Book Talk Reading Challenge: May 2025 **RESULTS P.45** - Page 26

New month, new challenge, you guys!

Some of you were asking how to increase page counts & reading pace so just sharing some tips.

Of course, each one's personal style is different, so you do you. I'm just sharing what works (or has worked for me)

Some ways you can increase your page counts:

When you find yourself waiting at a doctor's appointment, an airport lounge or for your child to finish their swimming lesson, pull out that phone or Kindle and read!

If you're walking your dog, or driving a long distance, plug in those earphones or connect to your car's bluetooth speakers and listen to an Audio book instead. Audiobooks are seriously a great option (for those who aren't visual readers like me), you can listen through a book a LOT faster than you can read it!

If you find a book isn't hooking you in the first few pages/ chapters, put it aside and pick up a different one. You don't have to DNF it, you can come back to it later, perhaps its the mood you're in or the setting that's not allowing you to get into the book. But it's also OK to DNF imo. Believe me, I was one of those people who absolutely hated to DNF a book, then I ended up reading so many duds which made me think it's not worth it - especially when there are so many great books out there waiting to be read. Why make yourself miserable reading a book when you don't have to? (Unless its for school or an assignment or work in which case you have my sincerest sympathies) When you can spend that time reading something that grips you or that you enjoy? I know tough reads don't automatically mean the book is bad. Some themes are hard to get into and sometimes the prose is such that you need to absorb the content and process it slower. I'm not talking about such books. What I do when I'm reading such books is pace them out. Read a chapter or two a day, and then switch to something lighter, a quicker read. Again, this is for those who can read 2-3 books simultaneously. This is something I thought I couldn't do, but it turns out I absolutely could! It also works very well for mood readers. Sometimes you want a gripping thriller and other times nothing but a sweet romance will work. So give yourself that luxury, of switching between books.

I do read-alongs with a Book club I'm in, and we read only one chapter a day. It's a lot of fun!

On that note, how many of you would be interested in doing read-alongs/ buddy reads?

It doesn't need to be a large group. And Buddy Reads are much easier.

For eg: You can announce you're reading The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, and ask if anyone is interested in a Buddy Read. Even if one more person joins you, the two of you can discuss the book in a new thread! It makes reading so much more fun!

To all our voracious readers: Please share your own tips!

Originally posted by: LizzieBennet

New month, new challenge, you guys!

Some of you were asking how to increase page counts & reading pace so just sharing some tips.

Of course, each one's personal style is different, so you do you. I'm just sharing what works (or has worked for me)

Some ways you can increase your page counts:

When you find yourself waiting at a doctor's appointment, an airport lounge or for your child to finish their swimming lesson, pull out that phone or Kindle and read!

If you're walking your dog, or driving a long distance, plug in those earphones or connect to your car's bluetooth speakers and listen to an Audio book instead. Audiobooks are seriously a great option (for those who aren't visual readers like me), you can listen through a book a LOT faster than you can read it!

If you find a book isn't hooking you in the first few pages/ chapters, put it aside and pick up a different one. You don't have to DNF it, you can come back to it later, perhaps its the mood you're in or the setting that's not allowing you to get into the book. But it's also OK to DNF imo. Believe me, I was one of those people who absolutely hated to DNF a book, then I ended up reading so many duds which made me think it's not worth it - especially when there are so many great books out there waiting to be read. Why make yourself miserable reading a book when you don't have to? (Unless its for school or an assignment or work in which case you have my sincerest sympathies) When you can spend that time reading something that grips you or that you enjoy? I know tough reads don't automatically mean the book is bad. Some themes are hard to get into and sometimes the prose is such that you need to absorb the content and process it slower. I'm not talking about such books. What I do when I'm reading such books is pace them out. Read a chapter or two a day, and then switch to something lighter, a quicker read. Again, this is for those who can read 2-3 books simultaneously. This is something I thought I couldn't do, but it turns out I absolutely could! It also works very well for mood readers. Sometimes you want a gripping thriller and other times nothing but a sweet romance will work. So give yourself that luxury, of switching between books.

I do read-alongs with a Book club I'm in, and we read only one chapter a day. It's a lot of fun!

On that note, how many of you would be interested in doing read-alongs/ buddy reads?

It doesn't need to be a large group. And Buddy Reads are much easier.

For eg: You can announce you're reading The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, and ask if anyone is interested in a Buddy Read. Even if one more person joins you, the two of you can discuss the book in a new thread! It makes reading so much more fun!

To all our voracious readers: Please share your own tips!

Bold@ Absolutely! I completely agree with what you said about audiobooks. The audiobook format did wonders for me today! I almost completed a book (I think I completed over 80% of the book) today only because I listened to it. Only two chapters are left which I'll listen tomorrow. If I read the book instead of listening it would take 3 or 4 days to complete the same book. I know some people don't like audiobooks. That's completely fine. Different people have different perspectives. But in my case, it helped me complete the chapters much faster. I think narrators play a huge role in making the audiobooks engaging. If I don't like the style of a narrator I don't prefer to listen that audiobook. But in Audible, the narrators are good. I never subscribed to Audible in the past. I subscribed to the platform on 30th April. And then I listened to the first book of May's reading challenge today and my experience was very enjoyable.

