. Re-reading gets me out of reading slumps, it makes me excited all over again about stories that I know I enjoy. And when I tell someone (my mom, for example) that I'm re-reading a book when I still have several books on my shelves that I haven't read yet, they get kind of bewildered... Like, "How can you be reading Harry Potter for the 14th time when you have so many other books you still need to read?!" There's this universal idea, even out of booktube, that you need to consume as much as you can, as quickly as you can! And it gets pretty tiring.

[@Spiritbro77]

I think it has in some ways, also I think a lot of booktubers, in trying to keep up with the newest releases, are missing out on books that were released in the past. Unless a book is considered a "classic" older books aren't really thought to be relevant or worthy of consideration for reading. It's always about the latest release. I understand why, but it is sad that some awesome books are overlooked because they were released in the past. :)

[@mimik9948]

I love the way you speak :)

[@ArielBissett]

Thank you 🙈

[@racheldemain1940]

So do I, you are so funny 😅

[@rewildwithus]

YESSSS! This is great. I read so many books during my undergrad (most of which I had to read) and during those 4 years I fell out of love with reading and I was so disappointing by the time I graduated. I started questioning everything. Reading was such a huge part of my life and then I almost resented it. I didn't start reading again until a few months ago because I was so caught up in reading what would be impressive or what other people liked. Once I gave that up and started reading what I found interesting...everything changed! I found my passion again and I'm very excited about it.

[@bykchoi]

Loving these types of videos from you! So honest and relatable xx

[@MaddieKuruda]

you're absolutely brilliant and i love listening to your thoughts

[@PhysiqueQuantique]

I feel you! I have this kind of strange self-imposed challenge of reading a new book every week, and it started because I developed a ritual of going to a coffee shop every Sunday morning and reading, as a kind of escape while I was doing my Masters. And I took pictures of what I was reading every time and posted them online. At first it didn't matter to me if I was still reading the same book from one week to the next, but over time as more people started engaging with these pictures I started to feel inadequate and uncomfortable if I didn't post a picture of a different book every week. Even though I'm sure it would make no difference to anyone else, I still feel like part of the fun/escape/etc. is gone and has been replaced by the pressure to produce something novel.

[@thesecretreader]

L O V I N G these new videos Ariel! I'm not even officially a part of booktube, but I still find my self relating a lot to what you´re talking about. I find that I get annoyed at myself when I haven't read in a certain amount of days/weeks, like I'm failing at reading, which is just stupid. I read because I love it, and just like you I love re-reading my favourites, but I still get wrapped up in this "need to read 50 books/year" or "you should read these books because they should be read" etc etc... This video has really inspired me to stop shaming myself for not reading "as much as I should", and to just set my yearly goal as "read what I want, when I want", because reading is something I love so much, and I really don't want it to feel like a "task" rather than an enjoyment, so thank you! x

[@mattersofmerritt541]

This could be applied to so many aspects of life. Thank you for having the courage to post this. It needed to be said, needed to be heard and helps a lot. Thank you!

[@ricardarighetti]

Exactly, exactly, exactly! Thank you so much for this video! I totally agree and now I will reread one of my favorite books of November. Because it is that good and I want to go back again and again! Love your chatty videos by the way! :)

[@marylclayton92]

I genuinely love this kind of video! 💛

[@kaylayeager8443]

I love this video so much! I think you are bringing up a lot of topics that a lot of people struggle with when it comes to reading socially. And also, I love that you are venturing out of YA, as I have been in the last year/year and a half, so I love hearing about "lesser known" books to booktube. Just keep doing what makes you happy!

[@jojor9176]

I really love these sit down talking videos! Also I actually really appreciate the step away from YA in your videos. YA isnt my personal favorite genre and I like seeing recommendations and discussion about adult books that I’m wayy more interested in. Love the vid 💕💕

[@angelbbyblue]

LOVING THE LONGER VIDEOS

[@pompomegranates]

I feel like this all the time. I had to unfollow many book tubers because I felt so pressured that it made me fall out of love with reading. Recently I have been upset with myself for not reading because of exams but the reason I'm upset is not because I'm not going to reach a goal it's because I stare longingly at my bookshelf during my revision time and that should be how I feel about reading, not freaking out about falling behind. Also about rereading, I always felt bad because I spent all of August rereading the throne of glass series by Sarah j Maas in preparation for the newest book in the series but why should I be upset with myself for reading my favourite series again? No one should feel ashamed for reading things that make you feel immensely happy! Reading is a hobby, something that should make you feel happy.

