Whoever said that reading was a hobby was wrong. Reading is a lot more than something you do to kill time. Reading is an adventure that takes you to explore foreign kingdoms and meet extravagant and magical characters. Reading is what gives us, day after day, the strength to believe in our dreams. And that’s precisely why you need to treat your reading time with respect. If you’re the kind of reader who needs only a book and a chair to dive into a story, now’s the time to pimp up your reading ritual. It’s time to see how you could take the experience a little further.




Stage the scene

Every avid book lover needs a reading nook, a safe place where you can escape from everyday reality and enjoy a brand new world. Indeed, your cozy reading nook can take the experience to the next level. What makes the best reading spot, you ask? It’s simple. Everything starts with a quiet and peaceful place in your home. Don’t just think of your nook in terms of a comfortable chair and a few pillows. It’s a place where you can keep your favorite books and relax while diving into a new novel. Ideally, you want a couple of shelves – or just one if the room is small, but make sure to swap your books regularly. You can create an ever-changing decor to match your mood. Pillow covers and sofa throws are the best solutions to introduce a vast range of colors and stage your nook to match your current book.



Create a themed meal

If you’re the kind of person who could spend hours reading without noticing it, you need to think of snacks that can give life to your favorite books. If you’re reading a novel about an Arabian princess, for instance, why not prepare a simple sharing platter, following the recipes from The Mediterranean Dish? Nothing beats a bowl of homemade hummus with warm pita bread! And you can bring everything together with a lovely cup of Moroccan mint tea, for example. If you’re reading a Victorian novel, swap the mint tea for a mug of Earl Gray.





Should you listen to some music?

I need quiet to read, but not everybody feels comfortable in a completely silent environment. If you need some background noise, it’s a good idea to check the reading playlist on Spotify where you can find a lot of soothing classical music for book lovers. It can even help you to dive deeper into the story if you pick a playlist that matches your book, such as listening to songs that are mentioned in the story, for instance. More and more authors and publishers are creating book-themed playlists for specific titles. There is no right or wrong when it comes to music, but for a lot of readers, it’s the perfect solution to discover new layers to the story.



Don’t let the story disappear just now

Give yourself some time when you’ve finished a book before you move to the next one. Let the main characters linger a little in your mind. Sleep on it and enjoy the feeling of letting the story mature in your mind and uncovering new paths. You’ll see, your experience could be a lot sweeter for it!




Reading a book will never be just a hobby. It’s an experience. And, as such, it deserves your full attention, from staging the scene at home to following the characters’ culinary journey.



How do you enhance your reading experience?




*This is a collaborative post.