You do you boo. I think most people tune into your channel because of the fact that it has variety with in genres but also in which books you pick. It’s funny I have anxiety but when it comes to reading it doesn’t affect that part of life. It is like the only escape where my anxiety stays at bay. I like to have a variety of books on the go that way I have what I am in the mood for available to go.
Same, girl, SAME. It's like having my heart beating in a million different directions at the same time. At the beginning of the year I wrote a "24 books to read in 2024" list in my reading journal. I genuinely included ONLY books that I was dying to read, mind you. Well it's December and I've only read like 5 books in there LOL If Im completely honest I reckon ADHD has something to do with it, too, at least in my case. Cause it's the constant look for new stimuli (=new titles to read), and hyperfocus. Fantastic video, Willow. The good thing is we like your videos so much that most of us will literally hear you talking about ANY book and genre, regardless if it's our thing.
You have literally just described my reading habits to a T! I go through macro obsessions with reading and micro obsessions within that but they can disappear as suddenly as they appear. When I see channels with a niche, I often think that I don't grow because I don't have a niche - my tastes and moods vary too wildly. This is why I can't do TBRs or read from prize lists - I just can't do it. The thought of sticking to a pre-prepared list freaks me out. You are not alone!
I am also a mood reader. Also an anxious and broken mood reader 😅 the minute a book is put on anything even vaguely resembling a tbr, even if I've been crazy looking forward to it, even if my brain was in the mood for it just 5 mins ago - yeah, it's a hard no. Absolutely not in the mood for it any more and then it becomes a chore.
I think part of the reason I always have multiple books on the go is because I have to give in to moods when they come upon me and it's why I stopped making plans. When I tried to make plans and failed to stick to them it frustrated me so I've given up on them and have accepted that I am subject to my moods
I'm 100% a mood reader, and if my job depended on it like yours does I would also be anxious about it, lol. As it is I just enjoy seeing where the mood takes me, and that's why I love getting recs from someone like you, who also is more interested in the quality of a book than the genre. Some of the best books I've read have been ones where I was like, "IDK if I would have picked this up in a shop, but someone I trust likes it and it fits my mood, so let's give it a go." Personally I love your variety, and you're the only booktuber I watch regularly
Maybe make a monthly “pile of possibilities” instead of a monthly tbr? I’m also more of a mood reader this year. Last year I could stick to a monthly TBR list, this year I couldn’t at all 😂.
I can't understand reading only one genre. I understand being a mood reader though, I love reading a bit of everything! So I love the unpredictability of this channel :). I can't stick to one niche myself lol.
Total mood reader here. The holiday season is really hard for me. All this decorating and cozy cheer absolutely depresses me. That's when I grab a Karen Slaughter novel. Will Trent will fix it!
I've only just discovered your channel and I love that you read so diversely as it inspires me to do the same. I'm definitely a mood reader. I was halfway through a historical fiction book recently and found myself drawn to the romance genre but then cycled back later to finish the book. I don't stress too much about it as it's just my hobby but I can understand why it's more stressful for you. Also, if you restrict yourself to a certain genre you might lose the joy and enthusiasm that makes your videos so special.
I’m such a mood reader too. After I finish a book, I go through two days of frustration trying to figure out what I want to read next. I can’t pick out what I’ll read in a month because it just won’t happen. 😅❤
I'm definitely a mood reader with a side order of reading slump propensity. I feel your anxiety! And your switching taste in books makes your channel more interesting. I read eclectically so I appreciate hearing about all kinds of books.
Oh girl, i feel you. I'm also a mood reader and sometimes I feel like I'm going insane and not finish anything. But I love that you let your mood be and tell us about any hyperfixation you may have. It feels more relatable than watching other channels that are always reading books by seasons or something like that. As I live in the southern hemisphere it gets pretty hard to follow most of the bookish channels with that kind of structure. Your's is like a box full of surprises, and sometimes our moods match and I feel very inspired by your recommendations. When I finish a book and don't know what to read I get several books from my shelves and read the first paragraphs 'till something sparks joy and get me engaged. Doesn't always work but it helps.
Hi Willow! I didn't know the term until today, but I am definitely a mood reader. My only stipulation is that the story shouldn't end too soon. In my teens I enjoyed romance, then I got into mysteries, and for a long while literary fiction. Then after all my degrees I went back to mysteries because I enjoy the puzzle. Lately I have been dabbling in fantasy. I'm not fond of sci-fi, but I do like Gothic fiction. I never plan what I'll read for the month. I always have a healthy stack of print books on my bedside table plus an enormous TBR on my eReader. That's just how it rolls for me. Just be you, Willow. Read whatever gives you joy.
This video and what you shared makes me feel seen. Like you, I'm an anxious mood reader and it can certainly cause frustration. At the moment, I'm doing my best to simply go with the flow, but that sometimes doesn't work. Every now and then, I throw in an intentional, planned read to eliminate some tension.
I too am a mood reader. I have books i started 3 years ago that are only half way finished because i can't get myself to pick it up. It's hard because sometimes i feel like I'll never finish anything, but it's so nice to watch another mood reader. I don't feel like a fraud now.
I'm the same, that's why I often don't manage to read what I got from the library not to mention the things I bought. I try again to read "Maus", I want to finally read it but with the things I'm going trough right now I'm not really in the mood for something that will probably get me even more depressed. I think I will give up and finally buy it so I will read it in chunks throughout a long period of time.
This video really spoke to me. I'm definitely an anxious mood reader, and it extends beyond reading too. I'll get really into a genre of fiction or hobby and get obsessed for a while and then all of sudden I won't care about it any more and I'll move onto something completely different. I find it really difficult and often feel guilty about abandoning things I loved so much only a few weeks ago.
Omg I can relate so much! For me, my bookshelves are like a wine cellar. I buy books I know I'm going to enjoy at one point and when I want to read, I go through everything to see what I'm in the mood for. That has worked quite well and there is no pressure for me to read certain books at a certain time!
I like to call my reading moods kicks. I’ve been on a horror and thriller kick for about two years because of your channel, Willow. I found your channel when I was searching for gothic videos, and you introduced me to so much good horror. I look forward to following you into other genres, too. 😊
I can be a mood reader, but I don't have anxiety about it because I decided that my "genre" was fiction and gave myself permission to switch between the sub-genre's when I felt like it - it took away the pressure. You made an interesting point about the channels that stick very strongly to one thing, and yes, people will go there because they know what they are going to get, but sometime people want the challenge of something completely unexpected and how are you going to get that on a channel that only does one thing? Your channel says what it is; you talk books, you don't specify what kind of books and I don't come here expecting one thing and being disappointed if I get a different thing. I come here without any expectations other than that you will be enthusiastically discussing something, that something could be anything, and I may go away agreeing, disagreeing, or off to do my own research - but it's all good whichever of those outcome it is. Do what you believe in.
I’m definitely a mood reader! And writer. The reading is low-stakes for me because I’m not trying to make videos about it, but I struggle with how to progress as a writer when I don’t stay in one genre (and I also sometimes detour into making visual art instead). It’s impossible to be anyone other than yourself, though, which means we have to lean in to how we operate and find a way to turn it into a strength. Being a person is fun, lol
I'm a mood reader who's moved to primarily audiobooks over physical books due to my work - I'm a tailor. I reread books I love more than I take in new books for two reasons: Either I'm waiting for something to release and can't bring myself to jump into a second new thing and take away the attention I've devoted to that series or author I'm waiting on a release with, OR I need a palate cleanser/comfort book while reading something new. Sometimes if it's too busy or I am anxious, I know I won't focus on the happy New Thing and I'll get frustrated with it. So I take a moment to think about who I need to visit. Readers make a big difference in this case. If I'm in a low mood, I turn to something dark and potentially scary with a ((mostly)) positive outcome because I find I can breathe again knowing what the struggles are and that they are ultimately overcome. After that, I can turn back to the New Thing and sink my teeth into it properly. I can usually tell though that I didn't enjoy something if I'm not talking about it or rereading a chapter of New Thing. If I don't see myself rereading a book, I usually archive it on audible and forget I have it - thus the palate cleanser situation: if the book was just okay, I'll go indulge in something especially great.
