The last time I wrote a discussion post was approximately…two (?) years ago so bear with me. Today, I’m discussing some of the struggles I’ve experienced as a book lover. So sit down, grab a drink, get comfortable, and be prepared to (hopefully) relate.
1. remembering to charge my kindle
I never go anywhere without my Kindle. This is part of my #1 strategy to get lots of reading done even when I’m swamped with homework (and supposed to be revising my novel). Whenever I’m waiting for class to start or sitting on the train, I pull out my Kindle and dive right into a good book. Unfortunately, I often forget to check the battery so my Kindle sometimes dies..right as I get to the good stuff! I’m half hoping writing this post will help me remember to charge my Kindle more often.
2. not binge-reading books when you should be doing <insert thing>
During the school year, I’ll often discover a new book series (e.g. the Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire) and become obsessed with it to the point where I’m staying up late reading instead of doing my homework. I heard sleep is good for you but I MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT so of course I buy the next two or three (or even four) books and forget about making plans with friends because I have reading to do!
As a responsible adult (well I turned 18 last year), I’m going to try my best to quit doing this but you know what they say, old habits die hard! (I don’t know if anyone still says that but anyways, moving on…)
3. finding a bookmark
Yes, I am one of those people who prefers not to dog-ear books (but I won’t be too offended if you chose to). When I don’t have my Kindle with me, I’m home with a big stack of books within reach. I love collecting bookmarks but when I actually need one, they all seem to disappear! On the rare occasion that I’m outside with a physical book, I often have to resort to using random pieces of paper (receipts, tickets) or objects (my passport, a scrunchie) as a bookmark. In all likelihood, these will fall out and I’ll have to flip through the book until I find the right page. It’s a real struggle to be a book lover.
4. deciding whether to DNF a book or not
Here’s the thing, there’s always the chance that a book will get better right when you decide to stop reading it. Most of the time, I don’t take that chance and keep reading because life is short and I want to enjoy 99% of the time I spend reading a book.
Recently, I decided to stop reading Beastly Bones by William Ritter. It’s not a bad book (in fact it is well written) but I just don’t feel like reading it at the moment. I might change my mind and return to it after I finish some other books but for now, I want to move on. Sometimes it takes me weeks of avoiding reading a book to come to the conclusion that I should ditch it but other times, I’ll stop after the first chapter or the first page because I know the book isn’t for me. I also don’t think there’s anything wrong with the books I DNF’d. It’s a matter of preference! I prefer some genres over others and certain writing styles (flowery prose) over others so it isn’t the book’s fault if I’m bored.
5. reading books i own instead of buying more
I love buying books (which is a good thing because I’m supporting my favorite authors) but it can get a little out of hand when I own so many unread books and I’m still buying more!
This is why I try to go a few months without buying any new books. During that time, I’ll try to finish most of the unread ebooks and paperbacks. I guess the keyword is try because before long, some shiny new book covers will catch my eye and I’ll go off on another book buying spree.
Not to mention spontaneously buying random books at airport book stores because there’s nothing like travelling to convince me that I need MORE BOOKS to stave off boredom.
OMG I relate to all of them but 4 and 5!!! Guilty!!!!! :)))
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I do understand you. I have started on this trend of buying books and now I cannot stop 🙂 I am not in any problem I want to believe, but I am guilty of buying books when I have not even finished those I have at home. You cannot have too many books, right?
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Ah it sounds like we’re in the same boat then! Well hopefully we’ll both be able to finish some of those books we have lying around this year. And yes, one can never own too many books!
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I can so relate to the bookmark thing xD it’s like I have so many, but every time I need one, I must resort to using a receipt or something even more ridiculous (like a hair band..) It’s really embarrassing in a way xD what kind of bookworm does that, huh. But I totally do.
Good post!
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Hey Evelina! I’m glad you relate haha. Well I guess it doesn’t really matter what you use as bookmark as long as it works right! 😉
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I can really relate to the last point… the most dangerous place for me to go is a bookstore, because no matter what, even if I resist, I always end up walking out of that store with a pile of books. I’ve tried hard to work on using my library more this past year rather than buying books, and it’s worked! Are you a fan of using libraries in Hong Kong? It’s been a while since I’ve been into an HK library, so I don’t remember how good the YA books selection is there. 😇 Great post, Rachana!
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Hey Zoie! I’m sorry it took me awhile to reply, I’ve been swamped with schoolwork. Well I actually borrowed a lot of YA books from my high school library but I haven’t really been to the public libraries in HK. I didn’t have much luck finding books I wanted to read as a kid so I stopped going there. Thanks for stopping by Zoie! 🙂
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Glad to see this blog still going strong! It’s been far too long since I’ve sat down to catch up on posts.
I literally laughed at loud at the fifth point. I’ve banned myself from buying more books until I’ve read at least three I own. For me, #2 would be – ‘Not binge-reading books when you should be [sleeping]’.
Great post, Rachana.
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Aw thanks! That’s a really smart thing to do and..I’m seriously considering doing that haha. Ooh yes I’m guilty of doing that too! It’s so hard to put a good book down and just go to bed haha. Thanks for dropping by the blog!
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What a great post! I totally agree with the kindle one! I do most of my reading via ebooks as well because, like you mentioned, they are so convenient! You can take it anywhere, and it’s not so big and cumbersome as a physical book. There is the whole drawback of the battery dying at the good parts though….haha. The gifs you included were also so funny and perfect! Thanks for such a great post, Rachana! It was such a fun read 🙂
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Thank you, Kat! And yes, a Kindle is certainly easier to carry around (mine fits in my purse). And it makes me happy to hear you liked the gifs! Well thanks for stopping by & sharing your thoughts. I appreciate it!
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I can totally relate to this post. #5 is the ultimate truth 😀 I mean, how should I control myself from purchasing the new and shiny books? It seems to be an impossible task to read all the books I have before purchasing new ones 😛
And bookmark thing? It is so true 😀
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Self control is hard! Glad you agree with me haha.
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Loved (and related) to this list! I got a portable charger block thingy as a gift a bit ago and for some reason I remember to charge that more?? I guess because I only have to charge it overnight once in a while. And then it’s very handy to have in my bag when I’m out with my Kindle and that gets drained. I love physical books but an eReader is so nice for easy transport.
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Oh that’s great! I think I might try that sometime. Maybe when I’m traveling because I try to avoid carrying physical books with me since books are heavy !! I feel the same way about ereaders tbh. They’re just so convenient!
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omg yes I completely relate to these.😂Especially #5!! And I also never can even fIND a bookmark when I need one?! Sometimes I use my kindle as a bookmark which is kind of hilarious in itself haha. I also tend to be a mood reader, so I super much struggle to read books I NEED to read if I don’t FEEL like it. Ahh bookworm woes!
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I’ve never used my kindle as a bookmark! That’s a good idea haha. Aah yes I’m also a mood reader! HIGH FIVE! I don’t know about you but for me, it makes it so much harder to stick to a set tbr (or to even make one) because I always end up changing my mind. Woes indeed haha. Thanks for dropping by, Cait!
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Ah, deciding whether or not to finish a book is SO HARD. I think I don’t want to read it, but WHAT IF IT GETS GOOD SUDDENLY? I am terrible at knowing when to put a book aside. I have been trying to work on that because I don’t want to waste so much time reading books I don’t like. There are too many good books out there for that.
I definitely have problems with binge-reading when there are apparently OTHER THINGS that I am supposed to be doing with my life. It’s a struggle. I relate. So much.
I prefer physical books (I’ve actually never read a book on a Kindle come to think of it) so I don’t have the forgetting to charge my Kindle problem. That’s the nifty thing about physical books is they’re always charged and ready to read! But they’re also a lot heavier.
Buying books? When you still have books you haven’t read? NO, I NEVER- Okay, fine, yes, I struggle with that too.
So many relatable things!
Awesome post!
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Yes, exactly!! What if the ending is so good it redeems the whole book?? Oh I’m glad you relate haha. By the way, I have found that treating reading like a reward for getting other work done helps me be more productive. But it’s still hard to put the book aside when I really want to find out what happens next. Ohh okay, I just like using my Kindle because it’s more convenient when I’m out and about. But yeah I agree that you don’t run into any of these technical difficulties with physical books. Hahaha it’s ok, based on the responses to this post, I think we’re not alone in our struggles! Thank you for dropping by & I hope you’re having a great day! 🙂
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Ahh I can relate to all of them except the first. I would be able to relate if I hadn’t accidentally lost my kindle T_T
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Aw that sucks. Is there any chance you’ll be able to find it..or is it gone..?
