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Want to Read More Books in 2019? Take the Goodreads Reading Challenge!
It's simple: Set a goal of how many books you want to read this year, and we'll help you keep track of it. How many books will you be pledging?
After several years of offering the Reading Challenge, we know what helps people enjoy their year of reading. Here's some of our best advice.
- Push yourself, but be realistic. Avoid the dreaded reading slump by committing to an achievable goal. You can always increase the number of books later.
- Use the calendar as a guideline: 12 books (one per month), 24 books (two per month), or even 52 books (one per week).
- Reading shouldn't feel like a chore. Remember, this challenge is all about what you want to read. But don't take our word for it: See what these experts have to say.
- Rereading counts! So by all means, go ahead and dive into those old favorites.
- Listen to audiobooks. This is a great way to read more and multitask.
- Check out books at your local library so it's easier to start your next book. Add your local library's website to your Book Links to request a book and have it ready for pickup later.
- Keep yourself accountable. Sharing an activity with others makes you more likely to focus. Join one of our thousands of reading groups devoted to a range of topics, themes, and genres.
- Use your Want to Read shelf to help keep track of what you'd like to read next. You can also create custom bookshelves for easy sorting.
- Scroll through Goodreads' News and Interviews for articles on new books, favorite authors, and more.
- Look back at the 2018 Goodreads Choice Awards for more than 400 reader-approved winners and nominees across 21 categories.
- Browse thousands of reading lists on Listopia.
How many books will you be pledging this year? Let us know in the comments!
Check out more recent articles:
Goodreads Staffers' Top Three Books of the Year
Is the Book Always Better? The Big Adaptations of 2018
Catch Up Now: These Big Series All Have Books Coming Out in 2019
Check out more recent articles:
Goodreads Staffers' Top Three Books of the Year
Is the Book Always Better? The Big Adaptations of 2018
Catch Up Now: These Big Series All Have Books Coming Out in 2019
Comments Showing 451-500 of 615 (615 new)
Shahnaz B. Ahmed wrote: "Hey Goodreads! I mentioned you in one of my podcasts about reading goals! I know the app tracks number of books read but the year end goal has number of pages and other interesting stats. Can you u..."I second this!
Extremely busy year coming up. Going for 36 books this year and hoping I end up with more than that. The 'fuzz' of Lyme Disease often slows me down, and I never know when it is going to raise its ugly head. I lead three book clubs at the local library and attend another one for Reader's Choice. I often get to report on gardening and cook books there. Thanks, Goodreads, for offering this for all book lovers.
I would think realistically 42! I missed my mark this year of 36 but I’m feeling inspired!
I will try for 50. Last year I read 40 because I spent more time crocheting afghans for family.
Leona wrote: "I will try for 50. Last year I read 40 because I spent more time crocheting afghans for family."Leona, I also like to crochet, so I listen to books while I doing any handwork. It really makes me feel good that I am able to do two of my favorite things at the same time, especially when I find it's very hard to have free time in my busy schedule. Hope you make the '50' mark this year.
200. Did 252 last year, I'm setting it lower this year as I'm going to be studying full time and working part-time
Judith wrote: "Leona wrote: "I will try for 50. Last year I read 40 because I spent more time crocheting afghans for family."Leona, I also like to crochet, so I listen to books while I doing any handwork. It re..."
I have done that one time from a book on Overdrive from my library. I should try it again. Thanks for the reminder.
Jessica wrote: "I did 280 in 2018 I'm going for 300 this year."WOW!!! You're my hero!!! LOL
RHM wrote: "Lets start w/ 25 its not a compatition. 😏"Agree! I was getting a little intimidated by all these high numbers!
Last year my goal was 60 and I read 68. This year, I'm trying for 70.
I read a lot, but am terrible at actually keeping track of how many books this year and often struggle to find good books, so I'm not going to set an actual number score, but I do want to see how many I read this year.
