My Reading Habits

[@Z-zilla]

For me reading is That time. I read mostly before sleeping. Reclining in bed. Almost every evening, almost every night. No matter if only few lines before falling asleep, or chapter, or two or half of a book. But it must be there, otherwise my day feels incomplete. Of course I also read in my cozy armchair. Physical books are better, because I can see them, touch them, feel them, smell them... Each time I take it, I have physical perception of it. But I have also e-book reader and I enjoy it too. It is better for vacations, that I only take this device and don't need anything more. It's backlight is also good feature, because I can read and don't need to have lit lamp. And when I fall asleep, the device just turns off after a while and remembers where I stopped. The downside is, that my perception, while reading, is only that device and black&white cover. Sometimes I forget if I actually read this and that book, because they can blend due to lack of physical perception and appearance (if the story isn't particularly distinguishable). Sometimes I read some review, and sometimes You spark that interest in me about certain books/authors (like the Malazan, Wheel of time, or Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, or Janny Wurst...) Audiobooks - I tried, I have, but they are not my top platform. Simply just because I often find the tempo, expression tone, acting, colour of voice, pronunciation etc. bit off for my taste. But they are good for driving a car on long distance (only I do not drive long distances that much). Usually I do not set books aside, when I start I try to finish it. Few times I really forced it and was waiting if it's going to be better (like Valis from P. K. Dick, have you read it? Very weird book...) Seldomly I read more than one. Maximum two at a time. Few pages of this, few pages of that....which is not ideal :) Sometimes I buy a book at a great discount, that's when a book is new, but was damaged in warehouse during manipulation etc. So if it's somewhat mildly damaged, I save it and feel better that I gave it a second chance...

[@NerdyKathi]

We sound very alike in our habits. I too find that books I've read on my e-reader don't stick as well as physical books. Thank you so much for sharing. I really enjoyed reading about your habits.

[@morniclegreen3534]

Thanks for sharing, this is really cool! I'm also a moody, one-at-a-time, night reader. With non-fiction however, I'll usually read somewhere between 1 and 4 books at the same time. More recently I have started listening to audiobooks at 1.25 speed with the physical book in front of me at the same time. I like to do this especially when I hit a reading slump and just find that I breeze through chapters this way. If I'm just listening to audio however I generally like to turn the speed back down to normal just so everything sounds natural. Lastly (and this will be my most controversial reading habit) I very rarely re-read a book and love reading only the first book in a series (even if it's a 5-star read for me) and then potentially only return to the series many weeks, months or even years later. The only times I break this habit is when I literally can't think of anything else other than the world I had just spent the last couple of hours in.

[@NerdyKathi]

Oh I love hearing about your reading habits. We share some, but not others. I think it is much easier to read more than one book if it's non fiction. I know several people who never re-read books but I love some books or series so much that I love revisiting them. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@Quiet-Ad]

So good to hear another book lover say they are a one-book-at-a-time person! It seems everyone on Booktube reads multiple books at once, but I have tried and much prefer the full immersion in one story. I wondered if I was the only one 😅

[@NerdyKathi]

It's hard to really focus on a story if you're jumping between several. And no, you're not the only one!

[@mteresa-p7f]

@@Quiet-Ad we’ve got diminished concentration span!most likely a consequence of our time on electronic devices

[@craftyhobbit7623]

I find if I read more than one book at a time, I abandon the first book I was reading and don't finish it and have to go back to it (and restart) at a later date. If I do read more than one book at a time and keep up with reading them all, one has to be a short story or novella.

[@bjminton2698]

Your recliner looks so comfortable! I have weak eyes, so I try to limit my reading to 15-20 minutes at a time, 6 - 8 times a day. Since I have retired, I now read 6 - 8 books at once. I like the variety of reading an urban fantasy, a regular fantasy, a NF, an historical mystery, a regular mystery and a legal mystery all in the same timeframe. I am totally a mood reader and with this variety, I always have something I want to read. I don't think I've ever reread a book! If I loved a book 60 years ago, I want to keep that memory and not overlay it with one from a different perspective. And my PoP is huge! I'll never live long enough to read it all - lol. I prefer physical books, mass market paperbacks are my favs because of the weight, but I occasionally get ebooks from the library. I refuse to pay the ridiculous prices for a digital book! No audiobooks at this time. I rotate among about 30 different series, mystery and fantasy. There are exceptions, but I often get bored with an author if I read several back to back. I, too, enjoy mysteries more than thrillers and don't understand why the labels are used interchangeably! Interesting discussion!!

[@MagnenoAlexWilkins]

Same but ebooks are cheaper

[@NerdyKathi]

I have terrible eyesight and sometimes have to force myself to take breaks. I know some people don't like re-reading books but I love revisiting those old friends. Yes, I agree about thrillers. They are quite different to a mystery. Whilst I don't read more than one book at a time, I change genres with the next book. Though sometimes I might be so invested in a series I have to read the next one. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. I love reading how we all differ. 🥰

[@NerdyKathi]

Lately ebooks can cost as much as a physical book. I'd prefer to spend the money on a physical book.

