i read 150 books in 2023 and 103 books in 2024. i could’ve read even more last year but i forced myself to take a break from reading for multiple days last year. point is, everyone has a different reading pace, types of books they gravitate towards, and reason why they read.
for example, i am a fast reader. i like shorter books because they give me the opportunity to try out different types of genres in the shortest amount of time. like, id rather read 2 shorter sci fi books and 1 romance book that all come out to 500 pages total, than read ONE sci fi book that is 500 pages. it’s not approachable to me, and i would get bored. i can count on one hand how many big books i actually enjoyed.
the whole reason why i read is exploration. i can’t stand huge books that are only one type of genre. every once in a while i will read something that’s 400 pages but usually i get bored with them.
also, reading is my primary hobby. if i’m on my phone, 9/10 i’m reading on my kindle app. or i’ll listen to an audiobook. do i retain every single book that i read? no. reading is just entertainment to me, just like movies are to someone else. i don’t see why reading has to be treated as something special. i never see anyone psychologically analyzing a movie enthusiast’s habits. no one ever quizzes people who scroll on social media, etc. why do fast readers always get questioned?
i’m sure there are people who lie about the number of books they read, or skim, etc. but those liars shouldn’t make everyone think that those who genuinely read 100+ books are automatically lying. there is a lot that goes into reading.
i’ve figured out that convenience is king. i read on my kindle, my kindle app on my phone, audiobooks, etc. i have access to multiple libraries, i collect books.
i guess im just tired of people assuming the worst. fast readers, you’re not better than everyone. slow readers, you’re not better than everyone either. my god. reading is literally a HOBBY!! it’s not that serious. if you don’t like romance, don’t read it then. if you think people who only read classics are “snobs” (they’re not), then don’t read classics 🤯
as a 20-something old woman who reads all kinds of books (classics, literary fiction, romance, translated fiction, sci fi, etc), i’m so sick and tired of people assuming the worst and gatekeeping a hobby that they literally didn’t contribute to! please touch grass.
anyways, rant over.
by trailofglitter_