Being a voraciously fast reader is so not all fricasseed cake and pineapple pie. It is RIFE with intense agony, I tell you! Trust me. I’m a surviver of hundreds and hundreds of books. All of which I’ve read rather fast because that’s just who I am! I do everything fast. And sure I could quit reading fast and just read slower and lessen the trials and maybe take up fighting darkness and training dragons in my spare time. Something fun and soothing like that??? BUT I LOVE BOOKS AND I WANT TO READ THEM ALL. Being a fast reader is who I am and that’s okay!
So here I am today to list you ALL the agonies of being a speed reader. Speed readers unite! No shame for inhaling books in a whiff! Even if we suffer for it!
1. THAT ESPECIALLY AWKWARD MOMENT WHEN YOU READ SO FAST YOU MISS DETAILS IN THE FINALE AND YOU END UP SITTING THERE LIKE “HUH”?
When you read fast, you usually get faster and faster as you near that epic finale. And I don’t know about you — BUT I GET SO EXCITED!! All those emotions! All the action!! I want to know the ending so so bad. So I read faster and faster and. Well. I get to know the ending. But then I realise all the little details I’ve missed and I end up sitting there wailing “I LOVED IT BUT WHAT JUST HAPPENED.”
Rereads are friends.
2. WHEN YOU READ SO FAST THAT YOU DON’T PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO CHARACTER NAMES, ERGO YOU FORGET THEM AND END UP SQUALLING LIKE A AWKWARD PENGUIN BECAUSE YOU CAN’T RECALL THEM.
Plots? I got this. But character names?! I ALWAYS FORGET THEM!! And I feel awful for it, but Bob, Bill, Borris — blah. They all are the same. Names are not my forte.
Basically, my conversations are like this:
Fellow Bookworm: Ahhhh what did you think of the romance?!?! Wasn’t it adorable?!
Me: Oh yes I totally shipped it! And I loved…um…that…guy. Ya know. That dude in that place who does that thing and is great.
Fellow Bookworm: Wait. Which dude? What was his name?
Me: You know…the dude. With the name. OMG GOOGLE SAVE ME.
3. ACCIDENTALLY READING TONS OF DODGY BOOKS THAT MAKE YOU WANT TO FACEPLANT IN THE NILE AND CRY.
When you read really fast sometimes you are less picky and read more and more books. (At least, this is how it works for me.) I give more books “a chance” because I can get through them fast. But this equals more less-than-stellar books and THAT MAKES ME WANT TO CRY. Bring on that olympic pool of chocolate so I can drown my agonies.
4. WHEN IT GETS MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND UNIQUE BOOKS BECAUSE YOU’VE READ EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN DANGIT.
I can’t expect all authors to read a million books a year, right? SO. It makes sense that many authors write similar books. But it makes me feel like an inside-out tortilla when I read a book and it feels like deja vu. And after you swallow 248920 dystopians at record pace — they all sound the same, okay??! IT’S A PROBLEM.
5. WHEN YOU READ SO FAST ALL YOUR BUDDY-READING-BOOKWORMS QUIETLY PLOT YOUR DEMISE.
Ahhh…that awkward moment when you finish on the first day — in the book THAT YOU AND YOUR BUDDIES DECIDED TO READ IN A MONTH. My bad, peoples, my bad.
The cure, of course, is to find a speed-reading buddy. (Yay us, Mishma!)
6. THE ABJECT DESPAIR OF WAITING 3989308 DAYS FOR THE SEQUEL OF YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK AND THEN YOU READ IT IN ONE DAY AND HAVE TO WAIT FOREEEEEEEVER FOR THE NEXT ONE.
Because you’ve been waiting so long for this, how can you slow down?! It’s not possible. READ IT ALL IN ONE GULP! HUZZAH! And then waiting. So much waiting. Agh.
7. WHEN YOUR KINDLE ESTIMATES YOUR READING SPEED AND YOU HAVE TO BEAT IT.
I possibly have a worrying competitive streak? I mean, I’m basically racing myself and a machine. BUT I STILL DO IT. And I win. Because I am fabulous like that and no kindle can define me. I’m divergent and can’t be controlled.
8. WHEN EVERYONE ASSUMES YOU HAVE SUPER POWERS BECAUSE YOU SWALLOW BOOKS SO FAST.
Oh, well, I totally have superpowers. But I’m sure most speed-readers don’t and have to struggle with answering questions and comments on this. What do you say??? I have two eyes and I use them simultaneously???
9. WHEN PEOPLE INFORM YOU THAT IF YOU READ SO FAST YOU CAN’T BE ENJOYING THE BOOK.
Agh, I’ve had people actually tell me this and it pains me! IT DOES! Just because someone does something differently to you doesn’t mean that they’re wrong. Just because someone speed-reads, doesn’t necessarily mean they absorb less or they enjoy the book less. You CAN read fast and have JUST as much enjoyment as someone who reads slow! Don’t be a judging cacti.
10. WHEN YOU RUN OUT OF BOOKS AND MUST HYPERVENTILATE IN AGONY UNTIL THE NEXT LIBRARY DAY OR BOOK MAIL ARRIVAL.
I mean, technically I’ll never run out of books because there’s always SOMETHING that could be read. Or reread. But I do get to the point where my TBR is made up of 3 books and I’m not in the mood for the specific genre right then. I only library once a week. And what if my reserves aren’t in!?!? What if my book order takes longer to arrive?!?! WHAT IF I HAVE TO SIT IN THE SILENT DARKNESS AND NOT READ ANYTHING???! Because if one doesn’t have a book plastered to their face, other humans might expect them to socialise. And goodness. We cannot have that.
Yes, all of these! Apart from the buddy reads because I don’t do those.
I’d also add the pain that comes with having read 5 or 10 books between finishing a book and writing your review.
I barely do buddy-reads anymore either. XD Unless it’s with my speed-reading-bud. OMG YES. I write all my reviews straight after finishing so I don’t get them confused/forget things. XD It’s the only way I can survive!
I’m a pretty fast reader too. Meaning that if I actually sit down to read, I’ll read it completely within a few hours. Depending on my enjoyment of course. I have most of these, though I don’t have a kindle. But I’d totally do that if I had! And I don’t go to the library because it doesn’t have the books I want. And if they do, they’re dutch translations, which are never as good as the original English versions, so boo.
Agh, libraries can be problems like that, right?! THEY SHOULD HAVE ALL THE BOOKS WE WANT. My library is pretty good though so I shall shush and not complain because you have it harder than I do. 😛 But yes! I read books super super fast if I really don’t like them because I’m not enjoying it. >_<
OMG YES! I read fast (not inhale fast but super fast indeed) and my friends think I couldn’t have possibly enjoyed that book or understood what it’s about. Um, excuse me and thanks for doubting me ndkfjhkjr
I also try to read faster than my Kindle says hahhaa….or sometimes I turn off the bloody reading speed thingy altogether because it annoys me hahha….Great post Cait. Good luck with Nano!
EXACTLY!! HOW DARE THEY DOUBT OUR FIENDISHLY WONDERFUL SKILLS. *flips hair majestically* I mostly have to turn off the speed reading thing and then just check up on it to be sure I’m winning. 😉
Oh my gosh Cait you basically just described my whole life in this post. Honestly every one of these thinfs (except seven as I don’t have a kindle) are EXACTLY me. The buddy reading one is just awkward..whenever I attempted to buddy read I’d finish the whole book in a day, not one chapter or whatever we’d agreed on and then i’d be like..hey..shall we just read at our own speed and discuss at the end?!…
I remember when I was younger my dad used to watch my eyes speed down the page and be like WHAT and then one day he asked if I actually registered what I was reading or was I just skim reading and he took the book and asked my questions about it..and I knew everything he asked so HAH.
We are like TWINS THEN, clearly, Hawwa. DO NOT DOUBT THIS. I basically rarely buddy read…xD The last buddy read I did with a group, I finished a week before they did…>_> So much awkward. I’d basically forgotten the book by the time we were ready to discuss. >_<
Ah yes, I’m so with you! Especially on the missing details thing. But that’s what audiobooks are for- so you appreciate books you love (but then I can’t reread books I listened to as audio for some reason… Hmmm) I am pretty fast, but I don’t have so much time to read these days. so it’s 2-4 books a week, depending on the week. Sometimes I use time-estimating ereaders, and then it irks me to death. Those reading stat things will be the end of me! I don’t buddy read anything, maybe I should do that… sometime.
This is why I DO adore audiobooks!! sometimes I get frustrated if it’s a slow narrator…but mostly I remember audio books 395308 better than reading myself. Basically I just need someone to sit and read all my books to me…I shall train my dog. HUZZAH.
I’m not a fast reader at all, but I STILL suck at names. Like, seriously, I’ll set a book down and be like what was the protagonist’s name again? And on the rare occasions that I do reread books I always think WHAT. I didn’t see that the first time. I couldn’t POSSIBLY have missed that. Did they exchange my copy to sneak that in there!??
In semi-related news: that Loki gif is FANTASTIC.
SAAAAAME. And sometimes rereads are like reading it again for the first time. XD When people put up those memes of “I wish I could read this book again for the first time” I’m always like “Yup. I just did.” XD
HAHA OMG this is like when I tell my friends how I skim-read and they’re like “that’s cheating.”
