Christian Goodreaders discussion

I know there are some who read as many as ten books at one time, some novels, others histories, yet others devotional or theological.

Some can read four or five novels at the same time. I can't. I'm always afraid some 2nd or 3rd tier character in one story will resemble one in another and I'll get confused.

I like to totally immerse myself in my story reading. I'm like a "reading fairy" who almost flits into the story, that's how close I like to get. So, I couldn't read two novels at the same time.

I can and do have studies going in a devotional at the same time I'm reading a novel.

I was recently reading BJ Robinson's romantic suspense novel LAST RESORT and started Chila Woychick's memoir of sorts, ON BEING A RAT. One did not threat to pull me out of the other.

Nike, I'm the same way. I can read a novel and devotional or a novel and a nonfiction book, but I won't mix novels. I like to give my reads my full attention. I hope you think Faith was a strong herione. I'm glad you enjoyed LAST RESORT. When is your next novel being released? Mine is in January, Southern Superstitions. I got a glimpse of my book cover today, and I think I'm going to love it. Cypress tress and a night sky and stars :) Blessings, BJ Robinson

Lucky you, to see your next book cover. That's like being presented with your next baby. I like the title Southern Superstitions.

My next in the series comes out in December. I haven't seen my book cover yet, but when I do, I'll let you know. It should be real soon. It's Goodbye Noel and is a Christmas themed murder mystery and romance.

Yours sounds intriguing, too. I'll be sure to watch for it. My cover is in the works, and they wanted my feedback. I really think it's striking, and I can't wait to get the finished one, so I can have a book trailer made for Southern Superstitions. Glad you like the title. It's another romantic suspense, but you don't get to connect with the villian in this one :) I'm glad you enjoyed the connection with the one in Last Resort and thought it was inventive and intriguing. You're right. When I opened that email this morning and saw my book cover, it was like a gift, another baby :) Blessings, BJ Robinson

BJ Robinson wrote: "Yours sounds intriguing, too. I'll be sure to watch for it. My cover is in the works, and they wanted my feedback. I really think it's striking, and I can't wait to get the finished one, so I can h..."

Best wishes on it, Barbara. :)

Thanks, Nike, and yours, too :)

I'm basically a one-book-at-a-time reader, as far as my regular silent reading to myself is concerned. Whatever I'm reading that way, I give my full attention to. And since a person would normally read roughly the same number of pages in each typical day, no matter how many books they were read from, it's NOT true that reading 2 or 3 (or more) books at once means you get to read more total books in a year, a month, or whatever. You read the same number you would if you read them one at a time; it's just that the other way, you finish several around the same time instead of sequentially --and it takes a whole lot longer to finish any one of them!)

That said, I have to modify the statement slightly. Both my wife and I like to read by ourselves, but she also enjoys being read to; and the best time for that is when we're in the car and she's driving. So we always have a book we both like in the car that we're reading together that way (I think of it as an "organically-powered audiobook" :-) ). Also, I usually have a short story collection that I'm reading in intermittently, when I have intervals of waiting for an interlibrary loan book or something of that sort, and often another short story anthology I'm intermittently reading from at the public library in the area where we usually vacation in the summer. (And of course I try to read something from the Bible every day.)

How wonderful that you're both book lovers, and you read to her while she's driving. I love it. Amazing. BJ Robinson

Werner wrote: "I'm basically a one-book-at-a-time reader, as far as my regular silent reading to myself is concerned. Whatever I'm reading that way, I give my full attention to. And since a person would normally..."

"An organically-powered audiobook" - I luv it.

Yes, we've been married 31 years now, and have been sharing books together that way for nearly all that time. We both enjoy it a lot!

I read one book at a time but I do a lot of other reading at the same time, like internet articles about how to market my books. I like to get that online. I also get several e-mail newsletters. There is always a lot going on in the old mind that way. No wonder I can't remember why I walked to the kitchen and am looking in my refrigerator--too much information.

I usually can read two books at the same time. Yet, right now I am still reading "Tangled Memories." It has taken me a while to finish. So, right now, I am focusing on finishing this book.

Werner wrote: "Yes, we've been married 31 years now, and have been sharing books together that way for nearly all that time. We both enjoy it a lot!"

