Finally,

How depressing! The final official blog post of the year (I may continue blogging depending on time constraints in interest; we'll see).
I think, as a reader, I was a pretty average, but snooty, reader. While I wouldn't spend my days romping around reading Shakespeare and Dickens, I thought that I was above that mainstream, teen romance stuff (what a hipster). I would read primarily fiction (typically fantasy or slice-of-life) and a little bit of nonfiction. A lot of the books I read were either books I'd read before or books that were assigned for class. I would read on my own maybe twice a week for a total of two to three hours, and I would read on the couch in my living room.
This semester, I definitely expanded my horizons. A lot more nonfiction. A lot. I actually really like nonfiction now. There's been some Japanese literature (Battle Royale and Norwegian Wood, both of which lay nearly completed beside my bed). I like to think of myself as a hummingbird reader (a metaphor that I found in a really great writing inspiration book, but am now claiming as my own). I sip a little bit of nectar from every flower and then rinse and repeat until I'm full. Which is a fancy way of saying yes, I have problems with sticking with and finishing books. I changed the things I read on a weekly basis. I told myself I wouldn't take any new books with me until I'd finished the old, but then I'd look at the chalkboard, and I heard the siren call of a fresh book. And then I caved. I choose books based on recommendations and pretty covers. I occasionally have problems meeting the page quota, but that's usually because I forgot to read during the week and saved it all for Thursday night.
I tend to read right after I get home. I sit on the couch and have at it. I do it in silence because I can't concentrate if there's good music playing, and I don't want to have bad music playing, so might as well just read in silence. I don't check my phone, but I don't think I necessarily lose myself in reading either. There are, perhaps, snippets that completely absorb me, but those tiny moments are quickly over, and I am once again grounded in reality. I don't really talk about what I'm reading on a frequent basis, but if it comes up, then I'm more than happy to do so.

My reading habits are pretty similar; however, I think I've widened my scope of interest. While my perennial favorites remain my perennial favorites, a lot of nonfiction works have begun to emerge as top contenders. I always read independently in the summer, so I can't say that this necessarily spurred my onwards. I think I'm going to finish reading all the books I have piled by the couch, the bed, the kitchen table, and wherever else they're hiding. After that, I really want to read The Night Circus out of courtesy to the nice lady who shot me a NaNoMail (for the curious and for the sake of my swelling pride, I just broke 10,000 words yesterday--oh yeah).