[@mtnshelby7059]

I am lucky if I can read for an hour. I am so burned out from still working full time. 😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@NerdyKathi]

I can understand completely. For me though, reading was always my method of unwinding after work.

[@MyLocsareREAL]

KATHI…🥰☺️💕….I was sitting down to my Breakfast and heard my name!!!😮… I kept rewinding the video to hear it again….Kathi I LOVED this video..💕☺️🥰…my reading habits are starting to change, having multiple books on the go is really wearing me out 😂.. so now I try to limit it to 3 at most and different genres.. I love to read around 3am until it’s time for me to start my Day..and if I’m listening to an audiobook I have to read along with the physical copy or else I will get lost 🤦🏾‍♀️…Thank You for starting my day off in a pretty awesome way😎… ☺️

[@NerdyKathi]

Kiki! ❤️🥰 I love that. You truly did inspire me to create this video and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Even 3 books is too much for me. 😂 Have a beautiful day. ❤️

[@Johanna_reads]

I loved this video, Kathi! For me, thinking about the next book I want to read is usually a sign I’m not enjoying the current book I’m reading. 😅 On the flipside, if I’m not thinking about future books, that usually means I’m loving my current read!

[@NerdyKathi]

Thank you Johanna. ❤️ I agree that if I'm dwelling too much on the next book it means I'm not enjoying the one I'm reading as much. However sometimes it's because I'm so excited about the next book (like the next Malazan book) which is a bit unfair to the one I'm reading.

[@77otto77]

I love hearing your reading habits! I’ll usually read about 2 at a time. A fantasy and then some kind of philosophy book. Gives me a break from a genre if I need it. I LOVE reading with coffee, and I usually read about two hours every night. If I have a day off of work I’ll read at various times throughout the day. I’m also a total mood reader, and buddy reads get me way too easily. Haha KZbin has been an excellent resource for new fantasy books! I’m learning not to always trust the hype though.

[@NerdyKathi]

Hi Otto! I also love hearing how reading habits can differ so much from person to person. I think it's good to have different genres in your reading so you don't get bored. I like to read a different genre once I finish a book myself. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, I very much appreciate it.

[@jennf1881]

I like to read an hour before bed and I try to sneak in 30 minutes on my lunch break.

[@NerdyKathi]

We are alike in always trying to sneak in some reading when we can. 😊

[@timotheous86]

Great video. I try to read 2hrs weeknights when the kids are in bed. Usually fantasy and sci fi

[@NerdyKathi]

My brother who has young kids says the same. It's different for me as I'm retired.

[@lotalimareva1525]

I've just discovered your channel and have enjoyed this video so much! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your reading habits! 😍 I'm exactly the same in being a re-reader and especially absolutely loving to re-read a whole series when a new book comes out, I do the same! While I love physical books, I tend to read much more e-books (bought or borrowed from the library) lately since they are much easier to read in bed before falling asleep, I can take them anywhere and read when I'm travelling or commuting to work via public transport. Additionally, I also knit, and I love reading e-books and knitting st the same time. 😁 (Yes, both activities are slower when done together, about 75% or so - sometimes, I need to focus a bit on kniting a few stitches and I am distracted from the book for a few minutes, and sometimes, I focus on a particularly tense scene in the book and forget my knitting - but most of time, it works quite well at the same time!) I also read one book at a time pretty much always. An exception are non-fiction books which I just can't push through for a very long time, so I try to read just a few chapters or pages inbetween my "main read" which is usually fantasy or (mystery) thriller or a crime novel or sci-fi or historical fiction or horror or literary fiction. I like a lot of genres. :) Fantasy is my favourite genre by far, and my least favourite is romance. I am rarely in the mood for funny or absurdist books (though I have read some), usually I prefer serious and dark books. At the moment, I only read about ~1h per day during my commute to work, and about 30 min - 1h in bed before I fall asleep. I used to read all through the night when I was younger, too, but now I'm too tired and my work schedule doesn't allow it. But this is fine, and I read much more when I'm on vacation. :) Oh, and I'm so happy that you love Stephen King, Wheel of Time and Dresden Files as well. 😊

[@NerdyKathi]

Thank you and welcome! We are so alike in many ways but I've not been able to read an ebook and knit at the same time. I really enjoyed reading about your habits and appreciate you taking the time to share. Thank you.

[@JosephReadsBooks]

I am also taking my time with Don Quixote. I really like it but it gets overwhelming at times. Other than my Glen Cook project this has been my year of mood reading I have loved it. Great video! It was nice to hear about another reader's habits. I plan on reading the Dresden Files again before the new book. My wife and I read them together and we will be doing the same thing on our re-read.

