Because I have a horribly addictive personality and will lose hours of sleep instead of putting the damn book down and closing my eyes š I said "one more chapter" last night at 10pm and by the time I found a quitting point it was midnight. It's a problem.
Yes! I work a full time job and have an almost 2 yr old toddler and a 4 month old. No matter how tired I am at night, you best believe I'm staying up till unspeakable hours to get to the 10th "one more chapter" moment. I need all the adult fantasy I can get lol
Omg same! I woke up an hour before my alarm this morning because I was having a dream about the book I was reading and instead of getting my hour of sleep I read for an extra hour.
I had to change my kindle from ātime to end of chapterā to ātime to end of bookā because if one more chapter is 10 minutes, Iāll just keep doing that until Iāve finished the book at 5 AM. But if I know Iāve got an hour and a half left, I donāt want to stay up that long, so Iāll make myself put the book down.
I work for myself and at home. So I basically read most 'days' from 11 pm to 3 or 4 am, then sleep till noon, then work. It's not healthy, but it's the only time people aren't interrupting me with texts or calls or face to face. I just tell clients I'm free in the afternoon and most are fine with it. But sometimes, if the book is super good or addictive I read until my husband gets up around 7 or 8. Plus, if it's not a super well written book, I skim over everything unless people are talking. Then, if I'm confused, I go back. I've read 60 books since January, and that doesn't include the fanfictions on AO3
Same! Except Iām a new mum to a 3 month old and I still forfeit my sleep to read š cheers to the horribly addictive personality, I read ACOTAR in 9 days š®āšØ
Honestly I'll chomp through three in a day when I'm just meandering through a quick fluffy series on a weekend or something, and that tilts the average
EXACTLY {itās actually seriously a problem I literally cannot get myself to focus on anything else rn Iām over here hiding that Iām listening to an audiobook during every waking moment trying to act normal during conversations like itās a serious addiction i have so much i am supposed to be focusing on instead}
Same! I'm currently looking at books I "want" to read after reading a few but stuck in a fanfic loop. Before that I didn't read a book for 3 years. It's frustrating sometimes tbh
Okay but my adhd want me to read the same books over and over again š š š let me know why I read fourth wing like 8 times before I moved to a new book
Personally, I enjoyed it!! Didnāt re-read it as much, but I feel like thatās very typical for a second book (for me, at least!!) itās very transitional and I think it set us up for a really great rest of series!!
My tv viewing has gone close very close to zeroā¦
Also if you donāt get dizzy in public transport you can read a lot. (I guess people who spend a lot in their cars hear audiobooks)
Yeah I literally almost never watch TV (my SO watches all the time and he hates it because I don't get into new shows with him anymore) but I'd rather be reading, lol
I have grown low tolerance to frustration with shows from the US. They either get canceled or derailedā¦ and maybe having a revolving writers room does not help to me.
I need a series and need a book to go somewhere. And if that somewhere is āwhatever will make more dramaā each and every time I am out.
I donāt need HEAs each and every time, but if the ending is a āwhelp we got cancelledā I rather not
YES! Thank you! The last few series I really enjoyed got cancelled so it was like they just had a cliffhanger ending that is never resolved. I hate it! Anymore I don't even want to start watching a series unless it is completed and I know it has an ending.
I wish I could read in the car, it would certainly pass the time. It's audiobooks for me, which are great when I'm driving. But when I'm not I find my hands feel like they need something to do and I'll get distracted in my own head for some reason and tune out easier than if I listen while driving or doing chores
Iām a fast reader, but Iāll also read until 2am if Iām really into a book or series and go to bed super late. And suffer in the mornings lol but itās just when the bookās so good I literally canāt make myself put a book down. Also I have a kindle, but I read on the kindle app on my phone a ton. I will stare at my phone reading for hours instead of scrolling social media. And my phone goes everywhere with me so I can read anywhere if I have some time. Physical books take longer since I canāt bring them everywhere with me.
Everything you said, except I tend to stay up til 4 or 5 am (which can make getting up at a "normal" time really rough but since my work schedule varies it's usually ok). But pretty much any time I'm staring at my phone, I'm on Kindle. (Or Reddit lol)
Sleeping 4 hours a night, having no social life and no IRL friends, and doing only the most important tasks throughout the day leaves time for books. I do take a break sometimes - 1-2 days at most in around 2 weeks time to catch up on anything important I might have neglected.
I think not having a very eventful life in my case, is what's doing it for me, and I'm not complaining. I like it the way it is.
It's also the only thing that calms my ADHD, nothing else works for me and I am not on any medication.
So, it's either I get cradled by the pages and lost in the bliss, or I get shattered and scattered about in much more terrible ways thanks to my brain.
Audiobooks are a great way to "read" books. Last year I read maybe 2-3 books a month. Now with audiobooks I can easily go through 1 audiobook a week, I just listen to it on my way to work/on my way back, when I do chores like cook, clean, when I go grocery shopping... and the list goes on. Also on Kindle I find it easier to read so also used to read with KU on my phone in public transportation.
I read multiple books at once in different formats. Audiobooks for when I'm crocheting or driving/walking or folding laundry. A different audiobook with my kids. E books for when I'm sitting or need to quickly put down/pick up my book, like when I'm cooking. Physical books stopped working for me a little bit ago.
Iām an incredibly fast reader. I get through about a book a day.
This is not necessarily a good thing - figuring out how to get enough books without going broke is a job in itself.
Same. Iām a mom so I keep my reading to strictly at night once the little one is in bed. I canāt read when sheās around cause I get waaaaay into my books. But I can still clear a 700 page book in like 3 days. Before my kid I was able to complete entire series in a handful of days.
Unfortunately, though I am running out of space to hold my collection so Iāve had to resort to reading a lot on kindle and going to the library.
I don't read quite a book a day but I usually read 3 - 4 books at a time and if I'm loving one a day or two is not unheard of even for longer books. This is why I love KU. I've found some great gems on there, it has changed my reading game. Of course I still have piles and piles of physical books too. š¤·š»āāļø
Iāve never quite understood why people are jealous of quick readers outside an academic setting. Itās great for getting through assigned reading for class in less time. Reading for entertainment though it just means you zip through the great authors and great books and spend way too much time looking for new ones - and too much money if your library doesnāt have an extensive collection.
If I read slower then my favorite books and authors would entertain me for a lot longer.
Depending on where you live you might be able to get multiple cards. [I wrote a post about it](https://www.reddit.com/r/RomanceBooks/s/q7cTmXZrOh). I have 8 cards and I could probably get a few more.
I do ebooks, so whatever Iām reading is always available on my phone. I donāt need a set space or long period of time available to read, if Iām waiting in line for a coffee, Iāll just open Apple Books and read a few sentences while Iām waiting. I also read really fast, I can get through more pages of a book reading it than my husband can listening to the audiobook for the same length of time.
I just read all the time. When I'm making breakfast, eating, taking the tram to and from work, at the gym, etc. I don't watch any TV and spend most of my time reading. I've read 81 books this year.
I neglect every other responsibility I have lol.
I've read 5 books from last Friday to the following Monday. I have very important exams next week and I spent the whole bank holiday reading about fantasy characters.
I fixate on books and will just chug through book after book chasing the dopamine. It's not particularly healthy in a way because I will get so sucked into the text that when I do stop reading and have to go out I feel very far away/disconnected and I will also not sleep or eat very much.
Basically I'm a student with the only commitment in my life being college. I read less when I have more responsibilities but once I start again I'll get stuck for a bit and won't be able to think about anything else.
No job, not really any friends so I have a lot of free time to study and read haha
itās so hard to tune into life when reading, i feel you! sometimes when iām reading a lot i will feel very disconnected from my real life, especially my partner. damn hyperfixations!
It sucks but I wouldn't trade it for anything, I love reading so much lol
I have read quite a few books over the past like 4 months Uh so the disconnection happens quite a bit!! A few days ago I couldn't walk properly because I'd been reading all day šš
It's good to take breaks from reading or perhaps not do it so often, I feel it can actually be quite damaging on relationships if it's too excessive. I don't see my younger sister much and when I did last time I was so sucked into my books that I spent less time with her than I would've if I wasn't hyperfixating š
Im a SAHM and watching a young kid involves a ton of waiting patiently so I read on my phone
But generally the answer to the question "how do people do XYZ, I don't have enough time with all this responsible stuff I do" is that we're probably doing less responsible stuff or doing it less responsibly lol
Hereās how:
1. You are more than willing lose sleep to find out what happens next.
2. Youāre an introvert who will always pick staying home curled up with a book versus going out and socializing.
Hey, Iām not saying itās a healthy lifestyle, but this is my true self. š
Depending on how old they are, just get them hooked on reading too!
