Let’s Talk Bookish: Reading Relatability

Happy Friday! I hope you’ve all had a great week. I’ve mostly been doing more house projects, namely building wardrobes! Fingernails were definitely at risk!

Our first topic for April is all about Reading Relatability.

Speaking about my fiction choices here, I predominantly read for fun. Reading is my relaxing hobby, my time to unwind and forget about whatever else it is I need to be thinking about. My genres of choice reflect that I think – I am a reader of speculative fiction. By default, these books are usually nothing like our reality. Of course, there will always be themes and character traits that do mirror what’s going on in the world or that one can relate to but for the most part, fantasy is fantasy.

It’s probably also a good time for me to mention that I am not an emotional reader. Like, at all. I very, very rarely get affected by the fiction books I read (non fiction is another story). Even if I do pick up a fantasy novel that mirrors some awful thing happening in the world, or where something terrible happens to a character, chances are it will just wash over me. I have a logical brain, so I am very good at being in ‘reader mode’ where I just absorb the world I am presented with but don’t attach myself to it. So even though I am essentially ‘escaping reality’ there are parts of me that will always remain grounded.

I have discovered over the last couple of years that I am more of a mood reader than I thought. Even still, I do tend to stick with loose tbrs. I make lists of books and pick from there except for if I have an arc deadline to meet.
As I said above I am a logical person at my core rather than an emotional one, so it’s not often I find myself in the wrong headspace for a book. There are definitely times when I will be in the mood for something specific, often if I’ve read a lot of the same type of thing I’ll be after a change, but for the most part I just pick at random from my lists.

My answers are pretty short this week! I guess I don’t have too much to say since I run on logic instead of emotion LOL.

9 responses to “Let’s Talk Bookish: Reading Relatability”

  1. Love your take on it. I am an emotional reader so I find your POV fascinating

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    1. It’s funny, I can be quite emotional in other aspects of my life, but when reading I am 100% logic haha.

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  2. […] UnboundRaji @ Worlds Unlike Our OwnLaurie @ Laurie Is ReadingAbyssal LibrarianLeyre @ Read You LeyreEmma @ Pages of […]

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  3. Ah my answers were shorter too so no worries there! And this is totally fine everyone is different and has a unique approach when it comes to reading and how they experience it. I am definitely a mood reader but totally the opposite of you I guess, I put a looot of emotion and it feels like I am there with the characters experiencing what they are. It is bizarre hence I stay away from certain topics…But this is great you have a logical mind I wish I had more of it and less heart at times xx

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    1. Its funny that we are total opposite types of reader, yet we love the same kind of books.
      I don’t find I experience the emotions, I tend to imagine I am watching a film as I read. Like, I am in the background observing, rather than living the experience.

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      1. Haha, it is yes. It is fascinating how our brains work, how different we are and yet how we can enjoy the same books/topics or whatever. I do get a movie in my head as well, especially with the ones I am fully immersed in the story but unlike you, I live it. Don’t know if this is a blessing or a curse though lol

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  4. I think it was through reading just how soft I am despite how “hard” I come across IRL because I am a super emotional reader, haha. I wouldn’t say I need that relatability to the characters and their stories to make me want to read something or enjoy it but it does end up making a huge difference in my overall feelings by the end! 😂

    It’s interesting to read this “logical brain” perspective though. It’s always good to keep grounded and not swept away by all the emotions while reading though, especially when life is already emotional enough, haha. Thanks for participating in LTB this week! 😊

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    1. It’s funny, even as a little kid I was all logic. I could have been reading Animal Farm or Wild Magic and I’d have the same serious concentration look on my face, no other emotion haha.

      do get emotional occasionally, but it usually has to be something about an animal or the environment.

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  5. […] for me though as I tend not to get attached to books and characters so much. I discussed this in an LTB at post the start of April, but I am not an emotional reader and therefore there is usually a disconnect between me and the […]

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Hi friends!

Welcome to my little corner of the internet!
I’m Emma (she/her), a 30-something living in the UK. I love to read fantasy, science fiction and non-fiction books, though I do dip into many other genres. Enjoy your reading!

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