I love how much you think about this and really appreciate you sharing your thoughts, esp cuz it gets me thinking too. I def think I’m generally more engaged with active reading, but there’s also times I wish I could more passively just enjoy a book because thinking can be exhausting 😅
I've kind of shifted gears, I will personally ask my trusted bookish friends about a book. I won't go looking among the masses because I think it's better to find someone that has the same reading preferences as you. I've definitely done a bunch more buddy reads this year and then I have my regular book club. I've joined an in-person one and we'll see how this one goes.
So yeah, definitely find your little community because it's gold when you do. You can finally have the discussions that you want in most cases.
The key is trusted people. I’ve been trying to figure out if part of the tension is we want the book space do a thing that it’s not intended to do. And if you just want to gush about book that’s fine and if you want more do it with people you want to talk with. Thankfully I have a good base of online friends to talk about books with but there’s a part of me that wants to do more. I just don’t know if I have to capacity to lead discussion all the time.
I feel like the space has a evolved a bit and it has many fleeting to a quieter corner. Me, I'm heading to the quieter corner. But true, I don't always need a huge discussion over it. However, know many that do. A balance of both is what I've been seeing too.
Yeah, which I think it's important to know how you want to engage vs assuming the collective isn't doing a thing. There's definitely work to be done around the space, but for the most part, I think once you find your people, you navigate it as best as you can. I won't necessarily talk about all books online, but it's been great to be able to when I do.
Great read, thanks for sharing! 100% agree with the idea that book clubs/buddy ups/community discussion is a greater way to expand comprehension and reflect beyond ‘did I enjoy the book or not’ ✨
I love how this is something I could never put into words but you did and I appreciate it. As a writer and a reader, I can never turn off my brain while reading, I always find myself thinking beyond literal texts and interpretating the books to what I feel aligns in every day activities. I feel it's impossible for me to turn off my brain without being jarred awake by a striking similarity to something worth noting, it keeps me thinking. I have caught myself pausing on my reads thinking about how they are metaphors to real life situations, or feelings, and now that you said it, I have barely seen reviews that go in depth decoding a text as a message or how relevant it might be to situations.
You're welcome!! I'm also looking for context when I read. Reviews are a whole other beast that I will eventually tackle but one thing at a time 😅. Thank you so much for reading and commenting.
I really loved this essay. I'm so glad to read someone talking about literacy and comprehension on this level. Many of the things you're talking about here are exactly why I wanted to start my book review blog. I just started it yesterday and my first major post is scheduled for tomorrow, but I'm looking to connect with other readers are writers. Maybe, in the future, you might find something useful there. Wishing you a great 2026!
It was a lightbulb moment when I was reading up on how literacy is taught. And yes, keeping up with the releases, you almost have to summarize unless you make an intentional decision not to. I'm guilty of breezing through books, and I noticed it when I was doing rerereads for projects. It's easy to fall into the cycle. In 2026, I'm planning content with techniques for the different types of comprehension. Fingers crossed, I can pull it off. Thanks for the read and comment.
I love how much you think about this and really appreciate you sharing your thoughts, esp cuz it gets me thinking too. I def think I’m generally more engaged with active reading, but there’s also times I wish I could more passively just enjoy a book because thinking can be exhausting 😅
It might be just how you were taught how to read where you lean one way over the other. Either way yes thinking can be exhausting. :)
I've kind of shifted gears, I will personally ask my trusted bookish friends about a book. I won't go looking among the masses because I think it's better to find someone that has the same reading preferences as you. I've definitely done a bunch more buddy reads this year and then I have my regular book club. I've joined an in-person one and we'll see how this one goes.
So yeah, definitely find your little community because it's gold when you do. You can finally have the discussions that you want in most cases.
The key is trusted people. I’ve been trying to figure out if part of the tension is we want the book space do a thing that it’s not intended to do. And if you just want to gush about book that’s fine and if you want more do it with people you want to talk with. Thankfully I have a good base of online friends to talk about books with but there’s a part of me that wants to do more. I just don’t know if I have to capacity to lead discussion all the time.
I feel like the space has a evolved a bit and it has many fleeting to a quieter corner. Me, I'm heading to the quieter corner. But true, I don't always need a huge discussion over it. However, know many that do. A balance of both is what I've been seeing too.
Yeah, which I think it's important to know how you want to engage vs assuming the collective isn't doing a thing. There's definitely work to be done around the space, but for the most part, I think once you find your people, you navigate it as best as you can. I won't necessarily talk about all books online, but it's been great to be able to when I do.
Great read, thanks for sharing! 100% agree with the idea that book clubs/buddy ups/community discussion is a greater way to expand comprehension and reflect beyond ‘did I enjoy the book or not’ ✨
Thank you! It's the optimist in me that realizes both things can be true. There is a problem but also all isn't completely lost.
I love how this is something I could never put into words but you did and I appreciate it. As a writer and a reader, I can never turn off my brain while reading, I always find myself thinking beyond literal texts and interpretating the books to what I feel aligns in every day activities. I feel it's impossible for me to turn off my brain without being jarred awake by a striking similarity to something worth noting, it keeps me thinking. I have caught myself pausing on my reads thinking about how they are metaphors to real life situations, or feelings, and now that you said it, I have barely seen reviews that go in depth decoding a text as a message or how relevant it might be to situations.
You're welcome!! I'm also looking for context when I read. Reviews are a whole other beast that I will eventually tackle but one thing at a time 😅. Thank you so much for reading and commenting.
I really loved this essay. I'm so glad to read someone talking about literacy and comprehension on this level. Many of the things you're talking about here are exactly why I wanted to start my book review blog. I just started it yesterday and my first major post is scheduled for tomorrow, but I'm looking to connect with other readers are writers. Maybe, in the future, you might find something useful there. Wishing you a great 2026!
Thank you! Congratulations in advance for starting, we need more reviewers with different perspectives. 🫶🏾
It was a lightbulb moment when I was reading up on how literacy is taught. And yes, keeping up with the releases, you almost have to summarize unless you make an intentional decision not to. I'm guilty of breezing through books, and I noticed it when I was doing rerereads for projects. It's easy to fall into the cycle. In 2026, I'm planning content with techniques for the different types of comprehension. Fingers crossed, I can pull it off. Thanks for the read and comment.