You’re going to judge me for one of these – I know you are! I’m ok with that. I realize that there are a few of my habits that are weird, quirky, and problematic (eww I can’t believe I just used that word), but it’s what I do and I just deal with it! Your habits might be for comfort, or they might be a weird form of bookworm OCD, but we all have our own quirks when it comes to reading. Here are some of mine:
Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme where I explore different topics. If you are interested in participating I would love to have you! Here is a list of my Upcoming topics in February – please remember to ping back a specific post of mine so I get a notification and I will add you to the participants list!
blankets are necessary
Technically, I can read without a blanket, but I choose not to lol. If I’m outside reading then I don’t need one. Inside is a different story! If I’m sitting on the couch or on my comfy chair, a blanket is always there!
I listen to ASMR….
This is the newest habit i’ve acquired actually. My house is always loud. I’ve got two kids, a husband, and a dog, so there’s always noise. Within the last 6 months I’ve found ASMR and, despite people making fun of it, it’s helped me in more ways than one! I usually listen to rain sounds or something with a gentle background noise (no talking!) just so that my mind has something quiet and consistent to focus on. Tv is a no – i’ll stop reading to watch it. Music is a no – i’ll stop reading to sing lol. ASMR is the perfect way to block out everything and keep me focused!
No dust jackets, you heathen!
I feel like this one is a bit of a cop out but I CAN’T read a book if there’s a dust jacket on it. I just can’t. I’m always adjusting it after it slips and moves, and I’m always afraid it’s going to rip.
Word vomit immediately….
I feel like this is yet another easy one, and a lot of you probably do this to – as soon as I finish a book, I have to write the review immediately and get all my word vomit out of the way. Reviews are far easier for me to write if i’ve just finished reading it and all my thoughts and emotions are fresh.
I read the last sentence first…..
Here we go. You’re screaming at me, right? It’s true. Before I even read the first sentence of the first chapter, I flip to the end and read the last sentence first. Always. Don’t ask me why because I can’t tell you! I don’t know why or how I started doing this either! I just realized one day that that’s what I do every time I pick up a book. I’ve yet to be spoiled – and i’ve been doing this for years. And the last sentence is usually a good predictor of how I’m going to like a book. None of this makes sense, but I do it anyway….
How long is the next chapter?
I know i’m not the only one that does this! Whenever I finish a chapter I always flip through the next chapter and see how long the next chapter is. Knowing how many pages are in the next chapter doesn’t change anything. I’m still going to read it!! But it’s a compulsion – I need to know lol
TOP 5 TUESDAY PARTICIPANTS:
HappyMessHappiness ——— My Year Of Reading Dangerously ——— Lili’s Blissful Pages
The Pine-Scented Chronicles ——— Laughing Listener ——— Robyn Reads Books
Flora’s Musings ——— Clem’s Bookish World ——— We Are Just Stories
Birdie Bookworm ——— The Secret Library ——— Realms Of My Mind
The Book Prescription ——— Bella ——— The Punk Theory
Sophril Reads ——— Rather Be In The Library ——— Books On The Brain
Storeys of Stories ——— Wonderwall ——— Kyera’s Library
Bookwitch Reviews ——— Rae’s Reads And Reviews ——— Tirilu
Synopses By Sarge ——— Comfort Reads ——— Book Blurb
Bookishly Rebecca ——— Hail & Well Read ——— A Multitude of Musings
Elysa Reads It All ——— Eat Travel Read ——— CJR The Brit
Beware Of The Reader ——— Books Are Only The Beginning ——— The Smell Of Ink
If you’re counting, I have a list of 6 habits. Why? Because this is my post and I’ll do what I want lol! A couple of them were too easy so I thought I would throw one more in just to keep things interesting. What habits do you have while reading??
Until next time, happy reading!
Bionic Book Worm 
I can’t read without my white noise machine, but I only use it if my dad and brother are awake. And I also flip through to see how many pages are in a chapter, usually to gauge how much time I have to read. I also have read the last sentence. But by accident when I’m trying to see how many pages a book has.
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Reading the last sentence first..
I also have to know how long the chapter is going to be, I just can’t seem to focus if I don’t know haha! Doesn’t matter that I’m loving the story and will read it if it is 2 or 20 pages, just need to know! Should have included this in my list as well!
My post!
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I get a lot of these! Especially the dust jackets and word vomit. I haven’t tried ASMR with reading yet but I do have the same problem when it comes to listening to music
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I don’t know why people make fun of them, but I love ASMR, my brother introduced me to them and now they help me sleep when I feel with anxiety. They’re incredible 😍👏🏻
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I don’t make fun of people who do it — I just literally can’t understand it! ASMR makes me want to gouge out my own eyes with my nails and puts me into absolute murder mode. It is the most unpleasant sensation ever! I’m assuming it’s got ties in to misophonia, which, although I haven’t been diagnosed with it “officially,” I tick off most every box that comes with it.
