It's a chance to share news: a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books,
and share what's coming up on your blog in the week ahead.
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
Happy Sunday, friends! How was your week? I was busy at the office all week and got a lot accomplished. So it was tiring, but productive. I ended up working from home on Friday so that helped ease the way into the weekend.
Question: Does your reading experience vary depending on the type of book you read?
I don't consider myself a fast reader (or a slow reader), just middle of the road. On average I read about two books a week - one ebook and one audiobook - and I typically read 8-10 books a month. But that really changes when I venture outside of the contemporary romance genre. For example, I started Iron Flame ten days ago... and I'm right around the 70% mark. Now, that's slow even for me. But I've found that when I read any type of fantasy my reading speed slows significantly. Fantasy is so outside my comfort zone and I read slowly to truly understand the world-building and take it all in. So even though I'm loving it, Iron Flame has been a slooow read for me. So out of curiosity, when you read different genres or even different formats (ebook, physical book, audiobook), does it impact how you read?
This week's throwback song is Dreaming (1979) by Blondie. I remember buying Blondie's greatest hits around 1981 or so - on cassette tape, of course LOL - and listening to it over and over. Dreaming was one of my favorites. Enjoy!
ON THE BLOG
Tuesday, February 27
Wednesday, February 28
WHAT I READ
I didn't finish anything this week... all my reading time has been devoted to Iron Flame.
CURRENTLY READING
Kindle/Audio: Iron Flame (Empyrean #2) - Rebecca Yarros
NEW ADDITIONS
TOTALLY RANDOM
HOW WAS YOUR WEEK?
I do find the type of book affects my reading rate. I read faster when I was reading mostly young adult, and contemporaries always read faster than SFF. SFF books (and some literary fiction) tend to be more dense. I also have noticed that I slow down a bit when reading books by non-US authors. That could be me having to adapt to the local lingo and phrasing. So, yes, some books do read faster than others for me.
ReplyDeleteSam - SFF (even urban fantasy) slows me down since I am taking my time to fully understand the world being presented. Interesting observation about non-U.S. authors. That's one aspect that doesn't seem to slow me down.
DeleteI think it does- genre affecting how I read. I saw Iron Flame at a color guard event this weekend- a woman was bringing it along.
ReplyDeleteGreg - It's so fun to encounter readers in the wild and check out what they're reading. :)
DeleteI wouldn't say genre affects my reading rate, I would say the amount of suspense does make me read faster or slower. also if the quality of the book is low, my ability to read is slow.
ReplyDeletehttps://getlostinlit.blogspot.com/2024/03/sunday-post.html
Idea-ist - Interesting that the level of suspense effects your reading speed. And I agree about quality of writing, same for me.
DeleteI am the same as you when reading fantasy books too. I think it's because it feels more tedious since there's so much more that our brains need to absorb. I also think that's why I can't do fantasy in audio form.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you've had a productive work week. I do enjoy having the ability to WFH on Fridays. Helps make the weekend feel slightly longer. :)
Enn @ Her Weathered Pages
Enn - I can see not being able to read fantasy via audiobook. Typically I'm the same way but right now I'm reading Iron Flame both ways - on Kindle and audio. I think audio is working for me in this case since I'm already familiar with the world and the characters. I would not have gone just audio if it was the first book in the series. I would have been lost!
DeleteDefinitely affected by the type of book. Fantasy and Science Fiction always seem to take me longer because I want to catch every detail as I read to understand the worlds or the science behind the story. I am usually pretty fast getting through contemporary romance, which like you I read mostly. I think I don't worry about missing details as much with that just wanting to get the story. It's awesome when you can have a productive week at work, that's the kind of busy I like to be!
ReplyDeleteLisa - Exactly! If I don't catch every single detail in a contemporary it likely won't matter. In fantasy I could be missing something critical.
DeleteI have always recognized that some books will take me longer to read. I noticed it first in college! But, now, if it is a more intricate book, with nuances and world building that is unfamiliar to me, it does take me longer for sure.
ReplyDeleteSamantha - Same here, I always want to understand the world the story is set in, and that means I read a lot slower.
DeleteI never thought about if what I'm reading changes how fast I'm able to read it, but it definitely does. I tend to read both romances and mysteries really fast, but when it comes to historical fiction or nonfiction or even contemporary literature or longer fantasies I tend to slow down, too. Especially if they're full of descriptions and light on dialogue.
ReplyDeleteLark - That's another good point - books heavier on description rather than dialogue are slower reads for me, too.
DeleteYes! Genre very much affects how quickly I read. Classics and nonfiction books take forever. I've been reading a lot of cozy fantasy lately, and I'm shocked at how quickly I can finish them. It's probably because I don't have to slow down and think about anything.
ReplyDeleteAj - I can see where cozy fantasy would be a lot quicker than other fantasy novels (like epic/high fantasy). And a big yes to classic and non-fiction! Those are definitely slow reads for me.
DeleteMy reading speed depends on what I'm reading. Fantasy is slow for me. It's all the info dumping that doesn't happen in romances. Women's fiction, historical fiction, and even thrillers can be slower for me as well. That's why I try to listen to fantasy instead of reading it.
ReplyDeleteI love Blondie! Fun song choice! I hope this week is good for yo.
Deanna - Interesting that you prefer to listen to fantasy rather than read it. Most (including me) seem to go the opposite route, feeling like they need to read rather than listen to grasp all the details and world building. I'm impressed that fantasy on audio works so well for you!
DeleteBlondie had such great music. And I love that Debbie Harry is still out there touring!
I read and listen to a variety of genres and agree, the genre can affect the speed in which I read.
