Inspired by the most recent ep of Currently Reading, I thought it would be fun to delve into reading habits lately. (Mine, but if you are reading this, I am also interested in yours!). Here we go, in 5 parts because apparently everything is more fun to write about that way.
1- I consider myself a Medium Volume Reader. I heard a stat (maybe on Currently Reading?) that only 4% of Americans finish 50 books per year. I tend to hover right around that point, and while that means that on the grand scheme of things I do read more than most people, but out in blogland it seems to be common for people to be snarfing 10+ books/month (these two lovely friends are good examples!).
I like other things (podcasts, music, TV, deep text conversations with friends + family) too much to do that and also work, so I am pretty content with my ~50ish books/year.
2- I consider myself a Medium Ambition Reader. I like reading books that challenge me sometimes, and I also love Elin Hildebrand, Liane Moriarty, and Taylor Jenkins Reid. (I also think those three women are all good writers!). I love a good mix, really. I often like books that are a little bit twisted (FAVES: Annie Bot; Sky Daddy), but I dislike an outright unlikeable protagonist (what can I say? When I read I feel like I am hanging out with the characters and I don’t love hanging out with people that annoy me that much. Two examples: Yesteryear and Yellowface).
I am also not that into fantasy (though I will enjoy a quasi-crossover like Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo!) or dystopian tropes. I guess I just don’t like thinking about the world ending in my spare time.
3- I read a lot of Non Fiction / Personal Development compared to most people. Three reasons: a) I am now an author IN that genre, so it’s great to see what people are doing; b) it’s often great fodder for my podcasts – I usually read the entire book of any guest coming on; and c) I like them!
(I know many people don’t, to the point where I will warn people in my real life when ask me about my own work that “It may or may not be your kind of thing.” Ahh well – that’s okay, something for everyone!).
4- I LOOOOOVE A PAPER BOOK. Love it. From the library, bookstore or (gahh, sorry but it happens) purchased in one click through Amazon. I rarely read an audiobook and I hate reading on the phone or Kindle. I do have one, but I don’t know where it is. I often bring a paper book with me to appointments or any time I think I might have to wait. I tend to carry a big bag. For better or for worse, I do not live in a walkable place so it’s not a big deal to have a bigger bag that I throw in the car.
5- I tend to have 2 books going at any one time: one nonfiction (can be memoir) and one novel. Right now I’m most of the way through The Glass Castle and Long Island Compromise. It’s a funny pair actually (one family incredibly poor, another incredibly rich). Nonfiction I mostly read in the morning, and my fiction pick is for nighttime. The main activities getting in the way of reading are a) scrolling (if I’m in a bad mental space – thankfully not frequent lately!) and b) TV. And just to be clear, I have no regrets about TV. I love good TV! I love having a show with Josh, a show with the kids, and often a “just me” pick, though right now I don’t have one (and am open to suggestions. I have not yet gotten into Heated Rivalry . . should I?).
And for fun . . . here’s my current library holds list!
I will often stop my walk and add a book to my holds list while listening to Currently Reading or What Should I Read Next (by Ann Bogel / Modern Mrs Darcy)!
Finally, here’s my current 2026 reading progress (LOWER numbers than prior years but I feel like the momentum has picked up lately so I wouldn’t be shocked to end close to the usual ~50).
Tell me about your reading life!
33 Comments
I love this! I read more than you but less than Sarah and Elisabeth. I’m a fast reader plus lots of car time and audio books.
If it’s done right I LOOOOOVE an unlikeable character! Especially the two that you mentioned as dislikes.
Kindle 4 Life because it’s so convenient to have one small device that can get me anything on Libby with just a few clicks.
this is such a great counterpoint – proving no right way to read!! Love it!
however you KNOW we both converge on Sky Daddy!!!!
This is a fun post!
I would say I’m a high reader for society but lower on the blog world! I read about 20-30 books a year. Quite happy to just read a little bit each day- unless I’m really into a book and then I get obsessive! . I read a mix of paper books (mostly from library), kindle books when I don’t want to wait for library or they don’t have it, occasionally an audio book for car (I listened to Big Time and it was great – like a long juicy podcast episode!). I read a lot of non-fiction, and also mainly urban fantasy and crime fiction, though I’ll occasionally read other genres if they are highly recommended. Funnily I’m not really into women’s fiction or anything high brow/literary. Maybe because I’m an academic so I want my outside reading to just be fun? I also don’t like dystopian or unlikeable main characters.
Finally things that get in the way of reading- mood (unfortunately), blog reading and writing. And scrolling- boo.
