How to Fall in Love With Reading Again & Read More Books

When I tell people that I read a lot—often several books a week—one of the responses I hear most often is:

“I wish I read more, but I just don’t like reading.”

And every time, I want to ask: Do you actually not like reading—or do you just not like the books you're choosing?

Because I think a lot of us have developed this idea of what it means to be “a reader.” You're supposed to read the classics. Literary fiction. Books everyone says are important. Books that teach you something or make you think.

And while I absolutely love a book that changes my worldview or teaches me something new, I don't think every book needs to do that.

If you want to fall in love with reading again, my first piece of advice is simple:

Stop reading books you think you should read. Start reading books you'll actually enjoy.

We've Made Reading Feel Like Homework

I think especially for millennials—and probably Gen Xers too—we grew up with this idea that reading was supposed to be productive.

It should teach us something.

It should make us smarter.

It should expose us to important ideas.

And somewhere along the way, we started believing that being a “reader” meant reading classics, literary fiction, or books that everybody else says are important.

But if those books feel like homework, you're not going to want to pick them up.

And honestly? Reading doesn't have to be productive.

I love a book that changes the way I think. I love learning something new from a book. But sometimes I want to read because I want to be entertained.

That's enough.

Give Yourself Permission to Read for Fun

If you genuinely want to get back into reading, I think the best place to start is with entertainment.

Read the romance.

Read the thriller.

Read the celebrity memoir.

Read the ridiculous beach read.

Read whatever makes you want to turn the next page.

You don't have to earn the right to read something “fun” by first reading something more serious. And you don't have to justify why you enjoyed a book.

Think about it this way: You don't judge people for watching comedies on Netflix instead of documentaries.

We understand that sometimes people watch television simply because they want to be entertained.

So why do we put so much more pressure on reading?

Why is reading a romance somehow less worthwhile than reading literary fiction? Why does a thriller feel less impressive than nonfiction?

A book doesn't have to make you look smart to be worth reading.

The best book isn't the one that impresses everyone else.

It's the one you actually enjoy.

The Book That Got Me Back Into Reading

For me, that book was The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. It was the book that got me back into reading and introduced me to romance—a genre that eventually became one of my absolute favorites.

Sometimes all it takes is one book you genuinely can't put down to remind you why reading is so much fun.

If you're struggling to get back into reading, don't worry about finding the “right” book. Find a book that sounds fun.

Maybe that's romance. Maybe it's a thriller. Maybe it's fantasy, historical fiction, memoir, or something completely different.

The genre doesn't matter nearly as much as finding something that makes you want to keep reading.

Start Small

If you haven't been reading much lately, don't make the goal harder than it needs to be.

You don't need to read 50 books this year.

You don't even need to read one book a week.

Maybe your goal is simply one book this month.

Pick something you're genuinely excited about. Give yourself permission to stop if you hate it. Don't force yourself through 300 pages because you feel like you “should.”

The goal isn't to become the person who reads the most impressive books.

The goal is to become someone who wants to pick up a book.

And once you find that feeling again, reading becomes so much easier.

So if you want to fall in love with reading again, start with something that makes you happy.

Read what entertains you. Read what interests you. Read what you can't put down.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with reading purely for the joy of it.

And honestly? That's probably the best reason to read at all.

This is Part 1 of my How to Fall in Love With Reading series. I'm sharing the things I've learned from reading hundreds of books—and figuring out how to make reading a genuine source of joy rather than another thing on my to-do list.

More coming soon.