I don’t know when the change occurred, but suddenly I was reading four or five different books at once. I was definitely being controlled by my moods, but also by the format. In the last year or so, I’ve started listening to a lot of audiobooks, replaced my long-dead Nook with an iPad (so ebooks were an option again), and this past year we’ve really gotten into comic books. It's opened up a lot of different avenues for reading, and I like to take advantage of them all! I feel like I get something different from each of them, too.
This is what I’m reading right now: one physical book (for myself), one physical book (a chapter book at night for my son), one electronic book, an audiobook and various comics. In my mind, it's like I have several incomplete stories being thought about, and I cannot wait to get back to each one!
I can plan what I want to read the next day, but it almost always changes. I love that I have so many options to choose from! What do you do? How do you like to read the written word? Let me know!
I almost always have two going at once. Usually one on my kindle and one on my kindle app on my phone. Sometimes I even have a paperback or hardback too LOL!
ReplyDeleteHow do you read ebooks on your phone?! I feel like the small screen would drive me bananas, but I've never actually tried it.
DeleteI don’t know if it’s my attention span, lack of focus, or what, but I just can’t read a bunch of books at the same time. I tend to have one (and only one) physical book going and sometimes an audio book that I listen to while on my daily commute. But that’s it. I just can’t concentrate on any more. I’m impressed with those that can! :)
ReplyDeleteThat was me a few years ago! I had to finish what I was reading before I started something else, and I wasn't listening to audiobooks back then. I think two is a good solid number!
DeleteUnless the books are too similar (and it becomes confusing), I'm usually reading around 2-3 different books. That's usually one e-book and one or two physical books. So yes, it definitely helps to have different forms in which to read!
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Agreed! Do you use book covers for your physical books? Do you take both of them with you when you go somewhere, or just one? I don't tend to read two physical books at once, but I have in the past. Sometimes I will be reading one of mine, and one borrowed from the library.
DeleteAll those? Wow. And you manage to keep track of everything that happens in them? *bows*
ReplyDeleteI give my undivided attention to one book at a time. I'm so old school 😂.
It's just personal preference! My reading habits have changed a lot over time. Maybe having babies changed my brain chemistry?? Lol!
DeleteIt only takes me a few pages to really get back into each story, so I don't tend to mix them up. However, I have almost swapped details when reviewing them later!
I normally only read one book at a time because I want to stay immersed in that world. However, if I'm participating in a readalong, like I am now, then I'll read two books. Or, if I'm reading an ultra-boring book for book club, then I'll read the minimum number of pages/day for that book along with another more fun book. Or, I'll just skip the ultra-boring book all together. :D
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you keep reading the books that you find "ultra-boring," because that sounds painful! 😉 I can understand wanting to stay immersed in one world. I've done that, too. I might start a book that I'm enjoying, but another one will take over my headspace. I usually finish those pretty quickly and am back to juggling the others.
DeleteI also like to read the books I'm REALLY into when they can have my undivided attention, which means there's a time and a place for them.
My attention span is much too small to read more than one book at a time. lol
ReplyDeleteDo you read quickly? I've noticed that a lot of people that read one book at a time tend to read fast! I think I read at an average speed, lol.
DeleteI much prefer to read one book at a time. I feel like I'm able to enjoy it more and really sink into the story. But lately cuz of my eye strain, I've been reading a few books at once, in different formats, since I can't sit and read an ebook for too long. So I've had usually three going at a time (physical, ebook, audio). I really want to go back to just my one though D-:
ReplyDeleteIf I'm reading a REALLY good book, I'll finish it before going back to something else. There's just a satisfying, content feeling to losing yourself so completely in a story. I don't always get that with a book, and being a mood reader means I change my mind a lot. Haha!
DeleteI hope your eyes get better soon, vampire! 😘
I prefer to read one at a time, but that doesn't count comics. At any given time I might have some comics or a graphic novel going, in addition to my book, and that's fine. And I can do two books at a time if I need to, but any more than that and I get bogged down. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think comics really count either, lol. Especially since I usually sit down and read 3-4 at a time! I included them in this post because they usually stop in the middle of the story (with a cliffhanger), so it's like I'm not really finished reading it... you know?
DeleteIt used to be one, but now it is one audio (obviously) and one print/ebook. SOmetimes one print and one ebook so that makes it 3 :) But always 2
ReplyDeleteI think two is very manageable! I definitely need a physical or ebook to sit down and read, and an audiobook for driving or housework! I clean so much faster when I have a story playing in my head.
DeleteFor me it's no more than two, one physical I read in the lounge and one eBook that I read in bed. Even then sometimes it can end up a little confusing when reading if I'm tired. The other problem is when you finish both books and start a new one, only to need to write up two reviews and then you end up rocking in the corner, cursing trying to read so many books at once. You're a super woman Linds <3
ReplyDeleteLol! Thank you! I don't feel super, just moody. I might wake up wanting romance, but go to bed needing fantasy. My mind is conflicted about what it wants to read. I've learned to balance the different stories and keep them separate in my head. Like you said though... when it's time to review them I'm totally rocking in a corner. 😉
DeleteI can't read multiple books at once. I tried once reading two books simultaneously, but it felt like I have to go back to first one :(
ReplyDeleteI understand! I was the same way once upon a time. I couldn't keep the stories straight, or I felt like I was missing something.
DeleteIt's interesting how I like to only "read" one book at a time, because I have a list of serial TV programs that I watch on a regular basis and have no problem juggling. But yes, 1 book and 1 audiobook at a time. I like to get through them and then move on to the next one. I guess I am always eager to reach the conclusion.