Totally love that obsessive feeling where you HAVE to finish – it’s so great!!
I’m always here for book talk!
1. I’m a high volume reader. I tend to read 90+ books/year. But I do not aim to read a certain number of books. I don’t care if it’s higher or lower than years past. I track it (and lots of other pieces of data like author gender, genre, whether it’s backlist, etc) but that’s because I love data!
2. I nearly exclusively read on my Kindle because of the convenience factor. Plus I read in the dark at bedtime and prefer a backlit kindle to a book light. I also nearly exclusively read books from the library. I will only buy a book if a friend wrote it. My husband and kids don’t read eBooks so I use their library holds which means I have 60 eBook holds at my disposal! I imagine someday Paul will want his holds back but for now, he exclusively reads paper books and I think that will be the case for quite awhile.
3. Character driven novels are my favorite. I do not need much plot to love a book. I also love memoirs and general non-fiction. I do not read personal development books unless a friend wrote it. I also do not care for fantasy, sci fi, horror, or thrillers. I will read something from those genres if it comes highly recommended by someone that knows me or if I am reading with my child (The Nevermoor series is my read-aloud with Paul and we are both loving it).
4. I mostly only read one book at a time, but I do have a physical book in our living room that I will read when the boys are watching their pre-bedtime show, and that book tends to be non-fiction. But I don’t read it daily so I mostly am focused on whatever I’m reading on my kindle.
5. Besides Currently Reading, I also love Sarah’s Bookshelves Live and From the Front Porch. I’m a patreon of all 3 podcasts. My tastes align very closely with Sarah and Annie of From the Front Porch. My tastes do not align very well w/ the hosts of Currently Reading but I love their bookish banter and I found out about Nevermoor from their podcast and then Jenny suggested it as well!
Trying to think of a character driven novel where very little happens! Elizabeth Strout? Whistler was fairly low on plot (but it def still had one!). I should check out those other podcasts!!!
Most literary fiction tends to be character driven with little plot. Strout is a good example! Or Lily King, Anne Patchett, and Anne Tyler.
It’s so fun to hear about other people’s reading habits! I always have more than one book going at once, like you, nonfiction for morning and fiction for evening. My husband also loves to read (thank goodness) and he is all Kindle, all the time, but I’m like you again and loooove paper. I only read e-books when there’s no other option, or when traveling and I “need” several books but don’t want to pack them. I listen to audio books occasionally and enjoy them, but not as much as paper books. I read a lot of nonfiction also, and my favorite genre is mystery, especially if there are cozy or humorous aspects (Agatha Christie is a lifelong favorite thanks to my mom, and I love The Thursday Murder Club series). I’ll DNF a book if I really hate the main characters and don’t care what happens to them.
One of my projects before the end of the year is to make myself a pretty reading journal–if you want to fall down a YouTube rabbit hole, search for reading journal videos! I already have the notebook and a bunch of stickers and washi tape. Of course, I intended to do that before the start of 2026, so hopefully I’ll manage it this time!
hahaha i do NOT need another volume in my planner stack but I think I will work harder to make cute stickers to put in my planner! I do love my little analog reading tracker 🙂 My husband is also mostly Kobo (like a Kindle but smaller; Canadian brand I think!) but he will read physical at times as well.
This is fun! Thank you for pointing out why I didn’t like either Yellowface or Yesteryear – its the unlikable main character! So obvious and yet somehow I didn’t make that connection. I love my kindle, I think because I also do a lot of bedtime reading. Somehow the book with book light is just very clunky and the light always feels a little too bright. I love audio books too. I usually have a book going on my kindle and on audible at any given time. Reading really is just such a great hobby, grateful for it and all the wonderful authors out there.
It REALLY IS!!! I use a tiny portable book light and love it: https://glocusent.com/products/glocusent-bookmark-style-reading-light-dark-blue?currency=USD&country=US&variant=46957879460089&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=6b47703cc4c2&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20317804292&gbraid=0AAAAABSiFu4j6UCnI9mPb5tA_bEbBx4xm&gclid=CjwKCAjwqonVBhA4EiwA9wYJ3Ya_IzR1i4lORqHXUdL0lY2_XAYtaI6MIuOUfRLs8-le9Ks4M-NTPBoCP_QQAvD_BwE
It has enhanced my reading life!