[@NerdyKathi]

Hi Joseph! I really have to get back to it. It can be a little repetitive at times. There's a lot to be said for mood reading as you can come across some real surprises. Dresden Files are my comfort read. Thank you so much for watching and commenting, I appreciate it.

[@dkajmom]

I love your videos, and I share many of your views. I have not been a huge fantasy reader, but my sons have been encouraging me, especially since I borrowed The Gunslinger from my oldest. I do reread books ( not many) because as I age, my views change, and I like to see if I still love them. I am enjoying audio books while I'm doing daily tasks and dog walking, but I don't listen everyday. Keep up with your posts, I really enjoy them.

[@NerdyKathi]

Thank you very much for your kind words. I love that your sons led you to reading The Gunslinger. My brother recommended both Red Rising and The Dresden Files to me and I adore both.

[@dkajmom]

@NerdyKathi my oldest son bought me the first 3 Dresden Files books, and I will be starting them soon.

[@NerdyKathi]

Oh enjoy! I love them.

[@mteresa-p7f]

Hello friend ! My favorite day of the week is here ! Friday ! I love your discussions of reading habits! I’m also a night owl, but a much earlier one. I go to bed before 11 pm or else will be a morning zombie.😆thank you for keeping us going .update : I’m almost finished with the eye of the world ! And loving it !night night

[@NerdyKathi]

Hello! And thank you. I'm so glad you enjoyed the video and The Eye of the World. I think if you go to bed before midnight you aren't the vampire I am. 😂

[@mteresa-p7f]

@@NerdyKathi😂😂😂

[@craftyhobbit7623]

I've found that my reading habits change over time. When I was younger, I used to read well into the evening, but I rarely do that now. I'm diabetic and this has started to affect my eyes so I need good light to read physical books - I have a kindle, too, now that that helps reading at night because I'm not so much reliant on the lighting and can change the font sizes of the text, and I've started listening to audiobooks as they help when I can't focus very well. I've found that magnifiers give me a headache and can strain my eyes so they are only useful to a certain extent. I'm behind on a lot of the series that I want to read because about ten years ago, I was ill for a month in the summer and that badly affected my ability to concentrate on reading and I had trouble with brain fog for a long time - it was only in 2018/2019 that I started getting rid of the brain fog and I've managed to build up my concentration since then - thanks to the Poldark series, which was the first proper series I got into after the illness, and doing cross stitch. I don't have a set goal of how much I should read as I find it can be quite variable because of the brain fog issues.

[@NerdyKathi]

Our habits obviously change with time. I'm sorry that it can be difficult for you to read at times but at least now we have things like e-readers and audiobooks.

[@patriciapendlbury2603]

Kathy it's worth reading the name of the wind snd the second one in the series! Even though the third one hasn't come out I read both of them 3 times. It's s uniquely different kind of fantasy novel!

[@NerdyKathi]

Perhaps I will but it is lower priority to other books I want to read.

[@MagnenoAlexWilkins]

Atcually the weirdest thing i do with reading which i dont know how many can relate......... I voice the dialogue........... I like Act it out. Why i dont know its fun i retain it better when spoken. But its definitely a wierd thing i do.

[@NerdyKathi]

I do that too sometimes! I guess we're both weird then. 😂

[@spartaguswoodall3062]

Physical books! I'm a huge proponent of the Library. One book at a time. I read at work, lots of downtime between classes. I try to average 100 pages a day, but on the weekends, I often don't read at all. I like to take small breaks between chapters to put the book down and think about what I just read. I rarely re-read. I try to read across all genres, but I'm not much into Romance. I currently have a TBR because I'm doing my first reading challenge. The #MyNovelLife reading challenge. I didn't think I would like the TBR because I always considered myself a mood reader, but the TBR actually makes it much easier to just pick up the next book and keep reading because I don't have to think about it.

[@NerdyKathi]

Physical books all the way. Challenges are good a they can teach us different things about ourselves and our reading habits. I can see the appeal of TBRs but I can never stick to them. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@byouism]

Hello from the state of Indiana!! You are a breath of fresh air in the book tube space Please check out Abercrombie audiobooks while reading- you won’t regret it

[@NerdyKathi]

Welcome and thank you very much for the kind words. I've been recommended Abercrombie's works via audio before.

