What I have learned about myself as a reader? Part I

I seriously can't recall writing a reflection post.  Interviews - check.  Book reviews - plenty. Posts about book releases - yep.  Guest posts where others reflect - most definitely.  But don't think I have written a reflection piece here on my blog.  You may be wondering why (or maybe not which is okay too)?  Basically, they take a really long time to write and I never feel like I have anything I want to say in such a public forum.  However, recently, I have been pondering about myself as a reader. And this is what I have learned...

* I am really influenced by characters more than plot.  If I like a character or the characters in the book, I can live with plot holes.  

* The converse is true.  If I don't like the characters, the writing could be great or the plot brilliant but I won't like the book.

* If I have to read something, I probably don't want to read it any more.

* If I think I am going to like something, I can't start it unless I have enough hours to read it from start to finish. I have trouble stopping after just a few chapters.  I actually cleared my schedule when books like Harry Potter 5, 6, and 7 came out.  Same when Mockingjay was released.

* Additionally, if I can walk away from a book and not pick it up for days or weeks, it likely isn't connecting with me. It doesn't mean that I won't finish it, just that I haven't connected with it.

* Sometimes, I have to be in just the right mood to read a book.  I purchased The Hunger Games when it was first released, but it took me three months before I could convince myself to read it.  And it took me nearly a year before I was able to read City of Fallen Angels which I also purchased when it was released. I knew that I was going to read the books, but I just needed to be in the right space. 

* I really like short chapters.  Two books can have the same size font and number of pages, but the book with shorter chapters will seem like it flies by.

* Yes, I have been known to flip to the end of the book to find out the ending.  Once I have done that I can go back and finish the book without feeling panicked.  

* And even if I know how the book will end, there are times when I know that the character will have to go through something hard and I will have to stop reading until I can emotionally face it with them. 

* I can easily read a stack of picture books or graphic novels in one sitting.  However, once I finish a full length novel, I can't typically pick up another novel for a day or two.   And if I really liked the character and world, then it might take weeks before I can really move onto another book unless it is part of a series.  When I read The Time Traveler's Wife, it took me six months before I could read another novel.  I just kept reading The Time Traveler's Wife over and over again.

* As a child, my family didn't always understand my connections to a book.  I found it hard to admit the feelings I had for a book, especially one that I loved.  Even now as an adult, I still hate admitting to how much I love a book unless I know the other person loves the book or that the other person understands how connected you can become to a book.

* Though I don't need a happily ever after ending, I do appreciate one that fits. 

* Finally, though I enjoy the familiarity and comfort associated with a series, authors, please don't go beyond 3 books.  I hate watching characters I love fall prey to more and more conflict and challenges as the series progresses.  

In the comments section, I would love to know what you have learned about yourself as a reader.