2024 Reading Reflections
2024 has been a great reading year for me. I have read the most books ever in a single year. I feel like the books I am reading are more diverse than usual, and I definitely pushed myself out of my comfort zone by taking part in not one but two book clubs! Despite these highlights, I’d like to continue to expand my little bookshelf by setting some bookish intentions for the year ahead. So, here are some of my reading reflections for 2024.
I know what interests me in a book
Because of on and off reading slumps, I was able to hone in on my reading interests this year. Thinking back, I now know that I am a big mood reader (someone who has to be in the right mood to read a certain book), and I know what books interest me depending on my mood. If I need something to speed through, I know I can turn to an old favourite, like All My Mothers, Everything I Never Told You or a gripping thriller. If I want to appreciate the writing and character exploration, I know I need something more literary, like After the Rain. Honing in on my reading interests throughout 2024 has helped with my inclination to read more often.
I learnt that it’s okay to be in a reading slump or funk
It hits us all, the dreaded reading slump. I like to call it a reading funk, because the want to read is there, but finding the right book to interest me just isn’t there. I went through quite a few of these spells this year, and it’s disheartening, especially when you just want to read a good book - is it too much to ask?! It took me a while to realise that it is okay to be in one of these moods and that the right book will come along eventually, even if you need to start reading a few pages of five, ten or even 20 books before you find the right story…
Reading numbers and statistics aren’t everything
Bookstagram is a great resource for finding new authors and books to read, and to connect with fellow, like-minded bookworms. For me, however, it can also be a great source of comparison. I tend to get quite disappointed with myself for not finishing a book sooner than I would like to, forever getting hung up on the number of pages I need to read in one sitting, and whether I can finish a book in the short timeframe I have given myself. Why I do this, I don’t know, but I’ve come to realise that numbers aren't everything. It’s more important to take the time to enjoy a book and remember it than reading lots of books and not being able to remember what they are about. I get much more enjoyment out of savouring a book, especially if I am caught up in the story, the characters and/or the exquisite writing. I hope to take this mindset with me into 2025.
With that, I’m off to celebrate the new year and say goodbye to 2024. May 2025 be a prosperous and enjoyable reading year for you!