My Reading Habits
Books

My Reading Habits

I saw this tag circulating on booktube and figured I would give it a shot! I know I love watching these videos, so who’s to say I can’t do it in blog form! I’ll be the first to admit I have some pretty weird book habits (I’ve been known to read like five books at the same time), but I’ll let you be the judge of that. Let’s get started!

My Reading Habits

1// Do you have a certain place at home for reading?
Usually, I read in bed. I have a roommate, and I like it to be almost silent when I read, so my room is the best place for that. If I’m in the apartment alone, I do love a couch read though. My absolute favorite place to read though is in the L part of my mom’s sectional couch back in Florida right next to the window. It is the most perfect place to read.

2// Bookmark or random piece of paper?
Kind of both. I use seemingly random pieces of paper that I have designated as bookmarks. I use a postcard my friend in Germany sent me a few years ago and a Polaroid of me and Maggie. The postcard is designated for longer reads (I used it while I was reading It, and now it’s holding my place in The Better Angels of our Nature) and the polaroid for shorter reads.

3// Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter/ a certain amount of pages?
I can just stop reading. I know — bizarre. I do like to stop at the top of a page though. It’s always preferable to get to a chapter ending, but if I’m really tired or only have a few minutes to read, I can stop in the middle as long as I get to a natural page break.

4// Do you eat or drink while reading?
Normally, no. I can’t read while I’m eating a meal, but I can snack if I’m really hungry. I also don’t like dirty fingers on my book pages. I also don’t really drink when I’m reading because I’m not a big alcoholic beverage drinker in general. Wine/beer/champagne and books has never really been my thing. I do always have a large water bottle by my bed though.

5// Multitasking: Music or TV while reading?
Absolutely not. I used to be able to read during TV commercials when I was a kid, but I don’t watch cable any more. Sometimes I’ll be able to read if my boyfriend is watching something that I’m not interested in, but typically I like it to be quiet because I am very easily distracted.

6// One book at a time or several at once?
My biggest book crime is reading multiple books at once. I picked up this bad habit again since quarantine started. I’ve been listening to an audiobook, reading a physical book, and reading an e-book. I like having books in different forms. I listen to my audiobook while I workout and get ready for the day, read my e-book before bed or if I’m not at home (like if I’m waiting in line while I’m out or at my boyfriend’s), and read my physical book in the morning before work or on the weekends. I like reading a lot of books at once because I have a weirdly short attention span. Being able to switch between books keeps me engaged. I’m also able to keep all the storylines straight because I tend to pick pretty differently themed books.

7// Reading at home or everywhere?
Everywhere. I read every chance I can, or at least I have been lately.

8// Reading out loud or silently in your head?
Out loud. This is the weirdest thing to admit and not something a lot of people know (anybody knows?), but when I’m alone, I definitely mouth the words to myself. It helps me stay engaged in the book. I can obviously read in my head, and I do when I’m in public, but usually, my favorite way to read involves moving my lips. Secret’s out!

9// Do you read ahead or even skip pages?
I never skip pages or even paragraphs. I read every single word, which usually means I read pretty slowly. I used to have a friend that would always read the last page, and I never understood why. The Enneagram 1 in me cringes.

10// Breaking the spine or keeping it like new?
I try to keep my books looking like new, but usually screw it up. Especially when Maggie (my cat) tries to eat them.

11// Do you write in your books?
Usually not, but if I read a non-fiction, I do like to highlight. I typically take notes in my phone of anything that sticks out or is important. For instance, I have a whole note on my phone about the characters in It because there were so many at the beginning I needed help keeping them straight.

I hope this gave you a little insight into my reading habits.

Happy reading,
Kimberly

2 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *