5 Reading Trends to Ditch in 2025

[@bencordwell]

I have found a 'total number of books' goal helped develop my reading habit, it pushed me to pick up one book after the other, getting that muscle moving. I'm talking about a total number of like 10 to 20, nothing too intense. Now that I've developed a good reading habit I don't use this type of goal anymore. My goals now are tailored to subjects, genres and connection with the books.

[@SlightlyBias]

I never kept a count of books I read until this. I was more curious how many I read than to brag. What I have been doing over the past couple of years is setting a goal for the number of hours I read in a year. I found it is satisfying to see my progress but I didn't feel guilty when I came up short.

[@jdStarlight]

I've always kept track of the number books I've read. Once I saw the 100 books in 1 year I have made it one of my many goals every year. It helps keep me out of a slump. I don't think I'll ever get to 100 in a year. But it would be fun if I did. My other goals are much more about continuing to diversify my reading and keeping track of what I am reading. The guilt and the push to get to a specific number never made sense to me. A book will be consumed and digested at the pace that is meant for each individual. Which is how it should be.

[@KS-un3pi]

I am just started back to reading in 2024. I set 30 books as a goal, which I surprised myself when I met the goal. But I can see where he is coming from and I think you have a point of encouraging me to keep reading. I watch little TV and chose to come to my room and read. It is hard to read while the boys I birthed and this Daddy/my husband watch WWE. I just get obsessed too. Which isn't always good. Just ate one up for 3 days for a book. I'm a slower reader and I'm loving it!

[@MattKaramazov]

"Going shopping from my own bookshelf" haha love that. Great video man.

[@tahliae]

Library hauls are my favorite to watch! The variety is usually better. But I do really love to rearrange my books once a year. Sometimes just even swapping shelves is all it takes to make them stand out!

[@TheCarmacon]

Loved that statement. I regard my library as a little pharmacy.

[@crwinters.guitar]

The best alternative to book consumerism is the public library.

[@StormReads]

Except if you live in a small community and your public library doesn't have a lot of book or the kind of books I like to read.

[@crwinters.guitar]

@StormReads I can't speak to the services offered by every library, but it is possible that even small libraries may be able to request the materials you want from a larger nearby library at no cost to you. I would encourage anyone reading this comment to check if their local library is part of a library network and/or what the library's ILL policy is.

[@aa-yy1tl]

basically

[@mothinman6313]

I also recommend being broke as f^ck for this. 😔. That’s a joke but it’s also kind of true. I have to consider and plan which books I really truly want to spend my money on/get books from secondhand sources. It also makes me feel more of a desire to finish working through the stuff already on my bookshelf.

[@soniak2269]

Agreed! Love my library but I will say sometimes i have a hard time finding what I want at the library and its consortium and have occasionally purchased books because I really wanted to read something and just couldn’t get my hands on it at the library. But agreed the library is great! My library consortium now has an app that you can look up and place holds on books as well as seeing which library in the consortium has what, it’s helpful. I’m sure bigger city libraries have had these apps for years… but I live in kind of a smaller town and this is a fairly new thing here

[@loganplonski922]

Before I started a reading journal, I wrote in-depth book reviews on Goodreads. The only people who read the reviews were my friends on Facebook and a handful of other bookish people, and they got almost no engagement. There's this idea that everything you do has to be "content," that you have to have a marketable personal brand and tons of online engagement. But the reality of the situation is that I wrote Goodreads reviews because I liked reading and I liked writing about the things I read.

[@JanetMcCord]

I have now realized I am glad I wrote reviews because now, I sometimes see I've read a book and cannot, for the life of me remember it, unless I've posted a review. You'll be glad you wrote those when you get as old as me! 😅 ❤

[@susanspalluto4359]

I love to read Goodreads reviews!

[@Partyofone63]

Overconsumerism! Yes this is becoming a strong point in many areas like knitting, quilting etc.All these huge haul videos crazy! We need to take a long look at what we already have,slow down and enjoy the project we're working, the book we're reading.So glad you brought that up

[@XZeroDragoonX]

I think reading as a competition needs to stop...there's way too many folks out there with the opinion of "I read 299 books this year, but anyone who reads more than 300 isn't even reading at that point." Like it's so asinine, that's like saying "I ran 100 miles this year, but anyone that ran 101 isn't actually running at that point!" . Reading is like any hobby; people are allowed to engage with it at different skill levels. A big reason I can't bring myself to make a booktube or bookstagram account is because everyone treats it like a competition and I'd rather that trend stay in 2024 more than anything...

[@myself2noone]

100 miles in a year is less than 1/3 of a mile a day. I'd be shocked if most people hadn't done that. Maybe I'm overestimating people, but really, that's not a lot. Sorry, I just run a lot, so that just stuck out to me.

