Book Adaptation Tag || Who did it better book or movie?

Hello book friends! 

I wanted to make a fun post this time and I haven't done a tag in a long while so when I found this one I couldn't resist. I found it on The never-ending chronicles of Jawahir the bookworm so you can check it out there. So, here we go...

What is the last book adaptation movie you watched?

The last book adaptation I watched is "Bridgerton" - which by the way is adapted into a series, not a movie - and which is inspired by the "Bridgerton" books by Julia Quinn. I enjoyed the first season very much and I'm now watching the second season which is inspired by the second book in the series. However, I haven't read any of the books yet, so I can't form an opinion about them.

What book-to-movie adaptation are you most excited about?

This will definitely have to be "Dune" which, even though has been released for some time now, I have not watched yet and I'm very excited to watch it soon.

Which upcoming book movie will you definitely not see?

I don't have an answer for this one, both because I cannot think of a story I wouldn't care about enough to watch and because even if I did, I would still most probably give it a try since I really enjoy adaptations and I like to be able to form an opinion on them.

Which book movie would you never watch again?

That's easy... "Paper Towns" by John Green. I generally like John Green, but this book just wasn't for me and neither was the movie. If anything, it was even worse and I don't think I'm going to give either one of them a second try.

Is there a movie you saw that made you want to read the book if you had not yet?

This will have to be "The handmaid's tale". This one is also a series, not a movie and it's based on the iconic book of Margaret Atwood. I absolutely loved the TV series, it is among my favorites, and from the first moment I started watching it, it made me want to read the book as well. This book is so very much up my alley; it is dystopian, it talks about women, about freedom and politics, it is scary and its very concept makes your hair stand on edge. So, I will most definitely read it soon!

Conversely, is there a movie that made you never want to read the book?

I will have to say the "Percy Jackson" series by Rick Riordan. The first movie is not all that bad, even though I've had not the best comments about it and I know that it's not a very faithful adaptation, I still didn't hate it, I kind of enjoyed it. But I also had my issues with it and, by the end, I was sure I wasn't interested in reading the books, even though I have heard the best about them and I know they have a very big audience that loves them. Maybe it's because this series just wasn't for me, maybe it could be because I'm Greek and my idea of Greek-mythology-inspired stories is biased, or maybe I'm just a bit old for them... Whatever the reason, I don't really care about reading them.

Have you ever left the theater because the movie adaptation was so bad?

No, so far I have not left the theater because of a bad movie - adaptation or not.

Do you prefer to watch the movie first or read the book first?

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I don't mind at all, both are fine with me and I can enjoy either one equally for different reasons. But if I absolutely had to choose, I'd say that book first is probably the slightly preferable choice in most cases.

How do you feel about movie adaptations that age characters up? (ex. Characters that are in middle school, but in the movies, they’re all 18+)

It depends on the story, the movie, the actors, and the reason behind the choices. Usually, I prefer accurate adaptations and casting choices, but if there is a good reason I could understand it.

Do you get angry when the actors don’t look like you thought the characters would?

I can't say I get angry but I definitely feel disappointed. It is a little bit frustrating when the characters look nothing like the description. I don't mind small changes or small differences but when there is a big difference or if the detail that is changed is very crucial to the plot then I will get disappointed.

Is there a movie you liked better than its book?

There are actually a few movies I enjoyed more than the books. One of them is "The Fault in our Stars". The is a very good book and I loved it, but I think I enjoyed the movie a bit more. Still, both of them were great and are among my favorites! But, for me, I lean a bit more toward the movie.

Then there are "The Maze Runner" books. Again, I quite enjoyed the books I thought they were good but I like the movies even more and I think they did a very good job adapting the story. The movies are quite different from the books, especially the "Scorch Trials" and "Death Cure" movies, but I believe that the changes that were made were made for the better and only improved the story. The things that were cut or changed improved the story a great deal and made it more interesting, so, in the end, I enjoyed the movies much more than the books. 

Name a book that you would love to see as a movie.

The "Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" by Suzzanne Collins has come out recently and I am a huge fan of anything related to the "Hunger Games". I have read the original trilogy and I have watched the movie repeatedly and I absolutely love them all. Additionally, these adaptations are probably the most faithful book to movie adaptations, the attention with which they were made, and the work done with them was phenomenal. Naturally, I am eager to read this book as well and I hope it gets turned into a movie because I can't wait to watch it!