I’ll try for 200 again this year. In 2018, 200 was my goal, but I read 199... 🤯
In the past few years I've found that 60 is an ambitious yet logical challenge. If I compete at all, I do it with myself and for myself. Managing to maintain this number is challenge enough. :)
Just curious of those who manage to read so many books, how many of those are romance novels and fiction vs. non fiction? I personally didn't meet my goal last year, but I doubled it for this year to 24 because there a lot I want to read. Mostly I read non fiction though. Have always had a hard time getting into fiction reads.
Very impressed by these numbers. I'm going for 30 this year, but this year I'm only reading women authors. Got the idea from a great little article in the Financial Review.
Managed to finish 60 in 2018! So, I’m going to try to beat that number and shoot for 65👍👍
Trying to reach out from my normal "blood and guts" genre pulling from the Great American Read.
All of you are very encouraging to make time to read more. I will start small with 25. Thanks guys, I used to better with reading and plan to Get back in action, starting now.
I'm going to be safe and say 30 but I've finished two already this month so hopefully I can up my number later.
I'm going to say 100. I can usually manage at least two per week but this year I have many quite heavy non-fiction books to read. Some may take a month or two to get through but if re-reading is also counted I can probably get more in. I do have to reduce my to-read pile though which is around 25 on Kindle plus another 6 in progress, then about 120-150 (unsure) in hard copy. Nearly all these are the aforementioned non-fiction. Does one count books one is already part-way through?
Going to try 12 for the year. Have other interest.
I read 53 in 2018, going to set myself at 52 again.
My goal is again 100 books. Since I write books for many ages and in several genres, I read lots of picture books along with the adult books that catch my fancy. I often choose ones I've heard discussed on Christian radio.
I will aim to read at least50 books this year
Wow, some really great targets here, good luck to you all. My own target is just to better last year, I missed my 14th by 2 days so this year I would like to set my target at 18.
I did 30 last year and I'm in school. Do my school books count? I'm aim for 30 again since I have a full schedule this semester.
This is a first for me, so I’ll start small, with 24. I hope to do more, but at 77, health issues sometimes prevent me from doing what I want.
Wow! I'm impressed as well. My first time, I'm going for 17. I want to enjoy the books. Happy reading!
I think I will set my goal at 30 again this year even though I went far past that. For me it is just to see how many books I can read, I have days where I feel so bad that reading is not an options. So If I read at least 30 think I know I did read that many.
I would like to say that I could probably read as many as 100. But I’m going to dial it down since this is the first time I’m doing this and say 65. Thanks, Rita
I'm shooting for 125 this year. I missed last yr by 13 books. 137 of 150. I started a full time job in July & my reading time has been cut down, at my old job I was able to read when it was slow at work....now I can't.
100. I just made it this year so I know how to pace it
I hope to do 24. I'm impressed with all the readers who are committing to many more.
100...I've done it before (150 being my record) but I find it takes longer to read the NF books I like than the novels I like. So must remember it's not a competition and if I don't make 100, that I've read the books most important and interesting to me personally :-)
Amanda wrote: "RHM wrote: "Lets start w/ 25 its not a compatition. 😏"Agree! I was getting a little intimidated by all these high numbers!"
Me Too! My goal is 60 this year (I started in 2017 with 40..) I reckon 60 is where it will stay, because to get that I read voraciously, and included non-fiction.
I am a bit of a plodder when it comes to books, rarely speed read and only speed read NF.
Stretching myself to get to 60 has meant that I consciously set aside more time for reading, in place of social media, tv etc.
I read a lot more when I had my half hour bus commute twice a day, five days a week. Now I’m lucky to get through two books a week between life and job (librarian). But any reading is good reading...cheap therapy.
Sounds as if you have a life, and a job, and the title of that job is not "bookseller." Go for 12!
I can re/read and log about 300 books again this year, as easily as last year and the year before...because (a) I'm old, so are most of the books, and I "really" read them years ago; and (b) I'm a bookseller.
Those who read only on the commute between jobs (where they're on their feet) and homes (where they have children) are doing *well* to read 12 books a year.