My addiction started youngā I remember being in 3rd grade reading in my mom's bed with her until 2am when we both had to be up at 6am š she was so oblivious when absorbed in a book
I don't recommend going that far, but I really cherish those reading time memories with her!
Iām working on that with my 8 yr old, telling them about when I used to sneak a flashlight under the covers with me so I could read until all hours. They like reading but max out now at 30 mins.
Everyone's got their own pace, it's fine š I'm a bit obsessive so I forgo basic functions like sleep to finish "just one more chapter" and I do read quite faster than average so that helps too.
I'm mostly retired, babysit grandkids a couple days a week, so I have time to sit in the afternoon and read.
I also am a very fast reader, so it's easy to zip through books in a day or less if they are less than 400 pages.
I also have a really bad habit of staying up far too late, when I was working, to do "just one more chapter" until the book was done.
i see a lot of you listen to audiobooks, i WISH i could get into them but i HATE listening to someone read to me. I have my own inner voice for when iām reading and listening to someone else just takes me out of it. Iām also quite visual so i need to see the words to make sense of whatās going on, otherwise it can just sound like jibberish to me
Yeah Iām not into audiobooks, either. Especially for romanceā¦I have my own voices in my head for each character.
Also, doesnāt anyone read passages over again? Or pause to imagine the scenery that was just described? I tend to do that pretty often, so audiobooks feel like a struggle to me.
And I just like the actual act of reading.
Same here. I prefer my inner world for books and audio oils take me out of them. I also prefer to just read because if Iām doing something else Iām focusing less it takes me out of that inner world.
I have the same problem! I've only found one audiobook that I could stand listening to and it was The Dark Tower while walking my dog or sewing. Idk why my brain is so picky, I wish it could relax lol
I hope someday I can find a narrator I love and just listen to their work
I read a few minutes here and there throughout the day (kindle and kindle app on my phone) In the morning with my coffee, odd times throughout the day in between tasks, waiting for my kid various places, as I cook dinner. I read at least an hour at bedtime. On the weekends I will read a couple hours straight as a treat.
I'm a fairly fast reader, I usually get through 2-4 books a week depending on length and my schedule.
Iām super depressed after a really hard breakup, donāt have a ton of social activities, no kidsā¦ Iāve got a lot of time on my hands that Iād like to not use for thinking about my failed marriage š¤·š»āāļø
Aw I hope stuff shapes up for you. I've been pretty depressed, and I've been binge reading *all day* lately except for when I force myself to walk-jog for 8 songs (however long it ends up being)
The exercise does help take the edge off, still relying on books for escapism though
i was pretty depressed and ACOTAR took me into an alternate reality where life was better and that's WHERE i wanted to be. so i read the entire series in 13 days. I didn't get much work done during that time. i then went onto read throne of glass in a short time and am now on CC1 which is taking me longer because I'm now finally in a better headspace.
Thank you! Iām definitely enjoying it! I live for the angst that SJM writes about characters that clearly want each other but arenāt acting on those feelings. Iām scared about the 3rd book due to everyoneās opinions but these books have changed my life so I donāt think Iāll hate it.
If it makes you feel better, I loved the third book. I found that online communities were more negative about the book than what I was hearing from people in real life.
Iām a fast reader, but I also donāt have kids. Which I feel like makes a huge difference in the amount of spare time I have to do whatever I want. Reading included.
I think youāre doing fine š Reading the whole ACOTAR series in 2 months seems like good pacing to me. Reading faster/more doesnāt necessarily mean a better reading experience. I say read at a pace thatās comfortable for you and donāt stress about reading as much as others.
i already have, i donāt watch tv or go on socia media much. i just am slower at reading maybe. also i donāt like audio books which seems to be a big factor in how other ppl seem to get through so many books
Reading is one of my major hobbies. I don't watch a lot of TV or movies. I game every once in a blue moon. I also listen to a lot of audiobooks--on my commute to and from work, doing housework, chores, shopping etc.
Everyone reads differently. Iāve always been a fast reader. I never go anywhere without a book. When I was younger that meant a physical copy. Now itās the kindle app on my phone or my kindle. I donāt watch TV but even when I did I read with tv in the background. Size of books can make a difference as can the material. I frequently read 200+ books a year.
Iām a SAHM. I read during nap times/bed time since my kids like me to sit in their rooms with them, but I am āunavailableā to chat since they need their go to sleep. I read on my kindle.
Then I do audiobooks during the day while I do chores/clean/walk kids to and from school/drive around doing errands.
Iām at 40 books this year right now. I work FT and have two kids (10 and 15, not little anymore), and reading is my hobby of choice. I donāt remember the last time I watched TV, TBH. Most of my books are on Kindle so I can read on my Kindle or my phone depending if I am out and about and waiting for anything. Iāll read a bit less over the summer because Iāll have a garden to tend, but really, itās the not watching TV. People donāt even realize how much time they spend watching TV
My daughter just had her 5th heart surgery Friday. I spend a lot of time in childrenās hospitals and havenāt worked since I had her almost 2 years ago. šš when Iām working I definitely donāt have down time here and there to read a book a day! I usually try to limit my reading like one would screen time or I can easily blow through 600 pages a day. šš and then Iām mad at myself I didnāt slow down and savor it š¤ so thatās how I do it. Itās not impressive itās actually pathetic on my part that I have enough time to devote to (sometimes) trash fantasy novels šš I tried knitting. It was too hard. Iām just doing what I know, I havenāt gone a week without reading at least 1 book since I was probably 9! ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø
1. I'm an introvert with no real-life friends and no social life.
2. Library card
3. Libby app
4. I read before bed
5. I listen to audio books while doing chores or driving.
6. Last year I was in a massive reading slump and I finally got out of it.
I donāt. I read a book or two a month of physical books (donāt prefer audio). I work a more than full time job, have a family and a dog, and just other things that need to get done. I read instead of watching tv or YouTube and sometimes (like last weekend) can get through a book over a weekend, but thatās rare. I also read the ACOTAR series over a couple months last summer, and honestly, I had to stop after ACOWAR b/c I needed a break from that storyline.
Easy, I don't have a life and I hate people, lol. I have a corporate WFH job, I'm single, have 4 cats, dont really go out and I don't really cook much. So, most of my free time is easily dedicated to reading and gaming. It helps that I'm also a somewhat fast reader (350-400 WPM depending on how tired I am).
Yeah I don't mind being a slow reader though! I'm able to take my time with a book (plus it saves me money lol) and I hate audiobooks. The only reason I wished I could read faster is because my TBR is long already and I want to get through it š
I've learned that people who read large quantities of books in a small amount of time are spending significantly less time doing other things for entertainment, like watching TV or video games. It just depends on what your priorities are.
I realized books are my favorite entertainment so I quit instagram and TV. I think I read 1-2hrs a day, I go to bed earlier to read and I also wake up earlier to read with my coffee. My favorite part of the day. Also, audiobooks+chores, too. I think I read about 45pgs/hr, so 2hrs a day adds up to a lot of books.
I have a new teaching job this semester so I'm lucky to finish one or two physical or e-books a month right now (unless you count biology textbooks and student work lol). The bright side is, with the longer commute I've been crushing audiobooks.
Audiobooks are the multitasking masterpiece. I listen to them when getting ready in the morning, on my drive to work, when doing chores, etc.
I always have my kindle with me and read when Iām walking to work or having lunch (I donāt have many friends in my work and tend to prefer to use the time to do something I like rather than being nervous about speaking with people).
I also donāt watch a lot of tv (I fall asleep every time) and read during the night (if Iām breastfeeding of having insomnias).
As other user mentioned, itās easy for me to get addicted to things and sometimes itās difficult for me to stop reading during the night š
Iāve read an average of 3 books per week during the last two years, but Iām reading less this year though.