[@ourreadinghour]

​@myself2noone I think you're missing the point of the comment. The idea is you are using your own lived experience and guardrails to dictate someone else's behavior. 100 to you is nothing vs. To someone else might be a big feat.

[@kenzievances]

i love how you discussed the number of books reading goal and how we don’t watch movies in 2x speed to finish as many as possible. we watch for the story and the experience, not to add to a tally. thank you for the reminder to stop and smell the flowers. i set a 100 book goal in 2023 and i found myself reading shorter books. since then i’ve set a 52 book goal (one book a week) and i naturally surpassed it in 2024 and read multiple 500+ page books

[@ericgeneric135]

This year I switched from buying books on Amazon to purchasing them on Thift Books and it's been a great experience. Thanks for the info about Abe Books. I didn't realize they're owned by Amazon.

[@susanspalluto4359]

What’s the advantage of Abe Books, please ?

[@moonbabyg]

Book outlet is owned by Amazon too. 😕

[@tahliae]

Better World Books is also good- they donate to kid’s literacy programs. And they have a huge selection of second hand books.

[@PensAndPigWings]

2024 was the first year I made a “number of books” reading goal. I enjoyed my reading this year, but not as much as I usually do. Wanting to reach that goal meant I was engaging with books less, was focused more on just finishing them. And like you said, the world is already focused on consuming as much as possible; let the reading space be a haven away from that.

[@davidjardine4968]

I listen to different music in each ear so I can get through more songs

[@Lifeonbooks]

😂

[@NilaR93]

😂😂👌🏾👌🏾

[@johnradovich8809]

🤣 Things are not funny that don’t have an element of truth. The other day I caught myself watching a KZbin video, a show on Netflix and listening to a song in the background. All at the same time. It’s apparent I need to make some changes.

[@corsivapurpleus]

I love the "getting out of your comfort zone" idea with books! I am part of a book club with people who like a variety of genres/types of books and we each take turns picking a book for everyone to read. I've generally been an adventurous reader but it was a great way to get out of my comfort zone with genres I don't normally read and be doing it with other people!

[@TamTam9-15]

I set a goal of 75 books this year I reached it. But I found around October that I didn’t care if I reached it because I had been reading such good books. I was gravitating to huge books 700+ pages consistently. Getting lost in just amazing writing and stories. The only goal I have for next year is to finally read “1984” and “one hundred years of solitude”

[@joelchrono]

random recommendation going your way: "The Machine Stops" by E. M. Forster is a short novella that could be considered the true grandfather of dystopian literature, published in 1909 much before Orwell's (equally fantastic work) I recommend giving it a go! you can finish it in a day

[@Fantumh]

Both those books are excellent, though 1984 is starting to feel a little too real. 100 Years is a fantastic read.

[@AndrewShort-ox4ck]

They are both among the greats! I envy that you will read these for the first time.

[@moyadetka]

Those both are my favorite. 1984, the beginning is a bit hard to start, but once you get past the first part, it gets so interesting. Hope you'll enjoy both.

[@rphitheta2539]

Instead of number of books, I have a goal of hours read a day or a week. It can be a bit inconvenient to track, so I tend to track with the heavier books. But it helps with slowing down and also unplugging enough to read, knowing this 30min-1hour is dedicated toward enjoying this one book.

[@Lifeonbooks]

@@rphitheta2539 I typically set a timer on my phone and put it on the other side of the room.

[@Yxvandoolu]

I prefer setting a number of books goal and then changing it up or down - depending on how “life” hit me that year. Much more fluent than tying me down to reading each day. If I did that I would feel guilty if I didn’t read that day - and maybe just sit with the book my eyes gliding over the page without being in the here and now. 🙂

[@WhatsWrongWithTheStreet]

I think you have a better idea. I, too, feel reading everyday is more important than trying to rush through X amount of books in a year.

[@RyeMiArt]

I use Storygraph to track my reading. You can track your reading each day (pages or minutes), or you can maybe update it once a week and you'd also get the number easily. And it also makes nice monthly reading stats (I'm a stats geek so I love that :D ) Just a suggestion.

[@SlightlyBias]

I use the Forest app to time my reading. This sets a little challenge for me and at the end of the year I can see my reading time as a “forest” rather than a number of pages or books. Purely a vain thing but makes me feel good when my “forest” is larger than last year.

[@brassteeth3355]

I wasn't aware of any trends. I just now started looking at videos regarding my reading and writing enthusiasm. I think I'll just keep doing my thing.

[@redshed2020]

Same here.

[@SummerIris90-yb2lz]

Same. I don’t know why people buy into trends, I just mind my own business and do my thing.

