Reverse Readathon Hour 24

Hello, Readathoners! This is Kate from Kate’s Book Nook (ignore the fact that I haven’t updated my blog since 2017).

Readathon is crazy for me this time around. I got married last month (yay) and this week we just finished getting me moved out of my apartment and into our house! I’m exhausted. And unpacking.

Which is where audiobooks come to the rescue. We are in the home stretch! Can you believe it? I can’t. Now if you’re like me, you may have worked on Friday come home, and tried to read a bit. But it’s late in the week and my eyes are tired… insert exciting audiobook adventure!

As the years progress, audiobooks keep getting better produced. You can find ones read from celebrities, you can find them being read in a whisper (shout out to ASMR), and you can find them in every genre. If you’re intimidated by a classic or a chunky fantasy novel or a biography about Napoleon, chances are you can find an audiobook version and slowly (or quickly) get one of those books off your checklist.

So if your eyes are starting to get tired, or your kids are hounding you for food, or that laundry pile needs to be tackled, or maybe you just want to get outside and take a walk, pop on an audiobook and continue to readaway! You can find them on audible, youtube, your local library (many libraries have a digital library), or on podcasts.

A few favorites: Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson, Harry Potter by JK Rowlings, anything Agatha Christie. What are some of your favorite audiobooks. List them down below.

Now keep calm and readathon on!

Closing Survey!

1. How would you assess your reading overall?
2. Did you have a stategy, and if so, did you stick to it?
3. What was your favorite snack?
4. Wanna volunteer for our next event?

Link up below or answer in the comments!

Enter your finished books into the books read database here!

Cheer your fellow readers!

Join our Goodreads or Facebook groups!

Watch for posts and stories on our Instagram!

Tag your posts with #readathon on all your social channels!

Reverse Readathon Hour 22

Hey there, reader friend! This is Andi, and this #ReverseReadathon is almost DONE! If you’ve been awake this whole time, I bet you are zonked. In truth, I’m just finishing up bowling with my son’s Cub Scout pack, but by the magic of the Internet I’m here with you, too.

I guarantee I’m trying my best to listen to something bookish while I’m out, and since I can’t always get into audiobooks, sometimes podcasts are my go-to! What are you favorite bookish podcasts?

The Readathon is a long-standing tradition now–over 10 years old–and we’re always keen to cook up some new ideas. What would you love to see added to the readathon or tweaked? We’re all ears, and our next event is on October 26, 2019.

Enter your finished books into the books read database here!

Cheer your fellow readers!

Join our Goodreads or Facebook groups!

Watch for posts and stories on our Instagram!

Tag your posts with #readathon on all your social channels!

Reverse Readathon Hour 19 – Sleep Deprivation and You

Either it’s getting late, or it’s very early. In either case, it’s always a good time to discuss sleep deprivation. This can be caused by insomnia, being overworked or a really good book that you just need to read one more chapter! Wait, one more because that last one ended on a cliffhanger. Okay, one more, but only because I’m so close to the “reveal” that the author’s been building up to. Just one more chapter, because I’m on a roll and the book’s really hit its stride. Okay, one more…wait, why is my alarm going off?

We’ve all been there. Readathons are no exception, Reverse or otherwise. Here’s your PSA for the day: it’s okay to sleep during a Readathon! If you need to rest, go for it. Goodness knows if you’ve got a pet for a Readathon buddy, they’re telling you the same thing (also, please post pics! I love seeing #readathonpets).

That being said, if you want to push yourself for the full 24 hours, hit us up on Twitter and we’ll get you some positive vibes/energy and some cheers from other readers! We’re here to help you out, whether you need sleep, encouragement, reading suggestions, or caffeine advice. Remember to always balance out your caffeine intake with water. Also, sugar is only helpful in smaller doses, so you don’t crash. I’ve learned both of these the hard way. 

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna read just one more chapter…

Enter your finished books into the books read database here!

Cheer your fellow readers!

Join our Goodreads or Facebook groups!

Watch for posts and stories on our Instagram!

Tag your posts with #readathon on all your social channels!

Reverse Readathon Hour 16 – New Experiences

The Reverse Readathon is a relatively new thing. I think there’s only been one previous. It’s been a nice exercise in trying something new. Those of us in the Eastern Standard Time Zone get to experience the Readathon as those on Australian Western Standard Time. We get to find out what it’s like to try to start a 24 hour Readathon after having been at work all day. They get to find out what it’s like to wake up refreshed and ready to go. I’m really hoping we can continue to do this every year. Not just because it means we have THREE events per year, but also because I think it’s a good experience for everyone.