Tips to read more:

In order to read more, I think people need to choose those books which they can enjoy. For example- I'll never read a political fiction for a reading challenge. I've no interest in politics. If a person enjoys reading thrillers he/she can search interesting thrillers on Google. Then that person can read the summary of that book to get an idea about the story. I always read the summary before selecting a book. I never read a book without knowing I can expect from the story. I also check the writing style before buying or downloading a book. It's very important to me. Different people like different writing styles. Some people like beautiful, poetic language. Some people like straightforward language. People should select books written in the writing styles they prefer. Otherwise, they may not enjoy reading the books and they may take more time to complete them.

Originally posted by: Shirsha

Bold@ Absolutely! I completely agree with what you said about audiobooks. The audiobook format did wonders for me today! I almost completed a book (I think I completed over 80% of the book) today only because I listened to it. Only two chapters are left which I'll listen tomorrow. If I read the book instead of listening it would take 3 or 4 days to complete the same book. I know some people don't like audiobooks. That's completely fine. Different people have different perspectives. But in my case, it helped my complete the chapters much faster. I think narrators play a huge role in making the audiobooks engaging. If I don't like the style of a narrator I don't prefer to listen that audiobook. But in Audible, the narrators are good. I never subscribed to Audible in the past. I subscribed to the platform on 30th April. And then I listened to the first book of May's reading challenge today and my experience was very enjoyable.

Tips to read more:

In order to read more, I think people need to choose those books which they can enjoy. For example- I'll never read a political fiction for a reading challenge. I've no interest in politics. If a person enjoys reading thrillers he/she can search interesting thrillers on Google. Then that person can read the summary of that book to get an idea about the story. I always read the summary before selecting a book. I never read a book without knowing I can expect from the story. I also check the writing style before buying or downloading a book. It's very important to me. Different people like different writing styles. Some people like beautiful, poetic language. Some people like straightforward language. People should select books written in the writing styles they prefer. Otherwise, they may not enjoy reading the books and they may take more time to complete them.

@Bold: So true! Reading books is transformative experience. And therefore, I believe in choosing and reading books that I know would touch me. That's why reading a summary or the "about" section in a book becomes essential as it will tell you whether you'll be interested in reading it for a long period of time if you're a reader with low or moderate speed and long hours if you're a fast reader. One little trick I use to ascertain this is that I ask myself and predict whether I can binge-read the book sometime later. If I believe I can, then I'll most probably be able to finish the book in lesser time since I know I am interested in it and therefore will read it again after some time. That's a personal thought process so it might sound a bit quirky.

Writing styles, like Shirsha said, are also important for the reader to connect with the book. It's very important since it either builds the connection or it repels the reader, drives them away. You'll realise your interests and choices after exploring different genres and topics a bit.

My personal tip: Try reading anything and everything you can. Billboards, signboards, stupid manuals, pamphlets, back of the toothpaste box or the shampoo bottle! Anything! Along with books of course. Also, if you're interested in any of these: news, sports, cinema, politics and current affairs, you should read the newspapers everyday. At least a short article or a fun column. Trust me, this improves the reading speed a lot. I can read an entire heavy novel in maximum 3.5 hours if I sit at a stretch. All thanks to this childhood habit of reading newspapers and every single thing around me. Reading something all the time would make it a subconscious habit and you wouldn't have to force yourself into sitting and consciously read a selected number of pages in a paperback copy.

Also, reading is at its most enjoyable when the flow is uninterrupted, when you get absorbed in a good story or an interesting article, when time flies by. Try reading when your mind is at peace or needs peace since books can be the best healers too! Speeds also increase. Quiet spaces help a lot for the introspection books provide :)

I agree with your tips, that is what i do usually. But call me old fashioned, I cannot deal with audiobooks - they make me drowsy. I can read hard copies, can read them on my phone even, but I give up on audio books.

But, for the read alongs, and buddy reads, I am interested in them. But I am afraid that people with similar reading interests might not be here (or perhaps I am not very interactive so i am yet to discover them).

Anyway, if this is what you and others are interested in. Do let me know. I will post my TBR list here and lets see where it goes.

Originally posted by: LizzynDarcy

I agree with your tips, that is what i do usually. But call me old fashioned, I cannot deal with audiobooks - they make me drowsy. I can read hard copies, can read them on my phone even, but I give up on audio books.

But, for the read alongs, and buddy reads, I am interested in them. But I am afraid that people with similar reading interests might not be here (or perhaps I am not very interactive so i am yet to discover them).

Anyway, if this is what you and others are interested in. Do let me know. I will post my TBR list here and lets see where it goes.

I just mentioned it as a viable option for people. Cos I do see many traditionalists dismissing it as ‘not really reading’ which I disagree with because it opens up a whole avenue for people who cannot read the traditional way.

