I like reading. It’s pretty much my favourite thing to do. I like fiction best, except when I’m in a nonfiction phase. I love an ebook because it lets me hide my consumption from people, but I also love a hard copy. One can get overwhelmed by books if you’re not a bit selective about acquisitions.
I try to limit my physical purchases to favourite authors, nonfiction, and children’s lit. I’m more flexible with ebooks: my Kindle has hundreds and counting. Shelf space is easier.
I usually have more than one book on the go. What I’m currently reading depends often on the room. Am I in my office? My bedroom? The living room or library? Am I out and about, and Kindling while I wait? Am I tired, and emotionally spent? If that last one is true, then it’s a good bet I’m rereading old favourites, and not wading in with something new.
I don’t recall ever giving up reading as a pastime, not since I was introduced to Nancy Drew in first grade, but sometimes reading what you know is easier. And a good time. Who doesn’t like to kick back with old friends? Sometimes, you even encounter bits you missed that first run-through. Or the second.
My, “to be read” pile is getting large of late. I’ve not been in the mood to tackle new content this last while. I keep acquiring books that interest me, but I’m not yet ready to pop their corks. My brain is tired and doesn’t feel like doing heavy work. That’s probably why I restarted Year One by Nora Roberts yesterday. I love a bit of dystopia and magic.
Nora Roberts (and her J.D. Robb alter-ego) is my favourite writer. We’ve been through a lot together, though I couldn’t tell you much about her. I’m not that kind of fan. I stan the things artists produce. I don’t head down personal information rabbit holes beyond cover bios. I’m a longtime fan, not an Annie Wilkes “number one fan.”
I came across my first Nora Roberts book when I was nineteen. Let’s pretend that’s not more than three decades ago. I picked up one of her books from the paperback carousel at the pharmacy checkout, and we’ve been together ever since. She was writing series romances for Silhouette back then. It’s fun to find an author with a prolific back catalogue to enjoy, and Nora Roberts had dozens waiting for me.
Misery is catching up and reading all of an author’s works. At least she’s still writing. She publishes four books a year. In case you wanted some inspiration.
I have every book Nora Roberts has written, including the out-of-print Promise Me Tomorrow, the story she calls “the worst thing she’s ever written.” She’s correct about that. It’s very much a romance novel of the early nineteen-eighties. Misogyny abounded. Consent was a grey area for the publishing houses at the time. Still, a completed collection is a completed collection. Ms. Roberts also shifted away from that style. Consent isn’t a grey area in her books.
I used to have all the books in single copies, but lately, I’ve been revisiting and acquiring omnibus offerings instead. It’s not a bad idea – I bought many of them used and they aren’t in great shape. I switched to hardcovers after about the fifteenth mainstream novel. I’m going to reacquire some of those earlier ones in hardcover versions. Hardcovers last better than paperbacks. They can also then play together on the same bookshelf.
Paperbacks and hardcovers are currently shelved in different sections.
I’m currently rereading Year One, but it’s November, so there’s also a new Nora Roberts on the horizon. November is one of four release months in Nora Roberts world. The Mirror, book two of The Lost Bride trilogy is set to drop November 19, 2024. She does a series. I’ll buy it on release day. I don’t pre-order. It’s never worked out well for me. I tried three times – late, damaged, and never got here.
I’d worry about finishing The Chronicles of The One series I’ve restarted, but to be honest, besides enjoying reading, I’m also fast. I read close to a hundred pages an hour. It’s not magic. It’s practice.
It annoys me at times that practicing yields improvements and makes things better. Would that my younger self had realized that about piano practice sessions. I might have been a virtuoso. With an even bigger library.
Who’s your favourite author?
Do you like to reread books?
Paper, electronic, or, it doesn’t matter?
Happiness is dystopian lit.
I like it when I like the covers.
From Famine to Feast. 
You may not have gone down the personal rabbit hole Michelle, but you are definitely a super fan. Books are amazing. I love them too. All kinds.
LikeLiked by 2 people
We like electronic books for the ease of holding, but we like paper for ease of paging back through to reread something—and we are a rampant mis-clicker who will get lost in an ebook (ie skip ahead 23 pages and not be asked to get back).
We check out from the library whichever version is available.