So, these were my answers, I hope you liked them and enjoyed this post. If you liked this tag, feel free to do it yourself and feel free to tag me or show them to me! You can also tell me your answers and opinions down in the comments, I'll be really interested to hear them and discuss them with you!

Thank you for reading!

Some More Bookish Pet Peeves || Writing, Tropes and Characters

 Hello friends!

In the past, I've made a post about my bookish pet peeves, which was very fun and I thought that it is pretty inclusive. The more I thought about it, however, I realized that this particular post talks only about my pet peeves that have to do with the book as an object and its physical state and... well-being... If you haven't already seen this post and want to get an idea, you can check it out here. But I have not talked about the pet peeves that I have that have to do with the plot, story, tropes, structure, and generally the contents of a book. So, here's a separate post about this... 

1. The insta-love trope: It's probably the most unrealistic and annoying plot that's also so overused in fiction. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm all about suddenly falling in love, the infatuation you may feel with a specific person, the intense stares, the unexplainable feeling that this might be the one, etc... It is a strong, unique, and unbelievable feeling and it is also part of the beauty of falling in love. But this situation is far from what we have come to see portrayed so often, which is that, all of a sudden, after 3 whole days of knowing each other, the characters are ready to die for each other, because they cannot possibly imagine their lives apart! Not only is it unrealistic and not believable at all, but it's also a trope that inherently lacks depth, since we don't get to see the characters get to know each other, interact, and bond before they actually become a couple/fall in love. However much you try to convince me afterward that they actually have a deep emotional connection, I'm going to find it impossible to believe. It doesn't help with the character development and general arch of the story; it usually makes the pacing strangely quick at the beginning and slower closer to the ending, and it usually doesn't give as much satisfaction to the reader - at least in my experience. There could be, of course, exceptions to that, like if there is a magical element to the story, an element of time travel or mind-reading, or maybe even a life-threatening situation and the characters could die at any moment so this pressure makes them feel more intensely and more quickly. These exceptions however are not common and even when they occur, they should be executed well.
2. Poor editing: I used to think that editing wasn't such a big deal in a book, but I have come to really appreciate it as years go by and especially the more I get into writing myself. A good editor can save your work as much as a poor editor can destroy even the best of stories. 
3. Cliche or repeated and overused phrases: I'm sure that even reading this has made you think of at least one overused phrase that you've stumbled upon multiple times. It's not my worst pet peeve, I do, however, feel annoyed by this occasionally and it's something that I think can very easily be fixed.
4. When there is no synopsis on the cover, only reviews and comments about the book: While it may be interesting to see what people thought of a book, the purpose of anything being written on the cover of a book is to give you a clue what the story is about. Most readers want to know what they are buying and getting into and those comments may shadow the atmosphere or type of the story, but don't say much more than that. No, I prefer my synopsis there on the back, classic and helpful.
5. When the magical solution suddenly appears out of nowhere right at the moment of greatest need in the story even when the said solution has never been mentioned before. I think this one is self-explanatory. It's usually a sign of poor, sloppy, or lazy writing and it's rarely good. It feels convenient and often anti-climactic as well, as it makes you feel like "a wizard saved the day" instead of the hero.
6. Plot-armor: When particular character/characters - usually the main characters or the hero - are steadily untouched by any danger! They fight in battles, they come face to face with murderers and they run from the mafia day in and day out, yet they always come out of the mess with nothing but a scratch. This becomes even worse when every other character suffers from the consequences of their actions or the general situations in the story, yet this/these specific character(s) are still untouchable! It feels easy, sloppy, and cheap! Every character should have to deal with the consequences of their actions/decisions and struggle according to the situations their in.
7. Over-powered heroes and/or underwhelming villains: I don't need to say more about this. Few things kill the dynamic between a hero and a villain more than these two things. A good dynamic between the hero and the villain can bring all the conflict and intensity to the story and create compelling story/character arcs!
8. Resurrections: It's not my worst pet peeve and there might be a couple of occasions where I might enjoy a nice resurrection, but most of the time I hate it. It is usually a sign of lazy writing, or of having written yourself into a corner and trying desperately to undo it. I do believe that 98% of the time when a character dies they should remain dead unless their coming back not only makes absolute sense but also has a stronger impact than their death had. Character deaths are among the strongest and most impactful things that can happen in a story and they should be utilized correctly and not as an easy and cheap mechanism for shock factor or to make readers cry. So, as long as the death is written correctly and has the impact it's supposed to, the resurrection is most probably going to kill the moments that preceded it.

