My 2023 Reading List + How To Actually Read Them

I’m so excited to share my reading list for 2023 with you all. For the past few years, I’ve tried to read more, but I usually end up starting off really good and dropping the ball somewhere along the way. This year, I decided to make a list of books I want to read or finish reading this year, so that I can focus on some specific goals. I thought about making a list of 12 books, one book per month, but who am I kidding? I think I better start slowly and work my way up to 12 books for 2024.

I love to read. I actually enjoy it, but you will rarely catch me reading for pleasure. You won’t find the latest thriller or love story on my list. I am one of the people who reads for information. The only book on my list that you could call a “story” is Will. I love Will Smith and I’m so interested in his story. This is one of the books I started last year, but never finished, so I had to add it to my list for this year. I was an English major in college, so it baffles me sometimes how I got to this place where I’m totally uninterested in novels. Maybe I’ve read too many already. Maybe I’m so task-oriented that reading novels seems to be too much pleasure. If you follow me, you know I’m working on the whole self-care situation, so I’ll consider adding another book other than Will just for pleasure to my list later in the year once I really get started with these. Here is how I plan to get all this reading done in the midst of my already crazy schedule:

Scroll Less, Read More This is probably one of the hardest things to actually accomplish. We’ve become so wired to scroll that we do it without even thinking about it. One day, I woke up, picked up my phone to check the time, and found myself scrolling social media. I can’t even tell you what I saw. I was just scrolling aimlessly. This year, I’m breaking that habit. I’m going to spend so much less time scrolling social media in my down time and so much more time reading.

Hardback Books + Audible I’m a book nerd, so although I’ve rarely finished the books, I have to have the hard copy in my house. There’s just something about having the actual hardback book for me. I’ve already started purchasing all the books on my list that I don’t already have, and I’m planning to keep the book I’m reading in the car with me. That way, I can read while I’m in the car waiting on practices to end, or on the rare occasion that I get to go to a coffee shop to sit down for a minute. I’m also planning to download all these books on Audible. There is nothing wrong with being read to, right? While I’m in the bathtub or even getting dressed, I’ll play my book sometimes instead of always jamming my favorite songs. Audible is also really good for the car. On the rare occasion that I’m in my car alone, I’ll play one of my books. Between having the book in my possession to read and having Audible read to me, I should be able to get this done.

Shower Speakers and EarPods Recently, I saw ad for a shower speaker and it was a quick “add to cart” moment for me. The shower is one of few places I can actually go to in my home and be alone, but I haven’t been able to hear audible really well in the shower. It’s alot easier to hear music in the shower than it is to make out what people are saying. Hopefully, the shower speaker I have will help me read a bit more. And, I know I’m severely late to the party, but I finally got some earbuds. I haven’t really been into it, but I think it’ll work out great to have my earbuds in my ear at my desk, so that I can read in my downtime or when I’m walking around the school. I have a speaker at my desk but when people hear voices coming from my office, they immediately assume that I’m in a meeting, so I usually only play music from my office speaker. I think the ear pods will work.

I’m including all the books I’m planning to read this year below. You can click on the picture of all the books below to shop. Let’s have the most amazing 2023!