2026: The Year I Finish One Book at a Time

Why slow reading is my only reading goal this year.

Last year, I read 62 books—the most I’ve read over the last ten twenty years.

It started off casually. I added 10 books at a time to the reading app Fable. Once I reached the goal, I added another 10 books and continued the process. But somehow, between May and October, I found myself pressured (self-pressured, really) to read as much as I could to reach a “nice” number. And it got higher every time I reached my goal.

The books I read were not all from my bookshelf. I also bought a few on Amazon and read them on my Kindle. The bulk of the books I read came from the library, without which I would never have reached the big 6-2.

In retrospect, I could—and should—have slowed down the pace a bit, especially in the last quarter of the year. But there I was, carried by my own momentum, holding on to one book after another to reach that “nice” number.

After some contemplation in the first few days of the new year, I decided not to go for a number-oriented book count this year, but instead to look at it from a quality-oriented perspective. In other words, instead of having a 20-, 50-, or 100-book goal, I now have a one-book-at-a-time goal on Fable.

After all, life doesn’t have to be about doing more, but about experiencing moments slowly and deeply.

Admittedly, I will still be tracking my reading progress on Fable, but with the idea of the app being a virtual bookmark rather than a countdown to the next book.

It’s only been a few days, but I feel a difference. I’m taking it one sentence at a time, reading more slowly, and allowing myself time to ponder the meaning and depth of the story before returning to the page. There’s no need to think about moving on too quickly.

In 2026, I’m focusing on quality over quantity. I’m going to be pickier with my book selections, no matter where they come from. I also plan to read thicker, more thematically complex books this year, whether fiction or non-fiction.

So yes, that is my reading plan for the year, and I’m looking forward to this slow and steady reading journey of mine. At the end of the day, it’s all up to us readers to make decisions about our TBRs. And I’m happy with mine.

Whether you’re a one-book-at-a-time bookworm like me, a read-as-much-as-you-can-in-2026 energetic reader, or something in between—happy reading!