I never made that connection about unlikable protagonists and your taste in books but that does track! As you know, I love twisted books, unlikable protagonists if done well, and books that push me to think a little. I’m presently on a Lucy Barton / Elizabeth Strout kick and really enjoying it so far. I prefer Kindle but will do paper too from time to time. I think I’m at about 25 books so far this year but I haven’t counted in a while so that number may be way off.
ha yes!! I always think of you when I think of Emily St John Mandel (I think she has a new one out?). We have some overlap and some wide divergence too!!!
Ooh! So many “SAME”s here! Paper books forever (well… that’s the way I feel right now. I love reading a paper book). I’m also a high volume reader by normal people standards, but middle compared to the blogging world. I guess I would also say I’m a medium ambition reader, although I’ve never really thought about it. I don’t like anything too light and fluffy, but I do love murder mysteries (which I’m sure some people would call “fluffy”!) The big difference here is, I hardly read any nonfiction, and I really want to change that. There are so many nonfiction books I’m interested in (and that I own) but I always reach for fiction- I want to be immersed in a story. The obvious solution would be to have a fiction and nonfiction going simultaneously. Maybe I should put that on a “goals” list.
Ha, I like your holds list! I just got Fellowship Point from my library but haven’t started it yet. I love Liane Moriarty (but haven’t read the new one) and I want to read Strange Houses! I did read Strange Pictures and enjoyed it.
I suspect the Big Little Truths will be a fast propulsive read. I’m just wondering if will be a TV show like Big Little Lies (which I loved, total candy).
1. I read 120-140 books per year. It’s a mix of audio, ebook, and paper.
2. I often have multiple books going in, but not in the same genre. I always have a book on my ereader so I can fit in a chapter anytime (like waiting in line at my work cafeteria – why is it always so slow?!)
3. I read 50% romance, 25% litfic, and 25% non fiction. I’ve been on a fantasy kick lately.
4. When well done, I don’t mind an unlikeable protagonist. Yellowface is one of my all time favorite books, and I really liked Yesteryear for the first 2/3 of the book (not a fan of the ending, but that’s not to do with the protagonist). But that’s only true in litfic. If I don’t like the main characters in a romance, it’s a DNF for me.
high volume for sure!! And so interesting about the unlikeable protagonist- seems like people are either “it’s fine” or “NOPE”
I always love a books post! I usually read around 100-110 per year. I learned this was my sweet spot when, during 2020 and 2021 I read over 150 books per year and realized once the world reopened that I do not actually want to read 150 books because I also want to do other (social) things! I tend to read about 2-3 fiction for each nonfiction, but I often have a fiction and nonfiction going at the same time like you do, because I read the nonfiction slower. I think my fiction taste is relatively similar to yours, but in the nonfiction realm I don’t read personal development much at all (except Best Laid Plans of course! Plus I’ve read a couple of LV’s books and read a parenting book every so often). I mostly read narrative nonfiction (e.g. Patrick Radden Keefe, Matthew Desmond); I will also read the occasional memoir or essay collection. I am forever a library user and a paper book lover. I don’t own a Kindle or want one, although I have read an occasional book on my phone while traveling–I kind of hate that though. I have tried audiobooks and will do one for a long road trip but I am not a big fan at any other time. I don’t think I’m a great auditory processor. I like a lot of podcasts but don’t feel I have to pay as close attention as I do for a book.
I just got Big Little Truths from the library and am about to dig in when I finish Naima Coster’s new book Take What You Can, which I’m zipping through and really enjoying. I think you’ll like the Shampoo Effect!
I don’t love audiobooks either plus I love podcasts + music so I’m just . . .not likely to ever put on a book unless I’m desperate to finish something and only have driving time!
1. I’m a high volume reader, about 100 books per year. It’s a mix of audio and e-reader.
2. I usually have 2 books going, 1 audio and 1 e-reader, in different genres. I read quite broadly across lots of genres but can’t do true crime, horror or books that involve hard things that happen to children. I also share an Audible account with my Dad and we read big, absorbing stories and narrative history/non-fiction where real events unfold like a novel. It’s be a fun way to connect.
3. I read some self help, particularly if it is practical (probably why I enjoyed yours and Laura’s so much, I can apply it!).
4. I only read paper books on holidays, partly because e-reader and camping don’t got together and partly because everyone can see I’m reading and are more likely to leave me to enjoy my book.
5. I’ve just started to use Chat-GPT for book recommendations. It’s been surprisingly good, particular for niche books within a genre. For instance I like books that have messy but good family lives, that may have a thread of romance and are a bit witty. These books are usually classified as romance along with all the other romance books. Chat GPT has done a good job of coming up with quite a few new ones that fit the bill. I also find Chat GPT handy for book recommendations for my tweens too, based on other books they enjoyed.
