How to read again?

Hello everyone!

 

As we probably all said in our OIB entrance oral exam, “I love to read”. Well, let’s say I used to, until very recently. 

I am one of many bookworms who somehow lost the ability to read when entering the 8th grade. I used to 

never read for fun, only for school, until this summer!

From july to the end of 2021 I have read a total of 14 books, I think. So, what happened? How can you get started on 

reading on your own, or how to love to read books like you used to? How to read again? Well, let me share with you 

these 5 tips: 

 

        1. Listen to people who read

Hearing people hype up about their newest read is what made me pick up my first book of the year (Six of Crows) 

because of how my friends kept telling me about it. I ended up reading the 7 books of the series!

If you don't have friends who read, I recommend you to watch youtubers who post book reviews or any book content 

(memes, recommendations etc). My favourite booktuber is Jack Edwards whom I discovered this summer and is now 

my comfort youtuber.

2. Set up a goodreads account

In the same spirit, the goodreads app can really help as well. It's an app on which you keep track of which book you've 

read, want to read and are currently reading. You can also keep track of your friends' reads, and can post reviews: 

this really helps to discover new books. You can track your reading process, and you can set up a yearly 

reading challenge! This especially helped me to motivate myself to read, as you feel some sort of achievement 

in each progress. The yearly reading challenge actually pushed me to read 2 books in the last week of december!

3. Read stuff that you like

Listen. I ALSO want to be that dark academia babe who reads Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde and Dhakespeare. Do I 

have the patience, attention span and vocabulary to be? Not yet. That is why I got started on fantasy books I used to 

love in elementary school. Read easy. 11-14 books, fantasy, romance, la cabane magique if you like! It's best to 

read books you KNOW you are going to enjoy, because of the content and the easy form if needed. The 1800s 

classics will come later, thank you very much.

4. Discuss your reads

Talking about your newest read with someone who's read it can be so much fun! That's why I love the book club. 

Not only does it push your friends to read as well, it makes it alive and makes the hype about it even greater. And you 

know what? Even if your friends haven't read the book, talk about  it anyway ! (that's what I do, and I'm sure my 

friends love to hear me rant about fantasy books with names i can't even pronounce).

5. Always have a book with you

That might be the biggest effort to make, but reading whenever you have free time is the way to go. Instead of

 taking your phone out when in the waiting room at a dentist's appointment, read some pages of a book! it's 

actually a bit of a habit to take but it is quite worth it in the end. I personally feel much more accomplished when I 

read a book than when I scroll tiktok for 2h, you know?

    Bonus: Buy books with pretty covers

I can’t prove this theory, but I feel much more drawn to read something when the cover is appealing. I am aware

that I am falling for basic marketing strategies, but at least I'm reading.I don't know, don’t you want to read this

 

 

more than this?

 

 

 

And that’s it! Ihope this article will help you to get back on reading and will be the start of a wonderful reading marathon :)

Before you leave, here are some of my favourite books that I read this year:

  

 

•  The Six of Crows duology (fantasy/YA): A group of 6 thieves(ish) have to succeed the most difficult    

heist in the world and also kick capitalist’s butts. Very chaotic and loveable characters who WILL make you laugh 

and cry. It's actually the sequel to the Shadow and Bone trilogy, but you don’t have to read it to understand

(also bc Shadow and Bone is MUCH LESS good). It's also the prequel to the King of Scars duology, from the same

universe, which made me root for a cishet white MONARCH (the communist manifesto is on my readlist btw.) 

 

 

• The perks of being a wallflower, Stephen Chobsky (YA/epistolary): I honestly can’t summarize it. Go read it, 

 it’s awesome. It’s quite short, and very easy to read: it's a great book to get started on reading again. It was featured 

in the book club a while back!

 

 

  

• The Song of Achilles, Madeleine Miller (greek myth retelling): Patroclus simps over Achilles for 350 pages.

  Will make you want to fall in love (and cry). It’s not as easy to read as the TPOBAW, but it holds a special place 

in my heart as it is, with six of crows, the first book I picked up in years. It was also in the book club this year! 

 

• Circe, Madeleine Miller (greek myth retelling): Circe, exiled goddess, is a girlboss. Immense character development, 

amazing characters and setting. Same author as the song of Achilles, but only it’s better. WILL make you obsessed

with Greek mythology again. (Re-reading the Iliad rn). Perhaps my favourite ONE SHOT read of the year. 

  

• The midnight library, Matt Haig: A girl dies and finds herself able to try out every outcome her life could've

become. Quick read, well paced, read this when you feel depressed. I wish I would've discovered this book sooner 

for how it offers a different perspective on life, you own choices and situation. If you're in need of a sign, that's it. 

Gooday,

- Lucas :^)