Look, it’s no secret that I do a lot of reading, as of course you do too, because otherwise you probably wouldn’t be reading my blog. As a reader, I have some specific habits, and I’m just wondering if anyone else out there shares any of my quirks. I always wonder: is it just me, or do other people do this too? So, please, someone out there… let me know if you do these things too!
Right after I finish a book, I want to pick up another one and start reading.
I can’t help myself! I’ve finished a book, and I feel satisfied (usually) and accomplished and happy. I update my Goodreads, I set the book aside and heave a sigh of satisfaction, like one does after a good meal. 
Then, I go straight to my TBR pile and slide a bookmark into my next book — soon, my precious… soon — and go into the kitchen for a drink of water. And if no one else is around, and I have no other obligations at that very moment, I rush back to that new book and start to read it! And as I’m sitting there with another book in my lap, I think to myself things like:
- Shouldn’t I wait a little while, so I can savor/process that last book?
- Shouldn’t I write a review of the one I just finished before I muddle my thoughts with this one? (Sometimes the answer to this one is YES, and so I do.)
- Am I that hungry for reading that I can’t even spare like 30 minutes between books?
- Is this normal? Am I weird?
I always stop at the end of a chapter. Or section. Or page ending with a period.
I can be pretty anal retentive. I am particular about things lining up in certain ways. I don’t like to stop in the middle — of a page, of a chapter, of a sentence — because I like to know exactly where to start when I pick up the book again.
Ideally, I stop at the end of a chapter, so I can pick back up again on a fresh chapter. If that can’t happen, then stopping at a section break is acceptable, because, again, it’s like a pretty defined stopping point. If that can’t happen, then I will resort to stopping in a spot where the page ends with a period. That way, I can pick up on the next page with a fresh sentence.
I know. I’m super anal, aren’t I? My husband can stop mid-sentence, it seems, and be fine with it. But not me. I once read a book that didn’t have any chapters, but only section breaks (The Rapture of Canaan), and I have to confess that I was pretty uncomfortable with it for a while. But after a while I just got used to stopping at section breaks and it was okay. Please, someone, tell me I’m not alone here!
I just cannot read while lying down.
This is what happens when I try to read a book in bed.
How do people do it? My husband seems to only be able to read if he’s lying in bed. I find this very perplexing. I mean, if you’re on your back, then you have to hold the book in the air in front of you, which means your arms are going to get tired eventually (long before you get tired of reading, in my case).
If you’re on your side, then holding the book is still awkward and uncomfortable. And then your cat thinks it’s time for bed so she pushes over in front of your book and tries to get your attention for snuggles… What, just me? Moving on, then.
If you lie on your stomach, that’s a bit better, because at least the book is flat on a surface in front of you. I still find that I can’t do that for very long. Like the book is too close, or I’m too restricted to turn pages easily.
I think this would be much easier with an ereader, because there wouldn’t be a bunch of pages to worry about. Just a device to hold. Because I can read on my phone if I’m lying in bed. Hmm.
Another Novel Read (has moved!) 
My husband thinks my reading habits are pretty odd. I do read in bed, lying on my side but with the book upright and he always asks me how I can read sideways. This does not seem odd to me at all. Like you, I like to finish at a chapter or a section break if I can but I also do not like to stop on the right hand page if I can help it. Preferably I will be able to stop just near the top of the left page and so it should be obvious where I have left off. I get very anxious if I have to stop mid-sentence – like if the phone rings or I am in the pub and the person I am meeting turns up and demands some attention.
Yes, I like to stop, so that I can begin at the top of the left page, if possible, too! But as long as my starting point is very clear (next chapter, next section, etc.), then I’m good. Stopping mid-sentence is the WORST!
…I am so like this too. If I can, I definitely start reading another book practically straight after finishing the last. Or if I can’t start it straight away, I like having my bookmark inserted at the very beginning of the book so I know what’s coming up next. And I really dislike having to stop reading in the middle of a chapter, but I can settle for the end of a section if I absolutely have to. The only way I can read laying down is with my kindle, but then I run the risk of dropping it on my face, which isn’t a good thing to happen!
