Alpha Readers : Forum : How do you read?


How do you read?

9 Years Ago


I think it's safe to assume that you guys read.
But I'm curious about your reading habits.

What genres do you mostly read? 

How often do you read outside of the niche you most enjoy?

Where do you usually buy your books?

How do you decide what book(s) to read?

Do you read and/or consider book reviews? If so, where do you look for reviews you trust?

What's your preferred reading format? (hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, WritersCafe, etc)


It seems we have a diverse bunch here, so I hope you guys have some great perspective for me.

Re: How do you read?

9 Years Ago


What genres do you mostly read? Fantasy, thriller, romance, adventure, historical, YA... I jump around a lot.

How often do you read outside of the niche you most enjoy? Often, I like to expereiment.

Where do you usually buy your books? B&N if I can afford to, Books a Million because they have bargain books, small book stores here and there...

How do you decide what book(s) to read? ... you know I just sort of go with it.

Do you read and/or consider book reviews? If so, where do you look for reviews you trust? Sometimes, but I usually want to draw my own opinions when I read books. Now books like 50 Shades of Grey I avoid like the plague because I've just heard so much about it it's gotten to the point where I'm past wanting to draw my own opinions of it...

What's your preferred reading format? No preference, but I do like physical books over on a kindle, nook or screen in general. But that doesn't mean I don't have a lot books downloaded.

Re: How do you read?

9 Years Ago


Well, here goes with my answers.

What genres do you mostly read? 
Over the years (and there have been lots of those, trust me), this has changed. However a safe bet is always mysteries, thrillers, suspense, war, and spy tales. I re-read the entire Sherlock Holmes stories about every 3-4 years, and Dr. Zhivago every 5 years or so. Right now (mostly because the book I am working on is likely to end up classified as such) I have been reading more romantic novels, like Nicholas Sparks.

How often do you read outside of the niche you most enjoy?

I was never a big fantasy reader, I worked my way through Lord of the Rings, and the Hobbit years ago. I almost accidentally read the Hunger Game trilogy, and discovered I liked it. That lead me to Game of Thrones, and George R R Martin best hurry up, I have been ready for book 6 over a year now. Mila, could you possibly kick some a*s there, please. Having said that, now that I read HG and GoT, I find I am more likely to read JJ, Speedy and Mila's fantasy stuff than I would have been a few years ago.

Where do you usually buy your books?

I mostly haunt used book stores, up here in Canada is a chain, Indigo/Chapters for newer book purchases. I also shop on line, Amazon, and a few specialty book sellers that can track down hard to find books.

How do you decide what book(s) to read?

Recommendations by friends is usually my first step. I also tend to read everything by an author, once I have read something good, I go on a spree and read all of their work.  Frankly, it is embarrassing to admit, but a book cover will often prompt a decision as well.

Do you read and/or consider book reviews? If so, where do you look for reviews you trust?

I don't seek out book reviews, I will read the blurb on line, with a summary of the story. Occasionally I will look at what friends are reading on Goodreads and delve further into that. I am noel-charchuk on there if any of you wish to track me down.


What's your preferred reading format? (hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, WritersCafe, etc)

Hardcover is so pricey, I usually buy the e-book if a paperback is not available.
I prefer paperback for the feel, etc.
I use a Sony Reader, as well as a Kobo Mini, for e-pubs. I have the Kindle app on an iPad and a Samsung Android tablet.
I have read a lot on WritersCafe this past year.

I read a lot of German fiction as well, especially Bernhard Schlink, think the film The Reader a few years back. If I could write like him, I would be a happy author. I travel to Germany once to three times a year, and do a lot of research and arrange for friends to pick up new books for me, as the airport selection is as crappy as it is in North America.


I have tried audio books, I find that I tend to drift, and sometimes even doze off, so it isn't a way I enjoy most of my books. I have friends that play audiobooks while driving. I fear I would fall asleep and have a wreck.

There, now you know way more than you wanted.

