Since 2014, I've maintained a running book list on the app Goodreads and set reading goals for myself each year. I used to try to push myself to read more and more books each year and for those first few years, I didn't hit the reading goal I had set, so, I started looking at it differently. I started to consider what was going on in the rest of my life and how that will play into how much reading time I have. For example, I got married in September 2014, JP and I planned everything ourselves, and I set my reading goal to 75 books. 75 books while planning a wedding, nope, didn't happen. I read 24 books that year.
In 2023, I had decided I was going to read the super long books that I avoid so I can hit my lofty reading goals. I typically only tackle one 800+ page book per year if I set my goal too high. In 2022, I read Stephen King's The Stand, it is over 1,000 pages and really ate into my progress which is what led me to make that declaration for 2023. That didn't quite go as planned either though. When I interview author's on my podcast I try to read their book(s) ahead of speaking with them whenever possible, definitely can't control the book length there! So, despite my plans, 2023 was a good mix of various length books.
I read the most books in 2019 (53!) and the longest book that year was 739 pages. I read my first Sherlock Holmes, discovered Lucinda Reilly's Seven Sisters series, went wild for Abigail Adam's biographies, and even narrated a book myself. One of my favorite books I read that year was Matt Haig's How to Stop Time, he has since become a favorite author of mine.
In 2023, I finally read David Copperfield and I really enjoyed it. I'm super glad to have read that before reading Demon Copperhead, I had a lot of fun looking for the parallels. One of the most important books I read is Dear Tui, a warning by M.C. Ronen. It is a climate crisis novel that everyone should read.
Here are my stats from 2023
What's the plan for 2024? I set a goal of 30 books and would like to explore authors and perspectives different from my own. Read what interests me, what my guests are writing, and dig more deeply into those books that support this spiritual journey I'm on.
I know there are many people who don't find tracking books meaningful and don't understand why others do so, I totally get it. No judgement here, if you don't want to track books, don't! 😃 I mostly track for two reasons, first, so I don't forget and buy a book I've already read. I get most of my books from the library but it has definitely happened! Second, because having a goal keeps me reading even when I try to tell myself I don't have the time. It's so easy to let go of the things that bring us joy when life feels chaotic, this ensures I still make that time for myself, because, hey, I said I was going to do this!
If you're on Goodreads and want to connect, here's my profile: Kimberly - Goodreads
Tell me in the comments about your reading habits. Are you a tracker too? Do you like writing reviews? Fiction/non-fiction? Favorite genre? You get the idea!
Oh, and if you have recommendations for me, let me know! I'm open to pretty much anything!