[@KayAteGummyBears]

I have a goal of 20 books a year. But it’s not my main focus. Just to get myself to read more. I’m a slow reader and a full time job. But my goal this year is to be more consistent, play less games.

[@Toeslurper584]

Audiobooks work great cause you can listen to them in the car on your way to work, or even around your house with headphones

[@user-mc9sg9fw3w]

I feel you on the limiting of Amazon purchases. It’s gonna be hard, but my goal is actually read the books I’ve bought :)

[@johnglue1744]

I always check my local library then the county library then used book stores before buying from Amazon.

[@seannyhan2254]

My only goal for this year is to read books I already have. Realistically, I could read for 3 years without running out of stuff I haven't read yet.

[@GenreBlenderPodcast]

Important video, and articulated well. Thanks for making it. I agree with all of these points, and it's the surface-level book reviews that really get to me the most. I'm here for the dialogue and the debate, and on more than one occasion have turned to the booktube/bookstagram community and have been met with the opposite. When people eschew the thinking and discussion about a book for the pure numbers game of how-many-books-can-i-read-in-a-year mentality, that's a big red flag. I'm convinced short-form video content contributes heavily to this, and I've fallen into that trap myself. This was a nice reminder to be true to myself and my own values. Happy reading :) -R

[@HazelJaneTarot]

The thing that helped enhance my reading experience most is a small IRL book club. We meet every couple of months and have a group chat in between. The trust of a small group of friends enables the honest sharing of opinions, even though we rarely agree.

[@jjcrazi]

My goals are reading more authors from my country and a non-fiction book every month. I occasionally do a reading challenge, have been doing one this month which encouraged me to choose a book from a genre that I’d not normally choose.

[@tahliae]

I love reading challenges because they often force me out of my comfort zone! But I always count the challenge as done in my mind if I read a single book that aligned with the theme.

[@jjcrazi]

@ the reading challenge I did this month was like bingo (though you could play it how you want… one book could tick multiple boxes if you wanted to). Pretty broad categories too - banned book, book that’s been on your TBR for a long time, book with purple in the cover, lgbtqia book etc

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Great points - I think the only one I’d tweak slightly is the reading more broadly one where I’d add that reading outside your comfort zone can help you find books you love you’d never have normally read.

[@mcp0y3]

I LOVE reading goals but above all i LOVE keeping track of the books ive read. I tend to forget what ive read in a year. However i agree with slowing down on the reading and enjoy it

[@katiefox5457]

I completely agree on these points. One of the best feelings is finishing an awesome book and feeling the need to take a day to reflect on it. That feeling is diminished when an absurd goal is looming over you. I set a relatively low goal more as a check in that I’m making time for myself.

[@tahliae]

Book hangovers are so real and truly the best! If a book is haunting me in some way, I just have to give it the space and respect it’s clearly earned.

[@aliciareadsinbr]

It’s always interesting to hear different perspectives when it comes to the amount of books people read. I set a number count every year, it helps me prioritize reading and spend less time consuming television and social media. I began doing this after a conversation with my Mom a few years ago about literacy and learning that my sisters, cousins and I are only the second generation of literacy in our family. This was a powerful and sad revelation to me, and from that moment reading has become a passion and priority. I’ve joined bookclubs online and at my job. I’ve attended author talks online and in-person. I talk to friends about books, it’s opened a whole world of joy for me and I hope it does for others, whether they read one book or 500 books. Have a great day!

[@theinkedreader7722]

As someone who's coming to terms with the fact that my reviews are always going to be lengthy and in depth and that many will just click off soon after start watching them, your video gave me comfort. That there are people out there who will appreciate the in-depth reviews and those are the people I'd like to built a book community with🙌

[@JeremyDavisBooks]

I've been hemming and hawing about starting my channel for a while, and I'm so grateful for the push you give at the end of this video. I just posted my newbie tag video. Thank you for the nudge!

[@tahliae]

Subb’ed and added it to my watch list for tomorrow! 🎉congrats on starting!

[@JeremyDavisBooks]

@@tahliae Thanks! I hope you like my first video. I'm prepping for my next one, and it should be up by next week. Thanks again!

[@james_library]

I like all of these. Specifically the number of books. I also would add that I would like people to stop discriminating people who read via audiobook vs physical copies. Awesome video! Thank you for sharing. This is my first time coming across your videos and I'm happy to be a new subscriber 😊

[@Lifeonbooks]

Thank you 🙏

[@Spyders_BookTube]

I 100% agree about the audios. I absolutely hated fantasy books before I tried audio but now they're quickly becoming a top pick for me because they're fun to listen to, especially if they do full cast. If I'd have discriminated against them then I'd be missing out on some great books.

