Category: Reading

“Why Haven’t You Finished Your Novel?” & Other Exasperating Productivity Suggestions During Shelter-In-Place

Posted April 13, 2020 in Blogging, Bookish Things, Reading, Writing // 8 Comments

In the early days of shelter-in-place mandates, a message sputtered up through the waves of social media: “Now that we’re all at home, we can Do That Thing!” For some people, “that thing” was learning a new instrument. Really digging into learning Portuguese. For many, it was perfecting sourdough bread (which I tease about, but I love sourdough bread… please keep baking!). In writerly circles, the pressure seemed to be on writing: you don’t have social engagements, so now you can finish that book. Doesn’t matter if the person was an aspiring novelist or a seasoned author – the vision […]

Series vs. Standalones: Which Do You Prefer?

Posted March 10, 2020 in Bookish Things, Reading // 8 Comments

As a reader, I’ve never been one to devour whole book series at a time. Even in a world where Netflix binges are part of a person’s regular repertoire, I patiently sift through series one episode at a time, over the course of several months. I know that would drive a lot of people crazy but… I’m patient. I have time. I prefer to savor the experience. Up until recently, it felt like every new book was part of a trilogy. If not a trilogy, then an extended series. Or it was a spinoff of something else written by the […]

It’s Time to Stop Judging People for the Way They Treat Their Books

Posted March 19, 2019 in Bookish Things, Reading // 14 Comments

I am sometimes that person who judges you for dog-earring your books. I’m a bookmark enthusiast, and I hate it when covers get folded and bent, when pages get folded… I like my books to look neat and tidy. I think I’ll always like my books like that… but lately, I’ve been thinking. Why are we so judgmental about what people do with their books? I wrote a post last year outlining some of the things that drive me crazy… and admitting to my own bad habits. This year, I’m rethinking that. I’m all for taking good care of our possessions, […]

Never Ask a Bookworm to Pick Their Favorite Book

Posted July 6, 2018 in Memes, Reading // 14 Comments

As a voracious reader, it drives me absolutely bonkers when someone asks me to choose my favorite book. My answer runs the gamut of “Oh, I couldn’t possibly choose.” to “Are you f***ing serious? Have you seen how many books I’ve read the last 12 months?!” Movies are a little easier – you can give a top three that you’d watch over and over again. Books, though? You spend time with books. You build relationships with them. This is a terrible quality GIF, but it is legit what I think every time someone asks me to pick my favorite book. Also, if […]

DNF-ing Books – Do You Have the Right to An Opinion?

Posted June 13, 2018 in Bookish Things, Reading // 15 Comments

This is one of those topics that pops up in the book blogosphere every so often and something that everyone has an opinion about. It’s been a while since I read a discussion post on DNF-ing books, and I thought it was a good time to throw one out there. Everyone does a lot of summer reading, so there’s always the question of “Should I stop reading this?” and “Should I write a review?”. The answer, of course, is complicated. My personal opinion is that: if you aren’t enjoying a book, stop reading it. You aren’t doing anyone a favor […]