[@lavenderlady7441]

i love your bookshelves kathy.i enjoy reading sat and sun afternoons....sometimes at lunch time at work.i avoid all spoilers about books i plan on reading.i read contemporary,murder mys,fantasy,YA Some.i do not like retellings either.i havnt started patrick rothfuss yet but will get to them soon....lol😊

[@NerdyKathi]

Thank you very much. Weekends are great for reading as we have less distractions. Mixing genres has made my reading so much more enjoyable. Thank you for sharing. 😊

[@Kite562reviews]

I usually pick 2 books and switch between them. I read at my desk, or in my bed. However, I've been carrying a book with me whenever I'm going somewhere far away or the books really great and it has its hooks in me. I usually read in the afternoon from 12pm to 2pm; very rarely I'll finish a book in the evening. I couldn't put Delores Claiborn by Stephen King; finished that book at 11:45pm. Great novel. 😊❤📚

[@NerdyKathi]

Isn't it fascinating how we all differ in our habits. And Dolores Claiborne is a great book, and highly underrated.

[@andrewhelm2813]

I have no set reading goals per day, that would make it too much of a chore - it's usually four or five hours - but that depends on the book. The one that I've just finished: "Arilinn" by Deborah J Ross (a continuation of MZB's Darkover series), I started reading it the same day that it was released; and it took a lot of willpower to set it aside at night. I personally never go by book recommendations - I stick to what I like.

[@NerdyKathi]

I agree about goals, it makes reading seem like a chore to me as well. Book recommendations are how I have discovered some great authors but it depends who is recommending them.

[@EmmaOrgandie]

I love to read physical books too - I've tried so hard to love my ereader, but I can't retain any information when I read on it (and my dreadful memory does not need help in that department...). I am trying to be better at reading one book at a time, sometimes I have 2 or 3 on the go and my mind just flits around which is fairly unhelpful!

[@NerdyKathi]

It can take some time to get used to an ereader, I found it hard at first. And yes that's why I find more than one book at a time difficult. Thank you for sharing.

[@kenny653]

I have ADD, so I can't have any extra distractions like music or anything else. If I finish a book I enjoyed, I like to spend a day or two thinking about it, as well as reading or watching reviews before I pick up the next book. I only read ebooks. It's much easier and more comfortable for me. I read in my computer, since I like to be very comfortable and don't like having things in my hands like a physical book or an e-reader. Also, I only read in English, even though my native language is Spanish. Reading ideas, thoughts, phrases and sentences expressed in a different way and with different words than they would've been expressed in my native tongue is something I really enjoy. Also, knowing that I'd be able to improve my vocabulary and language skills is an extra motivation to read in general. Do you know or have any idea of how many books you've read in your life?

[@NerdyKathi]

I think sometimes it would be better if I waited to pick up the next book so I can think on the one I finished. However, when I'm not reading I often spend that time thinking on them anyway. How fascinating that you enjoy reading in another language. I would get impatient I think. Thank you so much for sharing and as to how many books I've read? Wow, I am not sure but it would run in the thousands I think.

[@MagnenoAlexWilkins]

I read every morning from 4 am till I got work at 8. I try to read on break and if there's any interruptions especially for Malazan I give up. And as much as possible on a day off

[@MagnenoAlexWilkins]

I watch many book review channels and will watch their spoiler free reviews and watch a spoiler filled one after the fact. Like you for instance. I will never be able to experience anything the same as the first time so I need reviewers to live through vicariously

[@NerdyKathi]

Some books you can interrupt and put down, others like Malazan require your full attention.

[@NerdyKathi]

That is so true about the first time reading a book cannot be replicated whereas watching someone else reading it for the first time reminds you of how you felt that first time.

[@c-haar]

Interesting video! I am a "many books at the same time" reader, usually across different genres. During the week, I only read on the train to and from work. On the weekend, I read as many hours as possible. I enjoy crime fiction, fantasy, horror, some general fiction (usually only by my favorite authors), and some memoirs. I never use e-readers because I love to collect and read physical books. I do listen to some audiobooks, but the narrator must be good, or I lose interest.

[@NerdyKathi]

It seems there's an even split on those who read several books at a time and those who only read one. I love physical books but there's a lot to be said for having so many books available in a small and handy device. Thank you very much for sharing. 😊

[@timotheous86]

Yes I also struggle to read e books

[@NerdyKathi]

They're a different format and can take some getting used to but they are so handy.

[@bookmarcreads]

I’m also a night owl that reads one book at a time 😊

[@NerdyKathi]

Glad I'm not the only one.

[@Thaurnol]

i wish i had the power to read only one book at a time, but usually i read like 20 at the same time; it's a good thing i have a pretty good memory, or used to have, but, yeah... also, yes, most readers are vampires, except for dayreader Kyle, who read literature twice, now :) at night is the best time to read, to feel like an ancient wizard, who discovered secret histories and only moonlight and his familiars are witnesses for all the marvels to be uncovered

[@NerdyKathi]

Hi Thaurnal! 20?! 😱 How do you keep track of them? It helps having a good memory but still. Yes I've been told many times I have to be a vampire or witch 🪄. You put it so well, it seems much more immersive at night with no other distractions. I can be Polgara or Nynaeve or Harry Potter. Thank you so much for sharing. 😊