Re: How do you read?

9 Years Ago


What genres do you mostly read?

--Romance.  Crime dramas.  Supernatural novels about vampires, werewolves and the like, or people encountering the supernatural.  Sometimes fantasy if it's something like the Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter books or Star Wars-type.

How often do you read outside of the niche you most enjoy?

--Much more often since I read so much great fantasy here on WC, especially from this group!

Where do you usually buy your books?

--Not very often from bookstores; usually order them from Amazon or get e-books for my Kindle.

How do you decide what book(s) to read?

--Recommendations from friends, familiarity with the author, word of mouth or sometimes reviews.

Do you read and/or consider book reviews? If so, where do you look for reviews you trust?

--See above.  Every now and then a book review in the paper or an interview with the author attracts my attention.

What's your preferred reading format? (hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, WritersCafe, etc)

--Ebook.

Re: How do you read?

9 Years Ago


I guess it makes sense if I add in my own

What genres do you mostly read? 
Fantasy and more fantasy. Followed by Nonfiction. After than I spend about as much time reading every other genre. I'll pick another fantasy or Non-Fiction book again if nothing in another genre catches my eye. 

How often do you read outside of the niche you most enjoy?
I have to get bored with Fantasy before I branch out. I'm actually (after I finish the two fantasy books I'm currently reading) about to plow through Jane Austin's books because I really want to learn more about romance (my least read genre).

Where do you usually buy your books?
Back when Borders still existed, I used to go there. Then, when Borders Books was about to close, I bought a Kobo ereader. I pretty much never used it accept to read a book on theoretical physics. I begrudgingly began shopping at B&N. Now, I actually buy more from Amazon and Google Books than anything.

How do you decide what book(s) to read?
Man... I'm kind of picky. I'll spend hours deciding what to read next. I'll look at covers and read blurbs. I almost always won't read it if it says "he became an assassin to..." or "An assassin must..." because I feel like it's half the books these days and I rarely read an assassin who stands out. But then other people love that stuff. I'll try to find something that looks Epic and layered. If there's more than 3 books in the series and they're 150k+ words, you'll catch my eye. Non-fiction is different because I look for a specific topic, so there's less browsing involved. I always read Amazon reviews. I read a few from every star level to see the good and the bad. Then I decided if the bad outweighs the good.
I'll also be more likely to read a book from an author I've heard of or is recommended by an author I already like. My friends don't really read... so they can't help me out :P

Do you read and/or consider book reviews? If so, where do you look for reviews you trust?
As I said above, I read amazon reviews. I don't really read blog or magazine reviews. I want to see what normal people say.

What's your preferred reading format? (hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, WritersCafe, etc)
It used to be hardback. Now it's ebook. I know it seems a betrayal, but honestly, it's way more practical. It's cheaper so I can buy more books. I can carry my books with me (which allows me to read more). I've found that reading on a phone or tablet is really not as hard as I thought it was after I read a few books on them. You also get a larger selection of authors (because almost all indie authors aren't distributed in book stores, though this may change one day). There are a lot of good indie authors who are just as good as the traditionally published. They also write books that the traditionals won't publish because they're too niche or unique (try to find an Urban Fantasy starting a Middle Aged female protagonist in Barnes & Noble. I dare you). I would be really missing out if I stuck to B&N and indie book stores. Also, I can read with the lights off at night. This is a good thing when I want to read but my wife wants to sleep.
I would say the audiobook comes in as a close second now because it lets me read things while doing other activities (at the day job, driving, dishes, laundry, pretty much anything where I don't need to be listening or using the learning or creative areas of my brain). I'm super picky about the narrators though. So if the book has a narrator I don't like, I'll just buy an ebook or paperback. I also use audio for re-reading some of my favourites. It puts a different spin on them and I notice different things.
I also buy books (usually nonfiction) with lots of pictures physical because it just makes more sense. eBooks suck for going back and forth between pages. 

Okay... I think I may have outdid Noel on TMI. :P