This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is about how your reading habits have changed over time, which is interesting to ponder.

1. I read a lot more non-fiction. It’s a shift I never expected, because I wasn’t that interested in non-fiction when I was younger, but year by year the percentage inches up. At the moment about a third of what I read is non-fiction.
2. I don’t really enjoy YA anymore. There’s a lot of good stuff out there and I might still give it a shot here and there, but many themes just don’t speak to me as much. And that’s fine: at this stage in my life, it’s definitely not aimed at me!
3. I don’t believe in “guilty pleasures”. I try not to value-judge any genre. Reading is meant to be fun, for me, not some kind of moral duty to read “improving” literature — or even stuff that is necessarily “good”.
4. I used to read straight through books more than I do now. Same with series. Part of that is the shift in genres: non-fiction, for example, can really benefit from taking a step back to let yourself sort through the information.
5. I used to reread books even more than I do now. These days I try not to read books too often, because then the gaps can start to show, or it just becomes too familiar-the same way you can autopilot through a familiar area when walking or driving.
6. I think I’m more influenced by other reviewers’ opinions than I used to be. If I loved a book that someone I trust hated, or vice versa, I worry that I’m being weird! I try to notice that feeling, but I’m sure it still affects me at times. Sometimes that’s a good thing, because it prompts me to think something through… but sometimes I don’t feel very in touch with what I enjoyed.
7. I probably read less than I did. In a way it’s not surprising — I’m not studying for a degree in English Lit anymore, and I’m both studying and have a full-time job. But it might be surprising to hear given how many books I do read!
8. I used to be quite picky about where I stopped reading: it had to be the end of a chapter, or at least a scene break. I know, this one’s a bit more niche and precise! But I really used to find it impossible to put down a book unless I was at a “good” stopping-point. I’m a lot more flexible now.
9. I don’t read in bed anymore. It’s bad sleep hygiene and also it’s not that comfy! I like to be sat upright, with my feet on something to bring my knees up closer to my chest.
10. I probably read shorter books these days. It’s an attention span thing, and also-no matter now I try to avoid this happening-a sense of pressure about completing reading goals, having reviews to post, etc.

Alright, that’s it for me for now — how about you?