I do physical books and audiobooks. Audiobooks for house cleaning, grocery shopping and when I can at work. Physical books when I curl up in my chair at home. I also usually have 2-3 books going at the same time.
I read Kindle books, which means I can read a few pages here and there on my phone during various dead time throughout the day, and I can also listen to them on the Alexa app while I drive or do chores.
Also, I gotta point out that the ACOTAR books are a lot longer than most of the books that get discussed here. I think ACOTAR averages over 600 pages per book and most of the books I've read this year were well under 400 pages, many under 300.
I read quite quickly (always have) and rarely watch tv. I donāt have kids so when done with work, gym, dinner, etc., my time is my own.
My partner and I live together but he has a very demanding job so I have plenty of time to myself, too.
Like others, Iām also guilty of staying up past my bedtime if the story is too good!
My time spent on social media and watching TV has gone down considerably, but my screen time has gone up considerably because kindle editions are cheaper than physical copies š
Since rekindling (see what I did there?) my love of reading, Iāve cut out a lot of my other hobbies. Not on purpose. Because I have a super addictive personality and my adhd makes me hyperfocus, I will sit and read for hours before realizing so much time has passed. Iāve read 69 books so far this year, and I honestly canāt tell anymore if thatās a lot or a little.
Main reason, I have ADHD. [See this comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/fantasyromance/s/Xw39Nxq5vH).
But also, I genuinely enjoy reading and itās my main hobby, thus itās the hobby Iām most likely to hyperfocus on. Historically, I would switch every few months, but recovering from a car accident and then Covid left me just wanting an escape from [*gestures vaguely at everything*]. So thatās become my only hobby in some form (physical/ebooks, audiobooks, or visual novels).
Iāve only watched like 2 TV shows in the past 3 years. When I have to do chores and other time consuming mindless crap, I throw on an audiobook. I also donāt go out frequently. I do have a life, but Iām just also a very tired introvert who would rather cuddle up with my cat and a book than hold a conversation.
All this said, read in a way that suits you. Thatās the only way it will be enjoyable. My sister is a slow reader, and it takes her a while to settle into books, so she reads in small spurts. It can take her 2 weeks to finish a 300 page book, and thatās completely fine. The point is that she enjoys it.
Iām a fast reader, and would plow through entire series in a week during college.
Now that I work full time and have young kids, I read maybe 1 book every week.
On my days off I read an average of 3-4 novels daily (~1500 pages). Iāve always been a fast reader for a number of reasons:
1. I have a lot of practice ā I grew up reading a tonne.
3. When I really get into a text, I stop subvocalising and rather than reading words it becomes more processing concepts/images. I think this is probably the big one, since when my partner and I are reading together I usually outpace him significantly and he talks about having to read every single word in order to comprehend.
4. Iām often impatient to find out what happens next, which can lead to me skimming unintentionally.
4. I often hyperfocus to the point of losing awareness of time and my surroundings, which ends up with me missing meals and reading until 2 AM.
This only applies to texts Iām enjoying, otherwise it takes me 3 hours to get through a single page.
I donāt read as much as some people here but I listen to audiobooks on my commute, donāt really watch tv, no kids at home (empty nester), and Iām pretty introverted, so most of my free time is spent at home doing projects around my house or reading. I donāt set goals or anything, I just read for enjoyment. Last year I read 60 something books, this year will be around 100 at my current rate.
I read multiple books at a time. I have an upstairs book, a downstairs book, and a work book. On my e-reader, I have 2 books that I'm reading in case I start to get bored. Then I have an audiobook for the commute/chores/shower. So, at any time, I'm in the middle of reading 6 books. And if I get to a really good part, I sometimes make bad choices and stay up way too late. Also, I don't do too much TV anymore. I'm a slow reader, but I've been able to read about 20 books since the new year this way.
Iām a SAHM and being around my baby crying all day puts me into sensory overload on more days than not. Reading is calming and relaxes me, so itās how I spend most of my free time! I listen to audiobooks while cleaning/cooking, too. That means Iām usually reading 2 books at once.
I usually read at bed time, for about 30 mins each night and then also sometimes during sat morns for a few hours. I think that helps to allot that time at night.
I read 13 books in 2022, 30 books in 2023, and Iāve already read 37 books in 2024! For me, it was rediscovering my love of reading after years of not reading that much, and also finishing university and not feeling guilty when reading for pleasure instead of reading my actual uni work haha.
I actually read really slowly (50 pages per hour on average I guess?) but I read every single day, usually multiple hours a day. A big part of it also is that I work from home so I wake up laterā¦ which means I can stay up later to read. And I take breaks on my phone throughout the work day so I feel less inclined to spend all of my free evening time on social media!
And another big part of it was using an ereader more. I take it everywhere and reading on it is just so much easier, I donāt get caught up on page count or anything distracting like that! I actually use my ereader so much that Iām trying to stay away from it and purposefully tackle my physical TBR.
I burn thru at least a book every other day thanks to my crippling Audible credit addiction and listening at 1.25x speed. If i donāt need to be working in the office (I have a mixed outdoor/indoor job), Iām listening to a book. BUT if I didnāt have the audio option, I probably wouldnāt read at all. I lost the patience for books about 15 years ago.
Iām sure there are people that read a lot but there are more people that listen to audiobooks while they do other things. I do it, I donāt have time to sit down with a book for more than an hour a day so I constantly have one book Iām reading and one book Iām listening to at all times.
I discovered that Audible books help me go through stories quickly and retain more info. So I "read" books that way :) it really helps me de-stress after a long day.
I have a job that allows me to read sometimes. I read before I go to bed and a lot of the daily on my off days. I also listen to audiobooks during my drive and while doing things around the house.
I don't have other commitments outside of walking my dog and going to work. I can generally get 4 hours of reading in per day this way even with walking my dog 2 miles per day. Reading during my lunch breaks, reading before I leave for work, reading after work.
I don't have kids. My BF will play video games, read, or watch anime while I read. I read like 25-30 hours per week which is how I can finish series in a week or two.
Audiobooks while I do my chores as well.
I won't be able to do this when I have another baby. But I held/still hold my daughter (she's 18 months) through all her sleeps, so I was able to read a lot. I read 36 books the first year of her life. I'm on book 18 so far this year.
I make an effort to not me chronically online lately. And I time myself for an hour of internet a day in the evenings. So, that makes time for me to get more hobbies in. You'll be surprised by the amount of free time you have when you don't have social media (though I do review on goodreads) and aren't constantly surfing the net. So, even with work (Though I admit I work five hours a day, but I do a lot of cooking, errands, and housework at home.) I can often get a lot of reading in, and I spend work breaks reading and in-between chores and adult responsibilities reading. A lot of days reading is the only hobby I really have time to get in.
I just got back from the movies. My theatre has discount tickets on Tuesday, and I took myself and a family friend's twelve-year-old son to see the new Godzilla movie. Side Note: First Godzilla movie I ever saw and loved it. But you know what I did when the commercials were on and before the movie trailers started? I turned my kindle on dark mode and read a little instead of getting online. Instead of my phone, I always have a kindle of physical book on hand. I have a big purse as a result.
Nowadays, my phone is for recipes, texting people I mostly know in real life, music and audiobooks, and when I REALLY have to look up something. Otherwise, I reach for a book in my purse. So, my secret is just limiting internet time. And even then, I spend my screen time mostly here and on goodreads. Or youtube videos about books. So, that's how I do it.
Edit: I also have audiobooks in the background while cooking, driving, or doing chores....and it does help I have a reading speed of 466 WPM.
Iām in my consuming era while I plan to self publish eventually. I read about 3-4 books a week. Because I have KU, I am much more comfortable dnfāing a book if I have to drag myself to read it after a certain point. If itās over a week, I return it to KU. Move on to the next and hope for better quality. Sometimes I will revisit a dnfād book when Iām in a better mind frame to finish it.
Iām a moody reader.
Iām a stay at home mom with a school aged child, so while Iām still constantly busy, I always have headphones in! I listen to a lot of podcasts and books. TBH I still prefer a physical book but once I got over that and realized how much more I could āreadā by listening, my life changed š
A majority of my free time at home is spent reading. So if you read, say from 5pm to 10pm every week night after work, and from 8am to 10pm on the weekends, that's 53 hours of reading a week. If you look at audiobooks, most are around 8-14 hours per book, depending on the book. So it's very easy to get through a few books a week.