[@jennyrbaker]

Thank you for this video. You nailed my reading issues, specifically, the number of books, overconsumerism, and surface level reviews, all of which I want to overcome in 2025.

[@theanthropism]

totally resonate with the idea of getting out and engaging with the reading community in a more substantial way. so often reading is thought of as a solitary act, but some of the discussions i've had in the book club and elsewhere online have really enriched my understanding and appreciation for books i already liked/loved, added nuance to books i might have been otherwise lukewarm about, and gave me reason to pause and think and discuss more critically and thoughtfully-engaging with the community at large can only add to that rewarding reading experience!

[@GothWarriorGeek]

This is the first perfectly reasonable video regarding reading I have watched in a while. Most of them really are about consuming content and the reviews are soooo shallow. I can't keep up. Thank you

[@oliviauzquiano7392]

One of my goals is to find a new way to track my books that doesn’t involve anything to do with Star ratings. I have used goodreads but I really dislike the rating system. I have tried StoryGraph but it just didn’t catch on for me. I’m trying a physical journal in conjunction with my goodreads app to see what I like better. The reason I don’t like the star rating system is I feel that it potentially puts me off books I might enjoy just because they are rated low, and books that are not for me are rated super high. Like it or not the star rating activates some kind of reaction in my mind of the books quality before I even read a sentence, which feels bad. Also I feel (me included!) most people rate based on personal enjoyment rather than actual merit.

[@zunfdo]

What an excellent list! This was extremely refreshing, I've just suscribed to your channel (which I wasn't aware existed). Have a great reading year!

[@angiehh516]

I do set a goal but I set it low…so the pressure is off. I also set it low because sometimes I get into other hobbies like crochet and I don’t want to limit myself because I have this crazy book goal that I have to meet. It doesn’t prevent me from reading the books I’m interested in…and I never have to cram in short books at the end. I take my time to watch vids (much like this one) to see what’s out there and keep myself informed on new literary works. I get most of my books on the library app and occasionally from somewhere like ThriftBooks. I like longer books in hand so I don’t have a library time limit. I don’t keep my books because I never read one twice! There’s too many stories out there. I have one big bookshelf of TBR…and otherwise I donate or resell or pass on everything I read. If something really strikes my fancy, I may keep it. Too bad I let someone borrow my 11/22/63. That’s one I wouldn’t mind rereading!

[@Lifeonbooks]

Love that!

[@BooksThatTeachUs]

yes I agree with all this pressure to reach a reading goal - we need to just read for fun and be gentle with ourselves! I love my library to avoid the overbuying!

[@tegantalks9612]

One thing I started doing in 2024 was just going to the library and picking out books. Local libraries are great resources for more than just books and they need your support.

[@pagewest5736]

Great video. This is going to push me to find a way to be more in depth with how i review this year. I've always used my Goodreads as a personal reminder space for what i read. So i kind of verbal diarrhea quick thoughts in my review, give it stars and move on. I'll be adding a goal to be more conscious about how i write my reviews for 2025. Thanks for pointing out something i never thought twice about! As my boss says "Try to be 1% better everyday".

[@poly-phonica]

I’ve watched the other “trends to leave behind” videos and your list is the most thoughtful, reasonable, and practical for the average person and applies more broadly. I think slowing down my reading and digesting it more is something I want to work toward.

[@geex2]

You are very, very good at the whole booktube thing. I have subscribed and I'm going to go through all your old content. I appreciate everything you've said in this video.

[@big_grub]

One thing about setting book goals is that it encourages me to choose reading over something else like scrolling though twitter. I have debated switching to page count goal than book goal as I read some large books.

[@Kritz_Reads]

Agree with all of these, even if I have been part of the issue on some of these issues (coughbookbuyingcough). I'd love to slow down and think about what I've read a bit longer this year. This video was so well-spoken, thank you!

[@tjpieraccini]

The thing about the counting of books read is that we're all looking for the ultimate read, the book that blows us wide open, and for me the 'reading goal' number is a way of keeping myself serious about the search; how many books have I tried, how hard have I been searching? How much time/effort have I given to my reading? (That said, I may in fact not set myself a goal this year! You're not wrong, I feel; I just wanted to say that it's not just about the numbers or the ticking of boxes.)

[@marycutler5258]

Thank you for expose of reading goals by number of books. This has been bugging me since 4th grade when I watched classmates get reading awards for most books read. Meanwhile, I didn't, because I read books based on my interests instead of how short the volume is.

[@sidd1330]

Wish your channel receives more engagement in 2025. Such sincere and authentic booktube content 😊

[@ChristianCareerJoy]

I’m about to start a KZbin channel and I plan on doing a book review here and there related to my niche. I love all of these points! Now I gotta go binge some of your content where you do book reviews thanks!