Hehehe, yay, I’m not alone! I do the same thing with a bookmark inserted at the beginning of the next book! :)
Stop in the middle of a sentence? Read while lying on your back? I think your husband has the weird quirks, not you, ha ha. I do stop in the middle of a page sometimes (though at the end of a sentence), but I always regret it because I never remember where I left off.
Hahahaha, you have a very good point! Maybe I’m not the weird one after all! :D
I’m constantly starting a book immediately after finishing one. I have to always have a book going! But it’s very rare that I’m struggling to pick a book, it happens but not typically, especially since I usually have 3 books going. I tend to have an audiobook, ebook, and physical book going. lol
Hehehe! Yes, I always have an audiobook and a physical book going. I do often have an ebook going, too, but it’s usually one I don’t care to finish anytime soon. Or it’s an enovella that I can read quickly. :)
I’m pretty sure I’m in agreement on all three! I do try to write my review before picking up my next read, but I definitely know the feeling of setting the old read to the side and searching for my next read so I can update Goodreads/my currently reading widget.
And how anyone can stop mid-paragraph is beyond me. I have to get to the end of a chapter or the end of a section before I can put a book down; it’s pretty much non-negotiable lol.
And there is absolutely no way I can read comfortably while lying down. I can sometimes handle reading on my stomach for a bit, but that gets hard on my neck.
Ah, so glad we agree on all three! I like that we’re so particular about updating our Goodreads and currently reading widgets. I’m glad I’m not the only one. :) I often read when my husband is out, and when he comes home, I feel bad trying to read to the end of a section/chapter/SOMETHING before I can give him my full attention. >_< Last night was perfect, though. I finished a chapter and heard his car pull up, so I stopped, and it felt very satisfying, lol!
I do move on to a new book right away like you, but usually write my review first. If only because everything is fresh in my mind and I’m afraid it’ll all disappear otherwise (I never realized before how horrible my memory is). And I’m with you on preferring chapter breaks to stop a book. I do this whenever possible, but don’t kill myself if not. Like, I read in between classes so if suddenly class starts and I’m not at a chapter break then I just stop it where I am and I don’t suffer too much. (Though I prefer to continue until chapter break.)
But on the reading lying down? That’s totally me. If on my back I usually prop the book up on a pillow or something so my arms don’t get tired. For some reason I think I’m more bothered by reading sitting up. It’s just not as comfy! :P
Hahaha, so interesting that what’s comfortable to you is so very uncomfortable to me! I basically can’t read for long unless I’m sitting up comfortably, with my book propped up on a pillow or something. Maybe I just have weak arms. :P
I deffinatly have to stop reading at the end of a chapter :) or a paragraph like you said! It’s so strange! I see my parents and they just stop in the middle of a paragraph or something and i know that I’d never be able to find my place again! I can read lying down :) It’s easier on my side because I don’t have a cat. But lying on your back and holding the book above you is a talent I had never accomplished :( my arms usually go numb and I end up dropping the book (or kindle!!) on my face. Clever girl! And i usually take notes while reading (if it’s for review) so i can usually jump into a book without feeling guilty :) PHEEW! Long comment! New follower btw :) A fellow WordPress user, yay!
Charlie xx
Welcome, Charlie! :) Yeah, I think what I need to do is start taking notes while I’m reading so I don’t feel as guilty about jumping right into another book once I’ve finished one.
I have the same problem while trying to read lying on my back. I guess my arms are just weak, and that’s why it works for my husband. He has pretty muscular arms, and lots of stamina, lol.
I ALWAYS stop reading at the end of a chapter. I can’t do it at a scene break or at the end of a paragraph. Always the end of a chapter. And usually, the chapter I stop at is a multiple of 10. Which is really weird, I know.
Aha, I love that! Stopping on a nice, round number. So you read ten chapters at a time, basically? I don’t know why that’s so exciting me to me, but I love it. :)
What happens if you get interrupted, though? Or if you get to the end of, like, chapter 20 and want to keep going but don’t have enough time for 10 more chapters?
I agree with everything you said.
