Thursday, August 6, 2015

Seasonal Reading Habits

Over the last few years of keeping track of what I’ve read and WHEN I’ve noticed that I have a few consistent seasonal reading preferences. 

January through June

I read a LOT the first half of the year.  At the beginning of the year I read a mix of topics and reading levels.  I tackle at least one book that intimidates me and I try new genres and POVs.  I read recommendations that I’ve been meaning to get to and at least one book that a parent has challenged on their teen’s school reading list and is subsequently trying to keep ALL the other teens from reading it.

I think this has something to do with being really gung-ho to start a new reading year.  I’m always really aware of what new books are coming and know I need to get to the books that I missed the previous year before I forget about them. 

July though August

I would love to know why I struggle to read during the summer.  I actually feel bad for books I read during these months because I just don’t focus as well.  Books read in July and August HAVE to completely suck me in or I will leave them 30% finished for weeks.  As of right now it’s August 2nd and I have five books in progress.  Normally I would DNF one or two at this point, but am I giving up because they aren’t good or because it’s me and summer? 

Romance is my go to genre in the summer.  I think because I’m more likely to feel immersed by romance.  I also trust my summer feelings for this genre more so it I’m bored at 30% I’m confident it won’t get better and DNF.  I also re-read a lot.  And I shouldn’t even attempt to read fantasy during the summer.  I don’t have the focus for it and they end up DNF’d or I hate them.  It’s really not fair to the author.  I read Daughter of Smoke and Bone in July of 2013 and did not like it.  Ditto The Girl of Fire and Thorns summer of 2012. Both of these were loved by readers who I generally agree with.  Sometime I feel like I should give these series another shot, but my initial reactions are too hard to get passed. 

September through early October

Brief return to my early year habits.  If I have another tough or long book I really want to get done or a challenge to complete now is the time. 

Late October through December

Work is CRAZY busy at the end of the year.  Pre-blog/Goodreads I assumed I read less during this time period, but I actually read at my normal pace.  What I cut out are bookish decisions.  I don’t read to complete challenges or stretch my habits.  If I’m going to binge on a series/author this is when it will happen.  It’s also the time of year I’m most likely to enjoy the fantasy genre.

Last year I read binged on the four available books in Sarah J Maas’s Throne of Glass series.  I also read Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardulo.  Once January rolled around, I decided to wait until Nov-Dec this year to finish the series because I loved book one and wanted to give myself a good shot at enjoying books 2-3.  In 2013 I read 6 books by Jennifer Armentrout/J Lynn. I’ve read some since and haven’t been all that impressed.

I purchase more books late in the year also. When I find an author I want to binge on I don’t have the patience to wait for their books at the library (or the time to go get them).  I go a tiny bit Kindle crazy.

What about you?  Have you noticed any seasonal reading habits?  Slumps that happen every year at the same time?  Any other patterns I didn’t bring up?

3 comments:

  1. I know we kind of chatted about this on Twitter, but I finally finished crunching the numbers-- August seems to be consistently my worst number of books read month, but August is my least favorite month for all sorts of reasons, it's too hot to think, work and life are always busy as school starts back. I tend to read the most books in winter, especially November-January, mostly I ascribe this to the fact that I'm always super excited about end of year stats and feel super energized in the new year, too. Genre-wise, I tend to read mysteries/thriller in Oct/Nov (which makes sense seasonally with Halloween and all), fantasy in the summer, romance in the spring, and apparently I like non-fiction in the winter (Dec/Jan). Hmm, I think that middle of the year (April-September) I tend to fall into comfort reading, while beginning and end of year I like to read more adventurously.

    Anyways, that was kind of fun to look at, though I wonder if these trends will last longer than the three and a half years I looked at. Not a very long time span and I bet a lot of highs and lows have to do with life events or series I binged on, etc.

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    1. Excellent data. You're right 3.5 years is statistically significant, but it's still a fun exercise:)

      I honestly think there's something with too hot even to read. Like I don't want to create the body heat required to lift a book. I'm not a summer person.

      We really are on different pages when it comes to fantasy. If you love I hate it and vice versa and read them at opposite times of the year.

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    2. The fantasy thing makes no sense! We are so similar on most other genres! I actually haven't read much fantasy this summer (maybe 1?), so I think the numbers must have been spiked by my binge-reading a bunch of fantasy series last summer.

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