[@Betul-uf2cu]

I LOVE THESE VIDEOS OF YOU !!!! unedited talkings of yours are ON POINT

[@captaininki]

I feel this so much. I love using good reads to keep track of my own reading but I'm scared of looking at my friends' reading challenges because it makes me feel bad that to see I've read less books in a year then them. It always makes me feel like I'm a bad reader because maybe I don't put as much time into reading or I don't read as fast as others. But really I just wanna enjoy the books I read and read them at my own pace. I also love rereading books, I reread my favourite children's books series this summer for the first time in ten years and it made me so happy to revisit those old favourites! ♡ Love these chatty videos and look forward to see more like them :)

[@maryvandehei]

This is very interesting. That’s what I’ve been thinking about actually.

[@annacharlotte584]

Rarely do I stay to watch to 25 minute video, but this one had me hooked. I really enjoyed hearing you talk about the pressure to read more and mainly YA - I definitely know those feelings myself, having learnt about the book tube community about 3 and a bit years ago. Before, as you did, I mainly reread my favorite books. I can't even tell you how many times I have read Looking for Alaska (which I loved when I was like 16/17) or, something completely different, "A Trillion Dollar" by this German author. Would anyone in the book tube world care about it? No, not very likely. But it's one of my favorites and I haven't touched it in about 4 years now. When I moved, I only got to bring a small selection of my books with me, and so I decided on my favorites, those, I wanted to reread. I haven't reread once since and it's been 4 months. I accumulated other books, definitely, but at least they're all about things I'm genuinely interested in and I have to say, there isn't one YA book in there and I'm starting to feel okay with that. Venturing off to new lands has always been challenging, but in the end very rewarding and most definitely a lot of fun. So yeah, my reading goal for 2018 will be to reread as much or as little as I want.

[@julieacosta5511]

I absolutely love this video! You’re so eloquent & I love these discussion/rant videos because of how thought provoking they are. It should become a weekly thing! I do see myself falling into the competitive side of reading. I’ve stopped myself from rereading so many books because of how behind I’ve fallen compared to everyone. And I’ve felt the need to set a reading challenge as high as everyone else. Even though I’ve never cared or focused on an actual number of books to read in a year?!? Like I just want to read with no goal hanging over my head & not caring how many more books people have read than me. Honestly, for 2018 I’m doing what you do & setting my reading challenge as one book.

[@stimreadrepeat8375]

Thanks for this video. It’s always nice to know that there are channels out there that has a more chill view on reading and booktubing

[@adriannajoyner8891]

Amazing as always ❤️❤️

[@juliasutter6996]

I love love love this type of video :D

[@TheAbbieScreams]

I LOVED this video. I've been a viewer on your channel for two years now and I could see your gradual frustration with the issues you addressed here, and I gotta tell you it was very freeing and refreshing to see you express it all in one go! Now I don't have a channel or anything, but this made me think of all the ways booktube has changed my reading as well. And it has in many ways, but now I'm reading more than ever and that makes me happy because that's what I hoped to gain from watching these videos. Content creaters like you inspire me to read. I have no audience so I have no need to quantify. I wish that I could could give that freedom to you and other booktubers out there that are hindered by their newfound impulses to unintentionally compete. Thanks for your insight as always!

[@avi4875]

Thanks for this. I needed this so much. I've been forcing myself to finish this series that I don't particularly like and it's been really throwing off my reading. I love what your channel has developed into.