1. I always start a new book right after finishing one.
2. I always stop at the end of a chapter or paragraph.
3. I cannot read lying down. It’s so uncomfortable!
I love your list. :)
Hahaha, yay! It’s so good to know that I’m not alone with these things. :D Thanks for visiting, Nancy!
After I finish a book I always go grab the next one. Sometimes I start reading immediately, or I might put a bookmark in it and bring it with me.
As for stopping reading, I do like to stop at the end of a chapter or break. But, since having a kid, I can’t always do that. When she needs me, I stop midsentence. Generally this means I read a few sentences over again.
I can definitely read laying down. Normally on my belly of on my side though. I can’t hold a book up in front of me very long to read on my back, unless I’m in the tub..lol
I don’t think you’re weird, everyone does things their own way!
I’m glad to find so many others who grab the next book right after finishing one. I guess it’s just a voracious reader thing. :D And, I suppose if I had children, I would just get used to stopping wherever also. Maybe I should count this quirk as a luxury not all can afford? :)
I like this post, I do have to admit that I generally like to pick one book up after another unless it was really moving and I just don’t have time to read another book. It’s just easy because I tend to be in the book mood when I read then.
Gah, I cannot stop mid-sentence either unless I fall asleep but then I’d always go back to the start of the sentence, so no, I like to stop at chapters or if I don’t have time, then at the end of a sentence.
Hmmm… I have to admit I also get those problems lying down, but I do lie down to read as it always seems to be the quietest point to read.
Yeah, I know what you mean. If I’m just in a reading mood, I want to keep reading, so I pick up the next book. But yeah, there are times I will pause to process the one I just finished. It seems to be rare, though.
So which position do you lie in to read? On your side? On your back? If I read in bed, I have to sit up and just kind of recline, not lie all the way down in the bed.
I guess I read on my side, but most of the time I start sitting up in bed and then just gradually recline further and further, then switch to my stomach, realise I can’t breathe and have to sit up again. haha.
Hehehehe, sounds about like my experience, too.
I have a collection of books scattered around the house… one by the hairdryer, one by the kettle etc so that I’ve always got something to read – which my partner thinks is very strange. As a result I quite often stop in the middle of a sentence! If I find a book that I love though I can’t go anywhere without it, even if I know for a fact that I won’t have time to read it. You never know when you’re going to get five minutes!
Hehehe, I love that! A convenient book, wherever you are. That’s how I am with chapstick actually, lol.
Love this post!! I was literally laughing out loud while reading it.
You are not weird, be sure of that! Everything you wrote totally makes sense to me.
Just like you, I always start a new book right after I finish one (or even before that…). It’s just that I have SO MANY books and so little time. I need to read every single book on my TBR pile (which will never happen cause it keeps growing and growing.. ><)
I also can't stop in the middle of a chapter. I will always read until the end of the chapter before I stop reading.
As for the third thing, I can't read while lying down too! I always sit when I read in bed before I go to sleep.
Awesome post!! Thanks for sharing (:
Sapir @ Diary of a Wimpy Teen Girl
Yay, so glad you can relate to my post — and I’m glad you enjoyed it! My TBR pile is ever-growing, too. In fact, I have like.. several different TBR piles, lol! Thanks for visiting!
I read one book after the other pretty often. Especially if it was a good book and I want to preserve that glow. Or if it’s part of a series and I have the next installment right there. I’ve found I cannot do school reading while lying down. I fall asleep so I have to sit up and pay attention to what I’m reading.
Oh, if the books are part of a series, yeah, I’ll just read them back to back. That’s what I did with the Hunger Games series. I kinda love when that happens. :D
Right? And the flip side, when you have to wait an ENTIRE year for the next one. Oo, I don’t like those.
Hahaha, I know. It’s the worst. And when you get an ARC like 6 months before the book comes out, it’s like TORTURE waiting for the NEXT one, lol!
I completely agree with the first two. I usually start a new book immediately after finishing the last one, unless it was particularly emotional and I need about a half hour to process what I just read.
I always stop on a paragraph or a page break. Except on the rare occasions that I fall asleep while reading.