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It is most definitely gone! I do plan on getting another one next year sometime once my physical tbr has gone down a little haha
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This is a great post, you’ve done great – it doesn’t show at all that you haven’t been writing discussions in a while, don’t you worry about that 😀 I think I’m pretty okay with keeping my bookmarks – thing is, they’re just the most random bookmarks ever, like train tickets and receipts hahaha. I am trying to get through my books before getting new ones, but the new releases are always so appealing, so…. it’s always the thing I struggle with the most, on your list, I think haha 😀
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Hey Marie! Thank you, it means a lot to hear that from you. I love reading your discussion posts (and your blog in general is fantastic) so I’m glad you liked this post. Ooh yes I do own a few bookmarks that are tickets or receipts. But I usually keep those because they have sentimental value – like a ticket from Disneyland or Angkor Wat (it was an amazing experience visiting those temples!). Oh yes it doesn’t matter how many books I buy, I’ll always get excited over new releases that I don’t own yet. I heard of a strategy where you buy 1 book and then read 3-5 books you own before buying another. I’m not sure if you tried it?
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Oh wow, you’re so welcome, you’re way too sweet ❤
I had such a great time reading this post, it was great, really!! ❤
I also keep my tickets or receipts from special places, they're just… my bookmarks, too 😂
I kind of am trying to apply that strategy, actually. I have for now about, hm, maybe 8 unread books and I am trying to get through a couple of these before allowing myself to get new books . It's hard, but I don't like having too many unread books 😀
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It makes me happy to hear that! Ohh ok, well 8 unread books isn’t too bad! I have around 10-15 so I’m hoping to finish those before I buy some more. Mm I know what you mean, I feel guilty about the unread books. Good luck!
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Good luck to you too!! 😀
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Deciding when to DNF books is SUCH a struggle. I can DNF a book, but I really don’t like to, even if I don’t like the book. Once I start a book, I get this feeling like I HAVE to finish no matter what and I get weirdly anxious if I don’t. If a book is really bad or problematic it’s easier, but if it’s just meh or just okay, it’s harder for me to put it down even if I could be reading something better.
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Hmm yes, I understand what you mean. I used to feel that way a lot. For me, it helped to remind myself that I’m taking things too seriously. Like it isn’t the end of the world if I don’t feel like finishing a book. I’m someone who puts a lot of pressure on myself when it comes to..almost everything! But do what works for you. If you don’t want to DNF, then that’s okay too. 🙂
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#1 and #3 are my problems lol. I always want to read a book on it and then once I actually open up the story, my Kindle dies on me. And I’m always losing my bookmarks. I have about 3-4 of them but somehow I can never find any them when I need one.
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Ah yes, it can be so annoying when that happens! I’ve lost a few bookmarks over the years too, it’s way too easy to misplace them.
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I keep my Kindle on airplane mode so it’s not constantly searching for Wifi and draining the battery. So I can usually get a few hours of reading out of it even if I’ve forgotten to charge it for a month!
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Oh yes, I do this too! But thanks for the advice, Elissa. I use my Kindle every day and I think that’s why the battery gets used up so quickly haha.
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YES to #4 and 5. I’m the worst at DNFing. I always hope that a book will get better, but it rarely does. I also own a ton of unread books. I get about new books and neglect the old ones.
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Oh yes I always tell myself that too haha. Gosh, remembering to read older books is harder than one would think! But I’ve started keeping track of books I bought recently using GR so I have a shelf that is basically a tbr pile of books I own. Maybe that might help you too?
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Lol, love this list… I can totally relate with finding bookmarks. And DNF’ing. I once don’t DNF but now, as my TBR list grew longer and longer, I learned to DNF books that’s ruining my mood and wasting my time. But ARCs, I couldn’t DNF.
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Thanks! I’m glad you relate haha. Well it’s great that you’ve started DNFing books you’re not enjoying. Ah yes, I can see why it might be an issue to DNF an ARC since you’re obligated to review it. (But if you’re really not into the book, I think you could possibly write a DNF review of it?)
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I haven’t tried doing that. Maybe I’ll try it one of these days.. hehe..
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Well I hope it works for you!
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The last 2 work with me… I never know when to DNF. I read the whole book and then wonder why did I waste so many reading something that didn’t work for me… Sheesh
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Yes, exactly! I feel like it helps to stop now and then and actually think about whether you’re enjoying a book. Sometimes I find myself making a lot of excuses like “Oh the book will probably get better..even though I’m bored out of my mind right now..” and that’s when I realize it’s time to put it down haha.
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I relate so hard to the bookmark issue especially, but honestly problems 2 to 4 are so me 😂
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I’m glad you relate!! 😀
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