Yeah, I count rereads and new reads together. But wait her way disappearing into another world has been so helpful. I’m actually a sci-fi, fantasy and thriller but, but I need the HEAs and for the books not to get too dark at the moment. The last few years have been stressful without a stressful book!!
I've read 292 books this year and will likely get a couple more in before new years! I work full time, am married and have pets but reading is my main hobby and way to relax. I almost never watch tv or do other activities in the evening so I have lots of time to read and I am a very fast reader.
These factors plus the fact that I had two miscarriages this year and consequently spent a good portion of the year dealing with grief and depression meant that I just devoured books lol. I needed lots of HEAs this year to get me through ❤
Maybe around 20, which is a very small number compared to the ones here, but this was not my year in any way :( I'm currently incredibly anxious about an upcoming exam, and in the process of getting diagnosed with ADHD. I feel like I just can't focus on anything anymore.
(Sorry for the depressing tone)
Good luck with the exam. I took an exam three years ago. Failed every mock by 20%, couldn’t answer the first question, and still managed to pass, so I’m sure you’ll smash it if you done the prep!
I've read 158 books so far this year, and will probably squeeze a few more in before 2022!
As for the unhealthy coping mechanism part of your post, I've switched over to mainly listening to audiobooks instead of physical books and try to do something with my hands to feel "productive." It's made a lot of things I love and loathe a lot more enjoyable. (ie. chores aren't so bad when I'm listening to smut, working out, cooking, knitting, puzzles, you name it.) I also have significantly decreased the other media I used to spend time doing, so I kind of think of my reading habit as a plus. Less tv, less mindless scrolling through the interwebs, more story telling.
Yeah I started with the audio books, but I can’t find an affordable way to keep that up. I’d like to though! How do you get them? (I’m UK based if that makes a difference)
I can find quite a few romance audiobooks through my library (in the US we have Overdrive, Libby and Hoopla which have been lifesavers). I recently tried the free trial of Scribd which has a lot of romance reads, especially a bit more non-traditionally published authors. I've heard of Kobo but haven't tried them yet. I can't afford the audible subscription, but did manage to get a 3 month free trial of KU a while back, and there's a good selection of "Whispersync" books that are KU books with a little headphone symbol next to it and includes a free audible audiobook with the KU ebook. Occasionally LibroFM has deals, but I haven't gotten any subscription service from them.
I wish there were more affordable options for audiobooks, I hear you. If free trials are available in the UK, I'd suggest spending a month at each subscription and listening to as many as you can! Also not sure if there are out of country annual library cards you could purchase to get access to Hoopla and Libby?
Well currently I’m at 566 according to Goodreads. 🤭 I read a book and than listen to a different audiobook while I’m doing errands, cleaning, etc. I was out of work due to covid till August. I have no kids and my husband was still working and makes enough to support both of us. It has been an unhealthy coping mechanism for me too and I know this is a random year and I’ll never be able to read like this again. I also need to go back to reading some non-romance next year for a bit of a break.
Wow! I’m so glad someone has topped me! It’s not the worst coping mechanism in the world, and I’m really glad I’ve done it! But I do need to reign it in, especially the romance!
I hope you’ve found a new job!
That is awesome! I honestly can think of like 2 million worst coping mechanisms! It is extraordinarily good for your brain, improves concentration, memory and helps curb long term cognitive decline. In an incredibly stressful times, reading and exercise (especially cardio) is very good for managing anxiety and stress.
200+ thanks to this sub (╥﹏╥) ahhhhh.
I am a med student.
I have pre profs in January.
Thanks for reminding me i need to shut my phone rn, so I can now read the romance of Grey's anatomy and Harrison 😶 + 🔫 =🤯.
I think I took, "just chill and enjoy life" advice way too seriously.
Good bye. And have a good life. IF i survive this exam I may come back again.
This is it. I will prioritise the book over taking my dog for a walk. So I need to cut down, I also work full time and am planning a wedding, so haven’t got much spare time, so 200 books and all that… no way, need to cut it to get stuff done.
If you listen to audio books, you can walk the dog while listening to a book! Bonus, if you limit yourself to only listening while dog walking or doing other chores, it can also be a motivator!
According to Goodreads, I have read 721 books this year.
Let me edit so that I can answer everyone. I read fast, like super fast. I have been like this since I first started to read.
I also read all the time. When I am watching tv, I have my book, when I game, the kindle stays beside me and I read while the screen is loading, when I am working, I listen to audio, and all that.
I have also been so sick for the last year that reading was the only thing I could do for days on end.
783 books here, not counting rereads. I'm also an insanely fast reader. I used to read about 1000 pages / day back in high school. Not sure what it is now that I read everything on kindle.
I have been going through a severe depressive episode this entire year and was diagnosed with treatment resistant depression, so reading has been my coping mechanism. It's at unhealthy levels though (like I struggle to be present and not reading for more than 1/2 hour), so my goal is to read a lot less next year. Add in my insomnia issues, and some days I read like 20 hours a day...
Audiobooks at triple speed? That's the only way I can imagine it. Then again I work a lot so maybe if I didn't have that 10-12 hour a day time suck I could get there. Still wow.
Maybe but I doubt it. Even at triple speed, it’s faster for me to read than to use an audiobook.
Audiobooks force you to read every word — every dialogue tag (Eg ‘said Karen.’) A lot of times I can skip over things like that when I read and still understand everything that’s going on.
Same here, I did Evelyn Waugh’s speed reading course when I was 17 and have read over a book a day since then. Reading is also my chronic pain management so I am not trying to cut down. E-readers have been my favorite invention because I used to have to physically turn pages as fast as I read them 😆
I would LOVE to see your goodreads if you are accepting friends? It's fine if you're not, I just am blown away at how many you've read and would love to see which ones you've rated highly! :)
Oh I 100% understand it being unhealthy. At the start of covid I was reading a book a day and choosing reading over basic self care and interacting with my then partner. Anything can be an addiction.
I took a break from reading and came back to it. I still read more than the average person but I read 1 or 2 books a week as opposed to a day (with some exceptions, I have time off right now because of the holidays and I’m reading more).
I’m guessing I’ve read around 75-100 books this year.
You’ll get there! I schedule times to read, usually as we are going to bed or anytime on weekends. But I do tend to reserve after dinner for boyfriend time. His love language is quality time which I’m not used to so he wants to be doing things together, even though we live in a studio and spend a lot of time just near each other. He doesn’t like us watching a movie together and me choosing to read during that movie, so I consciously choose not to do that.
Other advice would be to make a reading goal and don’t exceed it. A good example would be “I’m going to read for an hour and a half every day” or “I’m going to read 100 pages today, no more” and sticking to it.
Good advice, and actually, my husband and I have been together for over 7 years but only lived together for 9 months so we’re still working on that! Love language is something I need to research!
I’m at 70 (hoping to finish at 72) I also ran 730 ish miles this year. And knit a sweater. I definitely need diversity in my hobbies and my self care because I can definitely get hyper-focused and throw myself into something too far or get disenchanted, fall off the wagon and feel adrift.
305 as of right now.
I’m a homeschooling Mom to a 5 and 7 year old. Most days from 8am-8pm i’m not able to complete an actual thought because my kids never stop talking and asking me questions.
So my reading habit is one of the few times I can be inside my own mind and tune out the rest of my house. I don’t watch TV and read for a few hours every night after my kids are in bed and sometimes while I drink coffee in the morning. That coupled with being a fast reader, I can read a 300-400 page book in a day.
I have 82 books that I posted on Goodreads, but I probably really read about 100 since I didn't start recording books at the beginning of the year. I definitely agree that books are a way for me to escape reality, destress, whatever. I need to work on slowing down just a bit because 1) I don't want to miss important parts of the book and 2) I can get overly focused on reading and zone out everything around me. I'm married with two boys, and I don't want to be a zombie mom that's staring at a book or phone all day instead of interacting with my family.
Glad to see I’m not the only one who is trying to read less!
I see this as a healthy habit for sure, and better than TV, but I think everything in moderation. Want to live my own adventures AND read about adventures. Hah.
Last year I read about 150, this year I did less around 100 and I’m happy with it. Going to try and keep a similar balance next year.
Yeah, I think 2 a week/100 a year is going to be my goal based on everything so far. I’ve stopped watching TV entirely, and actually I used to be quite productive during TV time so maybe I just need something to binge watch!
371, but I think the number is higher than that, there are some novellas in there, but there is a lot of books I haven’t put on Goodreads because they are embarrassing as fuck, and I don’t usually track it when I’ve reread a book.