I’m worried I’d be “steered” in some direction or other with AI but it’s great to hear it worked well for you!!
I read somewhere between 120-150 books a year, but I never watch TV and am an exceptionally fast reader. Largely literary fiction, or literary historical fiction (ie. Wolf Hall), with some classics, romance, mystery mixed in. Maybe 10% nonfiction. I am trying to read more backlist but am vulnerable to the new and buzzy. A mix of print, kindle, and Libby on a tablet. I did the Queens Public Library international subscription – it’s a bargain compared to Audible and my kid uses it for audiobooks a well. I like some of the literary fiction substacks, and listen to Currently Reading (I never read the same books but like their vibes), The Stacks, and a few others.
Very cool to know about the international sub for the Queens Public lib!!!
This is fun to learn about you and the other commenters!
I am a high-volume reader, I usually read 100-115 books a year. I read pretty quickly. I also rarely watch TV (apart from Olympics/ World Cup) and I only have 1 kid.
I’m gonna go out on a limb and say I am a high ambition reader. I was a lit major in college and I’ve pretty much been keeping up this volume through high and low seasons in my life. I love a big juicy book project and chasing down my special interests. I enjoy an Elin Hildebrand or Mary Kay Andrews as much as the next, but I really want to know if The Disappearers is the novel of the decade. I do like to dip into other genres from time to time, but probably not romantasy (fine if that’s your thing! just not my thing!)
This year I haven’t read that much nonfiction, the split is probably 70-30, but I want to get it closer to 60-40. My nonfiction is a mix of history, politics and life development/ self help. I just read Building a Second Brain and liked that. I don’t read a lot of memoir, but I am always interested in memoirs by journalists, memoirs about infertility/birth (due to my own life experience) and memoirs about divorce (because I’m nosy).
Most of my reading is in physical books, because I love them. I’m also a heavy user of my local library because it enables me to try new releases without buying, and I can walk to it from my office. Kindle is great for travel and for stealing a few minutes of reading time at the playground. I pretty rarely do audiobooks because I listen to a lot of podcasts while I work, and I prefer that.
I have WAY too many books going at the moment and I am trying to cut down. I am a serial starter and when I get a little bored it’s easy for me to jump genres. I think ideally I would have 1 fiction, 1 nonfiction and 1 Kindle book (which could be either but is suited to jumping in and out). In some cases it is just a matter of deciding I am going to DNF something for now, and can come back to it later.
Librarian here so this post and comments are MY JAM.
1. I’m a high(er) volume reader, but I think part of that is being surrounded by books for work. I sometimes joke that being a librarian is a special form of torture–surrounded by so many amazing books, constantly seeing what is coming out, and never enough time to read everything. I’m in the 100ish range but I am trying to loosen my hold and not try to pick up shorter books just to up the number.
2. I consider myself a medium-to-high ambition reader. I also love books that some folks would consider lighter or less taxing (I want to enjoy reading!) and I also love a good project or a deep dive into something. A few years ago I re-read Moby Dick (the Norton critical edition, which explains all the whaling terms and historical references) and Nathaniel Philbrick’s Why Read Moby Dick?, and probably some others in that vein. I sometimes get on a bit of a kick with something and love to fall down a rabbit hole.
3. I also read a lot of nonfiction and personal development. I thought my nonfiction ratio was much higher, but I looked at my numbers last year and I think it was about 60-40 nonfiction to fiction. I am also slower at reading nonfiction so I think I spend more time with each nonfiction book so the overall volume feels higher. I recently read Work Clean by Dan Charnas and I think you might enjoy it! I have always enjoyed personal development; I sometimes expect books to totally change my life, and that rarely happens, but I usually gain something from them. I also love essays, memoirs, and nonfiction about all sorts of topics, really.
4. I also love a paper book. The physicality, the cover, the design, the feel, everything. I have also figured out that I do not retain information as well when I read it on my phone or Nook. This is fine for a romance novel, not so much for nonfiction. I have gotten more into audiobooks in the last few years, but the narrator has to be great. I love Julia Whelan (HIGHLY recommend her reading her own novel, Thank You for Listening) and Ralph Cosham, who did many of the Chief Inspector Gamache books. I actually have not read any Gamache books physically, just listened to the audiobooks, because his narration is so good and I feel transported to Three Pines and like Cosham embodies Gamache. I do have to tell myself that I am setting aside podcasts to get into an audiobook, or that I am not diving into an audiobook so that I can catch up on my podcasts a bit, because it’s difficult for me to switch between them.
