Sarah's Reading Habits: Fighting the Slump!

Sarah's Reading Habits is an occasional feature on the blog where I delve into my reading habits a bit more! So my reading has taken a bit of a backseat recently which has prompted me to talk about reading slumps. We've all had them! You know you want to read, because you love reading, but just finding the energy and motivation or knowing what you want to read can be so darn difficult sometimes! I thought I'd get out my frustrations in this post as well as sharing a few of my tips for tackling the dreaded reading slump.

My current problem, why I'm not reading so much, is that I'm busier than usual. When I first started this blog I had a lot of free time on my hands so I was reading crazy amounts. At the moment, I don't have the time during the day to read and by evening I just want to relax and chill out. Even on my days off I've found myself slipping into old habits and watching trashy daytime TV (hello property shows!) instead of curling up with a book. It's time to change that!

So how do you break the slump? Here are a few ways I tend to fight my way out!

1. Have a few days off. For those of us that read every day, it seems weird for a day to go by and not pick up a book. But sometimes it's just what I need! I know in a few days time I'll be itching to have a book in my hands again.

2. Read something different! I turn to adult books when I need a bit of a break. Because I only review YA, it gives me the chance to read a book without having to make notes and worry about writing a review at the end of it. Plus sometimes it's just nice to have a change of scene and pace and read something that bit different. Switching genres is usually a good way to get me out of a slump. Just battled your way through fantasy? Try a nice, fun contemporary read instead!

3. Audiobooks! I know a lot of the problem I have at the moment is finding time to read. The great thing about audiobooks is that they are much easier to multitask with! I've downloaded a couple from the library which I'm going to use on my bus commutes this month. I can't read regular books on the bus because it makes me travel sick, plus at least it'll make all those traffic jams more interesting!

4. Re-read. When you're finding it hard to focus and concentrate on a book, then I find going back to something where you're familiar with the story really helps. No thinking required! Plus if you loved it the first time round then you're going in knowing what to expect. No worrying about struggling to finish it!

5. Write! I find I can't read and write at the same time (as in have a book on the go and be focusing on writing a novel or something), so if I can't read then maybe I can release some energy by writing.

6. Read what you want to read and not what you feel you should/have to. As a book blogger, there's probably a million and one books I should be reading, either review copies or library books or books I bought ages ago and still haven't read yet. Sometimes that feeling of having to read something can spoil the fun. Go with your heart and not with your head!

7. Treat yourself! I'd been in a bit of a slump before Christmas where I was reading about four books at once and struggling to finish any of them. I ended up treating myself to a book in the sales and devouring it in a few days. Sometimes getting excited about a new book is just what you need!

What are your tips for getting out of a reading slump? Let me know in the comments!

Sarah's Reading Habits: Organised Reading v Mood Reading

Sarah's Reading Habits is a feature where I delve a little more into my reading life. Recently I've switched to being a bit of a mood reader - going with my gut instinct and choosing a book I really feel excited about reading - which has changed the way I read and blog. So I thought it'd make a perfect discussion post!

A little while after I started blogging I realised I was going to have to get a lot more organised. After entering the blogosphere I was constantly discovering new books I wanted to read, and soon my TBR was stacking up. Add in the review copies I started receiving (which I had no idea how to deal with at the time!) and all the library holds I was placing, and I needed a system.

Soon I started a reading journal which was a good way to keep organised both with my thoughts on the books I was reading, and keeping notes of books I'd like to read in the future. Of course places like Goodreads are great for this too, but I have so many books on there that it's hard to keep organised and see what I need to read sooner rather than later.

At the back of the journal I'd keep a TBR of books I was going to read in the next few weeks, then cross them off as I went. I think I'm quite a visual person so being able to see everything written down helps keep my brain organised, plus crossing something off a list is one of the most satisfying feelings! I'd have separate lists for library books and review books, with those being listed in date order of when the book was released or when a book needed to be returned to the library.

Sticking to these ordered lists was fine, until I started getting to the point where I just didn't feel like reading any of the books on there. I started a TBR jar a few months ago after seeing some other bloggers use that as a way to pick books. I'm hopelessly indecisive so having something that made a decision for me seemed like a great idea! But then I got to the point where I'd pick a book, decide I wasn't in the mood for it, then place the name back in the jar.

I don't often get reading slumps, but the past month or so has been pretty close to that. For a while I had so many library books and review books that I was neglecting my own books. I was reading everything in date order from a designated list and it all felt a bit too structured and a bit too organised. I ended up taking the majority of my library books back unread and turning down/ignoring review requests and being more strict with the review copies I seek out.

