Friday, November 4, 2016

Book Blogger Hop No. 73: Nighttime Reading



Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop,
hosted by Billy @


For more information, and 
to find out the topic of next week's question, click HERE.


This Week's Question

 When you settle in for the night
with a good book, do you read 
until you can't stay awake, or do
you simply have a nightly page goal?

(submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews)



My Answer

When I used to work two jobs -- one was full-time, and the other part-time -- I would tell myself, "Okay, so I'm just going to read one or two chapters, and that's IT." I was really kidding myself! I was NEVER able to stop reading at the limit I had set for myself, lol. So sometimes i would  be sleepy at work, because I had stayed up too late the night before with a book I just couldn't put down.

Well, I no longer have those two jobs. I only work part-time now, and don't start until 3:30 PM. Since I've always been a night owl, I LOVE this!! So now I just stay up reading a book until I can no longer stay awake. It's not uncommon for me to start nodding off around 3:00 or even 4:00 AM!

These are some of the books that have kept me up throughout the years!



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/168080.Jane_Eyre


 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3090465-the-twilight-saga?ac=1&from_search=true



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35.The_Lord_of_the_Rings



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18362144-harry-potter



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7402393-nightshade?ac=1&from_search=true



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/350.Stranger_in_a_Strange_Land?ac=1&from_search=true



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13259307-fahrenheit-451



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9462812-die-for-me?ac=1&from_search=true




What are your thoughts on
this topic?
Please leave a comment!
If you're participating in this meme,
I'll go comment on your 
own BBH post.
If not, I will then comment on one 
of your blog posts!
Thanks for visiting!!! 







24 comments:

  1. Hi Maria.

    Great post on a great topic.

    Reading into the night can be so rewarding.

    Over the last few years I have been on such an early schedule that I have not been able to do so.

    I see that you listed Stranger in a Strange Land as one of your stay up books. It has been so long since I read that. I need to give it another read.

    Have great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey, Brian!

      Thanks for the compliment!

      Reading at night is indeed very rewarding! Everything's quiet, and you can REALLY focus on a book. Once you get into a particular book, you can just keep going until you can't keep your eyes open anymore. Lol. And those of us who are night owls, like me, just LOVE this!

      I'm SO glad I don't have to get up early anymore! I've NEVER been a morning person. Even with good coffee! Lol.

      I've been wanting to re-read "Stranger In A Strange Land", because I read it so many years ago. All I remember is that Heinlein invented the word "grok", and that some Star Trek fans then started the slogan, "I grok Spock." :D

      Hope you have a great weekend, too!! Thanks for the nice comment!! :)

      Delete
  2. I'm super bad about reading on my tablet when I crawl into bed. I usually try not to stay up past midnight as I have to get up at 6:30 to be at work by 8. Plus, I can usually count on the dogs waking me up to go outside at least once during the night several times a week. So glad you have a schedule that works.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Barb!

      Yeah, it's SO tempting to just keep going! "One more chapter." Lol. I know the feeling!

      Since I've NEVER been a morning person, I HATE getting up early. Mom used to have a REAL battle on her hands when I was a kid! Lol.

      The morning job I used to have started at 8:30 AM, so I would get up at 7:00. So I can relate!

      Yeah, I LOVE the schedule I have now! I'm an ESOL teacher in an Adult Ed. program. I do tutoring in the school library from 3:30 to 6:30 PM. Then I have a half hour for dinner, and teach my regular class from 7:00 to 9:30 PM. I'm usually back home by 10:00 or 10:30 PM. I might do some blogging at that time. Around midnight or 1:00 AM, I can dive into a book!! YAAAAAY :)

      Happy Friday! Have a great weekend, and thanks for stopping by!! :)

      Delete
  3. Haha I do the 3 and 4 am sometimes too. I actually got a bit mad at myself last night for dozing off when the book was so good lol

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hi, Kitty!

      Yeah, that's happened to me, too! Lol. I get a little mad at myself, but I really shouldn't. When Mother Nature says, "Lights out", you have to do what she says. Lol.

      I LOVE being able to stay up late and read,and not have to worry about having to get up early to go to some boring old job! Haha!!

      Have a grwat weekend! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!! :)

      Delete
  4. I'm a night owl and a night reader as well and I love when a book makes me forget the clock and just get pulled into the world in the book! Unfortunately I have to get up far earlier than I'd like which means a late reading night for me ends at around 1!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Katherine!

      Night owls of the world unite! I think there are a LOT of us, lol. Beats me WHY most jobs make you go in early in the morning, when there are SO many people who prefer to go to bed late. Well, early hours are typical of the corporate world, which I should NEVER have joined! I suffered for many years....