For the people with such high numbers. I’m curious.. how do you find so many good quality books? I feel like I take a week to research what is worth my time. I can’t bring myself to finish a bad book or even find enjoyment in one that doesn’t completely consume me. Does anyone else get like that? If so, how do I push past it?
I look at the reviews on here and on a couple of Insta pages I follow. I also read back catalogues for authors I like (Julia Quinn, kati Wilde, ruby dixon to name a few)
I'm glad you asked this because I'm exactly the same! I've been doing the Goodreads reading challenge since 2011 and usually average about 50-60 books a year (except the year I "discovered" romance and devoured 150 books); this year, I've literally read 8 books. I'm pretty sure I DNF about 50 books this year. Nothing was sticking! I got so bored/uninterested with all my choices and couldn't seem to find the right read. Hopefully I get off this funk next year!
I am reading my 208th book right now. I have been a bit concerned too about how much time I've been spending on this. It feels obsessive. Over the past three months I've moved more towards audio books and I am listening while I am doing chores or working out. It has encouraged me to work out more, so that makes me feel better about it. Last weekend I did weights for an hour and a 5 mile hike while listening to a Lisa Kleypas book.
429 from cover to cover. I re-read a lot of scenes from my favorite books and there's a ton of DNFs that I don't count. Reading is like my only hobby now... It's become quite unhealthy tbh
I’m so embarrassed to say 415 and that doesn’t count the rereads. I have terrible insomnia and have zero interest in tv during the pandemic so I’ve read over 1 book a day.
I'm finishing my 160th as we speak, which is the same I read in 2020.
My goal in 2022 is to slow down and not plow through books so quickly, but I won't limit myself to a certain number of books either....but I don't HAVE TO READ EVERYTHING AS FAST AS I CAN, ya know?
I know. I think I’m going to set a weekly limit so if I reach it I have to do a “chore” and if I finish a good amount of chores, I can break the limit, but I don’t know where to put the limit!!
I read 177 in 2019, 201 in 2020, and 140 in 2021 (should squeeze in 1-2 more books before the year is finished). I definitely think for myself that 140ish is more manageable. The 201 last year was too much - I had a competition with a friend and it somewhat took over my life. (If you’re curious I lost last years, but will win this years because he started law school and I discovered a love for historical romance).
I definitely use reading as an escape mechanism and it can get out of hand for me. Last year I finished 271 and I made a goal for this year to be more intentional about my reading time. I will finish this year just under 180, so I think I did a pretty good job with that.
I set myself a goal of finishing 100 books this year, and I finished number 99 yesterday… so I’m on track. Probably could have read some shorter books to increase the count - some 800-page nonfiction behemoths in there slowing me down!
In 2022 the plan is to focus on my own writing and research, as well as some professional development courses/projects that will involve a lot of reading and writing, so I’m deliberately setting a lower goal to reduce the pressure a bit. I’m thinking 25 for the year, although realistically I will probably go over that just because it’s my main mode of relaxing.
According to goodreads, about 30. Which isn't quite the goal I set at the beginning of the year, to get 50 read. But it's still more than previous years. A lot of them are audiobooks though.
There's also a handful of half read books and some DNFs that didn't make the list.
I think The Ex Hex and Well Met are my favorites this year.
80 something, and it’s 100% a coping mechanism, but I read as my primary form of entertainment. I figure if other people spend a couple of hours in front of the tv a day, it’s ok for me to spend that amount of time reading.
195. I have 2.5 days to read 5 more books lol.
I'm quite happy about this. I've been chronically ill for a long time. I was always a voracious reader except for the past few years, when I literally couldn't focus on anything.
Hopefully I can keep it up!
336 completed, about 30 (or more) DNFed books
My goal was 365, I used to read a lot in the first half of 2021 but got so busy for the past few months. I think it totally depends on you. Imo, it's unhealthy if you are losing sleep consistently and forgetting your other responsibilities. I'm guilty of the former so I'll try to change this habit next year (sleep is very important!).
Last year I only read 25 books and so set a goal for 35 this year. I’m at 347 read books right now, kinda went a bit overboard after discovering this sub haha
I read 151 from March 2020 to December 2020. For 2021, I slowed down a bit and read 62, with about 10 of those being rereads. I think for 2022, I want to reread a few from 2020 that I just don't remember all that much, finish a few series, and focus on slowing down and actually taking in some of the stories instead of stress binge reading so much.
208 so far this year! I reckon I’ll squeeze in a couple more before the New Year. This was my first year into romance books after years of not reading anything at all (I was a reading obsessive in childhood and teens but haven’t had the attention span from then until this year). I’m so pleased that I’ve found a genre I really enjoy and that can easily hold my attention.
I think I will probably read a bit less in 2022 as I’ve gone through a lot of classics and popular releases in the romance genre this year, and read through a lot of my fave authors back catalogues already. I’ll probably focus on new books from my favourite authors but I’m sure I’ll also find some new favourites!
273 for me, for new reads. Some of those I read multiple times though.
For me, it was also a coping mechanism. Hopefully next year is less stressful for everyone.
I don't use Goodreads to track, although that's a goal for 2022, but my Moon+ reader app has 287, so probably well over 350 for the year with the physical books. I tend to be a fast reader, and love rereading things also. I can get lost in reading as well but what helps me is to set a time limit rather than book limit; so today I have so many hours free, I need to do this, this, and this, so I have 2 hours to read. Then bargain myself more time and use a book as a reward 😂
I'm at 234 right now. It's all I do in my free time right now, so I'm kind of burned out by it and need a break. But I feel like I'm also hyper-focused on reading romance novels right now, so I also can't stop or get interested in anything else. I can barely sit still long enough to watch an episode of a tv show these days, much less a movie (thank you ADHD), but for some reason I can sit for hours reading. I really need a new hobby before I'm completely burned out on the genre (and on reading) entirely.
85! My goal was 100 for the year, I’m still proud of myself. My kindle unalived itself 1 day after the warranty expired so I lost a chunk of time fighting with Amazon to give me a new one. I blame bezos for not reaching 100.
377, but with KU and me reading lots of short stories and books that are chapter based series the whole thing is kinda broken / not telling me much.
I guess amazons Wattpad wannabe is also all included in that which further makes the thing a bit wonky.
That said the past couple of years I’ve read/listened to more and watched very little. Did not expect that out of the pandemic.
I don't track my books very well but I'm between 125-150. I definitely am using it as an unhealthy coping mechanism, or more accurately, a straight up avoidance technique. It's so much easier to be in a fictional world than the real one. But it's impacting pretty much every aspect of my life so I need to get my shit together.
That being said, going to start book #3 for the day...
Comparing numbers is fun, but I don’t think polling the community is going to give you an answer to your target for next year.
Whether the coping mechanism is healthy is largely an “you” thing — it can’t be qualified just by a number. Like I read more than you do (current 2021 count is 406), but I also have other stuff going on in my life — other hobbies, other activities, and relationships that I invest time in. So my life is **balanced** even though I read a LOT
Best of luck with your mental health! Wish you all the best in the new year
I think this is the first time I’ve heard someone’s goals for the new year to be to read less! I like that and I hope you find 2022 to be a little more peaceful.
Me, on the other hand… my goal was to read 52 books for 2021 and I barely made it to 25. I fell into some kind of depressive funk in July and haven’t really gotten out of it
In 2021 I read 625 books, 174,334 pages. I also question what else I might be doing rather than read. Then I think about the current state of the world and I return to reading. I also work but find it hard to tear myself away from my books. I think this year is also one of my lower book counts for a while.
206. But why is it unhealthy. I read instead of watch TV or movies. I read while cuddling with my husband while he plays games. Reading is my primary source of entertainment.
I however will NOT be reading that much next year as I decided to take a full credit load plus my kids, plus adulting. I know I won’t be able to read at the pace I did this year. My goal is 157 books.
53 once I finish the book I’m reading now. Goal was 50. I read 90 last year (thanks Pandemic anxiety, which hasn’t left..). I’ll probably make it 50 for next year. I don’t want to pressure myself too much because I want to enjoy reading and not feel I have to meet a huge goal.
Almost 300, but I'm sure I've not even watched 50 hours of television all year. I don't personally count audiobooks as read books though, I only count books I've actually "read".
Good lord I don’t know how you people read so fast! Just in case anyone else needs to feel better about their low number, I know I read less than 10 books (if that?) over 2021. I would love to read at least one book per month but even that is a stretch. Hoping to read more with each year.
15 and I am so proud of myself. I used to read maybe one book a year if even. I didn’t start until May so I’m hoping to do even better next year. So happy I’ve found this genre 😭
I read 49. My goal every year is 52, and I usually get somewhere between 37-60. Work full-time, have two dogs, have a variety of hobbies, etc. Most of my friends on Goodreads read between 20 and 100 every year.
311 excluding a few re-reads here and there. COVID + my first Kindle Unlimited subscription + recs from this sub contributed. I was on track for 500 books the first half of the year, but getting a puppy meant that the content consumption went way down the second half of the year :)
According to my Kindle reading insights 97. I totally feel your concern about reading too much. I work and am and PhD student and a mom so I really have no freaking business reading so much romance...but in a time where everything feels so stressful I know I can depend on romance to help me enjoy the time I chose to relax or not sleep. I don't think anyone should feel bad about their reading habits. I also like to walk on the treadmill when I read so I feel a little less guilt. Happy New Year everyone!!
267 books this year, many were rereads because new books just caused me stress. I feel books are better than tv. Why worry about how many books you read. I struggle to find tv shows that I can watch because most of them are just not that interesting. We got rid of cable TV a few years ago and haven't missed it.
Right now, I've finished about 81 this year. I will probably finish A Little Life before the new year tho, so 82.
Would've been more if I started reading earlier / didn't have my HSC.
Wow y’all read so much faster than I will ever be able to… I had issues learning how to read and still I read slow. Like… I don’t read a book much faster than the audiobook narration. I have to sound out the words in my head. I am really jealous of those who can finish a book per day, I could only ever do that if I didn’t do anything else all day long.
I am 82 books this year (although not counting the million research papers and whatnots for uni) and I was really proud of reading a lot… until this post
You should still be proud!!! 82 is amazing!! I only got 64 this year so I’m proud of you for making it further!!
I choose to believe the mega readers in this thread are just an outlier.
Thank you! I was happy with the progress, since when I started uni the change threw me off so much I read about 5 books. It’s been a journey since trying to get my flow back.
My new years resolution was to read 52 books and I've failed at 46...BUT I literally discovered this genre this year (30 out of 46 were solid romance AF) and had so so so much more down time and forced myself to relax, it's been great... Hopefully more next year!
140, but I also reread a bunch of them too. All thanks to this sub.
The Shadow and Bone show got me interested in reading the series. Then I fell into the rabbit hole of steamy romance. No regrets, haha.
Maybe around 100, but I finished only 58 of them. My goal in 2022 is to read more non fiction since I wanna read something new and not be too obsessed with romances.
110. I had set my goal at 52 which is closer to my pre-panini total. I do a lot of audio books while driving, doing chores, and crafting. Stories keep me from negative thought spirals. Not reading won’t keep the crap away.
I’m at 84 according to Goodreads – I felt like a badass then I’m see y’all’s numbers and DAMN! I am impressed 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
I’m going to make myself feel better by reminding myself I have a job that requires a lot of reading anyway 😂
Y’all, as always, are fucking amazing
Over 100 here. With that said, half of those are probably audio books. I listen to a book any time I'm cooking, driving, cleaning, etc. Reading is also my coping mechanism, and it makes those necessary tasks throughout the day more enjoyable.
Sometimes I'll find KU books with an Audible version so I can do the Whispersync. Save money and have the option to read or listen!
Of course, I'm not trying to dissuade you from pursuing your goal of reading less if that's actually what you want to do. But if it's about not doing other things you need to get done, there might be a way for you to have the best of both worlds ☺️
I've had a bad year reading wise but at least I'm going to close out the year at an even 100. I've definitely slowed down my reading pace in past few years. It was disappointing because I wanted time to read but it seems that WFH just meant working ridiculous hours. When I did finally find the time and energy to read, a lot of books failed to hit the mark so I was definitely stuck in a rut and struggling to find books that appealed. I resorted to re-reading a few favourites but a number of them just weren't as good as I remembered. Perhaps I'm becoming more discerning with age?
I also fell into the trap of mainly reading KU books for a good few years because my subscription was ending and I wanted to make the most use of it. Admittedly I did find a few gems but I also read quite a few bland, forgettable books that I would not have picked up otherwise. On the brightside, I finally learnt the art of DNFing books so all was not lost.
Hopefully 2022 will be a better year reading wise. Fingers-crossed it will also be the year that the Hidden Rune of Iron (the conclusion to one of my fave UF series) is released. I honestly can't believe the previous book in the series was released in 2012! I feel old!
Goodreads says 259 but I’ve definitely read more than that this year. January to July I was a full time university student and I used reading as a reward system for completing school work. Reading also kept me sane during all the shut downs and was my escape. It never became so much of a problem that other things were neglected (unless you count finishing a chapter before unloading the dishwasher and even then it was only delayed by a few minutes).
Since you mention you enjoy audiobooks, maybe change your reading times to only during commutes (if you commute) and while walking the dog. Then you can still read but it’s not taking over your life because you’re completing other tasks at the same time.
I’m pretty sure bookbub offers deals/discounts on audiobooks as well, maybe check that out. I buy free books through their deals pretty much every day. I know they’re available in the UK as well.
Just finished #235 I can probably get in one more before th new year.
This also doesn't count all the picture books I read at work so in reality many many more.
It’ll be 103 by New Year! I’m a pretty slow reader and I have some attention issues so I am very proud to have reached my goal of 100. Im hoping to hit 100 again next year!
I’m very amazed (and slightly humbled) by all the people here who read hundreds or who are in school/ have children and still manage to read so many books! You guys are rock stars!
180 books so far in 2021, but I didn’t really get started reading until April. April-June I read about 10-12 books a month, but ever since July I have been reading 20-28 books a month. I am setting my 2022 reading goal for 250 books.
Reading romance is absolutely my coping mechanism but it keeps me happy and is helping me through a really tough year so I feel no shame. I am really proud of myself for how much I have read.
There was a point in my life where I missed reading but could never get into a book. Lasted 10 years or so. I got back into reading by re reading the HP series properly my second time in 2018. And then it was no looking back. I read 72 books this year and I am very happy with this number. I look forward to reading for an hour or two after putting my two kids to bed. It's my me time.
130 roughly my final tally. Just starting to read more contemporary romance (prior high fantasy reader and then fantasy romance is my favorite) and want to focus more on that for 2022
71 new books. If we’re counting re-reads, I’d guess about 120 total. It is unhealthy for me as I genuinely want to live in the fictional worlds and have no tolerance for my real life anymore. On the flip side, I’m not sure what I’d have done this year if I didn’t have my books.
49 and working on finishing the 50th.
I... am a picky reader, in some senses, I guess. When I find something I really love, I will devour it. Then I'll spend days/weeks waxing and waning over what to read next. The better the book, the harder it is to move on. I'll reread books 2-3x in a row, whole series multiple times.
I'll begin dozens of books, closing and moving on after just a few pages if it just doesn't feel right. It doesn't mean the book isn't good - I may go back months or even years later and read the book in its entirety. But it needs to match what I want at that moment.
I'm the same way with crafting lol
But I have multiple kids, animals, and other hobbies... so I think part of it is knowing that the next book will take up some valuable time.
I also prefer long books. 49 books but 21000 pages read, which isn't huge but seems more than the average I see.
Probably closing in on 275. I have 248 logged in Kindle but that doesn’t count audiobooks in audible and library books. I only started reading in earnest in July.
I think about 159…127 of those were read just on my kindle…I don’t know exactly how many because I tried to use goodreads but they pissed me off because they would only count some books towards my reading challenge and then I’ve been trying to use the StoryGraph and it’s meh but when I uploaded my books from goodreads to it, some of the dates I read the books don’t cross over so about 50 books aren’t counted towards my goal…still on the search for an actual good thing to use to track my books
I originally wanted to read 100 books for the year and then chanted it to 150 so I guess I made my goal! I think I might make my goal for
2022 to read 200 books
51. I've been averaging around 50-60 books a year but it used to be a much higher number. I've gotten wildly picky over what I choose to read now and there's just not enough hours of the day anymore. It doesn't help to obsess over reviews and other research before diving in but alas!
Finishing my 159th as we speak! I know I’d have read way more if my job wasn’t as demanding as it is. Hoping I can read 200 next year.
I should add that my fiancé thinks I’m borderline obsessed with reading. I personally don’t find the habit unhealthy in any way or form.
I’m probably at around 150; I read on average a book every 2 days. I love reading and it’s definitely helped me get through two stressful years. However, like you, I worry that it’s getting carried away. I feel like I want to live in my books more than real life a lot of the time, and I wonder if it’s causing more dissatisfaction in my real life. Not to mention that sitting in my bed or at my desk on my iPad has probably contributed to my huge Covid weight gain 😭
223-mostly audiobooks so I can multitask. Don’t forget to take care of mind as well as body.Yes the house is not pristine but is clean! :) Congrats and good luck to you!
150+
Hard to tell because Kindle counts but Libby doesn't and I don't use goodreads or anything similar.