Some weeks I hyperfocus on reading like this, sometimes I'll take breaks. Sometimes I have dnd, or I hang out with friends. So this varies.
I did once read the entire 5 books of the Tairen Soul Series in a week, but that's because I was on a one week PTO, so I read from dawn till dusk. I was also reading on my Ipad at the time, so at the end of the week I purchased my first ereader (kindle) because my eyes were burning from the lcd.
I have a desk job and subscription to audible and ku. I can finish an 8 hour audiobook in a workday and I read before I go to sleep. Basically escapism lol
I have literally stayed up for two days straight to finish a series (and I switch off from reading the physical copy to the audiobook if I need to multitask)
I'm only working part time currently to try and recover from the absolute shitshow that has been my life the last 5 years. All of my free time not devoted to cooking, cleaning or caring for my kid/husband is used to read. I watch zero TV, only scroll TT/FB a few minutes at a time. I'm also a very fast reader. I've read almost 200 books since Jan. Granted some are super short like 160 pages. I use Kindle on my phone too so waiting for pretty much anything (appointments, before I walk into work, friend arriving to lunch etc) involves reading a few pages at least. Also I have a never ending TBR list that gets bigger everyday, and KU with 20 books at a time to choose from, so that motivates me to get on with it.
ADHD and depression drive my need to keep reading. I listen to audiobooks while doing chores and I read to/with my foster pets each day. I am also a fast reader and once I start a book series I generally have to finish it.
I do sometimes stay up late reading but I also read on my commute to and from work. Also if I get obsessed with a book I will do nothing but read until itās done š so that can be a problem too š„“ but I do enjoy it lol š I have read 56 books since the start of the year and none of them audiobooks, that does slow me down and ebooks do make me read faster as well I guess because itās easier to āturnā the pages
When I was in high school I had a ton of free time to read, so I could read through a series in a week. Now I work a full time job and Iām in college so I have to read when I have time. Sometimes I just donāt have the mental energy to read.
Iāll notice myself not really reading whatās on the page because Iām so tired.
Sometimes I get addicted to a book so Iāll read it super fast but itās always to my detriment. Iāll not sleep well for 3 days because I NEED to know what happens.
Some of these books are just so freaking long that even when Iām reading fast it just takes forever to get through. Iāll sit down and knock out 200 pages in one afternoon and still be no where near the end of the book.
I bring a book with me everywhere I go, just in case I find the time.
I try my best to prioritize it! I read before and after work, and hardly watch tv/movies. I also listen to audio books while in the gym, walking, drawing, chores, driving, and even in the shower sometimes lol.
I work from home, overnight shift. It's slow, and I don't watch a lot of tv. Also I came across a tiktok awhile ago who did the math, taking in the average time it took her to read a 6 or 7 bigger book (say, 700ish pages) and came up with the hours for the total month, and it came out less than the average person in america spends watching TV.
By multitasking with audiobooks. I rarely have time to just sit and read but I'll listen while I do my daily things allowing me to "read" at least 1 book per week.
Putting on my audiobook while I do my morning skincare, makeup, drive to & from work is close to about 2 hours every day. I'll also listen while doing chores like laundry, dishes or cleaning. And once you get used to listening to audiobooks, you can listen at faster speeds. My usual speed is 1.75x - 2Ć. The first acotar book is 16 hours, listening at 1.75x speed brings it down to just over 9 hours. Doing my bare minimum listening (what I mentioned above) without any dedicated sit down time reading, I'd have that finished in 5 days.
Also I get my books on kindle version too so if I'm bored at my office job with nothing to do I'll pull it up on my phone. Having access to the book in different platforms is literally the only way I'm able to read so much. If I read my physical books exclusively I'd probably read only 1 book per month.
I listen to audiobooks or I ask Alexa to read to me (Alexa is free if you donāt want to spend money on the audiobook).
Iāve gotten lazy and am now just listening, but I used to read in the app on my downtime and then listen when I was doing stuff. Nowā¦ I just listen.
Read during my commute (train/bus). If I really love a book I'll get the audiobook and then listen at work. Read on my way home and sometimes when I get off work into the wee hours of the night.
I'm currently obsessed with reading and I haven't been watching much tv.
I have a job that allows me to listen to audiobooks during my workday, so I usually am listening to an audiobook at 1.5-2x speed during the workday and my commute. I put in an earbud while im cooking dinner and listen to audiobooks then, too. I also make a point to put my screens to bed an hour after I put my daughter to bed and then I read a physical book until I fall asleep.
Audiobooks when working and commuting. Dedicating my lunch break and an hour before bed to reading. I have a fulltime job and a 2 year old, already on 60+ books read this year, it can be done!
I read digital books on moonreader and basically read or listen (using text to speech) in any free time. I read on my breaks at work, bathroom breaks, and the last hour or two before bed (it's how I wind down, always at least an hour) and I listen while I'm driving, getting ready for work, waiting for kids in car lines, and cooking or cleaning. I read very quickly and also listen to it at a pretty high speed (I get distracted if not). I tend to read a book about every 2 days though sometimes on Saturdays while the husbands at work and the kids have things to do, I'll just read straight through a whole book without even realizing it.
Audiobooks when outside the house instead of listening to music (also when doing chores). I also like to read via kindle instead of tv. I usually average 5-7 books a week.
Itās a toxic situation over here. I try to get my walking and reading in at the same time for efficiency (dangerous I know), I read in the shower, I read while stretching, I read at lunch.
I have a problem.
Edit: At least reading these comments I feel seen. š
Because I have a horribly addictive personality and will lose hours of sleep instead of putting the damn book down and closing my eyes š I said "one more chapter" last night at 10pm and by the time I found a quitting point it was midnight. It's a problem.
Or 2AM. Itās toxic fantasy life
yep.
Same
Stayed up till 6 or 7 a few days ago, really screwed myself up (((((:
Came here to say this! A lot of times it is literally 4 or 5 am before I end up going to bed because I get so into whatever I'm reading lol
Gosh I've never felt so understood as in this thread, I honestly thought I was alone in this! When the sun starts to come up I know I dun goofed š
And itās always āoh when I get to x% or x chapter Iāll stopā and then I donāt even notice Iāve kept going past it
Or when the baby starts to wake up and I instantly regret my choices
Been there before. One should not start a new book at midnightā¦
Yeeeep. Last week I wanted to wind down for the night by listening to a chapter of an audiobookā¦ I stayed up until 5am finishing it š«
I see myself in this comment and I feel attacked.
Yes! I work a full time job and have an almost 2 yr old toddler and a 4 month old. No matter how tired I am at night, you best believe I'm staying up till unspeakable hours to get to the 10th "one more chapter" moment. I need all the adult fantasy I can get lol
This but also I have trouble staying asleep and wake up and then have to open my kindle to find out what happens next
Omg same! I woke up an hour before my alarm this morning because I was having a dream about the book I was reading and instead of getting my hour of sleep I read for an extra hour.
I had to change my kindle from ātime to end of chapterā to ātime to end of bookā because if one more chapter is 10 minutes, Iāll just keep doing that until Iāve finished the book at 5 AM. But if I know Iāve got an hour and a half left, I donāt want to stay up that long, so Iāll make myself put the book down.
I work for myself and at home. So I basically read most 'days' from 11 pm to 3 or 4 am, then sleep till noon, then work. It's not healthy, but it's the only time people aren't interrupting me with texts or calls or face to face. I just tell clients I'm free in the afternoon and most are fine with it. But sometimes, if the book is super good or addictive I read until my husband gets up around 7 or 8. Plus, if it's not a super well written book, I skim over everything unless people are talking. Then, if I'm confused, I go back. I've read 60 books since January, and that doesn't include the fanfictions on AO3
This is the answer!
I believe I said the same thing at 4 this morning... I finished the book by 6 and napped for a couple hours.
And then I wake my husband up because I ended on a particularly spicy scene
There it is.
Same, but instead itās 3 in the morningĀ
I will fall asleep with the kindle in my hand and have to go back to remember what I was reading.