[@cmeeki4]

Great video and reading goals. I plan on reading more intentionally in 2025. I think booktok and booktube has caused reading to be a competition instead of reading for pleasure.

[@kristinmarra7005]

This is a great list. Each point makes so much sense to me. Thanks. I’m subscribing.

[@ShivangiBhasin]

I consume most of your content on IG and I’m a huge fan. I agree with everything you said here, especially about book reviews. I’ve been thirsting for meaningful reviews myself and hope to embody that in my own Bookstagram. People like you and Books Are Better Than Food have been such a huge influence on me, so thank you🙌🏼

[@GrottescoTeatro]

I heard someone say once that bragging that you “read books really fast is like bragging you are really fast at having sex. It’s not the brag you think you think it is.” 😂😂

[@femalevoice_]

It is different though and a stupid composition. Like saying you wash your dishes or peel your potatoes slowly, that’s not a flex. Totally different. Fast readers >

[@stopreadingthisusernamegee8890]

I agree. It's not a flex, especially if you can't remember most of what you read right after reading it.

[@the_eerie_faerie_tales]

I read 127 books in 2024 and have 30 new all time faves.. and that's even counting the series on that list as just "one" (so really it's more than 30). Nearly half the books I read were from the library. But I do have my own curated collection, which I love having and adding to. Since I like all size books including chonkers, my goal was 100 pages a day.. I read that anyway.. it's my #1 hobby. Lots of bangers in 2024! reading a lot of books doesn't have to mean people aren't enjoying the books or that they're not reading quality books.

[@wuswpwwtos]

Great video! When it comes to buying from amazon, as a Polish person who prefers to read books in the original language, there aren't many alternatives for places to buy english books. Even when we have american book stores/stores with english book shelves (really only in biggest cities) the choices are limited. Book depository closed down a while back so amazon is pretty much the best and only place anyways. Also some thoughts about reading more diverse genres; over the last few months i noticed increasing "policing" over what people read, and while i totally agree that it's good to get to know other genres and be more open to them, i noticed more and more discussions about this topic that pretty much just boils down to people shaming others who only read one genre (Mostly romance but also fantasy etc). Promoting reading more diverse genres is great but we can't try to force people(Not saying you do, obviously), because at the end of the day, reading is a hobby for most people. And also while i definitely get that people want better reviews, when i review books and mangas on goodreads i honestly forget people outside my friends list can see them. While i often write long and complex reviews, sometimes i just wanna scream about how much i loved a book, without any reasoning LOL

[@nicholasloftis1913]

Love the suggestion about making a goal to engage more with what I read

[@KeryKatto]

I'm really glad that I set my goal to 12 books every year as a personal goal. Sometimes I read only 12 books and most times I read more. I do plan on using my local library a lot more this year because I bought too many disappointing books this year and it felt sad spending so much on something I ended up not liking. Happy reading this 2025 everyone 📚

[@curriesis3]

I am just seeing your channel for the first time. Love this video. I started reading about 6 years ago because of booktube channels. I follow so many amazing channels. However, you bring up points I've often thought about myself. I have wandered if readers are actually enjoying books when they read so many, so quickly. I just finished Greg Isles, Natchez Burning and frankly, I need a few days to digest and reflect on everything. His writing is all encompassing. Definitely one of my favorite books of all time. It's over 700 pages and it felt like 100!!!!! Anyway, thank you for this video. I am now subscribed to ANOTHER book tube channel 😂😂😂 and looking forward to browsing your history videos and future videos.

[@OmnivorousReader]

Good call. Numbers based reading goals is something I have been trying to reduce. I want to lose the incentive to pass over the larger books, the non-fiction books and the literature, all of which take longer to read.

[@Lifeonbooks]

@@OmnivorousReader big books are life!

[@donlevy6919]

I love the idea of not setting a goal. Sometimes, the focus becomes more about the goal than the actual books you are reading.

[@MarcMariusMueller]

I am glad this video popped up on my feed. You summarized so many things that I in some shape or form had thought about, but in much less of an articulated manner. The “optimization” of reading (or quantitative competition), the book consumerism, and shallow consumption (likely tied to quantity over depth) are all concepts I have struggled with myself and would love to improve personally for 2025. Thanks for sharing!

[@RC-l8bl00mr]

You had me at #5!😊Love, love, love! Thank you. Oh, and subscribed!

[@Aerakade]

I really enjoyed your video and am glad the algorithm decided to send me this way. I agree with all of your points, specifically the first and fourth. I know when I first got Goodreads and noticed reading goals I enjoyed it but the following year began reading shorter books to increase my number of books read which left me feeling unsatisfied. I decided not to feel beholden to some arbitrary goal in 2024 and while I read fewer books I think what I read was enjoyable and varied.

