If you’re here, I am assuming that you like books. I can personally say that I love them. They are a huge part of who I am as a person, but I definitely know that this isn’t the case with everyone. Some people enjoy reading every now and again, some don’t. We’re all individuals. We all have our own preferences. But again, since you decided to check out a publication called “A Bookish Mind,” you probably enjoy reading at least a little.
But with everything going on in life, family drama, making ends meet, maybe long days at work, reading is one of those hobbies that is easily put on the backburner. And when you look at all the foolishness happening in the world, the wars, famine, genocide, hatred…well, reading doesn’t seem all that important.

However, reading can be a great respite from such things, a temporary break where you can immerse yourself in a new world or maybe learn a new craft or get more insight about a historical figure. But when we have taken a break for a while, it can be hard to come back to. Sometimes, there is even that guilt of reading when you could be doing something “more productive,” a byproduct of the hustle culture that has become so prevalent.
I won’t go on a diatribe about reading, although I think that it is paramount. Instead, when you’re in that slough, sometimes it takes someone else coming beside you to help you out. That being said, I wanted to share some benefits to reading with someone else.
Buddy reading means that you potentially have someone you can gush about all the finer details of a book. Spoilers and surprises, that one unbearable character, a love interest, the parts of a plot that don’t seem to fit. All of it.
Buddy reads turn what is typically a solitary act into a communal one, and even if you’re only reading in the same space as another, we as people need human interaction from time to time.
You may get a chance to explore new genres. In book clubs or even while reading with a friend or two, you don’t always get a say in what is read. But this is a great opportunity to break out of your reading comfort zone! You may discover that high science sci-fi isn’t really that bad, or that you actually enjoy a witty satire every now and again.
Likewise, you get to learn the sorts of books that your friends enjoy!
Budding reading also holds you accountable if you have a reading goal for the year. Let’s face it, you aren’t going to get those 50 books under your belt if you’re left to your own devices and have had a long day at work. (No shame in that but if you have a goal, it’s always nice to meet it!)
Not only will you read more, but you most likely won’t stick to the books on Oprah or Reese’s book club which means you may read new authors who you grow to love!
Do you have a book club or a bookish friend you exchange books with? Any other benefits to buddy reads that you can think of?
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