I first saw this over on Lindsey Reads and then I started seeing it on more blogs. I decided I wanted to participate; it was just a matter of timing.

Best Book I’ve Read So Far in 2022

This is easy. My favorite book so far this year is THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY by Matt Haig. I had a very transformative reading experience with this book.

Best Sequel I’ve Read So Far in 2022

The only series I’ve read so far this year is THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA by CS Lewis as part of the Narniathon. My favorite sequel in that series is THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER. I loved reading the adventures of Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, Reepicheep, and Eustace. I think all the adventures they have on all the different islands are interesting.

New Release in 2022 I Haven’t Read Yet and Still Want to

I really want to read DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS by Sue Lynn Tan. I love Southeast Asian folklore. I’m most familiar with Japanese folklore. However, Korean and Chinese folklore are very similar to Japanese folklore so I really look forward to reading this book.

Most Anticipated Release for the Second Half of 2022

I’m so excited for A FIRE ENDLESS by Rebecca Ross. It’s the second and final book in her ELEMENTS OF CADENCE duology. I adored A RIVER ENCHANTED and the ending gutted me. I need to see how everything plays out in the end.

Biggest Disappointment So Far in 2022

The biggest disappointment for me so far is TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE by Jenny Han. I was so looking forward to it and I had heard such great things. I hated the love triangle as it’s my least favorite trope, and I hated the non-ending. I like the movie much better.

Biggest Surprise So Far in 2022

The biggest surprise for so far is ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman. I normally am not a fan of literary fiction. This book was so charming that I couldn’t help loving it. It was my favorite read of 2022 until I read THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY.

Favorite New Author So Far in 2022 (Debut or New-to-Me)

This is such a hard one to answer because I’ve read and loved a lot of new-to-me authors this year so far. However, for the sake of choosing an author, I’m going to choose Rebecca Ross. A RIVER ENCHANTED made me want to read other books written by Ross.

Newest Fictional Crush

I’d have to say Thomas Cresswell from STALKING JACK THE RIPPER by Kerri Maniscalco. He’s tall, dark, handsome, and British. He’s also funny and I loved his banter with Audrey Rose.

Newest Favorite Character

My newest favorite character is Simon Spier from SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA by Becky Albertalli. I related with him, I felt for him, and I just loved his personality.

Book that Made Me Cry

The story of THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY is so poignant and profound. I cried so much while reading it. I felt seen and like this book was written for me.

Book that Made Me Happy

THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS by Ali Hazelwood made me feel so happy while reading it that I felt giddy. Hazelwood is a master as writing banter and sexual tension.

Favorite Book-to-Film Adaptation I’ve Seen So Far in 2022

The adaptation for TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE is, by far, my favorite adaptation I’ve watched this year. It fixed everything I disliked about the book. I also loved the actors they chose for the roles of the characters.

Favorite Review I’ve Written So Far in 2022

I think my favorite review I’ve written so far in 2022 is the one I wrote for STALKING JACK THE RIPPER. I managed to write the review spoiler-free which was really hard to do.

Most Beautiful Book You’ve Bought (or Received) So Far in 2022

I’d say THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY. Matt Haig has a beautiful way of telling such a poignant story. The words he chooses and the imagery of what’s happening were vividly in my mind.

Which Books Do I Need to Read by the End of 2022

I don’t know if I need to read any book by the end of 2022. However, I want to read many. I’d like to reread HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE and HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS to finish my rereading of the series. I want to read A FIRE ENDLESS and THE GOOD SISTER by Sally Hepworth. Everything else is just kind of whatever I’m in the mood for.

What about you? If you were to answer any of these prompts, which books would you choose? Do we have any in common?

I learned in DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) that life is full of dialectics, or two opposing truths. In this case, the two opposing truths are: 1) I don’t agree with JKR’s stance regarding trans people, and 2) I still love Harry Potter.

I wasn’t a reader for most of my life. I actually hated to read. I avoided reading in school and I read maybe one or two books a year in my adult life. It wasn’t until I read the Harry Potter series that I started to enjoy reading. The true catalyst for my love of reading was the Twilight Saga, which I first read in June 2007.

In the last 15 years, I’ve noticed that my reading habits change from time to time. When I was only reading one or two books a year, I dog-eared my books. Now, I’d never even consider doing that to my books.

I know there are other readers who are on the no dog-ear bandwagon like me and others who don’t think it’s a bad thing. I also know that some of my other habits would be like nails on a chalkboard to other readers. For this reason, I thought it might be fun to share some of my current reading habits.

Reading in the Tub

My most favorite place to read is in the bathtub. I’ll read a physical book or my Kindle. I’ve never dropped anything in the water. Since I don’t have any kids, I soak in the tub with the door open; I don’t have to worry about the steam curling the pages of my book or ruining my Kindle. I read in the tub for around two hours by emptying the tub when the water gets cold and refilling it with warm water. It’s very relaxing.

Bookmarks

I always use bookmarks. I never use random junk as bookmarks. I actually like to collect bookmarks. When I travel, bookmarks are one of my favorite souvenirs. They’re inexpensive and they take up little room. I also think bookmarks make the best book swag from authors and publishers. I have a cute basket on one of my shelves that holds all my bookmarks so they’re easily accessible.

Chapter by Chapter

I like to read a chapter at a time. I don’t mean just one chapter and then I’m done. I mean that I don’t like to stop reading in the middle of a chapter. If I don’t finish a chapter before I quit reading, it’s usually because I’m staying up way too late and I fell asleep while reading.

No Snacks

I know a lot of people like to snack and read. I’m not one of them. Even during Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon, I don’t snack and read. I’ll drink water or gatorade while I’m reading, but that’s it. If I’m hungry or snacky, I take a break from reading for a few minutes and then continue reading after I’m done eating.

No Distractions

I don’t usually listen to music while I read. I usually like it quiet. Otherwise, I find myself concentrating on the music instead of what I’m reading. I only listen to audiobooks while I’m driving because, otherwise, I get distracted and I don’t pay attention to the book.

Mostly Monogamous

I usually only read one book at a time. I don’t really like to jump from one story to another. However, when I’m reading a book that’s taking me a long time to get through, I’ll often read another book alongside it.

Read Silently

I think I’m like most people when I say that I read silently. Reading out loud takes too much time. The only time I read out loud is when I read to someone, like my friends’ kids or a niece or nephew. I think this is why I prefer reading books myself to listening to an audiobook.

Spoilers Welcome … Sometimes

Sometimes I read ahead and spoil myself. I know! I know. I only do it when the tension is too much for me to handle. I never skip pages or skim. I read everything.

Books Have Feelings

As I said above, I don’t dog-ear my pages anymore and I don’t break my book’s spine. I also don’t write in my books, unless they’re textbooks or scriptures. I try to keep my books like new for as long as possible.

What about you? What are some of your current reading habits?