These days, any time I have an afternoon or a day to focus on reading, I’m calling it a “reading retreat.” The truth is, I’m longing for a real reading retreat, where I go away and just read for a few days… but that’s not going to happen anytime soon, so I’ll take what I can get!
My first “mini retreat” was last Wednesday. It’s my day off from work and I had a few hours free, so I sat in Starbucks and read this entire book:
I heard about this from Meredith on the Currently Reading podcast (it was on her top 10 list for 2024.) It’s a mystery/horror story, but the horror doesn’t involve anything supernatural. The story takes place all in one night. It starts off as a little puzzling, then disturbing, and then becomes terrifying (if you’re prone to being scared by books- I’m not, but I could see how someone would find this scary). It’s hard to talk about it without giving spoilers, but it’s a book where you’ll be questioning what is actually happening, and the ending, while not hard to understand, left me thinking about it for a while. I definitely recommend reading this all in one sitting and letting the experience wash over you.
My second mini retreat happened Sunday. My husband wasn’t home and my daughter was invited to go out with friends on a boat for the ENTIRE DAY. I picked up three other kids and took them all to the meeting place at 9 am. PRO TIP: If you are driving a carpool, always volunteer to drive THERE. Pickup times can be iffy (more on that later). Yes, I had to get up early, especially since I ran first thing (I actually broke my resolution of not letting the wakeup time start with a “5” this summer). But by 9:30 am I had finished my run, dropped everyone off, and had the whole rest of the day to myself.
I did some blog reading, took a nap, and then sat on the couch and read this:
It was mentioned in this list of the best Agatha Christie books. As I’ve said, any Agatha Christie is a re-read for me, because I read them all in my teens and twenties. I’m starting to be a little concerned about my memory, because I didn’t remember this one AT ALL. But that was a good thing, because I enjoyed it all over again. I personally wouldn’t put it on my list of the BEST Agatha Christies, but it was good, and it was the first Miss Marple book. It was fun to see how her character was introduced.
In between these two “retreats”, I read this:
It was also on Meredith’s top 10 of 2024 list. I really liked it, but didn’t love it. The fantasy elements were great, and the mystery was solid. What I didn’t love was, the mystery was a little hard to follow just because of the magic in this world. I like a mystery where I can’t guess the ending, but all the clues were there, cleverly hidden by the author. In this one, you’re just following along as the investigator makes brilliant deductions based on knowledge she has but you don’t, since we don’t yet understand the elements of the world they live in.
BUT- I did really like the characters and wanted to find out what happened to them. That kept me engaged more than the answer to the mystery, and I enjoyed reading it.
Up next:
Allison left a comment on Engie’s blog that she didn’t like Night Film, but did enjoy this book by the same author. I was intrigued, they had it at my library, so I’m reading it! So far so good- thanks, Allison!
By the way, remember my “pro tip” about carpools? Well, the mom who picked up from the boating adventure told me she got there at the appointed time, and then had to wait 45 minutes while they cleaned the boat. See what I mean? Always volunteer to drop off, NOT pick up.
Have you ever read an entire book in one sitting? Ever had a reading retreat?
Top photo by Lilly Rum on Unsplash
32 Responses
That is quite the pro-tip! My days of carpool are probably over, but I’m sure it’s applicable to other situations too.
For whatever reason, I’m always getting Marsha Pessl and Erin Morgenstern mixed up and they don’t even write in the same genre!
I like the idea of declaring a “reading retreat” whenever there’s time for one!
Yes, I guess my tip could be applied to some different situations! I’m not sure if I know Erin Morgenstern, but I’m guessing the two of them are quite different!
My hold for “I’m thinking of ending things” just came in, so I’ll see if I can follow your recommendation to read in one sitting!
I would rather pick up , though, even with waiting. I hate when people are running late when I’d trying to get them somewhere. I’d prefer to sit in a parking lot with a book and collect them after the adventure than try to herd the cats getting there. Between the two if us, we’d have both ends covered!