I have to say, I expected this post to be rather short, but then I got carried away and it ended up longer than I expected. Nevertheless, I'm really glad I've been able to finally have laid down here all of my thoughts and I hope you liked this post as much as I did. As always, feel free to share your thoughts with me down in the comments...

Until the next time...

Thank you for reading!

4 More Children's Books Reviews

 Hello friends!

I really enjoy reviewing and writing about children's books, so I decided to make one more post like these. If you'd like to read my opinions on some more children's books, you can check my previous relevant post here. 

Here are the last 4 children's books I read with my son and how I felt about them...

"Frog is Frog" by Max Velthuijs

This is a very cute little story that talks about how everyone is different and it's okay. Everyone has their own strong points, abilities, and characteristics and we should be proud of who we are and what we're able to do. Focusing on other people's strong points or advantages doesn't only feel bad, but also doesn't help unravel who you really are and your actual unique qualities. It carries a beautiful message for children and it does it in a simple and fun way. I gave it 3/5*. Out of the three books, I think that this one was my favorite, the one that resonated more with me and made me feel and think.

"Frog in Love" by Max Velthuijs

One thing I like about this series is how it uses different animals to show the different people in the society. So Frog is in love and his loved one is different, but of course, it doesn't matter to him. This book deals with many complicated emotions and shows how in love and friendship what matters is not our differences, but the things that connect us. It also shows how other people's opinions won't mean anything if your love is honest and real. It is a heart-warming story. I gave this one 3/5* as well and out of the three books in the series, this was definitely the sweetest.

"Frog and a Very Special Day" by Max Velthuijs

Frog has been promised that today is a very special day, but can't seem to figure out why, so he goes around trying to find out. If I had to find a message in this book, I guess it would be that we can make our "special days" by ourselves and not simply by waiting for something extraordinary to happen out of the blue, or maybe that good and thoughtful friends are what make a day special. Out of the 3 books that I've read from this series so far, this one was my least favorite. This is why I gave it a lower rating 2/5*. But it is still a fun little read.

"Ouch!" by Ragnhild Scamell

This book was definitely the one my son and I had the most fun reading and came back to re-read it a couple of times. It tells a story about a Hedgehog who has just finished building his nest but has been caught and keeps getting in trouble as different things get stuck on him and his friends hurry to his aid. The illustrations are simply beautiful and very much to my taste, I really enjoyed looking at them. The story is simple, but it is fun and the writing is wordy and very enjoyable overall. I think that it would be a nice way for children to get in touch with and start learning numbers because every page keeps counting how many things got stuck on the Hedgehog. My son is 5 years old, but this one could definitely be read to younger children as well, as it is simple and fun. I gave it 3/5*, even though it feels more like a 3,5*, but not quite a 4* either.

Overall, all of them were nice and I would recommend them if you're looking for something to read with your children. I would love to hear your opinions about these books if you've read them and I'd also love to hear any recommendations you might have.

Thank you for reading!

My favorite quotes and why I love them/what they mean to me || Part I

Image from: https://bookriot.com/45-best-aww-inspiring-quotes-books/

Hello, my awesome book friends!

I have wanted for some time now to make a post like this where I talk about some of my favorite quotes in fiction and talk a little bit about them. I didn't want to just drop some quotes anyone can simply Google, I wanted to share why I love them, what they mean to me, what kind of thoughts and feelings they spark inside me and, maybe, find people who agree or find my thoughts interesting in some way. 

So, I went on my Goodreads account and started reading every single one of my 300 plus quotes, trying to find my favorites, the most unique, those that stand out, and those that really mean something, not just those that I enjoyed or found funny. The more I searched, however, the more quotes I found and I suddenly realized that there was no possible way that I could talk about all of them in one single post, so I gathered some of them for today's post and there will be some more of them coming in a future post soon. The quotes are in no particular order, they don't indicate preference or significance. If anything, the order is completely random depending on which ones I found first... There is also no particular "motif" in the quotes I've picked, some are more poetic, some are simpler, some come from classic works and others come from contemporary fiction... A little bit of everything, really. So, with all of that being said, here we go...