ReplyDeleteThis is true. We can wait an entire week for a new episode, or a month for the next issue of a comic, and I have no trouble jumping back in and continuing the story. I feel like people read books differently, though. Maybe it is the need for a conclusion? I don't know. I like how reading multiple books at once draws out the experience for each one. They don't blur by as quickly, and I'm able to absorb their individual stories more slowly. They simmer and burn until I finally finish them.
DeleteSo basically I can only read one at a time. Every once in a while I'll have 2 going, but it feels like it takes me forever to finish things that way!
ReplyDeleteWhat happens? Do you have trouble deciding which one to read, or are you wanting to read them both at the same time?
DeleteI have periods where I only read one. But other periods I'll read 2 to 4 at a time, depending on my mood. Currently I am readin 2.
ReplyDeleteNice! It fluctuates for me, too. I might need to finish one for a review or blog tour, so I'll focus on it more than the others. I might also start one and then not be in the mood to read it again for like a week!
DeleteO usually have one audio a couple kindle and one physical.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I've noticed most people have one audiobook going, but I wonder if anyone listens to two audiobooks at once?? I think that might be confusing for me.
DeleteI only read one book at a time but then again - I read fast so it's easier for me.
ReplyDeleteSince i started dabbling in non-fiction and graphic novels though - I will pick those up while reading a full length fiction book. But I'll finish the GN in less than and hour so I guess it's not really reading more than one at a time lol
Karen @ For What It's Worth
Does your brain work faster than your eyes? I've always wondered! I don't know how you fast folks keep up with yourselves, lol. I think I read at an average speed! Do you listen to audiobooks? If you do, do you change the speed on those? Is listening quickly the same as reading fast?
DeleteAn entire GN in an hour seems about right for me, too! That's why I don't know if comics and graphic novels should be included in this, but they are being read at the same time. 🤷
I blame blogging! I used to only read one book at a time too. Now I usually have at least two going. Then I started listening to audiobooks so I’ll have one of those going and then usually a print book and an ebook going too.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I hadn't thought of that! It could be blogging. I know before becoming a blogger I would only ever have one book going at once, and I never listened to audiobooks. Maybe my tastes changed as I got older, or my brain chemistry is different after having kids? You never know!
DeleteI have to balance three kids at home (all under the age of four), a house, and pets... so reading more than one book at once doesn't seem like a big deal anymore! Haha! 😅
Oh this is such an interesting topic. I only read one book at a time, even if, sometimes, I just want to read them all at once, haha. I read books both as e-books and physical copies, but for some reason, I always read one book at a time, only. It's just a personal preference, I guess, I'm always afraid of feeling confused if I read two books at once and I would rather focus my attention on one book :)
ReplyDeletelovely post! :) x
Thank you! Personal preference plays a huge role in this, I think. You should always do what makes you happy, and the most comfortable. Every individual reading experience is different, because we're different. What works for me might not work for you, and vice versa. If you want to focus all of your attention on one book, go for it! You do you! Enjoy what you read!
DeleteI usually read 2 or 3 books at a time - print and an audiobook. :)
ReplyDeleteIt seems like most people have at least one physical book and one audiobook!
DeleteI usually read two at once since I'm a mood reader and never know what I'll be in the mood for from one day to the next. Right now I'm reading one contemporary and one science fiction.
ReplyDeleteI'm the same way! I never know what I'm going to feel like reading, so I love having options.
DeleteI always have at least two books going at a time, an audiobook and one either on my kindle or a paper book. Occasionally, I will also have one or two more going depending on what is going on.
ReplyDeleteYou sound like me! I've started reading chapter books to my son at night, so that's an MG book. I have an audiobook for housework and driving, a physical book for when I want to feel the pages turning in my hand, and then an electronic book for when I need convenience or don't want my kids to tear pages out!
DeleteThis is all likely to change depending on my mood, too! That's just usually how it works for me.
Love this question. I used to have three books going at once (physical, ebook and audio) but these days I usually only have one going at once.
ReplyDeleteJen Ryland Reviews
It's like we've switched! Haha! 😉
DeleteI really try to stick to just one. Though there have been a few times recently where I had one book I was reading and one I was listening to on audio. I think two is my max, otherwise I get too confused :)
ReplyDeleteI went to school with someone that could listen to an audiobook while also reading another book. I didn't think it was humanly possible, but she was always able to tell me what was going on in both. Crazy, right?
DeleteI often break up lengthy books, or super heavy ones, or factual books by reading lighter, 'fluffier' books at the same time. I also read a chapter a night of a book with my son...
ReplyDeleteBasically, I'm fine with reading multiple books at the same time but they need to be noticeably different or I can't do it. I don't think I've ever read two contemporary romances simultaneously, for example. :)
We do a chapter every night, too! What are you reading to your son right now? We're reading The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor #1) by Jessica Townsend. It's really, really good! I had trouble getting into it a first, but that's because nothing was familiar. She's created an entirely new world, so it took me a little bit to get going.
DeleteI think we read similarly. 😁 I understand needing your current reads to be noticeably different! It really helps to keep them separate.
I am such a mood reader that sometimes it drives me crazy. So I usually have a few books going on.
ReplyDeleteNice! My mood reading only drives me crazy when I need to read something before a certain date and just DON'T WANT TO. Haha!
DeleteUsually only one, maybe two. I prefer physical copies to ebooks. I absolutely cannot listen to audiobooks. I like my silence, and audiobooks just don't jive with me.
ReplyDeleteAfter having kids... I don't think I remember what silence sounds like (or doesn't, lol)! There's always noise coming from somewhere. I couldn't listen to audiobooks at first, but now I'm obsessed with them. I love how I can listen to them while I clean, and it just blocks everything else out. I leave one earpiece in, so I can hear the kids while they nap, and it's been wonderful for me. I totally get wanting your silence, though! I'm happy there are so many different formats for reading--everyone can be happy!
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