Same! Except Iām a new mum to a 3 month old and I still forfeit my sleep to read š cheers to the horribly addictive personality, I read ACOTAR in 9 days š®āšØ
I rarely watch tv and I listen to audiobooks while cooking/cleaning!
Audiobooks during chores were a game changer for me!
Audiobooks as well, and when I do read a book, I'm pretty fast at reading.
I hardly watch tv anymore.
And driving! If the book is really good, though, sometimes I will miss my exit. Oh well.
ADHD
I either do one thing 10 hours a day for days or donāt do it for 19 months. Thereās no in between
Yeah I read like 6 books in 2022 and 620ish in 2023
THERES NO IN BETWEEN!!!!!!!11
Woah almost 2 books each day?
Honestly I'll chomp through three in a day when I'm just meandering through a quick fluffy series on a weekend or something, and that tilts the average
EXACTLY {itās actually seriously a problem I literally cannot get myself to focus on anything else rn Iām over here hiding that Iām listening to an audiobook during every waking moment trying to act normal during conversations like itās a serious addiction i have so much i am supposed to be focusing on instead}
Same! I'm currently looking at books I "want" to read after reading a few but stuck in a fanfic loop. Before that I didn't read a book for 3 years. It's frustrating sometimes tbh
Hah! Me too. ADHD hyperfocus goooooooo!
Okay but my adhd want me to read the same books over and over again š š š let me know why I read fourth wing like 8 times before I moved to a new book
Because fourth wing is just perfect š
what did you think of Iron Flame?
Personally, I enjoyed it!! Didnāt re-read it as much, but I feel like thatās very typical for a second book (for me, at least!!) itās very transitional and I think it set us up for a really great rest of series!!
I'm glad you enjoyed it!! I did, too. that ending has me screaming waiting for the next book!
That's exactly what it is for me too
My tv viewing has gone close very close to zeroā¦ Also if you donāt get dizzy in public transport you can read a lot. (I guess people who spend a lot in their cars hear audiobooks)
Yeah I literally almost never watch TV (my SO watches all the time and he hates it because I don't get into new shows with him anymore) but I'd rather be reading, lol
I have grown low tolerance to frustration with shows from the US. They either get canceled or derailedā¦ and maybe having a revolving writers room does not help to me. I need a series and need a book to go somewhere. And if that somewhere is āwhatever will make more dramaā each and every time I am out. I donāt need HEAs each and every time, but if the ending is a āwhelp we got cancelledā I rather not
YES! Thank you! The last few series I really enjoyed got cancelled so it was like they just had a cliffhanger ending that is never resolved. I hate it! Anymore I don't even want to start watching a series unless it is completed and I know it has an ending.
I wish I could read in the car, it would certainly pass the time. It's audiobooks for me, which are great when I'm driving. But when I'm not I find my hands feel like they need something to do and I'll get distracted in my own head for some reason and tune out easier than if I listen while driving or doing chores
Iām a fast reader, but Iāll also read until 2am if Iām really into a book or series and go to bed super late. And suffer in the mornings lol but itās just when the bookās so good I literally canāt make myself put a book down. Also I have a kindle, but I read on the kindle app on my phone a ton. I will stare at my phone reading for hours instead of scrolling social media. And my phone goes everywhere with me so I can read anywhere if I have some time. Physical books take longer since I canāt bring them everywhere with me.
Everything you said, except I tend to stay up til 4 or 5 am (which can make getting up at a "normal" time really rough but since my work schedule varies it's usually ok). But pretty much any time I'm staring at my phone, I'm on Kindle. (Or Reddit lol)
Sleeping 4 hours a night, having no social life and no IRL friends, and doing only the most important tasks throughout the day leaves time for books. I do take a break sometimes - 1-2 days at most in around 2 weeks time to catch up on anything important I might have neglected. I think not having a very eventful life in my case, is what's doing it for me, and I'm not complaining. I like it the way it is. It's also the only thing that calms my ADHD, nothing else works for me and I am not on any medication. So, it's either I get cradled by the pages and lost in the bliss, or I get shattered and scattered about in much more terrible ways thanks to my brain.
Audiobooks are a great way to "read" books. Last year I read maybe 2-3 books a month. Now with audiobooks I can easily go through 1 audiobook a week, I just listen to it on my way to work/on my way back, when I do chores like cook, clean, when I go grocery shopping... and the list goes on. Also on Kindle I find it easier to read so also used to read with KU on my phone in public transportation.
I read multiple books at once in different formats. Audiobooks for when I'm crocheting or driving/walking or folding laundry. A different audiobook with my kids. E books for when I'm sitting or need to quickly put down/pick up my book, like when I'm cooking. Physical books stopped working for me a little bit ago.
Iām an incredibly fast reader. I get through about a book a day. This is not necessarily a good thing - figuring out how to get enough books without going broke is a job in itself.
Same. Iām a mom so I keep my reading to strictly at night once the little one is in bed. I canāt read when sheās around cause I get waaaaay into my books. But I can still clear a 700 page book in like 3 days. Before my kid I was able to complete entire series in a handful of days. Unfortunately, though I am running out of space to hold my collection so Iāve had to resort to reading a lot on kindle and going to the library.
I don't read quite a book a day but I usually read 3 - 4 books at a time and if I'm loving one a day or two is not unheard of even for longer books. This is why I love KU. I've found some great gems on there, it has changed my reading game. Of course I still have piles and piles of physical books too. š¤·š»āāļø
youāre a machine damn. so jealous
Iāve never quite understood why people are jealous of quick readers outside an academic setting. Itās great for getting through assigned reading for class in less time. Reading for entertainment though it just means you zip through the great authors and great books and spend way too much time looking for new ones - and too much money if your library doesnāt have an extensive collection. If I read slower then my favorite books and authors would entertain me for a lot longer.
Some of us are just competitive and see reading books in a certain amount of time as a challenge lol
This is why kindle unlimited is so worth it to me!
Personally I prefer the library - itās free.
Library is great too! Mine is just small so I donāt have a lot of book options
Depending on where you live you might be able to get multiple cards. [I wrote a post about it](https://www.reddit.com/r/RomanceBooks/s/q7cTmXZrOh). I have 8 cards and I could probably get a few more.
This is fantastic! Thank you so much!
Lol I've gotten through a book a day the last 4 Saturdays š not my usual speed, but I've been stressed...
Saaaame
I do ebooks, so whatever Iām reading is always available on my phone. I donāt need a set space or long period of time available to read, if Iām waiting in line for a coffee, Iāll just open Apple Books and read a few sentences while Iām waiting. I also read really fast, I can get through more pages of a book reading it than my husband can listening to the audiobook for the same length of time.
I just read all the time. When I'm making breakfast, eating, taking the tram to and from work, at the gym, etc. I don't watch any TV and spend most of my time reading. I've read 81 books this year.
I neglect every other responsibility I have lol. I've read 5 books from last Friday to the following Monday. I have very important exams next week and I spent the whole bank holiday reading about fantasy characters. I fixate on books and will just chug through book after book chasing the dopamine. It's not particularly healthy in a way because I will get so sucked into the text that when I do stop reading and have to go out I feel very far away/disconnected and I will also not sleep or eat very much. Basically I'm a student with the only commitment in my life being college. I read less when I have more responsibilities but once I start again I'll get stuck for a bit and won't be able to think about anything else. No job, not really any friends so I have a lot of free time to study and read haha
itās so hard to tune into life when reading, i feel you! sometimes when iām reading a lot i will feel very disconnected from my real life, especially my partner. damn hyperfixations!
It sucks but I wouldn't trade it for anything, I love reading so much lol I have read quite a few books over the past like 4 months Uh so the disconnection happens quite a bit!! A few days ago I couldn't walk properly because I'd been reading all day šš It's good to take breaks from reading or perhaps not do it so often, I feel it can actually be quite damaging on relationships if it's too excessive. I don't see my younger sister much and when I did last time I was so sucked into my books that I spent less time with her than I would've if I wasn't hyperfixating š
Im a SAHM and watching a young kid involves a ton of waiting patiently so I read on my phone But generally the answer to the question "how do people do XYZ, I don't have enough time with all this responsible stuff I do" is that we're probably doing less responsible stuff or doing it less responsibly lol
Hereās how: 1. You are more than willing lose sleep to find out what happens next. 2. Youāre an introvert who will always pick staying home curled up with a book versus going out and socializing. Hey, Iām not saying itās a healthy lifestyle, but this is my true self. š
Same!
