Reading (/General Life) Update

It’s been a long time since i updated on here about what’s going on in my life, what i’m reading and what my reading plans are. This could potentially be quite a long post, so make sure you grab a drink because this is going to be a CHAT.

First of all, you might have noticed from my bad reading months the last few months, i’ve had no time! I started a new job back in August which was full time, started seeing someone new (which is kind of like full time work) and also have been trying to fit in a lot of social time with friends and trying new things in life. Which means, reading and blogging has taken a little bit of a backseat. Luckily, life has calmed down a little bit now and i’m feeling more relaxed and settled. With that comes a lot more reading and a lot more space in my mind to be a little bit more creative.

I’ve been trying to catch up on blog posts and figure out a lot of things we’ve promised to you (aka, a Christmas Read-Along) which will be announced pretty soon. I’m enjoying getting back in to the swing of things and having time to write as soon as i think of something, instead of losing the idea in a second. I am also trying to figure out some blog/reading related new ventures for the new year which could be exciting (if i can pull them off, no-one hold me to this at all).

Recently i attended the Waterstones Bloggers Event in Manchester, which was actually really fun. I had a lot of preconceptions of a room full of bookish people who naturally don’t want to talk to other people for hours on end, however everyone was very lovely and i ended up having a really great chat with a few people i’d already spoken to on Twitter. We threw ideas around for blog posts and talked a lot about YA and it’s current state and where we think it will end up (once i solidify ideas on this, there WILL be a post). It was really great to interact with like-minded people in such an intimate setting and throw around ideas. It felt like a very creative atmosphere.

In the way of reading, i’ve been manically trying to work towards my end of the year goal of fifty-two books. I think it’s doable if i take a lot of my spare time and turn it in to reading time, and truly focus on the book. I am also trying to fit in a few more graphic novels in to the mix as they are so fast and easy to read in one sitting. I am currently making my way through Blackbird by ND Gomes which i’m enjoying, but finding a little dry. I am hoping to get to some of the other YALC ARCS before the end of the year, but it’s pretty much a free-for-all at the moment!

On a somewhat related note to the beginning of this post, i have very recently changed the WAY i read. When i started seeing someone new, every time we would read together we’d be in a cafe with noise and music, or in a flat with music playing. It meant that i have gotten very used to noise around me while reading where as any time previously it has been a massive distraction. I’ve always enjoyed the quiet. But for the first time in a long time, i sat down and read by myself and i spent quite a while trying to figure out what was ‘off’. Turns out, it was too quiet for me! Once i put on an easy-listening playlist, i started to speed through my book. Is anyone else similar in the way that someone else has changed the way you actually read? This one shocked me!

Last thing is a reminder about An Evening With Lauren James being hosted by Waterstones this week in Manchester! HERE’S some more information about it if you fancy going.

That’s about all i have to update you all on, general and reading life related. Let me know what you’re reading and what you aim to read before the end of the year. Also let me know if you read with background noise or silence!