Before I post my first review, I wanted to talk about how I consume books and bookish content. I have been reading as a form of entertainment for as long as I can remember. I was that kid that was at the library at every opportunity and was always acquiring new books to add to my collection. As long as it had a cover I liked or an interesting synopsis, I was willing to read it. My favorite was when I could get a box of books at a yard sale, which would take me on an adventure in new genres and literary styles. However, I didn’t want to risk lessening my love of reading, so I didn’t pursue a background in literature. Reading is something that I cherish, and I didn’t want to risk burning out on it as a hobby.
In my younger years, I would read without thinking about the quality of the writing or storytelling. That has definitely changed over time. These days I can be pulled out of a story by choppy sentences or poorly written characters. If something is repeated over and over, there’s a good chance it will annoy me. My expectations have evolved over time, and I’m sure that things I loved in my younger days would not be enjoyable now.
All of that said, I do adjust my expectations to fit the book as much as I can. If it’s a first time time, author, I’m more forgiving of unnecessary length or clumsy writing. Some books I pick up knowing it’s going to be lesser quality, but it should still be a fun read. It’s really about what I’m looking for when I pick up that book, and there are times that I’ll put it down until later when it’s more in line with what I’m hoping to read.
These days I read with a notebook or stylus at hand, and take notes as I read. Interesting points, bad writing, poor character development, general thoughts, whatever comes to mind as I’m reading. I don’t try to look for every error or flaw, but if I’m continually taken out of the story there’s a good chance my notes will be on the longer side. It helps me to put things aside and get back into the story if I write down what’s on my mind, and especially for long books it helps me remember things that occurred earlier in the story. These days I’ve also started typing up my notes, which helps me revisit my thoughts throughout the story before I put together a review.
For bookish content, I usually turn to a handful of channels on YouTube:
I’ve added a lot of books to my TBR from these channels, even if they receive a negative review. I’ve also adjusted my approach to reading and added Skillshare courses to my to-do list thanks to these, and other, channels. Hearing a different perspective or approach can be quite enlightening, so I usually have one of these channels playing in the background as I go about my day.
I know that this is more surface level, so if anyone has a question or recommendation, please drop it in the comments below.
Happy reading!
justanotherreader 
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