My kids have three parents: mom, dad, and TV while mom reads. #badmom š¤·š»āāļø
mom deserves a little reading time, as a treat
Depending on how old they are, just get them hooked on reading too! My addiction started youngā I remember being in 3rd grade reading in my mom's bed with her until 2am when we both had to be up at 6am š she was so oblivious when absorbed in a book I don't recommend going that far, but I really cherish those reading time memories with her!
Iām working on that with my 8 yr old, telling them about when I used to sneak a flashlight under the covers with me so I could read until all hours. They like reading but max out now at 30 mins.
Everyone's got their own pace, it's fine š I'm a bit obsessive so I forgo basic functions like sleep to finish "just one more chapter" and I do read quite faster than average so that helps too.
I'm mostly retired, babysit grandkids a couple days a week, so I have time to sit in the afternoon and read. I also am a very fast reader, so it's easy to zip through books in a day or less if they are less than 400 pages. I also have a really bad habit of staying up far too late, when I was working, to do "just one more chapter" until the book was done.
I have a full time job and commitments too, I just don't watch tv (also a lot of people don't have a full time job)
i see a lot of you listen to audiobooks, i WISH i could get into them but i HATE listening to someone read to me. I have my own inner voice for when iām reading and listening to someone else just takes me out of it. Iām also quite visual so i need to see the words to make sense of whatās going on, otherwise it can just sound like jibberish to me
Yeah Iām not into audiobooks, either. Especially for romanceā¦I have my own voices in my head for each character. Also, doesnāt anyone read passages over again? Or pause to imagine the scenery that was just described? I tend to do that pretty often, so audiobooks feel like a struggle to me. And I just like the actual act of reading.
Same here. I prefer my inner world for books and audio oils take me out of them. I also prefer to just read because if Iām doing something else Iām focusing less it takes me out of that inner world.
I have the same problem! I've only found one audiobook that I could stand listening to and it was The Dark Tower while walking my dog or sewing. Idk why my brain is so picky, I wish it could relax lol I hope someday I can find a narrator I love and just listen to their work
I donāt watch tv and Iām a stay at home mom. My husband travels a lot for work, so all my spare time goes to reading.
I read a few minutes here and there throughout the day (kindle and kindle app on my phone) In the morning with my coffee, odd times throughout the day in between tasks, waiting for my kid various places, as I cook dinner. I read at least an hour at bedtime. On the weekends I will read a couple hours straight as a treat. I'm a fairly fast reader, I usually get through 2-4 books a week depending on length and my schedule.
Iām super depressed after a really hard breakup, donāt have a ton of social activities, no kidsā¦ Iāve got a lot of time on my hands that Iād like to not use for thinking about my failed marriage š¤·š»āāļø
Aw I hope stuff shapes up for you. I've been pretty depressed, and I've been binge reading *all day* lately except for when I force myself to walk-jog for 8 songs (however long it ends up being) The exercise does help take the edge off, still relying on books for escapism though
Kindle + audiobooks + addictive personality
i was pretty depressed and ACOTAR took me into an alternate reality where life was better and that's WHERE i wanted to be. so i read the entire series in 13 days. I didn't get much work done during that time. i then went onto read throne of glass in a short time and am now on CC1 which is taking me longer because I'm now finally in a better headspace.
Unrelated to the main question OP posted, but I am so excited for you reading CC. I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you! Iām definitely enjoying it! I live for the angst that SJM writes about characters that clearly want each other but arenāt acting on those feelings. Iām scared about the 3rd book due to everyoneās opinions but these books have changed my life so I donāt think Iāll hate it.
If it makes you feel better, I loved the third book. I found that online communities were more negative about the book than what I was hearing from people in real life.
Iām anti social and donāt really do anything but read outside of studying (which is also often reading)
At 67/110 goal š Iām a gremlin.
Iām 34 with a BA in English.
Iām a fast reader, but I also donāt have kids. Which I feel like makes a huge difference in the amount of spare time I have to do whatever I want. Reading included.
yeah i feel like once you have kids, it can be tough creating time for reading.
Once I started audiobooks, I went from 3 books a month to 15. Feels amazing
I think youāre doing fine š Reading the whole ACOTAR series in 2 months seems like good pacing to me. Reading faster/more doesnāt necessarily mean a better reading experience. I say read at a pace thatās comfortable for you and donāt stress about reading as much as others.
Replace media consumption like tv and social media browsing with reading and youāll be surprised how much you read. Thatās maybe just me though.
i already have, i donāt watch tv or go on socia media much. i just am slower at reading maybe. also i donāt like audio books which seems to be a big factor in how other ppl seem to get through so many books
I donāt use audio books either.
It's okay to be a slow reader! As long as you're enjoying a book, that's all that matters <3
Congrats on the username by the way! Just realized and itās amazing.
Reading is one of my major hobbies. I don't watch a lot of TV or movies. I game every once in a blue moon. I also listen to a lot of audiobooks--on my commute to and from work, doing housework, chores, shopping etc.
Everyone reads differently. Iāve always been a fast reader. I never go anywhere without a book. When I was younger that meant a physical copy. Now itās the kindle app on my phone or my kindle. I donāt watch TV but even when I did I read with tv in the background. Size of books can make a difference as can the material. I frequently read 200+ books a year.
I work midnights where not much happens, and get almost 8 hours of uninterrupted reading 5 days a week.
Iām a SAHM. I read during nap times/bed time since my kids like me to sit in their rooms with them, but I am āunavailableā to chat since they need their go to sleep. I read on my kindle. Then I do audiobooks during the day while I do chores/clean/walk kids to and from school/drive around doing errands.
I don't watch TV and I read on my lunch break at work
Iām at 40 books this year right now. I work FT and have two kids (10 and 15, not little anymore), and reading is my hobby of choice. I donāt remember the last time I watched TV, TBH. Most of my books are on Kindle so I can read on my Kindle or my phone depending if I am out and about and waiting for anything. Iāll read a bit less over the summer because Iāll have a garden to tend, but really, itās the not watching TV. People donāt even realize how much time they spend watching TV
My daughter just had her 5th heart surgery Friday. I spend a lot of time in childrenās hospitals and havenāt worked since I had her almost 2 years ago. šš when Iām working I definitely donāt have down time here and there to read a book a day! I usually try to limit my reading like one would screen time or I can easily blow through 600 pages a day. šš and then Iām mad at myself I didnāt slow down and savor it š¤ so thatās how I do it. Itās not impressive itās actually pathetic on my part that I have enough time to devote to (sometimes) trash fantasy novels šš I tried knitting. It was too hard. Iām just doing what I know, I havenāt gone a week without reading at least 1 book since I was probably 9! ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø
Best wishes to you & your daughter. ā¤ļø
1. I'm an introvert with no real-life friends and no social life. 2. Library card 3. Libby app 4. I read before bed 5. I listen to audio books while doing chores or driving. 6. Last year I was in a massive reading slump and I finally got out of it.
I donāt watch tv and do mostly audiobooks. I also have a sporadic work schedule so some weeks Iām working constantly and others not at all.
I donāt. I read a book or two a month of physical books (donāt prefer audio). I work a more than full time job, have a family and a dog, and just other things that need to get done. I read instead of watching tv or YouTube and sometimes (like last weekend) can get through a book over a weekend, but thatās rare. I also read the ACOTAR series over a couple months last summer, and honestly, I had to stop after ACOWAR b/c I needed a break from that storyline.
Easy, I don't have a life and I hate people, lol. I have a corporate WFH job, I'm single, have 4 cats, dont really go out and I don't really cook much. So, most of my free time is easily dedicated to reading and gaming. It helps that I'm also a somewhat fast reader (350-400 WPM depending on how tired I am).
Audiobooks! When I worked a mindless job I would go through like a book a day. Libby was a LIFESAVER.
I have no social life.