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I 100% understand and I’m very sorry that it’s so unpleasant for you, although I know people who can’t stand it, so I think it is totally normal and valid, we don’t all have the same sensorial answers to them 😊
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When I read your list with “I read the last sentence first”, I was like “What, Why???” and yeah, it wasn’t in a low voice. And then the next sentence says “You’re screaming at me, right?”. LOL. It was hilarious. I really overreacted. Sorry. 🙂 🙂
Here’s my T5T: https://lilisblissfulpages.wordpress.com/2020/02/18/top-5-bookish-habits-i-want-to-change/
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I always see how long the next chapter is, mainly to see if I will stay awake to read it 😂!
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I used to look at chapter length too. Every time. Sometimes I still do, if I’m reading print. On an e-reader I usually have the settings to show me chapter length in time. Like, the book I’m reading now says that (at my reading speed) the next chapter will be 18 minutes of reading time, lmao.
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I share a lot of these! I don’t necessarily read the last sentence, or read it first, but I do find myself occasionally just flipping to the end and reading random bits. I honestly don’t know why I do this. Sometimes, I think it’s because I’m not liking a book and I just want to know if I have anything to look forward to in the end, or even if I do like a book, I sometimes just want to check to make sure that things I want to happen are probably going to happen…I don’t know, it’s really weird and I sometimes read quite a bit of the end before I’m anywhere close. I guess you could call it cheating…
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I check the number of pages in chapters too! I’m also on the blanket train.
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The counting pages one is definitely something I do which is why I love to have a physical book!
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YES! ANOTHER PERSON WHO READS THE ENDING!! I don’t always have to read the ending first, but I do that all the time and get so much grief for it. We’re stronger together!! Lol.
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Solidarity in reading the ending first 😂
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I usually check to see how long the next chapter is to see if I’m really going to stop where I planned. If it’s short, I do the “one more chapter” thing until I get to a long one. I also try to write my reviews right away. They’re still a mess, but I remember so much and I can’t start a new book until I have my thoughts down. Otherwise, I forget or mix up the books.
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Ooooh, same about the dust jackets and how long ’till next chapter XD
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Well I’m with you on a couple of those, Shanah: the next chapter thing and writing my review straight away. 😉 When I was younger, it was part of my book choosing “thing” to read the blurb, then the first page and the last page of every book before I’d buy or borrow it. I’ve just realised that’s now changed to reading highest and lowest reviews. huh
Just had to say, at my age, listening to rain would make me need the loo ALL THE TIME! Lol! 🤣😂🤣
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I always take the dust jacket off too! I didnt add that to my book-ish habits in my post, maybe I should have!
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What is ASMR Shanah?? And I used to read the last sentence too (guilty as charged) 😉 Here is my link https://wp.me/p8cg8e-3ed
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Here’s mine. 🙂 https://luktenavtrykksverte.blogspot.com/2020/02/top-five-tuesday-bookish-habits.html
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I can’t read a book with the dust jacket on either it just gets on my nerves because I’m constantly messing with it. When I’m reading I listen to ocean sounds anything else is to distracting. I will check to see how long the next chapter is but only if I know I’m going to have to stop reading soon. Otherwise I just read through.
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No Dust Jackets, check!!
Word Vomit, check!
And gosh I just realized reading this that I also check how many pages there is during next chapter haha So check on that to haha
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Lol!!!
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That’s sooooooo me. Oh, I have missed your blog so much. Nobody will scream at you..at least at not you alone..cuz I do each bit of it. I always read the last page of a chapter and book first. I hate dirt jackets on my precious little honeys😍😍. Checking how long the chapter is my main priority 😜. And blankies are essential when I want to read a book, it makes me feel so comfy and homie.
I will do these posts and tag you as soon as my exams are done. Love your blog soo much 😘😘
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Awe you’re so sweet!! And good luck with your exams!! I don’t miss that part of school AT ALL!!! And I was starting to think I was the only one that HAD to be covered in a blanket to read 😂 I even bring a blanket outside in 100 degree weather…..
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Saaame, I try to write my reviews within 24 hours of finishing while the feelings are still fresh.
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I’m glad there’s someone out there like me! If I don’t write it right away then I forget all the reasons I liked it 😂
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I do pretty much all of this except for reading the last sentence first. That’s the only one that’s a no-no for me. Otherwise, all of it sounds good. And if you think reading is hard with the tv on, try writing. LOL. This is why I get most of my writing done when the kids are either at school or in bed.
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I actually do something similar! I don’t read the last sentence first, but I do flip back and check out the acknowledgements and the glossary (if there is one). This actually has spoiled something for me once, which was SUPER TRAGIC, but I can’t stop doing it!
And yes, blankets are absolutely a must.
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I used to do that but I swear, every time I did, there was a spoiler. It was like “I’m so glad these two ended up together!” Or “this person needed to die because of this reason”…. it burned me every time 😂
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The end of the book just isn’t safe! Why do we keep doing this? 😂
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Wish I knew 😂
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