[@b_olson542]

Good recommendations. I found myself agreeing with a lot of what you said. I reading in a private cintext, so my only engagement with the book community is here. My friends look at me funny when I start talking about books.

[@hillairreus]

I totally agree with what you said about setting a number goal. I set 52 every year. It acts like a slight challenge and motivation but also still very attainable for me. I really like keeping track through the year, but I dont want to go crazy with pushing myself.

[@hillairreus]

I also set a goal to read certain series this year and to buy more from indie stores

[@janetgolden9053]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you for this video! Hello from Long Island, New York and I hope that your 2025 is all that you want it to be! I look forward to checking out more content from you.

[@soniak2269]

Love the insight. I have been trying to get into the habit of reading as an adult, I am embarrassed to admit I really never read much besides required reading throughout my school and university days. I started trying to read as more of a hobby this past summer and have made a goal of how many books to read, just to simply get myself in the habit of reading regularly. Honestly my goal is truly just to read every day, even if it’s just 20 minutes, and having a very doable goal of 30 books a year helps keep me accountable and working towards something tangible. I totally agree reading just for the sake of finishing X amount of books a year is a little silly. Great video!

[@captnsquashypant82]

💯 on your first point. I got back into reading four years ago now since it’s 2025. In 2022 I didn’t come close to the number, but it really made me strive for it. In 2023 I completely surpassed my goal and actually changed it several times. In 2024 I felt like I was chasing a number and was gamifying my reading experience past the point where I was enjoying it. I read 126 books last year and was burnt out by the end. I made a different a reading goal of reading the entirety of the expanse series and the first law series during 2024, and I felt way better about either of those reading goals than I did the entire number of books I read.

[@youareherediversity7321]

One good way of diversifying your reading is through book challenges. I really benefit from challenges that challenge me to diversify

[@nancynurse4552]

Just found your channel and subscribed. Total-number-of-books goals decrease my joy of reading and increase my anxiety around completing books. My vision for my 2025 reading year is to read more deeply while also finishing a few series that I read simply for pleasure. Going to check out your book club to look for more engagement also.

[@Lifeonbooks]

@@nancynurse4552 love that!

[@adasjournal]

I like the points you’ve raised here. I do set a number goal for my reading on StoryGraph but I don’t care if I reach that goal or not, as long as I’m reading books, that’s fine by me. I do agree with the well thought out reviews. This year I have hardly done any reviews online but I have been taking a lot of notes on the books I’m reading, especially in the past few months and it has been so helpful in me remembering what I’ve read and understand myself more as a reader and think more critically about the books I choose to read. Great video!

[@danawest7408]

Although the premise is the same, your breakdown is really informative about the consequences of these activities that are more about the frenzied way in which some people consume books. My reading goal this year is to be more intentional about my selections and then reflect on the content. My last five years have been about complete escape through reading which has diminished my joy of experiencing stories. This year, I want to be immersed, I want to feel, I want my world view and humanity to be altered. I also want to engage with other readers, like in a bookclub, rather than simply sitting down and shutting out everything around me. Thanks for this video, I really enjoyed it!

[@Syssn3ck]

Hey there! Your video just popped up, and you've got a new sub! Great points, and I feel like I distanced myself from these channels a while ago because it felt unhealthy to keep up with this hyper-consumerism that's grasping every aspect of our lives. I think slowing down is so important when it comes to reading, especially for harder and more complex works. I usually break up my reading with something easier after a hefty tome or a dense classic; needless to say, my reading speed increases when I read a run-of-the-mill YA fantasy book compared to Dickens or something. In Germany, books are bound to a price, so it's not a problem to shop elsewhere. The problem only arises for English books, and even there we have Thalia, which comes very close to (or even matches) Amazon prices. Let's hope for a good reading year in 2025! 📖🎉

[@Lifeonbooks]

@@Syssn3ck glad the video resonated! I'm the same as you, sometimes I like something a little lighter after a more challenging book.

[@tarawoolley3416]

I only buy books from the charity shops now, I like the thrill of not knowing what I will find!

[@BriansReadingHovel]

I agree with much of this! On my Goodreads, I give a full written review for EVERY book I read and rank, because I personally hate the "it's good" type of reviews ha ha. Great video!

[@elizabethgaldeano2953]

The most motivating reading goal I’ve ever had was reading 2 books of every main genre, I found it much more engaging and challenging I ended up going from 5 books per year to 52 that year plus it got me out of my comfort zone I really do recommend it

[@nhaz652]

you're so real, i love it! found you on tiktok and here i am subscribing to ur channel. keep it up, sir!

[@Lifeonbooks]

Thank you!

