BAD READING HABITS?

[Alejandra]

How can you keep track of that many books at once? :O I've never been able to do that. Not that I want to do it either. :B

[Jeff]

Several years ago, probably 15 or more, I was reading 4 books at one time. I had no trouble keeping them straight as one was a mystery, one action/adventure, one science fiction and one baseball. I also wouldn't recommend doing it, but, It can be done

[Jocelyne]

Rida wrote: "Tricia wrote: "My worst habit is reading a book with candlelight because I find it more relaxing.

Well, that is until I almost set my study desk on fire. :))"

WHOA, that's definitely a new one. X..."

I can identify with you, Tricia. Although I don't make a habit of it, I find it so much more relaxing. On a recent trip to Bhutan, we had regular power outages which forced me to read by candlelight, and it was a wonderful experience. Prior to my trip I had read the marvelous book on living in Bhutan by j.Zeppa and she talked about how much she enjoyed reading by candlelight, and how she resented having to get used to electric light again.

[Jeff]

That's an easier tip to handle for those who actually can't afford one...

[Ashima]

i'm a quitter sometimes . like when i'm too messed up i can't read a book no matter how good it may be. it fails to divert me

[Alma]

Alejandra wrote: "How can you keep track of that many books at once? :O I've never been able to do that. Not that I want to do it either. :B"

I have them in different rooms! lol

[Claire]

I try to limit my number-of-books-I'm-reading-at-once to two, which works really well since I'll usually get a paper book that stays at home and get one on my kindle too that I can take places easily, but at the moment, I sort of have seven unfinished books that I've neglected for roughly a month after I read some into each (between 30-100 pages roughly), and then I "bought" another fourteen or so free ebooks on Amazon the other day, and started in on one of those (It was FANTASTIC, by the way, finished it in a day, finished the sequel today, ready to start the third one... oh and it's called Talented).

[Alma]

Claire wrote: "I try to limit my number-of-books-I'm-reading-at-once to two, which works really well since I'll usually get a paper book that stays at home and get one on my kindle too that I can take places easi..."

Yeah, that happens to me too. I've started "Indigo" on my nook, but didn't finish it either.

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

I don't know whether this is a bad habit or not, but once I start reading a book and I really like the author, I try to find a list of all the books they wrote in chronological order. That is harder than it seems. Is there somewhere online you can look this up?? I think Goodreads should have lists of books by the same author in the order they were written. I like to read them in order, even if they are not sequels to each other. Some authors use the same settings or characters and I think it is fun to come across something familiar in the next book.

[Jeff]

That can be dangerous if you like an author like Mercedes Lackey or Anne McCaffrey who've written literally hundreds of books....I know what you mean though. I sometimes pick up a book and not realize until I'm done that the book is the 2nd in 3 book series or something, and, then, I have to go back and find the 1st book, or go back to learn where the characters are coming from....

[Brittany]

tell me about it I love Anne Mccaffrey, and boy is it a pain to get her books in order, and then I find out there was a three book spin off called the harper hall trilogy so now I have to order those as well.

[Kim]

I can't watch a movie I know is based on a book until I've read it. I also don't like to read books in a defined series (harry potter, Twilight etc) until all the books are out. I don't like to read other books in between!

[Jocelyne]

Jeff wrote: "That's an easier tip to handle for those who actually can't afford one..."

Jeff, I don't know if what you can't afford is a trip to Bhutan or an electric light. If it is the trip to Bhutan, you are absolutely right. It is a beautiful country but ridiculously overpriced.

[Jeff]

Oh, I'm not talking about a trip to anywhere. I've been out of work for almost 2 years, and, would love to be able to afford an e reader...just have to be content with the paper copies of my favorites for now

[☆Kiran☆]

I think one of my bad habits is that when i stop at a page to rest my eyes. I end up flipping through the rest of the book reading little passages here and there. i really need to stop reading like that.also another habit is that i read the last page before i even start the book.

[[deleted user]]

Rachel wrote: "I've kind of stopped doing it so much (especially now that most of my books are ebooks), but I've often had a huge problem with getting so curious, that I just had to flip to the back of the page a..."

I do that all the time.

[McLendon]

Whenever a character I like dies, I stop and Google, "did xxxx really die?" It's like a 'create your own spoiler.'

[Lisa]

Rose wrote: "It's not a bad reading habbit but I think I just ad it. Although I have like 40 books at home that I've not read yet I still buy new once."

Me too- always do this!

[Shobana]

I read so much that I spoil my eyes! The biggest of my bad reading habits is reading in the dark at an awkward angle!

[Aine]

I cant just stop reading at a random page. I MUST reach the next chapter. Its a nightmare doing that while reading a foreign book when im bored and fed up with it, ill keep going until Ive reached the next chapter

[Angel]

Kim wrote: "I can't watch a movie I know is based on a book until I've read it. I also don't like to read books in a defined series (harry potter, Twilight etc) until all the books are out. I don't like to rea..."
Totally agree, if I see a movie coming out that is based on a book I will go get the book and read it before seeing the movie. I also wait till the whole series is out, or at least 3 books so I am not waiting between them to see how the story unfolds.

[Angel]

McLendon wrote: "Whenever a character I like dies, I stop and Google, "did xxxx really die?" It's like a 'create your own spoiler.'"

