Keep a Reading Journal
I like to dedicate a journal to documenting all the books I read. I keep track of the date I started and finished the book, my rating of the book (1-5 stars), quotes, whether I read it paperback or on my Kindle, new read or reread, etc. I also use highlighters and pens that match the cover of the book on its page in the journal to make it cohesive and fun. It is really rewarding to fill a journal with the books you’ve read, and you can flip back through past reads and keep count of how many you’ve read in a month, year, etc.
Highlight your Favorite Lines and Quotes
My favorite part of reading is when I read a piece of dialogue, or a character’s inner monologue, or simply a quote from the narrative that is so alluring or meaningful that I have to reread the line a few times and sit with it for a while. I highlight these quotes and tab the pages (then write them out in my reading journal), that way I can easily go back to certain passages that resonated with me.
It’s OK to D.N.F.
If your TikTok feed isn’t full of “book tokers,” then you might not know that D.N.F. stands for ‘did not finish.’ It is totally OK to get partly through a book and realize it isn’t for you, it happens to everyone. I just recently got halfway through a book that was taking me forever to get through, and I decided to put it back on my shelf because I could always try it again in the future. Some books that other people love and recommend might not be your style, and it’s OK to DNF and find one that you really enjoy.
Don’t be Intimidated by the Size of a Book
I was so intimidated by the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas for a long time because of how many pages the books are. I ended up reading the first two books in less than a week over break because they were so fast-paced and so engrossing that I just couldn’t put them down. Now I’m on the third book of the series and I’m flying through it just the same. I avoided these books for so long just because I thought they were too long and I wouldn’t be able to finish them, or it would take me months. Just like you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover (even though I do that all the time too), don’t judge a book by its size! You are more than capable of reading a long book, especially if it’s about something you are really interested in.
Branch Out, Try New Genres
Just like how I was intimidated by the size of the ACOTAR series, I also assumed I wouldn’t like it because I’ve also assumed I don’t like fantasy books. I avoided the fantasy genre for so long because I thought I wouldn’t like it. Now, I have fully dived into Sarah J. Maas’ universe of Prythian, and this is one of my favorite series I have ever read. It’s never a bad idea to branch out of your usual reading habits and try out a new genre you never thought you would read before, you might be surprised and fall in love with the books that encompass it!