It’s been ages since I’ve last done a Top Ten Tuesday post but this week’s theme is something I wanted to talk about anyway, so… perfect point to start doing these again, isn’t it? Take a look at That Artsy Reader Girl for more prompts.

I actually want to focus on how book blogging has changed my reading life.

Bookish start? Not so much.

In my first year at school I had trouble learning how to read. I can’t remember what made it so difficult for me but I had to go to a special tutoring class after school. Or was it before? Starting second year there was no stopping me and I was known as “that girl who is always reading a book”. Or two or three…

Not so long ago my blog was called Bookstogetlostin because I thought I would mostly review books I’d liked. I don’t know why but I liked most books I read before starting my blog. I read a lot too but nowhere near as much new books as I do now.

I’ve gotten older since than – obviously – and more critical. Sometimes I fear I am too critical, but most of the time I’m alright with that personality trait of mine. I enjoy it actually, even if I tend to annoy others with it from time to time.

I got more open to books I wouldn’t have picked up before. Receiving ARCs for free is a perk that I greatly appreciate and don’t take for granted. This perk makes is easier to read a book I wouldn’t have bought. If I remember right, I even wrote something along those lines in my review of River Queens. I get to know about (sadly) hidden gems this way too, because I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have searched for a series like the Temper Series and now it holds a special place in my heart.

Queer in the Shelves

More and more my reading preferences changed. Before blogging I read mostly (high) fantasy, crime, and thriller novels. Romance? Ew. And look at me now… contemporary romance is the main thing I review it seems. Although I still like the occasional well-done crime novel and I really enjoy paranormal books. But give me queer content with it. I do read nonqueer books still just… not as many as I did before.

There is a second change that has happened to my bookshelves. They’ve become mostly English. It actually annoys my family so much because they can’t really borrow books from me anymore since they don’t understand English. Is this the time to tell you I had to be tutored in English in my first year of studying it because I couldn’t get the hang of it? According to this I’ve got a great mathematical future ahead of me! Although I wasn’t tutored in that class, so maybe not.

Well, all in all there are three main changes to my shelves I guess? I went digital too. Before my blog I didn’t like ereaders. The thought alone…! But my parents gave me a Kindle for christmas and I slowly accepted ebooks. Especially if I wasn’t that interested in a book, because I could get the cheaper e-version of it.

If you’re a book blogger in Germany blogging about English books you don’t get many physical ARCs so my Kindle made my blogger life way easier too. And now I might even enjoy reading ebooks. I still prefer physical books though.

How has your reading life changed? Tell me in the comment section or write your own ppost about it and link me to it.