That’s something that we, as readers, tend to look for. Each book we read is a new experience, not always good, but always a new perspective, a new set of rules (worldbuilding) and new characters. Sometimes books can give us insight into something we would never experience otherwise. Such is the power of books.

For me, one of the most notable was American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. I will never know what it’s like to feel pressured between two different cultures. I’ll never know what it’s like to try to find the balance while also being myself. That’s one of the great things about books, they can really help give you empathy for people who are going through something you’ll never experience. That’s not to say you’re an expert at it for having read about it, but you can be more sympathetic towards a problem you’ll never face.

So what books have you read that’ve given you a new perspective on something? It doesn’t have to be a life-changing book, but something that gave you a new appreciation for a topic, an experience, an issue. Can be fiction, non-fiction, poetry, etc.

Enter your finished books into the books read database here!

Cheer your fellow readers!

Join our Goodreads or Facebook groups!

Watch for posts and stories on our Instagram!

Tag your posts with #readathon on all your social channels!

Reverse Readathon Hour 13 – #WITMonth Shoutout

Helloooo there! Janani here, from The Shrinkette (don’t look, I haven’t blogged in ages, but you can find me on Twitter, Instagram, and Litsy doing what I do best – yell about books).

Hope your #ReverseReadathon is going well so far. We’re over halfway-in, which means some of you have done a good chunk of reading and are ready to nap, and some of you are ambling towards a steaming mug of coffee to kickstart your ‘thon. Wherever you are, how much ever you’re reading, I’m just so glad you could join your fellow readers today. Before I lose y’all to the books, let me do my part in adding some more to your TBRs. August is Women In Translation Month — that’s right, a whole month dedicated to translated books written by women. It’s the brainchild of my Twitter pal Meytal Radzinski, who is honestly one of the raddest, wittiest (heh), most badass feminist bookworms I’ve had the good fortune to interact with. Meytal started #WITMonth in 2014, and it’s been going strong ever since. Not just in August, but all year round, people use the WITMonth hashtag to share their wonderful book recommendations.

The goals are really straightforward: read, promote, put your money towards as many non-English books written by women. If you can’t monetarily support these authors, spreading the word is just as powerful. Review, tweet, snap, Instagram — do it all! Only 30% of books translated to English are written by women (WILD, RIGHT), so any and all promotion of #WITMonth is crucial.

So, do you have any #WITMonth picks on your TBR for today?

Reverse Readathon Hour 10 – It’s ALSO all about the FOOD

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You know, when I start to plan for a readathon, the first thing I DO think of is WHAT WILL I READ? However, it’s quickly followed by WHAT WILL I EAT? Do you have a favorite reading snack? One of my favorite memories growing up is sitting at my kitchen table in my grandparents house, drinking Dr. Pepper and eating Cheetos Cheese Puffs. So, yes, I get that for every Readathon.

I also have a family I have to feed, so I usually cook dinner in the crockpot. This time I’m making Jamaican Jerk Pulled Pork with Caribbean slaw and corn. Honestly cannot wait for that.

So, what will you be having today?

Enter your finished books into the books read database here!

Cheer your fellow readers!

Join our Goodreads or Facebook groups!

Watch for posts and stories on our Instagram!

Tag your posts with #readathon on all your social channels!

Reverse Readathon Hour 7 – Your Relaxation Practice

Hello, everyone and happy Hour 7!! This is Julianne of Outlandish Lit here with you for some REAL TALK that is hopefully applicable to some of your lives.

I suck at relaxing. I really do. If you’re like me, you KNOW that relaxing is good for you and you encourage friends/loved ones to relax. But when it comes to relaxing yourself… it’s hard not to think of all the things you should be doing instead.

Readathon is the ultimate opportunity to spend time on your relaxation practice (I’m saying practice so you’re NOT TOO HARD ON YOURSELF if you don’t do it perfectly). We are all agreeing that spending time reading matters to us – enough to prioritize it over all of our other normal daily events. How bad*ss is that? It’s an amazing, communal time to say, “I’m going to let myself not think about all the other stuff.”

Sometimes that’s not what actually happens for me though. SO, something that I’m going to try to do this time around is NOT do other stuff while listening to an audiobook, unless it is a truly relaxing activity. I’m not saying if I need to walk around, I won’t. Please, everyone, move and do things you need to do! What I’m saying is sometimes I’ll get up and clean a few rooms while listening to an audiobook, but that’s not actually coming from a place of helping myself. It’s happening because somewhere in my brain I’m telling myself that I’m not doing enough. And the only way I’m used to quelling that voice is by doing exactly what it says, no matter how mean it is to me. So this time: no guilt-driven actions! Cleaning can wait! I’m going to fight the harsh voice and maybe try doing something low-key like coloring or knitting during an audiobook instead.