[@hermionebenson8366]

Yes I think reading has become too competitive. I’ve honestly felt that way before I ever discovered booktube, or book bloggers or anything like that. I’ve always felt self conscious about my reading speed, and I remember back in middle school trying to read faster and faster to read as quick or (hopefully) quicker than my friends (I’m glad KZbin didn’t exist back then because the pressure would have prob been greater!!). Now that I review books on my blog from time to time, I feel pressure to try and read quickly so that I can review books in a timely fashion. I absolutely think it takes away from my enjoyment and recently, I’ve tried to stop this behavior. I’m a grad student so pleasure reading has definitely waned, and now I’m trying to stop myself from putting all this pressure on myself to read FASTER. Instead of trying to read x number of books on my breaks, I’m trying really hard to just enjoy my reading. I have a lot of different hobbies and I’m trying to stop stressing over my efficiency in terms of giving all my hobbies time. I’m just trying to enjoy my time, and to do what I feel like doing. It’s funny that you’ve posted this ramble because I was actually thinking of discussing this in a blog post! You took the words out of my brain! I’m so with you on this!!

[@BecksVegs]

I totally agree, and I try (though not always succeed) to stay out of the competition. But I also think the rush to read a book right after it's published also has to do with wanting to be part of the conversation. At least for me, it seems like if I don't read it when everybody is talking about it I won't have a chance to discuss it. Unless I find someone who has read it in real life of course... but that's a completely different universe 😂

[@nerdfighter_and_unicorn2422]

And these long chatty videos are so lovely. I enjoy them so much because it honestly feels like I am just spending time with a friend. Also, you are so cute! It is just so lovely to watch you talk so passionately about the things you care about!

[@philipregalado8452]

I really love this video because I have been surrounded by friends who could read 12 books a month and I read 4 a month. My numbers are still above the average person’s but being around heavy readers makes me feel like competing and beating them. I’m glad to be assured that I can just enjoy books for their substance, not the statistics. (Btw your thumbnail is such a mood lol)

[@helenasnopek5431]

Thank you for this!! I'm not a "public reader" but even just as someone who's gotten really into BookTube and Bookstagram of late I sometimes get these borderline existential doubts about myself when I'm not reading as much as others I see. Like, I always thought of myself as "a reader," an essential part of my identity, but am I REALLY? Can I really call myself a reader if I like, stay up late talking to my boyfriend instead of reading, or spend time knitting and pursuing other hobbies instead of reading? ...silliness!

[@lemonlemonster]

For me the challenge has been helpful for getting back into reading BUT I have no desire to do the 50 book challenge. A few years back I set my goal at 12 books, then the next year 15, then 20, and this year 30. I feel like 30 is the upper limit of reading for pleasure and if I were to go higher it would be all competition. I'm able to get to all those lovely books that have been sitting on my Goodreads TBR for years but I'm also not having to speed through books to get to an arbitrary number (at least, an arbitrary number not set by me :)). Who came up with 50 anyway? Why is THAT the number everyone sets as their challenge? Thank you so much for this video, its something I've had in the back of my mind ever since discovering BookTube.

[@annaparente9563]

I totally agree with you! I'm from Italy and with your videos, I discovered a lot of new books in english! This helped me a lot in the language but most of all to discover uncommon authors and stories! Love what you do here ❤️

[@NerdWatchJinxy]

I needed this video right now! I have read more pages this year than I ever have, and yet according to Goodreads, I am behind on my "goals." You /understand/. Thank you for posting this!!!

[@sophienocturne]

I feel the same way! I feel like most booktubers seem to love YA, specifically YA Fantasy, and even though I'm not particularly interested in that genre, I should still have read all of these books just because of the hype, and then I don't end up buying/reading the books that I genuinely am interested in (which is mostly non-fiction). I feel like there's some weird prejudice against reading older books too - booktubers talk mainly about new books, so I'll feel bad for reading one that came out several years ago, like I'm not relevant enough - it's bizarre.

