There are people who read far more books every year than I do. I commit to reading fifty each year (Reading Challenge on Goodreads), and I always look at Book Riot's Reading Challenge every year. Sometimes I take up the challenge, sometimes not. I do read a range of authors though: BIPOC, authors from other countries, LGBTQIA+, indigenous authors, and more. I read both fiction and non, poetry, plays, and anthologies. I love mysteries and thrillers that don't murder only women, historical fiction, and literary fiction. I don't love fantasy, and I'm picky about sci-fi (Margaret Atwood, Octavia E. Butler, Ursula Le Guin, et al).
I have favorite authors. I usually read everything they publish/published. P. D. James, Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine, Val McDermid, Barbara Kingsolver spring to mind. I re-read favorite books like the Complete Sherlock Holmes, and The Dollmaker by Harriett Simpson Arnow. Most books I read come from the public library and are returned in a timely fashion. I have one bookcase overflowing with books I keep: my own published works, books signed to me by their authors, a few books from my childhood, a collection of plays, a collection of poetry, and reference books.
I review books. I used to review books for Lambda Literary, but they didn't want me to actually criticize a book. I've reviewed for a few journals. But mostly I review on Amazon and Goodreads. I used to review every book on both outlets, but Amazon now requires that you have spent $50 at Amazon in order to write a review. No thanks. Until Goodreads comes up with something equally outrageous, I post my reviews there. I generally review every book I read. That's right: every book I read.
You can write reviews too, and authors appreciate them. Especially authors who are not best-selling authors with hundreds of reviews. Here's how: Write a sentence or two about the book you just read, add the appropriate amount of stars, and post it. Did you like the characters? the plot? the setting? Were you inspired by a word, a sentence, a story? Do you want to read more from the author? Say something about one or more of these.
My poetry has received some five star reviews that I treasure. Every review -- no matter the number of stars -- tells me something about my readers and can inspire me to do even better with my next book.
What I'm reading right now: You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz. A poet friend asked me to read it so we can have a telephone conversation about it. I found the first half slow going, and would have put it down except for my commitment to discuss it with my friend. The second half is flowing nicely and I will finish it in a few days (I usually read only at bedtime). Next up are two books I'm excited about: Horses by Geraldine Brooks, and At the Bottom of the River by Jamaica Kincaid. I have finished seven books so far this year.
What are you reading? What do you recommend? And why do you recommend it?
p.s. If you're able, please open and read this online. It helps my metrics.
Sandra, you are so right that reviews are sustenance for authors. (On the other hand, I've taught myself not to read the comments people post about my articles. Some of them are just cruel.)
The way I read books has changed in the last decade; I listen to many more audio books, because I can do that while I'm also walking, weaving, or otherwise using my body for a second task. I often wonder whether this has changed the way my brain deals with written words. Often I find I can't remember whether I read a specific book with my eyes or my ears. One thing I don't like about e-books is that, even with their search functions, it's harder to find specific places I'm looking for. With a physical book, I generally have a memory of where among the four quadrants of an open page I should look.
Thank you, Mary. By the time he passed away, he was utterly ready; it was a relief for him. I have to say, too, that having Kaiser Permanente hospice care made a tremendous difference.