[@jenssimsandotherthings1571]

I agree with all of this. I have a reading journal where I keep notes on the books I read. Last year, I left a very detailed account of the pros and cons that I felt about the book "Swan Song". And I said that it had spoilers. My point is I do this with every book I read whether it's on a website or just in my reading journal. My reading goal each year is to read 12 books a year, one for each month. If I read more, awesome. If I read less, I'm not going to beat myself up about it. Literally, some of the books I read last year (like Swan Song and The Stand) were like reading three 300-page books for just one book. I made my goal last year, but just between Swan Song and The Stand that was like reading six books within them. So, if I go by that I went over my goal.

[@dreamingstrawberries]

Great video! I don't make a number goal list because when I did, it stressed me out too much. I will have periods in the year where I read a lot and other times I don't. I wanted to add. People should check if there are libraries near them. I have been reading books from my physical and online library, which are free and have allowed me to read much more as an adult.

[@_d0ser]

Great points. I'm actually doing an "unhaul" right now. Overconsuming and keeping (hoarding) books I'll never read again is becoming overbearing.

[@abigailroseflynn]

i’ve always had a reading goal for number of books BUT since storygraph introduced challenges based on other things like tropes, genres, tackling your TBR, i’ve found i get more satisfaction from completing those than number of books. i may change my goal next year to a smaller number but complete a larger challenge to read diversely - so much more beneficial!

[@WilliamDusing]

Congratulations on this video taking off and helping your channel gain exposure!

[@aimeejo1366]

I switched up my reading goal this year from a certain number of books (which has absolutely not been serving me) to amount of time spent reading. I simply record each day whether or not I spent time reading-this allows me to abandon books I find boring or to take on longer works without feeling as though I haven’t read enough.

[@williamgiovinazzo8523]

This is the first of your videos I've seen. I agree with your points about setting a numeric goal for your reading every year. I used to do that, but I found myself avoiding more difficult or longer books. I also agree that reviews need to be more substantive. Good observations. I subscribed.

[@redpen16]

I always set my reading goal way lower than what I could actually achieve - the goal helps me get started in the year, and pick up books again during the year if I stop reading at any point. Totally understand if that doesn’t work for other people

[@sherrilynn4678]

I've been buying books on eBay for years. Great selection, and I like being able to support small businesses. Best of all, many small businesses put up pictures of the books, so I can see exactly what I'm getting.

[@jedibusiness66]

Very well thought out video. Subscribed!

[@MykkiOnTheCusp]

I love leaving in-depth reviews on the books I read. It brings me joy to articulate what I thought worked in a story versus what needed improvement. I like to engage with the content I consume on a critical level and analyze a text, but people come for your throat if you have a single opinion they don't agree with. It's rough out there.

[@BookStuffWithIzzyK]

I used to try to increase the number of books I finished reading each year, but I would fail each time to meet my goal, making me feel like a failure. A few years ago, I told myself I wanted to read about 3 books a month for a total of 36 for the year. I met the goal, even if one month I read 7 and another month I read 2. It didn't make me feel bad and it averaged out. I didn't increase it the next year, and I met it again. It's manageable and allows me to keep reading, but I also encourage people to make their own reading goals realistic and meaningful to themselves and not the internet. This number is just how I do it. Thank you for making this video and putting the thoughtful reasoning behind the trends. Appreciated!

[@AletaSpeakz]

Thank you for affirming my decision to slow down on purchasing books until I read more of what I already own. Sometimes in the book section,I have to parent myself out loud with “ No Aleta you have books at home!” I also appreciate the encouragement at the end. I have been watching more boooktube and I’ve been wanting to try out my own book channel, your video was the push I needed! Keep up the great work!

[@thegrossmeyer]

Just found your channel from this video. Love everything you said here. Insta-subscribed to channel and newsletter!

[@Lifeonbooks]

Thank you! Glad to have you here!

[@heathiedoodle]

I’m also making 2025 a buy fewer books year. Like you I have plenty on my shelves that I bought and haven’t read. More than I can finish in a year for sure. Plus, I recently started swapping books with friends and relatives which is really fun and gives books their own little story and helps me engage with others around reading!

[@TedReadInstead]

Hello! New booktuber here and new subscriber to your channel. :) I completely understand where you're coming from. If it's one thing I've learned with Booktube that FOMO is a real thing. I'll see a book and think, "Oh! I need to add that to my TBR!" Thankfully, since I'm a retired school teacher, my pension says I need to be VERY selective on the books I purchase. I will only purchase a book if I KNOW I will read it. Admittedly, I have a weakness for HARDBOUND versions of the books, but that's another story! LOL! I recently created a GOALS video for me and my channel and I set goals for myself (including # of books) because at this point in my life, I need goals. Being retired isn't always easy and having direction and MOTIVATION has been essential to my mental well-being. Sorry for sharing TMI. Thanks again for this video and I look forward to seeing more from you! Happy 2025!