[@arjumandbano121]

Yesss I love this exactly my thoughts

[@NEON-uc9no]

I love these types of videos and this one is so true. I regularly have to remind myself that I'm reading for ME and no one else. I also love when you talk about non fiction books and other kinds because it helps expand my view and I think that's sort of one of the main points for reading

[@TotallyWicked10]

It's interesting to think about the effect Booktube has on one's reading.... When i discovered booktube it was 2014, I had just graduated college and I was getting back into reading for fun, and I worked at Barnes and Noble, so ALL I did was gravitate towards the new release YA books that everyone talked about on Booktube (and got upset with myself if I didn't like one of them, like Throne of Glass) and that was super fun and it still is, though nowadays my tastes have really gravitated away from the super popular YA novels (though I do still like some of them!). What's interesting though us that I wonder how Booktube would have affected me when I was younger. I feel like it can be limiting, in a way, even though I love the community. My favorite book of all time is Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, and NO ONE talks about it on Booktube. If Booktube had existed when I was a tween/teen, I don't know that I ever would have picked it up, bc it was never going to be one of those super popular YA novels. Idk I think I've veered off from what your video is actually about but I guess my point is there is something to be said for reading to be a solitary activity, because not having the community aspect forces you to form your own opinions without any influence from what others think. This is coming off super anti-Booktube which isn't the case at all, I love Booktube, but it's like I said....it can be limiting.

[@funfuz]

Eryn C Inkheart! God, it's been a while since I've thought about that book!

[@Daniela-lf1ou]

I am a viewer who gets excited about non-YA books. I’ve never been a YA reader not as a teenager and not now in my early 20s. Don’t me discouraged that there’s a smaller audience for content about non-YA!!!

[@imperatrice211]

Thank you, I loved this video so much !! I often feel like I should read hyped books but at the same time, there are so many others that look so interesting so I don't know what to do with myself sometimes. And it's crazy how I now recognize so many books in the bookstore, it definetely changed my experience !

[@doublehelixalchemist8678]

God, I love your videos so much!

[@katelynfields2345]

I saw this video and really thought about liking it before I even started watching because I love these videos! I'm not even a booktuber but I catch myself reading the most popular books not because I particularly want to, but because I want to feel included in the conversation. It goes back to reading on its own being a solitary experience and how we want to change that so much that we forget about our own interests.

[@MegBookishRamblings]

You make so many good points and it has become quite the competition for lots of people. I've been working to push myself to read more books but it's for myself because there's so many books I want to read and have also unexpectedly received lots of welcome digital ARCs and in general it's just been a really great reading year but I also want to read more. There have honestly been times when I've felt that I am not reading the amount I could be compared to some but then I have to remind myself that reading is supposed to be fun and to read at my pace and not compare to others because I want to enjoy the journey as you mentioned. I've loved the different people I've been able to connect with about books and the new books I've been introduced to because that's part of the fun of being a bookworm- connecting with other bookworms and being excited together!

[@naplover405]

I fell like this is still so relevant! Sometimes I read several books in a month, sometimes I only read one. I feel like everyone is trying to read the max number of books possible. I just read for enjoyment, so the amount of books I read fluctuates.

[@bilbobaggins5752]

Why isn't re-reading a book included in a book reading count?

[@brigutierrez5249]

Bilbo Baggins Goodreads needs to have that button. I think thay would be so helpful and a much more honest way to rate books. The last 2 years I've 'allowed' myself to re-read my favorite books and I've had to remove it from my shelf and then added it onto it again in order to count it but if be really curious to see how many times I've reread my faves.

[@bethanyfletcher5129]

Goodreads allows it now. I have read A Court if Wings and Ruin 3 times this year and they all counted.

[@brigutierrez5249]

Bethany Fletcher hm. I'll definitely have to pay attention to that on my next re-read

[@lilyturner5840]

Bri Gutierrez They do have rereads counts. It's been active months ago. I've read the Harry Potter series a couple times and it's been added.

[@bilbobaggins5752]

Thank you for your replies. I've not used Goodreads and didn't know the video was about the features specifically offered there.

[@pucksandpages]

Yaaassss! And now I want the video that this one was turning into. Your discussions have always been the best!

[@zainabzubair1797]

I love your videos because you make me THINK. about stuff I never thought about before. And I love that. Definitely do keep making such videos. Your recent 'my reading tastes have changed' video was so fascinating.

