How to create a reading habit + Book Reviews

Today let's talk about reading. If you're on my newsletter list of my besties of whom I send special creative challenges and get real with, you know I have been reading every night before bed. This is one of my greatest, favorite luxuries in life. To get lost in a fiction book, find some calm and separate the busy day from the night has become an important part of my rest ritual. I started this new habit back in December, I printed out Elise's habit tracker and set my goal at reading only 5 pages per night. I wanted the goal to be so stupid simple I couldn't not do it. And amazingly, it worked. Instead of setting a huge goal to make it through 52 books a year, the small goal of reading just a few pages each day made the saying progress>perfection prove true. With this mentality I have read about 20 books so far this year, only by reading 5 pages a night. The truth is though that I read way more than 5 pages a night. The problem is the getting started. If I sat down, when Im exhausted, and said I need to read 5 chapters tonight to stay on track with my goal I would immediately get overwhelmed and either not read or read miserably. So instead, saying I only need to read 5 pages is completely doable and once I start I can read at least a chapter. Its like magic.So this year, I have read an incredible amount, felt so much better and not even really needed to consistently work hard at the habit because I used all my best habit building skills for this habit. 

How to set a strong reading habit: 

1. I made the goal super simple. (only 5 pages)
2. I made it easy to track. (habit tracker + pen by my bed)
3. I paired it with other habits. (getting in bed)
4. I have a 'bookmark habit'. (I only read 1 page if I'm really that tired and I let that count)
5. I keep the habit going by not needing to choose. (I have a stack of books waiting to be started by my bed/have a long que in my Scribd app)
6. I avoid distraction and temptation. (I sleep with my phone in another room and don't have a TV in my room)

With that, I have the simplest reading habit on the planet and it brings me so much joy. So I challenge you to get started today by adopting my plan (and tweaking it to work best for you) if you want to read more and end your day well. My two best tips for you to get started are to fall in love with your library and to download the Scribd app for free today. Living overseas/being busy/not wanting to spend a ton of money, I find that the Scribd app is the VERY BEST way for me to read. It's essentially netflix for books. You can use this link to sign up for 2 free months and get access to an infinite library of books, audiobooks, comic books, magazines and more. I wrote a whole post on how I use the app here. But in short, it's an app we share between ALL of our devices. I read books on my iPad and listen to audiobooks on my phone, Terrell does the same. I download a ton when I travel to use without wifi or data (score) and have a very long que waiting on me to read. You can read and download an unlimited amount of books/audiobooks and I cannot recommend it enough.

Here are my favorite books I have read so far (almost all on Scribd) this year: 

The Dovekeepers: Set in ancient Masada, the jews are hiding out in a secret village in the desert with all the odds stacked against them but the story is about 3 amazing women and how they persevere and are warriors in this devastating time. The stories are incredibly powerful and the historical education piece is something that will stay with me. This is at the top of my list of favorites of all time.This book is for you if you like historical fiction, stories of strong women. The Throne of Glass Series: This is a (literally) magical series of a bunch of young, powerful rulers and warriors. This series has gripped me like none other has in a long time. The lead is a strong female character who has been through every unimaginable horror and is full of twists and turns. The books are full of adventure and get more adult as the characters age.These books are for you if you like strong female leads, magic, suspense and adventure. The Night Circus: I've talked about this book before as it was a reread and was just as good the second time around. Its a magical circus that serves as a battle ground for two secret magicians. The imagery is unparalleled.This book is for you if you love the circus, magic and quirky mystery. Born A Crime: Trevor Noah's autobiography was completely unexpected. He is a US political comedian, so to hear his story growing up in South Africa as a bi-racial child is eye opening, funny and very enlightening. The story focuses on his mother and her ability to overcome adversity. It was a quick read that ended too quickly, but I'm excited that they are turning it into a movie.This book is for you if you like celebrity autobiographies, learning about other cultures. Am I There Yet?: Mari Andrew is one of my top inspirations as an artist. I love her quirky drawings that perfectly blend optimism, art and the human experience. Her book is a compilation of her drawings and essays about her life. I read this way too fast, shared it with everyone I know and keep it out as a reference book for art + when I need a little pick me up.This book is for you if you like quirky, relatable art and stories about life. Chosen For Such A Time: My friend wrote this book! It was her first novel and it's a modern day retelling of the story of Esther. The book starts out as the bachelor, but for the president. I seriously would have read it just for this part - wildly entertaining. Then it moves into Esther learning about a terrorist attempt and needing to find a way to stop it as the 1st Lady.This book is for you if you like The Bachelor, modern day biblical stories, political thrillers. No Day Like Today: Another book by another friend! My friends are talented y'all. This book is set all in one day and tells a bunch of different stories from everyone involved in a wedding. Everyone has their own drama and is trying to get through the day. It was a really compelling read.This book is for you if you like stories from multiple view points and seeing the secrets behind family dynamics. The Silent Girls: This was a random read that I grabbed at a used book store to take on vacation and I sat up all night reading it. A cop investigates a bunch of missing/dead girls and has to find a pattern from over 30 years of murders and has to figure out if they are connected. I could not put it down.This book is for you if you like murder mystery. If you're like me and you can't stop adding books to your list of to reads, you can see all my other book reviews here. Now, share with me your favorites so I can add them to my list! Don't forget to try out Scribd for two months free.