I'm a mood reader too. And it's causing me quite a lot of trouble at the moment because I'm determined to get through my physical TBR, and 90% of those books are NOT what I'm in the mood for right now so I'm struggling with them but am unable to put this project off because all those unread books are stressing me out, and when I tried reading something I'm actually in the mood for my brain was like NOPE, go finish those first 😩😫 However, personally, your being a mood reader has never affected my enjoyment of your channel. You have a natural gift for content creation that not many others possess 🧡
Also very much a mood reader, with in excess of 800 books unread on my kindle and bookshelves. Sometimes making a focused TBR will really help, or alternatively make me not want to read a single book on the list, and I never know which way my mind will go 😂 I don't really have anxiety about it though, I read for my own pleasure, it's not a part of my job, so I'm only accountable to myself and I am a pretty chill boss, lol. I love the variety of your channel though, I love fantasy, horror, sci-fi, weird books, queer books, and fiction in translation, to name just a few genres, so there's loads for me here!
This is relatable for me on several levels, I'm a mood reader. I also have used what I read as a mood stabilisation tool. Where I choice what to read from how I most likely will make me feel. I also can relate to realising that a neurodivergent label fits me and gone for first more info than later looking for an assessment in my case autism. It was an intense journey to get the assessment not same government so not same process fully, still my experience is that I'm so happy I fought for my assessment. And the more the people involved work from the social model the more helpful the experience might be. My advice is to give yourself as much of acceptance as you can, to let your self feel all the feelings and be interesting in reading what ever you think you want to read and if you realising that it's something else that you read instead that it's okay to change your mind. I know it's about as useful as be less sad... my point is a bit like thank you for sharing your reality because it helps to hear others genuine reality. Also a bit of a reminder that it's okay to change your mind. For some reasons my mind goes to the analogy of it's okey to say no to sex at any point in time. To realise that the experience isn't what one expected or it is but it is not the right time or what ever. I know it's different between ASD and OCD or any other neurodivergence what I do know is similar is that berating ourselves for not being neurotypical or any other form of I should be this or should do that. Usually only make things worse. So be as kind to your self as you can around this. And if you feel like an assessment is the way definitely go for it when you can, not before. Because even when the assessment isn't deliberately difficult it still stirs up a lot, shines a spotlight on uncomfortable parts. It helped me a lot to hear and interact with other late diagnosed people, their experiences of the assessment. To find others that could put words on my experiences and also to know I wasn't alone.
I am ADD and a mood reader. I have hit the breaks on wonderful books because my mood shifted. (Not DNFd- just put them aside) I cope with recent purchases (which things shift) by removing any sense of shame that comes with book returns. I’ve never stuck with one genre for two years. I typically change genres every five or six books. Because of that, I don’t get so turned off by one genre.
I can see how having a book channel would make one anxious about being a mood reader! Since that's not my job, the only difficulty I have is with book clubs that have a fixed discussion time. Because picking a book that everyone wants to read and will STILL want to read in, like, a given week is a nightmare! Personally, fantasy is my go-to, when-in-doubt genre, but I like all sorts of other things too (literary fiction, sci-fi, history, science, historical fiction, etc.). I always have 2-3 books going at once, so if I find myself not in the mood for one the other will usually do the trick. And while I can sort of predict a group of 3-4 books that I might want to pick up next...that's as close as I can get! So I say ditch the "to read in the next month list" - or maybe just pick 1-2 that for sure you want to read in that period and have the rest be a mystery!
Personally yes, I’m a mood reader and that’s why your channel works so well for me. You read many books I will probably never get around to, and some I have no interest in, but I love the diversity of genres.
I'm a mood reader too, but this habit of changing my mind constantly does not make me anxious, it makes me annoyed. Finishing a book or series in proper time is something I'm meticulous about. So I hate the feeling of picking up a book or series and in the middle I'm suddenly not interested as much.
Just keep it “Willow Talks Books”. I read everything nonfiction, fiction, all genres. I spent a whole summer reading nothing but books that were centered around The French Revolution, fiction and nonfiction, even listened to my friend’s university lectures on the subject. I think you are doing what is best for you in the moment. (Which is all you can do.) I do read seasonally, in the winter, I usually pull out my long tomes. ♥️
😄 I’ve never felt so “seen”, lol. When people have asked me, what sort of books do I like reading? What genre? I always replied Horror, as that was just my go to response. But the older I got, the more I realised that actually, I’ll read whatever I feel like at that time, whatever takes my fancy. It was the realisation that I had to be “in the mood” to read a book that made me feel so much better in myself about the books I read. I’d feel a bit embarrassed if I happened to be reading a “chick-lit” (I really don’t like that term but it’s what these books were advertised as) basically, a quick, easy read, bit of romance, bit of humour, no great depth to it but thoroughly enjoyable. I call these my palette cleansers. If I need a break in between books, or have read a particularly hard book, I don’t actually want to jump straight into another. So those are perfect for that. I also don’t rule out any genre, because why would I? Why limit myself when I could miss out on an absolutely superb read just because it was labelled as romance instead of historical fiction (just an example by the way). I’ve never understood why people put themselves firmly in one genre without ever giving others a chance. I now call my reading style eclectic and I’ve never been happier with it 😊 Also, I managed to finish Redshirts last week, and it was good at the end as it was when I started, loved it! Thank you Willow, if it hadn’t been for your channel and excellent recommendations, I’d never have found it 🩵
I am a mood reader too! I never know what my spirit wants to be fed, so I let it guide me. I love this video! The neurodivergent kinship I feel with you is immense. I'll watch you regardless.
I love being a mood reader. always following what I feel like and exploring new books down the recommendation rabbit whole. I learned to not buy all the books and just add them to wish lists, for later when the mood fades - or comes around again :) I've been reading so much eclectic things that I am pretty sure it hurts my channel. But that could also be that I haven't had the energy and time to stick to single reviews and really dive deeper into the books I like as much as I used to. And just wrap ups don't really lure many people in, at least that is my feeling. Personally I like channels that are not just one thing over and over, but then again I need different recommendations to feed my mood :D
I think it's normal to have reading phases or waves of different genres or styles. I'm also a mood reader and I know that a monthly tbr is a fruitless task for me.
Hang on! There are people who are _not_ mood readers? To many mood readers, I am sure how they read feels like the default. No wonder I need so many more books than many others, and how people don't quite get it, some even asking me if I finished the books I just bought last week; when I finish a book, that is when I decide what I am in the mood for next, and having lots of books makes it likely I've already got it. I'm not overthinking it or worried about it, though. I just read what I feel like when I feel like it. I'm sometimes anxious about some things, but books is something that gets me away from anxiety, not something that triggers it.
Fellow Mood reader here, I fully suspect that you being you can become your brand. If that means the books shift with the mood and you are able to make the content you feel strongly about then heck ya! What I see in my journeys around the internet is the creator's work that I like the most are those who are enjoying it rather than fitting into a specific niche. As to how it works for me... short answer chaos. I have stacks of books physical and digital for different genres... I am slowly making a spreadsheet with genres so that when a particular mood hits me I can filter and read accordingly.