Although I haven’t been reading as quickly lately…I keep getting distracted so easily, IT’S AWFUL. Plus this whole check-out thing is more exhausting than you’d think. *collapses and eats pineapple pie forever*
IT’S NOT EVEN CHEATING!! I don’t know why skim reading gets such a bad rap either. I mena, I think fast reading and skimming are sort of different…but still. Like…it’s still reading!??! When you can tell the paragraph is just a long boring description…bleh. Moving on. XD
OMG I UNDERSTAND. On your feet the whole time too right?! *gives you extra pineapple pie because is kind*
I am not what you would call a traditional fast reader. I fast-read only books that I have been super excited for – sequels to my favorite series. And yes, it did happen to me that I had to re-read finale because I missed some things due to my over excitement and fast reading 🙂
I did that for Mockingjay. xD I didn’t even know what happened when I finished, just that I was sobbing. XD
I feel this! With me, it’s either taking weeks to read a book or just hours. I end up flipping back and forth in the book within the firs 50 pages all the time because I read too fast to keep up with character names etc. On the flipside – you get a lot of books read in a short amount of time if you’re a fast reader.
YESSS. That is the bestest upside in the world. :’) And TBRs can (sometimes?!) be less daunting because we move through them faster!!
Okay so I am a fast reader when I get into a reading mode and I know how 1, 2, 4, and 7 all feel. I cracked up at number seven I was just doing this last night. Why oh why i feel I must prove my kindle wrong is beyond me.
I feel number 4 alot. All the book seem the same and finding unique is hard.
i have found audio helps me with 1 and 2. I have to slow down on audio so i remember what is happening and who who is much better.
fun post. I feel your pain.
We can’t let those little kindles think they know everything. *flips hair* WE RULE. NOT THEY. OBVIOUSLY. Audios help me remember more too!! But I find I can take a MONTH on an audio, whereas a paperback is like a day. So. >_> Agh.
MY GOODNESS. I so relate to everyone one of these – especially the ‘missing little details’ one and ‘the names’ one. AND OHH EVERYONE’S LIKE,’ How can you REALLY enjoy it when you read a book in one hour?’ Arghhh. OF COURSE I CAN ENJOY IT. 🙂
Loved this post. To biiiits. Thank you. 🙂
~ Naomi
AHHHH THANK YOU, NAOMI. *flails* I’m glad you relate too. WE ARE TWINS ON THIS MATTER THAN. I don’t like how people are so quick to judge if one happens to do things in a different style. -_- We CAN still appreciate books 100% and read them fast. *nods* And tbh I don’t think reading slow would help me have a better memory anyway. XD
I am totally guilty of number one. I totally missed the pivotal death in Mockingjay at the end because I read too fast. Had to reread a couple of times!
I STILL NEED TO REREAD MOCKINGJAY. I think I was in denial that several of those deaths happened and I got to the end and was like “well where is everybody”. XD
Yes! I do read finales waayyy too fast! Like recently I just finished A Darker Shade of Magic and The Twin’s Daughter (both are amazing book btw) and it was sooooo amazing that I actually read everything to fast that I had to stop reading several times to slow my heart rate and re-read to understand what exactly happens!
I’m going to read A Darker Shade of Magic SO SOON. OMG. I’m so excited!! (Vicious was everything basically.) And omg that moment when you have to physically STOP yourself from reading fast?!? I KNOW THAT FEEL.
I’m not even close to being a fast reader, but the name thing!!! I can relate. For some reason I rely really heavily on just the first letters of characters’ names, so when multiple characters have names that start with the same letter — or worse, look similar in general! — I get super confused.
OMG I’M GLAD I’M NOT ALONE IN THIS THEN. XD It’s terrible when books have too many characters with the same letter. IT KILLS. I always end up so confused. >_<
I used to be a super fast reader. then i noticed that i was unintentionally skipping over paragraphs that i thought were just description. like if a paragraph started out something like “she was stunning. her eyes were like…blah blah blah stuff” i would skip over it and get back to the action, most of the time without even realizing it. so i slowed down over the past almost year to try and take more in.
however, I 100% read finales way to fast. Suddenly there’s this big fight, my eyes start racing across the page in excitement, and then someone asks me about a certain detail and all I can say is…What? When did that happen? He got stabbed in the foot!?! I don’t remember that! and don’t even get me started on sequels. they’re a death trap. the longer you wait, the more anticipated you get, the faster you read the book when it comes out, which just makes you wait even longer! IT’S A DEATH TRAP I SAY!
I sometimes do that. xD Like I TRY NOT TO. But some paragraphs you can just tell aren’t going to say anything interesting…>_> Although that does depend on the author for me. Like if it’s a really fast paced book with epic action scenes and tons of dialogue, then I know not to skip over anything. XD
AHHH BUT THAT IS EXACTLY ME FOR FINALES!! It’s not that I don’t care, it’s that I’m too excited!!
I DO THE SAME THING WITH MY E-READER. That little Time Remaining thing obviously doesn’t believe in my reading powers and is obviously underestimating me. I try to beat it every time. I’m glad I’m not the only one!
CLEARLY THOSE LITTLE EREADERS HAVE NO IDEA WHO THEY’RE DEALING WITH. *flips hair*
Bwahahaha I remember when this used to be me. But no more! I barely finish a book in a WEEK nowadays. But I DO remember the old days, where one book in a day was no reason for my family to look at me in horror and think I was a witch. I’d do anything to get the old days back though. I miss it. The drive of finishing, the investment, I just MISS it, you know?
I’M OPPOSITE TO YOU THEN. XDXD I used to be so incredibly slow!! Only a book every week or less. Now I’m constantly glued to a book and I just love it. xD And yes I can imagine missing it. 🙁 It does feel very accomplishing to finish books fast, right?!
It usually depends on the type of book I read. For example, I can’t read school readings fast. Usually reading books for school (except for English, which is a foreign at my school but I am very good at) is very hard work and requires a dicitionary or wikipedia to understand. While on the other hand I read books I WANT to read, like the Lunar Chronicles often the same day I buy them. And actually I’m even fast with thousand pages fantasy novels, but then I still need a couple of days for them, because you can’t just read them in a few hours, even when you’re fast. Except you do it for a whole sunday.
omg, I can’t even imagine reading something in another language, so obviously you are MUCh more talented than I. 😉 And yes! I think it definitely depends on the book. Like I can’t seem to read epic fantasy very fast. It took me 3 weeks to et through Mistborn. It was 600-pages. But that’s not THAT much, really. I could only handle like 50-pages at a time and I had to read soooo slooow to try and take it all in. LOVED the book though. Have not read the rest of the series…oops! 😀
Talented? Nah. Not really. I started learning English when I was in Kindergarten, so it’s actually nothing special Also, in Germany learning English is obligatory and everybody has to, and we’re all totally flooded with English books and movies that it is rather impossible to NOT learn English 😉 it’s not the talent, rather than simply using and having a lot of contact with the language everyday. If I had been born in Appleton Wisconsin or elsewhere, I’d probably also speak English, but in Europe where you don’t have to go so far for places where other languages are spoken, it’s normal that people speak a lot of different languages… I don’t even think that I’m the most talented, there are people who speak more than five languages and respect for THAT. I’m still struggling with Chinese. Actually my “mother language” but the only word I can write for sure is my own name. Sorry, I got into babbling.
I’m not the fastest reader, but I speed read a lot. I guess I picked up that talent from those Reading/Comprehension tests in elementary school… It usually works out great, because I get to read a lot more books, unless the book is heavy, or boring, or sooooo good! I hate missing details in the end! That actually just happened to me on a book report book. I should have slowed down for that one… And the character names! Especially in books set in England when they change from Lord Whatever to a nickname to a first name! I loved this post! And although I’ve never read a whole book on an ereader that told me its expected time, I did shorten the time by a few hours in my head 😀
Missing details really pains me but somehow I can’t stop and read slower?! I JUST HAVE TO READ FAST, IT’S WHO I AM BASICALLY.
My kindle told me it’d take me 4 hours to read a book. BAH. I laughed and totally cuuuut that time. *awards self cake and more books* XDXD
I’m not going to lie here… THIS is what I’m MOST jealous of! You see, I’m a fairly slow-to-average speed reader, and this really bothers me. I WANT TO READ FASTER!! I’ve even downloaded a few books and even apps to help me read faster, but I just can’t seem to figure it out. They constantly talk about “not reading out loud to yourself in your head” but I can’t seem to grasp the idea of how I could NOT read the words in my head and still understand them? I’m stumped. Thus, I read slowly. UGH!!!
I can see why some of these may be ugh-worthy, but I’m still jealous. Reading fast has its benefits, as does reading slow I suppose… still I’ll switch with you ANY DAY!! 😀
AGH YES I GET THAT. I actually am not sure if I do read in my head or not? Like I only read something about that the other day…so I think usually I DO. But I still manage to read fast. o.O ( I want that app that gives you only one word at a time at superspeed. O-O THAT WOULD BE SOOO FUUUUUN.)
hehe, I’m pretty sure the positives outweigh the negatives for this one. 😉 HHEEHEHE.
I feel your pain <3 I always read things way too fast. It's why I reread so much. I miss certain things the first time around and then I find all new little details when I go and do it again. I love the rediscovery, though.
I always try to read faster than my e-reader, it makes me feel a little bit accomplished to beat its "expectations", haha.
My biggest issue, out of the ones you listed, is running out of books. I don't have that problem now that I am active on Netgalley and such, but before — yeesh, I struggled.
Omg yes! Sometimes rereading isjust like reading the book completely again for new if one has a really bad memory. haha. XD (Which, I totally do…I need to reread more though!!)
NETGALLEY CAN BE A LIFE SAVER. If one gets approvals. But then there are always the read-now books, right?!
I can totally relate with so much of this! The terrible woes of the fast readers. 🙁
#2 is something I always struggle with. I’ll be thinking about this girl with this name that sounds like another name but I can’t remember her actual name. It is a terrible feeling that others do not understand enough!
