Why Oh Why Can I Not Just Read Already??? A Blogger and Reviewer’s Lament #BookBlogger #Books #Reading #QuarantineLife #StayingHome

On By R&R Book ToursIn Uncategorized

Hey Guys!

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This is Me!

I sat down at my laptop with every intention to write a review for something, ANYTHING, but instead you’re going to get a stream of consciousness type post from the addled mind of someone who is going on day 28 of being stuck inside their home. You see, I have health problems which have been greatly exacerbated by staying inside said home (indoor allergies, and allergic asthma), and the medication that reduces the inflammation enough so I can breathe has left my immune system severely compromised. Soooo, when I say I have not left my house, I mean literally haven’t left my property. I have seasonal pollen allergies too. Good times!

Anyway, if you are still reading this, I was about to complain about my inability to read during this crisis. Well very little, which is such a shame because I started the year off strong! I read 12 books in January alone, and my plan this year was to read and review only the book I really wanted to read. Such a nice dream!

Imagine having all the time in the world to do nothing but read, and it is nearly impossible!

There have been a few exceptions however, maybe we can classify these as mini reviews?

Just before the apocalypse, I FINALLY read the very famous ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas. I’m not normally a huge Fantasy person, but a friend kept telling me I would love it and she was right! It was epic and I wish I could erase it from my brain so I could read it again!

Since I loved it so much, I thought hey, maybe another of her books will keep my focus, since nothing else was. I was right! I treated myself to Throne of Glass, and would’t you know it, I was able to read that too! Unfortunately, I have to wait on the next books in the series because they are not considered essential deliveries by Amazon. Um hello? Books are life!

In the meantime, I also though I would give audiobooks another try. My love/ hate relationship with them has made me very jaded but my friend Scarlett from Scarlett Readz and Runz, told me the Illuminae Files are the best recordings ever, with full casts, sound effects, etc…, so trusting her, I renewed Audible and gave it a try.

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WOW! Just wow! If all audiobooks were like this, I would listen to them all the time! Not only is the story engaging and entertaining, the production was top-notch! Seriously the best recording I’ve ever heard. I can’t wait for this month’s credit so I can get the next one! I think I may want to read them too! Ugh, so good!

The other book I was able to finish was the one I have on tour right now, Highland Cove by Dylan J. Morgan. I was surprised because frankly, I don’t have the stomach for my usual genres, ie. horror, dystopian, and other end of the world stuff right now, since we are currently living it in real life. But I had wanted to read it before our waking nightmare started, so I tried, and it both hooked me and kept me engaged. Amazing! You can read my review here.

That’s it! That is all I have been able to read in the last month. Two books and an audiobook! My heart hurts just typing this but it is the uncensored truth. I recently started Serpent & Dove, hoping another Fantasy type book will reel me in but so far it’s slow going. My fault not the book’s.

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Oh back to the review writing thing, since it typically goes hand in hand with the reading, I currently have 14 book reviews to write. And yet my impressive goldfish attention span is putting a wrench in the process. Honestly, I’m surprised I have been able to write as much as I have, but really this is just a stream of mush from my head.

I know I’m not the only person experiencing this, but I am curious about the different degrees it is affecting some. Then there are the lucky ones, who are reading like crazy! Oh how I envy them. *Sigh.

Well, that’s it, I’ve run out of steam but I would love to hear from you!

Let’s chat!

 

 

35 thoughts on “Why Oh Why Can I Not Just Read Already??? A Blogger and Reviewer’s Lament #BookBlogger #Books #Reading #QuarantineLife #StayingHome”

  1. Pingback: Links I’ve Enjoyed This Week – 19/04/2020 #WeeklyRoundUpPost 🔗📆 🔗 #SecretLibraryBookBlog – Secret Library Book Blog

  2. Working from home for the past few weeks (and 6+ wks to go) has me more exhasuted I think. There’s no breaking up the day. No change of scenery. No specific lunch time or break time or transport time. It’s like I’m always at work. I have less to do, because much of my job requires being in the office, but yet I have to keep my eye on the computer all day which is exhausting. I find I can’t concentrate much on my writing or on reading.

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  3. Totally get this feeling. It’s really hard to read and it’s even harder to write. You’d think being at home all day would mean I have nothing but time, but it turns out all I’m doing is panicking about the state of the world!

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  5. The Illuminae Files are my FAVOURITE audiobooks EVER. If you thought the first one was good, oh man, are you in for a treat! They deserve all caps, all the time. I’m so glad you loved it too!

    Also, I feel your pain on the reading pains. I’m going on day 10 of a book I would normally read in an evening. It’s lovely, but the focus just isn’t there these days. Thank you for sharing this, it’s comforting to know that I’m not alone in taking a huge hit to focus on productivity through all of this. ❤

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  6. Totally get it – I’m still reading, but I’m doing a lot of social media for my job, plus we now have a blog at work that I’m helping with, so my interest at the end of the day in doing my own stuff has waned. I’m pulling out of it, but even with all the time in the world, I’ve been less motivated. Such strange times!

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    1. Thanks! A friend made an excellent point. She said that we’re all relying on our lizard brain right now in order to take care and protect our families and ourselves causing poor concentration in other areas. Makes perfect sense to me.

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  8. At least you are reading. I ain’t doing that. Sighhh the times of this world would take a few months to go back to normal. I think this is human nature where the primitive brain responsible for survival takes over so our attention us only on family and health

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  9. Love this post because I’m struggling to read and review as well and it’s nice to know I’m not the only one. I’ve read 34 books so far this year, but only 2 this month. I keep starting books but then putting them down and going off them. I’m listening to music and watching YouTube videos instead but even those are in drabs and drabs as I can’t concentrate for long, and I’m only into 2 weeks of lockdown, goodness knows how I’ll be in a month’s time. :/

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    1. Awe that makes me feel so much better! It’s nice to feel alone in this. I’m still enjoying Instagram but I’m finding inspiration hard to come by with that too. Thanks for sharing 💕

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    2. I hear ya! I’ve actually been reading… For some reason, it’s the review writing that’s been getting to me. Every time I sit down to sort out my notes… I just can’t find the strength. I just want to lose myself in another book and forget about everything. Hopefully we all find a little motivation and inspiration!
      Illuminae as an audiobook was really good!! I love the books that actually have a cast to them.
      If you liked that, you should try “World War Z”, “Just One Damned Thing After Another”, and “The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O”
      Or, there are some really good narrators who make the books fun, like Ray Porter and Ramon de Ocampo!
      I used to hate audiobooks. But, pedestrian life taught me to suck it up and find the good stuff! 😜

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      2. Funny enough, pretty much all of these are written in an espistolary format… But, for me it’s all about the author as well. I’m always drawn towards fun and simple. Some high fantasy and sci-fi are just too complicated. When it gets into strange names and such, I begin to forget who’s who!
        Some others that I’ve really enjoyed by a single narrator are the Alcatraz series by Brandon Sanderson, the Wizard 2.0 series by Scott Meyers, the Murder on Location Series by Sarah Rosett, and the Threshold series by Peter Clines. They’re all fantastic! I hope you find your drive back! (hell, I hope I find mine too! 😜)

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