Don't change, unless you want to! I used to be macro and micro consistent (phase based-if it can be called so) mood reader, now I moved to calmer sea of... Having main current of Sci-fi I always can return to, but leave it before I think I may start to "burn it out" and let my curiosity lead me further. Unless I have pile of untouched books next me, then I convince my brain like I would encourage fearful horse to come and sniff it. Or I'm in clear mood for f.e. not-book but non fiction work. Then attempt to redirect myself is more similar to attempt of drawing hungry falcon away from pray it spotted. Whatever you choose as long as you will put as much thought to it as you do now I (while may be wrong) can hardly believe that viewer base will noticeably shrink.
Tbh this is so relatable as a fellow neurodivergent human. xD I always tend to have phases like that where a thing becomes my whole personality and then suddenly its something else, same for eating, I'm eating one thing every single day and love it and then I don't touch it again for months or years, because I either just can't stand it anymore or because I just don't feel like it. xD Also I think you don't need to change it, I feel like most people are here because you are very eloquent in your book reviews and funny and you give things a chance and acknoledge their good sides, even if they aren't overall good books. And I know it is a bit stressfull to not be able to plan what kind of videos you are filming in the coming month but I think its worth a try to just see how it works out for you to decide spontainously with your mood. If that works out for you and you feel comfortable, then go with it, I'm here for it no matter what, just let your brain do its thing, we shouldn't fight ourselfs to fit a certain expectation, we just need to go with the flow and I feel like a book channel is the perfect opportinity to do just that! ♥
I’m also a mood reader, and because my mood can shift so quickly, I have numerous books in different genres going at the same time so there’s a book in process for whatever mood I’m in on any particular day. Until my pile gets so big it bugs me (like right now…I had a dozen books going at once) and I make the effort to finish and pare the pile down. Don’t worry about sticking to any particular genre. Just read for the joy of it, whatever feels like what’s appropriate for the day, for the mood, for the phase of the moon. And as random personal remark, those glasses just don’t seem like you. But I guess that’s more about me than you. Enjoy the pages, enjoy the season, looking forward as always to your next vlog.
I go on genre benders (currently on Book 4 of John Marrs' The One universe, near-future dystopian novels), but I still have several fantasy novels that I want to finish and two novels in translation (the Japanese ones sitting at around 50% for a year as I don't quite feel the pull to finish them, but also not willing to DNF them, so I may have to start over again). I really like the diversity of your channel. I started watching for the literature in translation. Even though horror isn't a genre I'd pick up on my own, I take notes of your recos. And who knows? I might surprise myself once I pick up one of those novels to find out I like them. It's your enthusiasm for whatever genre you're currently favoring that keeps me coming back. Oh, and the passionate rants too. LOL
🙋♀️ My name is Martine and I'm a mood reader. And that's fine. My reading is somewhat diverse and I like that. I may not finish right away every book I start but I know it'll be there next time I'm in the mood for that genre and then I'll finish it. I now make reading lists for the pleasure of making them. I don't stick to them. Why would I want to limit my possibilities? Thank you for being yourself and keep surprising yourself, and us, with what you've read. Or want to read. Or DNFed. Whatever else. ❤
It's better to do the content you like, the thing I really like about your channel (I am really new to it) is that you feel genuine, passionate and that is more interesting that if you just talked about the books I have read or want to read.
Thanks for the video Willow! I am a mood reader like you and can so much relate to what you said. I was always labeled as ”not being able to stick to something” or ”not being able to decide what I want” and it took me decades to accept this as being part of me (or honestly I am still in the process 😅). I get the most anxious when being on the edge of finishing a book since I get analysis paralysis of what to read next 🙈 sometimes ot takes weeks until I dare to start the next book. I love your diverse content and it reasonates with me a lot. Love your channel!
First, I think the current title of your channel is perfect, especially since you don't focus on one particular genre. Second, be yourself. Don't change how you do your channel just because other people do it differently and seem successful. Run it your way. As for the stack of books......think of it as a stack of possibilities instead of a hardcore tbr pile. So it could be something like what you are considering reading. Build in some flexibility instead of hard and fast "rules" to give yourself space. Just a thought. Anyway, I really like your channel and that you talk about all kinds of different books. You aren't just talking about horror or fantasy. I like reading mysteries, historical fiction, a certain kind of fantasy and certain types of science fiction. And I also like to read nonfiction at times.
you should definitely read what you are in the mood for - its like trying to eat food you aren't in the mood for - it just won't taste good - i have been reading your recommendations for fantasy novels - i really respect your opinion - because some the ones i have been reading just weren't that good even though best sellers - so thank you!!!!
I am like this! What I do is I read several books at the same time that are all different so that when my mood changes I just read a different one and keep swapping around until I finish one and replace it in my little pile of various books with different genres and lengths and pacing. For instance, right now I have a long high fantasy series and a nonfiction about mushrooms and a kind of slow methodical fantasy and a queer romance all going at once! I also use different formats (physical, ebook, and audiobook) because my mood swaps on format too! I never ever set a tbr for myself because all it does is distress me since I never succeed at it or if I do I end up hating all the books since I’m forcing myself haha Edit: if it’s helpful at all, I never really pay attention to the tbrs that RUclipsrs say they’ll read, I’d love if you just posted reviews of whatever books you end up wanting to talk about! Embrace the chaos I say! :)
I’ve never known if I should call my self a mood reader, but I don’t think I really can. I tend to set my monthly TBR and then usually stick to it. That being said, there are definitely times when I want to read a book at the time of building a TBR, but not when it’s time for me to actually read it lol. I have always read from multiple genres , I don’t really like reading from the same genre too many times in a row. This is how I’ve always done it so my followers know that I’ll just be reading whatever the heck I feel like 😂. I don’t really mind when the people I follow switch up the genre they are reading since chances are I’m interested in the genre as much as the last one they were reading and often times I follow people more for their personality than the books they reading anyway 😋
I'm a mood reader who likes the idea of using the library and these aren't natural partners, other than you can tell Libby you aren't ready for a book when it becomes available. I'm also moving from horror cravings to fantasy cravings. Sometimes a book shows up and I wonder what I was thinking. There's the type of reader and I and the type of reader I want to be and also the type of reader I am today might not be who I am tomorrow. But, as a I write this in December, I know this is why my reader years don't blend together. That I can look back and truly reminisce. Mostly, if I go more than 7 or 8 years back I don't recognize that reader or aspire to go back.
Id not restrict yourself to one pile of books every month. Maybe cut it to two. I too am a mood reader and I can loose intrrest in a bbook half way through. I have a really big TBR list. I find reading small books between books helps. Or a book of poetry. I love how diverse your range of book review is. Its unique to other book channels. Im pretty new to your channel and i enjoy every vid youve made. Thank you.
I'm a massive mood reader. I could be nearly done with a book then put it down for five years because my brain will not tolerate it. Not only am I a mood reader, I'm a seasonal reader. Whatever I'm reading HAS to match the current season in detail or in general vibes. I spend hours looking for reviews and lists that mention the time of year or setting of the book. Edit: In terms of coping, I dont. All I can do is hope one of my lists will have a book that satisfies the itch. If I don't, I fall into a reading slump and get sad. For more context, I have severe anxiety and major depression. There's probably more, but thats all I'm officially diagnosed with at the moment.
