The Book Insider
  • Blog
  • Review Index
  • Review Policy
  • About

September 2019: The Ups, Downs, and Woes of College Reading

9/29/2019

0 Comments

 

⬂↘⬊ College Reading ⬋↙⬃
​

       It feels like forever since I’ve sat down to write a blog post. In a little over a month, my life has completely turned upside down. When people say starting college is a transition, they do mean it! Between schoolwork, clubs, exercise, and my job, it’s been hard to find time for reading. There is always a looming deadline for work or school to tackle even if I don’t have homework due the next day. I never want to feel behind, so I am always putting in the time to
Picture
stay ahead. What I’ve realized these past weeks is that in my life, reading is also important to me. It shouldn’t be something I can keep pushing to the side time and time again. More recently, I’ve been carving out little pieces of my week for reading, and I can’t believe the difference!
Click Here to Read More

Read More
0 Comments

18 BookFacts About Me (I’ve Created a Tag?!)

4/7/2019

3 Comments

 
​       Hello, bookish people! I’ve been wanting to do a tag to tell you all a little more about me, but I just couldn’t find the right one to share with you. So, after a little over two weeks of being eighteen, I thought it would be perfect for finding eighteen books that relate to “fun facts” about me. The books could connect to me through their title, plot, or cover, and they are everything from significant events in my life to small quirks. Let’s do this.
Picture
Click Here to Read More

Read More
3 Comments

Tour My Bookshelf!

6/20/2018

1 Comment

 
       Hello book lovers, and welcome to my crib!* While I was tidying my room this past week, I came to the realization that in over two years, I’ve never shown you guys my bookshelves. I think that because the lighting is so weird in my room, I tried to take a few pictures a long time ago, and never ended up posting them. Good news is, this girl has gotten a lot better at editing her photos and has brought you a full photographic tour of my desk and bookshelves area. 
*I have no shame lol.
Picture
Click Here to Read More

Read More
1 Comment

Why Timing Can Be Everything

5/20/2018

2 Comments

 
​       Have you ever completed a book and thought any of the following?
  • I still am not sure who this character is…
  • Why is this event important?
  • It’s not that the book wasn’t enjoyable, but I don’t think I liked it…
       If you have, then you are probably suffering from an ill-timed read (Diagnosed by Ashton Smith Re.D. [Doctor of Reading lol]). Sometimes you start reading a book that is supposed to be REALLY GOOD, but you happen to start it at a
Picture
​time of your life when you only read ten pages at a time. Maybe work gets busy, or finals are coming up, but you get about halfway through a book and still don’t feel like you’ve been immersed in the story yet. I think every reader can understand this problem; all you want to do is sit down and read, but you can’t.
       The struggle for me is real with this issue, since my final exams are this week, so I thought I would share a few tips on how to combat the “Bad Timing Read.”
Click Here to Read More

Read More
2 Comments

Life Update 001

4/7/2018

0 Comments

 
       Let’s be real here because it’s just you and me...you’re going to have to lean in to hear this...I couldn’t think of what to blog about this week, and I’ve been busier with schoolwork than usual, so this is my way out...HAHAHA. The good news is that I have been doing a lot of reading and writing in the past week (in the form of a research paper AND required reading. Hoo-ray). So, I figured this would be the perfect time to inform all of my beautiful readers out there Hi! on my life as it is at this very moment.
Picture
Click Here to Read More

Read More
0 Comments

The 17 Best Books I've Read in the Past Year (Happy 17th Birthday to Me!)

3/22/2018

2 Comments

 
       ♬ You are the Dancing Queen,
       Young and sweet, only seventeen. ♬
       Happy birthday to me! I love birthdays because they're a time to celebrate yourself and celebrate life in general. So, I thought I would celebrate this year's big day with you guys, my lovely readers. I wouldn't be here today without you guys; thank you! Now, let the celebration begin as I share the top 17 books that I've read in the last year.* Click the purple titles to check out my full reviews.
*The titles included dates—those are the dates that I read the books, and not the release date. :)
Picture
Click Here to Read More

Read More
2 Comments

Books and Minimalism: My Story

3/13/2018

0 Comments

 

The Overview

       Books: They’re the love of my life. We have a great relationship; they exist and look pretty, and I can thumb through them whenever I feel like it. They’ve always been there for me, and to show my appreciation for them, I shout about their greatness to the winds (and anyone who will listen {like you. Hi there! [Look, I got to use those fancy squiggly brackets no one ever uses.]}). Unfortunately, over the years, I have morphed and changed into a better version of myself, and a result of that growth is a drastic change in my lifestyle. If you didn’t already know, I have
Picture
adopted the idea of minimalism into my everyday life. Just over a year ago, physical and mental clutter filled my life. So, over a long weekend around this time last year, I came to a big decision. I was becoming a minimalist, and no one would stop me.
Click Here to Read More

Read More
0 Comments

Why I've Stopped Buying from Barnes & Noble, and Other Ways I Don't Overpay for Books

6/14/2017

0 Comments

 

Here's the Deal:

       I love bookstores. I love them all. I even love Barnes & Noble. But I don't love their prices. To be fair, the money they ask for their books is pretty unreasonable, but as a book lover, I'm going to pay however much they want me to pay. (WHY ARE BOOKS MY KRYPTONITE?!?) So, I've come to help you book people who like your books and money in equal amounts.
Click Here to Read More

Read More
0 Comments

What to Do While Listening to Audiobooks

9/11/2016

3 Comments

 

