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