The Buzz...About Books

I've always been an avid reader. The only time I didn't read for leisure was when I was in university, because I was too busy reading for school. I would occasionally read books during my summer vacation, but I didn't start reading for myself until after I graduated. Once I started working in the library, I began reading even more. Usually I would read a book or two a week, and at the end of the year I would have read anywhere from 70-90 books. 

Over a year ago I started a new hobby: knitting and crocheting. I know some people can read and knit, but I am definitely not good enough at knitting and crocheting to be able to multitask. I use Goodreads to keep track of the books that I've read, and at the end of 2014 I'd only read nine books, and seven of which were audiobooks. This reading slump was the longest that I've had in many years, so I made it my 2015 goal to read 12 books – one a month.  There are some helpful articles that I've found about how to get over a reading slump, but here are some tips that worked for me. 

1.  I set a page or time limit.

When I read I give myself a goal that I will read this for the next "40 pages" or "30 minutes". I keep reading until I've finished that time or the amount of pages I've set. Often I get drawn into the book and I just keep reading, long past the goal that I've set.  

2.  I stick to physical paper books.

I really loved my  Kobo e-reader and iPad for reading, but for some reason I get easily distracted by reading with them. The iPad also has a glow on the screen that makes it harder to read. Personally, I find I can read for longer periods and concentrate better when it's a paper book. 

3.  I read only books that interest me or that I'm enjoying reading. 

Before my slump, I would usually make every attempt to finish a book, even if I wasn't enjoying it. This was especially true of books that are more "literary", which I sometimes found to be a bit of a reading challenge. I would often try to finish them, just to be able to say that I've read them. Now I will only read whatever interests me, which brings me to my final tip:

4.  Don't worry if you don't finish a book. 

It's perfectly find to read only one chapter, or half of a book. If it doesn't interest me right away, I move on to another. I can always read it again at some point!

Keep in mind these are the tips that personally worked for me. What works for you may be totally different!

Here are some books that I really enjoyed this year (and actually finished):

Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel

A really great post-apocalyptic book that is set in Toronto. The book moves back and forth in time, and is about what happens before and after a worldwide flu pandemic in which most people on the planet don't survive, and human civilization is radically changed. 

We Were Liars, by E Lockhart

This dark YA title is narrated by the wealthy Cadence Sinclair, who is recounting her summers spent at the family's private island on Martha's Vinyard. The book was a real page turner – I was quite shocked by the final secret the was revealed at the end of the book.

All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr

This is an historical novel that takes place in WWII, and has two interconnected story narratives. One is about a blind girl who's father works at the Natural History Museum in Paris, and the other is about a poor German boy who has a talent for fixing radios.  The stories don't come together until towards the end of the book, but I really enjoyed reading this book.

Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout

 When I learned that this was being made into an HBO miniseries with two of my favourite actors; Frances McDormand and Richard Jenkins, I just had to read the book before I saw the series. This book is a collection of short stories that focus on the character Olive Kitteridge. This is one of the best books that I've read in a long time, and I can't wait to watch the show!

What are some reading slump tips that have worked for you?