So, to prove to you all that reading doesn’t have to take up your entire life, I'm going to do a challenge...
I saw the other day that there is a 'Book Tube' community that did this 24-hour reading challenge called a ‘Readathon’ where the participant must read as many books in 24 hours and then they update their Goodreads account and place the video online!
Well I am going to participate in this Readathon to prove that reading books doesn’t take too long by reading more than 3 books in 24 hours (that’s no sleep!)
And okay – I will be giving up my day to read but to be honest with a good book that doesn’t sound too bad! Plus, along with seeing how well I did on the challenge you get to see my opinions on some of the contemporary books I am reading!
I am officially starting this challenge at 00:05 on the 24th July 2018.
First Book: A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi
This is the Interantional print - I got it at Waterstones.com
The book itself is 367 pages long and, initially when I picked it up I thought it would be a relatively quick read. My initial thoughts on the book, bearing in mind I had chosen not to read the synopsis so that I went into the book reading blind, were wrong. The prologue introduced this almost fantasy fiction as a story told in folklore, the story seems to begin from the middle with small snippets of the characters past alluding that Chokshi had written a prequel to the stand-alone book.
Reaching almost halfway, I discovered that the story is easy to read and the transition from chapter to chapter and the changing character point of views are seamless. The fiction book is also surprisingly intelligent and/ or complex, the story line is like that of the Soul-Seekers series by Alyson Noël (great series by the way, highly recommend as a YA series to get started on) very tribal/ true to native culture (I don’t want to be offensive by saying Asian culture – how would people change this phrase?)
2:30 am
My Cat, Tigger, joined me by this point - he stayed by my side for most of the challenge! #MyCatReads
My previous energy is fading and fast - but unlike Read By Zoe on YouTube I very much doubt I will be taking a bath. Instead I made her chocolate coffee (without a coffee maker);
- 1 sachet of Hot Chocolate (I didn't have any, but I had Healthy Living hot chocolate from Tesco and had 2 tsp of that)
- 1 tsp Espresso (I doubled this - whoops)
- 2 costa coffee size marshmallows
Fill the cup with hot water (and milk if you so desire) and you have this, surprisingly not sickly sweet, chocolate coffee. tell you what it only took 30 minutes, but I am certainly awake! I will finish A Crown of Wishes by 5am! (editing this at 12:38pm; That was an aspirational goal – I was only just halfway and I was taking my sweet time reading it)
Ok, so I won't ever become a barista. It tastes pretty damn good though. The mug is from Cath Kidston circa. 2015! Their mugs are great for lots of caffeine :)
4:42 am
I took a break from reading! I still have admin to do for the charity I work for and I don't want to fall behind! I am still determined to read at least 3 or 4 books in the remaining 19 hours and 15 minutes! especially since my local library is open in a few hours and I might go there and grab an audio book lol! (edit: I did not… I stayed in my Pj’s and lounged around my house lol)
5:00 am
The sky is now this beautiful mix of royal and cyan blue which tells me that if we are to get any sun this morning now it's the time to go in the garden sit in the swing and read whilst the sun is coming up.
British Reality?
Well it went to cloudy to a dark grey cloud and my cat and I are outside in the rain (My refreshed chocolate coffee and book inside thankfully!). Although I opened the French doors and pulled the lazy-boy up-to the said open doors and read whilst it poured. Made the experience that bit more amazing as I was engulfed in this mystery world and listening to my own. Truly magical.
The dialogue in A Crown of Wishes is hilarious - I do love this novel.
10:46 am
I fell asleep! I remember thinking how tired I was and that I should have an impromptu dance party and then BAM! I wake up at 10:45... I guess I better get to speed reading...
12:00 pm
100 pages left! I must say that after my 3 hour long nap my reading has sped up, although I am in dire need of another coffee...
12:30 pm
I have finally, almost regretfully, finished A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi! And I must say it is very high on my recommended books for all readers!
Next Book! The Sun is also a Star by Nicola Yoon started at:
1:00 pm
Another Waterstones find!
My first impressions of this book is that the author has built herself a fandom with the success of her first book Everything, Everything (although I haven't read that!) that I feel that the hype for her second book The Sun is also a Star gives me the unease of being over-hyped, Although, every book needs to be investigated and every reader interprets a book different.
Now to be completely honest I had already started this book quite a few weeks ago and struggled to get into the book as I felt that the constant character change was choppy and disrupted the story as it was constantly changing views with no real connection between the changes; we shall see how I feel as I take on the challenge to finish the book!
