I Tried Reading For Two Hours Every Day! 🕰️ 📖 | Reading Vlog

I tried reading for two hours every day for five days. This is what I read, with some baking and autumnal walks thrown in. Pull up a seat and join me. x

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MY BOOKS:

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Things mentioned:

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith
Brown Baby by Nikesh Shukla
Dead Relatives by Lucie Mcknight Hardy*
Day of the Dead by Nicci French
The Queen in the Cave by Julia Sarda

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WHO I AM

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Where to find me:

This video contains no sponsored content. Books marked with * were sent to me for an honest review.

[saddaldiab]

I appreciate your honesty with regards to anxiety and admire your capacity to keep going- to keep reading, baking etc and adulting par excellence. I freeze, and unfortunately become very dependent on others. You are something to aspire to in so many ways.

[thereadersarmchair]

I love making lists. We do plays, concerts and theatre, things to cook (really want to try making gnocchi as we have lots of potatoes growing), walks and holidays, films and tv. Also, I love Patricia Highsmith too.

[lulubonning]

Deep Water and Brown Baby have gone straight to my tbr! Sorry to hear about the not so fabulous things going on in your life. Thanks for still putting out such wonderful content 💖💖

[symonelucas]

Love your vlogs so calming and a delight to watch. Can I just say how thrilled I am that you are advocating for non work lists. I always use to list positive things that bring me joy that I wanted to get done on the weekend I've now put them all in a jar and pull one out whenever I feel I'm 'wasting' time or start to feel low (or have maybe watched one too many episodes on Netflix). Things like: baking, crochet, walks and even to do my German language activity book. Take care of you!

[sarahdavidson]

You are so creative Jen. That pie looked amazing! 😊

[BunsBooks]

I love the idea of a fun autumn/winter list. I’m going to make one this week. Right now I’m enjoying learning how to make a quilt, so more of that will be on the list.

Speaking of sweet potato lasagna, I actually make a butternut/winter squash lasagna every Christmas that my relatives absolutely adore, it’s usually the favorite of the night. A few cousins will always text me the day before to make sure I’m cooking it 👀. After you make the sweet potato lasagna, do try the same recipe with butternut squash, it’s so good

[rosielove]

You articulate the way anxiety effects time so perfectly I was nodding vigorously shouting 'yes!' 👌 I also recently read the queen in the cave with my oldest (she's 7) and as soon as we finished she said 'oh wow, mum, what was that?! It was weird!' and went on to tell me she loved it 😂❤️x

[Readinordertolive]

I love a speed clean! I finished The Talented Mr Ripley last month, really enjoyed it, but now want to buy all the Patricia Highsmith books.

[YourTrueShelf]

I loved how this video was longer, and dare I say it, you kept me company while I was wrapping Xmas presents!
The pie looked so good! And I love ramen so I will look at the kits you mentioned.
Those mushrooms on the walk were incredible.
I keep lists in my bullet journal of things I want to watch, read and listen to, but hadn't thought of a cooking one too.
I had to laugh about the glitter nail polish, such a pain to take off, I agree!
Plus hearing your perspective on the books is always a pleasure xx

[Tanya_LitLife]

Lists, timed reading goals, orange overalls, nature, table top games, books, food… this truly is the perfect companion video. Thank you, Jen. May I also recommend my favorite card game, Dominion? It’s an absolute blast to play.


Also, loved the added bits of interviews.

[twilighterification]

I was just watching your last reading vlog when you uploaded this one! 😂 Amazing timing

[GaggingLit]

Your vlogs are so good. A perfect blend of showing and chatting. And your turquoise crock pot is gorge. Nigella breathes her approval, I'm sure. I want to bake flapjacks at some point this month, once i've finished scoffing birthday cake.

Been trying to get into a more regular reading pattern since I finished my Master's in Sept. Now juggling that with work. Reading the Secret History at the moment and that is helping to spur me out of a slump. Also reading The Kabul Olympics by John McAuliffe - a poetry collection, and some of ETA Hoffmann's short stories too. I find reading a mixture of different types of books helps me.

[KendraWinchester]

Ah! Thank you for sharing the article. I have been trying to articulate my endlessly frustration with that question for so long. I’m just so happy to get it out of my head. 😅😂 That pie looks amazing! I am DEFINITELY guilty of having a gazillion cookbooks and not using them. So cooking is high up on the list for my work break starting in December.

[evej]

we have been blessed with 45 min. of cozy ❤🍁 hope your anxiety fucks off asap, jen

[sophiaz.]

i am always just vibin' to your outro, it's so calming and fun! i need to try this experiment, but i am currently really wrapped up in uni work. at least i get to squeeze in an hour of audiobook everyday on my bike when going there and back.

[ClamoreFanForeva]

I'm so happy you mentioned Kendra's article - it's an endless discussion with friends and people I meet about why I prefer and love audiobooks. People tend to ask "Does that even count as reading? Isn't this a little bit like cheating?" and then it's my time to stare at that person. When I read, I'm definitely faster (maybe 10%) so listening to a book doesn't give me the "opportunity" to read more books - but what does "cheating" even mean in this context? If I ask this question in return, I won't get an answer, so I'm super curious where this whole cheating-attitude comes from... It's not a challenge to read books and there are no consequences whatsoever if I finish or dnf a book, right?
Even long before I was forced to work from home I was listening to 50 audio books per year. I also grew up with audio dramas for kids and I can't even remember my first time listening to one - they were just there as long as I can remember. We have a lot and really really great audio dramas for every age in Germany, I never lost my appetite for them although nowadays I'll choose some horror or thriller and only seldomly go for kids' stuff. I'm really glad that there's some research about what constant listening to audiobooks or dramas do to kids - and all effects are positive: They help the child to dream, to believe in the good (because let's be honest, our world is super negative, right?), forge creativity, to feel different emotions and to know why someone is angry/happy/sad/jealous, to speak about how you feel and to learn consequences. Those are just some points that are at least in my opinion certainly true. As an adult listening to audio books is a good opportunity to get some reading done, even if you don't have time to pick up a book, but nevertheless to sink into stories while doing boring adult-stuff. ;) And my eyes are way too tired working with computers all day for work to be able to pick up books in the evening - I'm glad you enjoy audio books as much as I do. <3

[amarantareyes]

Lovely vlog, thanks so much, Jen, for the walks too. I find it hard that I have to wait a week until the next one. Hope you have a great week!

[blessedtobeO-live]

When you were walking in the woods with your dog, you reminded me of Vesta from Death in her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh. The footage from your walks are always so beautiful.

[fionacraig]

We have just moved back to Canada from California so plan to go ice skating every week! Not much ice in LA

[mradcaqbdb]

I have started the Nicci French audiobook journey thanks to you! I liked House of Correction and The Lying Room, but had some issues with the characters in each that kept me from loving them. I just finished the third Frieda Klein book, Waiting for Wednesday, which was my first five star of the series. Now I have to wait for the next audiobook from the library. I did receive my copy of The Unheard yesterday and I got a copy of The Red Room too, so it won’t be all audiobooks. I am really enjoying Frieda!!!