As 2024 winds down, we reflect on a year filled with incredible author exclusives, thought-provoking conversations, and more book suggestions than we can handle for the next decade. If you want to know which blogs your Goodreads friends talked about and which books they added to their Want to Read lists, these are them.
Exclusive Reportage
Is the love there? It’s Romance Week! Give in to the allure of passionate tales once more.
This week is Mystery & Thriller Week, so get ready to delve into some great mysteries, both old and new.
All the materials you need for a reading-filled summer in 2024: Summer Reading.
Visit that place and all the places in between during Science Fiction & Fantasy Week.
Celebrating Goodreads’ Tenth Anniversary: Raise a glass! Come celebrate with us as we enter our tenth anniversary.
Coming up next: Horror Week, where we’ll be sharing tales of Halloween terror.
Summary for Readers
“The book hangover” is one of twenty issues that only readers can relate to. The feeling of being utterly engrossed in a well-written book to the point where you are unable to put it down and begin reading another.
A Roundup of the Top Fifteen Book-Related Life Lessons: “There’s only one rule that I know of, babies—God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.”
“Libraries are magical!” is one of seventeen reasons why Goodreads members adore libraries and librarians. Within those hallowed walls are countless tales.
#13: Increase Your Reading Time: “Adopting audiobooks has been a lifesaver for me. Whatever I’m doing, whether driving, walking, cooking, or travelling, I listen to an audiobook.
Unique Opportunities for Authors
“Political rhetoric has a way of trampling all over human beings as individuals, people with faces,” remarks Khaled Hosseini, speaking about the theatrical debut of A Thousand Splendid Suns. It is the responsibility of the artist to highlight these individuals instead.
“There is no greater weapon in the world than words, and now, with all Mare’s other weapons taken away, they are the only ones left to her.”—Victoria Aveyard, in A Rebel’s Reading List: The Books She Recommends for Her Own Heroine.
Help from Bloodsuckers: J.R. Ward on the (Sexy) Vampires Who Influenced Her Life: I hate life. In its mercurial nature, it may be vicious and merciless. This is why we need diversion, and why it’s helpful to put ourselves in another person’s or object’s shoes every once in a while.
“One of my favorite romantic tropes” (Melissa de la Cruz), “Falling for Hamilton: How a Hit Musical Inspired My New Book,” describes the storyline of the musical. Like my favourite books, I wanted to write one about the strength of sisterhood and include a romantic subplot that would make readers go “ooh, my!”
The Inquiries That Revolutionized Comedian W. Kamau Bell’s Career: If you suddenly became famous, what would you do? Sure, I can do that. All I would have to do is play for a crowd who adored me. Plus, they would be attentive, patient, and involved from the start.
Advocating for a Happy Ending: Nalini Singh on Love, Hope, and ‘Realistic’ Conclusions: “When we open the pages of a romance novel, we are also opening our hearts and taking a risk on these characters.”
The Magic of Libraries, According to Crime Writer Don Winslow: “I knew at the time that the library opened up the past to me, I didn’t know that it also opened up my future.”
The Habit of Reading That Changes Your Life “My first serious boyfriend broke up with me in the early days of my senior year,” Sarah Dessen discovered when she was a teenager. It broke my heart… Stephen King’s It, a book I’d been meaning to start for what felt like an eternity, started to follow me around. It was my go-to book for comfort reading whenever I had a moment to myself or when I sensed that tears were about to fall.
Hacks for Goodreads
Here Comes the Rereading: Did you know that rereading is one of our favorite book activities? Now we can tally all the ways…
Our favorite thing to do, as any self-respecting bibliophile can attest, is to lose ourselves in a library’s shelves.
‘Reading’ Compatibility with Friends: Find out how many reading preferences you share with any other Goodreads user.
The Definitive Resource for Free Books: I have a question for you: Are books something you enjoy? I mean, obviously you do.
In 2024, what kind of content would you like to see expanded upon on our blog? Leave a comment telling us all about it!
1. Start planning your reading list in advance
Retrieve your notebook or access the Notes application, as we request that you document all the books you did not read last year. Subsequently, examine several lists (available here and here, if required) and note the forthcoming novels that pique your interest.
Upon compiling a sufficiently substantial list (length is not a critical factor), commence reading! We are confident that you will augment this foundation as the year progresses. Utilize Goodreads’s “to-read” function without hesitation! Having everything consolidated in a single location is advantageous. Regarding this, EVERLESS is among the most widely read new titles in the reading challenge thus far, and we can affirm that it is an exceptional fantasy that you should unequivocally include in your list.
2. Carve out time specifically for reading
Do you tend to fall asleep while reading at night? Do not be concerned if you are—occasionally, the day simply overwhelms you. However, if that is the case, attempt to incorporate some reading in the morning. No pairing is more harmonious than a cup of coffee and an engaging book. What if you are not inclined to be active in the morning? No concerns! Engage in reading a book prior to retiring for the night. Regardless of whether you are awakening, drifting into slumber, or enjoying your lunch break, a fundamental method to increase your reading is to allocate time for it. One cannot achieve that objective without committing the requisite time. Furthermore, it serves as an excellent method for alleviating tension, irrespective of the time of day.
3. Read with a friend
Embrace the challenge alongside a companion! Having a reading partner is an effective method to maintain accountability, particularly when engaging with the same text. Maintaining proximity will motivate you, as both parties will require constant communication of their thoughts via text. We do not establish the guidelines; this is merely the most effective application of texting. What should you do if you encounter a predicament? Enquire with your pal regarding their preferred literary works. It will be quite engaging to share your live reactions to material they have already encountered. Require inspiration? Observe the enjoyment that read-alongs can provide!
4. Listen to audiobooks on busy days
Audiobooks are legitimate and provide an excellent means to immerse oneself in a fictional realm when one cannot physically read a book. Numerous exceptional resources exist, and your local library may offer downloadable materials. At Team Epic Reads, we enjoy listening to audiobooks while we work, particularly those in the young adult genre, which are frequently of exceptional quality. Fantasy audiobooks are ideal for vehicle journeys, while contemporary works are suitable for situations requiring partial focus. Experiment with several options, and we are confident you will identify the ideal choice for yourself. For instance, examine the sample of THREE DARK CROWNS shown below!
5. Motivate yourself by re-reading an old favorite
It is acknowledged that navigating even the most exceptional literature may occasionally prove challenging. Therefore, we advise retaining a few beloved items nearby. To explore more contemporary literature, it is essential to occasionally reflect on the reasons for your first passion for reading. Additional merit if authored by someone with forthcoming publications!