"We accept the love we think we deserve."

This quote is from "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" which is a book I have never read, so I cannot comment on how well the quote goes with the rest of the text or how well it reads. I have, however,  watched the movie and this was where I heard the quote and it immediately rang a bell inside my head. Because this is so deeply and fundamentally true! 

We are so ready to believe our own misconceptions or preconceived notions about ourselves and so ready to value (or not) ourselves accordingly. We tend to believe we deserve this thing or this type of behavior and this thing, this behavior, or this particular type of person is the one we tend to attract more or to accept more when we attract it. We know we deserve this when in reality we may deserve much better, but we still are willing and ready to accept the love we think we deserve rather than the love we might actually deserve but aren't strong/courageous/ready enough to go for. We are scared to claim what is right or good for us because that is what we think we deserve. We don't realize it, but most of the time in life we accept that which we think we deserve, nothing more, nothing less and it's why we get what we get in life. It is a direct connection to how we value ourselves. Such a true statement...

***

"It is our choices that show what we truly are far more than our abilities."

This quote is widely known and recognized not only by Harry Potter fans but by a wide audience who has read it in the HP books or seen it in the movies.

This line is said by Dumbledore, the main mentor figure in the Harry Potter universe, it goes nicely with the rest of the text and it is proved to be right time and time again throughout the story. The characters, of course, have unique abilities and cool skills and it is shown throughout, but it is really their choices that make them stand out and prove what they really are inside.

It is the same in real life, our choices are what make a difference. Our abilities may be great and unique, but, in the end, what counts is if and how you chose to use them, how you chose to act in life. Whether you have the courage to step up, use your abilities in the best way possible and for the best means possible, and whether you have the ability to understand and judge when and how to act accordingly. It all comes down to choices, so, in a way, our ability to choose and to make our path in life is the greatest of all our strengths and one of our biggest privileges. It's also an important thing to understand because it proves that no matter how many or great talents you have compared to the next person, all that matters in life is what you choose to do with the cards you were given. So, nobody is inherently better off than anyone else, really, and anyone can end up in a better place regardless if they have more or fewer skills, only depending on their choices. Your abilities and talents are things you were given, or skills you developed, they are part of you, but they are not who you are, your character... No... Who we are is our choices, our characters and personalities are the sum of our choices.

It is a simple quote really, still such a powerful and truthful one and I think it is beautiful. 

***

"It takes 10 times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart."

Another widely-known quote, this time from the Hunger Games trilogy, which also happens to be one of my favorite stories in general.

This quote carries so much meaning and has so many layers and possible explanations because it refers to Finnick's past trauma that he had to get over, his current situation threatening to destroy him again, it also refers to Katniss' situation, Peeta's struggle and it can pretty much be applied to every other character within the series as most of them are trying hard to deal with their own traumatic experiences. Finnick is warning Katniss to try and not fall apart because getting back together after this could take all the courage and strength in the world and a long time of working with yourself. He tells her that there is a coming back from dark places but it is a hard way.

This quote is also so deeply and painfully true in real life and I think it's a quote that most of us can feel deep inside. We've all been through some trauma in life, we've all been through hard times and many of us have probably at some point or another fallen apart. So we can understand how hard it is to try to put yourself back together after falling apart and how much of a toll that falling apart takes on your mind and soul. We can also feel how it is to fight against falling apart, to try to keep yourself together in hard times, because we've gone through it in the past and don't want to go through it again. To put yourself back together you may need not only time and effort, but you may also need professional help and a lot of support from people who care about you, and working on yourself may be the task of a lifetime.

Suzanne Collins has written a wonderful story and the more I read it, the more I realize that this woman really knows about trauma and how to write about it in a way that is not disturbing, insulting, or melodramatic, but in a way that is realistic and impactful. This is one of the few quotes that show it and I love it! It's strong, real, and to the point.

***

"Oh, to reach the point of death and realize one has not lived at all."

A simple quote really, but very real and impactful. I cannot remember where I read it but it was written by Henry David Thoreau.