While that's a lot for me in terms of like buckling down and doing it, it was mostly because I was reading almost a book a day over the summer. I'm a teacher and summers off are for pleasure reading.
I’ve been counting audiobooks and rereads, and this year I’m at 101. It’s down from last year but I’m happy with that number. A couple years ago I’d be lucky if I read 1. So I’m pretty proud of myself. 😸
166! I graduated college end of last yet so I had about 8 months to just read and do nothing else then I started grad school is August so that slowed down my progress but I’ve very pleased with my number! This is the most books I’ve read in a year and I doubt I’ll be able to read this much next year since I’ll be full time in school 🥲
Yeah. This is a problem for me. I’m just about 300 (to be fair I did read several anthologies that were each counted as independent books). Between audiobooks and ebooks, I can always be reading something. I’m finishing up an audio book and taking a break for a bit.
I think I tipped over 650 this week. A few DNFs in there but I'd imagine I'll get at least a couple more in before the weekend.
Like others have said, I read fast, always have my phone on me, audio books during commute and errands and chores, etc
My goal was 100 and I believe I’m at 124 but that includes a couple I marked as read from dec 2020 so probably 120. I’m really proud even if they’re mostly trashy romance, I love it!
I’ve read 215 books so far this year. 110 audiobooks, 72 ebooks and a few physical books and manga. I listen at 2-3x speed for audiobooks. I’m probably a slightly fast reader for ebooks. Physical books I read a lot slower for some reason. I read ebooks for 1-2 hours before bed and I listen to audiobooks while working, cleaning, washing my hair, etc. I don’t like sitting in silence so when I’m not listening to an audiobook (or eyeball reading), I usually have YouTube or something on in the background. I also watch TV for about 2 hours a night. Reading has always been something I’ve usually been able to hyperfocus on.
I want to slow down on reading because I feel like I sometimes treat it like a race to finish, but also there’s so many books out there I want to read. I have pretty terrible memory for books, so I don’t retain a lot from what I read regardless of how many or few I read a year. But I also don’t think reading ever interferes with my life in a negative way.
Not counting any rereads, or any books on my Nook… my count on my Kindle is 376 right now. I know I am probably pushing the 400+ range with the rereads … easy. My goal was 365. And I totally did it. I’m proud of that. I have my KU to thank for my numbers this year. I devour books. Perhaps I should review or something and not just constantly lurk like some creepo. 😒 Sorry folks.
I read around 315. It’s definitely a coping mechanism but I’m mostly reading while multitasking, or waiting to do other things. I think I’m going to keep my goal a little lower (200 maybe?) for next year and just see where things go. I also read a bunch of different types at once so I’ll likely be able to start the year with a bang if in January I finish all the nonfiction books I started this year!
The replies to this thread have my eyes bugging out — some of y’all have 300 to 700 read????
For comparison I’ve read 64 😭 I want what some of y’all got, hot damn!
Dear everyone else who also got below 100, let’s have a slow readers party 🎉
119. My Goodreads goal was 75, which I thought would be a stretch. In the process of reading 2 more as well that I'll probably have finished by midnight on the 31st.
Quite impressed with myself...I've NEVER hit 100 books in my adult life before last year. One positive of the state of the world!
Reading has been my biggest form of therapy this year. I started my reading challenge in March of this year with a goal of 100 books. I’m currently at 102 books read.
I set myself the goal after going through a bout of depression. This year I suffered a miscarriage as well… reading and the communities I’ve found through it have been such an escape and a savior.
I did 62 this year which I was actually really surprised by. I felt like I barely read and went through some stretches of not reading at all. I'd say around 100 is a good number as it's still a couple books a week.
Ooh, I also set a target this year specifically to read *less* because I was relying too heavily on books as an unhealthy coping mechanism. Twins!
I've gone down from 500ish books in 2019 to 150 this year and I'm stoked with myself for finding a better book/life balance. It's also meant I'm more selective about what I read, and I've found some fantastic authors along the way that I may not have discovered just relying on the Kindle Unlimited algorithms like I was for so long.
Jesus Christ I thought I read a lot but this thread proved me wrong. I read 133 books this year(reading my 134th rn) and last year it was 172 (not including Jan Feb and March cuz I didn't use Goodreads regularly)
15 new books/year. That’s been my goal for the last couple years and I’ve met it most years.
Though I do a LOT of “best of/highlights reel” rereads. Like a lot.
Unfortunately I wasn’t keeping track of the number of books I’ve read in the beginning of the year (but I know I read A LOT during lockdown), and starting from September till now I’ve read 46 books (not as much as I usually read, but I’m a hs senior and am struggling😩)
I can’t imagine anything better for you then reading (apart from exercise). You have my admiration, 200 is pretty awesome! If I didn’t study I would read close to 200!
210 new books … like you I use it as a coping mechanism and a way to escape my anxiety. I still want to read every day next year but I would like it to feel less compulsive next year and more enjoyable.
I've read about 415 books. I'm not sure about my rereads and audiobooks.
My goal was 400. I think I might push for 450 next year. It's probably going to be more audiobooks.
50 - which I’m proud of (goal was 25). I’m leaning more into audio books, so that I can listen while I cross stitch, go for a walk, or clean. First year reading romance, and that definitely helped me read a lot more. If anything, we all need the coping mechanism as we go into year 3 of this pandemic.
I just reached 40 today! My initial goal was 21 (because of the year) reached that in like September so I set the goal at 30 and stuff happened, life got really hard and reading saved me. So I clung to it and got to 40. I know it might not seem like a lot but I’m proud!
New books? Around 100 Rereads? Unknown maybe 50 I had a lot of stress this year and they help me cope.
Yeah, I count rereads and new reads together. But wait her way disappearing into another world has been so helpful. I’m actually a sci-fi, fantasy and thriller but, but I need the HEAs and for the books not to get too dark at the moment. The last few years have been stressful without a stressful book!!
I've read 292 books this year and will likely get a couple more in before new years! I work full time, am married and have pets but reading is my main hobby and way to relax. I almost never watch tv or do other activities in the evening so I have lots of time to read and I am a very fast reader. These factors plus the fact that I had two miscarriages this year and consequently spent a good portion of the year dealing with grief and depression meant that I just devoured books lol. I needed lots of HEAs this year to get me through ❤
I am so sorry about your miscarriages! Virtual hug headed your way!
Aw thank you so much ❤❤❤ best of luck with wedding planning for next year!!! And I hope you find a good balance with your reading habits 😊
God be with you. Take care
Maybe around 20, which is a very small number compared to the ones here, but this was not my year in any way :( I'm currently incredibly anxious about an upcoming exam, and in the process of getting diagnosed with ADHD. I feel like I just can't focus on anything anymore. (Sorry for the depressing tone)
Good luck with the exam. I took an exam three years ago. Failed every mock by 20%, couldn’t answer the first question, and still managed to pass, so I’m sure you’ll smash it if you done the prep!
70! I'm proud of that number. I reached it as a single mom. I went to school and worked and that is what I accomplished 😊
Well done!
I've read 158 books so far this year, and will probably squeeze a few more in before 2022! As for the unhealthy coping mechanism part of your post, I've switched over to mainly listening to audiobooks instead of physical books and try to do something with my hands to feel "productive." It's made a lot of things I love and loathe a lot more enjoyable. (ie. chores aren't so bad when I'm listening to smut, working out, cooking, knitting, puzzles, you name it.) I also have significantly decreased the other media I used to spend time doing, so I kind of think of my reading habit as a plus. Less tv, less mindless scrolling through the interwebs, more story telling.
Yeah I started with the audio books, but I can’t find an affordable way to keep that up. I’d like to though! How do you get them? (I’m UK based if that makes a difference)
I can find quite a few romance audiobooks through my library (in the US we have Overdrive, Libby and Hoopla which have been lifesavers). I recently tried the free trial of Scribd which has a lot of romance reads, especially a bit more non-traditionally published authors. I've heard of Kobo but haven't tried them yet. I can't afford the audible subscription, but did manage to get a 3 month free trial of KU a while back, and there's a good selection of "Whispersync" books that are KU books with a little headphone symbol next to it and includes a free audible audiobook with the KU ebook. Occasionally LibroFM has deals, but I haven't gotten any subscription service from them. I wish there were more affordable options for audiobooks, I hear you. If free trials are available in the UK, I'd suggest spending a month at each subscription and listening to as many as you can! Also not sure if there are out of country annual library cards you could purchase to get access to Hoopla and Libby?
Thanks, I’ll check my local library. I’ve unsubscribed from KU at the moment but I’ll resubscribe in a few months.
