Hi friends! I hope you’re all having a good start to the year, with new goals and resolutions! I felt compelled to share about my reading journey this past year. In the year of 2022, I read a total of…. 41 books!
Last January, I remember writing down in my planner that I wanted to start reading again. I never gave myself an exact number, I just wanted to read more frequently since it’s been years since I’ve read a book. When I was teaching full time, I read pretty often. Since I had my girls back to back (3 years old & 1.5 years old) and between pregnancy and breastfeeding, I just didn’t have the time or energy to pick up a book.
So I decided to pick up a few books from my local library and just start. And honestly, I haven’t been able to stop! It’s quickly turned into a hobby of mine. It’s something that I look forward to every evening after I put the girls to bed. Since my husband works the night shift, I use this quiet time to tidy up the house and then read for a few hours.
Reading allows me to escape into a world and get lost within a book. It’s relaxing and helps me with my self care. I love the peace and quiet that comes with it. Maybe because I’m around a lot of noise during the day with my girls being toddlers haha!
I’ve gotten a lot of questions over on my Instagram so I thought I would answer them below!
How do you find the time to read books while being a stay at home mom?
This is my most asked question! And my answer to that is that I only read while my girls are napping or sleeping. If I try to read during the day while the girls are playing, it usually doesn’t last long. Sometimes I can try and sneak in a few minutes of reading while my girls are entertaining themselves but I prefer to read in the evening.
The girls and I go to the local library quite often. We also like to go because they have story time for toddlers. I bring a big tote bag and check out books for the girls and for myself! The best part is that my oldest Sophia likes to help me return all the books in the return slot after we finish them.
After I started picking up the habit of reading books consistently it quickly became something that I included in my self care. And as a mom, I always try to do something for myself each day whether that’s working out or reading. Now that my girls are a little bit older and sleep through the night, I’m able to include in my nightly routine!
How do you afford to buy all the books that you read?
I don’t purchase any books at all. I check them out at my library, most of the time I have to wait weeks before I get them especially if it’s a popular title. The downside to renting books is that some of them are very worn or dirty. So I usually disinfect them before reading. The library is very convenient, though I do hope to upgrade to a kindle soon!
What are your top 5 highly rated books?
This is so tough for me to narrow down my top 5 because there were so many good ones! In no particular order these would be my favorites:
Reminders Of Him by Colleen Hoover
November 9 by Colleen Hoover
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
The People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry
Perfect Strangers by J.T. Geissinger
How do I start if I don’t have time?
Listening to audiobooks is a great start! If you have a long commute to work this is a good option. Or even asking a friend or family member to read the same book as you. You can both hold each other accountable and then talk about it after you finish!
You can also create a Goodreads account and give yourself a reading goal. It allows you to see what others are reading. It’s also a fun place to rate books and write reviews. Add me on Goodreads, we can be friends!
What’s your favorite genre to read?
I enjoy reading all different types of genres but my favorites are romance, thriller and suspense, humor and comedy, young adult, crime, historical fiction, and mystery.
What’s your new goal this year?
My goal this year is to read 50 books! If you’ve been wanting to read more or want to give yourself a reading goal, I highly encourage it! I truly believe reading helps reduce stress and helps with your mental health. It’s just good for the soul!
If you’re in need of book recommendations, I have a highlight called “Books” on my Instagram page. Follow me over on @_cathyjune
I would love to know below, what’s your favorite book that you’ve read recently? I’m always open to new book recommendations. Thank you for stopping by!
Good post.