November is always a tumultuous month. After all these years I still have no idea how to balance a reading routine with a much more intense writing routine. I can either read a lot or write a lot. I don’t think this is unusual. I’m starting to consider planning “book vacations” from my writing. I’ll read during my allotted writing time for a few days and give myself a bit of a fresh perspective when I’m back at the keyboard.

Books I finished reading in November:

• Lore Olympus: Volume Three – Rachel Smythe

Books I’m currently reading:

• Heaven Official’s Blessing: Volume 3 – Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
• Evasive Winds – A. R. Shellnut
• The Fellowship of the Ring – J. R. R. Tolkien

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What books did you read in November? Did you participate in NaNoWriMo and find your reading getting de-prioritized?

I’m not out of the woods yet with this reading slump, but I think I’m starting to claw my way out. I’m starting more books. I’m starting more ambitious books. That’s a good sign. Maybe all the writing in November will finally give me the kick in the pants I need to really dig into reading again. My only regret this month is not buckling down and reading at least one non fiction book on creative writing/revising a novel.

Books I finished reading in September:

• A Psalm for the Wild-Built – Becky Chambers

Books I’m currently reading:

• Heaven Official’s Blessing: Volume 3 – Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
• Evasive Winds – A. R. Shellnut
• Lore Olympus: Volume Three – Rachel Smythe
• The Fellowship of the Ring – J. R. R. Tolkien

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What did you read in October? Are there any books on writing craft you would recommend checking out? I might try to read it while doing NaNoWriMo or hold off until December and use it as inspiration to keep going.

My reading slump continued this month. I’m starting to see a connection between my reading slumps and my writing slumps. When one starts, the other is sure to follow. My writing slump started first this time and it took a little while for the reading slump to appear. It’s definitely here now. I’m still reading a bit, but it is slow going. The information from the books doesn’t want to go into my brain.

Books I finished reading in September:

• The Galaxy, and the Ground Within – Becky Chambers
• Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen

Books I’m currently reading:

• Heaven Official’s Blessing: Volume 3 – Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
• Evasive Winds – A. R. Shellnut

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What books did you read in September?

Do you have any tips or tricks for getting past a reading slump? I’d love to try something other than waiting for my motivation to read to come back on its own.

July was not a great month for reading. I was trying my best to focus on writing for Camp NaNoWriMo. It was also overall a very hot month. When I’m hot, reading just makes me sleepy. Every time I tried to settle in and read a book, I ended up dozing off. I can read a lot once I get going, but stopping and starting really slows me to a crawl. Maybe I’m a little odd, but my brain needs a couple pages of deliberate reading to get into things so my reading comprehension kicks in and I can pick up the pace.

Books I finished reading in July:

• Lore Olympus: Volume Two – Rachel Smythe

Books I’m currently reading:

• The Subtle Knife – Philip Pullman
• Record of a Spaceborn Few – Becky Chambers
• Heaven Official’s Blessing: Volume 3 – Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

What did you read in July? Do you have any tips or tricks for staying awake while reading in the summer heat? I’m in desperate need of advice since August will probably be just as hot as July.

Most of June was dominated by unpacking and getting settled into our house. Then my phone just stopped working so I didn’t have a reliable way to listen to audiobooks while working on things for about a week. I feel like I lost a lot of reading momentum this month. Hopefully there will be some lazy summer days coming up so I can get it back.

Books I finished reading in June:

• A Closed and Common Orbit – Becky Chambers
• The Coelura – Anne McCaffrey

Books I’m currently reading:

• The Subtle Knife – Philip Pullman
• Record of a Spaceborn Few – Becky Chambers

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What did you read in June? Is there anything you are looking forward to reading this summer?

This month was not destined for much reading. We bought a house at the end of April and spent May getting the house ready and moving in. We’re still not completely settled, of course, but at least in June I can say all my stuff is in one place.

Books are a comfort in stressful times. However, to benefit from their ability to comfort and transport there’s a time commitment required. As much as I wanted an escape many, many times during the month of May, I just didn’t have the time to settle into a book.

Books I finished reading in May:

• The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet – Becky Chambers

Books I’m currently reading:

• The Subtle Knife – Philip Pullman
• A Closed and Common Orbit – Becky Chambers

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What books did you read in May? How to you handle wanting to reading during times there just isn’t time to put into books?

April was a chaotic month! We bought a house! We spent the first two thirds of the month stressing and completing all the necessary steps to finalize buying the house. Then we started working on making the house the way we want it to be and moving in. As you can imagine, reading wasn’t top priority.

However, I still managed to read some this month! I don’t think I’d be able to go a whole month without reading at all.

Books I finished reading in April:

Books I’m currently reading:

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Have you ever had periods in your life where you just can’t find the time to dedicate to reading? How did you get through it? I feel like I’m missing out on so much when I don’t read much for an extended period of time. It also drives me up the wall when I don’t get through books and I have so many left waiting on my to be read pile.

March was a deceptive month reading-wise. It felt like I didn’t read much at all. However, my Goodreads says something different. I did a decent amount of reading in March.

Books I finished reading in March:

• The Golden Compass – Philip Pullman
• Harrow the Ninth – Tamsyn Muir
• The Mysterious Study of Doctor Sex – Tamsyn Muir
• The Girl Who Drank the Moon – Kelly Barnhill

Books I’m currently reading:

• Heaven Official’s Blessing (Volume 2) – Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
• The Subtle Knife – Philip Pullman
• The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet – Becky Chambers

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What have you been reading lately? Are there any books you are looking forward to reading this spring?