recommended books to read books | Austin Macauley Publishers

With the cold and gloomy weather behind us, we cannot wait to step into spring. The winters provided us with many opportunities to hibernate indoors and enjoy some good books. But with spring approaching, we cannot wait to check out some new spring season books.

Creating time and space to enjoy your spring reads is just as important as choosing the right book. We are here to help.

We are going to look at some great places you can kick back and enjoy some spring season books.

Welcoming the Warmth of Spring by Decluttering

Spring is the time for renewal and rejuvenation. After a long cold winter, everyone wants to clean out their closets and declutter their home and life. That means your books too!

A good way to get rid of books you have not read in a while is to schedule a time during your spring holidays to clean out your bookshelves. Instead of disposing of your books, why not exchange them for new ones at your local old bookstore. Better yet, donate to a community library so others can enjoy your favourites too.

You could also lend to your friends who may need something new to read and would love to enjoy a book that you love. Bottom line, if you have read a book then it is always a good idea to clear your shelf for more great books to read.

Now we know everyone sometimes has sentimental value for specific books and you would never want to give away what you consider the best novel of all time. For example, you would never want to give away your first Harry Potter novel. Alternatively, if you have a signed copy from your favourite author, that would not be the book to give away. So before you decide to declutter, ask yourself some questions:

Would I ever re-read the book?
Do I have an emotional attachment to the book?
Is this something that can be replaced with another book that would have more value to me?
If it is a technical or educational book, do you still refer to it for guidance?

Once you have an idea, of what needs to go and what does not you can start the decluttering process. Follow the following steps:

Do not remove all of your books at once. Do it shelf by shelf. This way you will not feel overwhelmed and will be able to look at each book carefully before deciding what needs to go and what stays.
Does a book carry some monetary value because a famous author signs it or because it is an heirloom? Maybe it is considered the best non-fiction book of all time. You can decide whether you want to save it or maybe sell it.
Create piles for the books you want to keep and the ones you want to give away.
If you have magazines, it may be a good idea to separate them and decide which ones you want to keep. Instead of storing them on your bookshelf, you may want to keep a separate plastic box for them.
Any books that are torn or unusable should be disposed of.
In the end, after you have created your donate pile, decide to who you will give your books. You want to make sure whomever you give your books to that they will be used.

Springtime Reading: Why You Should Take the Time to Enjoy Spring Reads

Reading is one of the most relaxing and important self-care activities you can do this spring season. What exactly is it about reading that promotes mental health and a sense of peace?

Well, it is more complicated than you think. When we pick up a book, we are focusing on one thing rather than multitasking, something we do throughout the day. Reading a book especially a fiction book taps into our imagination. This results in reducing stress and creating a relaxing mood.

Doctors have started using reading books as a form of treatment for various mental health problems. In the UK, for instance, doctors have started using a therapy called bibliotherapy. It helps patients who are struggling with anxiety and depression.

This spring season is a great time to catch up on any spring season books you missed. With some extra time during spring break or holiday, be sure to pack a few extra spring reads that you can enjoy. Now you know that reading is not only an enjoyable activity it is important for your mental health.

Places You Can Catch up On Your Spring Season Books

Where can you read your springtime selected books? Well, many places can serve as great reading spots, but they might not have occurred to you.

Let us go over a few:

The Train

Is your early morning commute bland? Why not liven it up with a great book. The train is a great place to catch up on your reading. It is usually quiet and a place where you will not be engaging with others. It is a great time to catch up on those spring reads you have been meaning to start.

A Restaurant or Hotel Lobby

If you are eating alone or staying in a hotel for business, why not take along a great book you can read. Often people find it awkward to eat alone, but with a selection of the best books to read, you will not feel all by yourself and can enjoy a good meal and a great book to read at the same time.

A Coffee Shop

The coffee shop down at the corner or in the neighbourhood is another great place to read a book. You visit it often, so it is familiar and probably has a few quiet corners that you can use to enjoy some recommended books to read. Why not grab a coffee and catch up on that reading.

The Park

The park is a great place to read a book, especially in the springtime. You want to enjoy the outdoors while also catching some important sunrays. Why not grab some top books to read, a blanket and make it a picnic.

The Beach

The beach is a great place to read a book. With your blanket, towel, and umbrella, you can enjoy a quiet afternoon relaxing with a great selection of top reads.

Create Your Springtime Reading Corner

Another great way to get into the springtime reading mood is to create or redecorate your reading corner. After a long harsh winter, why not add some colour to your reading corner to liven up.

Let us look at some easy and quick ways to redecorate your reading corner this spring:

Adding colour to your walls is a great way to liven up your reading corner. With a few splashes of paint and a bright colour
Add colour through accents. You can put down a bright rug or a colourful throw on your reading chair. Even a colourful art piece and be a great addition.
Change lighting to make it brighter. Why not add a new lamp or new light fixture with a brighter bulb. It can change the mood of your entire corner.
Adding fairy lights or an attractive light globe can brighten up your reading corner. So affordable and easy to do.
Add some greenery to your reading corner by bringing in some plants. Plants add a very nice summary and spring feel. Affordable and pleasing to the eye, you will not regret the green additions.
Add storage bins that are bright and colourful. Why not increase your storage space while adding some colour to your reading corner.
A bright abstract clock can also be a great addition to your reading corner. It will help you keep track of time while also brightening up your space.

Welcome Spring this year with a Good Book

Springtime is here and we have listed great-recommended books to read. With the weather warming up and more opportunities to get out and enjoy the outdoors, why not take along your spring season books.

