TTT: what changed in my reading life in the last years?

Hey bookdragons! Today I’m back with an interesting TTT topic: Changes in my reading life! I really enjoyed thinking back about how many changed for me as a reader in my last years, especially since I joined bookstagram (and that is actually the turning point I chose for this top ten ;))

1. I take photos of what I read: pretty obvious change right! Before, I used to read for myself only. And shared with friends and family. And then, I discovered booksta, the joy of taking photos and sharing what I read, what I think of it with you all!
   
2. I read more. Well, to be honest, when I was young like between 8 and 14, I used to read A LOT. I did not count like I do know but I know it was much and we were always buying more books. Our book budget must have been over the Moon! Then, I discovered TV shows and now, I can’t believe I spent years barely reading! Because I am back in the game baby! And for almost 3 years now, I’m reading more and more and more! And I LOVE it!
   
3. I read in English: I’m French. For over 20 years, I’ve been reading in French, and then, while we were traveling to Scotland, I read my first book in English. After that, I read in English occasionally. But with booksta, it became a habit and now I might even read more in English than in French!
   
4. I have a lot of bookish friends: Before, I felt a bit lonely in my love of books. Of course, I had my mom and my grandpa. One or two friends maybe. But when I started booksta, I discovered people like me, living and breathing for books! And now I feel lucky enough to say that I met true friends through this social media!
   
5. I’ve started to read science-fiction. For me, it was all robots, Running man and aliens. Then I discovered Red Rising, Illuminae and more, and I realized that sci-fi changed a lot, and I could actually love it!
   
6. I read in cafés/tea places/outside: I never used to read outside of my house (or even my bed lol, the couch was the farthest I’d go), but since I’m living in Montreal, I’ve read in tea houses, alone or with friends, in parks and in various places! And it’s a fun change 😉
   

   (but I still prefer my house)

7. I collect bookish items. Ok, this is not directly a reading habit but I feel it’s related! Before, never ever ever did I even think of having bookish items. Not even when I was reading and loving Harry Potter. The discovery of fandom bookmarks, pins, illustrations, CANDLES and more, it came to a lot later, with bookstagram once again!
   
8. I’m so much more critical about romance. This came with growing up, with my studies and with the simple fact of being a woman. I simply can’t stand anymore the cliche of a « macho » man, all the toxic masculinity and sexism that still a lot of romance have (I even wrote an open letter to romance writers here)
   
9. I collect multiple editions: books used to be more  »practical » for me. Yes, of course, the cover mattered, but not that much either. And I never would have thought I would buy several editions of the same book for collection! Ok, it is not all books, mostly Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, but still! And I’m pretty proud of some of these editions I found! Some old, some gorgeous and some rare 😉
   
10. I buy used books. In France, where I lived, we didn’t have much used book stores. When I arrived in Montreal and got back into reading, I discovered that here it was a heaven for book hunters! There are so many great used book stores!! That is how I got myself with over 150 books to read, because when a book cost between $1 and $4, it is super easy to fill your shelves (honestly, who could blame me?)
    

    It’s really like a treasure hunt right Indiana?

Here are 10 things I thought of who changed in my reading life in the last years, especially since I joined bookstagram! What about you? How did your reading change in the last years?

See you for a cup!

Elise

PS: if you do not know what TTT is, you can read all about it at That Artsy Reader Girl.