You're a book girl just like me. I'm a mood reader too. Some months I'll read a couple but then I'll finish a book in one day. I'm also buying books all the time. I also read a lot of fan fiction everyday. We are book dragons collecting our treasure of books. I like your style. I get exposed to different genres.
I love that the books you talk about jump all over the place! That is all lol. I'm both a mood reader and a...non-moody reader I guess? (Is there a term for it?) But it switches between them without me knowing when, or why, or anything really, which is confusing and makes me feel like I'm stalking a wild animal badly, trying to figure out which it is sometimes. 🙃 I also have 'new thing scary' anxiety which does apply to books, even books I'm dying to read, which does not make it easier! I like to give myself a non-committal list of books I'd _like_ to read during the month, but I'm not obligated to stick to it because simply reading is what matters most. I also have to take into account that my brain goes through hobby phases really strictly...it's in game phase super hard right now, so I'm reading a lot less. Tl;dr - brains are a mess 🪦
This is so relatable to me. I'm traditionally a big fan of sci-fi, but this year I've barely been able to read ANY of that genre. It's so confusing. But it's also very exciting to find something that perfectly fits my mood. I know I'll never be able to dedicate my channel to one specific niche - I love too many different things!
I have CPTSD and it's kind of nice to have a label for my weird reading habits now. 😂 Not such a nice thing with my being a NetGalley reviewer, freelance editor, and author. Ugh, especially the writing. Dropping projects/ reads on a dime feels awful and there are so many things that aren't finished as a result.
I am somewhat of a mood reader, and suspect that if I had a BookTube channel, I'd be anxious about my moods changing. But also, my favorite books tend to be those that overlap genres. Literary-leaning genre fiction especially. Stuff that's hard to define and often struggles to find an audience. And what I love most about your channel is how broad your tastes are. If you decided to focus on a specific genre, I think it would be weaker. Partly because many of us are drawn to your channel because of the variety... but more because many of us are drawn to you and your enthusiasm, which would likely diminish if you tried to constrain your reading.
This is why I don’t buy a bunch of books at once anymore. My mood when I buy them isn’t the mood I’ll be in when it’s time to read book 5-10. I have a book shelf full of books that generally sound good but I’m like “meh.”
My solution is scheduling! Every book has an end date attached, and the next one is only selected in advance if I have a time sensitive obligation read (mostly bookclubs). Today I finished Elana Knows by Claudia Piñeieo which is translated litfic, and on a whim started No Strings Attatched by Harper Bliss which is a trashy lesbian romance that takes place in a coffee shop called The Pink Bean. I get bored very quickly with channels that only talk about one genre. Next I might read Ti Amo by Hanne Ørstavik or Booklovers by Emily Henry or The Doll Maker by Lynne Buchannen or 30 Reasons Why Men Deserve Nothing by Imani Forster. Who knows! Embrace the madness!
I’m pretty promiscuous when it comes to genre but I don’t have much anxiety about it but I’m not maintaining a channel. I sometimes feel even casually following some of these very specialised channels I’m missing out by not reading every sci-Fi book ever written. That said I’m just finished a back to back read of two Irish lit novels (“factory Girls” by Michelle Gallen and “close to home” by Michael Magee) and feel a strong urge to read nothing but Irish books for the rest of my life. But I’d encourage you to keep the door open and follow what’s interesting to you, for me those tend to be the more interesting channels, I want to pick up a variety of recommendations.
Ah, I'm halfway through three books. I don't know when I'll finish either one of them. I'm rather too busy to read, so when I have time to read, I want it to be a book that grabs me and won't let go. Like I can't put it down, so I finish it in two days. Lately, those have been crime fiction.
It's okay to be a mood based creative! ❤ I behave like that when it comes to art. I have multiple art forms that I love but the interest in them changes quite abrubtly. In my twenties I thought that it means that I have no discipline and cannot stick to one thing. This story was something that the capitalist world view implanted in my head. With enough years I came to realize that this is just the way my brain works: in hyperfixations that come up quickly, grab me very tightly and then whoosh away as quickly as they came. With time I have gone through many of these cycles and now I don't tell myself anymore that I need to stick to one thing. I know that it'll come back. And in the meantime I'm happy to engage with whatever the art carousel brought back to me, while the other things go to rest somewhere. Maybe they need to fill up their batteries again, before they come whooshing back. Trust in the intelligence of the carousel! Your brain is a sparkly and dynamic thing. Why should it be asked to always want to do the same thing? I have a feeling that you'll one day look back on a few of these cycles and say: ah, yes, the carousel, it spins and that's a beautiful thing! 😊
This entire video is Big Mood. (I said what I said) Having a part of your identity be dependent on a random number generator is exhausting. And I don't mean only books here (on that note, thankfully I don't get as anxious about my mood reading since it's not my job. And yeah, mood reading only reading.) You don't have to be _that_ person, we know what we signed up for and we're here for it. :)
I think another thing that is interesting about you is you have a diverse take on lots of subjects. Also you writing a collection of horror which you know hate made me laugh.😂
Everything you're describing sounds a lot like ADHD or ADHD+Autism. That's what I've got going on, and the combination of hyperfocus/hyperfixation followed by 'well, now I have no interest in that but LOOK AT THE NEW SHINY THING' with no ability to dictate it, well, that sounds exactly like me. Not saying you are, mind you, but I am just saying it's very similar. Often times, the length of a fixation is dictated by how much new content there is to absorb, and you lose interest just about the time that the topic becomes stale or repetitive. A lot of times, I will have one big focus and a couple of smaller ones. Anxiety is part and partial to this as well. The more anxiety, the more you focus on the thing, because focusing on the thing that's shiny is calming. They've actually found that with neurodiverse people like me, that this focus is how we get out of depression or anxiety spirals and a lot of the commonly taught neurotypical coping strategies for anxiety don't actually work on people like me. It took me well into adulthood to figure out because I had this (completely wrong) mental picture of what autism/adhd looked like, and I didn't fit that (very mistaken) idea of it.
Selfishly I want to say please never make a genre specific channel. I love that I can hear about all kinds of books I would likely not consider otherwise. I could find entry horror recommendations (if I feel like wanting to start reading horror), from someone who I know has good taste because I read many of your sci-fi recommendations and I LOVED them. But I like to switch things up and it is really fun to have one channel I can come to which almost specifically caters to my habit of getting bored of one kind of thing pretty quickly and randomly switching to something else (even if our moods are not aligning).
Talking about horror too much? Sounds fake. I'm a mood reader too, though I never swap in the middle of a book because my need to Complete The Story overrides it. Luckily, as someone who hops primarily around fantasy-SF-horror, I am ready for the Willow Talks Fantasy era, especially if you can work in some Willow Talks Translated Fantasy in there, hehe. You've also recently helped me pick Rio Shimamoto's First Love for my sister for Christmas, so for me at least I am living for this diversity.
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I, for one, appreciate the unpredictability of this channel. It's a bit like a mystery box every time a new video comes out.
You do you boo. I think most people tune into your channel because of the fact that it has variety with in genres but also in which books you pick.
It’s funny I have anxiety but when it comes to reading it doesn’t affect that part of life. It is like the only escape where my anxiety stays at bay. I like to have a variety of books on the go that way I have what I am in the mood for available to go.
Same, girl, SAME. It's like having my heart beating in a million different directions at the same time. At the beginning of the year I wrote a "24 books to read in 2024" list in my reading journal. I genuinely included ONLY books that I was dying to read, mind you. Well it's December and I've only read like 5 books in there LOL If Im completely honest I reckon ADHD has something to do with it, too, at least in my case. Cause it's the constant look for new stimuli (=new titles to read), and hyperfocus. Fantastic video, Willow. The good thing is we like your videos so much that most of us will literally hear you talking about ANY book and genre, regardless if it's our thing.
You have literally just described my reading habits to a T! I go through macro obsessions with reading and micro obsessions within that but they can disappear as suddenly as they appear. When I see channels with a niche, I often think that I don't grow because I don't have a niche - my tastes and moods vary too wildly. This is why I can't do TBRs or read from prize lists - I just can't do it. The thought of sticking to a pre-prepared list freaks me out. You are not alone!
I am also a mood reader. Also an anxious and broken mood reader 😅 the minute a book is put on anything even vaguely resembling a tbr, even if I've been crazy looking forward to it, even if my brain was in the mood for it just 5 mins ago - yeah, it's a hard no. Absolutely not in the mood for it any more and then it becomes a chore.
I think part of the reason I always have multiple books on the go is because I have to give in to moods when they come upon me and it's why I stopped making plans. When I tried to make plans and failed to stick to them it frustrated me so I've given up on them and have accepted that I am subject to my moods
Same ❤
I'm 100% a mood reader, and if my job depended on it like yours does I would also be anxious about it, lol. As it is I just enjoy seeing where the mood takes me, and that's why I love getting recs from someone like you, who also is more interested in the quality of a book than the genre. Some of the best books I've read have been ones where I was like, "IDK if I would have picked this up in a shop, but someone I trust likes it and it fits my mood, so let's give it a go." Personally I love your variety, and you're the only booktuber I watch regularly
Maybe make a monthly “pile of possibilities” instead of a monthly tbr?
I’m also more of a mood reader this year. Last year I could stick to a monthly TBR list, this year I couldn’t at all 😂.
I can't understand reading only one genre. I understand being a mood reader though, I love reading a bit of everything! So I love the unpredictability of this channel :). I can't stick to one niche myself lol.
Total mood reader here. The holiday season is really hard for me. All this decorating and cozy cheer absolutely depresses me. That's when I grab a Karen Slaughter novel. Will Trent will fix it!
I've only just discovered your channel and I love that you read so diversely as it inspires me to do the same.
I'm definitely a mood reader. I was halfway through a historical fiction book recently and found myself drawn to the romance genre but then cycled back later to finish the book. I don't stress too much about it as it's just my hobby but I can understand why it's more stressful for you.
Also, if you restrict yourself to a certain genre you might lose the joy and enthusiasm that makes your videos so special.
I’m such a mood reader too. After I finish a book, I go through two days of frustration trying to figure out what I want to read next. I can’t pick out what I’ll read in a month because it just won’t happen. 😅❤
I'm definitely a mood reader with a side order of reading slump propensity. I feel your anxiety! And your switching taste in books makes your channel more interesting. I read eclectically so I appreciate hearing about all kinds of books.
Oh girl, i feel you. I'm also a mood reader and sometimes I feel like I'm going insane and not finish anything.
But I love that you let your mood be and tell us about any hyperfixation you may have. It feels more relatable than watching other channels that are always reading books by seasons or something like that. As I live in the southern hemisphere it gets pretty hard to follow most of the bookish channels with that kind of structure.
Your's is like a box full of surprises, and sometimes our moods match and I feel very inspired by your recommendations.
When I finish a book and don't know what to read I get several books from my shelves and read the first paragraphs 'till something sparks joy and get me engaged. Doesn't always work but it helps.
Hi Willow! I didn't know the term until today, but I am definitely a mood reader. My only stipulation is that the story shouldn't end too soon. In my teens I enjoyed romance, then I got into mysteries, and for a long while literary fiction. Then after all my degrees I went back to mysteries because I enjoy the puzzle. Lately I have been dabbling in fantasy. I'm not fond of sci-fi, but I do like Gothic fiction. I never plan what I'll read for the month. I always have a healthy stack of print books on my bedside table plus an enormous TBR on my eReader. That's just how it rolls for me. Just be you, Willow. Read whatever gives you joy.
This video and what you shared makes me feel seen. Like you, I'm an anxious mood reader and it can certainly cause frustration. At the moment, I'm doing my best to simply go with the flow, but that sometimes doesn't work. Every now and then, I throw in an intentional, planned read to eliminate some tension.
I too am a mood reader. I have books i started 3 years ago that are only half way finished because i can't get myself to pick it up. It's hard because sometimes i feel like I'll never finish anything, but it's so nice to watch another mood reader. I don't feel like a fraud now.
I'm the same, that's why I often don't manage to read what I got from the library not to mention the things I bought. I try again to read "Maus", I want to finally read it but with the things I'm going trough right now I'm not really in the mood for something that will probably get me even more depressed. I think I will give up and finally buy it so I will read it in chunks throughout a long period of time.
I’ve been through this exact scenario so many times 💜
@@WillowTalksBooks Felling less alone now, thanks 😊
This video really spoke to me. I'm definitely an anxious mood reader, and it extends beyond reading too. I'll get really into a genre of fiction or hobby and get obsessed for a while and then all of sudden I won't care about it any more and I'll move onto something completely different. I find it really difficult and often feel guilty about abandoning things I loved so much only a few weeks ago.
Omg I can relate so much! For me, my bookshelves are like a wine cellar. I buy books I know I'm going to enjoy at one point and when I want to read, I go through everything to see what I'm in the mood for. That has worked quite well and there is no pressure for me to read certain books at a certain time!
Not me pausing to see what you're buying for new ideas to feed my book pile.
Also, The Blade Itself is such a great read.
I like to call my reading moods kicks. I’ve been on a horror and thriller kick for about two years because of your channel, Willow. I found your channel when I was searching for gothic videos, and you introduced me to so much good horror. I look forward to following you into other genres, too. 😊
I can be a mood reader, but I don't have anxiety about it because I decided that my "genre" was fiction and gave myself permission to switch between the sub-genre's when I felt like it - it took away the pressure. You made an interesting point about the channels that stick very strongly to one thing, and yes, people will go there because they know what they are going to get, but sometime people want the challenge of something completely unexpected and how are you going to get that on a channel that only does one thing? Your channel says what it is; you talk books, you don't specify what kind of books and I don't come here expecting one thing and being disappointed if I get a different thing. I come here without any expectations other than that you will be enthusiastically discussing something, that something could be anything, and I may go away agreeing, disagreeing, or off to do my own research - but it's all good whichever of those outcome it is. Do what you believe in.
I’m definitely a mood reader! And writer. The reading is low-stakes for me because I’m not trying to make videos about it, but I struggle with how to progress as a writer when I don’t stay in one genre (and I also sometimes detour into making visual art instead). It’s impossible to be anyone other than yourself, though, which means we have to lean in to how we operate and find a way to turn it into a strength. Being a person is fun, lol
I'm a mood reader who's moved to primarily audiobooks over physical books due to my work - I'm a tailor.
I reread books I love more than I take in new books for two reasons: Either I'm waiting for something to release and can't bring myself to jump into a second new thing and take away the attention I've devoted to that series or author I'm waiting on a release with, OR I need a palate cleanser/comfort book while reading something new.
Sometimes if it's too busy or I am anxious, I know I won't focus on the happy New Thing and I'll get frustrated with it. So I take a moment to think about who I need to visit. Readers make a big difference in this case.
If I'm in a low mood, I turn to something dark and potentially scary with a ((mostly)) positive outcome because I find I can breathe again knowing what the struggles are and that they are ultimately overcome.