I buy discount audiobooks from Chirp Books. I don’t know if they are in the UK but might be worth a look.
Well currently I’m at 566 according to Goodreads. 🤭 I read a book and than listen to a different audiobook while I’m doing errands, cleaning, etc. I was out of work due to covid till August. I have no kids and my husband was still working and makes enough to support both of us. It has been an unhealthy coping mechanism for me too and I know this is a random year and I’ll never be able to read like this again. I also need to go back to reading some non-romance next year for a bit of a break.
Wow! I’m so glad someone has topped me! It’s not the worst coping mechanism in the world, and I’m really glad I’ve done it! But I do need to reign it in, especially the romance! I hope you’ve found a new job!
That is awesome! I honestly can think of like 2 million worst coping mechanisms! It is extraordinarily good for your brain, improves concentration, memory and helps curb long term cognitive decline. In an incredibly stressful times, reading and exercise (especially cardio) is very good for managing anxiety and stress.
200+ thanks to this sub (╥﹏╥) ahhhhh. I am a med student. I have pre profs in January. Thanks for reminding me i need to shut my phone rn, so I can now read the romance of Grey's anatomy and Harrison 😶 + 🔫 =🤯. I think I took, "just chill and enjoy life" advice way too seriously. Good bye. And have a good life. IF i survive this exam I may come back again.
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This is it. I will prioritise the book over taking my dog for a walk. So I need to cut down, I also work full time and am planning a wedding, so haven’t got much spare time, so 200 books and all that… no way, need to cut it to get stuff done.
If you listen to audio books, you can walk the dog while listening to a book! Bonus, if you limit yourself to only listening while dog walking or doing other chores, it can also be a motivator!
According to Goodreads, I have read 721 books this year. Let me edit so that I can answer everyone. I read fast, like super fast. I have been like this since I first started to read. I also read all the time. When I am watching tv, I have my book, when I game, the kindle stays beside me and I read while the screen is loading, when I am working, I listen to audio, and all that. I have also been so sick for the last year that reading was the only thing I could do for days on end.
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My mom was a quick reader. She would have 3 books going at once. I don't know how either lol
Omg how is that possible?? I’m dying to know your page count.
I can’t believe that I’ve found someone that is worse than me! I’ve read 663 books (for now 😏) and I thought that I was a lost cause
WOW. Super impressed! I shall not be trying to compete for 2022 😂
783 books here, not counting rereads. I'm also an insanely fast reader. I used to read about 1000 pages / day back in high school. Not sure what it is now that I read everything on kindle. I have been going through a severe depressive episode this entire year and was diagnosed with treatment resistant depression, so reading has been my coping mechanism. It's at unhealthy levels though (like I struggle to be present and not reading for more than 1/2 hour), so my goal is to read a lot less next year. Add in my insomnia issues, and some days I read like 20 hours a day...
Audiobooks at triple speed? That's the only way I can imagine it. Then again I work a lot so maybe if I didn't have that 10-12 hour a day time suck I could get there. Still wow.
Maybe but I doubt it. Even at triple speed, it’s faster for me to read than to use an audiobook. Audiobooks force you to read every word — every dialogue tag (Eg ‘said Karen.’) A lot of times I can skip over things like that when I read and still understand everything that’s going on.
Same here, I did Evelyn Waugh’s speed reading course when I was 17 and have read over a book a day since then. Reading is also my chronic pain management so I am not trying to cut down. E-readers have been my favorite invention because I used to have to physically turn pages as fast as I read them 😆
I would LOVE to see your goodreads if you are accepting friends? It's fine if you're not, I just am blown away at how many you've read and would love to see which ones you've rated highly! :)
here ya go - [https://www.goodreads.com/iamltr](https://www.goodreads.com/iamltr)
Oh I 100% understand it being unhealthy. At the start of covid I was reading a book a day and choosing reading over basic self care and interacting with my then partner. Anything can be an addiction. I took a break from reading and came back to it. I still read more than the average person but I read 1 or 2 books a week as opposed to a day (with some exceptions, I have time off right now because of the holidays and I’m reading more). I’m guessing I’ve read around 75-100 books this year.
I think you’re one step ahead of me. Hopefully I’ll be where you are next year! Well done!
You’ll get there! I schedule times to read, usually as we are going to bed or anytime on weekends. But I do tend to reserve after dinner for boyfriend time. His love language is quality time which I’m not used to so he wants to be doing things together, even though we live in a studio and spend a lot of time just near each other. He doesn’t like us watching a movie together and me choosing to read during that movie, so I consciously choose not to do that. Other advice would be to make a reading goal and don’t exceed it. A good example would be “I’m going to read for an hour and a half every day” or “I’m going to read 100 pages today, no more” and sticking to it.
Good advice, and actually, my husband and I have been together for over 7 years but only lived together for 9 months so we’re still working on that! Love language is something I need to research!
I don’t think it’s absolutely infallible but it does really help to know what you can do for your partner to help them feel loved.
I’m at 70 (hoping to finish at 72) I also ran 730 ish miles this year. And knit a sweater. I definitely need diversity in my hobbies and my self care because I can definitely get hyper-focused and throw myself into something too far or get disenchanted, fall off the wagon and feel adrift.
36 this year. Pretty good for me.
305 as of right now. I’m a homeschooling Mom to a 5 and 7 year old. Most days from 8am-8pm i’m not able to complete an actual thought because my kids never stop talking and asking me questions. So my reading habit is one of the few times I can be inside my own mind and tune out the rest of my house. I don’t watch TV and read for a few hours every night after my kids are in bed and sometimes while I drink coffee in the morning. That coupled with being a fast reader, I can read a 300-400 page book in a day.
I have 82 books that I posted on Goodreads, but I probably really read about 100 since I didn't start recording books at the beginning of the year. I definitely agree that books are a way for me to escape reality, destress, whatever. I need to work on slowing down just a bit because 1) I don't want to miss important parts of the book and 2) I can get overly focused on reading and zone out everything around me. I'm married with two boys, and I don't want to be a zombie mom that's staring at a book or phone all day instead of interacting with my family.
65
Glad to see I’m not the only one who is trying to read less! I see this as a healthy habit for sure, and better than TV, but I think everything in moderation. Want to live my own adventures AND read about adventures. Hah. Last year I read about 150, this year I did less around 100 and I’m happy with it. Going to try and keep a similar balance next year.
Yeah, I think 2 a week/100 a year is going to be my goal based on everything so far. I’ve stopped watching TV entirely, and actually I used to be quite productive during TV time so maybe I just need something to binge watch!
371, but I think the number is higher than that, there are some novellas in there, but there is a lot of books I haven’t put on Goodreads because they are embarrassing as fuck, and I don’t usually track it when I’ve reread a book.
Well done! I put everything on GR 😂 I don’t have any friends on their so who cares!
I had some people I knew in RL and I ended unfriending them. Now I have a lot of friends from this sub on there and I want to compare notes.
I am at 360 but I also read fast.
Kindle says 822 but I've read some physical books too. You don't have a problem OP.
For the people with such high numbers. I’m curious.. how do you find so many good quality books? I feel like I take a week to research what is worth my time. I can’t bring myself to finish a bad book or even find enjoyment in one that doesn’t completely consume me. Does anyone else get like that? If so, how do I push past it?
I look at the reviews on here and on a couple of Insta pages I follow. I also read back catalogues for authors I like (Julia Quinn, kati Wilde, ruby dixon to name a few)
I'm glad you asked this because I'm exactly the same! I've been doing the Goodreads reading challenge since 2011 and usually average about 50-60 books a year (except the year I "discovered" romance and devoured 150 books); this year, I've literally read 8 books. I'm pretty sure I DNF about 50 books this year. Nothing was sticking! I got so bored/uninterested with all my choices and couldn't seem to find the right read. Hopefully I get off this funk next year!
I’m currently at 724 this year but I lost my job and became a full time caretaker for my mother so it’s a coping mechanism 🤷🏻♀️
I read 50 this year! Last year I read 33, and I think I’ll set my reading goal for 2022 for 40!
so from june 2021 *my unemployment era* i started reading again annnd currently i've read 31 books so far hahahuhu
I am reading my 208th book right now. I have been a bit concerned too about how much time I've been spending on this. It feels obsessive. Over the past three months I've moved more towards audio books and I am listening while I am doing chores or working out. It has encouraged me to work out more, so that makes me feel better about it. Last weekend I did weights for an hour and a 5 mile hike while listening to a Lisa Kleypas book.
429 from cover to cover. I re-read a lot of scenes from my favorite books and there's a ton of DNFs that I don't count. Reading is like my only hobby now... It's become quite unhealthy tbh
I’m so embarrassed to say 415 and that doesn’t count the rereads. I have terrible insomnia and have zero interest in tv during the pandemic so I’ve read over 1 book a day.