      It's too bad you can't stay up until you feel ready to go to sleep. I used to have to turn in at 1:00 AM, at the very latest, but now I'm free to keep reading as late as 4:00 AM. SO HAPPY about that!! Lol.

      Have a great weekend! Thanks for swinging by and commenting!! :)

      Delete
  5. The latest I have ever stayed up was 2 a.m. I think it was a mystery, and I couldn't put the book down. I honestly can't remember the book's title, but I KNOW it was good. :)

    I normally fall asleep around 10 - maybe 11. :)

    What are you reading that will keep you up tonight, Maria? :)

    Have a great weekend....always love reading your answers.

    Happy Hopping!!

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Blog Hop Answer

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Elizabeth!

      Oh, I'd LOVE to know the title of the book that kept you up! I don't usually read mysteries, but I would read this one, if you could remember the title.

      You normally fall asleep around 10 or 11? Lol. That's about the time I usually get home from work! Yeah, I work from 3:30 to 9:30 PM, with a half hour for dinner (which I stick into a microwave at school, since I teach English to adults). Sometimes I get home around 11, if my husband and I need to make a quick stop at the supermarket.

      The book I'm reading tonight, and which has been keeping me up for several nights now is "Taken At Dusk", by C.C. Hunter. It's part of her Young Adult paranormal series, titled "Shadow Falls". Not your cup of tea, I know, but I'm LOVING it! Still, my heart belongs to The Twilight Saga, where paranormal books are concerned!

      Hope you have a great weekend, too! I'm SO glad you enjoy reading my BBH answers! And I love the questions you pose!

      Happy Hopping to you, too! Thanks for dropping by and leaving such a nice comment!! :)

      Delete
    2. Ahhhhh....I see why you write such wonderful posts. I didn't know you were an English teacher.

      I was a business teacher....taught in a public school for 34 years. :)

      I will try to look through my books and see if the titles jog my memory for the book that kept me up.

      Elizabeth

      Delete
    3. Hi, again!

      Aw....you're so sweet! Thank you!! I almost majored in English Literature in college. Now I wish I had! What I teach is ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages). Not quite the same, but I do love it!! And I've always enjoyed writing. When other students would groan and moan every time a college professor would give an essay test, I would actually feel happy! Lol. The professors would put a list of topics on the board, and we had to write about 3 of them. LOVED it!!

      So you taught in public school for 34 years? AWESOME!! I've taught for a long time, as well. Most of my teaching has been in public schools, too, as a matter of fact. What a coincidence! I'm currently teaching in the Adult Ed. program at a high school in Miami.

      And you were a business teacher! Interesting! I'm definitely a "word person". Math and I have never been friends. Lol. As for business....while I have had office jobs, I have recently realized I'm too much of a free spirit to thrive in the corporate world. I do prefer to teach ESOL part-time, which gives me a lot of free time for reading and blogging.

      There are careers for everyone! We need business people, teachers, office workers, doctors, etc. I'll bet you were a GREAT teacher!!

      If you find that book title, do let me know! :)

      Thanks for stopping by again!! <3 :)

      Delete
  6. I read as a way of falling asleep a lot of nights. I enjoyed your blog and started following. If you have a chance drop my blog and see my full answer.

    Here's my full answer

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Teresa!

      Oh, I actually wish I didn't to sleep AT ALL! That way, I could read ALL the books I wanted!! Lol.

      Of course I'll go check out your answer! Thanks for following my blog! I will also follow back!

      Have a great weekend! Thanks for swinging by and commenting!! :)

      Delete
  7. Great topic to discuss, María!!
    I know that feeling tired and sleepy because of a book that you couldn't put down the previous night really sucks, but don't you just love the excitement of reading one chapter, and another one, and another one, until the book ends and your eyes are about to start bleeding? ahahaha It means you're reading a great book, with a wonderful story that made you forget about EVERYTHING. And that's just amazing!!! Last time that happened to me was a month ago or so, while reading Therapy, by Sebastian Fitzek. I tried, but couldn't put it down...
    Unless the book I choose to read comes as a page-turner, it's really hard for me to stay awake. I've learnt that I'm not the kind of person who can stay up all night reading. That's why I choose to read in the morning, maybe when I'm having breakfast. I'm so not a night owl xD

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Antonela!

      Yes, this is indeed a great topic! KUDOS to Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews for submitting this question!!

      Yeah, it really sucked when I felt tired and sleepy the next day because I stayed up too late reading a book I just couldn't put down. But yes, it IS exciting to just keep reading like that!!

      Well, I don't have this problem anymore! With my part-time schedule, I can stay up as late as I want! Lol.

      I'm going to look up "Therapy" on Goodreads, as I've never heard of it before. If you couldn't put it down, it must be GOOD!