After that, I can turn back to the New Thing and sink my teeth into it properly. I can usually tell though that I didn't enjoy something if I'm not talking about it or rereading a chapter of New Thing. If I don't see myself rereading a book, I usually archive it on audible and forget I have it - thus the palate cleanser situation: if the book was just okay, I'll go indulge in something especially great.
I'm a mood reader too. And it's causing me quite a lot of trouble at the moment because I'm determined to get through my physical TBR, and 90% of those books are NOT what I'm in the mood for right now so I'm struggling with them but am unable to put this project off because all those unread books are stressing me out, and when I tried reading something I'm actually in the mood for my brain was like NOPE, go finish those first 😩😫
However, personally, your being a mood reader has never affected my enjoyment of your channel. You have a natural gift for content creation that not many others possess 🧡
Also very much a mood reader, with in excess of 800 books unread on my kindle and bookshelves. Sometimes making a focused TBR will really help, or alternatively make me not want to read a single book on the list, and I never know which way my mind will go 😂 I don't really have anxiety about it though, I read for my own pleasure, it's not a part of my job, so I'm only accountable to myself and I am a pretty chill boss, lol. I love the variety of your channel though, I love fantasy, horror, sci-fi, weird books, queer books, and fiction in translation, to name just a few genres, so there's loads for me here!
This is relatable for me on several levels, I'm a mood reader. I also have used what I read as a mood stabilisation tool. Where I choice what to read from how I most likely will make me feel.
I also can relate to realising that a neurodivergent label fits me and gone for first more info than later looking for an assessment in my case autism. It was an intense journey to get the assessment not same government so not same process fully, still my experience is that I'm so happy I fought for my assessment. And the more the people involved work from the social model the more helpful the experience might be.
My advice is to give yourself as much of acceptance as you can, to let your self feel all the feelings and be interesting in reading what ever you think you want to read and if you realising that it's something else that you read instead that it's okay to change your mind.
I know it's about as useful as be less sad... my point is a bit like thank you for sharing your reality because it helps to hear others genuine reality. Also a bit of a reminder that it's okay to change your mind. For some reasons my mind goes to the analogy of it's okey to say no to sex at any point in time. To realise that the experience isn't what one expected or it is but it is not the right time or what ever. I know it's different between ASD and OCD or any other neurodivergence what I do know is similar is that berating ourselves for not being neurotypical or any other form of I should be this or should do that. Usually only make things worse. So be as kind to your self as you can around this. And if you feel like an assessment is the way definitely go for it when you can, not before. Because even when the assessment isn't deliberately difficult it still stirs up a lot, shines a spotlight on uncomfortable parts. It helped me a lot to hear and interact with other late diagnosed people, their experiences of the assessment. To find others that could put words on my experiences and also to know I wasn't alone.
I am a mood reader and a mood writer. The latter is a real disadvantage because everybody wants you to stick to a genre if you want to be successful
I'm a mood reader too. So this is really relatable.
I am ADD and a mood reader. I have hit the breaks on wonderful books because my mood shifted. (Not DNFd- just put them aside) I cope with recent purchases (which things shift) by removing any sense of shame that comes with book returns. I’ve never stuck with one genre for two years. I typically change genres every five or six books. Because of that, I don’t get so turned off by one genre.
I can see how having a book channel would make one anxious about being a mood reader! Since that's not my job, the only difficulty I have is with book clubs that have a fixed discussion time. Because picking a book that everyone wants to read and will STILL want to read in, like, a given week is a nightmare!
Personally, fantasy is my go-to, when-in-doubt genre, but I like all sorts of other things too (literary fiction, sci-fi, history, science, historical fiction, etc.). I always have 2-3 books going at once, so if I find myself not in the mood for one the other will usually do the trick. And while I can sort of predict a group of 3-4 books that I might want to pick up next...that's as close as I can get!
So I say ditch the "to read in the next month list" - or maybe just pick 1-2 that for sure you want to read in that period and have the rest be a mystery!
Personally yes, I’m a mood reader and that’s why your channel works so well for me. You read many books I will probably never get around to, and some I have no interest in, but I love the diversity of genres.
I'm a mood reader too, but this habit of changing my mind constantly does not make me anxious, it makes me annoyed.
Finishing a book or series in proper time is something I'm meticulous about. So I hate the feeling of picking up a book or series and in the middle I'm suddenly not interested as much.
Just keep it “Willow Talks Books”.
I read everything nonfiction, fiction, all genres. I spent a whole summer reading nothing but books that were centered around The French Revolution, fiction and nonfiction, even listened to my friend’s university lectures on the subject.
I think you are doing what is best for you in the moment. (Which is all you can do.)
I do read seasonally, in the winter, I usually pull out my long tomes. ♥️
😄 I’ve never felt so “seen”, lol. When people have asked me, what sort of books do I like reading? What genre? I always replied Horror, as that was just my go to response.
But the older I got, the more I realised that actually, I’ll read whatever I feel like at that time, whatever takes my fancy. It was the realisation that I had to be “in the mood” to read a book that made me feel so much better in myself about the books I read.
I’d feel a bit embarrassed if I happened to be reading a “chick-lit” (I really don’t like that term but it’s what these books were advertised as) basically, a quick, easy read, bit of romance, bit of humour, no great depth to it but thoroughly enjoyable. I call these my palette cleansers.
If I need a break in between books, or have read a particularly hard book, I don’t actually want to jump straight into another. So those are perfect for that.
I also don’t rule out any genre, because why would I?
Why limit myself when I could miss out on an absolutely superb read just because it was labelled as romance instead of historical fiction (just an example by the way). I’ve never understood why people put themselves firmly in one genre without ever giving others a chance.
I now call my reading style eclectic and I’ve never been happier with it 😊
Also, I managed to finish Redshirts last week, and it was good at the end as it was when I started, loved it! Thank you Willow, if it hadn’t been for your channel and excellent recommendations, I’d never have found it 🩵
I am a mood reader too! I never know what my spirit wants to be fed, so I let it guide me. I love this video! The neurodivergent kinship I feel with you is immense. I'll watch you regardless.
I love being a mood reader. always following what I feel like and exploring new books down the recommendation rabbit whole. I learned to not buy all the books and just add them to wish lists, for later when the mood fades - or comes around again :)
I've been reading so much eclectic things that I am pretty sure it hurts my channel. But that could also be that I haven't had the energy and time to stick to single reviews and really dive deeper into the books I like as much as I used to. And just wrap ups don't really lure many people in, at least that is my feeling.
Personally I like channels that are not just one thing over and over, but then again I need different recommendations to feed my mood :D
I think it's normal to have reading phases or waves of different genres or styles. I'm also a mood reader and I know that a monthly tbr is a fruitless task for me.
Hang on! There are people who are _not_ mood readers? To many mood readers, I am sure how they read feels like the default. No wonder I need so many more books than many others, and how people don't quite get it, some even asking me if I finished the books I just bought last week; when I finish a book, that is when I decide what I am in the mood for next, and having lots of books makes it likely I've already got it. I'm not overthinking it or worried about it, though. I just read what I feel like when I feel like it. I'm sometimes anxious about some things, but books is something that gets me away from anxiety, not something that triggers it.
Fellow Mood reader here, I fully suspect that you being you can become your brand. If that means the books shift with the mood and you are able to make the content you feel strongly about then heck ya! What I see in my journeys around the internet is the creator's work that I like the most are those who are enjoying it rather than fitting into a specific niche. As to how it works for me... short answer chaos. I have stacks of books physical and digital for different genres... I am slowly making a spreadsheet with genres so that when a particular mood hits me I can filter and read accordingly.