DH and I will be celebrating 25 years of marriage next week...but we don't read to each other.

Pat W. wrote: "I read one book at a time but I do a lot of other reading at the same time, like internet articles about how to market my books. I like to get that online. I also get several e-mail newsletters. Th..."

It's not that we're getting older, it's that we have too much info. That's why we forget. LOL

Cindy wrote: "I usually can read two books at the same time. Yet, right now I am still reading "Tangled Memories." It has taken me a while to finish. So, right now, I am focusing on finishing this book."

Enjoy. :)

I'm reading a fiction and a nonfiction book at the same time now. One of Anne Patrick's fiction books and a nonfiction book The Art and Science of Teaching. I just started reading the novel yesterday. BJ Robinson

Happy upcoming anniversary, Nike!

I second that, Nike. BJ

Thx. We're keeping the celebration small and personal. No big party. Just a few people who have been close to us for years...and our daughter.

Nike wrote: "Werner wrote: "Yes, we've been married 31 years now, and have been sharing books together that way for nearly all that time. We both enjoy it a lot!"

DH and I will be celebrating 25 years of marr..." Congratulations.

Pat W. wrote: "Nike wrote: "Werner wrote: "Yes, we've been married 31 years now, and have been sharing books together that way for nearly all that time. We both enjoy it a lot!"

DH and I will be celebrating 25 ..."

Pat, Thx so much.

I used to be a read one book at a time person but since I joined a book club group on here I have been reading the book club book slowly and reading other books at the same time. Plus I am also reading bits of the Bible everyday.

I tried to read at least two at a time, but ended up favoring one over the others always and reading much more of that one, so I went back to the one-book-at-a-time system. Of course, I also read my Bible daily.

One book at a time, and it had better get me interested quick or I'm moving on. I have so little time to read between my day job, writing and just getting through life in general. The Bible I also read daily as I cannot do without it.

Lots of books at once. I get distracted and start reading something else alongside what I am already reading.

Rebecca wrote: "I used to be a read one book at a time person but since I joined a book club group on here I have been reading the book club book slowly and reading other books at the same time. Plus I am also rea..."

I'm so glad you mentioned the Bible (a did Mercedes and C.L). Yes, I read that continually...and other books.

I often have a nonfiction theology or devotional tpye book I'm reading slowly. But with fiction, I read one at at time.

Nike wrote: "Rebecca wrote: "I used to be a read one book at a time person but since I joined a book club group on here I have been reading the book club book slowly and reading other books at the same time. Pl..."
I'm so glad you mentioned the Bible (a did Mercedes and C.L). Yes, I read that continually...and other books.

yeah i just recently got back into actually reading the Bible since i have an app on my phone so its convenient to have on a small device. But I also just got a new Bible today actually, a new translation called The Voice so i'm excited to start reading that.

Rebecca wrote: "Nike wrote: "Rebecca wrote: "I used to be a read one book at a time person but since I joined a book club group on here I have been reading the book club book slowly and reading other books at the ..."

Rebecca, Let us know how you like that translation.

I just got my 14 yr old daughter the Action Bible (beautiful graphics, cartoon style. She's been asking for it and for a purity ring. I ordered both.

I'm usually reading at least three books at a time, typically one devotional, one fiction, and one self-help or educational title. Sometimes I read more than that, but there is rarely an occasion where I'm only reading one book. Yet, somehow, my Kindle is still overflowing with books I haven't read yet. ???

A few at a time usually. Maybe a fiction, a nonfiction and an audio for when I'm doing "other things". or maybe I'm in a group read and halfway through another book and both are getting read at different times.

I think I can identify with most of your comments. I am a one book at a time reader. I usually read at night as I am so busy with things during the day. And I like to finish the book before I start another. However, that worked against me as I started "No Higher Honor" by Condolezza Rice, and got to page 172 of 754 pages. She is so astute and her sentence structure and choice of words are so beautiful, I had to really concentrate. It became a task to stay focused. I kept from buying another book for quite a few months feeling guilty that I had not finished her book. I finally realized that I was missing the enjoyment of other books so I just recently purchased a couple of Christian books and am back in the swing of reading. Any advice about how to finish a good book that is hard to read? Do I need an "organically powered audiobook"? Do I just commit to reading one chapter of the hard to read book and then go to the others? Or, do I just abandon it for now. I have never not finished a book.

