Reading stats for 2023 and goals for 2024

Maybe 2024 is the year I stop trying to force myself to be someone I'm not and just let myself buy the books, you know?

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year!

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Instagram: @thebookbully_

[amyb]

Thank you for the video! I did not reach my goal of 50 books this year but I loved almost everything I read and probably half of those books were your recommendations. The Colony and Unsettled Ground were two of my favourite reads this year. Looking forward to your Instagram reviews. Happy reading!

[JessEsa]

I completely agree about short stories over xmas, it fits with the times makes no sense thing somehow 😂 Loved this video!

[yellowmeeplereads]

A bit of a pivotal year of reading for me, 2023. I used to read 30-40 ebooks a year on my commute to work, but in January, decided that I can't look at the screen that long anymore in year 3 of remote work (no complaints to work from home otherwise) and that I should walk to library for some exercise and borrow physical books. Then to my surprise in January alone I almost read 8 books because of that change. Upped my annual goal right away to 100 just for a fun number to pursue. I'm only at 92 on Christmas Day, but I am very proud to have read so many (physical) books this year, and that reading is what got me out of my house and wander in library hours on end.

Added Salmon Wars and Ananias and A Death in Malta to my TBR. Thanks for the recommendations and a great year of videos.

[keeley_reads]

This was such a chill video. Love hearing people wrap up their year. Idk if I'm gonna do any set goals for 2024. I feel like every time I set goals, I don't do them or end up feeling pressure. Idk lol I'll probably change my mind by the time 2024 rolls around.

[jenntendosystem]

Audible works for me because I don’t have a lot of time to listen to audiobooks as I used to…also, I’m so behind on my credits - I have about 6 or 7 to use?? Let me know if I can gift one or two to you for an audible exclusive or something. 😅

I didn’t concretely set any goals for myself this year, but I feel pretty pleased with how my reading year went. I managed to read 45 books, and had originally set a goal of 12…or 24? Not bad for having a baby. 😂

I also mood read more (kinda according to season) and it really worked for me. I didn’t set myself a huge TBR and if I did set a monthly TBR, I gave myself a lot of grace in moving books to another month or simply setting it on the shelf again.

I love your goal of reading more backlisted titles from certain authors, and so I’ve made my own list:

1. Zadie Smith
2. Elizabeth Kostova
3. Sarah Waters
4. Barbara Kingsolver
5. Kazuo Ishiguro

Thanks for all your videos this year - watching them when I maybe couldn’t read as much as I wanted has been comforting and helped me to remember a part of me outside of being a mom.

[paigeobrien]

Happy Holidays! My reading goals for the new year are: reading books from my physical TBR, trying to buy less books and use the library more for physical and e-books (l exclusively get my audio books from the library already) and I'm going to try not giving books a star rating this year as it's pretty arbitrary and I think I sometimes get distracted by thinking about what rating I will be giving a book while reading and I think that sometimes impacts the experience I have with a book (especially books that end up as a 3 star). You mentioned enjoying your TBR spin challenge and it made me think I might write down a bunch of books I want to get to this year and throw them in a jar and pull one a month as a means of prioritizing them. Wishing you a fab 2024 reading year!

[smittenforfiction]

Happy Holidays Jill! I hope you are doing well and wish you all the best for 2024.

[FullyBookedMelissa]

I havent gone back to my goals list in a long while so I have no idea what's in store for me because my reading got majorly derailed this year. I remember I had purposefully made my goals very chill and I think in any other year they would have been attainable, but I'll be surprised if I completed even one. 😅 I'll film a goals update before the end of the year 😬

[jenniferbrooks]

Wild that you mention Scribd because I’ve been thinking about going back to it. The shame about Audible (as others mentioned) is that it seems like everything I REALLY want is an audible exclusive. Are you on the Libro fm influencer program? That’s actually really wonderful.

[GemofBooks]

I’m still deciding whether to set goals for next year, but I do want to start reviewing books on my IG grid too - I’ve not posted much on there is a LONG time and I think it’s time to jump back in!

[JoshsBookishVoyage]

Congrats on a good year. Good luck on next. Ill end the year with about 80 read, but my goal was 100 originally. I changed it ot like halfway through to 75, so i guess thats a success.

[CharliGirlMusic]

Always enjoy your videos, Jill! I've realized this year that I am very much a mood reader. I had set myself a goal last year and even made a plan of which books I intended to read, following a reading challenge/online book club with 52 prompts for the year, mini challenges, etc...until it began to feel like a homework assignment. This year I've decided my goal is simply to have fun and enjoy reading again. I feel like I will read more this way because I'm reading what I want to read, when I want to read it (and if what I read fits into a prompt for the challenge, great, if not, no big deal, it's not the end of the world if I don't complete the challenge). Wishing you a beautiful Christmas, and may 2024 be everything you wish it to be!

[sgriffin]

I failed miserably at my goal of reading 70 books this year! First time in many years that I've missed a goal. I blame it on my life changes in 2023. Hopefully I can get back to reading 80+ in 2024!

[readingbytheriver]

Another interesting video. I will read Demon Copperhead soon - this week or next. I have a few issues with Barbara Kingsolver - it takes me a couple tried to get into the book -but I know I will enjoy the book once I'm into it. Gearldine Brooks is the same - and I always wind up singing the praises of the book I selected. If you haven't read her please give her a try. Not sure where to recommend starting - I'm reading Horse and the Secret Chord currently.  Good luck with your goals. I made my list - now I'm checking it twice. I tend to over fill my goals list so now it is the "prudent" check. No overfilling for me this year. My B'day is in June - I expect books then - however, I plan to make it through to Fall without purchasing new books. Library books do not count if they are for a book club or the Book Tube Prize. I have front loaded my TBR - with books announced for book clubs and book groups.

Have a wonderful holiday of your choice.

[SarahAsYouWish]

Here’s to reaching your goals. 🥂 As for Scribd, it depends on the type of reader you are if the service works for you or not. If you like to read a lot of the popular books and mainly new releases, you’ll run into the issue of reaching your limit of those books pretty quickly each month. If you enjoy backlist books and books that aren’t all the rage, then it’s a great service. Unfortunately, I still have my Audible subscription because I always run into books I really want to listen to that are Audible exclusives.

[Whtpaper]

I exceeded my books to be read this year - it helped that I had a sabbatical. I want to read more big books in 2024. I have two on my shelf now - one that I started and put down as I was intimidated by it I guess. Demon Copperhead is on my library hold list so I hope I get it next year to read. Happy Holidays to you!

[AnaMoShoshin]

Those sound like great goals! Good luck and happy new year!

[bookreview]

Good job on working on your goals. I did quite well on my reading while still failing the only 3 specific goals I had :D
Still thinking about reading goals for 2024.
Alos currently listening to In Ascension and honestly don't get it. Either it's going over my head over was just overrated.

[cherylynlarking]

Have you heard the audio version of the first book of the Hunger Games trilogy. The movie of the Ballad of ... it's really good but the book is much better. Hope your reading year goes well.