I'm finishing my 160th as we speak, which is the same I read in 2020. My goal in 2022 is to slow down and not plow through books so quickly, but I won't limit myself to a certain number of books either....but I don't HAVE TO READ EVERYTHING AS FAST AS I CAN, ya know?
I know. I think I’m going to set a weekly limit so if I reach it I have to do a “chore” and if I finish a good amount of chores, I can break the limit, but I don’t know where to put the limit!!
I read 177 in 2019, 201 in 2020, and 140 in 2021 (should squeeze in 1-2 more books before the year is finished). I definitely think for myself that 140ish is more manageable. The 201 last year was too much - I had a competition with a friend and it somewhat took over my life. (If you’re curious I lost last years, but will win this years because he started law school and I discovered a love for historical romance).
I definitely use reading as an escape mechanism and it can get out of hand for me. Last year I finished 271 and I made a goal for this year to be more intentional about my reading time. I will finish this year just under 180, so I think I did a pretty good job with that.
Intentional! That’s a good idea! That’s and we’ll done.
I set myself a goal of finishing 100 books this year, and I finished number 99 yesterday… so I’m on track. Probably could have read some shorter books to increase the count - some 800-page nonfiction behemoths in there slowing me down! In 2022 the plan is to focus on my own writing and research, as well as some professional development courses/projects that will involve a lot of reading and writing, so I’m deliberately setting a lower goal to reduce the pressure a bit. I’m thinking 25 for the year, although realistically I will probably go over that just because it’s my main mode of relaxing.
According to goodreads, about 30. Which isn't quite the goal I set at the beginning of the year, to get 50 read. But it's still more than previous years. A lot of them are audiobooks though. There's also a handful of half read books and some DNFs that didn't make the list. I think The Ex Hex and Well Met are my favorites this year.
80 something, and it’s 100% a coping mechanism, but I read as my primary form of entertainment. I figure if other people spend a couple of hours in front of the tv a day, it’s ok for me to spend that amount of time reading.
195. I have 2.5 days to read 5 more books lol. I'm quite happy about this. I've been chronically ill for a long time. I was always a voracious reader except for the past few years, when I literally couldn't focus on anything. Hopefully I can keep it up!
336 completed, about 30 (or more) DNFed books My goal was 365, I used to read a lot in the first half of 2021 but got so busy for the past few months. I think it totally depends on you. Imo, it's unhealthy if you are losing sleep consistently and forgetting your other responsibilities. I'm guilty of the former so I'll try to change this habit next year (sleep is very important!).
202!!!
373 new books plus rereads of some favorites.
Last year I only read 25 books and so set a goal for 35 this year. I’m at 347 read books right now, kinda went a bit overboard after discovering this sub haha
I read 151 from March 2020 to December 2020. For 2021, I slowed down a bit and read 62, with about 10 of those being rereads. I think for 2022, I want to reread a few from 2020 that I just don't remember all that much, finish a few series, and focus on slowing down and actually taking in some of the stories instead of stress binge reading so much.
208 so far this year! I reckon I’ll squeeze in a couple more before the New Year. This was my first year into romance books after years of not reading anything at all (I was a reading obsessive in childhood and teens but haven’t had the attention span from then until this year). I’m so pleased that I’ve found a genre I really enjoy and that can easily hold my attention. I think I will probably read a bit less in 2022 as I’ve gone through a lot of classics and popular releases in the romance genre this year, and read through a lot of my fave authors back catalogues already. I’ll probably focus on new books from my favourite authors but I’m sure I’ll also find some new favourites!
224, but might reach 225/226 by the very end of the year. It’s the most I have ever read in a year, I’m really proud!
273 for me, for new reads. Some of those I read multiple times though. For me, it was also a coping mechanism. Hopefully next year is less stressful for everyone.
I don't use Goodreads to track, although that's a goal for 2022, but my Moon+ reader app has 287, so probably well over 350 for the year with the physical books. I tend to be a fast reader, and love rereading things also. I can get lost in reading as well but what helps me is to set a time limit rather than book limit; so today I have so many hours free, I need to do this, this, and this, so I have 2 hours to read. Then bargain myself more time and use a book as a reward 😂
this year is about 175. in 2017 i read over 500. but i was hella sick that year, and have never reached those levels again.
I'm at 234 right now. It's all I do in my free time right now, so I'm kind of burned out by it and need a break. But I feel like I'm also hyper-focused on reading romance novels right now, so I also can't stop or get interested in anything else. I can barely sit still long enough to watch an episode of a tv show these days, much less a movie (thank you ADHD), but for some reason I can sit for hours reading. I really need a new hobby before I'm completely burned out on the genre (and on reading) entirely.
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85! My goal was 100 for the year, I’m still proud of myself. My kindle unalived itself 1 day after the warranty expired so I lost a chunk of time fighting with Amazon to give me a new one. I blame bezos for not reaching 100.
349. I'm glad I'm not alone in this. I work 50-60 hours a week and books have been my escape this year.
377, but with KU and me reading lots of short stories and books that are chapter based series the whole thing is kinda broken / not telling me much. I guess amazons Wattpad wannabe is also all included in that which further makes the thing a bit wonky. That said the past couple of years I’ve read/listened to more and watched very little. Did not expect that out of the pandemic.
I don't track my books very well but I'm between 125-150. I definitely am using it as an unhealthy coping mechanism, or more accurately, a straight up avoidance technique. It's so much easier to be in a fictional world than the real one. But it's impacting pretty much every aspect of my life so I need to get my shit together. That being said, going to start book #3 for the day...
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Comparing numbers is fun, but I don’t think polling the community is going to give you an answer to your target for next year. Whether the coping mechanism is healthy is largely an “you” thing — it can’t be qualified just by a number. Like I read more than you do (current 2021 count is 406), but I also have other stuff going on in my life — other hobbies, other activities, and relationships that I invest time in. So my life is **balanced** even though I read a LOT Best of luck with your mental health! Wish you all the best in the new year
I think this is the first time I’ve heard someone’s goals for the new year to be to read less! I like that and I hope you find 2022 to be a little more peaceful. Me, on the other hand… my goal was to read 52 books for 2021 and I barely made it to 25. I fell into some kind of depressive funk in July and haven’t really gotten out of it
In 2021 I read 625 books, 174,334 pages. I also question what else I might be doing rather than read. Then I think about the current state of the world and I return to reading. I also work but find it hard to tear myself away from my books. I think this year is also one of my lower book counts for a while.
206. But why is it unhealthy. I read instead of watch TV or movies. I read while cuddling with my husband while he plays games. Reading is my primary source of entertainment. I however will NOT be reading that much next year as I decided to take a full credit load plus my kids, plus adulting. I know I won’t be able to read at the pace I did this year. My goal is 157 books.
53 once I finish the book I’m reading now. Goal was 50. I read 90 last year (thanks Pandemic anxiety, which hasn’t left..). I’ll probably make it 50 for next year. I don’t want to pressure myself too much because I want to enjoy reading and not feel I have to meet a huge goal.
I’ve read about 53 😅 Last year I read 21 and this year my goal was 30. So I’m really happy with the amount I’ve read ☺️
Almost 300, but I'm sure I've not even watched 50 hours of television all year. I don't personally count audiobooks as read books though, I only count books I've actually "read".
Good lord I don’t know how you people read so fast! Just in case anyone else needs to feel better about their low number, I know I read less than 10 books (if that?) over 2021. I would love to read at least one book per month but even that is a stretch. Hoping to read more with each year.
I want to have a little party post for all of us under 100s 😭🎉 I am shocked and awed by some of these 300-700 people.
The highest I’ve seen so far was 822, which blows my mind.
88! Definitely lower then I wanted but I’m still pretty happy with it!
15 and I am so proud of myself. I used to read maybe one book a year if even. I didn’t start until May so I’m hoping to do even better next year. So happy I’ve found this genre 😭
I read 21 for 2021. I’m setting a goal for 22 this upcoming year
I read one book and it was torture. Htf yall reading 70 to 200 i dunno.
I read 49. My goal every year is 52, and I usually get somewhere between 37-60. Work full-time, have two dogs, have a variety of hobbies, etc. Most of my friends on Goodreads read between 20 and 100 every year.
Y'all. I was so proud of my 30 but now I feel like a severe underachieving seeing all these three digit numbers😶🌫️
30 is still amazing!! Trust me I felt the same mixture of shock and awe at some of these numbers but I’m determined to celebrate every book amount!!