Don't change, unless you want to!
I used to be macro and micro consistent (phase based-if it can be called so) mood reader, now I moved to calmer sea of...
Having main current of Sci-fi I always can return to, but leave it before I think I may start to "burn it out" and let my curiosity lead me further. Unless I have pile of untouched books next me, then I convince my brain like I would encourage fearful horse to come and sniff it.
Or I'm in clear mood for f.e. not-book but non fiction work. Then attempt to redirect myself is more similar to attempt of drawing hungry falcon away from pray it spotted.
Whatever you choose as long as you will put as much thought to it as you do now I (while may be wrong) can hardly believe that viewer base will noticeably shrink.
Tbh this is so relatable as a fellow neurodivergent human. xD I always tend to have phases like that where a thing becomes my whole personality and then suddenly its something else, same for eating, I'm eating one thing every single day and love it and then I don't touch it again for months or years, because I either just can't stand it anymore or because I just don't feel like it. xD
Also I think you don't need to change it, I feel like most people are here because you are very eloquent in your book reviews and funny and you give things a chance and acknoledge their good sides, even if they aren't overall good books. And I know it is a bit stressfull to not be able to plan what kind of videos you are filming in the coming month but I think its worth a try to just see how it works out for you to decide spontainously with your mood. If that works out for you and you feel comfortable, then go with it, I'm here for it no matter what, just let your brain do its thing, we shouldn't fight ourselfs to fit a certain expectation, we just need to go with the flow and I feel like a book channel is the perfect opportinity to do just that! ♥
I’m also a mood reader, and because my mood can shift so quickly, I have numerous books in different genres going at the same time so there’s a book in process for whatever mood I’m in on any particular day. Until my pile gets so big it bugs me (like right now…I had a dozen books going at once) and I make the effort to finish and pare the pile down.
Don’t worry about sticking to any particular genre. Just read for the joy of it, whatever feels like what’s appropriate for the day, for the mood, for the phase of the moon.
And as random personal remark, those glasses just don’t seem like you. But I guess that’s more about me than you. Enjoy the pages, enjoy the season, looking forward as always to your next vlog.
I go on genre benders (currently on Book 4 of John Marrs' The One universe, near-future dystopian novels), but I still have several fantasy novels that I want to finish and two novels in translation (the Japanese ones sitting at around 50% for a year as I don't quite feel the pull to finish them, but also not willing to DNF them, so I may have to start over again).
I really like the diversity of your channel. I started watching for the literature in translation. Even though horror isn't a genre I'd pick up on my own, I take notes of your recos. And who knows? I might surprise myself once I pick up one of those novels to find out I like them. It's your enthusiasm for whatever genre you're currently favoring that keeps me coming back. Oh, and the passionate rants too. LOL
🙋♀️ My name is Martine and I'm a mood reader. And that's fine. My reading is somewhat diverse and I like that. I may not finish right away every book I start but I know it'll be there next time I'm in the mood for that genre and then I'll finish it. I now make reading lists for the pleasure of making them. I don't stick to them. Why would I want to limit my possibilities? Thank you for being yourself and keep surprising yourself, and us, with what you've read. Or want to read. Or DNFed. Whatever else. ❤
It's better to do the content you like, the thing I really like about your channel (I am really new to it) is that you feel genuine, passionate and that is more interesting that if you just talked about the books I have read or want to read.
Thanks for the video Willow! I am a mood reader like you and can so much relate to what you said. I was always labeled as ”not being able to stick to something” or ”not being able to decide what I want” and it took me decades to accept this as being part of me (or honestly I am still in the process 😅). I get the most anxious when being on the edge of finishing a book since I get analysis paralysis of what to read next 🙈 sometimes ot takes weeks until I dare to start the next book. I love your diverse content and it reasonates with me a lot. Love your channel!
First, I think the current title of your channel is perfect, especially since you don't focus on one particular genre. Second, be yourself. Don't change how you do your channel just because other people do it differently and seem successful. Run it your way. As for the stack of books......think of it as a stack of possibilities instead of a hardcore tbr pile. So it could be something like what you are considering reading. Build in some flexibility instead of hard and fast "rules" to give yourself space. Just a thought. Anyway, I really like your channel and that you talk about all kinds of different books. You aren't just talking about horror or fantasy.
I like reading mysteries, historical fiction, a certain kind of fantasy and certain types of science fiction. And I also like to read nonfiction at times.
you should definitely read what you are in the mood for - its like trying to eat food you aren't in the mood for - it just won't taste good - i have been reading your recommendations for fantasy novels - i really respect your opinion - because some the ones i have been reading just weren't that good even though best sellers - so thank you!!!!
I am like this! What I do is I read several books at the same time that are all different so that when my mood changes I just read a different one and keep swapping around until I finish one and replace it in my little pile of various books with different genres and lengths and pacing. For instance, right now I have a long high fantasy series and a nonfiction about mushrooms and a kind of slow methodical fantasy and a queer romance all going at once! I also use different formats (physical, ebook, and audiobook) because my mood swaps on format too! I never ever set a tbr for myself because all it does is distress me since I never succeed at it or if I do I end up hating all the books since I’m forcing myself haha
Edit: if it’s helpful at all, I never really pay attention to the tbrs that RUclipsrs say they’ll read, I’d love if you just posted reviews of whatever books you end up wanting to talk about! Embrace the chaos I say! :)
I’ve never known if I should call my self a mood reader, but I don’t think I really can. I tend to set my monthly TBR and then usually stick to it. That being said, there are definitely times when I want to read a book at the time of building a TBR, but not when it’s time for me to actually read it lol. I have always read from multiple genres , I don’t really like reading from the same genre too many times in a row. This is how I’ve always done it so my followers know that I’ll just be reading whatever the heck I feel like 😂. I don’t really mind when the people I follow switch up the genre they are reading since chances are I’m interested in the genre as much as the last one they were reading and often times I follow people more for their personality than the books they reading anyway 😋
I'm a mood reader who likes the idea of using the library and these aren't natural partners, other than you can tell Libby you aren't ready for a book when it becomes available. I'm also moving from horror cravings to fantasy cravings. Sometimes a book shows up and I wonder what I was thinking.
There's the type of reader and I and the type of reader I want to be and also the type of reader I am today might not be who I am tomorrow. But, as a I write this in December, I know this is why my reader years don't blend together. That I can look back and truly reminisce.
Mostly, if I go more than 7 or 8 years back I don't recognize that reader or aspire to go back.
I haven’t watched this video yet but I love your hair here! It’s so cute. You have such a great punk librarian look going on.
Id not restrict yourself to one pile of books every month. Maybe cut it to two. I too am a mood reader and I can loose intrrest in a bbook half way through. I have a really big TBR list. I find reading small books between books helps. Or a book of poetry. I love how diverse your range of book review is. Its unique to other book channels. Im pretty new to your channel and i enjoy every vid youve made. Thank you.
I'm a massive mood reader. I could be nearly done with a book then put it down for five years because my brain will not tolerate it. Not only am I a mood reader, I'm a seasonal reader. Whatever I'm reading HAS to match the current season in detail or in general vibes. I spend hours looking for reviews and lists that mention the time of year or setting of the book.
Edit: In terms of coping, I dont. All I can do is hope one of my lists will have a book that satisfies the itch. If I don't, I fall into a reading slump and get sad. For more context, I have severe anxiety and major depression. There's probably more, but thats all I'm officially diagnosed with at the moment.
You're a book girl just like me. I'm a mood reader too. Some months I'll read a couple but then I'll finish a book in one day. I'm also buying books all the time. I also read a lot of fan fiction everyday.