5. I tend to have waayyyyy too many books going at once. I will reel it in for a bit and finish some up, then check out or buy a few, then pull it back, and so on. I have gotten better about finishing (or choosing not to finish right now–I have list of books to “try again later” if I am struggling to abandon a book) so that I can focus on fewer books. But I will always have at least one fiction and one nonfiction going!
I had a couple of reading goals for myself this year, carried over from last year: try to read one fantasy book a month, and try to read 3 books from my bookshelves each month. I love fantasy but they are often lengthy and in a series, which just adds to my never-ending to-be-read list. So I had stopped prioritizing the genre, even though I do love to get lost in a magical world. I also buy lots of books and that is often the death knell for reading them–because I own them, I can read them at anytime, which often means no time. As opposed to the nice deadline from library books! I have not reached this goal every month, but I am reading much more fantasy and many more books from my bookshelves than I would if I hadn’t set the goal. I am often able to give away books from my bookshelves after I’ve read them, which also helps with decluttering (because I am not going to stop buying books, haha!).
Lastly, a podcast recommendation: the Strong Sense of Place podcast. Each episode the hosts (a married couple, Dave and Mel) choose a city or country or region, tell you about it, and then tell you about five books set there. It’s delightful and the best kind of armchair travel. It is turning into my new rabbit hole/project reading source.
“I also buy lots of books and that is often the death knell for reading them–because I own them, I can read them at anytime, which often means no time.” – this is so funny! but a good point! (though sometimes I take library books out and return them without reading – I’d rather have lots of option around so I take out liberally!).
Really cool podcast rec – I will check it out!
I love this post! I also read around 50 new books a year. I love a mix of fiction and nonfiction and I usually have at least two (and sometimes more) books going at a time. I love memoirs, personal development, and a family drama. I usually love a mystery (I’m another Gamache audiobook fan). I’m not usually a fan of fantasy but I do make exceptions, and I almost never read anything dystopian. I also have an in-person book club and a virtual book club, so a good chunk of my 50 books are book club picks, and I get a lot of recommendations from my book club friends. My mom and my sister and I have similar taste in books, so often one of us will buy a book and then we pass it around until we’ve all read it.
I am the rare person who actually really enjoys paper books, Kindle/Libby, and audiobooks! I like the convenience of Kindle/Libby for traveling, anywhere I have to wait, and reading in my kids’ rooms while they’re falling asleep. I love an audiobook for chores around the house or walking/running, but I don’t often listen in the car; I tend to prefer music in the car. And I am maybe the last person around who listens to everything at 1.0 speed – I’m definitely the last person in either of my books clubs!
I did NOT like Yellowface and Yesteryear for the same reason! I really enjoyed Shampoo Effect – I bet you will too.
loved Pineapple Street!!
I appreciate that you noted both your volume and ambition. Sometimes I feel like the emphasis on number of books takes away from the richness of the individual reading experience. If it takes a long time to get through a project book but it sticks with you for the rest of your life, that feels like a very worthwhile trade-off. Of course, any reading is good reading – one novel a year or 150 romance novels! Just thinking that ambition or richness or artistry (whatever you want to call it) is also worth keeping at the forefront of the discussion.
1. High volume reader, I’ve moved from 80ish to 100ish books a year over the last few years.
2. Low-medium ambition reader. I read primarily for entertainment + relaxation, occasionally to learn. If I like it, I don’t care if it’s considered intellectual or not.
3. I read probably 75-80% romance, maybe 5-10% non-fiction usually self-help or parenting and the remaining fiction – usually the books chosen for my book club. I have occasionally enjoyed mysteries (but NOT Thursday Murder Club, hated it!)
4. I read in all formats -audiobook, kindle, paperback. I hate reading hardcover books because they’re too heavy to hold in bed or haul on my commute, but when I want a newer release physical book I’ll deal with it.
5. I always have multiple books going at once – kindle, audiobook, physical book. I try to do one romance/one fiction /one non-fiction but it is somewhat dependent on what library hold becomes available, what we’re reading for book club, and my mood. I listen to audiobooks on the walking part of my commute, while running, & doing chores. I read a physical book on weekend mornings and during the train/bus part of my commute and sometimes before bed. Kindle app on my phone is for all other downtime.
Also, something a little unique for my reading habits, I do a lot of re-reading, especially of favorite series. 22/75 books I read this year were ones I’ve read at least once (and often more times than that!)
Ooh yes I love a re-read too! A few of my books every year will be re-reads too 🙂