[@johnmooney9403]

Hi Tony been following your excellent channel for about a month now. Your podcast is the best I have ever seen on You tube. So refreshing to see an intelligent show about literature been discussed. So ahead of the awful booktube shows we are accustomed to these days.

[@Lifeonbooks]

@@johnmooney9403 thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying it!

[@lifewithericajean]

First of all, I just subscribed to your channel! I love the topics and thought processes behind them. Secondly, as far as reviews- I tend to be lengthy with my words so I always try to give a review with some "backbone" so to speak. If I don't like something/or do like something, I always give reasons why. I'm surprised someone did not like an RF Kuang book though. I literally have Babel and have not read it yet, but I loved The Poppy War.

[@butacosmin]

Happy to have discovered your channel. I l keep my eye on it.

[@skycastleshay]

Loved all of these! Reading goals were helpful in the beginning of getting me back into the habit of reading every day but it has morphed into a whole different beast these past few years. The last half of this year it felt really gross and discouraging to see everyone talking about their book number and as a human you can't help but compare yourself to others. This year I'm not setting a yearly number goal. My book goal is to branch out in genres I read because I've been in a slump. :) I've also decided to limit my book intake this coming year too. Special editions are my downfall but keeping up with all the releases are exhausting and draining my wallet. I need to get better at my reviews, it's hard to articulate sometimes how I'm feeling about a book but I don't sit with it afterwards enough before reviewing. I started a booktube Aug last year and it was exhausting posting weekly and not getting traction after 5 months. I have a new appreciation for everyone who has a channel and a full-time job. I might go back to it next year after resting and reseting

[@Lifeonbooks]

@@skycastleshay yeah making content can be overwhelming. It really just depends on what your goals are. If it's just for fun, no need to keep yourself to a strict schedule.

[@sh4577]

I did an A-Z book challenge this year, I didn’t finish it but I enjoyed it. It forced me to really get creative and look for titles I wouldn’t have normally found, especially at the end of the year as I got to the tricky letters!

[@overtone55]

I sat down this year and figured out the 30 or so books I wanted to get to this year. I set a reading goal for 24. It's not about blasting through the books, as I am really excited for the books on my list. I would like to get to most of them this year. There is still a bit of wiggle room for improvisation though. Also, at least 10 of those are in a book club, which helps with the comprehension and social aspect

[@jennywalker9572]

I took time to list out what I want to read more of that I missed from my uni days, and I was surprised at the variety! From the classics like Austin and Dickens, to philosophy, world history and new authors. Shopping only from indie shops has also broadened my reading, as they curate their stock in a much more interesting way than the book department stores.

[@uzi888]

Great video. Certainly is daunting to hear the huge numbers people read and consequently one feels fenced off outside book tube or booktok when those numbers pop. Another thing I feel which certain has stopped me from being out there is that every book, fiction or non fiction, I connect to my personal experiences of being an immigrant, political nuances, cultural implications of being in the diaspora etc, and it seems the book tube that I have engaged with doesn't connect their options on the implications to the wider world. I fear that I wouldn't be able to follow the norm of being sanitized. Might be an irrational fear. Anyway love your content.

[@SheReadsaBit]

I agree about reading outside your typical genre. I love horror. It's my main genre, but I also love fantasy, sci-fi, thriller, etc. Sometimes I need something to cleanse the palette :)

[@laribex110]

Thank you for expressing what I have been thinking. I’m setting a goal of purchasing few books this year, and if I do, they will be from used bookstores. If I want to read something that has been translated into English, I might purchase a new version in order to get the best translation possible. A “books read” goal might be no different than deciding to eat as much food as possible, regardless of the ingredients. 2024 was my year of reading literary classics. I enjoyed Dumas, Tolstoy, and Hardy, as well as other classic authors. It was a much more fulfilling reading year than the previous year, when I read junk food fiction that left me feeling unfulfilled and “icky” at times. A “pages read” goal will be more realistic for me, because I want to read larger works. Thanks again for your honesty!

[@agatastaniak7459]

I think with social media instead of promoting book hauls it would be great to start a trend of bookcrossing. Since it builds communities, makes people more sociable and promotes reading as such. I would lvoe to see booktubers to promote such trend in 2025. Also book challenges such as "shop your bookshelves" would be a nice trend for this incoming year.

[@pleasereadyourbook]

Nice list of trends to ditch. I like your point about making content about what you're reading, I wish more people would do that with KZbin -- I've found that since I started making content I actually use social media less often and when I do it's with the intent to actively participate rather than just passively consume.