Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic.  Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by  The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here.  This week’s topic is:

Changes In My Reading Life

The topic this week is relatively easy I think.  To be honest I think it’s quite natural that your reading habits will change over time – you change yourself as you get older and so it feels only natural that your habits, not just in terms of reading, will change too.  However, I would say that a number of my changes are probably more related to blogging.  Enough chat, here we go:

1. In the last few years my reading has focused much more on speculative fiction.  I’ve always read SFF but I’d say that I read far less historical, contemporary or classic books now than I used to do.  Although, I do still try and throw a little of those books into the mix every now and again.  This isn’t something I regret, I feel like I’ve honed my own tastes in a way and that I have a much better understanding of what type of fiction I enjoy.
2. I still read quite a lot – usually, slightly over 100 books during the course of the year – but I don’t read quite as much as I used to and this is obviously as a result of more time spent blogging and chatting with other bloggers.  Again, I have no regrets in this respect.  Chatting with other bloggers gives me a way to release my passion about books with other people who share similar tastes.  Blogging has also led me to authors I would never have heard of.  I love books/I love bloggers – I should get that on a t-shirt!
3. I read far less of my own books now.  This is something that I would like to achieve a little more balance with.  Although, again, I can’t really grumble.  I receive an incredible amount of review books each year and I have absolutely no complaints.  My own books are very patient and they’re not going anyway, I’ll reach them eventually.
4. I take part in more reading events.  In fact dare I mention that I’m currently taking part in an event that is all about raising awareness for the second book in the Tarot Sequence books – The Hanged Man by KD Edwards (due for release in December) and as part of that event there’s all sorts of things going on, quests, giveaways and a readalong for the first book in the series – The Last Sun (which I highly recommend).  Another event that I take part in is the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off which is a competition.  We start off with 300 self-published books and by a process of elimination end of up with one winner – There Can Be Only One.
5. Related directly to the point above.  I read more self published books now than I did previously.  I have to admit that the above named competition has been an eye opener for me in that respect and really does demonstrate just how many excellent self published books are available.
6. I very rarely use the library any more.  I love the library and I’ve always used it but I seem to have an increasing TBR of my own that I need to work on and so don’t as often feel the need to log on and check out books.  This is a shame really because I like to support the library – I think libraries are an absolute must.
7. I’ve started to listen to audio books which I’ve never done before.  I wouldn’t say that this accounts for a lot of my yearly books, maybe only 10-12 per year but I’m actually enjoying this a lot more than I ever thought I would.  I think my initial reservations boiled down to me thinking that my mind would wander if I wasn’t focusing on the writing on the page so it’s been a very pleasant surprise for me to find that this isn’t the case.  And this means I can undertake easy chores and listen to a book at the same time.  Colour me happy.
8. I mainly receive gift tokens for presents.  This is something I love and I admit that I’ve cajoled and pressured everyone into giving me vouchers instead of other gifts – although they do sometimes rebel and go their own way.   What can I say, receiving a gift voucher where I can spend on books, guilt free, well, it’s just something that gives me all the warm fuzzies.
9. I confess that my green eyed monster, the one that used to live deep inside, usually sleeping with soothing music playing to keep it lulled and tamed into submission, well, it’s become a little bit out of control.  Yes, I admit it! I see all the books that everyone else has and I want them.  I want them all.  Is that bad?  Am I bad??
10. I actually buy very few physical books now.  In fact I prefer ebooks.  Don’t get me wrong, I love books.  I always have, and there is something different about reading a physical copy, but these days I’m much more practical or pragmatic or something.  I can carry hundreds of books around on my kindle, I don’t have stacks all over the house and I like reading this way.  My books are always backlit so I can read when I’m out and about, even if it is dark.  It’s easy to search through my library, I have a dictionary that’s easily to hand and notes and highlights page.  It’s just easy and convenient.  And it means I can be very selective about the physical books that I collect.

That’s it for me – how have your reading habits changed???  Curious minds, etc, etc.