Reading is something that I have enjoyed since I was very young. I loved seeing how many personal pan pizzas I could earn at Pizza Hut through the Book It program and I loved getting through series like the Babysitters Club books or Sweet Valley High. As I grew older, my interests changed and matured. I started reading books like the Hunger Games (long before it was a movie) and Fifty Shades of Grey. My Mom turned me onto Nora Roberts, who I still read to this day and many friends have shared their own favorites along the way. These days I don’t have a lot of time to read, even though I still thoroughly enjoy it.

The subjects I enjoy these days range from murder mystery with a love story mixed in to personal development and business books to science fiction. I have also recently added child development and financial strategies to my reading lists thanks to a new addition to our family and a nearing retirement date for my husband. My interests when it comes to books are vast, which can actually make it more difficult for me to focus on reading just one book at a time. Truth be told I usually have two books that I’m in the middle of: one fiction and one non-fiction. I also tend to set myself up with reading lists to focus on what is next. I love learning, and enjoy getting lost in a story that is made up. Reading can give you so much and I love soaking up all of the information, as well as using my imagination about what the characters in the story look like and how they act when they are in the stories.

Not all reading lists and goals center around an Author. Sometimes I want to learn about a new subject, read a specific number of books, or just read whatever is trending or how a movie coming out. I always read the book before watching the movie. You just can’t do it the other way around. 2024 will be focused on finishing up all of Colleen Hoover’s current published books, so what will 2025 be all about? I will be focusing on learning more about child development and financial investing, but I also want to find a new author for fictional stories. We live near the beach and I prefer to soak into a story that is completely made up when sitting by the ocean.

Reading is something that is so simple, but something I don’t always make the time for. We are all busy and trying to shuffle a baby, a business, an active-duty military husband and a household life can get a bit chaotic. Each day I set up must-do items that have to be completed and reading a chapter is usually on that list. It is a few minutes that I can just sit and read and get lost in a book. Sometimes it happens at 6am with my first cup of coffee, or 9:30 when I’m winding down for the day. No matter what time of day, I always make sure that a book is in progress. One way to do that is to set reading goals.

Why do I set Reading Goals? Well, so I don’t finish a book and have to figure out what to read next. If I have a list that is ready to go, I will just work on getting the next book on the list. Do I purchase these books? Some, but mostly I borrow from the library or read on Kindle Unlimited. I prefer reading a physical book where I can turn the page, but I feel better about not spending the money on so many books. Right now my goal is to read all of Colleen Hoover’s book before the end of the year. I’m not sure how I never heard of her before, but I asked for suggestions on books and someone mentioned Verity by Colleen Hoover. I gave it a shot and was hooked instantly. I have enjoyed every book, but one, that I’ve read from her since. I’m a third of the way through her list, and will need to buckle down to finish her writing before the end of the year. I have joined a library here in Hawaii and am ready to get back to reading regularly!

Reading is a great way to learn, relax and even imagine you are somewhere else. What is more simple that scanning the text on a page, then turning it to get more? Whether you read a little or a lot, there is no better way to slow down than to open up a book and read. Let us know in the comments what your favorite genre is. As always, thank you for joining us on this journey. Simply, Beth