Again, I am stealing some tips from Read By Zoe and have ran myself a bath hoping to get my reading experience uninterrupted and relaxing!
2:30 pm
I am 77 pages into this novel and I feel like I am punishing myself reading it; alright punishing is a strong word. As I've gone through I have had period where I feel like okay this book has promise it's going to be great and then instead of just the quick character pov changing other effects come into place, although they have added background to the characters I'm beginning to wander if it is a blockade so that the novel remains a novel and not to be applied to everyone (especially white people I feel - as the book tackles issues on race, prejudice and immigration).
Although the story has now, 77 pages in, had the characters intertwine within each-other’s lives I am going to give it 100 more pages before I decide whether I put the book down and move on. No point in forcing myself to read something I am not enjoying. Although Yoon is showing promise as the plot thickens 1/4 of the way through the book.
6:10 pm
I have 5 hours and 50 minutes left of this challenge and I have made the executive decision to put The Sun is also a Star on hold. I thought as I started to get into it 200 pages in that the book is very much a holiday/ long car journey book and not for a sleep deprived Jess. I know now that I need to just stick it out to be able to get fully into the book, but I want to do it when I can take in the messages that Nicola Yoon is putting in her novel. Therefore, I am putting it on hold until I travel next week! I’ll give an updated review whilst I am away!
So, I am swapping out The Sun is also Star for Autoboyography by Christina Lauren. This book was recommended to me by a friend as a great book for YA and as a book to get back into contemporary fiction (I love my classics, but I started to write like the Brontë’s it was not good…)
So, the Grandfather clock tells me that it is 6:14 pm and I now have 5 hours and 46 minutes to read this book and tell you what I think and why I think this readathon is a good way of showing people that reading a book doesn’t take weeks.
By Jove! It's a Waterstones book! So Rare, so rare...
12:00 am
I did it! I finished reading 2 1/2 books in 24 hours!
Now I know I had to swap out books part way through, but I feel that Nicola Yoon's book needs a well-rested brain to be able to keep with the complex story and to better understand the meaning behind the book!
I also came to realise that i wasn’t taking breaks to write my opinions along the way… To fix that I think I’m going to save my reviews for another post and use this one to explain my reasoning for partaking in the challenge.
Now that I have finished Autoboyography I'm going to sleep and then I shall decide if I am going to review the books in this already very long post or separately (maybe in a "(Insert Month) reads and reviews"
One final sleepy review is that the books were complex in their own ways and each were able to engage (albeit eventually engage) me in their story and have pulled me through various emotions and reflecting on my own experiences (read: Autoboyography, reflecting on my teenage emotions...) and I would highly recommend each book for others to read as-well.
Now I am going to run a hot bath this time and have a glass of wine whilst I try and will my active brain to sleep! I'm so hyped up after the combination of A Crown of Wishes' ending and Autoboyography!
12:42 pm, Wednesday 25th July 2018.
So, this post is about debunking the stereotype that to read a book you need to dedicate weeks of your life to finish it. In 24 short hours I was able to read 2 books completely and read half of one and still have time to take in the books message and form my own opinions.
By doing this challenge I am in no means whatsoever pushing the idea that people who decide they don’t have the time to read should do it in a night (I did take 9 hours and 48 minutes to read and type my experience with A Crown of Wishes, unlike the 5 hours 30 minutes to just solely read Autoboyography).
What I am trying to achieve with this post is to highlight how you can read a book in just a few days! Many books now come with audiobooks and listening to an audiobook counts as reading too! Whether its reading on the commute to school or work. Listening to an audiobook whilst you are walking down the street, doing housework or going to the gym.
I feel that reading is such a powerful thing for anyone to do as you can get a different perspective of the world because of that author (Including contemporary fantasy fiction – how that character acts can be an influence on yourself -just look at A Crown of Wishes!). You can be educated by just reading someone’s work so why people stopped is what is baffling me, and the excuses? Well they’re a load of rubbish anyway.
If you need me I'll be surfing the internet for cheaper books - sorry Waterstones... #AlwaysReading
So, yes, I did the crazy thing of spontaneously choosing to read for 24 hours without taking the necessary prep (read: more sleep and buying food) the day before. I will do it again; maybe when I have a collection (read: trilogy) to read!
Will you try a Readathon? What is your TBR?
Love always,
Jess
Originally Posted on 25th July 2018 at makemeshakespeare.wixsite.com/blog
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