Nowadays I'm definitely let my mood influence what I read. What I feel like reading is hugely important, and the more excited I am about a book then the more I'm going to get out of it! I've always tried to mix it up with genre as well because reading too many books within a genre can add to that fatigue. Recently I've had several books on the go at the same time which is something I never used to do. I'd always be in a rush to read one book and then move onto the next, but there's something quite nice about being able to dip in and out of books when I feel like going back to them!

So my new resolution is to relax and pick whatever book I feel like it. There are still going to be times where I need to organise myself, but as long as I break it up a bit with some fun, spontaneous choices then hopefully I'll not end up in another slump.

How do you choose what to read? Are you an organised reader or a mood reader?

Sarah's Reading Habits: Where I Get My Books

Sarah's Reading Habits is a feature here on the blog where I open up a bit more about my life as a reader. This week I'm talking about where I get hold of my books!

As an avid reader I am always on the hunt for books. Whilst a small selection of those come from authors and publishers for review, I wanted to focus on where I get my own books when I'm on the hunt for something new.

The library

This is probably where the majority of books I've reviewed on the blog come from. I would check using Goodreads stats or something but I can't be bothered so that's juts a rough guess. I would be absolutely lost without my library. I can't always afford to buy books and my local library network has such an extensive range. What's even better is that I can order all my books to my local library which is a five minute walk away. I'm not always able to get to the main library in town so having that resource on my doorstep is invaluable. If I can't get hold of a book then I sometimes put them in as stock suggestion which is a great way to get latest releases.

Friends

I borrow a lot of books from my friends and it's probably the way I most frequently discover new books. Not all of my friends read YA, so I try and lend them YA books to convert them! But it's also refreshing when my friends lend me adult titles. I'm constantly aware of YA titles that I sometimes miss out on some fantastic adult ones, so having people to bring those to my attention is a great help.

My mum!

My mum is the reason I got into reading. She was the person who lent me My Sister's Keeper and got me hooked Jodi Picoult who is still my favourite author. She also forced Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone into my reluctant hands as a child to which will be forever grateful! My mum is a member of a book group that meets once a month and when she's done with her books she often lends them to me (the ones she thinks I'll like anyway!).

Charity shops

I've always had a weak spot for charity shop books but then I started volunteering in a charity shop and all my restraint went! I buy a lot of books from the shop where I work. It's a great way to pick up a bargain when you're short on cash. I think my best bargain so far was finding Looking For Alaska which I had been dying to read for so long!

Kindle Daily Deals

These are my ultimate weakness. I got my Kindle at the start of the year because I needed my own e-reader. I was quickly drawn in by the daily deals and often pick up books for 99p that I wouldn't otherwise have been able to afford. I prefer buying e-books these days as reading on my Kindle is a lot easier and I also don't have to worry about where to store them!

Kindle Freebies

What's better than a Kindle Daily Deal? A Kindle freebie! I've discovered some fantastic books through them being free on Kindle. I also check out Smashwords for some great indie finds. Since blogging I've had my eyes opened to a world of self-published books and met some amazing authors.

Bookshops

This should be much higher up, and I'm hoping once I find a job it will be! At the moment my funds are limited and I would love to shop in bookshops more. This is definitely the best book buying experience. There's nothing like browsing the shelves and speaking with booksellers. Whenever I go away I try and visit a bookshop and buy a book as a souvenir. It's great to have a book that has good memories attached to it, and you get to discover awesome new bookshops!

Where do you get hold of your books? Let me know in the comments!

Sarah's Reading Habits: Book Buying Excuses!

Sarah's Reading Habits is an occasional feature here on the blog where I delve a bit more into my mind as a reader and the habits I've picked up over the years.

This week I'm talking about excuses. I buy more books than I should, given how many I already own and haven't read, but somehow I always find a way to justify it to myself. Here are some of my most common excuses!

"I'm supporting the author"

Authors are amazing, and yet we're constantly reading what a tough industry it is to break into and survive in. By buying a book I am ensuring that author gets to write more of them. I think that's the best excuse, yes?

"I'm supporting my local bookshop"

Again, bookshops have been in the spotlight lately thanks to the Books are My Bag campaign. By buying a book from my local shop I am helping make sure it is still there in the future (so, you know, I can buy more books).

"It's SO CHEAP!"

We all love a bargain and I am an absolute sucker when it comes to Kindle sales and Kindle Daily Deals. Obviously it's only 99p for a limited time to I have to buy it right then, right? Right. And don't even get me started on The Works.

"Buying the e-book stops books cluttering up my room"

If I don't have to worry about where to store it then it's not a problem. Plus I can't see the books on my Kindle that I need to read, so it makes for a less intimidating TBR.