Audiobooks

       If you have ever tried to listen to an audiobook, you have come across the problem of, "what to do now?". Here is a quick list of 6 things to consider when you find yourself asking that very question.
​       1. Exercise
I know, I know. None of us want to exercise. But, if you're listening to that book you've been dying to read, this is the perfect way to motivate yourself. And, you'll have so much more fun on a walk, run, or bike ride!
       2. Clean
This follows the same concept with the exercising. Bonus points if you're cleaning your bookshelf!
       3. Do a Puzzle
A puzzle is a great way to occupy your mind while listening to a story. Your brain doesn't have to focus on completing a task, but it occupies the visual part of your mind while the auditory part is free to take in the story.
       4. Fall Asleep
I haven't tried this for myself, but I do know that a lot of people swear by it. They set a timer on the audiobook, and snuggle down. This way, there is no physical act of reading keeping you awake, and you are more likely to get more sleep. (Rather than staying up until four in the morning for one more chapter.)
       5. While Getting Ready in the Morning/at Night
I think I will start doing this. While you're getting ready in the morning, put on an audiobook. Nothing is more mindless in my day than getting dressed or brushing my teeth.
       6. In the Car
Instead of listening to music on your way to work, listen to a story instead. You'll be amazed at how many books you will get through by not doing anything differently.
       What's your go-to task when listening to audiobooks? Let me know in the comments!

While she turns on an audiobook,
Ashton
I've never listened to an audiobook before, and I have to say it's a totally different experience. When you read a book, the story definitely takes place in your head. When you listen, it seems to happen in a little cloud all around it, like a fuzzy knit cap pulled down over your eyes" 
— Robin Sloan, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
3 Comments

To Read or Not To Read: What to do (and not do) when you're in a reading slump.

8/30/2016

0 Comments

 

Reading Slumps

       Reading slumps are awful. Every reader can vouch for that, because we've all encountered the monsters that eat up our will to read, live, and breath. So, if you are currently in a reading slump, or want to prepare for the inevitable future, here are a few things to do and not do when a reading slump attacks you at your most vulnerable moment.
       1. Pick up a new book.
If you aren't interested in the book you are currently reading, you aren't going to want to read. Try picking up something you have been wanting to read for a while.​ If you can't get into that book, pick up something else. Don't force yourself to read something you aren't enjoying.
       2. Book-to-movie adaptations.
Movie adaptations of books are a great motivation to read. Find a movie you want to go see, and read the book first. This works especially well for movies that are in theaters, because you can only go see them for a certain amount of time. That way, you want to read the book, and you have to push through it quickly.
       3. Pick up a short story or a collection of short stories.
I love shorter reads, because they make me feel good about how much I've read. They are also great for keeping your attention, because you are constantly being presented with new stories, especially in anthologies. You are also more likely to set aside time to read one story, because you know it won't take you very long.
       4. Set aside a specific time to read.
Everyone has that time in the evening that they set aside to watch their favorite show, or do something for themselves. It's just as easy to set aside reading time! My favorite way to do this is to start my nighttime routine 15-30 minutes earlier. (My nighttime routine consists of showering and brushing my teeth. Not too extensive...) That way, when you would normally put on your pajamas and crawl into bed, you can curl up with a book and get in some more reading time.
       5. Grab an audio book.
If you just can't find time to read, audio books are a great alternative to traditional reading. You don't know when to listen to it? The easiest way to integrate it into everyday life is to listen to it whenever you would normally listen to music. Car rides? Done. Exercising? Easy. Cleaning? How fun. In the shower? Um.........I like to sing. But if you don't sing, that's a great place to listen to a story.
       6. Take your book everywhere with you.
When you take your book with you when you go out of the house, you will realize just how much time you have to read. A couple minutes on the bus here, a few minutes during lunch there. All of a sudden, you've read fifty pages throughout the day, but you didn't do anything different from normal.
       7. Make it a group event.
If you are finding that you can't stick with a book, try reading one with others. Start or join a book club, or pair up with a buddy to read. This way, you have a goal, a deadline, a friend with whom to chat, and it will be spoiler free. It's a quadruple win.

To Do

Not To Do

       1. Netflix and Youtube
If you turn on a internet video of any kind, you're doomed. You'll say, "One more episode," to Stranger Things one too many times, and look up at four in the morning and realize you've wasted your entire life doing nothing. (Sorry. That got a little dark.) Anyways, stay away from Netflix. It's a trap set by the reading slump monster.
       2. Push through a book.
When you force yourself to read something you aren't enjoying, you won't want to read. It seems so common sense as you read it right now, but I don't know how many people do it.
      What do you do when you need to get out of a reading slump? Let me know in the comments below!

While she struggles with her own slump monster,
Ashton
A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading." 
— William Styron, Conversations with William Styron
0 Comments
<<Previous
    Subscribe to My Email List
    Picture

    Author

    Ashton is a high school girl with a passion for books. She also participates in other activities such as sports and musical groups.

    Follow

    RSS Feed

    Shop the Book Depository

    2019 Reading Challenge

    2019 Reading Challenge
    Ashton has read 1 book toward her goal of 50 books.
    hide
    1 of 50 (2%)
    view books

    Categories

    All
    Adult Reviews
    Book Lists
    Bookstagram & Blogging
    Life
    MIddle Grade Reviews
    Netgalley Reviews
    Precommendations
    Writing
    Young Adult Reviews

    Archives

    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016

Copyright © 2018 The Book Insider
​Read. Record. Repeat.
  • Blog
  • Review Index
  • Review Policy
  • About