I would love to Buddy read. But I’m a whimsical reader. I have a TBR that’s a mile long and no real plan. I just jump in and read whatever I can lay my hands on. So do post your TBR and if there’s anything there that interests me, I’ll join you!

SOME READING TIP:

I think Lizzie has already shared most of them. So, I have nothing to add except that I take mood reading to the extreme. It is a habit acquired from my undergrad. Last month, I was stuck on the Untamed. So I ended up consuming a lot of literature based on it even in my free time. I supplemented it with heavy readings, which after reading, I write my thoughts on them. The variety of works on the same thing help me ground myself and understand the details that I might have overlooked in my own reading.

ps: this post is not exlcusive to Lizzie, I don't know how to tag everyone without messing your names.

Originally posted by: LizzieBennet

New month, new challenge, you guys!

Some of you were asking how to increase page counts & reading pace so just sharing some tips.

Of course, each one's personal style is different, so you do you. I'm just sharing what works (or has worked for me)

Some ways you can increase your page counts:

When you find yourself waiting at a doctor's appointment, an airport lounge or for your child to finish their swimming lesson, pull out that phone or Kindle and read!

If you're walking your dog, or driving a long distance, plug in those earphones or connect to your car's bluetooth speakers and listen to an Audio book instead. Audiobooks are seriously a great option (for those who aren't visual readers like me), you can listen through a book a LOT faster than you can read it!

If you find a book isn't hooking you in the first few pages/ chapters, put it aside and pick up a different one. You don't have to DNF it, you can come back to it later, perhaps its the mood you're in or the setting that's not allowing you to get into the book. But it's also OK to DNF imo. Believe me, I was one of those people who absolutely hated to DNF a book, then I ended up reading so many duds which made me think it's not worth it - especially when there are so many great books out there waiting to be read. Why make yourself miserable reading a book when you don't have to? (Unless its for school or an assignment or work in which case you have my sincerest sympathies) When you can spend that time reading something that grips you or that you enjoy? I know tough reads don't automatically mean the book is bad. Some themes are hard to get into and sometimes the prose is such that you need to absorb the content and process it slower. I'm not talking about such books. What I do when I'm reading such books is pace them out. Read a chapter or two a day, and then switch to something lighter, a quicker read. Again, this is for those who can read 2-3 books simultaneously. This is something I thought I couldn't do, but it turns out I absolutely could! It also works very well for mood readers. Sometimes you want a gripping thriller and other times nothing but a sweet romance will work. So give yourself that luxury, of switching between books.

I do read-alongs with a Book club I'm in, and we read only one chapter a day. It's a lot of fun!

On that note, how many of you would be interested in doing read-alongs/ buddy reads?

It doesn't need to be a large group. And Buddy Reads are much easier.

For eg: You can announce you're reading The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, and ask if anyone is interested in a Buddy Read. Even if one more person joins you, the two of you can discuss the book in a new thread! It makes reading so much more fun!

To all our voracious readers: Please share your own tips!

I doubt anyone would be interested with the type of books I read except maybe WD.

This is my TBR. I am throwing in lots of options to cast a wider net

1. Dramas:

OEDIPUS REX
ABHIGYAN SHAKUNTALAM
THE POT OF GOLD
DR FAUSTUS
HAMLET
TWELFTH NIGHT OR WHAT YOU WILL
HENRY IV PART I
MERCHANT OF VENICE
THE DUCHESS OF MALFI
VOLPONE OR THE FOX
THE WAY OF THE WORLD
THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL
ARMS AND MAN
LOOK BACK IN ANGER
WAITING FOR THE GODOT
THE ICEMAN COMETH
DEATH OF A SALESMAN
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
A DOLL'S HOUSE
TUGHLAQ
FINAL SOLUTIONS

2. Poems:

THE WASTELAND
THE LOVE SONG OF J.AFLRED PRUFROCK

3. Novels:

Robinson Crusoe
Tom Jones
Pride and Prejudice
Wuthering Heights
Hard Times
The Mill on the Floss
Tess of the d' Urbervilles
Sons and the Lovers
Nana
To the Lighthouse
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
A Passage to India
The Scarlet Letter
Lucky Jim
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Huckleberry Finn
The Portrait of a Lady
A Farewell to Arms
The Colour Purple
Kantha Pura
Untouchable
The Guide
The Shadow Lines
That Long Silence
Rosarita
The Mistress of Spices
The Twyborn Affair
The Handmaid's Tale
Things Fall Apart
Karmabhoomi
A House for Mr. Biswas
Midnight's Children

But apart from that, I love to read non-fiction (except for biographies of rich folks and crazy men), I also read fan-fictions depending on what strikes a chord in me.

I have tried audiobooks with Urdu novels where I couldnt find the pdf, but I lost interest very quickly, so I concluded that audiobooks are not for me.

Originally posted by: heavenlybliss

I doubt anyone would be interested with the type of books I read except maybe WD.

I was about to borrow Enigma by RunyX from my library but I have maxxed out my skip the line loans so have to wait but I have been resisting dark romance this long so thought I’d give it a try