"I'm supporting a charity"

Charity shops are dangerous places for book lovers and it's where I get a lot of mine. I can't possibly feel bad buying them when I know the money goes to an awesome cause though can I?

"So-and-so said it was SO GOOD"

So a book is staring me right in the face and I know a friend or blogger I trust said it was amazing. I'd be a bad friend for not getting myself a copy.

"It's a present for someone"

And who cares if I'm buying them it partly so I can borrow it when they're done?

"I'm buying it with a gift card so it doesn't count"

It's not real money, plus someone gave you that gift card out of the kindness of your heart so it would be rude not to spend it. Same applies for birthday money.

What are your excuses for buying books? Or do you even need excuses?! Let me know in the comments!

Sarah's Reading Habits: Favourite Genres

Today I'm posting the first in a series of posts which delve into my reading habits a little more! This post is all about my favourite genres. I actually read a pretty wide range of stuff, and there's not a lot that puts me off. I'm also looking to branch out my reading so I'm always looking for recommendations! Feel free to drop some in the comments. Enjoy!

My Current Favourite Genres

Contemporary

I love books I can relate to, and those books predominantly fall under the contemporary or realistic fiction genres. Books set in schools always send me back to my own school days, and I love books that focus on friendship and family. Here are some of my favourite contemporary YA novels.

 Urban Fantasy

One of my first forays into urban fantasy was reading Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy. My sister had a copy of the first book and then a friend lent me the second and third. It's that friend that has helped me expand my reading in that genre. She lends me a lot of UF books, both YA and adult. She lent me most of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series and all of The Infernal Devices which have become some of my favourite books. This is why bookish friends are awesome!

Dystopia & Post Apocalyptic

I still credit The Hunger Games for transforming my reading habits and opening my eyes to a wealth of new books. I know dystopia is a word that gets thrown around a lot and doesn't always apply to books that are associated with the strict definition, so I'm using it in a very loose sense. Anything with a controlling government, post-apocalyptic world and marketed as something that Hunger Games fans will enjoy catches my attention. I know people get pretty tired of that comparison, but for me I found some of my favourite books because they were associated with it and to this day I still love discovering books like The Hunger Games. Some of my favourite dystopian novels include Delirium, Divergent and the Matched trilogy, as well as my new all time favourite The Testing by Joelle Chabonneau. Recent reads that appeal to this side of me include the first Maze Runner book as well as Slated by Teri Terry.

 Sci-fi

This is one of my new loves. I've been eating up sci-fi recently! I think it was reading Insignia by S. J. Kincaid which really sparked my interest. I loved all the cool technology and gadgets in that book. I'd thoroughly recommend it! I just read Unravelling by Elizabeth Norris which was completely different to Insignia but had some really awesome scientific ideas going on. The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer is another great example of a book I've loved, and All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill got me all fired up about time travel.

Genres I Want to Read More Of

 Historical & Historical Fantasy

I've been so scared of reading historical in the past. I don't have that great an interest in history, which mainly stems from the fact I have a memory like a sieve. I really struggle to retain the information in order to keep up and lose myself in those time periods. I'm slowly being converted though! I recently read Code Name Verity which I absolutely adored. WWII is the one time period I've actually read a lot in, although most of that reading has been adult as opposed to YA.

 I'm definitely keen to explore more books set in that time and maybe start branching out and finding other historical novels that interest me. I've also read a great few historical fantasies such as Fire Spell and The Red Necklace, and I enjoyed Cassandra Clare's Infernal Devices trilogy which is set in Victorian Britain.

Mystery & Thrillers

This is a genre I'm in desperate need of recommendations for! I love crime and detective fiction but most of my reading in that genre is adult. I loved James Dawson's Cruel Summer which was a fantastic murder mystery. I want more of that please! I'm dying to read more contemporary mysteries. I also really enjoyed Kathy Reichs Virals series (the two books I've read) which have a mystery element to them and Hold Your Breath by Caroline Green was a great mystery with a paranormal twist.

I've Had Bad Experiences - Recommend Me Some Books!

Fantasy

This is a genre I still don't read a lot of, and when I do it's more urban fantasy and low fantasy. I'd love to dive headfirst into stuff with more dragons and myths and legends. My fantasy reading is pretty limited but I enjoyed The Hobbit, and growing up I adored Harry Potter and the Artemis Fowl books.

Romance

I like a good love story, but I usually enjoy it a lot more when it's a sub-plot rather than the main focus. Intense relationships tend to anger me, and I don't need all that sexy-time that adult and new adult romances are filled with. A lot of the contemporary stuff I read has cute fluffy love stories, but is there anything more passionate that I will love? I don't know. Help me out!

What genres do you love to read? Do you have any recommendations? Let me know in the comments!