It's so common for us to be overconsumed by our routine and problems, that we kind of forget to really live. Sometimes we forget what really counts, and what is important in life and we tend to focus on the unimportant and forget to live. And how horrible would it be for anyone to reach the point of death just to realize that they have not lived at all, that they have wasted their life on things that didn't really matter. It is a scary thought, for me at least and this is why I was caught off-guard when I read this quote and I kept staring at it and kept thinking about life.

***

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone if it is to keep its edge."

Okay, what can anyone say about this quote? It's simply a masterpiece just like most of Martin's writing. The layers, the depth of meaning, and the artful use of the simile are just a few of the reasons I love it. 

It compares two seemingly different things (the sword and the mind), which even though vastly different, can both be used as "weapons" in one way or the other, and two also very different things (books and the whetstone) which can both be used to sharpen said "weapon" making the first obvious point that any skill - physical or mental - needs exercise and "sharpening". In a second layer of interpretation, this quote is also used to juxtapose the physical capabilities which in this story and instance are being represented by Jamie - and possibly any other capable fighters - and the mental abilities which in turn are represented by Tyrion, and consequently, to juxtapose Jamie with Tyrion and the fact that even though they are brothers, they are complete opposites. Jamie and Tyrion represent two different kinds of minds and two different kinds of "fighters" and each of them chooses their own "weapons" in battle and, in turn, this quote also talks about those two opposing types of fighting. It shows how some people will pick one way to deal with things, while some other people will choose differently. It also shows how one person's strengths can be someone else's weaknesses and vice versa.

This quote goes deeper than you may think at a first read and the more you look into it, the more meaning you could possibly find. This is one of the reasons I love it. It's filled with all the wisdom that has been painfully acquired by Tyrion through years and years of not fitting in and struggling to keep up in an unfair - for him at least - world, and this is also something that many of us can relate to. And, to top it all off, this is a quote about books! I mean, how could any book-loving person not love it even just for this...

***

This post is one of my favorites I've created and I'd love to go on, but I think it's getting too long, so I will leave the rest of my quotes for the next one. I would love to hear your favorite quotes from fiction and why you love them! Feel free to leave a comment and follow if you enjoy my content!

Thank you for reading!

Until the next time!

"Avatar The Last Airbender - Smoke and Shadow" || Book Review

 

Hello friends!

I'm back with another comic book review. This time it is "Smoke and Shadow" from the universe of Avatar the Last Airbender. If you want to read my last ATLA review ("ATLA - Team Avatar Tales") you can check it out here.

 I was very eager to read this one, because of things I had heard about it or because of scenes from it I had stumbled upon on Instagram or Youtube. The story is interesting and keeps you turning the pages. It is rich in action and feelings as well. The pacing is a bit off in the first two parts but really takes off in the third part and it definitely pays off. I enjoyed these comic books as much as the previous ones, although admittedly I thought that Part 3 was better than Parts 1 and 2. This is why I rated Parts 1 and 2 with 4* and I gave Part 3 a 5* rating.

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

My main objection to this story is that it takes place in a very short period of time, so much so that it doesn't really make sense for many of those things to change like this and take place in such a short period of time. As I understood it, the story takes place over the span of a couple of days, so it was weird to me that over just a couple of days - or even a couple of weeks - a group of people (like the Safe Nation Society) would grow so popular amongst the common people, that they would have so much acknowledgment, support, and trust that they're heroes. It seems strange to me that, even with the children disappearing, there would be so much and widespread unrest within a couple of days of the investigations starting. It would make more sense and it'd be way more impactful if it was implied that the whole thing took place over a period of a couple of months; they could show us an exhausted Zuko, a desperate Aang, a devastated Mai, and even an arrogant, almost-victorious Azula. It would also give Ukano more time to regret his decisions and change his mind, whereas, the way it is now, it seems like he make each decision overnight and changed his mind every other day.

I wasn't a fan of Mai and Kei Lo at all, but I lived for the cute little moments between her and Zuko. I really wish and hope they get together in the future. The hints and the electric moments between them were great and really got the vibes through. It was quite open-ended between them but I am certain that these two will end up together eventually. They belong together!

Ukano drove me mad at the beginning but I was happy to see him change his mind in the end and help the children. It was nice to experience his change of heart, his character arch and also the evolution of his relationship with Mai. 

Kiyi was hands-down the most adorable and precious thing in the whole story! I really loved her, I thought she was so cute, I loved seeing her so much in love with her big brother, and I was excited to see her fire bending!