But…I almost always read while laying down. And I sleep on like a half-stomach/half-side combination so I usually just rest my book on a pillow.
Great topic!
Funny you mention that sleeping position and it being good for reading. That’s often how I sleep, too, but for some reason it’s still not good for reading, for me. Oh wait, it’s because of my cat. -_- She thinks if I’m lying on my side, it’s time for bed, so she curls up (right where the book would be) to spoon with me. Cute, but not good for reading. Sigh! :)
I agree totally with jumping straight into the next book, I can never wait. I have found reviewing books makes me feel less guilty about this though. Getting my thoughts together to write a review makes me feel I have given the book proper attention. I have to update Goodreads immediately and I’m never happy unless I already know what my next two or three books will be. And I try to write reviews within 24 hours but rarely immediately after finishing the book.
Stopping mid sentence, even mid word doesn’t bother me! And I’m OK reading in bed, kindle, tablet or book, I’m easy! About what I read with I mean!!
Hehehe, lucky you, so easygoing about where you stop on a page! I wish I could be diligent enough to write a review within 24 hours, but that is rarely the case for me. Unless it’s got such a strong hold on me that I can’t start reading another book until I get that one out of my head, which is rare. Thanks for visiting and sharing with me, Trish! :)
I rarely pick up a new book before writing a review for the old one. I like to give myself time to sleep on what I’ve read and think about it for a day before I start the new one, especially if it was a book that I really enjoyed. If it was so-so, then I wouldn’t have a problem reading a new one because I’d be itching to read something better. I read lying in bed ALL the time haha. So comfy :D I like reading when I’m eating, that’s one of my peculiarities, and I often can’t read without music in the background (to distract me from any other noises in my house). I read to the end of the chapter or section. It’s too much effort to try and figure out where you left off.
Man, waiting a whole DAY before starting a new book? Sometimes I have to do that, but I really am usually itching to get started on the next book. I sometimes like to each while I’m reading, but it depends what the food is. Snacking is usually pretty good, though. :D
Haha it’s a bad habit because I don’t clue into what I’ve been eating because I’m usually so absorbed into a book and I’ll look over and half a bag of chips will already be gone.
LOL, same thing happens to me. xD
I’m with you on reading lying down. This is only comfortable with an ebook which you can read on your side without having to turn the pages. I wish I could only stop reading after a paragraph or chapter, with kids I feel like I get interrupted every second!!
Yeah, I’m sure it’s much easier to get interrupted when you have kids. I guess it’s something I would just have to get used to!
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I hear on several of these points. If I’m home alone and kitty-kat decides it’s cuddle time, God forbid should I do any reading in the meantime. She’s so demanding :p However, once I’ve finished a book I’ve felt some sort of attachment to I need at least a day to recharge. Some books I’ve read can be emotionally withdrawing. But I also take that time to try and write a good review before I start up a new book. Which can be just as difficult because if I just finished a good book I can be skeptical on whether the next book will take me on a similar roller-coaster ride or just leave me idling through.
I wish I could be as disciplined as you! I very rarely write a review (or take much time) right after reading a book. I guess I’m just too excited about what’s next, most of the time. I do feel you on that last point, though. If I’ve just finished an amazing book, I can sometimes worry that the next one I read won’t be as good, but lately I’ve been having good luck with that not happening. :)
I think it depends on my mood on whether I’ll pick up a book IMMEDIATELY after finishing a book. Like, this week I’m trying to catch up — I’m DETERMINED to catch up — so I’m a reading machine. I do love lying down to read BUT I do fall asleep when I do that. I can’t get too comfy! My favourite spot is sitting on the couch, but when hubs watches his TV shows, I leave for the bedroom, since I can’t listen to the TV and pay attention. OR I love to sit in the sun on the deck. I wish I could write a review immediately after finishing a book, but I tend to forget and let them pile up — then I’m scrambling to remember my thoughts on a book. More times than not, though, once I start writing it all comes back to me.
Great post!
Yeah, I’m sure mood has a lot to do with it. I think you make a great point about falling asleep if you read while lying down. My husband often reads in order to fall asleep, so I guess it makes sense for him to do it lying down. :D
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