My love affair with reading began since my days of hooked on phonics. And it has been the most constant thread running through every version of my life—before careers, before marriage, before adulthood. Like a good perfume or catchy song, the books I have devoured are now tucked into every milestone and memory.
Over time—through school, work, and life becoming fuller and faster—I’ve had to be much more intentional about keeping reading in my days. What used to happen effortlessly now happens by design. I still get through about 50-60 books a year, but it’s not without diligence!
These are the habits, systems, and small shifts that have allowed me to stay a voracious reader—and I believe they can help you become one, too.
P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.
How to Become a Voracious Reader
1. Treat Reading Like a Muscle
The most important mindset shift: reading isn’t a personality trait—it’s a skill. And like any skill, it strengthens with repetition.
Law school (and later, my early years in Big Law) forced me into a kind of reading boot camp—processing dense, technical material for hours on end. What surprised me most was how quickly that stamina translated into reading for pleasure.
If you feel “out of practice,” that’s all it is.
You don’t have inability. Just atrophy.
The fastest way to become a voracious reader is simply to start—consistently, imperfectly, and often.
2. Make It a Non-Negotiable Part of Your Day
The easiest way to read more is to stop treating it as optional.
Anchor it to something you already do—most naturally, your wind-down routine.
For me, reading is the final exhale of my day. It’s the moment my brain understands: we are done now. I reach for my book the way someone else might reach for a glass of wine or turn on a show.
Because it’s tied to going to sleep, I don’t have to decide whether I’m going to read. It simply happens.
Even 15–20 minutes a night adds up quickly. And once it becomes part of your rhythm, the volume takes care of itself.
3. Protect the Ritual
Once you’ve set your time to curl up with a book, put your phone on Do Not Disturb, block off your calendar, and protect this small pocket of quiet.
Reading doesn’t compete well with notifications—it needs a little ceremony, and all of your attention.
4. Make It Easy (and Inexpensive)
The easier and cheaper it is, the more you’ll read. Friction is the enemy! I utilize these resources to help keep costs low:
Library — My personal favorite. All the excitement of shopping, without having to spend a dollar!
Library e-reader apps (Libby/Hoopla) — A best-kept secret! Many libraries are affiliated with apps like Libby or Hoopla where you can rent digital versions of books without having to leave your couch.
BookBub — A daily digest of deals tailored to your wishlist or recommendations based off your reading. I love adding want-to-read-but-not-in-a-rush titles, and then snagging them once a deal pops up!
Book of the Month — For a low price, you receive a curated choice of selections from best-sellers, burgeoning authors, and first releases! And, if the monthly picks aren’t to your fancy, you can always defer your credit. Plus, you get “add-on” privileges, which allows you to access BOTM’s large catalogue of popular titles at a significant discount! Picking my book each month feels like SUCH a treat!
Kindle Unlimited — While I ultimately decided to cancel my subscription, I know so many people who adore the access to thousands of titles a month for less than the price of one book.
5. Buy a Kindle
I know. E-readers are controversial and balked at by purists. But if your goal is volume and consistency, nothing compares.
It removes barriers—no lighting issues, no bulk, instant access—and turns reading into something you can do anywhere. Mine lives in whatever bag I’m carrying (and small enough to fit into my everyday clutch), so I can quickly pull out when waiting for an appointment or a friend to meet up.
6. Track What You Read
There is something so powerful about seeing your literary life accumulate. And, it taps into the same psychology that James Clear’s Atomic Habits teaches: what gets tracked gets repeated. You’ll also have access at your fingertips to what you want to pick-up next!
Use Goodreads
Follow friends (including me!)
Set a realistic annual goal
7. Listen to Audiobooks
They count. Fully!!!
Commutes, walks, getting ready, cleaning—these are all hidden reading pockets. Once you start stacking them, you’ll be shocked at how quickly you move through books. I like to listen to non-fiction books, especially. Plus, did you know Spotify has audiobooks for immediate listening as part of its Premium Plan?
