A 24-Hour Read-A-Thon

There are two booktubers I faithfully watch: *emmie* and CarolynMarieReads. These friends do 24-hour read-a-thons periodically and this week they invited viewers to join them! I marked my calendar, set a stack of books aside, and waited for the day. 

My first 24-hour read-a-thon and it was from a Monday to a Tuesday. I started and finished two books in a span of two busy days! If I could start and finish two books in the midst of life and obligations then imagine how many I can read when I’m home?

I am always reading. It’s a nonissue to pick up a book, but as a mood reader, I pick up and put down a plethora of book stacks. I selected two short books to read during the 24-hour read-a-thon. One book I knew I would enjoy as a cozy read, and another book I have been meaning to read for years. “Dear Santa” was the heartfelt, warm read I needed to make the read-a-thon a low-pressure event. It made me smile, laugh, and gasp. I was so happy to finish it in time. “The Secret Garden” was a great companion as I worked on my crocheted pumpkin orders and listened to its audiobook. It was a charming classic and I can now cross it off my to-be-read list. I chose these books from a stack of books I set up the night before the read-a-thon. I knew my picks would change depending on my mood. I’ll get to those books eventually.

Watching Emma's and Carolyn's read-a-thon videos in the past, I would be amazed by how many books they read from start to finish. They seemed to drink the books in, not rush, and would continue with their daily routines. They would take breaks to eat and watch a show to relax. I had put this pressure on myself at first that I had to finish the books within 24 hours, but there wasn’t any rule that I had to finish my books within that time frame; the only expectation was to read during that time.  It felt like Emma and Carolyn were angels watching over me as I read. Knowing I was joining them and many others with the same intention of reading for the next 24 hours encouraged me to keep going. I would like to set more 24-hour read-a-thons for myself in the future, preferably on days I know I will be home.

I carried “Dear Santa” with me as my husband and I went out for the day. I read in the car as he drove, I read as we were double parked (still watching out as to not get a ticket, haha). I kept reminding my husband, “I have my read-a-thon!” He was supportive and cute about it. 

It’s different when a book captivates me to finish it in one sitting than when I set my mind to finish it. It’s not impossible to finish a book during a busy day. I tend to make these wrong assumptions that certain things can’t happen because other things might get in the way, but really anything is possible and it doesn’t hurt to try. Just don’t feel bad about yourself if it doesn’t turn out how you had hoped it would. The worry of feeling disappointed in the end is a lame reason not to try something. I think it’s also time to give up getting disappointed so easily. It’s too heavy a load to carry.

Would you do a 24-hour read-a-thon? What books would you read?