ReplyDeleteKimberly - That seems to be the general consensus. It's been interesting reading everyone's answers! :)
DeleteI love fantasy and tend to fly through them, but sometimes i run into one that a chunker and has a lot going on so i slow down to really process what going one. Example priory of an orange tree. Also historical fiction mostly cause it usually got some extreme things in like the storyteller it took me over a week to read it cause it got me so bogged down in the emotional content. Also it also depends on the print size like i borrowed ruthelss vows from the library and the font size is on the tiny size so i can’t read it as quickly if it was a more normal size font. So yeah there are things that can bog down my speed soemtimes i just switch to audio book like i borrowed The will of many as a print book and ended up switiching to audiobook and i enjoying it a lot more in that version. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteJan - Since you seem to read a lot of fantasy, I'm not surprised that you fly through them. I imagine if I read more maybe I would get through them a bit quicker. As it is, I read maybe 2 or 3 a year. LOL Priory of an Orange Tree is quite the tome! Every time I see a physical copy of it I'm amazed!
DeleteYes, my reading speed changes and it can either be because of the author's writing or genre. I enjoyed Iron Flame, but some of the scenes were really difficult! Looking forward to your thoughts. I never finish my shampoo at the same time as my conditioner, lol.
ReplyDeleteRachel - I'm loving Iron Flame but it's a long one, and I agree - some scenes are difficult to get through. I'm just over the 80% mark and I'm already bracing for whatever might be coming.
DeleteYes I read romance faster than anything eles honestly! And in fantasy you have also a whole world building!
ReplyDeleteSophie - Same here. Romance goes by quickly. Mysteries a little less so. And fantasy takes me forever. LOL
DeleteI'm not sure if it's the type of book as much as the complexity and number of plot lines. There are some mystery and fantasy books which have a lot of plot lines. Fantasy also tends to have more world building to assimilate. Fantasy books also are just long sometimes. I mean a 300 page romance as one book is not going to read the same time as a 750 page fantasy book. I think for me it depends on my comfort / experience with the topics in the books. The first book in a series will take longer to grasp the world, for example.
ReplyDeleteAnne - Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
Anne - Interesting that for you it's not so much genre but plot and complexity. And I agree that the first book in a series always takes longer than the follow-ups. All the set-up takes longer to absorb.
DeleteI always say I'm a slow reader. I don't know if I'm really that slow. I just don't read as many books as everyone so it would seem I'm slow. Anyway, I finished three books the end of February and they two were contemporary romances. I think I do read faster depending on the genre. I also think I read faster depending on my mood and whether a book has grabbed a hold of my attention.
ReplyDeleteJenni - I used to consider myself a fast reader until I joined the book blogger community. LOL When I saw people posting monthly wrap-up's with 25 books or more it was like ohhhh, okay, so I'm not a fast reader after all. LOL I read *often* but I don't read fast. :)
DeleteLove Blondie!
ReplyDeleteGenre definitely affects my speed of reading.
Alicia - The comments show that a lot of us read certain genres slower than others.
DeleteI think what affects my reading speed is complexity and interest rather than genre, but there isn’t really an appreciable difference, probably because I’m naturally a fast reader.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a great reading week
Shelleyrae - Lucky you for being a fast reader! I used to think I was but seeing how many books others read in a month made me real that while I may read often, I don't necessarily read a lot (as in volume).
DeleteI've never really thought about genre affecting my speed of reading (although I guess thrillers/mysteries with really short chapters tend to feel faster), but I definitely think I read ebooks faster than physical books.
ReplyDeleteAngela - I have found the same. I read ebooks quicker than physical. But sometimes I crave the experience of holding/reading a physical book and don't care that it will take longer. :)
DeleteOh yes - my reading speed varies considerably depending on whether I'm reading an ebook or print. And of course I can sprint through both of those, whereas I tend to read my audiobooks at 0.9 of the default reading speed with most narrators as I like listening at a slower pace. And I'm prone to skim romances more than science fiction or fantasy reads:)). Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteYou're one of the few I know who read audiobooks at regular speed (or even below). I always listen at 1X but most of my blogger friends double that speed. I can't do it. The voices and speech patterns no longer sound natural and it takes me right out of the story.
DeleteI have been meaning to read Iron Flame. Romances are the quickest and easiest read for sure. More wordy descriptive literature takes longer. I am pretty quick with thrillers as well.
ReplyDeleteHena - I kept putting Iron Flame off until I was in the mood for fantasy. It definitely delivered!
DeleteDefinitely true about the difference in reading experiences! I find I read audiobooks and ebooks a lot faster than physical books. And I'm also faster with romance than fantasy. Hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteLindsey - The majority of us seem to feel similarly. We fly through romance but fantasy goes a bit slower. :)
DeleteContemporary romances are definitely faster reads. You can speed through them without worrying about picking up every little detail and often those details are much easier to remember because they aren't whole new world systems you're trying to grasp.
ReplyDeleteAlison - Exactly! With contemporaries everything is already familiar and "known." They make for much quicker reads.
DeleteMy reading absolutely changes with books. I can read a romance in a day. Something fantasy, sci-fi-ish could take weeks.
ReplyDeleteAudiobooks take me almost a month lol
Karen - For me it depends on the audiobook. If I'm super invested I'll be listening every chance I get. Otherwise it can take a couple weeks.
DeleteI definitely read romance novels and thrillers so much faster than I do fantasy or historical fiction.
ReplyDeleteSuzanne - Oh yes, historical fiction is another genre that I tend to read slower. I need to pay attention and make sure I don't miss anything. :)
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