We are book dragons collecting our treasure of books.
I like your style. I get exposed to different genres.
That's what i like about your channel. I never know what style you will review. ❤
I am definitely a mood reader, and that is why I Iike your channel so much. Please keep doing what you are doing. Who needs predictable.?
I love that the books you talk about jump all over the place! That is all lol.
I'm both a mood reader and a...non-moody reader I guess? (Is there a term for it?) But it switches between them without me knowing when, or why, or anything really, which is confusing and makes me feel like I'm stalking a wild animal badly, trying to figure out which it is sometimes. 🙃 I also have 'new thing scary' anxiety which does apply to books, even books I'm dying to read, which does not make it easier!
I like to give myself a non-committal list of books I'd _like_ to read during the month, but I'm not obligated to stick to it because simply reading is what matters most. I also have to take into account that my brain goes through hobby phases really strictly...it's in game phase super hard right now, so I'm reading a lot less.
Tl;dr - brains are a mess 🪦
This is so relatable to me. I'm traditionally a big fan of sci-fi, but this year I've barely been able to read ANY of that genre. It's so confusing. But it's also very exciting to find something that perfectly fits my mood. I know I'll never be able to dedicate my channel to one specific niche - I love too many different things!
I have CPTSD and it's kind of nice to have a label for my weird reading habits now. 😂 Not such a nice thing with my being a NetGalley reviewer, freelance editor, and author. Ugh, especially the writing. Dropping projects/ reads on a dime feels awful and there are so many things that aren't finished as a result.
Erm... I relate. A lot. I'm on my 3rd medieval Arthurian this month
I hope you like The Hurricane Wars! I'm a big fan of Thea and looking forward to book 2.
I am somewhat of a mood reader, and suspect that if I had a BookTube channel, I'd be anxious about my moods changing. But also, my favorite books tend to be those that overlap genres. Literary-leaning genre fiction especially. Stuff that's hard to define and often struggles to find an audience.
And what I love most about your channel is how broad your tastes are. If you decided to focus on a specific genre, I think it would be weaker. Partly because many of us are drawn to your channel because of the variety... but more because many of us are drawn to you and your enthusiasm, which would likely diminish if you tried to constrain your reading.
This is why I don’t buy a bunch of books at once anymore. My mood when I buy them isn’t the mood I’ll be in when it’s time to read book 5-10. I have a book shelf full of books that generally sound good but I’m like “meh.”
My solution is scheduling!
Every book has an end date attached, and the next one is only selected in advance if I have a time sensitive obligation read (mostly bookclubs).
Today I finished Elana Knows by Claudia Piñeieo which is translated litfic, and on a whim started No Strings Attatched by Harper Bliss which is a trashy lesbian romance that takes place in a coffee shop called The Pink Bean.
I get bored very quickly with channels that only talk about one genre.
Next I might read Ti Amo by Hanne Ørstavik or Booklovers by Emily Henry or The Doll Maker by Lynne Buchannen or 30 Reasons Why Men Deserve Nothing by Imani Forster.
Who knows! Embrace the madness!
I’m pretty promiscuous when it comes to genre but I don’t have much anxiety about it but I’m not maintaining a channel. I sometimes feel even casually following some of these very specialised channels I’m missing out by not reading every sci-Fi book ever written. That said I’m just finished a back to back read of two Irish lit novels (“factory Girls” by Michelle Gallen and “close to home” by Michael Magee) and feel a strong urge to read nothing but Irish books for the rest of my life.
But I’d encourage you to keep the door open and follow what’s interesting to you, for me those tend to be the more interesting channels, I want to pick up a variety of recommendations.
I have never felt more seen about reading. Any plan I make to read certain books gets derailed almost immediately.
Ah, I'm halfway through three books. I don't know when I'll finish either one of them. I'm rather too busy to read, so when I have time to read, I want it to be a book that grabs me and won't let go. Like I can't put it down, so I finish it in two days. Lately, those have been crime fiction.
It's okay to be a mood based creative! ❤
I behave like that when it comes to art. I have multiple art forms that I love but the interest in them changes quite abrubtly. In my twenties I thought that it means that I have no discipline and cannot stick to one thing. This story was something that the capitalist world view implanted in my head. With enough years I came to realize that this is just the way my brain works: in hyperfixations that come up quickly, grab me very tightly and then whoosh away as quickly as they came. With time I have gone through many of these cycles and now I don't tell myself anymore that I need to stick to one thing. I know that it'll come back. And in the meantime I'm happy to engage with whatever the art carousel brought back to me, while the other things go to rest somewhere. Maybe they need to fill up their batteries again, before they come whooshing back. Trust in the intelligence of the carousel! Your brain is a sparkly and dynamic thing. Why should it be asked to always want to do the same thing?
I have a feeling that you'll one day look back on a few of these cycles and say: ah, yes, the carousel, it spins and that's a beautiful thing! 😊
I'm like this too!
This entire video is Big Mood.
(I said what I said)
Having a part of your identity be dependent on a random number generator is exhausting. And I don't mean only books here (on that note, thankfully I don't get as anxious about my mood reading since it's not my job. And yeah, mood reading only reading.)
You don't have to be _that_ person, we know what we signed up for and we're here for it. :)
Loved the thumbnail! And yeah I’m a mood reader as well…
Wait... other people are not like this?
Yup my audhd does not help with this lol…
Babes I think the mood reading is ADD!!😂 or this is so relatable to me
I think another thing that is interesting about you is you have a diverse take on lots of subjects. Also you writing a collection of horror which you know hate made me laugh.😂
Everything you're describing sounds a lot like ADHD or ADHD+Autism. That's what I've got going on, and the combination of hyperfocus/hyperfixation followed by 'well, now I have no interest in that but LOOK AT THE NEW SHINY THING' with no ability to dictate it, well, that sounds exactly like me. Not saying you are, mind you, but I am just saying it's very similar. Often times, the length of a fixation is dictated by how much new content there is to absorb, and you lose interest just about the time that the topic becomes stale or repetitive. A lot of times, I will have one big focus and a couple of smaller ones. Anxiety is part and partial to this as well. The more anxiety, the more you focus on the thing, because focusing on the thing that's shiny is calming. They've actually found that with neurodiverse people like me, that this focus is how we get out of depression or anxiety spirals and a lot of the commonly taught neurotypical coping strategies for anxiety don't actually work on people like me. It took me well into adulthood to figure out because I had this (completely wrong) mental picture of what autism/adhd looked like, and I didn't fit that (very mistaken) idea of it.
Selfishly I want to say please never make a genre specific channel. I love that I can hear about all kinds of books I would likely not consider otherwise. I could find entry horror recommendations (if I feel like wanting to start reading horror), from someone who I know has good taste because I read many of your sci-fi recommendations and I LOVED them. But I like to switch things up and it is really fun to have one channel I can come to which almost specifically caters to my habit of getting bored of one kind of thing pretty quickly and randomly switching to something else (even if our moods are not aligning).
SAME 😢
Same.
That sounds like me tbh❤😂🎉
💚📚
This is me.
engagement boop because.
Talking about horror too much? Sounds fake. I'm a mood reader too, though I never swap in the middle of a book because my need to Complete The Story overrides it. Luckily, as someone who hops primarily around fantasy-SF-horror, I am ready for the Willow Talks Fantasy era, especially if you can work in some Willow Talks Translated Fantasy in there, hehe. You've also recently helped me pick Rio Shimamoto's First Love for my sister for Christmas, so for me at least I am living for this diversity.