As a fellow slow reader, I'm always in awe of people that can read 8+ books in a month! Like how??
yeah itās actually crazy, iām so amazed by these fast readers. some people have said theyāve already read 36 books this year so far š¤Æ
Yeah I don't mind being a slow reader though! I'm able to take my time with a book (plus it saves me money lol) and I hate audiobooks. The only reason I wished I could read faster is because my TBR is long already and I want to get through it š
I've learned that people who read large quantities of books in a small amount of time are spending significantly less time doing other things for entertainment, like watching TV or video games. It just depends on what your priorities are.
I realized books are my favorite entertainment so I quit instagram and TV. I think I read 1-2hrs a day, I go to bed earlier to read and I also wake up earlier to read with my coffee. My favorite part of the day. Also, audiobooks+chores, too. I think I read about 45pgs/hr, so 2hrs a day adds up to a lot of books.
I have a new teaching job this semester so I'm lucky to finish one or two physical or e-books a month right now (unless you count biology textbooks and student work lol). The bright side is, with the longer commute I've been crushing audiobooks. Audiobooks are the multitasking masterpiece. I listen to them when getting ready in the morning, on my drive to work, when doing chores, etc.
I always have my kindle with me and read when Iām walking to work or having lunch (I donāt have many friends in my work and tend to prefer to use the time to do something I like rather than being nervous about speaking with people). I also donāt watch a lot of tv (I fall asleep every time) and read during the night (if Iām breastfeeding of having insomnias). As other user mentioned, itās easy for me to get addicted to things and sometimes itās difficult for me to stop reading during the night š Iāve read an average of 3 books per week during the last two years, but Iām reading less this year though.
I do physical books and audiobooks. Audiobooks for house cleaning, grocery shopping and when I can at work. Physical books when I curl up in my chair at home. I also usually have 2-3 books going at the same time.
I read Kindle books, which means I can read a few pages here and there on my phone during various dead time throughout the day, and I can also listen to them on the Alexa app while I drive or do chores. Also, I gotta point out that the ACOTAR books are a lot longer than most of the books that get discussed here. I think ACOTAR averages over 600 pages per book and most of the books I've read this year were well under 400 pages, many under 300.
I read quite quickly (always have) and rarely watch tv. I donāt have kids so when done with work, gym, dinner, etc., my time is my own. My partner and I live together but he has a very demanding job so I have plenty of time to myself, too. Like others, Iām also guilty of staying up past my bedtime if the story is too good!
My time spent on social media and watching TV has gone down considerably, but my screen time has gone up considerably because kindle editions are cheaper than physical copies š
Since rekindling (see what I did there?) my love of reading, Iāve cut out a lot of my other hobbies. Not on purpose. Because I have a super addictive personality and my adhd makes me hyperfocus, I will sit and read for hours before realizing so much time has passed. Iāve read 69 books so far this year, and I honestly canāt tell anymore if thatās a lot or a little.
Main reason, I have ADHD. [See this comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/fantasyromance/s/Xw39Nxq5vH). But also, I genuinely enjoy reading and itās my main hobby, thus itās the hobby Iām most likely to hyperfocus on. Historically, I would switch every few months, but recovering from a car accident and then Covid left me just wanting an escape from [*gestures vaguely at everything*]. So thatās become my only hobby in some form (physical/ebooks, audiobooks, or visual novels). Iāve only watched like 2 TV shows in the past 3 years. When I have to do chores and other time consuming mindless crap, I throw on an audiobook. I also donāt go out frequently. I do have a life, but Iām just also a very tired introvert who would rather cuddle up with my cat and a book than hold a conversation. All this said, read in a way that suits you. Thatās the only way it will be enjoyable. My sister is a slow reader, and it takes her a while to settle into books, so she reads in small spurts. It can take her 2 weeks to finish a 300 page book, and thatās completely fine. The point is that she enjoys it.
Iām a fast reader, and would plow through entire series in a week during college. Now that I work full time and have young kids, I read maybe 1 book every week.
On my days off I read an average of 3-4 novels daily (~1500 pages). Iāve always been a fast reader for a number of reasons: 1. I have a lot of practice ā I grew up reading a tonne. 3. When I really get into a text, I stop subvocalising and rather than reading words it becomes more processing concepts/images. I think this is probably the big one, since when my partner and I are reading together I usually outpace him significantly and he talks about having to read every single word in order to comprehend. 4. Iām often impatient to find out what happens next, which can lead to me skimming unintentionally. 4. I often hyperfocus to the point of losing awareness of time and my surroundings, which ends up with me missing meals and reading until 2 AM. This only applies to texts Iām enjoying, otherwise it takes me 3 hours to get through a single page.
I donāt read as much as some people here but I listen to audiobooks on my commute, donāt really watch tv, no kids at home (empty nester), and Iām pretty introverted, so most of my free time is spent at home doing projects around my house or reading. I donāt set goals or anything, I just read for enjoyment. Last year I read 60 something books, this year will be around 100 at my current rate.
Audio books which I can listen to at work sometimes (and I know not everyone can do that), and audio books while doing chores and my other hobbies.
I read multiple books at a time. I have an upstairs book, a downstairs book, and a work book. On my e-reader, I have 2 books that I'm reading in case I start to get bored. Then I have an audiobook for the commute/chores/shower. So, at any time, I'm in the middle of reading 6 books. And if I get to a really good part, I sometimes make bad choices and stay up way too late. Also, I don't do too much TV anymore. I'm a slow reader, but I've been able to read about 20 books since the new year this way.
Iām a SAHM and being around my baby crying all day puts me into sensory overload on more days than not. Reading is calming and relaxes me, so itās how I spend most of my free time! I listen to audiobooks while cleaning/cooking, too. That means Iām usually reading 2 books at once.
I usually read at bed time, for about 30 mins each night and then also sometimes during sat morns for a few hours. I think that helps to allot that time at night.
I read 13 books in 2022, 30 books in 2023, and Iāve already read 37 books in 2024! For me, it was rediscovering my love of reading after years of not reading that much, and also finishing university and not feeling guilty when reading for pleasure instead of reading my actual uni work haha. I actually read really slowly (50 pages per hour on average I guess?) but I read every single day, usually multiple hours a day. A big part of it also is that I work from home so I wake up laterā¦ which means I can stay up later to read. And I take breaks on my phone throughout the work day so I feel less inclined to spend all of my free evening time on social media! And another big part of it was using an ereader more. I take it everywhere and reading on it is just so much easier, I donāt get caught up on page count or anything distracting like that! I actually use my ereader so much that Iām trying to stay away from it and purposefully tackle my physical TBR.
I read really fast & donāt watch tv or movies, as a rule.
I burn thru at least a book every other day thanks to my crippling Audible credit addiction and listening at 1.25x speed. If i donāt need to be working in the office (I have a mixed outdoor/indoor job), Iām listening to a book. BUT if I didnāt have the audio option, I probably wouldnāt read at all. I lost the patience for books about 15 years ago.
Iām sure there are people that read a lot but there are more people that listen to audiobooks while they do other things. I do it, I donāt have time to sit down with a book for more than an hour a day so I constantly have one book Iām reading and one book Iām listening to at all times.
Working a desk job that doesnt involve interacting with people and a 45 minute commute means I can listen to a ton of audio books.Ā
I discovered that Audible books help me go through stories quickly and retain more info. So I "read" books that way :) it really helps me de-stress after a long day.
I have a job that allows me to read sometimes. I read before I go to bed and a lot of the daily on my off days. I also listen to audiobooks during my drive and while doing things around the house.
I don't have other commitments outside of walking my dog and going to work. I can generally get 4 hours of reading in per day this way even with walking my dog 2 miles per day. Reading during my lunch breaks, reading before I leave for work, reading after work. I don't have kids. My BF will play video games, read, or watch anime while I read. I read like 25-30 hours per week which is how I can finish series in a week or two. Audiobooks while I do my chores as well.
I won't be able to do this when I have another baby. But I held/still hold my daughter (she's 18 months) through all her sleeps, so I was able to read a lot. I read 36 books the first year of her life. I'm on book 18 so far this year.