There was something deeply satisfying about Ursa finally facing Ozai and their scene was short, but it was very strong and conveyed what it needed to very well. The ending in general was satisfying and tied many loose ends together, but it still left so many questions to be answered in the next comic books, so I'm really eager to read more of them soon!

That's about it for today's review...

Thank you for reading!

Goodreads Book Tag

Hello, my amazing book friends!

It's been a long time since my last post, but I'm still here and I've come back with a book tag so that we can start again with a light and happy post! I found this book tag on Zeezee with Books' blog, but it was apparently originally created by Words of Clover Youtube Channel so if you like this tag you can go and check them out as well. So let's go...

• What was the last book you marked as read?

The last book I marked as "read" is the comic book "Avatar the Last Airbender: Shadow and Bone - Part 2".

• What are you currently reading?

I'm currently reading two books:

(A) "Avatar the Last Airbender: Shadow and Bone - Part 3", and

(B) "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"

• What was the last book you marked as TBR?

I've heard only the best comments and reviews about this book and I can't help but be curious and want to read it! "Piranesi" by Susanna Clarke.

• What book do you plan to read next?

That will have to be "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" because I really need to finally be done with this series.

• Do you use the star rating system? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I don't particularly like this rating system or take it too seriously, but I use it, yes, and I try to use it as well as possible.

• 
  Are you doing a 2022 reading challenge?
  

Yes, I have been doing the Goodreads reading challenge since 2018 - sometimes more successfully than others - and I'm doing it this year as well.

• Do you have a wishlist?

I don't know if this is a feature on Goodreads, if it is I've never used it, but I kind of have a wishlist of books in my head.

• What book do you plan to buy next?

I have no idea, honestly. I very rarely buy books anymore, so I haven't given it much thought. My wishlist is definitely bigger than I can afford and most certainly bigger than my house can fit, so I have to be selective.

• Do you have favorite quotes? Would you like to share a few?

I have like 300 quotes and I love many of them, so it's really hard to pick just a few, but I will try...

"We accept the love we think we deserve."

"It is our choices that show what we truly are far more than our abilities."

"It takes 10 times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart."

"Oh, to reach the point of death and realize one has not lived at all."

"Change is the end result of all true learning."

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone if it is to keep its edge."

• Who are your favorite authors?

I like many authors for many different reasons, so I can't really pick.

• Have you joined any group?

I have joined three groups that I've been invited to, but to be honest, I haven't spent time on any of them so I don't really know what's going on with them...

• Who do you tag?

I tag anyone who liked this tag and wants to do it! I would love to see other people's answers!

This tag was nice and different. I enjoyed it and it also gave me a new post idea. The question about the quotes was my favorite one, it made me want to go through my favorite quotes and remember why I love them and what they mean to me. So this gave me the idea to make a new blog post entirely about these quotes so that I can analyze them and explain my thoughts on them. Would you be interested in a post like this? Would you read it? Please let me know...

Oh, and of course, I shouldn't forget... Please, feel free to add/follow me on Goodreads. I'm always excited to find more reading buddies! For the link click the image below...

Thank you for reading!

Slow reading benefits || Why I am a slow reader

Hello book friends!

So today I wanted to gather some of my thoughts on reading and make a post like that. I have been a reader my whole life and I have been through all kinds of different phases with my reading habits. I have been a really fast reader, an all-over-the-place reader, a very selective reader, a mood reader, or a slower reader depending on my current mood and conditions in life. What I have deduced all those years is that there are as many types of readers as there are readers and most of us will probably fit into more than one of these "categories". I'm not going to talk about all of them, however. Today I wanted to talk about slow vs fast reading.

As I said previously, I've gone through a phase when I was a very fast reader, but this way of reading doesn't fit me anymore and it doesn't work for me for a couple of reasons. First of all, for practical reasons, my life is currently pretty busy and hectic so finding time for reading is rare and hard, so my reading time is limited even though I try to make the most of it. Secondly, my preference has changed through the years and I now enjoy much more reading slowly rather than fast and I don't see myself changing that any time soon. And lastly, I have come to realize that this way of reading is much more beneficial to me and had more to offer than my old ways.

