So up until somewhat recently, I’ve struggled to really get into reading. Which is part of the reason I haven’t really been posting. (Although let’s be honest, the past couple of years have been pretty crazy for all of us!) Anyways, today I want to share with you how I fell in love with reading again. And to start off, I want to share with you my reading patterns so you can see how it worked for me.

In 2019 I read a total of 7 books
In 2020 I read a total of 8 books
In 2021 I read a total of 164 books! (and I didn’t start reading until July!)

To do this I followed one “rule”: I only read what I want to read RIGHT now.

This is not the book that’s been sitting on my shelf forever that I feel I need to read.

This is not the book my friend recommended to me.

This is not the book I downloaded two days ago that sounded super cool, but when I read the synopsis now makes me feel ‘meh’.

This isn’t even the book I’m in the middle of that I’ve suddenly lost interest in.

This means if I want to re-read a book I’ve already read seven times – go for it!

If I want to reread just one chapter from a book I love – go for it!

If I want to read nine books about werewolves in a row – awesome!

I know this sounds like a really simple, silly rule, but for me it’s changed the reading game. As you can tell by the numbers. I haven’t necessarily been reading high quality stuff, but I’ve been reading stuff I enjoy. And I no longer feel guilty about not reading stuff I feel like I “should” read. If I ever look at a book and I’m just like ‘meh’, if I ever have the opportunity to read but choose not to because a book isn’t grabbing me at that moment, I read something else. And that’s okay.

I’ve also accepted that for me, ebooks just make more sense. I know a lot of people love a hard copy book, and it is definitely a unique and nostalgic experience. But I realistically just don’t reach for physical books that often. I practically live with my phone glued to my hand, which means an ebook is always just a swipe away. Heading to the bathroom? Read a page or two. Taking a break at work? Read a couple of pages. Commercial break on TV? Read some more.

I might not use this strategy forever, but it has reignited my love of reading. As an adult I no longer have to read anything. So I just read what I want. 😛 I’ve discovered new genres and worlds that I don’t think I would have if I just stuck to my TBR.

What’s your favorite way to get out of a reading slump? What do you think about this “rule”?

❤ Annette

P.S. As of today I’ve read 72 books in 2022!