A Softer Kind of Bookish Reset for the New Year

[killercahill]

I don’t usually make loud New Year’s resolutions, especially when it comes to reading. Reading has always been one of the most natural, comforting parts of my life, and I’m very aware of how easily it can start to feel like work if I let it.

So this year, instead of goals and pressure, I’m choosing a small bookish reset — a few quiet intentions that bring me back to why I read in the first place.

Using the Library I Love

One thing I really want to be more mindful of is making proper use of my local library. It’s right there, full of stories waiting to be discovered, and I don’t want it to be an afterthought.

Borrowing books feels different to buying them — lighter somehow, less committal, more curious. This year I want to lean into that: more library visits, more spontaneous picks, more “let’s just try this and see.”

Making the Most of Kindle Unlimited

I’m also determined to get better value out of my Kindle Unlimited subscription. I tend to forget about it, then remember in bursts, then forget again — which feels like a waste when there’s so much available.

I’d love to explore more backlist titles, comfort reads, and maybe even a few genres I wouldn’t normally prioritise. Low pressure, no guilt if something doesn’t work — just reading for the sake of it.

Playing Along with StoryGraph Challenges

This is the year I finally want to lean into StoryGraph reading challenges properly. Not as rigid rules, but as gentle prompts — nudges toward books I might not otherwise pick up.

I like the idea of structure without force, and StoryGraph feels much more aligned with how I actually read: moods, themes, curiosity, and changeable energy levels all welcome.

Stepping Away from Social Media Reading Pressure

This is probably the biggest shift for me.

I’ve realised that content creation and social media have started to change how I approach reading — what I pick up, how fast I read, and even how I think about books while I’m still inside them. And I don’t like that feeling.

So this year, I’m letting that go.

I’ll still write — blog posts, reaction pieces, reviews — but only here, in long-form, where I can take my time and say what I actually mean. No chasing trends, no reading “for content,” no pressure to perform my reading life for an algorithm.

Just books. Just thoughts. Just me.

Reading, Reclaimed

If there’s a theme to all of this, it’s intention. Slower reading. Kinder choices. Letting reading be something that fills me up instead of something I manage.

That feels like a very good way to begin the year.