#6 since I always just need the next book ASAP!! It is even worse when the author writes sooooo slllooooowww that it takes 5 years between books! I’ve been all caught up since the third in the series and am now (not-so)patiently waiting for Kristen Britain to finish the 6th book!! Rereads are definitely the only thing that can keep me sane and remembering everything from every book while waiting for the next installment.
Thanks for posting this, Cait! It made my day. I’m so happy, I made you cake! 🍰🍰
We suffer so greatly. *mourns with you* Ag, names are just THE WORSE. I don’t even remember my own nieces and nephews names half the time and just call them collectively Frank. So book characters have NO HOPE for me.
Omg, authors who take over a year for series are TORTUROUS MONSTERS. WHYYY DO THEY DO THIS TO US??!
I have read SO MANY two star books because I had nothing else to read because I read the rest of the library pile so fast. OH, THE AGONY. THE HORROR. People also seem to think that because I can read fast I’m not absorbing anything that I’m reading? Like I’ve had to proven before that YES, I ACTUALLY READ THIS, I”M NOT JUST SKIMMING. It’s annoying, especially when you need to stop reading to answer those meddling questions.
I KNOW RIGHT?!! It’s really annoying! Like I’ve had people accuse me of that so many times and then I just want to point to my detailed review and go “HA. If I can write that then I obviously took in the book.” XD
Ugh. You’re so unbelievably right, Cait. I begrudgingly admit that. I read way too fast. It’s annoying. So I had to cut down my reviews, so I could move on. I don’t write reviews sometimes because I read so fast. It’s annoying.
And buddy reads. Ugh. Trying to do those is scary. I’m halfway through when the other person just started. It’s not like I can help it! If I’m into a book, I’m into a book. I read uber-fast. (Ehem. We still have Wren vs Cait 2016, right? Mmm. Let the battle begin.)
And Mishma is good for everything. She’s awesome.
Ahhh, I LOVE to write reviews. It’s nearly my favourite part of the reading process. 😉 MISHMA IS JUST AN ALL-ROUND FABULOUS PERSON I AM IN AWE OF HER FABULOUSNESS, TBH.
HAha, and yes, we’re still doing one month of reading challenges next year, right?! 😛 I’m planning to do more rewriting and less reading next year too…but…bah. Like that’ll ever happen. -_-
Mishma is amazing.
We will fight to the death. I will survive and win.
Reviews are hard sometimes. Especially if I wasn’t stunned or disgusted. Strong emotions is easier.
If you rewrite, I’ll rewrite. 😊
Ooh we can have a rewriting challenge too then. 😛
While these points make Fast Reading sound so sad, I still wish I was a fast reader.
I READ SO SLOWLY DARNNIT I wish I could finish a book so quickly so I could actually read everything I need to read and more XD
*quietly plots your demise (#5)* Hahaha XD aw.
OMG DON’T PLOT MY DEMISE I AM A REALLY NICE PERSON AND GIVE CAKE TO ALL THE SLOW READERS. *gives you cake veeeery verrrrrry slooooowly* MWHAHAAHA.
I identify with every. single. one. of. these. points. (except maybe trying to beat my the time on an e-reader. I don’t read on them too often but next time I DO, I WILL CONQUER.)
I never am able to finish as many books in a month as you, but I read crazyyy fast. Like, five books in two days fast. So when I finish a book, 95% of the time I’ll be like “Um, I have no idea what the main character’s name just was.” It’s really embarrassing. *hides*
But even though fast readers have their problems, I’d MUCH rather read fast than slow. Cause when it comes to rereading a book, it’s like completely new and I have no idea what’s going to happen! xD And I’m able to get through a gazillion more books.
*applauds you on another fantastic post*
Those ereaders. THEY GIVE A CHALLENGE, I MUST RISE TO IT. *dons armour and grabs battle axe* Okay that is really fast though. o_O That is probably faster than me. XD I read like a book a day…mostly. Except for lately I’ve been so busy and it’s like 8:00pm right now and I haven’t even touched a book for today! THE AGONY.
And yesss!! It makes reread more exciting 😛
Okay, okay two things…. I LOVE HOW YOU USE THE WORD LIBRARY AS A VERB. IT IS GENIUS.
And secondly… an inside-out tortilla? You poor thing – I hate having that tortilla feeling when I’m the right way out so being inside-out? Nuh-uh no thanks.
Ah, I envy your speed-reading capabilities! See, who doesn’t want to read all the books of ever? However I read at the same speed as your average garden snail… v-e-r-y v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y. This mans that this quest is ten times more challenging. ARGH IF ONLY I COULD HURRY UP. But I can’t because I’ve tried and no.
I am not fast. (insert Baymax gif here)
So mwah-hah-hah this post may be contemplating the agonies of speed reading but it is also comforting my delinquent slow reading soul. I’m still envious though!
Also, what if there was a specific genre called books-that-will-make-you-want-to-drown-your-sorrows-in-an-olympic-sized-pool-of-chocolate. It would be so popular that they’d publish even the greatest of books under that genre and then that would mean excuses for chocolate ALL THE TIME.
WHY THANK YOU. Grammar = me breaks all the rules. I don’t even know how I’m allowed to be a writer. I KNOW NOTHING.
OMG BAYMAX GIF. XD Ahem.
But hey, there are positives and negatives to just about anything right?!? 😛 And I maaay be being SLIGHTLY dramatic here. But pfft. Not too much. 😉
1. OMG, I can’t even tell you how many times I realize I have no idea how my book ended when I wake up the next morning. But yeah, I agree with you about re-reads. I never get sick of them because I forget so much. XD
2. Or when you’re halfway through the book and suddenly realize you don’t know the main character’s name…
3. This is why you should just let me pick books for you. 😉
6. I always think about waiting for series to be published before starting them. The thought lasts about 30 seconds, and then I remember that I like new, shiny books from the library.
7. That is the worst! Sometimes I spend more time staring at the stupid number than I do at the words on the page. I also spend a lot of time staring at my bookshelf instead of reading. (See point #1)
8. You tell them it’s all about priorities.
9. But you kind of did prove that they do have a little bit of a point with #1, right? I mean, when I speed through books (and I’m talking borderline skimming), I rarely end up liking them that much. And you’ve been talking about how many bad books you’ve read lately. They *could* be related. Not in every case, of course, but in some.
1o. This is why you have a) a backup of library books on your Kindle and b) an entire bookshelf full of favorite books to re-read.
I basically need to get better at rereads. XD I usually lose steam reading after Christmas, because I kind of feel my challenge is done and I’m waiting to start the next one — so THAT is when I’m going to start some rereads. Basically Stiefvater reads. Because reasons. :’)
I NEVER KNOW ANYONE’S NAMES. I go to write a review 2 seconds after the book and I’m like “and …um…that character who did that thing”. -_-
Audio books actually help me with ALL of this though!! I pay SO much better attention.
Ahh, I mean, I guess?! Like I can usually tell if I’m going to like a book from the first 50-pages or so. I inhaled Blood Red Road though INHALE, I TELL YOU, OMG. It was nearly 500-pages and I read it in a day and still gave it 5-stars. xD
Oh, there’s definitely a difference between flying through a book because you love it so much and flying through a book because you just want to read it and move on to the next one, or because you feel obligated to read it. I know there are books I might have enjoyed if I’d been focusing on reading instead of thinking about the next book I wanted to read. 🙂
Omg, yes, that too. I guess I feel that way about some unsolicited ARCs I get???? But then if I skip them I DO MISS HIDDEN GEMS. (And I’ve also been requesting less books and just librarying ones I actually really want to read. 😛 Are you proud? XD)
I’m so proud, Cait! And now it will be even better… 😉
I FEEL THIS ENTIRE POST.
I read more books than I take breaths (because my life is essentially an empty pocket of time) AND IT CAUSES ME SO MUCH PROBLEMS. I envy those who can read a book slowly because they have more time to savor the book and I’m here flailing around because I have to wait longgerrrrr.
The details and character names part, especially. I miss so many things because my eyes are flying everywhere and I want to see the blood and gore and epic endings and when everything comes together… wut? Did I miss something? O.O
Sometimes I feel bad when I read too fast because I feel like I should stop and think sometimes. Y’know, ponder whatever meaningful message the author intended us to grasp? Maybe I’m just a dense person in general but sometimes I get the feeling that I’m not absorbing the book completely.
YES ME TOO. OMG. SO MANY BOOKS and even when one inhales a book a day…there are still so many books out there. Basically all BIG plot points should be underlined. XD So we know to slow down for that part. HAHAHA. *ahem*
I’m not nearly as fast as you but I have all of these problems sometimes! Especially the first one. I have to go back and read several pages because “oops, I missed something here… why is there a polar bear in the middle of the Sahara?”
Also, when your parents tell you that you need to get out more because you’ve already consumed three books that week and need to return to the library for more adventures.
Omg that is so totally me. XD I was once discussing Divergent with my sister and she’s like “and then the wall –” and I’m like “there’s a wall?” To which she’s shouting “THAT’S LIKE HALF THE POINT OF HTE BOOK CAIT. DID YOU EVEN READ IT?” hehe, obviously…not that part?!? MY bAD.
Agh, yes. Those parents. Whyyyy do they think socialising is better than books? *sighs long-sufferingly*
This is literally the story of my life! #1 and #2 especially!
I’m absolutely awful at names, especially when they are not your everyday names. So if you are a character with a semi-obscure name and it isn’t one listed in the synopsis, I’m sorry to say that I won’t be typing your name correctly (or at all) when I do my book recap synopsis!