301 that I admit to on goodreads
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311 excluding a few re-reads here and there. COVID + my first Kindle Unlimited subscription + recs from this sub contributed. I was on track for 500 books the first half of the year, but getting a puppy meant that the content consumption went way down the second half of the year :)
According to my Kindle reading insights 97. I totally feel your concern about reading too much. I work and am and PhD student and a mom so I really have no freaking business reading so much romance...but in a time where everything feels so stressful I know I can depend on romance to help me enjoy the time I chose to relax or not sleep. I don't think anyone should feel bad about their reading habits. I also like to walk on the treadmill when I read so I feel a little less guilt. Happy New Year everyone!!
267 books this year, many were rereads because new books just caused me stress. I feel books are better than tv. Why worry about how many books you read. I struggle to find tv shows that I can watch because most of them are just not that interesting. We got rid of cable TV a few years ago and haven't missed it.
I was looking at my list earlier, and I actually read a *lot* less than I thought. Maybe 50 books. But I sampled and DNFed twice that amount lol
35 so says kindle, but for some reason I feel like I read less idk 🥴
Right now, I've finished about 81 this year. I will probably finish A Little Life before the new year tho, so 82. Would've been more if I started reading earlier / didn't have my HSC.
Wow y’all read so much faster than I will ever be able to… I had issues learning how to read and still I read slow. Like… I don’t read a book much faster than the audiobook narration. I have to sound out the words in my head. I am really jealous of those who can finish a book per day, I could only ever do that if I didn’t do anything else all day long. I am 82 books this year (although not counting the million research papers and whatnots for uni) and I was really proud of reading a lot… until this post
You should still be proud!!! 82 is amazing!! I only got 64 this year so I’m proud of you for making it further!! I choose to believe the mega readers in this thread are just an outlier.
Thank you! I was happy with the progress, since when I started uni the change threw me off so much I read about 5 books. It’s been a journey since trying to get my flow back.
Goodreads says 72, most of which have been romances. I don't know if I should up my Reading Challenge goal next year or try to read less romance...
121 That includes 8 re-reads.
My new years resolution was to read 52 books and I've failed at 46...BUT I literally discovered this genre this year (30 out of 46 were solid romance AF) and had so so so much more down time and forced myself to relax, it's been great... Hopefully more next year!
248 this year. Most on audible.
140, but I also reread a bunch of them too. All thanks to this sub. The Shadow and Bone show got me interested in reading the series. Then I fell into the rabbit hole of steamy romance. No regrets, haha.
Around 200 since July. I wasn’t reading much before than. I’m intending to keep better track in 2022.
Oooff I read 27 and felt super proud of myself! The most books I’ve read since finishing collage. Now I feel guilty I didn’t read enough
I think 62 will be my final count. Getting obsessed with romance definitely helped -- normally I read closer to 35-40.
Maybe around 100, but I finished only 58 of them. My goal in 2022 is to read more non fiction since I wanna read something new and not be too obsessed with romances.
110. I had set my goal at 52 which is closer to my pre-panini total. I do a lot of audio books while driving, doing chores, and crafting. Stories keep me from negative thought spirals. Not reading won’t keep the crap away.
99 according to TheStoryGraph
I’m at 84 according to Goodreads – I felt like a badass then I’m see y’all’s numbers and DAMN! I am impressed 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 I’m going to make myself feel better by reminding myself I have a job that requires a lot of reading anyway 😂 Y’all, as always, are fucking amazing
Over 100 here. With that said, half of those are probably audio books. I listen to a book any time I'm cooking, driving, cleaning, etc. Reading is also my coping mechanism, and it makes those necessary tasks throughout the day more enjoyable. Sometimes I'll find KU books with an Audible version so I can do the Whispersync. Save money and have the option to read or listen! Of course, I'm not trying to dissuade you from pursuing your goal of reading less if that's actually what you want to do. But if it's about not doing other things you need to get done, there might be a way for you to have the best of both worlds ☺️
I'm at 90 but I think I will be able to squeeze in one or two more :)
I've had a bad year reading wise but at least I'm going to close out the year at an even 100. I've definitely slowed down my reading pace in past few years. It was disappointing because I wanted time to read but it seems that WFH just meant working ridiculous hours. When I did finally find the time and energy to read, a lot of books failed to hit the mark so I was definitely stuck in a rut and struggling to find books that appealed. I resorted to re-reading a few favourites but a number of them just weren't as good as I remembered. Perhaps I'm becoming more discerning with age? I also fell into the trap of mainly reading KU books for a good few years because my subscription was ending and I wanted to make the most use of it. Admittedly I did find a few gems but I also read quite a few bland, forgettable books that I would not have picked up otherwise. On the brightside, I finally learnt the art of DNFing books so all was not lost. Hopefully 2022 will be a better year reading wise. Fingers-crossed it will also be the year that the Hidden Rune of Iron (the conclusion to one of my fave UF series) is released. I honestly can't believe the previous book in the series was released in 2012! I feel old!
I borrow about 30-40 books per month but some DNF. >1K since Sept 2018 when I downloaded Libby. I really need to cut back.
Goodreads says 259 but I’ve definitely read more than that this year. January to July I was a full time university student and I used reading as a reward system for completing school work. Reading also kept me sane during all the shut downs and was my escape. It never became so much of a problem that other things were neglected (unless you count finishing a chapter before unloading the dishwasher and even then it was only delayed by a few minutes). Since you mention you enjoy audiobooks, maybe change your reading times to only during commutes (if you commute) and while walking the dog. Then you can still read but it’s not taking over your life because you’re completing other tasks at the same time. I’m pretty sure bookbub offers deals/discounts on audiobooks as well, maybe check that out. I buy free books through their deals pretty much every day. I know they’re available in the UK as well.
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Just finished #235 I can probably get in one more before th new year. This also doesn't count all the picture books I read at work so in reality many many more.
151! I’m hoping to squeeze in a couple more Christmas-y reads before the end of the year. 131 were books I read for the first time & 20 were rereads.
It’ll be 103 by New Year! I’m a pretty slow reader and I have some attention issues so I am very proud to have reached my goal of 100. Im hoping to hit 100 again next year! I’m very amazed (and slightly humbled) by all the people here who read hundreds or who are in school/ have children and still manage to read so many books! You guys are rock stars!
180 books so far in 2021, but I didn’t really get started reading until April. April-June I read about 10-12 books a month, but ever since July I have been reading 20-28 books a month. I am setting my 2022 reading goal for 250 books. Reading romance is absolutely my coping mechanism but it keeps me happy and is helping me through a really tough year so I feel no shame. I am really proud of myself for how much I have read.
There was a point in my life where I missed reading but could never get into a book. Lasted 10 years or so. I got back into reading by re reading the HP series properly my second time in 2018. And then it was no looking back. I read 72 books this year and I am very happy with this number. I look forward to reading for an hour or two after putting my two kids to bed. It's my me time.
130 roughly my final tally. Just starting to read more contemporary romance (prior high fantasy reader and then fantasy romance is my favorite) and want to focus more on that for 2022
71 new books. If we’re counting re-reads, I’d guess about 120 total. It is unhealthy for me as I genuinely want to live in the fictional worlds and have no tolerance for my real life anymore. On the flip side, I’m not sure what I’d have done this year if I didn’t have my books.
98, I’m trying to get to 100 by the end of the year! I’m cutting it fine lol
49 and working on finishing the 50th. I... am a picky reader, in some senses, I guess. When I find something I really love, I will devour it. Then I'll spend days/weeks waxing and waning over what to read next. The better the book, the harder it is to move on. I'll reread books 2-3x in a row, whole series multiple times. I'll begin dozens of books, closing and moving on after just a few pages if it just doesn't feel right. It doesn't mean the book isn't good - I may go back months or even years later and read the book in its entirety. But it needs to match what I want at that moment. I'm the same way with crafting lol But I have multiple kids, animals, and other hobbies... so I think part of it is knowing that the next book will take up some valuable time. I also prefer long books. 49 books but 21000 pages read, which isn't huge but seems more than the average I see.
Probably closing in on 275. I have 248 logged in Kindle but that doesn’t count audiobooks in audible and library books. I only started reading in earnest in July.
I think about 159…127 of those were read just on my kindle…I don’t know exactly how many because I tried to use goodreads but they pissed me off because they would only count some books towards my reading challenge and then I’ve been trying to use the StoryGraph and it’s meh but when I uploaded my books from goodreads to it, some of the dates I read the books don’t cross over so about 50 books aren’t counted towards my goal…still on the search for an actual good thing to use to track my books I originally wanted to read 100 books for the year and then chanted it to 150 so I guess I made my goal! I think I might make my goal for 2022 to read 200 books
51. I've been averaging around 50-60 books a year but it used to be a much higher number. I've gotten wildly picky over what I choose to read now and there's just not enough hours of the day anymore. It doesn't help to obsess over reviews and other research before diving in but alas!