8. Read Multiple Books at Once
This is an underrated trick! I always am reading a fiction title and listening to a non-fiction audiobook.
9. Call Yourself a Reader
Not “someone trying to read more.” Not “someone who used to read.” A reader.
No one is going to hand you a certificate. There’s no threshold you have to cross, no number of books you need to earn the title. You get to decide.
And more often than not, we rise (or fall) to the level of the identities we claim. When you start to see yourself as a reader, your habits begin to align accordingly. You reach for a book instead of your phone. You bring one with you without thinking. You finish more than you start.
So say it—I’m a reader.
And then, little by little, make it true.
The Books That Will Help You Do It
If You Want a Beach Read — Anything by Elin Hilderbrand
My all-time favorite author. I savor her works, tucking them away for summertime only like a special seasonal treat (the only exceptions being The Academy, which she wrote with her daughter and is set in the fall; the Winter Street Inn series, set at Christmastime; and the Winter in Paradise series, set around New Years).
If You Want to Fall in Love with a Series — The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Deliciously British and charming, you will be ready to reach for the next installment as you are turning your final page on its predecessor.
If You Want to Fall in Love with an Author — The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
TJR can build a world and enrapture you right within it.
If You Want Multiple Points of View — The Authenticity Project or Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting, both by Clare Pooley
Clare Pooley’s novels are multi-generational and sprawl across economic, cultural, and ideological backgrounds. You will leave each session with a newfound appreciation for the stories of those who quietly surround you.
If You Want Your Heart Warmed — The Night in Question by Susan Fletcher
This was a completely random and impulsive pick-up from the library, and I think about it at least once a week since I finished it over 18-months ago.
If You Want to Feel Slightly Voyeuristic — Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden
This book inserts you into the real-life affluence of a Elin Hilderbrand novel, weaving between New York City and Martha’s Vineyard. It also is a quick read at ~240 pages!
If You Want a Memoir — The In-Between by Hadley Vlahos
Another book I have thought about constantly since finishing. I loved listening to this as an audiobook, since every chapter was about ~45 minutes and focused a different patient’s story. It felt like a podcast!
If You Want to Be on the Edge-of-Your-Seat —The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
I could not put this book down! I picked it up last year during an evening snowstorm that kept us homebound, and I stayed up until 1am finishing it!
If You Want to Laugh — The Guncle by Steven Rowley or How Do I Un-Remember This by Danny Pellegrino
The Guncle (and its sequel)will have you laughing one page and unexpectedly tearing up the next—warm, witty, and full of heart.
Anything by Danny Pellegrino is guaranteed joy, especially his first publication. As one of my all-time favorite podcasters, his books capture that same irreverent, observant humor—so much so that I have genuinely laughed out loud in public more than once.
If You Want Historical Fiction — The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
A sweeping, emotional story set in World War II that follows two sisters navigating survival, resistance, and impossible choices in Nazi-occupied France. It’s immersive, deeply moving, and stays with you.
If You Want to Read Before the Movie — The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
Set at a summer camp, this book blends mystery, family dynamics, and class tensions into a slow-burning, atmospheric read.
If You Want to Savor Something — Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
It’s quiet, reflective, and deeply human—the kind of novel that makes you look forward to your time with it. Less about urgency, more about presence. And that, very much, is the point.
If You Want Essays — Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
Sharp, witty, and deeply relatable, this essay collection reads like a conversation with your smartest, funniest friend. It’s perfectly suited for dipping in and out—little vignettes on love, friendship, and growing up that feel both personal and universal.
If You Want Poetry — A Bit Much by Lyndsay Rush
Modern and instantly recognizable, Rush’s collection capture smalls, specific experiences and emotions with surprising clarity.
If You’re Newly Engaged or Married (or Have Been for a While!) — How to Be Married by Jo Piazza
Part memoir, part global exploration, this follows a journalist navigating her first year of marriage while facing a multiple sclerosis diagnosis—and simultaneously traveling the world to understand how different cultures define partnership. It’s thoughtful, perspective-shifting, and one I’ve gifted to countless friends after reading on my own honeymoon.
