Why I Love an Easy Read
I’m a reader, not a gamer, but…
As my husband jumps out of his favorite chair, screaming 4 letter words and throwing his controller on the floor, yelling at a game, I realize we’re not that different! I’ve gasped out loud, shouted at characters, thrown books across the room, and spent countless hours claiming just “one more chapter” while shoving the iPad at the kids to get some time to read. I realize no matter how much I try to convince myself my love of reading is not a vice, it is because I need my daily fix. In reality, I do need to read! I read to escape, I read to relax and unwind, I read to not be in the present but to live in the moment. I read because a book has always been there for me when no one else was.
Growing up, it was always “Go to your room” as punishment!
I’d be picking out my next read as I tuned out the lecture that came with getting in trouble….
When no one paid attention to me, I could find myself in a character. When my heart got broken, I laughed my way to healing with a good storyline, a young girl trapped in her room entertaining herself with the places I could go by reading the words on paper that convinced me we would all have a happy ending even on “Fear Street.”
Reading is so convenient and trendy these days, but I’m here to say nothing beats being curled up on the lumpy sofa with an old worn blanket and wine while indulging in a good paperback novel. Forget the reading goals, the book apps, the million online pick me book clubs, what the latest reading trend is and Book Tok, I’ll trade it all in for the old school leisurely read.
Goals
I have deadlines to meet at work, homework to help the kids with, and dinner needs to be made by six; I can’t feel responsible for reading 45 books by the end of the month because I have a reading goal.
Truth be told, I won’t ever have a reading goal, and haven’t had one since I tried to “Book It” to earn a pizza in elementary school. I couldn’t possibly deal with the pressure of having to meet another goal. I’ll read one book in a day or a book in a month; it truly depends on me. My “DNF” List would be a mile long had the book girlies not convinced me that “it gets better” and to just finish. Unlike my husband who strokes out when he strikes out, I’m not keeping score. I win every time I finish a book.
New Age Reading
These days, you can read on the go. From audiobooks, ebooks, apps that read to you, ways to track your reading online, “book club” apps, and Facebook groups. From home to vacation, reading is readily available at your fingertips. I only have an Audible account and a Goodreads account I can’t remember the password to. There’s Hoopla, Libby, CloudLibrary, Goodreads, Kindle and so much more. The days of “the physical copy” seem to be dwindling when you can pop in earbuds and multitask – reading while cooking, working, driving, exercising, or when in bed. The performances characters bring to audiobooks aid in the excitement of having a book read to you, and it is a great option for those who are visually impaired, people who are dyslexic, and people who have trouble reading. Some people rely on audiobooks while some simply prefer them.
Book Clubs
You can enjoy book clubs from the comfort of your home through social media, book clubs with themes, and now there are Silent Book Clubs where the introverted meet up and read amongst one another silently.
In general, people join book clubs for fun, to find new reads/genres, to share thoughts on reads with others, and to make social connections with like-minded people. There’s a book club out there for all of us who want to find her book tribe. Recently, social media has made reading “cool” again, from Booktok to Bookstagram, social media gives readers all over the world a space to discuss books with each other, meet reading challenges, and help authors build up anticipation for upcoming book releases.
Technically Speaking
TBR, DNF, MC, Spoiler, BOTM! Trying to keep up with the lingo is enough to drive a girl insane, but I love engaging in the book groups.
•My To be Read (TBR) list keeps growing!
•I have no shame when I Do Not Finish (DNF) a boring read!
•I wish I had Main Character (MC) energy!
•I’m looking for book reviews no spoilers (specific information) on Booktok! I picked up the Book of The Month (BOTM) from the Library.
The End
As my husband kicks the entertainment center and lets off some steam at the end of the day, I understand my husband has his hobby and I have mine. I’m not a gamer. I’m a reader. But I’m just as passionate about my favorite authors as he is his favorite player. Reading a good book, I’ll never forget, is the ultimate score. I mean, just like Kristy started “The Babysitters Club,” I now own and operate an in-home daycare. The impact reading has had on me has been the blueprint to which I’ve built my life. I love an easy read and as the summer approaches, I can’t wait to find peace on the beach with a good read and my toes in the sand.
