How I surpassed my 2024 reading goal 📚

In 2022, I only read 8 books. This year I read 35, increasing my reading consumption by more than 300%. Here’s how I did it.

In middle school and high school, I used to get through books like they were candy. I made nearly weekly visits to the public library and bookstores were my ideal destination for retail therapy. There were some mornings where I would intentionally wake up early before school so I could get in extra reading time.

Despite this dedication, my leisurely reading plummeted when I got to college due to extracurriculars and an intense course load. Also, my mental health was a little rocky and the usual solace I found in books didn’t seem to do the trick in conjunction with seeing a therapist and taking medication. Post-graduation, I yearned to get back into reading as a hobby. I missed the rush and thrill of being captivated by a novel and feeling accomplished when I finished it.

I restarted using my Goodreads account (I currently use Storygraph to track my reading. You can follow me here.) and joined a local book club in 2021. My attendance to meetings was abysmal, and I was in the middle of an intense professional transition. However, I refocused the following year. Fast forward to today, and although my reading consumption isn’t yet back at the same level it was in grade school, I’m proud of where I am and the gradual progression I’ve made. In 2022, I only read 8 books. Now, I’m finishing the year with having read 35 books. That’s an over 300% increase in books read!

Here’s how I got my reading back on track.

From 2022 to 2024 my reading increased by about 325%. I read eight books in 2022, 23 in 2023, and 35 books this year. (Screenshots from Goodreads and Storygraph.)

👥 Joining book communities

Members of the book club Black Women on the Same Page at our December Book Exchange. Photo credit: Bria Hunt.

In February 2023, I helped start a book club for Black women in Austin called Black Women on the Same Page. Every month, we read books by Black women and, or non-binary authors. Some of our picks this year included Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Chain Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, and The Davenports by Krystal Marquis.

I also help spearhead a virtual book club for the Steamy Lit Bookstore where we prioritize reading books from underrepresented romance authors. Some of this year’s picks included An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera, This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan, and The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez.

These two communities, as well as my friends who are also book lovers, motivate me and hold me accountable when it comes to achieving my reading goals. Plus, there’s a pretty much a built-in guarantee that I’ll at least be reading two books a month throughout the year.

😌 Becoming okay with DNF’ing books

I’m a recovering perfectionist so not finishing a book used to really irk me. I now realize, however, not finishing a book is not a sign of failure but rather a reflection of how in tune I am with myself and my likes and dislikes.

DNF’ing books that are a slog to get through can gave me more time to read books I actually enjoyed. Time is precious, so don’t waste it on consuming something you don’t like.

🪪 Making use of my library card

Get a library card NOW. Like, seriously. Log out of whatever window or app you’re reading this blog post from, and get a library card if you haven’t done so.

I can’t afford to buy every book I want (though my checking account may say otherwise 👀), so borrowing books from the library helps cut costs. Plus, I love the convenience and how I can easily borrow e-books and audiobooks via apps like Libby and Hoopla.

🎧 Listening to audiobooks

I used to be a physical book/e-book purist. Thankfully, I’ve unlearned such ableist ways of thinking and embraced audiobooks. Whether I’m driving, cooking, cleaning, or crafting, nine times out of 10 I’m listening to an audiobook. There are even times when I’ll be reading a book while simultaneously consuming the audiobook when I’m on the go. If anything, I think listening to audiobooks enriches the reading experience thanks to talented narrators. Reading doesn’t have to look one kind of way, and you should seriously side-eye anyone who tells you differently.