[@seekingtruthcollective]

You articulate your thoughts and arguments so well, I find it really interesting to listen to your philosophical rant videos!

[@cuppabooks]

I relate to this on so many levels, and actually made a video about reading pressures about a year ago. I particularly know what you mean when you say that you don’t feel like a valid reader; there’s been times when I’ve wanted to review a book on KZbin but haven’t because I know so many bigger youtubers have and that I wouldn’t have much else to say. Love this video Ariel!

[@fantabulousjess]

This is the first video I've watched by you and I really enjoyed it! I have recently (3 months or so) discovered this whole BookTube universe and it has been pretty cool, but I have noticed this competitiveness. As someone who isn't an active member of this whole community, it has had a large effect on my reading choices and goals. Even though I am not making videos or posting anywhere on social media about what I am reading, I get anxious about trying to keep up with whoever I am watching. This video was very eyeopening. Thanks for making it and I look forward to more chatty content!

[@elizabethray8812]

okay, this video was a godsend. the fact that I am not the only one that feels that I need to keep up to date with new releases and that I have to read a lot of books every year and just absolutely everything you said. I really do love these rant videos and I would love if you continue with them even after you finish your master (which is amazing that you're doing). and yeah, good stuff.

[@bookishnessandtea5062]

I'm about five seconds into this video and I already love it. These are, 100%, my favorite types of videos to watch, and I love that you're doing more of them!

[@leannmiller7974]

I enjoy the channels that read whatever they like to read. I understand that friends seem to read the same books so they can share and chat with one another about it, but you need to be you. I enjoy these type of videos you film. Very thought provoking.

[@meliamarkham]

Ariel, I am absolutely loving these chatty videos. It's so interesting to hear your unedited thoughts on topics like this. I also just wanted to say that I found your channel by specifically looking for booktubers who do not exclusively talk about YA (since i seem to be the only person on KZbin with somewhat of an aversion to the genre). So even though your videos that are not about YA novels get less views, in my opinion, those are the videos that make your channel special!

[@samgaekwad]

The topic you started at 24:35 reminds me of the quote: "Sometimes the majority only means that all the fools are on the sam side" - Claude McDonald. Okay y'all don't hate on me. This quote popped to my head when she was discussing about the likes on Goodreads.

[@ambermeyer9217]

I'm really enjoying this longer format, I've been subscribed for a long time and I always love watching your videos. I appreciate that you make interesting critical discussion videos and that you talk about more diverse books. As a dyslexic reading challenges (that have to do with quantity) are frustrating to me since I take longer to read a book then most people.

[@VanessaMarieCreates]

This is exactly why I stopped doing monthly reading wrap ups! I love reading, but I did not love counting up my books at the end of the month and comparing it to previous months. Ever since I took myself out of this "competition I never asked to be a part of" I've felt so much more relaxed with my reading. Great video!!!

[@chuck3397]

Ironically, I came across this video today just as I wrote down the books I want to read in 2018 and this expresses so many of the thoughts I have on this subject. I think book challenges help with pushing you as an individual to read more, however I totally agree that it has become so competitive and that there is so much pressure around reading relevant books. So thank you for voicing my thoughts and anxieties! Also your channel is super unique to other booktubers. It's incredibly refreshing!

[@natalieprice2201]

This video is so great. I cannot express how much I enjoy these chatty videos. Weekly rants sound good to me! Keep reading what you enjoy :)

[@leafandliah]

You’ve verbalized everything I have and haven’t yet pondered about reading recently! I love to read, especially to re-read my books, but the past months, especially it being my first semester at college, I started to feel guilty for not “staying up to date” with everything, especially my bookstagram and reading goals. However, listening to this just made me realize it’s okay. Loved it! Thank you. Looking forward to more! :)

[@zoemagnusson4025]

Please continue making these kind of videos when you just talk from your heart! I love it when you're so honest and I needed to hear this❤️❤️

[@singinwithceline]

I LOVE this community. I am chronically ill and disabled and found this community in 2012. I love readathons, because they help push me to read more books. But I know certain people who won’t do them because they are stressful. I love Goodreads and My Pocket Library