my favourite genres are:

>> psychological horror • mystery • surrealism • alien/lab sci-fi <<

i also like dreamlike/nonsensical stories and stories of other genres that tie into the genres i like (like fantasy horror).

some genres i dislike are:

>> romance (with some exceptions) • high fantasy • survival horror • biographical <<

i read for up to half an hour every night, and once a week i like going to the queer cafe to read for 1-2 hours!

i like reading books in different languages because learning languages feels like a puzzle and i like puzzles! current languages i read in are:

>> english • russian • portuguese • spanish <<

i also self-taught myself beginners' japanese and welsh, though i don't actively practise them so they don't really count xD

apart from it stimulating my stupid aging brain from turning to mush, i find that reading is the best way for me to practise and retain the languages that i learn! i don't know any [insert language here]-speakers irl so i can't practise speaking 😔

immigration 😭 throughout my short life i lived in 3 different countries, and learned their languages out of necessity. as for spanish, i learned it in high school for 3 years (though knowing portuguese definitely helped!).

but if you're fortunate enough to not have to move around the world all the time but still want to learn a new language, i gotcha:

• if you're at the very start of your language learning journey, there's no way around textbooks and workbooks. i personally have never used duolingo and such, but workbooks have helped me a lot with learning grammar and vocab in a no-bullshit, structured way. i also saw those "learn a language through crosswords" workbooks somewhere and that sounds exciting, give it a go! after the B2 level you can ditch the workbooks and start getting immersed with the other methods:
• if you're a gamer, change your game language to your target language! i learned english through minecraft and the sims freeplay, which were only available in english when i was a kid
• alternatively, change your computer's/phone's language to your target language. sounds scary but trust me, you already have muscle memory for where all your options are anyway
• watch youtube videos about your hobbies in your target language. google translate the name of your hobby and input that into youtube search. you can use auto-translated subtitles if you need to
• read books you've already read, but this time in your target language. people recommend reading children's books cuz they're simpler, but i personally can't get into them because it feels way too childinsh (says the loser who reads fnaf xD). so instead try reading a book that you already know so you don't have to worry about not understanding some sentences
• reading comic books/graphic novels in your target language is a good idea too, because you can get missed context from the visuals!
• get a ton of sticky notes and label each item in your house (including furniture, walls, windows, etc) with what they're called in your target language. it's a good way to build up vocabulary for everyday things. as you go about your day, you'll be reminded of those words
• when i read books, i highlight and annotate unfamiliar words. not only does this help me when i need to re-read a passage, but it's also a good visual progress indicator! i love seeing fewer and fewer highlights the deeper i get into a novel
• if you're into movies/dramas, watch them in your target language with subtites that are also in your target language. i'm not sure how to explain it but trust me, it works

i recently bought an ipad and an apple pencil to make my studying more streamlined/portable, but the process is largely the same as with a paper book. i like to go to a cafe to help me focus, and get a latte as a treat. i keep google translate open to the side of my book to quickly search up unfamiliar words, which i highlight and annotate with a pencil.