I am definitely a one-book-at-time reader.

Though my wife is able to read multiple books simultaneously, I must need the focus of just keeping my attention on one book. I am also a very methodic reader literally reading every page front to back. I've heard others mention they literally ping-pong throughout a book selecting key chapters that interest them first.

Not me....I need to mentally start on page 1 and continue until the author applies the final period.

Rodney wrote: "I am definitely a one-book-at-time reader.

Though my wife is able to read multiple books simultaneously, I must need the focus of just keeping my attention on one book. I am also a very methodi..."

I also never read the last chapters first. Don't want to know the ending.

Nike wrote: "Rodney wrote: "I am definitely a one-book-at-time reader.

Though my wife is able to read multiple books simultaneously, I must need the focus of just keeping my attention on one book. I am also..."Ever since Rosemary's Baby, many, many years ago, I will sometimes read the end. The ending on that book gave me nightmares for weeks. Sometimes when it gets too tense, I read the end to prevent a heart attack:-)

Pat W. wrote: "Nike wrote: "Rodney wrote: "I am definitely a one-book-at-time reader.

Though my wife is able to read multiple books simultaneously, I must need the focus of just keeping my attention on one boo..."

I don't do that, but I undersztand. :)

I am current ly reading four books at one time.

I usually have 2 or 3 going at once. My husband just likes one at a time at doesn't understand how/why I do more. lol He also doesn't believe me that I can read and watch a TV show at the same time. Oh well. :)

Julie

I've got two going now. One for a contest I'm judging (and six more in the pile to go yet) and one for pleasure.

Let me start out with: I am a children's librarian. So, at work, I read a lot of picture books regardless of what else I am reading. I am always on the look out for picture books that will work well in the story times that I present.
With chapter books, adult or juvenile, I usually have one book that is the main book that I am reading. I also have a "purse book," a book that lives in my purse and which I read in when I find myself having to wait in line somewhere, and I don't have my main book with me. So my purse book is my emergency back up book. The purse book is usually something light (plot wise) and slim, so it doesn't weigh too much. When I finish one purse book, I find another to take its place. It may take me many months to read a purse book, because I don't necessarily read that one every day.

I love reading multiple books at a time, one during the week, one on weekends, and an audiobook for the drive.

Julie wrote: "I usually have 2 or 3 going at once. My husband just likes one at a time at doesn't understand how/why I do more. lol He also doesn't believe me that I can read and watch a TV show at the same tim..."

lol my husband doesn't understand how I do that either, read and watch TV lol

When I was in grade school we were required to read two books at the same time. One as a class that we studied and talked about and one to take an AR test. I ended up reading both Hatchet and My same of the Mountain at the same time. They were similar enough that I started confusing events between the two books. As I was being graded on them, this was very bad. So I redoubled my focus and with a lot of concentration managed to keep the books straight. I have never had a problem keeping books separate ever since. This came in handy in college when between multiple classes, audio books for commuting, devotionals, and wanting to have something of my own choice to read at home and between classes, I was sometimes reading as many as 17 books at a time. I now like to keep books in different places to read at a moments notice (i.e. one at work, audio book in the car, one at home, devotional, Bible, etc.) so I am generally reading 5-8 books at a time.

One book at a time one word at a time and struggling to maintain consciousness.

I usually try to read one fiction and one nonfiction at a time. That works pretty well for me.

I read the nonfiction (usually a book on writing or editing, but not always) after breakfast and brief devotional, before I get t work. So merited I'll read more if it during the day if there is a free moment.

I read the fiction work at night, before sleep. More if I am on vacation or traveling.

In the past, I was not so intentional, and would sometimes find myself reading 5 or 6 at a time. Unless I had a lot of free time (which means no writing or editing work!) I would quickly become frustrated at my lack of progress. So my current method works well for me.

I used to read one book at a time because I felt I needed to be fully immersed in one story as well.

Now, I read one fiction novel, listen to all genres (fiction, memoirs, devotionals) on my way to work. I also will read a book on a particular topic but that's more of a reference guide. For example, I am reading a book about politics but I can't read straight through it like a novel.