We hope you enjoyed our recommendations for decluttering and livening up your reading corner just in time for spring. With a fresh start and a new year ahead of us, the time is better than ever to create a nice reading space. You can thank us later!

Connect with Austin Macauley Publishers for more such blogs and submit your manuscript if you are looking for publishing your work. You can also make a quick and easy submission through the online submission form. You can stay updated with our new releases and activities by joining our family of authors and readers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

This book seems interesting!

Man! I wanted to try this genre.

Maybe I should buy this book; the visuals seem stunning.

Now you probably are thinking to yourself these thoughts seem familiar. Well, that means you are one of the very large group of people who cannot seem to take their hands and money off that one corner of a stationery shop. There is something so captivating about that corner that lures a bookaholic into the designated buying trap. Once you find yourself there, the urge of buying everything will not wear off until you get your hands on them. As a person who loves books, the temptation of buying and adding a new book in that TBR pile is a temptation we cannot resist, do not worry we understand, there is just nothing better than diving into the pages of a great book. We all have been in that very similar situation time and time again. Passing by that book store or that magical book-corner without giving it a visit seems impossible..

Read onto the blog to find out ways of conquering your TBR Pile. Let’s go together!

Make it necessary to read

“Life is short and TBR lists are long.”

― Katja Millay

Chances are that you were all riffled up to start reading that book, but to be honest, you just could not find the time. You’ve scheduled a relaxing day reading the book top of your TBR pile but, ding dong, the doorbell goes, you see a pile of clothes just as big as your TBR pile that needs washing, suddenly it’s the end of the day and you have not been able to sit down with your book. Luckily, it’s not that big of a deal and you can still finish the quest of tackling that stake of books, reading should be enjoyable and not a chore so do not force yourself to.

Prioritize and set the daily/weekly/monthly goal challenges

Whenever we start to embark on a journey, what is the first thing we do? Yes, you probably thought of planning it out. Plan your journey of tackling off the respective pile of yours by initiating mini-goal challenges for daily/weekly/monthly TBR book reading. Select the books you want to finish off in that specific period and decide on which among the selected ones you would like to read first. Considering the books you select, you can set goals on how you are going to do it. Set challenges for completion of goals and don’t feel defeated up if you could not complete them every time…Success is usually built on many small victories.

Associate a positive reinforcement with reading

What is reinforcement? It is something that mitigates encouragement in you and pushes you onward with motivational cues to keep on repeating the same behaviour that resulted in that specific outcome. So? How to read faster? Try aligning positive reinforcement with reading. How can one do that? You can reward yourself with something that will ensure the possibility of a similar pattern of behaviour in future. Pat yourself on the back every time you receive that positive outcome after reading a little bit more of that book.

Stop stacking up the shelf

Though there may seem a lot of interesting books to read and buying it will satisfy your thirst but, sometimes the problem lies in ‘our buying behaviour’ pattern. Sometimes it’s not the interest for book reading that makes us make that buying decision but rather it’s our underlying impulsive reaction. Take it as a stimulus for initiating action, good or bad. If that is the case, then it’s time to make it stop. Time to find the reason for this obstructive buying pattern. Try examining your environment for any underlying red flags that bring about that reaction from you. Set yourself boundaries to curb that thirst, for example only purchase a book when you have finished two existing books.

Don’t buy the book because it’s visually appealing

A good book is the one that captivates the reader through the essence of the story. However, chances are that the readers or non-readers might fall for appealing cover and not for the actual book. We’d suggest all the booklovers or non-readers out there to go for the comprehensive note at the end of the book or skim through the contents before making the buying decision.

Keep track

How about tracking the books you buy, read and even those which you have not touched in a while? How about tracking them in excel log or online tracking software or even a list in a notepad? You can keep a record of every book purchase and mark the ones you have finished and the ones that are still sitting in a dust-coated old shelf. This will surely keep you in check and even result in reducing unnecessary book purchases.

Buy books that interest your taste

“I am addicted to reading, I will never reach the end of my TBR list because it multiplies all by itself. It is not my fault; I was born this way.”

― Lani

There are chances of you buying a book just because someone recommended or gifted it to you. But it may not necessarily be of your interest. What are you supposed to do now? Firstly, give away that book because you are never going to read it. Gift or donate it. This way, the shame of stocking up the bookshelves will trim down a little. The second thing is to buy books that are of your taste. We got you covered on the latter. Check out our recommended books to read that might be useful to be added up to your “Active Read Shelf”.

Book: 100 X 100
Author: Seena Zarie

Happiness can be found within each of us. Get to know about the tools to unlock happiness in the workplace. Read through this book to manifest what real happiness is about. Who knows, maybe adding it in your active read might do some wonders for that pile.

Book: A Mysterious Marking
Author: Taiba Albahrani

A gripping and tantalizing tale of Amara’s journey full of mysteries, powers and discoveries. Readers will surely enjoy the story and would be able to finish off without adding further to their enormous to be read piles; because it is just that type of mesmerizingly thrilling story. You will have to read it to find out the greatest storylines to have existed.

Book: Divine Decree
Author: Z.A Soliman

In her book, the author explains that each and everything is meant to happen. There is a high decree to everything that happens in our lives. Take this that you are reading this blog because it was bound to happen. It was through the law of nature to get you some help with your reading habits.

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Tag: recommended books to read

Top Reads This Spring Season

Welcoming the Warmth of Spring by Decluttering

Springtime Reading: Why You Should Take the Time to Enjoy Spring Reads