2023 Reading Goal of 40 books with Last Year Recap & Tips for Reading More

My reading goal for the new year is to read 40 books! I don’t normally set New Year’s resolutions, but last year I decided my goal would be to get back into reading. I think I’m finally getting back into the routine! I’m sharing my reading goal to keep me accountable and sharing the books I’m reading on my Instagram in case it gives you inspiration for your own next read.

Recap of my 2022 reading goal

Back in the day

When I was a teenager, I read all the time, staying up late to binge read my stack of books from the library. I remember my favorite reads were things like Harry Potter, R.L. Stine, 1984, and The Hot Zone. I fell off reading after college and hadn’t really picked up a book since then.

The book cover of "Crying at H Mart" has two sets of chopsticks holding long noodles

Reading Goal of 12 books in 2022

My 2022 goal was to try reading again. I missed binge reading books and thought it would help me stay off my phone more. My goal was 12 books and I surpassed it by reading 25! Passing my goal gave me the confidence to aim higher for this year.

For my first year trying to read, I had a stack of books I already owned and slogged through. Some took months to read. I used friends and social media recommendations to help add to my reading list and venture out of what I already owned.

Books I finished in 2022

These are the books I read in 2022. I keep track and add my rating to Goodreads, but I’m open to other recs for documenting!

“People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry
“Crying in H Mart” by Michelle Zauner
“The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You” by Julie Zhuo
“A Promised Land” by Barack Obama
“The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy” by Thomas J. Stanley
“Nine Pints: A Journey Through the Money, Medicine, and Mysteries of Blood” by Rose George
“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
“Arsenic and Adobo” by Mia. P. Manansala
“Homicide and Halo-Halo” by Mia P. Manansala
“The Design of Everyday Things” by Donald A. Norman
“All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr
“The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing” by Melissa Bank
“A Web for Everyone: Designing Accessible User Experiences” by Sarah Horton
“The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future” by Chris Guillebeau
“National Parks: The American Experience” by Alfred Runte
“It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover
“Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know” by Malcolm Gladwell
“I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” by Erika L. Sánchez
“Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love” by Marty Cagan
“My Dark Vanessa” by Kate Elizabeth Russell

The book cover of "Homicide and Halo-Halo" has an illustration of a woman with dark hair holding a cup of halo-halo dessert

Where I source books for my reading goal

Book recommendations

When deciding what books to read, I will ask friends or usually go to #booktok on Instagram and TikTok. The social recommendations have really helped me get back into reading. Books that are recommended by several people help me decide to add it to my list.

Local public library

I get most of my books from the Austin Public Library! It helps me save money from having to buy books and I feel more accountable to finish the book if I have a due date. I love my local library! Using my online library account, I store my reading list, get on the book waiting list, and request for holds on books to be sent to my local library allowing me to go in and out to pick it up without needing to find it on the shelves.

Thrift stores

I also source books from the thrift stores. Some thrift stores have better and larger book selections than others. For me, it’s exciting to browse the shelves and come across a title I recognize! It’s a low cost way of adding to my personal bookshelf.

Bookstores or online shopping

I rarely buy new, full-price books from bookstores because I want to save money and reduce clutter. There are a few occasions where I’ll buy a book, like if it has a super long waiting list at the library, I need a book for vacation quickly, or I want to own it.

The book cover of "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" has a woman with a green dress

Keeping track of my reading goal

I am using Goodreads and Instagram stories to keep track of my reading goal.

Goodreads has a Reading Challenge that I’ve set my goal of 40 books to. I don’t love the app or outdated interface, but it’s the first one I tried and haven’t moved to something better yet. I add my rating and like to read others’ reviews here. If you have recs for other book apps, send them my way!

I am also taking pics of the books on Instagram stories, saved in my highlights. This will be a visual way to tap through and see the titles of books.

Tips for reading more

I wanted to offer some tips for reading more if you’re wanting to up your book game this year.

Keep your book in view to remind you to read it. I keep mine on a bookshelf that I walk past every day and it reminds me to pick it up on my way to the backyard or take it to my office to read in between meetings.
Read 2-3 books at the same time. This helps to break up your reading topics depending on your mood. I’m usually reading a work-related book and a fun book at the same time.
Have the next book or books lined up in a queue, it gives you something to look forward to. I am on the waiting list for multiple books at the local library and it’s exciting when they become available.
Don’t be afraid to not finish a book! Last year, I forced myself to finish a couple of not great books for the sake of hitting my goal. This year, I’m going to embrace not finishing books so that I can move on to read something more enjoyable if I’m not feeling it.