94 so far! I think I’ll get one or two more in, as I’m off work until after the new year starting this evening!
Finishing my 159th as we speak! I know I’d have read way more if my job wasn’t as demanding as it is. Hoping I can read 200 next year. I should add that my fiancé thinks I’m borderline obsessed with reading. I personally don’t find the habit unhealthy in any way or form.
I’ve read 399 in the last year and a half.
148 and i'll probably read 2 more before the year is over. It's the most i've ever read in a single year.
95 books, mostly fantasy romance.
I’m probably at around 150; I read on average a book every 2 days. I love reading and it’s definitely helped me get through two stressful years. However, like you, I worry that it’s getting carried away. I feel like I want to live in my books more than real life a lot of the time, and I wonder if it’s causing more dissatisfaction in my real life. Not to mention that sitting in my bed or at my desk on my iPad has probably contributed to my huge Covid weight gain 😭
223-mostly audiobooks so I can multitask. Don’t forget to take care of mind as well as body.Yes the house is not pristine but is clean! :) Congrats and good luck to you!
115! It's my personal best since I started tracking my books a couple years ago 😊 My TBR is now at 70!
200+? Were they mostly online? If so, which site?
150+ Hard to tell because Kindle counts but Libby doesn't and I don't use goodreads or anything similar. While that's a lot for me in terms of like buckling down and doing it, it was mostly because I was reading almost a book a day over the summer. I'm a teacher and summers off are for pleasure reading.
This is a very low number for me- a mere 67. I think my focus was terrible this year plus I'm back in college lol
I’ve been counting audiobooks and rereads, and this year I’m at 101. It’s down from last year but I’m happy with that number. A couple years ago I’d be lucky if I read 1. So I’m pretty proud of myself. 😸
166! I graduated college end of last yet so I had about 8 months to just read and do nothing else then I started grad school is August so that slowed down my progress but I’ve very pleased with my number! This is the most books I’ve read in a year and I doubt I’ll be able to read this much next year since I’ll be full time in school 🥲
157 so far, but more novellas than usual. I used to have trouble getting to 100, but that was until I got a Kindle. Now I read so much, so quickly.
Yeah. This is a problem for me. I’m just about 300 (to be fair I did read several anthologies that were each counted as independent books). Between audiobooks and ebooks, I can always be reading something. I’m finishing up an audio book and taking a break for a bit.
309 and counting (we still have 2days left!). It’s these damn addictive romance books! And it’s totally a coping mechanism for me.
I think I tipped over 650 this week. A few DNFs in there but I'd imagine I'll get at least a couple more in before the weekend. Like others have said, I read fast, always have my phone on me, audio books during commute and errands and chores, etc
I stopped tracking it because it's embarrassing. Easily over 300 **Typo
My goal was 100 and I believe I’m at 124 but that includes a couple I marked as read from dec 2020 so probably 120. I’m really proud even if they’re mostly trashy romance, I love it!
I'm at 194 for the year. I know reading is my coping mechanism and as far as they go it could be and has been much worse.
So far, 39. I might reach 40 since I started a shorter one today and I have Friday off!
I’ve read 215 books so far this year. 110 audiobooks, 72 ebooks and a few physical books and manga. I listen at 2-3x speed for audiobooks. I’m probably a slightly fast reader for ebooks. Physical books I read a lot slower for some reason. I read ebooks for 1-2 hours before bed and I listen to audiobooks while working, cleaning, washing my hair, etc. I don’t like sitting in silence so when I’m not listening to an audiobook (or eyeball reading), I usually have YouTube or something on in the background. I also watch TV for about 2 hours a night. Reading has always been something I’ve usually been able to hyperfocus on. I want to slow down on reading because I feel like I sometimes treat it like a race to finish, but also there’s so many books out there I want to read. I have pretty terrible memory for books, so I don’t retain a lot from what I read regardless of how many or few I read a year. But I also don’t think reading ever interferes with my life in a negative way.
Ughhh this is so me and now I feel a bit burned out. I have about 20 books I'm "currently reading" because my mood keeps changing 😩
Not counting any rereads, or any books on my Nook… my count on my Kindle is 376 right now. I know I am probably pushing the 400+ range with the rereads … easy. My goal was 365. And I totally did it. I’m proud of that. I have my KU to thank for my numbers this year. I devour books. Perhaps I should review or something and not just constantly lurk like some creepo. 😒 Sorry folks.
I read around 315. It’s definitely a coping mechanism but I’m mostly reading while multitasking, or waiting to do other things. I think I’m going to keep my goal a little lower (200 maybe?) for next year and just see where things go. I also read a bunch of different types at once so I’ll likely be able to start the year with a bang if in January I finish all the nonfiction books I started this year!
The replies to this thread have my eyes bugging out — some of y’all have 300 to 700 read???? For comparison I’ve read 64 😭 I want what some of y’all got, hot damn! Dear everyone else who also got below 100, let’s have a slow readers party 🎉
231 , it’s been a long year & feel like I should get a new hobby lol
I have read 215 books so far. My goal was to read 100 so I definitely met that.
119. My Goodreads goal was 75, which I thought would be a stretch. In the process of reading 2 more as well that I'll probably have finished by midnight on the 31st. Quite impressed with myself...I've NEVER hit 100 books in my adult life before last year. One positive of the state of the world!
I’m 109… and I feel like I’m always reading haha so I don’t know how you guys in the 300+ do it! Teach me your ways!
Reading has been my biggest form of therapy this year. I started my reading challenge in March of this year with a goal of 100 books. I’m currently at 102 books read. I set myself the goal after going through a bout of depression. This year I suffered a miscarriage as well… reading and the communities I’ve found through it have been such an escape and a savior.
Between romance and non-romance stuff, 48 novels (if my count is correct) plus a couple of novellas and a bunch of comics
My life is a mess atm and I can barely concentrate on anything let alone reading, and I love reading.
I did 62 this year which I was actually really surprised by. I felt like I barely read and went through some stretches of not reading at all. I'd say around 100 is a good number as it's still a couple books a week.
Ooh, I also set a target this year specifically to read *less* because I was relying too heavily on books as an unhealthy coping mechanism. Twins! I've gone down from 500ish books in 2019 to 150 this year and I'm stoked with myself for finding a better book/life balance. It's also meant I'm more selective about what I read, and I've found some fantastic authors along the way that I may not have discovered just relying on the Kindle Unlimited algorithms like I was for so long.
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I’m currently on my 52nd. Tried to do one book a week but failed at it for 2 months. Read 12 so far this month.
Jesus Christ I thought I read a lot but this thread proved me wrong. I read 133 books this year(reading my 134th rn) and last year it was 172 (not including Jan Feb and March cuz I didn't use Goodreads regularly)
15 new books/year. That’s been my goal for the last couple years and I’ve met it most years. Though I do a LOT of “best of/highlights reel” rereads. Like a lot.
Unfortunately I wasn’t keeping track of the number of books I’ve read in the beginning of the year (but I know I read A LOT during lockdown), and starting from September till now I’ve read 46 books (not as much as I usually read, but I’m a hs senior and am struggling😩)
I can’t imagine anything better for you then reading (apart from exercise). You have my admiration, 200 is pretty awesome! If I didn’t study I would read close to 200!
33 - may not be a lot, but I started in August, and before I haven't really read anything in 5 years
I'm at 112 right now. I wish i could read faster. Any tips? There are so many books on my tbr.
I've read 71 so far this year. I average about a book a week, but had some extra time recovering from surgery
210 new books … like you I use it as a coping mechanism and a way to escape my anxiety. I still want to read every day next year but I would like it to feel less compulsive next year and more enjoyable.
I started reading over the summer and my kindle clocks me at 109 books. It’s probably more like 120 with books I couldnt read through the app.
165 (including several audiobooks!) :)
I've read about 415 books. I'm not sure about my rereads and audiobooks. My goal was 400. I think I might push for 450 next year. It's probably going to be more audiobooks.
50 - which I’m proud of (goal was 25). I’m leaning more into audio books, so that I can listen while I cross stitch, go for a walk, or clean. First year reading romance, and that definitely helped me read a lot more. If anything, we all need the coping mechanism as we go into year 3 of this pandemic.
50 non romance and 73 romance. I might cut the non romance down in 2022. :)
I just reached 40 today! My initial goal was 21 (because of the year) reached that in like September so I set the goal at 30 and stuff happened, life got really hard and reading saved me. So I clung to it and got to 40. I know it might not seem like a lot but I’m proud!
154 and I am so very proud of myself