YESSSS. Or contemporaries where everyone has like the same name. AND EVEN IF EVERYONE HAS THE SAME NAME, HOW DO I NOT REMEMBER?!?! *glares at brain*
Ugh, the worst! Who knew there could be so many names that start with “J” and what on earth possesses you to include all of them in your novel?!?! #thingsIaskmyselfwhenIread
I didn’t know e-readers tracked your reading speed. I don’t think mine does… but it’s an ancient Kobo that doesn’t even have a touchscreen. It’s got a big blue button that makes an annoying “click” every time you turn a page. I haven’t used it in years. (My laptop is my e-reader. Which is usually fine… unless there are full-page illustrations, in which case they either get shrunk or cut off.)
I used to be a much faster reader. I often devoured entire novels in one sitting. Now, I read a lot more slowly. I’d like to read a bit faster… but then I’d probably encounter that dodgy-book problem. I mean, I already encounter enough dodgy books; I’m afraid that if I read faster, I wouldn’t have an excuse to DNF them!
As for finales, I think I tend to slow down when I read them because I want to get everything straight in my head. I don’t want to miss anything. Especially if there’s a lead-up to the next book. I don’t want to start that one and be struggling to remember what happened before. Climaxes, on the other hand… well, that’s where I get excited and might get a little ahead of myself. I often force myself to slow down and reread certain passages there, especially if some mind-blowing thing happens and I can’t quite believe what I’m reading.
Mine is a kindle, so maybe it’s just a kindle thing? (Well I have a kindle APP not the actual kindle.) I can’t stand to read on my laptop though!! I like to curl up with a book. haha. XD
I think there are definite pros to reading slow. 😉 I always feel like I take in audio books better because I’m forced to read them slower and not rush finales. XD
I wanna know how to do this. I think I am too much of a slow reader, I would love to read super fast lol but then I’d prob miss stuff. Doesn’t bother your eyes?
Not really!! My eyes only die when I’m trying to read at night. xD
Exactly! I don’t DNF a lot of books I should because I think, “Well, I’ll be done with it soon anyway. Might as well keep going.” It’s awful!
I also had the same problem with lack of books as a child. Go to the library. Read all the books. Sit and wait around dying of boredom until parents want to drive to the library again. Sigh.
Same! And I kind of always hold onto the secret hope the book might get better at the end?! 😛 They rarely do but one can hope…
Yup I definitely feel your pain Cait, sometimes I miss a few details and it’s embarrassing when I get basoc facts wrong like names and places! Oh man I remember our buddy read with Mishma, never again lol (just kidding!)
It is totally embarrassing, right?! GAH. Especially when someone comments on my goodreads review or something and wants to discuss the finale and Im’ like…”ahhh. SO. I know it’s only been 2 weeks but…I DON’T REMEMBER?!?!” *dies of embarrassment*
HAHAHA. MISHMA AND I. XD We read like 3 books waiting for you to catch up, didn’t we? 😉 😛
I used to be a fast reader, I used to read between 3-7 books a week, but then I just.. stopped? I now read around 3-7 a month, if that, and I don’t know what happened, but something just changed, and it’s so weird. I’ll probably pick it back up again at some point, but I feel all over the place and it sucks. BUT, I do agree with the buddy reads, and the whole not knowing what the heck happened at the end, like woah, craziness at the end of some books and I just never understand them 🙁
Agh, it’s not good if it feels sucky. D: I think there are like times in our lives when reading comes and goes, right? Like this year was pretty much a non-event for me for writing. But I’ve read a lot of books! I’m kind of thinking i might swap that around next year and focus more on some edits. *nods*
SOME BOOKS ARE JUST WEIRD THOUGH. When I finished The Alex Crow by Andrew Smith…gee, I was reading slow but omg I have 0% of a clue what the heck that book was on about.
OMG YESSSH!! I’ve been an obsessively fast reader my whole life and I cannot control it! I don’t think I want to, it’s pretty cool. 😛
Anyways, yes to point 1 because there are times I have to slow down and reread the portion again to understand the part I skidded through. A BIG YES to number 2, I forget the names of the characters practically every time when I sit down to write a review and if they are not given in the blurb I have to check the book again. And YUSH YUSH to number 3 and 4, it is soo hard, I totally understand you girl. Totally! And eeh, I don’t do well with reading buddies, particularly because of that! I haven’t found out my ideal reading buddy yet. Perhaps we could give it a try once in this lifetime, when you’re not so busy my DRAGONISH LORDSHIP? 🙂
I think number six is the universal problem of all the readers that exist in this galaxy! And it will always remain like that until somebody invents that necklace of Hermione’s! And yesh I have tried number 7, I try to race with my kindle every single time but recently I’m not seeing that time limit in my reader any more. Guess it ran away, afraid and scared? 😛
Girl you’re not the only one with superpowers. Just a few days ago my friends established that I was an alien because of my obsession with reading and books and unicorns and dragons!
Oh yes, I’ve met people like that of point number 9, I simply ignore them. You’re lucky you have a library! I do not have one in my area, even if I did I’m sure of 100% they would not have the books I want to read cause I’ve practically searched everywhere in my city but the books I read are not available anywhere expect on online stores. (And no, I don’t live in a dungeon.) Soo..yeah image what would happen if I run out of books! *facepalms*
Now that I’ve established all the forms of “yes” I think I should stop my rambling now. As usual, loved your post!
AHHHHH YOU ARE A SPEED READER TOO!! LET US FLAIL AND THEN COLLAPSE DRAMATICALLY IN OUR SPEED READING AGONIES. *commences flails* I don’t think we should have to be ashamed, right?! 😛 I do get raised eyebrows a lot when people hear how fast I read, but it makes me happy!! so that’s the important thing!!
I almost like audios for the fact they make me pay attention to EVERYTHING and I don’t rush finales. haha. (But at the same time audios are so slow I go crazy sometimes. -_-) I pretty much NEVER participate in buddy reads because of this. IT’S SHAMEFUL I KNOW. But I just read so fast and by the time everyone else has finished, I’ve read 9380 books and have forgotten the buddy-reading-one. >_< I'm pretty sure you just showed that time limit who was boss then. *nods* RUNNING OUT OF BOOKS IS A TERROR. *pats your shoulder* I hope it never befalls you. ZOMG BUT THANK YoU FOR THIS SUPER EPIC AND WONDERFUL COMMENT. <3
Oh, oh, oh! I definitely read finales faster than I’m supposed to and skip whole pages at a time just to get to the end. It’s really fun, but yes TOTALLY confusing. The adrenaline rush though.
HOWEVER. Best thing about this post has to be how enlightening it is – I didn’t know speed readers had such agonies (although the thing about forgetting character names is a Very Important Problem).
Now that I think about it I can identify with some of these (I’m an ebook speed readers, for some reason paperbacks take me years to read but hand me a Wattpad book and I’ll become a speed reader immediately).
I get the point about reading mediocre books – Wattpad is full of those, as well as books with the same plot (the Werewolf genre is a copy and paste session with half-naked, muscled guys tbh) but when you read so fast, who cares? Right? Right.
The adrenaline rush is AMAZING. And a lot cheaper than jumping out of a plan, amirite?! *ahem*
But yesss, we speed readers. Omg the agony. *collapses dramatically* I’m really surprised at how many speed readers are piping up in the comments!! I’m GLAD I’M NOT ALONE IN THIS.
Tbh, I haven’t really ever explored Wattpad a lot. I’m addicted to reviewing and I can’t review a wattpad book on goodreads, so…I don’t read them. XD I KNOW THAT IS A HORRID EXCUSE.
Ok, #6 is LEGIT! I wait forever, devour the book in a single sitting, then begin the waiting again. THE HORROR!!!! And don’t even get me started on #7. I am like “Challenge Accepted” and I am constantly waiting for my kindle to figure out I read faster than average! And no one assumes I have super powers. Its a known fact 🙂 Love this post hard!!!!!
WE WILL PREVAIL AGAINST KINDLES. THEY CANNOT CLAIM TO KNOW US. *wages reading speed war on kindle* XDXD
Yes I am a fast reader! And names are my worst thing…. I never even try say them aloud….. so if someone says something about this person with this name I have n idea what they are talking about…. until they tell me that he is the MC of some other important person that did such and such…. I have not yet run out of books though….. and I don’t think I shall, because there is all my books I have not read yet, both my sisters books and my mums books… and my mum had book shelves and bookshelves and there is no way I am ever going to be able to read them all 🙁 Oh and that wait forever for a book to come and then the next day I have already finished it… And use I am finding as I read more books they do seem to be getting less unique.
I have that same problem!! I was watching a youtube video the other day that mentioned a book and I’m like “what? That character isn’t in that book”…um. Yeah. BAD pronunciation on my part. xD
And it’s sad about the uniqueness right? D: I don’t know what to do!! I’m considering aiming to read less books next year, because I’m worrying that I’m ruining my enjoyment maybe?! I DON’T KNOW. I long for original and unique books!!
Hahaha, I feel these so much! Especially the whole missing details in the finale thing, and waiting ten million years for a sequel, only to read it in one day, and have to wait ANOTHER ten million years for the next one. SO MANY CRIES.
Also, I totally get competitive with the Kindle reading speed thing. So glad I’m not the only one!
Thanks for a great post, Cait! ^_^
Omg, I used to go to my sister and ask her what happened in the finales. XD SHE USED TO GET SO ANNOYED AT ME. But I was reading!! I just…got excited and then confused and gahhhhh. XD Basically audios are quite good because they make me slow down and take it all in. 😉
aHH I’m so glad I’M not the only one racing my kindle. XXD
YEEEEESSS, All the things. I’m a fast reader too. I hate it when people tell me I can’t enjoy a book because of how fast I read. Like how would they know? Because they don’t read like me. lol 😀
EXACTLY! *huffs* How would they know?!? I think people say that because they’re jealous.
