Have you ever wondered how many books you read each year? I never really thought about it until the women in my chiropractor’s office were talking about it. It was in January of this year and the doctor was lamenting the fact that she hadn’t had the time in 2023 to keep up with her reading progress. Before that, we frequently suggested books to each other and the office staff. It’s a treat to show up for an appointment and find out which new books and authors everyone loves. The doctor even has a small lending library in her office to take or exchange books.

After that visit, I have to admit, I was curious. How many books do I read?

Once I finish a book, I dive into the To Be Read pile next to my bed for my next adventure. I look ahead to new books released by my favorite authors so I can order them in advance. I’m always reading, whether it’s a romance, mystery, thriller, or a combination of these. During my devotional time I read topical Christian books.

So why not discover how many books I read?

As of September 2024, I have read 53 books. This averages out to about six books a month. The most I read in one month was eleven. I don’t have anyone to compare the number with, but as far as I’m concerned, this is pretty normal for me. I’ve always been a big reader and now that I write books, I’m reading all the time.

As I was getting into this concept of recording the books I’ve read, I was on Amazon one day and came across a number of journals you can purchase to log your results. Some keep the number of books read, others are more elaborate including date, name of book and page count. There are logs that look like the library cards that used to be in the back of library books, which is nostalgic for me because I remember those days. You can buy an entire stack if you really want to get into the fun. One book had a graphic of a stack of books where you write in the name of the books you’ve read along the spine. There are bookmarks to record the number. I even saw a pocket-sized book log. Some come with stickers or others have room for you to review the book. The journals are either very basic or very nice hardcovered copies. Yes, I went down a rabbit hole of research.  

I went old school to start, keeping track of books read on a piece of paper. But next year, I’m going to order a journal or the library cards and make a big deal about my progress.

Here’s my challenge to you. Why not plan on keeping track of the books you’ll read in 2025? It’s only a few months away. You can get caught up in searching for different logbooks or journals before the new year so you’re ready to go on January 1. Maybe you’d just like to keep track of your favorite books. Or you can keep it a mystery and not figure out how big of a reader you are. Bottom line, reading is fun, whether you keep track or not. Isn’t that why we love books?

I’ll come back to this topic later this year to record my final tally of books read and to see if you are on board with the journey to keep track of books read. In the meantime, keep reading!

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Look for her Harlequin Heartwarming romance, THE SURPRISE NEXT DOOR, available MAY 2025 . For more information about her books, visit Tara at www.tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks.