You Can’t Teach An Old Reader New Tricks……

Or can you?

Just a quickie today whilst I have a few minutes spare. I figured it was time for a bullet pointed list because let’s face it, who doesn’t love a good list?

I’ve been meaning to get some thoughts down for a wee while along the subject of reading habits, in particular how mine have changed since becoming more involved in the bookstagram community and switching this blog to a purely book based/book review platform rather than a personal blog (which is what it started life as).

My reading habits have changed in lots of ways over the past maybe 6 months or so, I barely recognise myself as a reader now guys! Who even am I?……

Let’s find out together with that bullet-pointed list I mentioned at the top. Let’s crack on……

1. I now read *whisper it* more than ONE book at once. I know right! I have NEVER been the kinda gal who has a few books on the go, but reader, lemme tell ya…..I’ve become somewhat of a book slut. (Yes that’s a thing). If you’d have told me last year I’d potentially have 3 or 4 books on the go I’d have said hell to the no way fella! Yet here I am, currently sticking my bookmarks in 3 books. Such a loose fickle woman. I think this change has been brought about by the fact that I’m blogging more, hearing about far more awesome sounding books via booktube and I. Just. Can’t. Wait to read them all! That said I’m not sure I’m entirely comfortable cheating on books but I’m doing it….for now.

2. I’m a bookworm (obvs). I walk past a library twice a day to get to and from work and yet…. I only joined the library around 3 or 4 months ago! What the devil is all that about?!? Honestly those places are jam packed to the rafters with awesome, newly released, award winning fiction and I was casually sauntering past unbeknownst on the daily. What. An. Idiot. Nuff said.

3. I’m trying short stories. Previously I’d have never picked a short story collection up because I feel like you don’t get invested enough in short stories and never really saw the point. However I’m changing things up and delving in. I still can’t say I’m overly fond of them but I’m very open minded. Any suggestions of great collections welcome.

4. Historical fiction is now my bag. Well not my main bag…..maybe just a bejewelled side clutch or something BUT I have become far more interested in historical fiction over the last 12 months fo sho. Again if you’d have told me 18 months ago that I’d have my head stuck in a Sarah Waters I’d have laughed you right out of Victorian Lahdahn Tahn (that’s my cockney accent). I used to immediately put a book back on the shelf if the blurb even hinted at a whiff of bustle or Queen Victoria but now I can’t bloody get enough! Sarah Waters and Emma Donoghue have opened my eyes. My favourite book of all time is The Crimson Petal And The White by Michel Faber (I’m always wanging on about it) and that is firmly set in the squalid streets of Victorian London (the BEST era in my opinion). Throw in a brothel, some pox riddled and powdered ladies of the night and a few dastardly blokes and I’m in heaven. Who knew?!

5. Hardbacks. Love ’em or hate ’em?….I used to hate them but with the upsurge in my reading being primarily library loans I’ve found that hardbacks are my friends……but I do prefer them naked. I would have never dreamed of taking a dust jacket off a book but now I’m always stripping……ooh err.

Is 5 points enough? For now I think so. BUT my reading habits and tastes are changing so frequently now that maybe I’ll have enough fodder for a Part Deux? In fact I can think of two more right now but I’ll keep my powder dry on those for now, hell! I can squeeze another blog post out of them!

See you again soon.

Bookish Chat

Xxx