Yes definitely jealous. We are amazing. 😀
Numbers 1-4, 6 & 8. I usually read about a book a day, depending on the mood. When I finish a bad book or was feeling feels because a book was so good, I pause for about two days and read fanfiction, then, the cycle begins again.
Agh, the super bad books and the super good books are EQUALLY a problem sometimes. heheh. I get into such slumps after super awesome books because NOTHING can live up to it!! And I end up just rating everything “meh” after until I get over it. 😉
Great post! I can certainly relate.
Yaay!! Speed readers unite!!
I connect to this on a sole level! I legit will sit down to write my review 30 mins after finishing a book and have forgotten the protagonists name! I remember the love interest cause their name is said a whole bunch throughout the book but the protagonist isn’t saying their own name, hence my forgetting! AND OMG WHEN YOU WAIT 10 BILLION YEARS FOR THE NEW INSTALLMENT AND YOU READ IT IN LIKE A DAY OR LESS AND YOUR SITTING THERE LIKE OMG NO! REALIZING YOU HAVE ANOTHER 50 TRILLION YEARS TO GO. THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THE LAST 3 THRONE OF GLASS RELEASES AND I JUST WANT TO CRI ERY TIM. And when you read like one 5 star book for ever 6 3 or less star book – it’s like shoot me in the face, it’d be less painful. I LOVE THIS POST!!!!!!!! <3 🙂
*soul LOL I got excited!
OMG I’M NOT ALONE IN MY NAME HORRORS?!?! AHHHHH!!! *shares cake with you* It’s so weird though, isn’t it?!? Like I legit don’t even know the narrator’s name of the last book I read. I can’t recall at all. And I finished it last night. *facepalm* IT IS JUST AWFUL TO READ SO FAST WHEN ONE IS FORCED TO WAIT SO LONG. WAIL WITH ME, AMY. WE ARE TORTURED SOULS.
We are tortured souls – it’s a hard existence! But I’d rather be a speed reader then a slow reader any day. I have no chance in hell of completing my ultimate goal in life to read All The Books, so slow readers must not even have a chance in hell of readings 1/800 of All The Books. Must be Hell!
Gurl, the relatableness that I feel in this post! I am a very fast reader (one time I read 18+ books in one month), and I love it AND hate it. Recently I have just been gorging so many books…. I mean, I’ve read at least 5 this week. NOT THAT I’M TRYING TO BRAG! It’s actually been really hard to keep up with Goodreads and reviews and everything… I mean, how am I supposed to remember anything if I race through this book? It’s not like I’m consciously trying to rush it, I am just naturally quick at it, and it gets hard sometimes. These are the reviews I have yet to write:
Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
The Young Elites by Marie Lu
IT’S ONLY SATURDAY! Eek!
Sorry, this is becoming really rambling and silly. 🙂 I just feel you so badly! Thank god someone finally made a post about this. I’m just glad I have an iPad so I can download ebooks from my library, because buying and/or loaning physical books is HARD. I love them, but I can’t do that on a weekly basis with all these new books. And there’s still so much to read! Gah!
YAY FELLOW FAST READER! 😀 My best record has been 31 books in a month. XD Although there were a few comics in that too, so I’m not sure if they count as an actual book. BUT YAY OMG 5 THIS WEEK GO YOU, MY SPEEDY BOOKWORM FRIEND. Sometimes I unconsciously start rushing myself. Like if I feel like I’m “taking too long” with a book?! Which is ridiculous because some books are easier to read fast…some are not. BUT YEAH. I understand that feel!! I always review straight after reading because I really loooove to review. XD
I am a fast normal reader. Does that make sense? I read faster than the average person reading normally. Ha ha. Fast, but not speed reading. I took a class at uni to learn to speed read academic text books and still retain the knowledge. I could read literature that way too, but I love to savor the experience and be steeped in the setting, so I don’t. Hehe, sometimes if the ending is making me nervous I want to speed read to lessen the agony, but I never do. To me the suffering is part of the total reading experience. The only time I speed read is when I have a book that I want to dnf, but it is one of those stories that keeps giving little tidbits of goodness and I am afraid it is going to get good, or I hate the writing, but somehow I still get invested in the characters (I hate that). And, as far as authors writing similar books, yeah, sometimes it is just a co-inky-dink, but I think a lot of times it is an author trying to ride the wave of a previous author. I am going to try that Kindle app that flashes a book one word at a time. I tried out the sample last year and I read almost 50% faster. I am.dying to find out if I can read that fast and still enjoy and retain an entire book. Have you seen that app? Great post. 🙂
Omg, that DOES make sense…somehow. XD I’ve always wanted to learn a bit more about speed reading. Like sometimes I skim if the book is HORRIBLE and I am just trying to get through it so I can run away screaming. But mostly I just read fast. Suffering IS part of the reading experience for sure. I mean, would we really care about reading if it didn’t evoke emotions?!?
OMG I TRIED THAT THING THAT DID ONE WORD AT A TIME. :O I didn’t know it was an app though! Do you have to buy special books for it or does it do all normal ebooks that way?
THIS. I completely relate with all of these points Cait! I feel like it’s so difficult to read fast, because you have to be able to take in so many words at a time and somehow still be able to comprehend them at the same time. And then it becomes a struggle when it prevents you from finding anything unique or original. 😐 Thanks for sharing and, as always, fantastic post! ♥
YESSSS. Actually this is why I do like audios because they FORCE me to settle down and take in ALL the words. XD
Okay, so I’m not the only person who tries to finish within their Kindle’s estimated time remaining! It’s like a challenge and I have to try to finish the book in less than 45 minutes…! As for being a fast reader, I think I’m fast, but I still know a bunch of other bloggers who read waaaaaaay more books than I do a month. And I’m like, “How is that possible?!” A good reading month for me is twenty books or upwards, a bad reading month is closer to a dozen, or even less! And I totally get what you mean about rapid reading when the finale or climax comes along. The book’s pace gets faster so I read faster… and then I feel like it was all too short and I’m pretty sure I missed some key details. I sometimes reread finales just to make sure I got everything, haha.
IT IS A CHALLENGE! A glorious challenge….hehe. Although sometimes I do rush even faster because of that silly kindle estimate time. -_- Whoever invented it CLEARLY wasn’t competitive.
Omg I don’t understand the people who have 1000 books for their goodreads challenge. LIKE HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!?!? HOW?!??! I read fast and 1 book a day is absolute maximum for me. o.O
Oh, Cait, this post speaks to my SOUL. Now, I don’t read as fast as you.. well, who knows, maybe I do, but I don’t read as OFTEN, anyway. The downfalls of trying to grow your own humans, I guess? But I can relate to ALL of these. When I was buddy-reading Throne of Glass with Holly and Amber, I was done with Crown of Midnight before they got themselves together. I NEVER remember character names. Ever. And the worst is if you consume two similar books in a short time frame, they all mush together, so your main character’s name becomes like, Melissabeth. And NUMBER NINE, my poor bookdragon heart. (See what I did there? I remember your posts more than I remember characters. I don’t even know what that says about my life.) I have this problem now like… all the time. And when I was a kid, The Baby-Sitters Club books came out once a month, but I’d have the book finished by the car ride home so… it was sad times for a fast reader.
TRUE. I do spend quite a lot of time reading. Althoooough it’s like 8:00pm and I haven’t even STARTED a book for today. *sobs* But I digress. Some people are just sooo sloooow, right?! 😛 Once I did a buddy read and had read 3 books by the time my buddy even started. Least to say…evil me. 😉
I SEE YOU USING BOOK DRAGON. I SEE IT. IT JUST MEANS YOUR LIFE IS AWESOME CLEARLY.
I also like only pay attention to the first letter’s of characters names…which gets awkward. Especially if the love interest or best friend have the same letter and then WOAH. Who’s kissing who. It gets intense I tell you.
THE FIRST ONE. I always end up reading heart-racing climaxes as fast as my little brain could possibly read, getting more and more worked up until I realise i have no idea what happened or who kissed who or what happened to that guy did he turn into a dragon or befriend a dragon or just go home and aghh.
Yeah, it’s a struggle. And i totally race my kindle too so you’re not alone 😉
http://www.lipglossandpaperbacks.blogspot.co.uk
CLIMAXES ARE JUST SO EXCITING HOW ON EARTH CAN WE CALM DOWN WHEN IT’S JUST OMG OMG TELL ME ALL THE THINGS. *hyperventilates in the face of climaxes* I usually am left going “wut” though. Which is frustrating. XD
All of these! The struggle is real. But this one most of all “WHEN YOUR KINDLE ESTIMATES YOUR READING SPEED AND YOU HAVE TO BEAT IT.”. That is so me, it’s like my kindle doesn’t even know me! I’m like 5 hours, pfftt, I’ll have the book read and my review written and dinner on and and then that will show you. 😀 But sadly yes to missing important parts, I’m always backflipping to clue myself in.
My kindle KNOWS NOTHING. It is woefully behind. *flips hair* I have such a horrible memory that I actually like reading a book in a day and then reviewing it straight away because at least I know I’ll remember the details for…like…a few hours. XD
OMG this is everything I’ve ever wanted to say, summed up in one neat post! I wouldn’t consider myself a speed reader but I can read a lot of books in a month. That point about reading a ton of disappointing books is so true! I find myself never DNFing books because it wouldn’t take me that much longer to finish it anyway… but then I always end up in a fit of rage because it was crap.
And I absolutely hate it when people tell me that I’m skim reading or not reading a book properly!! Like how do you know how I’m reading?! I might be a fast reader but I still process every word! But yeah, buddy reading is almost always out of the question. I can’t do it. Plus there’s that competitiveness that you mentioned, where I have to be ahead of everybody else who’s reading. I can’t stand not knowing what somebody else knows HAHA.