I do this when a book is based on a true story. I always google to see what parts are true. Then I get the whole story.

[Maddie]

Tino wrote: "I was just wondering if anyone had any bad reading habits? I know I have one which I am sure I am not the only person who does this...

So, I'm reading a book and I have just finished a chapter. I'..."

I thought I was the only one who did this...

[Jacklyn]

I read way to fast... so I end up going back and rereading things I should have caught the first time...

[Anna]

After I read a few chapters I sometimes jump to the last chapter and spoil things for me.

I also twist the pages of my books when the plot gets interesting (My Harry Potter copies look horrible).

Not to forget eating while reading, I just cant pull it off, but that doesn't stop me

[Sami]

Anna wrote: "After I read a few chapters I sometimes jump to the last chapter and spoil things for me.
"

I twist pages too! Especially when I'm too absorbed to stop myself. Thought I was the only one. I feel terrible when it's a friend's book

[Tee]

I can't take books out at the library because I destroy books when I read them.

[Sami]

Tanya wrote: "I can't take books out at the library because I destroy books when I read them."

That made me smile. How though?

[Tee]

They get wet from bathtime, they get bent from use, they get ripped or warped from being stepped on by the dogs, they get squished from me falling asleep on them, they get bumped around in purses, coat pockets and grocery bags...
I'm constantly taping corners and rips to make the covers more durable.
Plus, I buy many of my books used so they've already lived a life or two.

[Ashley]

I am really bad about book impulse buying! I own SO MANY books and a few I haven't even gotten to read yet because I add books to my "To Read" list faster than I can read them!!
I also have a nasty habit of turning down the pages either to hold my spot or because there is something I want to look up later...
Another habit I have that only bothers the people around me is my "Book Zone"...when I read i go into my Book zone and I can't hear or noticed anything around me only what is happening in those pages...

[Sami]

Oh that's lovely! The used books part not the destroying books part!

But having said that, books are meant to be read, and if they're going to be read they will of course be damaged. I just read the large majority of my books first at the library before buying them (the exceptions being book sequels) so couldn't imagine not borrowing at all!

Ok sorry I've gone really off topic. Another bad habit of mine is not using bookmarks and expecting to remember the page number, which I forget in about two seconds. Then spending another ten minutes trying to find where I was and quite often spoiling part of the storyline for myself.

[[deleted user]]

I sometimes go to the end of the book...

[Alyssa]

reading the last page of a book before starting it.....

[Brittany]

Ashley wrote: "I am really bad about book impulse buying! I own SO MANY books and a few I haven't even gotten to read yet because I add books to my "To Read" list faster than I can read them!!
I also have a nast..."

wow I do all those things as well. Especially the buying part I have twelve books I haven't read yet and another list with 57 on it. Luckily half of those are my son's books

[Mia]

as i am currently broke I can't afford any good books. so I have been reading the free books off Amazon. and sadly find myself addicted to the cheesy romance novels. its a terrible habit as everything is obvious (which I am starting to love) oh dear.

[Brittany]

better to read cheesy romance than nothing at all. LOL, if u love it you love it.

[Tee]

You can so get classics for free...

[Tee]

*also

[Anastasia]

Some of these comments _ you guys are adding to my list! Eek -- I had no idea I have so many bad habits! I almost always peek at the ending and if a bookmark isn't on hand, I will "memorize" the page number. I am content with knowing the end, but there have been times I might have been enjoying the story rather than trying to figure out where I left off!

[Santino]

Yeah you can save yourself a fortune with free classics on kindle. I may only have 40 books on my kindle, but I only purchased 2 at 20p each, so that's a penny a book! Bargain! (And the kindle was a present so I didn't pay for that either! )

[Julia]

Mia wrote: "as i am currently broke I can't afford any good books. so I have been reading the free books off Amazon. and sadly find myself addicted to the cheesy romance novels. its a terrible habit as everyth..."

... library!?

[Hager]

my worst habit ever is when I am reading a book even if it so interesting I start to go through the other chapters before finishing the one I am in. I literally spoil the book for myself. beside I start on too many books at the same time. The other one is I buy alot of books before finishing the ones I have

[[deleted user]]

In about 50% of the books I read, they are so unnerving or interesting that I peek at the end and sometimes the middle to see what goes on.

[Jess]

I always go to the end of the book to see how many pages there are and inevitably see something big and shocking. I should really stop doing that...

[Steph]

I take my books in the bath with me too! the covers always get warped from the water. I also dog ear the pages to keep my place.

[Marissa]

I run up over due fees at my local public library cause I get like 20 books at a time, never get around to reading them, and then the due date comes round and they are all still piled up next to my bed. Next month they call my house....Yeah I'm still working on paying off the last like $300 fine. I would say I have the worst habit.... :!

[[deleted user]]

I sometimes go to the last page and start reading...its really frustrating in a mystery or suspense book !!

[Jessica]

I literally have to read the last few pages every time I just can't help it. It sucks when you find out someone dies but it doesn't actually bother me too much because I just end up guessing how things are going to unfold.

[Yara]

Jessica wrote: "I literally have to read the last few pages every time I just can't help it. It sucks when you find out someone dies but it doesn't actually bother me too much because I just end up guessing how th..."

This is something I also do. It really kills my endings.

[Cassandra]

my worst reading habit is staying up too late knowing I have to get up early with my kids!