The year I read with intention, not perfection

As the new year creeps in, I’ve come to the realization that I’ve actually read far more books than I anticipated. Making myself my own case study did the trick. Setting the bar low for my reading goal propelled me into success. I’ve always hyperfixated on reaching a number because I wanted to prove to myself that I could hit a goal, but after deleting the Goodreads app a million times, I forgot about that goal and found myself reading children’s books just to avoid feeling like a failure. Now I’m on book 26 for the year, without any rush, and I’m over the moon because I’m becoming the bookworm I once was.

I tried to keep things fresh by reading an array of genres, straying a bit from my rom-com safety net and venturing more into thrillers and autobiographies.

During the fall, I started “The Housemaid” series after seeing it was getting a film adaptation. A book-to-movie pipeline seems to be a major motivator for picking up a book because I want to offer my two cents on whether the adaptation does it justice. I finished the first book in four hours, so it’s safe to say I’m obsessed. I do think the first book is the best one, but overall it’s a solid series if you enjoy plot twists.

I’ve also done my fair share of rereading because I enjoy going down memory lane. I’ve been listening to “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac on constant repeat this year, with the lyrics “Climbed a mountain and I turned around / And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills” engraved in my brain. The beauty of rereading books you know like the palm of your hand is catching Easter eggs you might have missed the first time. With the upcoming adaptation of “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” I reread the entire series. I’ll never forget reading it in seventh grade out of spite after my teacher told my mom I needed to read an actual book instead of being on Facebook. To be fair, she had a point.

I was browsing the book section at a grocery store the other day when I noticed that the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series is now in the double digits. I remember when it was first released back in elementary school, buying the books and scented erasers at the book fair. One, I’m showing my age. Two, I’m very tempted to read the series. I’m still 50/50 on being team e-book or team physical because I enjoy both and each has its pros and cons, so for now I’ll keep using both formats. Some pieces of literature require a well-loved, flimsy paperback from your local library, while others are perfectly fine as an e-book downloaded onto your iPad. I absolutely refuse audiobooks. They unfortunately, or fortunately, lull me to sleep.

Social media, especially BookTok on TikTok, has also pushed me to read more. To the content creators who offer recommendations based on books I’ve loved, thank you. Most of the time, they hit the nail on the head and introduce me to new bodies of work. By next year, I hope to read between 30 and 40 books. If I don’t, at least I know I’ll still be reading something and that feels like a win.