I always secretly hope that those horrible books will do something redeeming at the end, right?!? I JUST HAVE TO KNOW EVERYTHING. Even if it’s sucky. hehe.
And it’s just unfair to be accused of not-reading-properly, right?! Like sometimes I do skim and I don’t feel ashamed for that, but I think you can still read AND enjoy AND take it all in and be super face and speedy.
I could basically snort in ungainly ways at the entirety of your answer for 7. I, too, am Divergent, although I’d be more likely to question with authority whether they can control me. *shrugs*
I… am a fast-ish reader, compared to my family, but compared with most people in the book community I’m pretty slow, and I’m feeling worse off because of reading slumps and the fact I’m editing and all the excuses possible. I’m fast with manga, though. NO ONE CAN HOLD ME BACK THEN. And graphic novels. They can be my fast reading jam. But I’m definitely able to comiserate with your “missing of important details” issue, Cait, because that happens. I’ve had to go back and reread the end paragraph/page/s because I didn’t comprehend because I was too excited before. My passion can run pretty high. *nods*
*Divergent hi five*
I’m not even fast compared to some bloggers I know!! Those who do school and STILL read a book a day just flaw me. (And one of my friends on Goodreads had a 1000 goal challenge for this year and I just…I CAN’T EVEN. HOOOOOW.)
I am an incredibly slow reader but I am STILL horrible at remembering names!!
I make up for my slowness by taking a book everywhere haha 😛
OMG WELL WE ARE LIKE TWINS ON THIS NAMING MATTER THEN. I don’t even remember human’s names IRL. I call all my nieces and nephews a collective “Frank” and they all answer to it, so my renaming process is definitely working. *nods*
I don’t read fast compared to some bloggers, I read a new book every other day, usually. I agree with everything you said. The only buddy read I did I waited until the last week of the month and then read the book. My buddy was still struggling to finish. I haven’t done one since then. I hate having to wait a year (or longer) for a sequel. I can never remember characters names, it’s sad. Yup, I have to go back and reread a lot because I am sure I missed something. Oh the woes!
I once did a buddy read where I read 3 books before my buddy had finished the first. It was a bit…embarrassing. ahahha. *ahem* BUT YES WAITING IS NOT FUN. I wonder if author’s feel strange that they’ve spent hours and YEARS over a book and then we read it in one day. xD
Hilarious post, Cait! I’m the total opposite of you; I’m a very slow reader. That’s why I don’t buddy read, because I’m always left behind. I had no idea it’s so hard to be a fast reader though, haha.
HEHE. I miiiight be being a bit dramatic here. BUT SHHH. SECRET. XD
I agree with these so perfectly. It is a struggle everyday. I read really quickly, and every five seconds someone who doesn’t read asks me what page I’m on and then proceeds to gap at me for the next ten minutes. Also, Sherlock gifs for the win.
There is no downside to Sherlock gifs. :’) OMg BUT YES I UNDERSTAND THAT. Although I read alone in my blissfully quiet room BUT YEAH. People will be like “What are you reading…oh wait. Don’t tell me. It’ll change in 2 minutes.”
ha ha ha. So funny. -_-
I never know character names or author names or sometimes even book names. I have the goodreads summary open when I write reviews for that reason.
If I’m really looking forward to a book I listen to it on audio so I don’t read it in one day. Need to savor it.
People who say they would like to read but don’t have time. Hate them.
I love audios for that! I ALWAYS remember audio books so much better because I’m forced to savour it. 😉
*nervous laugh* Yeah, I always race my kindle, and I always beat it, and I tend to keep track of how much I beat it by. *hangs head*
I’m a super fast reader, but I tend to go through books more slowly at times because right now I might have five minutes a day where I can pick up a book and also because I like to take my time on books, so I just read a bunch at once and force myself to read in smaller bites. I don’t like finishing a long-awaited book in one sitting, because I don’t like that blink-and-you’ll miss it feeling. And actually, truth be told, I think I’m much faster at writing than at reading. If I’m really enjoying a book, I’ll half my reading pace so I can absorb everything because I don’t want to finish.
Yeah, I’ve had people question my ability to take everything in. But that’s because they’re lame and jealous and wish they had superpowers like me. I remember one time, when I was seven, I read a book in a day and my cousin wouldn’t believe me and she said I’d just skimmed it and I got OH MY GOODNESS SO STINKING MAD. So I read another book that same day, just to spite her.
NO SHAMe, MY FRIEND, NO SHAME HERE. And of course you’re a fast reader. Pfft, I think your middle name is Warp Speed (don’t even try denying it). The only time I’ve actually WANTED to read a book slower is when it’s a Maggie Stiefvater book and I just want to savour every morsel. :’)
And AGGHHHH. Like sometimes I DON’T take everything in. But that wouldn’t change if I was reading 1 page a day. -_- I love speed reading and it makes me feel sort of super powerish.. *flips hair* Judgers gonna judge. BUT HOW DARE THEY SAY WE SKIM. HUMPH. You spiteful little 7 year old though, Liz…
YES.
I totally agree. My family calls me “the reading cheetah” I read so fast. XD
You missed one, though.
Wanting to savor the book, but at the same time… WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!
Because you know you can finish the book in 5 seconds flat if you want. But…
OMG THE READING CHEETAH?!?! That is insanely awesome. My family just calls me weird. -_- I need to work on their nickname skills clearly.
AND YES. That too!! I’m constantly torn about that. 😛
RUNNING OUT OF BOOKS IS THE WORST. THE. WORST. Also, have you ever gone to the library to check out a new book, find a shiny and wonderful sounding thing, then start reading it and realize that, uh, you’ve ALREADY read it. That has happened to be before… THE SHAME. But with all these books, how can I possibly remember them all?! Great post. Cait!
Omg no! That has no happened to me before!! 😛 I did borrow out two books by teh same author that…turned out to be the same book with just different titles. -_-
Yes. I’m beginning to wonder if I have a secret Australian daughter, although I’m pretty sure that being female, I’d know whether or not I had kids.
When I’m reading something literally with someone else–a sign, a webpage–I feel obliged to remain silently staring at the page after I finish so they don’t get stressed out that I’m done and ready to discuss it while they are still working through the first paragraph. And tracking characters’ names is such a waste of time–I just grab the first initial and move on. This makes it very annoying when authors dare put two characters with the same first initial in one book. It also used to result in some convoluted attempts to explain who I meant on lit tests–“the protagonist’s cousin’s neighbor” is a phrase I’m pretty sure I once wrote in high school.. But see, I knew EXACTLY who they were and what they did–I just didn’t know their name.
I can’t stand audio books, because I want to know what happens next. With an audio book it could take something like 72 hours to find out something I could find out for myself in three. On the other hand, I love reading aloud. I am currently reading 5 different books to 5 different classes, plus one to my daughter. Some are re-reads for me, and some I’m discovering right alongside the kids. And when I read aloud, I do appreciate the extended time to soak in details and ponder deeper connections. I just can’t rein myself in when I’m reading to myself.
I don’t read on Kindle, so I don’t have that competition going. I would say that I’m really not a competitive person at all, BUT–last year my school did a reading challenge with our students and teachers. Two months in, someone’s mom had read two more books than I had. Once I found that out, I got serious. I ended up blowing them all out of the water. One science teacher actually said to me, “Well, you’re padding your numbers, because you’re mostly reading YA.” Um, first of all, the whole point was for us to connect to our students and help them find books they’d love. Secondly, if I read 157 YA novels and you read 8 adult novels, I STILL BEAT YOU.
Pfft. Science teachers.
As for running out of books–our library has a 100 book limit. A few times I’ve had to sweet talk them into letting me check out the last few on my pile by promising I’d just returned some. They have a very simple online renewal process, and if nobody else asks for a book, you can wind up keeping them for 15 weeks total. So I always have a wide range of books to choose from.
Cait, I so love your writing style, as well as the wonderful things you find to share with us. I can’t wait until I can buy your books as well.
OMGGG YOUR LIBRARY SOUNDS LIKE A DREAM. *falls in love with your library’s kindness* Mine is only 3 weeks and usually someone else wants the books I want. -_- Because the world is mean like that.
BHAHAHAHA BEST COMMENT EVER THOUGH, WENDY. <3 Omg, I'm so glad you like my writing style. :') That completely makes my day. *whispers* And omg I would love for there to be a book to buy one day….oooone daaaaay. XD
I’m super competitive, actually. Mostly to myself. Like each year I have to beat last year’s reading goals. And then I’m doing a reading challenge with my book club and I get ALL my month’s worth of books done in the first 3 days. hHAHA. *ahem* Everyone glares at me.
And I like audio books! BUT THEY FRUSTRATE ME. I found out you can speed them up, but then the narrator sounds a bit like a chipmunk so I’m still debating whether to do it or not. xD I find I remember audio books sooo much better. BUT YEAH. It’ll take me a month to get through one as opposed to a day reading a book myself!!
I hope you don’t mind – I riffed off of your post in my latest one! (I think I’m your opposite when it comes to reading speeds.)
#8 on your list strikes me as funny: people saying that you must have speed-reading superpowers is a compliment! To be fair, if it were a true superpower, you’d be able to read a different book with each eye, looking in different directions like a chameleon. Just imagine how efficient you’d be…
hAHA. No no of course I don’t! Your post was great! 😀
And yesss, I suppose it truly is a compliment. 😉 I kind of am hoping I get the superpower with reading-two-books-with-a-separate-eye because daaaang that’d be handy…
I think my reading speed is pretty normal… But I still take ages to read books for some reason, which is really annoying because I always forget things… Like when you completely forget who people are. Ugh that’s the worst.
