Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.
The rules are simple:
- Each Tuesday, Jana assigns a new topic. Create your own Top Ten list that fits that topic – putting your unique spin on it if you want.
- Everyone is welcome to join but please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own Top Ten Tuesday post.
- Add your name to the Linky widget on that day’s post so that everyone can check out other bloggers’ lists.
- Or if you don’t have a blog, just post your answers as a comment.
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is How My Reading Habits Have Changed Over Time.
Some of my reading habits definitely haven’t changed: historical fiction is still my favourite genre and makes up the majority of my reading. But, with the help of my blog and Goodreads, here are a few changes I’ve noticed.
- I read eight books I’d define as ‘classics’ (books written over 40 years before) in 2017, twelve in 2018 and thirteen in 2019 but I’ve read none this year.
- I read 188 books in 2018. I’ve never read that many since. How did I find the time?
- I used to read a lot of review copies sent to me directly by authors, often self-published books. Too many, in fact. It put me under pressure and I felt bad if I didn’t enjoy them. I rarely accept review copies direct from authors now unless I’ve worked with them before.
- I take part in fewer blog tours these days. As a newbie blogger anxious to make her mark in the book community, I found myself taking a bit too much of a gamble with books just for the sake of being part of a tour.
- I’ve joined a couple of book clubs so no longer only read books I’ve chosen myself. That’s a bit of a gamble too.
- Having less NetGalley requesting sprees. I’ve managed to get my ratio up to 97% by only requesting books I’m pretty sure I’m going to love – favourite authors, favourite genres – and that I know I’ll have time to read.
- I’ve rediscovered a love of physical books, especially hardbacks, whereas I used to read mostly on my Kindle. It has meant more bookshelves…
- I’ve not borrowed a book from a library for many years now. Not sure this is a good thing…
- I think I’ve become tougher to please – or maybe just meaner! I gave 24 books five-star ratings last year but I’ve awarded less than half that number so far this year.
- I read more books listed for literary prizes – the Booker Prize and the Women’s Prize for Fiction, for example – which, on occasions, means being a bit more adventurous.
What hasn’t changed is that I have a massive TBR pile but cannot resist adding new books to it, I continue to rely on the lovely book blogging community for book recommendations, and I have a peculiar aversion to books being described as ‘unputdownable’.
Have your reading habits changed much?
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is Books I Was Assigned to Read in School. I’m way too old to remember that, although I do recall working my way slowly through John Milton’s Paradise Lost for my MA. Instead, I’ve picked some schools that appear in books or plays. I hasten to add most of them are not from my era! Links from each title will take you to the book description of Goodreads.
What Cathy Read Next... 