Tuesday, August 3, 2021

TMST: Buddy Reads

 Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by the lovely Rainy Day Ramblings, and currently assisted by a team of bloggers, Roberta @ Offbeat YA, Karen @ For What It's Worth, Berls @ Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, Jen @ That's What I'm Talking About, and Linda @ Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell.


This week's topic is: Do you like to read with others (buddy reads, readalongs, bookclubs, etc)?

This is one of the ideas that I go back and forth on. Sometimes I think it would be super fun to be able to read along with someone, and other times I think it's too much pressure, and I dislike it. Also, I tend to read a lot of things when they are no longer at the height of their popularity (or classics), and so it can be difficult to have someone else want to reach with me.

That being said, I have done this kind of thing in the past, albeit, unintentionally. When the Harry Potter books came out, and the Hunger Games series did (or in this case, the movies), I read these along with friends and family and got the opportunity to discuss them - and that was tons of fun! I loved those experiences so much, that I later tried to get my boyfriend to try and do buddy reads with me. Unfortunately this didn't end up panning out, and since then I've sort of been intimidated by the pressure to read at a certain pace with someone. I think I'd like to try it at some point, but I don't think it would be something I would do any time soon.

For bookclubs, I truly think I would only be content reading along with friends who are on a remotely similar brainwave as myself. I am all for different opinions, but I can find a lot of debates turn into arguments and are frustrating, which I feel like can be tempered a bit amongst my friends, but maybe not so much with a group of unknowns.

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How do you feel about buddy reads and bookclubs? Do you like to debate topics?

5 comments:

  1. I feel the same as you about a lot of this.

    I like really getting into a book if I'm going to discuss it - pros and cons - and I feel like you can't really go there with some people. I have friends that are great but I don't know about strangers.

    And I can't take ANY pressure when reading. I completely shut down lol

    Karen @For What It's Worth

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  2. I was telling Roberta this, but I don't engage in much buddy-reading, however I'm not opposed to it. I do tend to read fast so I think it might be a struggle to keep at a certain pace for someone else, but like you said, if I can find someone on the same brainwave, I don't see why not.

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  3. I've done a few buddy reads or readalongs and they were fun, but I agree about book clubs. I like the idea in theory but I've never actually joined one...

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  4. "I've sort of been intimidated by the pressure to read at a certain pace with someone."
    Yeah, I get it. But two people (or more) can always set a small daily goal in terms of page number, or read a number of pages one day and discuss them the other (I've done that). For instance, I usually strive for 50/60 pages, and it goes well. Also, if you're reading with a friend and something comes up, you can always skip a day. Zero pressure 🙂.

    "For bookclubs, I truly think I would only be content reading along with friends who are on a remotely similar brainwave as myself. I am all for different opinions, but I can find a lot of debates turn into arguments and are frustrating, which I feel like can be tempered a bit amongst my friends, but maybe not so much with a group of unknowns."
    I'm like you. Better not to risk ruining a potentially fun experience!

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  5. I feel the same way. Reading pace and different book tastes usually prevent it.

    I've done it once or twice and enjoyed it but usually I discuss books with friend s after I read it.


    Karen @For What It's Worth

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