At the beginning of 2018, I set myself a reading goal : read 1 proper book per week. I felt like I had fallen out of a highly beneficial habit, and wanted to do something about it.
52 weeks later, here is what the experience taught me.

1. Opting for a challenge is the nudge I needed to stop putting reading at the bottom of my to do list. Using the smart criteria really was helpful i.e : “reading 52 books by the 31^st of December” and not listening to my instinct which is basically going over the top (like not going into genres, sub-categories and page numbers) was a great move. In the end, it makes for a lot of pages. 21,518 to be exact. Knowing that I am a fast reader helps, but I was a bit shocked when I read my Goodreads Year in books.
2. My memory is gradually improving. Remembering 7+ main plotlines has definitely helped, because let’s face it most of the time I like to save the next book in a series just to keep the experience going longer. 
3. I got bored and had to mix things up. There always comes a time when I’ve read every available novel in my home, and the next book delivery is not due for another week. So I had to delve further into my TBR pile and sit down in front of more serious books. Now my to read pile has shrunk to a minimum of 3 books I actually really look forward to reading, which has been quite the novelty.  
4.  Getting inspiration is tough. Apart from the odd “that cover is really shiny, let’s read that”-type book, I usually pick what I read from recommendations or benchmark (anyone else ?). Two months into the challenge I felt stuck, wanted to  try something new. Goodreads and Book Roast’s Youtube channel were a great source of inspiration.
5. Being picky is fine. In 2018 I rekindled my love for “this will not fit in your bag” and “there are 6 books after that”. On different ends of the reading spectrum, The Inheritance Trilogy – a really hefty 1,442 pages that will NOT fit in most bags, and Becky Chambers’ Wayfarers trilogy were really great. I also read every book by Jasper Fforde, and thouroughly enjoyed it. I also allowed myself not to go through with a series / an author. My top 3 reasons for not finishing up : poorly written characters, especially female ones ; tortuous plotlines ; lightly described universe.

If you’re curious about what I read in 2018 (and my plan for 2019), feel free to peek at my Goodreads page.