How My Reading Habits Have Changed
Looking back to my old reading days, I realise how much my reading habits have changed! Booktube and Bookstagram has changed me as a reader and honestly, I'm not complaining. I can't say if they've made me a better reader, but I've definitely grown out of my shell as one.
Who would've thought I'd ever write on my books with permanent ink?! xD I'm using pencils more often now though (only cause I'm an actual kid with a pen. I can't even read my own handwriting :/ ). I never knew annotating could be so addicting?? I love commenting on specific parts of the book, like when a character throws in hilarious puns, I like to add little 'lols' and sarcastic remarks next to it. I just enjoy adding my own thoughts and how I feel about the book. Annotating also makes my life as a book reviewer so much easier. I can always go back to a specific page and look through what my thoughts were on, say, the pacing of a book 100 pages into it. I also love the look of annotations. It shows how well loved (or not) a book is!
I don't actually dog ear my books very often. I do only if I don't have any tabs with me. But it still goes to show how I'm not longer 'afraid' of 'ruining' my books. I use to always want my books to look pretty, but pretty is not always loved. And besides, when is a book filled with annotations and dog-eared pages not pretty? One more thing - I don't mind creased spines anymore (though I still am scared to do it intentionally xD ). I love the look of it!
I used to only want to buy books I've never read before. Now I also buy books I've already read as e-books. Why? Well firstly, I just don't really have the time to read physical books anymore. I buy books thinking that I'll pick it up sometime later to read it. But I just never do! Reading them beforehand as e-books and then buying them just seems like a better idea to me. I'd also rather have a shelf full of read books rather than unread ones. Also, chances are that the e-books I annotate are ones I love, so buying a copy and then re-reading them allows me to re-annotate them physically, which is always much better than digital annotations in my opinion.
I'm not that into YA anymore. Some tropes are either not very well done, repetitive or cliche. Specific YA books I read these days are diverse ones which includes either PoC, LGBTQ concepts, mental illnesses, etc. Some books with these representations are: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson, and Made You Up by Franesca Zappia. Contemporary books just don't interest me like they used to anymore unless they are diverse in some way. I guess I'm just starting to grow out of my comfort zone. I now find myself constantly reaching out on adult fiction (and a little bit of fantasy), which I'm enjoying immensely.
Lastly, I find myself being more critical as a reader. I was a book reviewer then and still am now, butI read with a more.. closed mind? Or possible an opened one? I guess I just don't read books for the fun of it anymore, and I definitely do not always agree with what the author writes and the book's representation. I'm now much more of a stressed reader. I pretty much question the content instead of just going with it. I can't help but analyse every little detail instead of just 'flying through' a book and enjoying it. In a way, I can't really enjoy it if it isn't justified by my own beliefs. I'm not saying that I judge a book based on what I think is right - I can read a book that deals with incest and still enjoy it - what matters is if the topic the author wishes to explore is done well. Being more honest and critical about a book is always so much better than taking it in the way other people expect you to.
Anyways, those are my reading habits! Let me know if you see yourself changing as a reader. I'd love to know what these changes are! :)
Cath xx