ALLISON MARTIN

This is a very easy question to answer but also difficult to explain.

Main reason I love every book I read is because I don’t read books I don’t like.

The more complicated version is that it comes down to 5 things that I am about to poorly illustrate.

1. I DNF books super fast. I’ve been reading my whole life and have also written over 20 novels (not all of which have seen the light of day), so I can tell almost immediately if I’m not going to like a book. Sometimes I don’t make it past the first sentence before I NOPE that shit to the second hand book store.
2. I’m like a golden retriever dressed up in a black cat costume. I look kinda mean but I love everyone and everything. I’m very empathic so it’s pretty easy for me to understand why characters behave in ways that don’t serve them even if I would have done different. Let people be who they are and see if they grow along the way.
3. I don’t allow myself to be ‘influenced’. I take recommendations from people and creators I trust. It does not take me long to know if a creator and I have similar vibes. But in the same breath, if a creator liked a book I didn’t I don’t write them off either. I have pretty developed critical thinking skills and no interest to fit in.
4. I read only 1 and 2 star reviews. I know, it sounds pretty backward, but I love shadow work and facing inner demons, so I know that if people are going off on a rant about a book, there’s a good chance I like what they hate. Especially if it’s about a FMC being ‘insufferable’. I love complex women. I support women’s wrongs. I can’t stand purity culture. Sign me up to women behaving badly!
5. I’m a mood reader, so if I’m in the mood for something there’s a high chance I’m going to love it. I ate up every Emily Henry book in like a month because I was down bad for some rom com but also SUUUPER picky (I DNFd 12 books that month. TWELVE) so it was more that I was in the mood for the author and not the genre. Currently, I have THREE dark academia books on the go and am devouring them because that’s what I’m in the mood for.

Bonus reason is that hating things takes up a lot of energy, and I’m too lazy for that shit.

If I think a book is problematic I don’t platform it and instead support marginalized authors with my dollar bills, because my anxiety doesn’t do loud activism.

If I don’t like a book, I DNF it and never give it another thought because I’m already knee deep in a new story I love.

The biggest thing that keeps me on the path to banger reads is the acceptance of my own mortality. I literally don’t have time to waste on things that poison my heart with hate.

Current Reads:

Blood Over Bright Haven – ML Wang

Immortal Dark – Tigest Girma

Relistening to Legendborn – Tracy Deonn