Chapter-by-Chapter or Binge Reading
The values (and disadvantages) of different reading speeds
You may notice this week’s Substack is coming to you on Wednesday. That’s because I started my first day job since August (woo!), but because of that, life admin tasks and freelance deadlines have taken over my non-working hours. Don’t worry, next week I’ll be back to writing to you on Tuesday (probably). Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.
I binge-read books quite often. I consider binge reading to be finishing a book in three days or less. Most recently, I’ve binged Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez, The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling, and Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage. Romance novels lend themselves to binge-ability because there’s nothing particularly dense or complicated about them. (I mean this in the best way. Don’t take my words out of context.) I get a lot of enjoyment out of binge-reading.
It is, however, flawed. When I binge-read, I can tell you everything that happened in a book for approximately a week, and then I forget large portions of the plot. This has worked in my favor when re-reading books in the last year or so. I’ve re-read Lyla Sage’s entire Rebel Blue Ranch series several times, and I get something new out of them every time. It’s just like watching your favorite show again and catching a line or an outfit you missed the first time. It’s comforting. The book has a good binge, of course. It has to be addicting.
On the flip side, I’ve been reading one chapter of Jasmine Guillory’s Party of Two before bed every night and sometimes one chapter at breakfast this week. I can’t read on the bus or when I’m working, and I only have a physical copy of this book. I borrowed this book from the library because I wanted something binge-able; it has not served that purpose. Perhaps, it’s served a better one.
In digesting this book slowly over the week, I feel like I’m getting to know Max and Olivia better. I want to return to them to see what they’re doing next because I truly don’t know. I’m giving myself the space to predict what comes next like you’re taught as a kid when learning to read. Being too tired prevents me from binging the book, so one chapter is a treat. There are familiar landscapes and characters because most of Guillory’s books take place in LA or the Bay Area. I am rooting for Max and Olivia, and I am excited to read more about their story every night. In this slow reading, I do see more flaws in some robotic or explanatory dialogue. If I was binging, it might be easier to overlook those small things because I am invested in the action rather than the details.
There’s a lot of good coming out of slow reading. For one, I’m reading every night before bed. Studies show this is a great way to relax. For me, it’s a great way to get off my phone. I can also see the story unfolding differently when I read it chapter-by-chapter rather than binging. Party of Two is now a story about two people and whether they’re going to end up together or not. I know they’re going to because that’s the genre, but the mystery is building each day rather than in each set of 100 pages I sit down to read. If I was binging this same book, I would jump from one scene to the next anticipating Max and Olivia getting and staying together. Now, I see the little ways they won’t work and how the third act break up might occur.
Reading chapter-by-chapter is not always feasible or what I want to do. Some books require more time than reading a chapter before bed. Books such as The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs require a bit more of my attention than I can give on my way to dreamland. Others require reading multiple chapters if the chapters are short or I’m on a reviewing deadline or really invested in the rising action. Others I will binge. When I get my hands on a copy of Beg, Borrow, or Steal or First-Time Caller, I will be binging them. This is a case-by-case thing.
This is all to say, I’ve appreciated reading Party of Two slowly this week. I don’t often feel conscious pressure about my reading goal every year, but I do wonder if it stops me from reading slowly sometimes. Maybe this is the time to soak up reading slowly and not just nonfiction or large fantasy books. Maybe one day I’ll stop reading multiple books at once and slow my listening speed. Maybe there is a time and place for slowing things down, and I am in one of those periods right now.
Weekly R.E.P.O.R.T.
Reading: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
I am re-reading this book in anticipation of the third book coming out. This series is far from perfect, but it is certainly exciting. I also definitely need to re-read it to catch up on the 600+ pages of action before another 600.
Eating: I haven’t eaten it yet, but this week I think I’m going to try olive oil cookies with blood orange glaze from Sarah Kieffer.
Playing: I wish my life was more exciting for you but I’m still listening to Ella Langely, Gracie Abrams, The Beaches, Lil Nas X, and Chappell Roan on repeat. I’m not sorry.
Obsessing: The little to-do lists that include showering, breakfast, and using my sun lamp (three easy things to check off every morning) keep me meeting deadlines and getting up when I need to. It’s a pretty powerful little list.
Recommending: Play one song on Spotify, one you really want to listen to. Then let Spotify shuffle through its recommendations. This could backfire, but so far so good on my end.
Treating: Little dark chocolate peanut butter cups thrown into my lunch bag.
That’s all she wrote…
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