When Reading Becomes a Chore...

Reading is such a huge part of my life: it's the one thing that allows me to escape to fictional-world, make friends that lead exciting lives, and learn about what could come in the future. It makes me much more aware of what I should be doing to prevent a future like the setting of Breathe by Sarah Crossan happening, and also allows me to be part of this incredible community where loving to read and celebrating books is what matters. The only problem is, when you're a book reviewer, it can feel like reading is a chore, and this is one of the aspects I try to avoid as much as possible. I, of course, don't want the hobby I love to become something I have to force myself to do because the publication is only a few days away.

 

Opening a book becomes a chore for me when I receive a book from a publisher, realising it's not what I normally enjoy, and would suddenly rather be reading another book that I know I will love, which is waiting for me. I'm currently in this position. Patrick Ness' new novel 'More Than This' is waiting to be read, I've only managed to read the first-page because I've been so busy, and I'm stuck trying to finish all of the ARC's I've got in time for 2014.The important thing is to enjoy reading, for me, as I never want to purposefully rush a book and try to read it as fast as I can. Personally, I could never manage over fifty books in a year due to the fact I'm the type of reader that loves to just take every page, every paragraph and every sentence in, as well as understanding every piece of information. If I ever notice I'm starting to read quicker than usual, in an attempt to put it down, write a review, and never pick it up again, I begin to wonder since when did reading become something I had to do. I'm never more excited than when I get a book-shaped package, and love receiving books to review though!

 

Because I want to read everywhere.

 

To stop reading becoming a homework that is completely un-related to school, which, after all of my revision lately I definitely don't want to happen, I seem to get into the habit of reading a book I'm not enjoying much, and one I have been wanting to read, and have heard amazing things about at the same time. This isn't something I normally notice, I'll admit, until it comes to talking to someone who asks me what I'm currently reading, and start listing them! One of the worst things to happen is to get yourself into a reading slump but, I will have around two weeks(normally the holidays - which are one week away!) where I read a huge amount, and then will not pick up a book for another week. I wish they wouldn't happen, but If I don't want to read, I don't read. It's simple. I think this is a point that needs to be made as book bloggers turn those pages more times than most others so, if you read two books and then think, ' I need to read this one for that review to go up next week' STOP. I started going through a phase of doing this and my thoughts were elsewhere.

 

I doubt I will ever give all of the review-copies I receive a five-star rating; as I'm not going to love them all, and not every book is going to be my idea of brilliant. When I request an ARC, or get an email about the next month's books, I almost read the synopsis and choose one's I think I will like. This doesn't mean I just stay within the safe boundaries of one genre, as I adore finding a new type of book I like and having it surprise me, but instead if there's one I feel like I should get for the reason that I can, I make sure I don't ask for it. I want to write positive reviews and only give constructive criticism if I need to; so why start I book knowing that I may not like it in the first place? You've got to be in a certain 'mood' to read different genres. If you're going through exams and need a book to make you laugh, I suggest you pick up a copy of 'Geek Girl' not 'The Fault in Our Stars.' These are the small choices that make my love for books just grow.

 

Do you ever feel like reading becomes a chore? What do you do to make sure this doesn't happen? Tell me in the comments!