What Kind of Reader Are You?

Posted September 14, 2016 by Jen in Discussions | 31 Comments

Ever since I was a kid, I have HATED putting a fiction book down in the middle. I remember nearly being brought to tears once in 4th grade when my teacher ended our free reading time and I was smack dab in the middle of an amazing story. (I wish I could remember what book prompted such a reaction.)

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And I don’t just mean I get a little frustrated. I mean I tend to lose sleep over an unfinished book. I start thinking about the characters and their predicaments and all the details of the book, and pretty soon I’m lying awake for hours pondering. I read a lot of romantic suspense, too, and they tend to be the worst for me to leave half-read. I put a book down but the characters are still in peril, and I’m left to stew over that danger.

As a result, I prefer to read books in one sitting, or at least the same day. It’s fortunate that I’m a fast reader and can read most romances in a long afternoon.

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Of course, this undoubtedly causes me to read less books, since I usually won’t start a book when I know I only have a short bit of reading time, and a free afternoon isn’t always available. I’ve found it important for my own sanity and sleep, though! I do sometimes stretch a book out over multiple days, but not if I can help it.

I never even considered that this was somewhat unusual reading behavior until a few years ago when I realized most people I’ve talked to don’t read like me! Often I get a very strange look when I explain how I usually power through books in one day.

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What about you? Do you usually stretch out your books over multiple days? Or do you like to read things all in one sitting?


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31 responses to “What Kind of Reader Are You?

  1. I read REALLY fast, as is evidenced by my 2016 Goodreads Challenge progress (345 out of 350 as of Sept 13), so I read books in one sitting as a rule. However, when I pick up a particularly great book, I like to savor it – so I don’t mind stretching it out a little. I usually don’t go over two days though. Over two days means I was interrupted by something and just couldn’t get back to reading at all.

    I. AM. VORACIOUS. Books should fear me. 🙂

  2. I’ve always taken advantage of a few minutes here, a half hour there, to catch up on reading. I carry a book/e-reader with me most places and am always happy to read, even if it’s only for a few minutes. I have read books in one sitting, but that’s unusual for me.

  3. CelineB

    I tend to go in cycles where I read books in one sitting for a week or two then I hit a slump and it may take me a week to read a book no matter how good it is.

    • I wish that I could binge a lot more but I’m constantly putting books down during the day. I only seem to be able to get good reading in right before I’m supposed to be in bed…which means, I don’t go to bed at a decent hour and I don’t wake up in the morning when I’m supposed to. Gah.

      • Jen

        I absolutely cannot read at bedtime because I have zero self control and won’t stop, and I don’t do well on a few hours of sleep. I’ve gone to magazines only right before bed.

  4. I would prefer to binge read but I’m a big ol’ chicken so I have to take constant breaks during my reading. You know, during those big hurt scenes, when the suspense heightens to a point that my heart is pounding. I need to take breaks and prepare myself for what’s to come.

  5. Kareni

    What a fun post. I’m a fast reader, so I do often manage to finish a book (sometimes two) in a day. It’s dangerous though for me to take a new book to bed; if the book is compelling, it’s suddenly 2:00am and the book is finished. I try to read old favorites at bedtime because they’re (usually) easier to put down.

  6. I’m kind of an all around reader. I tend to finish a book in a sitting (like Karenl, I’m a very fast reader) and I used to never be able to walk away from one, but this year things have been crazy and my reading time has been really limited. I still binge-read, but I have an easier time setting books aside now. Sleep is more valuable thank it used to be.

    • I wish sleep was more valuable to me. I’m still reading well into the early morning hours, almost every night. I need to get my life together.

  7. This is so interesting! I don’t read super fast, so I tend to read books usually over 2-3 days. But of course it depends on how busy I am. There have been times when I’ve read two books in a day because they were just so good and I didn’t have anything else I needed to do. But it doesn’t bother me to put a book down. I mean, I don’t *want* to and do sometimes end up staying up way too late just so I can finish, but I don’t lose sleep thinking about it or anything like that.

    • Hey Kristen! Thanks for stopping by. It sounds like we’re the same. It takes us a couple of days to finish a book. That’s normally how long it takes me to finish a book.

  8. Ahhh I’m so curious what book made you (almost) cried like that! But pffft crying over a book is totally normal! 😛 I read fast and I prefer to read book in one sitting as much as I could. But I’m also a night reader and I sometimes find it hard to focus on the book when I read in the afternoon. Like, I keep checking on my phone, my blog, talking to people, etc that it’s hard to actually finish reading. Most of the times, I pull an all nighter to finish whatever I’m reading at the moment but so often my eyeballs grow tired and I have to put the book down… interesting post! 😀

    • Cheers to night readers! I have too much to do during the days that I don’t read nearly as much during the day. A huge chunk of my reading is done at night. Welcome!

  9. Kate Unger

    While I would love to read in one sitting, it’s not that practical, and I’d never get any books read. I read whenever and wherever I can. Usually reading 3 or more books, so that I have one with me at all times (ebook on my phone, audiobook in my car, etc.). I don’t mind reading in small chunks – even only 2 minutes here and there. It helps me get through more books. I usually finish a book every 2-3 days.

    • I don’t know too many readers that read multiple books at a time. I do it sometimes, especially when I have two books that I can’t decide between. I’ll read one book at work and one at home.

  10. evaallbooksconsidered

    Great post! If I have the time and the book is that compelling, reading in one sitting is awesome! But I have to grab time when I can so I love to read during breakfast and before I fall asleep at night! I do get some good hours in on most weekends but it’s rare to do one sitting unless I’m on a long flight.

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