Chat Between Chapters: What drives you to read books?

For this discussion post, we are joining the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Billy of Ramblings of a Coffee-Addicted Writer.

This week’s prompt: What drives you to read books?

 

 

 Julie:

What drives me to read books in general? Escaping from real life. Life is… well it’s not been a daily joy ride. And my tendency to hide from the news ends with me lost in a book. Which is why I prefer fiction, fantasy – but fast-paced and fun from page one please, and not any of that nonfic real life stuff. I got enough real life in life.

But why I read a specific book?  Could be a book club book. Could be a book I agreed (sometimes overeagerly at first and then regretted my life choices when my list of ARCs is taller than me). Could be a series that interests me and I wanted to keep going. Could be a book I keep seeing on the booksta world. Could just be that my Libby hold came up and now that’s the book I am reading.

So, yes, I read to experience all the things that beautiful stories bring us. The joy, the love, sometimes the heartbreak, always looking for books to have the redemption and satisfying endings. I read to feel things for people who don’t even exist, because that’s what bookish girlies do – we have silos in our brains and need to fill the imagination silo with things when the real life silo gets full.

And I won’t lie… sometimes my drive to read is to increase those stats by one more book. Just one more chapter please.

 

Lynn:

Hah! Definitely what Julie said about the Libby holds coming up as available. That is a leading factor in my next up to read choice.

But in reality, I’m a mood reader with little tolerence for reading the same genre back to back. If I just read an emotional gut punch of a book, I switch to something funny. If I just read a fantasy, I’ll switch to mystery or sci fi.

I’m also easily swayed by shiny new books. Or someone I know recommending a book. Or everyone and their broother telling me to reach Dungeon Crawler Carl.

I haven’t been reading ARCs or review books lately. I’m in my read what I want era. And I really don’t have plans on what I want to read next til I’m ready to pick that book and have something specific in mind.

 

What about you?

 

 

We are also linking up our discussion posts with the 2026 Book Blog Discussion Challenge hosted by Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight!