Using a novel to learn is a great idea, but it can lead to a lot of frustration and confusion if the book is at a language level that is far above your understanding. You could consider finding books written for young children. These types of books have simplified grammar and sentence forms. The trick with using these books is to not think you are too old for them otherwise, you miss the valuable learning to be made by using them. Another alternative is to find a book and its audio-book. This way you can hear the words being spoken and see how they are written. You may discover that you understand some spoken words that you did not know how to spell. Finally, sometimes learning happens not so much when we are trying but when we are relaxed. So, you could try reading a book and noticing what you do understand. Congratulating yourself and moving on. Does it really matter if you read the same book 50 times? Each time through may reveal more to you than the last time. The trick to using this technique is to pick books written in a style you enjoy to read; crime or science fiction, for example. Best of luck with the learning!

Hi there, I understand your dilemma. I wouldn't learn vocabulary words by rote memory, as my understanding will remain at a very superficial level. Perhaps you can continue to read shorter sections of the English book, sieve out the unfamiliar words and check out their definition(s). Next, take note of how they are used in a sentence. Some words collocate (meaning they are often used together by native speakers and writers).Try to form sentences using your newly-learnt word(s). Many members practise their vocabulary skills by posting their sentences on Italki for native speakers to help them. Give it a try. For a start, try three to five new words a day. Next, check out different word classes of each word. For example, you learn "power" today. Expand your vocabulary by learning how to form sentences using "powerful", "powered" and "powerless". Make sure you scaffold your learning such that the words you learn are somewhat connected to one another. All the best! Cheers, Lance