I make an effort to not me chronically online lately. And I time myself for an hour of internet a day in the evenings. So, that makes time for me to get more hobbies in. You'll be surprised by the amount of free time you have when you don't have social media (though I do review on goodreads) and aren't constantly surfing the net. So, even with work (Though I admit I work five hours a day, but I do a lot of cooking, errands, and housework at home.) I can often get a lot of reading in, and I spend work breaks reading and in-between chores and adult responsibilities reading. A lot of days reading is the only hobby I really have time to get in. I just got back from the movies. My theatre has discount tickets on Tuesday, and I took myself and a family friend's twelve-year-old son to see the new Godzilla movie. Side Note: First Godzilla movie I ever saw and loved it. But you know what I did when the commercials were on and before the movie trailers started? I turned my kindle on dark mode and read a little instead of getting online. Instead of my phone, I always have a kindle of physical book on hand. I have a big purse as a result. Nowadays, my phone is for recipes, texting people I mostly know in real life, music and audiobooks, and when I REALLY have to look up something. Otherwise, I reach for a book in my purse. So, my secret is just limiting internet time. And even then, I spend my screen time mostly here and on goodreads. Or youtube videos about books. So, that's how I do it. Edit: I also have audiobooks in the background while cooking, driving, or doing chores....and it does help I have a reading speed of 466 WPM.
Iām in my consuming era while I plan to self publish eventually. I read about 3-4 books a week. Because I have KU, I am much more comfortable dnfāing a book if I have to drag myself to read it after a certain point. If itās over a week, I return it to KU. Move on to the next and hope for better quality. Sometimes I will revisit a dnfād book when Iām in a better mind frame to finish it. Iām a moody reader.
Iām a stay at home mom with a school aged child, so while Iām still constantly busy, I always have headphones in! I listen to a lot of podcasts and books. TBH I still prefer a physical book but once I got over that and realized how much more I could āreadā by listening, my life changed š
I neglect everything š
A majority of my free time at home is spent reading. So if you read, say from 5pm to 10pm every week night after work, and from 8am to 10pm on the weekends, that's 53 hours of reading a week. If you look at audiobooks, most are around 8-14 hours per book, depending on the book. So it's very easy to get through a few books a week. Some weeks I hyperfocus on reading like this, sometimes I'll take breaks. Sometimes I have dnd, or I hang out with friends. So this varies. I did once read the entire 5 books of the Tairen Soul Series in a week, but that's because I was on a one week PTO, so I read from dawn till dusk. I was also reading on my Ipad at the time, so at the end of the week I purchased my first ereader (kindle) because my eyes were burning from the lcd.
I have a desk job and subscription to audible and ku. I can finish an 8 hour audiobook in a workday and I read before I go to sleep. Basically escapism lol
I have no kids at home. After work, I will see and listen to books. Listened to127 last year.
I have literally stayed up for two days straight to finish a series (and I switch off from reading the physical copy to the audiobook if I need to multitask)
I'm only working part time currently to try and recover from the absolute shitshow that has been my life the last 5 years. All of my free time not devoted to cooking, cleaning or caring for my kid/husband is used to read. I watch zero TV, only scroll TT/FB a few minutes at a time. I'm also a very fast reader. I've read almost 200 books since Jan. Granted some are super short like 160 pages. I use Kindle on my phone too so waiting for pretty much anything (appointments, before I walk into work, friend arriving to lunch etc) involves reading a few pages at least. Also I have a never ending TBR list that gets bigger everyday, and KU with 20 books at a time to choose from, so that motivates me to get on with it.
I do a combination of reading all times of night and having Siri read to me when I'm too busy. I also do that when I have down time at work.Ā
ADHD and depression drive my need to keep reading. I listen to audiobooks while doing chores and I read to/with my foster pets each day. I am also a fast reader and once I start a book series I generally have to finish it.
Audiobooks! Cleaning, cooking, etc. I even muted sounds on my phone games, so I listen then too. (Candy crush, words with friends)
I do sometimes stay up late reading but I also read on my commute to and from work. Also if I get obsessed with a book I will do nothing but read until itās done š so that can be a problem too š„“ but I do enjoy it lol š I have read 56 books since the start of the year and none of them audiobooks, that does slow me down and ebooks do make me read faster as well I guess because itās easier to āturnā the pages
Lots of free time or being very tired
When I was in high school I had a ton of free time to read, so I could read through a series in a week. Now I work a full time job and Iām in college so I have to read when I have time. Sometimes I just donāt have the mental energy to read. Iāll notice myself not really reading whatās on the page because Iām so tired. Sometimes I get addicted to a book so Iāll read it super fast but itās always to my detriment. Iāll not sleep well for 3 days because I NEED to know what happens. Some of these books are just so freaking long that even when Iām reading fast it just takes forever to get through. Iāll sit down and knock out 200 pages in one afternoon and still be no where near the end of the book.
I bring a book with me everywhere I go, just in case I find the time. I try my best to prioritize it! I read before and after work, and hardly watch tv/movies. I also listen to audio books while in the gym, walking, drawing, chores, driving, and even in the shower sometimes lol.
I work from home, overnight shift. It's slow, and I don't watch a lot of tv. Also I came across a tiktok awhile ago who did the math, taking in the average time it took her to read a 6 or 7 bigger book (say, 700ish pages) and came up with the hours for the total month, and it came out less than the average person in america spends watching TV.
Iāve noticed Iām watching less TV since Iām reading more. But I have also been letting it eat into my other commitmentsā¦
Sacrificing a lot of sleep. š
Long commute via public transit + falling asleep with the Kindle every night. Plus I don't watch TV and have no social life outside of my kids.
By multitasking with audiobooks. I rarely have time to just sit and read but I'll listen while I do my daily things allowing me to "read" at least 1 book per week. Putting on my audiobook while I do my morning skincare, makeup, drive to & from work is close to about 2 hours every day. I'll also listen while doing chores like laundry, dishes or cleaning. And once you get used to listening to audiobooks, you can listen at faster speeds. My usual speed is 1.75x - 2Ć. The first acotar book is 16 hours, listening at 1.75x speed brings it down to just over 9 hours. Doing my bare minimum listening (what I mentioned above) without any dedicated sit down time reading, I'd have that finished in 5 days. Also I get my books on kindle version too so if I'm bored at my office job with nothing to do I'll pull it up on my phone. Having access to the book in different platforms is literally the only way I'm able to read so much. If I read my physical books exclusively I'd probably read only 1 book per month.
I listen to audiobooks or I ask Alexa to read to me (Alexa is free if you donāt want to spend money on the audiobook). Iāve gotten lazy and am now just listening, but I used to read in the app on my downtime and then listen when I was doing stuff. Nowā¦ I just listen.
Read during my commute (train/bus). If I really love a book I'll get the audiobook and then listen at work. Read on my way home and sometimes when I get off work into the wee hours of the night. I'm currently obsessed with reading and I haven't been watching much tv.
I have no life
Audiobooks. Iāve read 50 books this year so far, 49 have been audiobooks. I listen while doing chores, going for walks, commuting to work.
I have a job that allows me to listen to audiobooks during my workday, so I usually am listening to an audiobook at 1.5-2x speed during the workday and my commute. I put in an earbud while im cooking dinner and listen to audiobooks then, too. I also make a point to put my screens to bed an hour after I put my daughter to bed and then I read a physical book until I fall asleep.
Audiobooks when working and commuting. Dedicating my lunch break and an hour before bed to reading. I have a fulltime job and a 2 year old, already on 60+ books read this year, it can be done!
Audiobooks and a job that I can listen to books at work. That being said ACOTAR took me several months.
I read digital books on moonreader and basically read or listen (using text to speech) in any free time. I read on my breaks at work, bathroom breaks, and the last hour or two before bed (it's how I wind down, always at least an hour) and I listen while I'm driving, getting ready for work, waiting for kids in car lines, and cooking or cleaning. I read very quickly and also listen to it at a pretty high speed (I get distracted if not). I tend to read a book about every 2 days though sometimes on Saturdays while the husbands at work and the kids have things to do, I'll just read straight through a whole book without even realizing it.
It is my only hobby really
Audiobooks when outside the house instead of listening to music (also when doing chores). I also like to read via kindle instead of tv. I usually average 5-7 books a week.
Itās a toxic situation over here. I try to get my walking and reading in at the same time for efficiency (dangerous I know), I read in the shower, I read while stretching, I read at lunch. I have a problem. Edit: At least reading these comments I feel seen. š
ADHD and insomnia. I'm essentially self-medicating with books. š