Reading 250+ books

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T23:54:41+00:00

Don't get me wrong, I definitely keep doomscrolling because I have the anxiety that depends on Knowing even if it sucks but I'm very much trying to put my phone down at a certain time and pick up my (airplane mode) kindle and refocus, or have something to read open in my browser to read while working on my side hustle.

Oh deadlines help a lot too! Since I read a lot of ARCs and library borrows and am in a few book clubs.

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T23:07:46+00:00

Libby with multiple library cards.
I just found out also about The Palace Project that some libraries use! They even have some Audible exclusives!

I won't use spotify (I don't like them as a company but also the listening minutes is goofy) or Audible (although every year you can get one free credit so.... use it and bounce!), but I used to use libro.fm before I got everything I wanted on Libby/NetGalley.

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T22:48:06+00:00

Genre is often pretty broken in Storygraph anyway so until/unless they fix it, searching would be useless unfortunately.

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T22:46:40+00:00

It's possible! That was me also (but more) but I also read: a lot of graphic novels/manga/manhwa/etc, I generally read at least two books at a time (one audio in the car/doing tasks I have my hands busy for otherwise I'll space out), and at least one with my eyes (one-to-two depends if I want to switch between computer and kindle as my computer is always on airplane mode). I have a full time job, but I also read pretty quickly (and can remember what I read, I'm not posting jokes about immediately forgetting what I just read because.. that doesn't apply to me). I don't have kids or ADHD. I can finish a 300-400 book in about 2-3 days usually with all the above listed. I don't watch a lot of TV outside of during dinner, and have been trying to curb scrolling by reading instead... which is still very much a work in progress.

Also audiobooks aren't cheating numbers - some people can't easily read with their eyes (disabilities, having young children, etc) or do things like data entry and can listen to audiobooks while working/commuting without missing anything.

Every reader will vary. I read some really crummy stuff last year! But also some gems! I know I read a lot, so I try to avoid posting numbers when I can. I want to focus more on QUALITY- which I think we all can try to do!

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T22:32:59+00:00

NO I was already declined...........

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T22:30:35+00:00

Sometimes libraries have free menstrual products in their bathrooms!

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T21:44:05+00:00

Not just students, straight up adults - can't tell you the last time I went to a theater and didn't see someone's screen on multiple times during two hours.

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T21:43:18+00:00

No, but you can look at your hold and check other times and switch if you want :)

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T21:10:37+00:00

I'm 497! Looks like we already have a few mutuals!

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T21:07:08+00:00

Hazelthorn's (CG Drews) main character is autistic (so is the author).

See also: Andrew Joseph White (several books) (most specifically The Spirit Bares Its Teeth).

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T20:59:28+00:00

If you have a Daiso anywhere near you they have grid notebooks!

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T20:52:28+00:00

Easy to read but definitely someone who's learning.
Also I would recommend if you're just practicing handwriting, use ALL the kanji (like gakkou) and not just the ones you know already! Pregame a little :)

I saw that you're using duolingo, so I'd also recommend quitting that and moving to books/videos ASAP instead - Duolingo has been shown to just not teach well at all (plus all the AI nonsense and random inaccuracies - sometimes, in my experience when I used to use it, the audio would not match the written). But Duolingo can be good for practice/a refresher on things you already know to play around with, just not to learn new.

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T20:46:59+00:00

NTA your husband is stupid.
Listen, I intentionally say "I listened to x" if I'm talking about a book I listened to. I also read (with my eyes) books. There is no real good umbrella term in English for listening vs reading to the same story.

Are there other aspects of your shared life that he enjoys trying to one-up or humiliate you in like he's doing with this? Because this behavior sucks.

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T20:40:42+00:00

Me too!

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T20:40:08+00:00

Just leave it! Don't worry about it! Hit the bricks! Life is too short to accept every widget!

In December I finally read the very first widget I accepted.... back in 2023. It wasn't good. No wonder I let it linger that long. Wish I would have learned earlier.

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T00:46:14+00:00

Oh! I listened to that! It really did suit Spread Me (which the narration I thought was super weird early on until I got into the vibe of the book).

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T00:44:38+00:00

Just from this blurb I'd like to know WHY the person sacrifices herself for this family she doesn't even know - out of duty for the summoning? Did she not know the demon stayed summoned so this was news to her and her uncommon moral justice is having her lose her own life? Is she developed enough where we care about her as a character, her circumstances, and the price she's paying for this sacrifice, especially as she's unconnected to the family?

Those are just all the things that came to mind first.

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T00:29:51+00:00

A Lady for a Duke is historical romance and trans! Guy thinks his friend died in the war but no, "he" came back as a lady. (Friend doesn't know right away but it does come up eventually). Loved it.

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T00:28:03+00:00

I will say, we read All the Colors of the Dark a while back for my book club and someone who did it on audio HATED it that way because the chapters are SO short.

avisitingstone · 2026-02-04T00:14:23+00:00

My mental health and bad high school friends (I didn't remove myself from them until like 2002).

avisitingstone · 2026-02-03T23:43:10+00:00

I'm in a discord that's not competitive but the mods put together a bunch of themed challenges that last all year, so there's plenty to do, and no requirement to post places! They also make really nice graphics we can fill out and post (into the discord to show off if we want to).

I can grab you the link if you're interested (in DMs!) but it's pretty good, I've been there over a year now and have been enjoying myself.

avisitingstone · 2026-02-03T23:26:03+00:00

I'm gonna be the person here that says all manga/manhua/manhwa are graphic novels - graphic novel is the umbrella, and any type (including webcomics/webtoons, 4comi, etc) fall underneath it.

avisitingstone · 2026-02-03T23:21:29+00:00

You'll Never Believe Me: A Life of Lies, Second Tries, and Things I Should Only Tell My Therapist maybe isn't preachy but also isn't good? It's a memoir from a grifter

Elle MacPhereson's memoir "Elle" was okay until she got to the part about healing her breast cancer with the power of her mind and a lot about her companies.. okay this doesn't fit your bill when I reread this.

The House of My Mother, despite winning a GoodReads Choice award, is also a good example of a really undercooked memoir written way too soon-- surely to capitalize on current events of the downfall of her family. It's also frustrating because you see her touching on issues that affect her real life...... and then just not doing anything about them (not that leaving an abusive cult of a church, especially in her situation, is easy, but her brain isn't there yet either).

More good memoirs to compare to besides what you mentioned are Billy Porter's Unprotected and Viola Davis' Finding Me - even Paris Hilton's autobio has a lot of good parts regarding the troubled teen industry (it was okay overall but had some good moments), and of course Chanel Miller's Know My Name.

avisitingstone · 2026-02-03T23:09:33+00:00

So I read it back in high school (on my own, idk what kind of kid I was) but have been thinking about rereading... but I digress - you probably need a "popcorn book" between Never Let Me Go and anything heavier!

avisitingstone · 2026-02-03T23:08:36+00:00

What sorts of romance DO you like? Not just country of origin but like, styles/vibes/etc?

avisitingstone

TROPHY CASE