Okay, that’s funny because you would have HATED the dropping off situation that day- one girl was running late, another boy was supposed to be at the other kids house but he wasn’t so we had to pick him up separately… it was kind of a fiasco. i would still rather do that than pick up though. You’re right- we would be a good carpooling pair!
I love your “mini reading retreat” idea! Such a smart way to carve out space for something so nourishing.
Your Sunday sounded like the perfect solo day: run done, house to yourself, nap, and a book! Bliss.
And I really hope the pick-up mom brought a book for that 45-minute boat wait… otherwise, ouch!
Yes, I hope she had a book! I definitely would have had one with me. In spite of my best efforts, I do pick up sometimes- a book is crucial.
It’s been a while since I carpooled but I was always the “take them there” person. Mostly because I can’t stay awake at night!
It’s funny you mention memory. I read a book and finished it on Sunday evening. Monday morning I sat down to write a review of it and thought “wait, how did it end again?” Like, it was less than 10 hours since I finished it and I couldn’t remember. This is the problem for me with books that tie everything up neatly at the end. I like some messiness and some ambiguity, because then I actually remember and think about it!
Ha ha… I was going to say that maybe the book was lacking a little something, if you couldn’t remember it the next day!
Totally agree on the carpool thing! I’d much rather get it out of the way, and also, I feel like with my kids the pick up time often “depends”, so then I’m sitting around waiting for a text that they’re reading to get picked up…
And wow, so much reading! How fun, and impressive! I read almost an entire book on the way home from Denmark, but that is definitely rare for me! I can’t remember the last time otherwise I read a whole book in one sitting.
I will say, the two books I read in one sitting were short. The Reid is just over 200 pages and goes VERY quickly.
I’m a fast reader but I don’t think I’ve ever read an entire book in one sitting! Probably because if I like a book a lot, I want to savor it so it doesn’t end!
Good call on the carpool situation. Even though you had an early wake-up for your run, it was for the best since I’m sure it was hot, and then you had the rest of the day to yourself!
Yes, if I was going to run outside I had to get up early anyway. And… there are definitely books I want to savor. I wouldn’t want to read them too fast- these two were fairly short mysteries that definitely lent themselves to a quick read.
I can only think of one book I’ve read in a single sitting – We Were Liars. I have a vivid memory of reading it. It was in my single, pre-kids days so sitting and reading a book for hours was possible and now I wonder why I didn’t do that more!
Drop off sounds like the much better job when car pooling! Waiting around at the end would be annoying and sometimes pick-ups can be quite late at night which is not great for me since I like to be asleep around 10pm!
Isn’t it interesting that you have a vivid memory of reading it? There’s something about reading a book in one sitting that intensifies the experience.
Yes, that’s the other thing- pickups can be at night. Even if it’s not late, I’d prefer not to drive in the dark if I don’t have to.
What I remember about “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” is that I couldn’t put it down and then I was super annoyed by it when I finished. LOL. So glad you got to get a couple of mini reading retreats in! They sound like a lot of fun.
That carpool tip IS a hot one! I will keep it in mind.
I know some people didn’t understand the ending- but I think that was more in the movie. I can’t even imagine how they made a movie out of this book- I can see how it would be hard to figure out what happened.
I read that Calamity Physics book years ago and I am pretty sure that I really liked it (but I can’t remember! You’re not the only one!)
I definitely like to be the drop off one!! Even for evening games, I will take my friends kids early so they can practice before but then I go home to bed! Sometimes the pickups are after ten pm!
Yep, that is DEFINITELY a reason to drop off- late night pickups are to be avoided if possible.
No, I have not read a book in one sitting. I am having a bit of a retreat this weekend. Coach is flying to see his brother and family with 9 kids. He’s taking the youngest 3 girls and the older kids mostly have plans. I will have time to myself. I hope to tackle a few writing projects.