We stopped buying books in general when we went on disability in an effort to save money. We try to keep track of what we’ve read so that we could buy them if it ever becomes a priority.
We go through no-books phases on occasion
We get genre-bound. Horror was our favorite genre for years and now we can’t really stomach violence unless its non-fiction or realistic fiction and not gratuitous.
With DID, we get confused and can forget what we’re reading and can have multiple going at once, too. Takes us long time to read these days.
We reread faves. Frankenstein, lord of the flies.
The writers we like don’t seem to be prolific and so they don’t publish much, which reduces our appreciation of them (or doesn’t sustain it).
Read two jesmyn ward novels in the past year or two. One was a slavery depiction; one was set during Hurricane Katrina. Liked the latter better.
Reading anti-racism and nonviolence nonfiction, too, these past four years. Kendi,
Among books this century, maybe like how to stop time the best. Or _ The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay_.
Runners up include the first two Wolf Hall novels. We remember liking Ferris’s to rise again at a decent hour for humor. Remember liking how to set yourself on fire _, _the toundhouse, _history of wolves _.
LikeLike
I forgot to mention the irritation with the eBook interface. I also often end up making it do things I don’t want. Not that menu!
I should buy fewer books. I would have more money for sure. I buy less, and I try to thrift, but I persist. Thank goodness I was not afflicted with an affection for diamonds.
I’m sorry the DID can make reading confusing.
It’s funny how many of my favourites are also on the dark side.
I would like the Hurricane Katrina one better as well. Books on slavery, concentrations camps and things like that are hard reads. I keep meaning to read some more on Nazism, but my heart isn’t currently letting me.
Interestingly, I’ve heard several recommendations for “How to Stop Time” this week. Off to the library app I go.
💜
LikeLiked by 1 person
I need to get back into reading. If only I had more time in the day!
I’ve read a few Nora Roberts novels over the years myself. I get the appeal!
Who’s your favourite author?
Patricia Cornwell. Particularly, her Kay Scarpetta series, though I don’t discriminate–I’ve read all of them, except for the last two newest releases. I wasn’t loving it, so I laid it down and have only frowned at it since. Of course, I can’t skip a book in the series, so until I finish it (it has to get better, right?!), the newer releases will be piling up behind it.
Do you like to reread books?
Not generally. Not enough time to reread books.
Paper, electronic, or, it doesn’t matter?
Paper, electronic, audio books–I do all of them depending on where I am and what I’m doing. I prefer paper books when I’m home and can snuggle up to read. I read eBooks on vacay or on the go. And audio books are listened to sometimes while I’m driving.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I forget Patricia Cornwell. It’s been a bit. I will revisit. I like a good murder.
When I was younger, I’d soldier through books I hated. Then, I decided life was too short. I usually skip to the end so I’m not left hanging lol.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m just not a fan of how this one starts out. Scarpetta is whiny and bitchy—not at all like the calm, cool, collected voice of reason I love reading. It’s like getting a main character switcheroo. Wah wah.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve struggled with reading only twice in my life – the first was after attempting to get through a tough book that seemed totally my kind of thing, but killed my love of reading stone dead. The second time was during the first pandemic lockdown.
Unlike you, I cannot manage more than one book at a time, unless it’s one which is designed to be read in snippets on a daily basis. I’m addicted to fiction, but also have bookcases thronged with non-fiction in the psychology, neuroscience and self-development world.
Current favourites are Sebastian Barry, David Mitchell, but also thrillers from Mick Herron, cozy mysteries from Richard Osman, space opera from Becky Chambers… I just love to read :)
LikeLike
I can only read one book at a time… and once I start reading I feel bound to finish it even if I dont like it, which is why I try to make sure before I start its absolutely something I will like or at least not torture 😂
I read very fast and even though I try to savour the reading the more I enjoy a book the more I breeze through it and can usually assess my enjoyment of a book by the number of sittings it took me to finish… I could grab a book after dinner and by “bedtime” I’d be done and wishing I could still savour the journey .. which is also why I usually read books that a part of a series or world than stand alone once off books.
~B
LikeLiked by 1 person
I enjoy series as well, and that’s a good insight – stretching out the time with the characters we enjoy. I’m currently on a new author hunt. Deep sigh. The choices are limitless.
LikeLike