      I'm not a morning person AT ALL. Lol. I LOVE reading at night. I can REALLY concentrate then! But everyone's different. I'm sure there are MANY morning readers out there!

      Thanks for stopping by and leaving such a TERRIFIC comment!! <3 :)

      Delete
  8. Nice! I can't afford to be sleepy at work - I work with teenagers! Happy reading!

    -eli
    the (book) supplier
    Blogger Hop Response

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Eli!

      Yeah, I'm SO happy about my current schedule! I teach adult night school. No more waking up early in the morning! Lol. In your case, since you work in the day school program, and with teens, you DEFINITELY need to be on your toes!! Yikes!!

      Harry reading to you, too! Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment!! :)

      Delete
  9. Hi, Maria! When I used to work the swing shift (12:30 p.m. to 10:30 pm.), I would often be up late reading. It was nice not to have to wake up early to get to work back then. Now that I have to be at work at 6:30 a.m. and up at 4:30 a.m., I just can't manage those long nights anymore. A late night to be now is 10! Haha! You're more likely to catch me staying up late on a weekend day if it's one when I don't have to get up early the next day.

    I hope you have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Wendy!

      Your experience is the exact reverse of mine. I used to HAVE to get up at 7:00 AM (yes, I consider this early, lol), and I HATED it!! I'm just not a morning person. So, when I was working that day job, I couldn't stay up past 1:00 AM the night before. And staying up THAT late was really pushing it! I've never been able to just fall asleep the moment my head hits the pillow, unless I'm VERY tired. So that means that, even though I went to bed at 1:00 on the dot, I really wouldn't fall asleep until a half hour, or perhaps even an hour later. The result was that sometimes I would only get 5 hours of sleep a night!

      My blogging sometimes kept me up, too, especially when I was supposed to publish a book tour post by a certain date. It was a tug-of-war between reading and blogging.....

      So I'm VERY happy indeed with my present work schedule! True, I'm making less, but I am MUCH less stressed out, and no longer have to deal with the nasty people at that job!! Besides, office work was never meant for me. I've realized that after several years of office jobs. Well, I guess I was just trying to survive....

      My part-time job involves teaching ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) to adults, in the Adult Education Program of a local high school. Although I have had some unpleasant encounters with a couple of people here and there throughout the years, all such conflicts have been resolved, thank God! I get along extremely well with my students, especially because I'm not the type of ironclad, strict teacher that others might be. Of course, things would be very different if I were teaching teens. I do like teens, but I can't teach them. They would walk all over me! Lol.

      I hope you can somehow eventually get back to that swing shift! It's SO WONDERFUL to be able to read late into the night! It makes it that much easier to REALLY get into a book!

      Hope you have a great week, as well! Thanks for dropping by and commenting!! <3 :)

      Delete
  10. Great post, Maria! I enjoyed reading your thoughts. For me, it depends on the book. Some I will say "no more after 1 am" and I'm able to stick to it most of the time. But then there are those books (like the ones you mention above), those books that couldn't be pried from hands no matter how much sleep I needed to start the next day. Those are the all-nighters and worth stumbling through the next day's tasks bleary-eyed with a vat of coffee. Those are my favorite! :) Here's to great books and less sleep! *Smooshy HUGS* <3 <3 <3

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    1. Hi, Michele!

      Oh, thank you SO much!! You're SO sweet!!

      Yeah, there are books that are worth losing sleep over! I'm glad you agree that all the ones I've mentioned above fall into that category.

      I'm ECSTATIC that I no longer need to get up at 7:00 every morning!! Oh, that was AWFUL!! And I had to try to squeeze in as much reading as I could during the day, like at lunchtime. I was unable to stay up until 1:00 AM most of the time, unless, of course, I came across one of these "all-nighters" as you call them. (Nice term, too!) However, I had to be extra careful, as I did not want to lose my job! But heck, now, I no longer have this problem! Lol. I can stay up as late as I want, and, since I'm a night owl, I LOVE it!!

      "Here's to great books and less sleep!" Lol. I raise my glass of wine in a literary toast!! Here, here!! :)

      Thanks for dropping by and leaving such a WONDERFUL comment!! *SHMOOSHY HUGS BACK!!* <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)

      Delete
  11. Yey for night owl readers!! I love reading late into the night (expect if I am reading a scary book then it's a bad idea!) I generally don't make it much past 2:00 though, I couldn't imagine making it till 4:00!

    - Hills of Books

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    1. Hi, Deborah!

      Yeah, YAY for us night owls!!! I LOVE to read late into the night, because everything is so quiet, which really helps me focus

      Sometimes I don't make it to 4:00 AM myself; it all depends on how tired I am. As for scary books, I stay away from them at all hours of the day and night! Lol.

      Thanks for dropping by and commenting!! :)

      Delete

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