Rae just attended a retreat. Friends who live nearby drove her there and back for 3 days. At 10:37 Saturday night – another mom whose daughter was attending but who lives opposite direction asked if we could pick up her kid after the retreat ended at noon Sunday and they would get her from our house. It was too late to ask the other family if they had space in their car so we just said sure. The carpool family did not have more space in their car, so coach went to pick up Rae and the other girl. He had to wait 45 min in the car bc it went long. That was stinky but he handled it better than I would have.
Yes, that’s the plight of the picker-upper. Sometimes it’s unavoidable though.
I hope your retreat this weekend is everything you’re hoping for!
That’s a funny.
When we would boat and dock on an island I wouldn’t leave until I read an entire book. No distractions.
I recently read a whole in my train to NYC.
When I’m home there’s always something that needs to be done. I only read in bed.
Okay, you win- boating out to an island and reading an entire book sounds like the best “retreat” ever. I agree it’s usually hard to get a lot of reading time at home. I’m hoping to get some reading done on my upcoming trip- at least on the days I’ll be flying.
I like the mini reading retreats! I’m not sure if I’ve ever read a book in one sitting, but I’ve had some pretty quick finish times. The closest that I’ve ever come to a reading retreat is when we go to the beach. Then it’s a given that I’ll be reading 3-4 books in a week.
That sounds like a reading retreat to me! You’re not alone, but it sounds like you get plenty of time to yourself to read.
I sort of feel like my entire life is a reading retreat. Ha. I read whenever I get a chance, but I’ve never gone somewhere for the sole purpose of reading. There was a period of time during COVID when I felt like my entire life was a big reading retreat. I was sort of underemployed and I had a lot of time on my hands. Those were the days.
I’ve certainly read novellas at one time, but it’s not a normal activity for me, that’s for sure!
That would explain how you read so many books! I think when you get in the habit of picking up a book at any moment, you find more and more time to read.
Oh yes, I have definitely read multiple books in one sitting! A few times a year, I think. Usually it’s started in an early evening and I just can’t put it down and stay up too late. #BadHabit
I am the worst at remembering the plot points of fictional stories. It feels like it’s in one eye and out the other. BUT, I almost always remember how a book made me feel. Did I love it? Was I entertained? Was I satisfied. Frankly, I read too many books and have too many other things going on in life to give valuable brain space to remembering book plots. Also, I think it just comes very naturally to some people. My husband loves movies and he can see a movie once and remember so many quotes and plot points. I could watch the same movie a month apart and literally forget everything about how things work out. He’s also insanely good at memorizing song lyrics. The irony is that in university, I was Queen Memory. I was very, very good at memorizing and understanding academic things, but it’s like I got so good at triaging what was going to be graded vs. what was just for fun. He’s the opposite. Studying for a test felt more difficult than remembering entire dialogues from movies. We all have our talents! (BTW, my husband is incredibly intelligent, we just very much remember different things.)
Haha! Pickups are hard! They never give the right time!
Awesome work with all the reading! I love that you were blessed to find the time to get in so many books!
My closest thing to a reading retreat is a plane ride — or flight delay, like the 6 hours I spent in Logan airport reading Atmosphere. When I settle in for an afternoon of reading at home, it usually turns into a lot of catnapping!
Good work carving out those chunks of time. I’m sort of missing when my husband was sorting out his parents’ house and would go over and stay with his brother for the weekend to get it sorted as I got a lovely chunk of reading time without having to actively claim it.
That reading retreat is wonderful. I love that you are able to create your own retreat even if it is at home or local. When I was sick with COVID I was home for about 3 or 4 days and I read a few books during that time. It was either that or watch TV. Even with that much time at home I didn’t read a book in one sitting, but I did read more books during that time.
That is a great pro-tip about being the drop-off person, not the pick-up person! I never even thought about that. Alas, I am not doing much carpool in my single, childfree life haha.
I have read a few books in a single sitting! I really want to read I’m Thinking of Ending Things, but I’m not great with scary/disturbing books so it may not be for me!