Disclaimer: The reasons I'm about to list below are personal and not general rules. Any of the following could apply or not apply to you and on various levels. These are personal opinions and in no way do I want to say that my way is better than yours, or make it seem that I am better than anyone else. Whichever way of reading is best for you and works for you is the one you should follow and you don't have to agree with me or follow what I say. I simply wanted to state my views and use them as a chance for a conversation with all of you. 

So, with that out of the way, here are some of my reasons for reading slowly and some of the benefits I've found it has on me:

1. Reading slowly increases my understanding of the text/story: Not just on a surface level, meaning what happens to the story and how the characters interact, but also on a deeper level, like what each thing means to the characters and how it affects them.
2. It allows me to empathize more with the characters and get to know them better: Taking time to re-read a line or taking my time to read a dialogue can make me understand the characters better, "hear" their voices more distinctly, read between the lines and find any subtext there might be. In the end, I feel like taking the time to think about certain parts of the story can really help me understand all the motives and conflicts of a character, which in turn increases my enjoyment of the story.
3. It helps me analyze every aspect of the story: As you may have noticed if you've read my blog, I really enjoy over-analyzing stories and going to a deeper level with them. A story may be sci-fi or fantasy or whatever, but it may well carry lots of different themes and ideas that may be interesting to explore. I love finding all of these themes and messages and analyzing them as much as I can; the socio-economic commentary from the writer, the "peak" into the scary human future, the psychological repercussions of an important historical event, or even the importance of different kinds of relationships in our lives are only a few of the things we can find in stories and that we may want to talk about after consuming the story. I love taking a deep dive into all of these themes and over-analyzing them, especially the ones that I consider that concern me most, and reading slowly really helps me take this deep dive.
4. It helps me learn more and better: Lately, I have found out how to "read like a writer" and, since I really love writing and aspire to write my own story one day, I have tried as much as possible to "read like a writer". Which means to learn from what I read and always try to take something out of it, whether that is new vocabulary, learning how to use punctuation properly, or learning new techniques of writing, new expressions, and all kinds of new literary tools and devices. I have realized that this way of reading allows me to absorb all these writing and artistic details so that I can more easily and effectively use them in my own work and, consequently, improve the quality of my own writing. 
5. It helps me remember more parts of the story better: Just to clear this out, slow reading does not make the story itself more memorable, it cannot do that and I do not think it can be done with any way of reading. What makes a story essentially memorable is the content and nothing else. However, I have found that the slower reading helps me remember a little bit better the story, within of course what its content allows, and to keep it in my memory long-term. I don't really like it when I have read the book and I can't remember what it was about and why I liked it or disliked it. So devoting a bit more time to reading, comprehending, and approaching it from many different angles, I feel helps me with remembering more of the story better and cherishing it more, and this is a positive for me.
6. It prolongs the experience: This is most useful and desirable with the books that I actually love and enjoy, and that I want to make them last longer and I don't want them to be over. But it is not so great with the books that I don't enjoy and that I would rather get over with. So this one really depends on the book itself and I can make it last a longer or shorter time according to how much I enjoy each book. I have skim-read books quite a few times in the past if I've found them boring, but if they are nice I'm more likely to want to make it last longer.
7. It gives me the time to take notes: If I feel like there's something worth remembering and keeping written down or annotated I like to take the time to note it down to be able and appreciate it both at the given time and for future reference.
8. It's just pure preference and taste: In the end, this is what it all comes down to; how you personally enjoy and like to pass your time and it doesn't really need more reason than that. This is the way that helps me get more emerged in stories and that I feel was more beneficial to me. This is the way for me.

Now, there are of course a few downsides to this way of reading, just like there are with any other way of reading, that are worth mentioning too:

1. You don't get to read as many books as you'd wish: This method, of course, means that you'll read significantly fewer books than other readers that chose to read quickly and, as a consequence...
2. You get through your TBR list much more slowly and
3. It's a bit harder to reach your reading goals/challenges, or you have to set much smaller goals in order to make it
4. It's almost impossible to keep up with all the new books, all new releases, and all these books you've had an eye on for a while.
5. Re-reading books you've enjoyed in the past is almost out of the question: Not if you want to get through all these other new books you've been dying to read. It's not impossible, but it's surely rare and hard to do.

So, tell me, what type of reader are you? Do you prefer to read more quickly or slowly? Do you belong to any other "types" of readers? What do you enjoy more and why? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to share them!

For one more time, thank you for reading!

Until the next time!