My best tiny tip for those of you who struggle to relax: have something to do with your non-book-holding hand. When I’m getting fidgety and having a hard time relaxing, sometimes the fact is the matter is that I NEED to be doing something. I find some sort of object/stress ball/whatever to fidget with with my free hand. Typically after a little bit, and after some deep breaths, I’m able to lean back into the relaxation.

What do you do to really let go and relax?

Enter your finished books into the books read database here!

Cheer your fellow readers!

Join our Goodreads or Facebook groups!

Watch for posts and stories on our Instagram!

Tag your posts with #readathon on all your social channels!

Reverse Readathon Hour 4 – Dream Book Nooks

Hey there, Readathon-ers! Jenn here from the long-defunct The Picky Girl, and I’m so excited to be here to cheer you on for Hour 4.

We talk a lot about what we’ll read and eat/drink during readathons, but I want to know where you’re reading tonight. I’m an equal-opportunity reader when it comes to location – I’ll read in the tub, in bed, on the sofa, or in a chair, here or there or anywhere! (sorry, I was getting serious Dr. Suess vibes) – but I do have a few requirements:

• books (!)
• comfy spot to sit
• pillow and/or blanket
• something to drink
• adequate light
• snuggly pet

I’m here to share some dreamy reading situations, so if you need a break from reading and/or inspiration for your own reading nook, click through.

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A post shared by Stamps & Stamps (@stampsandstamps) on Apr 24, 2019 at 9:22am PDT

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Source: Hendricks Churchill

Source: Style by Emily Henderson, Design by and home of Sam Gluck. 
Photography by Alison Bernier

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A post shared by Sandra Tauberman (@nyaanno1900) on Mar 15, 2018 at 4:21am PDT

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Do I read in anything as fancy as these spots? No, but it sure is fun to look.

What about you? What are your requirements for reading spots, and where are you reading tonight?

Happy Readathon,

Jenn aka the picky girl

Enter your finished books into the books read database here!

Cheer your fellow readers!

Join our Goodreads or Facebook groups!

Watch for posts and stories on our Instagram!

Tag your posts with #readathon on all your social channels!

Reverse Readathon Hour 1 – EMOCLEW!! Er, Welcome!

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HI THERE READER FRIENDS!!!!!! SO GLAD TO SEE YOU!!!!!

I’m Heather, co-hostess of this here Readathon and I am SO EXCITED for this. We love the Readathon, but the Reverse is special because it’s so laid back and WE GET TO READ TOO. So very very happy about ALL OF THIS.

If you’re new to Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon, you may be wondering, just who is Dewey? Dewey was amazing. An early book blogger, she came up with the magically idea of having a 24 hour period, where we would all get together, world wide, and just drop everything and read.

Dewey, was clearly brilliant.

Unfortunately, Dewey passed away just a few years after she created this event (and many others) and several book bloggers got together to keep it going. Andi and I inherited it a few years ago, and here we are. Thank you, again, for this marvelous day Dewey. We love and miss you!

So opening survey, now (slightly) new and improved!

1)What fine part of the world are you reading from today? And what time is it where you are?

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

4) Do you have a #reversereadathon plan of attack?

5) Are you doing the readathon solo or with others?

Link up below or answer in the comments!

Enter your finished books into the books read database here!

Cheer your fellow readers!

Join our Goodreads or Facebook groups!

Watch for posts and stories on our Instagram!

Tag your posts with #readathon on all your social channels!

Things To Know This #ReverseReadathon

Welcome to home base for this season’s Dewey’s #ReverseReadathon! Why do we call it reversed? Because we start at 8pm on a Friday evening in the Eastern time zone of the US whereas we’d normally begin early in the morning here in the States. This gives our international participants…especially those in Australia and the like…to enjoy a little more doable version of the Readathon.

This event is super chill by our normal standards. We post here every 2-3 hours, no prizes, very few challenges, just an extra excuse to read and a healthy dose of bookish community.

We’ll be on and off Twitter for this event, but if you’d like the most concentrated groups of readers participating, you’ll want to check out:

Our hourly Instagram challenge, the Facebook group, and Goodreads!

We’ll see you back here at start time! In the meantime, if you need your own local start, visit the Start Times page!