I love these gifs! Especially the Sherlock and Loki ones ehehehe
SO MANY NAMES THO. OMG. I literally can’t even remember the names of the characters in the book I finished yesterday. They were French so. I’ll blame that too. BUT STILL. XD >_<
OMG I totally know how you feel about being a fast reader. It seems like as hard as I try I just can’t stop reading and the next thing I know I read the book in ONE DAY >.> I would like to savor a read every once in awhile but it’s just SO HARD! I wish I was one of those people that could remember character names, but nope I rarely do… so every time I read a book I have to write notes and make sure to write their names down lmao how embarrassing. >_____< The absolute worst part? ALWAYS RUNNING BEHIND ON BOOK REVIEWS BECAUSE FAST READING = MORE BOOKS
SAAAAAAME. I’ve read to read slower but…it just doesn’t work!! I like reading fast, even if there are some awkward downsides. I feel like I get to live 924820 million lives. :’)
This list is great. I’m a slow reader, but I also try to beat my Kindle, and I can’t remember character names. (Or real people’s names.)
Omg, you too? GOOD. I am not alone in my namelessness. Seriously sometimes I forget even my own name so there’s that. And I never even remember my nephew/nieces’ names so I call them all collectively “Frank”. They answer to it. I think they’re 1000% done with me BUT THEY ANSWER TO IT.
Ah, the woes of speed-reading. Personally I’ve always been a fast reader! But lately, I’ve been so slow and its horrible! I can only read one book a week and that irritates me! I NEED TO GET MY SPEED READING BACK. No matter how nanny frustrations come along with it!
Great post, as usual!
It’s still ALWAYS worth it, despite the downsides, right?!?! 😛
Number nine is such a pain! I also get grumpy with the people who look at you curiously and ask how you read so much, as if reading frequently and quickly means you are some sort of alien creature.
I know right?! Why do people think it’s so odd of us?! IT’S SOMETHING WE LIKE TO DO SO WE SHOULDN’T BE JUDGED. *flips hair*
I am a fast reader as well and the struggle is real. For me, the biggest issue is memory. When I read a book it stays in my head for like maybe three days before I start losing details. Probably the reason I have so many abandoned series. Like on Saturday I read three books in one day but I can’t tell you much about any of them. BUT DUDE, the kindle thing. That got to be such a thing with me I actually had to turn that off xD
AGH MEMORY YES. Whyyyyy is it so hard to remember all the things?!? Someone asked me what I just read the other day and I had a COMPLETE mental blank. I couldn’t even remember a character or the plot or anything. So embarrassed. >_< XD
YES I UNDERSTAND YOU, FELLOW SPEED READER OMG. Quite honestly I sometimes like to sit down and digest books by just sitting there and reading and soaking up the prose, but then SCHOOL and *flails*. Basically I don’t read during the week, so that I can concentrate on schoolwork. So I end up reading, like, a book a day during weekends. And then people just look at me really weird and tell me that I should SOCIALIZE of all things. They don’t understand us. It’s like we’re a separate species. But yeah, once my school counselor asked me what I do for fun, and I said, “I read,” and she said, “Oh, what kinds of books do you read?” and I said, “All kinds, but I usually read a book over the weekend,” and then she kind of freaked out and said it took her a week to read one book and I’m so very glad I didn’t mention I usually read the whole book in a day and still have time for homework because NOOOOOO I’d be worried for her. So yes. HELLO. Fellow fastbookwormreaderINTJ.
AHHH YAY ANOTHER SPEEDREADING FRIEND. *FEEDS YOU CAKE REALLY FAST* I feel like I ONLY properly digest books if I listen to them on audio (which I quite like to do but then it takes sooo looong and that’s kind of annoying). I’m pretty sure I AM a separate species to those humans that like socialisation. Omg, my bookshelf and I are social enough thankyouverymuch.
*INTJ hi five*
This is hilarious because I really DO try and read faster than my Kindle predicts. I guess we’re just crazy like that. I actually wish I could read faster than I do because there are so many books I need to get through!
I’m so sure the person who invented that part of the kindle is sitting back cackling at what evil they’ve released to the world. xD
I AM A FAST READER.
FINDING THE TIME TO READ? Nope, I can’t. IT IS TOO HARD. I CANNOT JUGGLE THE INSANITY CALLED MY SCHEDULE. This is the main reason why I take 4 days to read one book.
But when I am reading fast, I suffer from #1. I never remember anything because all I want to do is get to the climax and finish the book and FIND OUT THINGS. 🙂
I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THIS. You need a time turner. That is all. Or the inability to never need sleep. *nods* YES BUT ME TOOOOO. I mean, I guess it’s bad?!?! But sometimes middle’s are rather boring and it’s the CLIMAX where all the answers come!! ME = WANTS.
This.
Just… All of it.
But I have to admit, since getting my Kindle, I’ve always viewed the reading time as a challenge. Lol.
IT IS A CHALLENGE…isn’t it?!?! *challenges kindle to dual for life*
This post was so much fun to read!! I’m not really a fast reader, well, I usually read a book a week, because well, life happens, sadly, haha 🙁 Despite that, I have to say that I totally relate with remembering characters’ names…I kind of SUCK at it, and will have to check multiple times before writing a review or anything else. I tend to read faster though, when the big finale of a book comes up, because well, I GET EXCITED, haha and I just want to read all the pages in one single second and absorb everything, haha. It usually makes me come back after, to read again what I really missed, haha.
And oh the struggle of not having any more books to read. I currently have TWO books left to read, and I AM COMPLETELY FREAKING OUT. Even though I’m sort of a slow reader, I feel panicked when I don’t have a big pile of books awaiting to be read !
Response To Last Comment: School has been intense, thanks. Getting better, though!
This Comment: I’m usually a pretty fast reader. I struggle with remembering character names, and read finales fast! I never noticed the Kindle thing, really! I sent you the dragon recs, I hope you can use them! 😀 it was nice to see your reply in my email like old times. Have a great day!
Ahh, glad it’s getting better! 😀 You get holidays soon, though right?!
I LOVED YOUR DRAGONS RECS THANK YOU SO MUCH. I’m going to see which ones my library has!! *Flails* And omg, so sorry I haven’t been on your blog as much either. D: I DO MEAN TO. Time just gets away on me sometimes too. >_<
Um, I couldn’t relate because I’m a slooooooow reader. Ugh, seriously, it takes me more than a week to finish ONE book! Bless me with your powers, oh mighty speed-reader Cait!
BUT AT LEAST YOU SAVOUR THE WORDS, JULIE. :’)
Well, there’s that. 🙂
Oh, I am completely guilty of numbers 1 & 6! In fact, I read the article so fast, that I forgot what number it was by the time I scrolled down the page and had to scroll back up to find it! I read a book that I’ve been expecting within 24 hours (usually) and then I have to wait what feels like forever for the next one. But I’m usually too excited to wait, so that one will continue to happen! 🙂
HAHA OMG I RELATE TO THIS TOO. When I read blogs I’m always scrolling back up…although that too is because I always want to say 394803 millions things while reading and then I get to leaving the comment and go “Oh wait. What was I going to say?” XD Bad memories = the worst.
That Kindle reading speed was put in the device by someone very, very cruel who is probably laughing like an evil maniacs. Because who sees that and doesn’t think, I can beat that time! I sometimes need to change the little counter so it shows something else because that always gets me. I’m faster than you think I am, Kindle.
That person is SO laughing right now. They’ve unleashed a monster and are sitting back smugly, I absolutely am sure of it. *heavy sigh*
Hahahaha, like always I LOVE your list! I am totally guilty of number 1 and 2, but then rereading is so good because you get to discover new things even though you are reading the same thing again. I love doing this with my Harry Potter books, I am always noticing little things in the first few books and then I’m like “Ahhhh, so that’s why THAT happens in the last book!” Love those little discoveries! 🙂
Number 7, Oh THANK GOODNESS! I thought I was the only one! Sometimes I will sit there desperate for the toilet but be like NO, I MUST BEAT KINDLE!!! Haha, oh dear, I think we may need help!
And finally number 9, this makes me mad, so so mad! (Loving the GIF for this one!) These people just dont understand! I think I would enjoy a book less if I had to read it really slowly! And then think of all the other books I would be missing out on because I was reading this one slowly! It just doesn’t bare thinking about!
Happy (speed) Reading 🙂
YESSSS. Sometimes rereading is just like reading the whole book again. xD I did that with Divergent/Insurgent. I was totally “so um what wall?” And my sister just about died she was so done with me. XD
KINDLE BEATING COMES FIRST. *dons battle armour* Always.
I never understand when people think there is only ONE way to do something, right?!!? There are millions of ways and each can be just as enjoyable!!
Yes to all of these, especially #1 and #6! The first time I read the last Harry Potter book, I was so excited to finally get my hands on it that I zoomed through it in three days. All well and good, but I literally missed the paragraph where Voldemort dies. I was reading along, absorbing the drama of the final showdown, the spells were flying, and then – wait, what happened? Why did they just say something about laying Volemort’s body out separately from the other casualties? Is he dead now? LOL. I had to go back and re-read that page, obviously. 😛 And
I SO GET THIS. *wails* I’ve done that with Mockingjay basically. I don’t even know WHAT happened. Also Divergent. AGhhhh. Rereads save me. XD
For point one- IT TOOK ME FIVE REREADS TO SLOW DOWN AND REALIZE WHAT HAPPENED AT THE END OF CATCHING FIRE. OMG.
(really, all of this is superbly accurate, but there are specifics.)
AND POINT NINE. I get this one all the time. Like, are you just jealous? Why are you so concerned for my reading habits? *squinty eyes*
I feel all your pain. Everybody in my family always gets so exasperated with me when we go to the bookstore and I buy a book and am done with it in the next hour. “YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO SAVOR IT,” they cry. “But you do what I’m doing with food!” I think.
Fabulous post!
THAT WAS ME, BUT WITH MOCKINGJAY. I got to the end and I’m like “but where’s so and so…not dead. When did they die? Wait. No.” And I actually thought Katniss DID shoot Gale. hahahahaha. Ahem. I really was going uber fast at that point because SO MUCH FEELS AND DEVASTATION.
Omg, I totally get you on reading fast!
All my friends are like “Um, you COULDN’T have read it that fast,” and then quiz me on what happened because they never believe me. (Well, now they do after I showed them my prowess muhaha) I agree with pretty much all your points. Going through the “same” books over and over again? Yup. Sometimes stories will mold into my mind and I’ll have a tough time figuring out what happened in which book. And the character name thing – THE STRUGGLE. I’ll open up the tab to write a review and my fingers will be hovering over the keyboard, trying to think of the names of the characters.
And finally, the worst part? Waiting a year (or more!) for books that I read in one day. :’) Someone save me from myself.
YOU SHOW THEM. *flips hair majestically* We can swallow it all AND read fast. Oh and when you find someone to save you from yourself, send them over to save me. IT IS SO HARD WAITING WHEN ONE READS SO FAST. *collapses howling*
I used to read super super super fast O_O Like 3 books in a day was very, very possible for me. I read waaay slower than I used to (maybe because of lack of motivation?) and I do agree there is a difference between reading fast and savoring each detail. I remember more details than I used to! Although I do wish I could cover more books though ToT I’m still 14 books behind my Goodreads Challenge!
Omg, 3 books a day?!?! OKAY I HAVE NEVER BEEN THAT FAST. Ever. Haha. But yes…like sometimes I wish I remembered/savoured more? But then, if speed reading is who I am and I like it, eh, I’m not going to fight it. xD
YES!!!! Especially the characters names!!! OMG I can’t remember names at the best of times!!!
I also hate when people say “oh so you skim over it”.
No. No I don’t “skim”!! I read every page you doofus!!!
Also, I love audiobooks… But they frustrate me because I could have read them in at least a quarter of the time!!!
I feel your pain! Great post!!
EXACTLY!! How dare they assume we’re just skimming?!?! I mean, sometimes I do skim, but mostly I AM taking everything…my eyeballs are just fast. *nods* I have the same feel with audio books. 😉 BUT I LOVE THEM MOSTLY. Because I tend to remember audio books better!!
Yeah audio books are so different. It’s so strange I can’t remember where I am when I read books, but audiobooks I can remember the book, where I was and what I was doing at specific points of the book. I’m really getting into them now I only listened to my very first one the other month!
I know! How dare people judge us because of our mad reading skills! Boo!
This is so relatable! I’m quite a fast reader when I don’t have other commitments, so I’m always low on my TBR pile. Also, I always try and beat the estimated reading time! To do this, I always turn the page off straight away, so it doesn’t add extra time on. This may be a bit extreme 😀
Another thing I find infuriating with being a quick reader is when you have to read something in school. Everyone is reading really slowly, and I’ve always finished the book! People who read aloud are the bane of my existence 🙂
~Denise @ The Bibliolater
YAAAY FOR COMPETATIVE KINDLE READERS. HAHA. At least we’re not alone, right?! 😛 I always finished my books in a day when they were supposed to take weeks during school. >_<
You read way faster than me, but I still consider myself a fast reader, and I experience all of these things. Though I mostly blame my bed memory for not recalling characters’ names. Like, I’ll finish a book, and I’ll try writing a review right after, and already I can’t remember their names. O__O
But seriously, this is a problem.
SAAAAME. It can be seriously embarrassing. XD And I realised half the time I don’t even write their names in reviews even when I DO remember them. So a year later, going back, I don’t know who anyone is.
I consider myself quite a fast reader compared to the average person. Compared to you, I feel like I am a snail. You read so fast, you have ninja like reading skills. It’s very impressive!!! But I hate when people say that you can’t be enjoying the book as much. OF COURSE YOU CAN. You’re just enjoying it at a faster pace 😉 I wish I didn’t have to work, then I could read so many more books and my life would be a much happier place. I buy books at an alarming rate so I know I am never going to run out of unread books. Gah, I look forward to retirement, where I can sit and read ALL DAY!!!
I can definitely relate to all this, and I finally found someone who can read fast! YOU! HAHA. ugh, yes, the character names. I always somehow miss it out while flying through a book, and it would be so terrifyingly annoying, especially when I’m writing a review, and I’ll be like “OH crap, what’s her name?” And and buddy reads/readathons 🙁 I can never do them, because I’ll finish a book in a day, whereas the schedule states that Chapter 1-5 will be read in the first week………… ><
Fortunately, I have never run out of books to read, because I have stocked my Kindle up to 90plus books HEHEHEHE.
YAAAAY FAST READERS UNITE, I SAY!! *fast reader hi five* I die when I get to reviews and I don’t even know the protagonist’s name. XD Especially in first person. It’s just HARD. The only readathons I do now are ones I do with a fellow-speed reader in a day. AHHA. I can’t even imagine reading a book for months. o.O (Unless it’s an audio.)
OHMYGOODNESSYES! Well, sometimes. Well, basically always. And waiting for sequels IS TORCHER!! It makes me want to put them under mind control to make them write faster!
Oh and I TOTALLY beat the kindle reading time. 🙂
YES! I am a super fast reader too and I can relate to so many of these. I thought I was the only one who obsessively checked their Kindle reading speed. I swear, after every chapter I just check and check and check some more. If my Kindle says it will take five minutes to finish a chapter and it only takes me three, I do a little victory dance. My husband asks if I actually retain the information and yes, yes I do. But sometimes, I will admit that I read so fast that little details and minor characters can escape my attention. Great post!
For better or for worse, I have never been (and never will be) a fast reader. I would call myself an average-slow reader. But, I can still relate to some of the woes of being a fast reader. Even though I am not the fastest reader, I am the absolute worst with character names. Sometimes, they all kind of blur together, which tends to make some pretty awkward and confusing scenes in the book.
I also try to beat the time that the kindle sets for me (I cannot stand having a little device telling me my reading limits!) but I mostly end up spending more time staring at the clock to actually beat the score. But one of these days, I WILL PREVAIL!!!
Again, a pleasure to read this post. I guess I can call myself an occasional speed-reader. During holidays, I just read and do nothing else. Because what’s more important than fighting the dark forces and falling in love with amazing guys in books which don’t exist in reality? So, anyway, I’ve decided to read 5 books this week. I really hope it works out because that’s the most fun I’ll get in this one month vacation. Regarding those points, I agree too much on #5, #6, #9 and #10. Those gifs just express my exact situation! And yeah, I just don’t get people who say, “It’s vacation. Why are you reading all the time instead of partying?” I’d slam a book in their face, not literally though. Loved this post!! 🙂
I actually am a fast reader and this post is literally my life put into words… gosh the problems I face because of being able to read a huge book in less than a day…
WE ARE POOR SUFFERING SPEEYD READERS, YOU AND I. *consoles us with cake and more books*
Pineapple pie? What? I must find and devour!!!!
Haaa! I read slow to moderate, unless I really like the book (than it’s super fast). I still love rereading, no matter how slow or fast I read. Those sneaky little details like to really hide.. and deep! I will find them and I will devour them!!
#7 made me laugh… out… loud! HA!
I’m also a fast reader and I felt a sense of deja vu when I read your post. I hate it when I forget the character names and I have to flip back to see their names! I hate it when I finish reading a book and wait for its sequel when it releases after a year or who-knows–how-many days! I hate it when I don’t have a book to read!
I want to ask you this question as it happens to me all the time: Do you like it when you finish reading a book and someone asks you to tell them about the book? My mind goes blank whenever this happens.
I loved reading this blog!
WE ARE TWINS IN THIS THEN. XD But oh. my. gosh. I relate to that so so much. Actually literally just the other day someone asked me my hobby and I said “reading” and they’re like “What did you just read?” And I’m like “Ummmmmm….” I COULDN’T EVEN REMEMBER THE TITLE OMG. It was mortifying. xD Here I am saying I’m a reader but don’t even know what I read?!?!? *dies quietly*
I so agree!!! I do the beating reading prediction! And I read Queen Of Shadows in a day! And IT COSTS SO MUCH!
I don’t relate to ANY of this! *sob* I am a chronic SLOW reader… it’s painful. I am the human equivalent of molasses. YOU HAVE INSPIRED ME TO WRITE A POST ABOUT SLOW READER PROBLEMS THO! So just you wait! I shall counter your fast, and hit you up with a post about the sllooooooooowwwww. It’s miserable. How do MEDIUM speed readers live??? IN COMPLETE BLISS?
It takes me a while to read a book that I want to review. I also need to write the review notes as I am reading it otherwise the contents are lost from mind quickly. Speed reading does not work for me most of the time.
Yes to all of these but especially 6 – that one is just awful!. I love being able to read so fast because re reading is a joy. You pick up bits you missed first time and you’ve forgotten some of the book because of the million books read since then😀. Kindle (and kindle unlimited) are enablers though – no pesky waiting for the postie.
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[…] when Cait of Paper Fury wrote a post all about the downsides to being a fast reader, I felt compelled to mention the bookish tribulations of my fellow slow […]
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[…] It was a wise book blogger who once said that rereads were a speed-reader’s best friend. […]
[…] @ Pages and Pineapples (which is probably the best blog name of ever) did a response post to my Dire Agonies of Being a Fast Reader…except hers is for a slow […]
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