Want to read more in 2026? 8 simple habits plus 8 great books that will help!

If your New Year's resolution is to read more, then this is the post for you.

I wish I read more. When I read, I’m calm and happy. Just the thought of curling up with a book on my couch, a coffee nearby and not a phone or child in sight is pure bliss. 

But even though I work in publishing and I read books for a living I still don’t make enough time to read for pleasure. By the time I’ve gone to work, made sure my children have eaten vegetables, called my parents, walked my dog, tried to squeeze in a meditation and doom-scrolled, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in my day. Or energy.

So, I’ve decided that next year I am going to make more time for reading. I’m not going to set myself a reading challenge (no more things on the to do list please!) and I’m not going to beat myself up if I’m not reading the books I think I should be reading. I’m just going to start with a few small changes and turn it into a self-care habit that I know will help me manage my stress levels and improve my mental health, give me better focus and help me concentrate more deeply and, best of all, bring me pleasure!

If you want to get back into reading or just give it an extra boost, here are the things that I’m going to try paired with a book I think you might like.

1. Audio books count as reading (and I will hear nothing else)

This one is cheating for me because I already listen to audio books, but I just want to remind you that listening to a book is reading. The best part is that you can be reading while you’re cooking dinner, going for a walk or even before bed if you feel too tired to read a paper book. This year, audio introduced me to a new genre I hadn’t read before:  Australian rural romance or small-town romance. I started with Maya Linnell’s Cockatoo Cove and promptly inhaled all her books. I found myself going for longer and longer walks just so I could listen to more. Thank you, audio books, for making exercise so enjoyable!

Why not try?

If you love cosy reads with strong women and delightful communities that show up for each other, try The Ironbark Promise by Léonie Kelsall. When powerful threats force high-flying lawyer Jemma Di Angelis into hiding, the last thing she expects to find in sleepy Settlers Bridge is danger. Drawn to a roguish local farmer who is nothing like he seems, Jemma soon discovers that protecting her heart may be the riskiest move of all. Get ready to fall in love with the characters and the town! 

2. Join a book club to try new things

Last year I joined a book club for the first time in 15 years. I was the second oldest person there and it promptly became one of my favourite things to do every month. Not only did it encourage me to read a few things I wouldn’t have read otherwise, but the people at the book club were SO NICE (shout-out to everyone at the South Eveleigh book club). Honestly, hanging out with these smart people talking about books when the world is a bin fire made me feel SO happy. I was so nervous the first day but after that, it’s all easy-peasy. And if you don’t have a club to join why not start one? You only need a few people, it can be on Zoom, you can meet for breakfast, whatever you want. THERE ARE NO RULES.  

Why not try?

In The Worst Thing I’ve Ever Done, Ruby Williams finds herself at the centre of a brutal

online storm after a single mistake explodes across social media. As public judgement mounts and her reputation unravels, she is forced to reckon with the shame of the worst thing she’s ever done (and it’s not what she’s being cancelled for). This is a sharp, Australian contemporary novel about cancel culture, social media and identity and perfect for readers who love topical fiction. Written by journalist, screen writer and host of The Pile-On podcast Clare Stephens, this is juicy book club fiction that will generate lots of discussion. 

3. Get a book buddy to make reading social

   
   

If a book club is too hard what about a book buddy? I’m going to propose this to my friend Carol (probably when she reads this article, hi Carol!) so we can experience reading some books together. We like different genres but there are some books that I read and think: ‘I wonder what her take on this would be?’ And maybe you and your book buddy don’t even read the same book, maybe you just talk about what you’ve been reading or what you’d like to read. Remember, there are no rules…

Why not try?

I read Heart the Lover by Lily King in two days and was so glad everyone else in the office was reading it because about 8 of us just kept going on and on about it while clutching our hearts to make the pain go away. The author of Writers and Lovers (which I had not read but all the cool kids had) has written an achingly beautiful, literary love story that perfectly captures the emotional truth of the love we experience when we’re young adults and that shapes us forever. Give this to your book buddy. With tissues.

4. Create a daily reading moment (even 10 minutes counts)

When I think about reading, I always think I need to sit down for an hour to do it. And when do we ever have a spare hour just hanging around to be filled? My friend Angus told me his mum read first thing in the morning so she would always have time to read. I can only manage this some days but when I do it sets me up so well for a calm day. There are reading moments available all day: waiting for the bus, morning tea, lunch time, while the bath fills up. Even reading a few pages will make you feel very nice.

Why not try?

Power Moves by Leesa Ronald is a great book if you’re reading in moments because it’s so deliciously fun you’ll want to keep coming back to it again and again. It’s the story of political media fixer Camilla ‘Millsy’ Hatton who clashes with investigative journalist Archie Cohen. This is a sizzling enemies-to-lovers rom-com set in the brutal world of politics and media and is smart, sexy and hilarious!

 

5.  Escape to the library for focused reading time

On the weekends when I have bigger stretches of time to read, I sometimes take myself to the library. There’s always something to do at home: laundry, meal prep, clean those dust balls out from behind the couch. Even though I would much rather read I will almost always fill my time with something else that I think is more important because why would I put myself first? How annoying is this type of thinking?

When I go to the library there’s nothing else to do BUT read and it’s so nice and calming there. The only danger is that I see more books I want to read.

Why not try?

Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath is a great book to enjoy in big chunks of reading time… and in a library setting! When a man falls from the sky outside a quiet country library, Detective Sergeant Kiara Lui finds herself trapped inside a building full of suspects. As she races to uncover who wanted the hated library boss dead, the case detonates into something far bigger, darker and more dangerous than anyone imagined. This is a funny and twisty locked-room mystery that is impossible to put down.

6. Match books to your TV and streaming tastes

   
   

This is a judgement free zone. Entertainment is entertainment and I want you to read what you like not what you think you should read. So, if you like Christmas movies, check out small-town romances, if you like crime shows, find a writer that makes you see their book in your mind. Wherever your interest is, that’s your entry point and I promise, there is a book for you.

Why not try?

Some of you may have read my previous article about Michael Connelly but for those who haven’t here is the summary: I thought Michael Connelly wasn’t for me, I read one of his books, realised he writes amazing thrillers with badass detectives and now I am a huge fan. What a beautiful story with a happy ending!

If you like a legal thriller and courtroom drama (fans of The Lincoln Lawyer and Bosch I’m looking at you), you MUST READ The Proving Ground. You don’t need to have read the previous books, because the action and setting will pull you straight in and this case is about a powerful tech company accused of catastrophic wrongdoing (hello real world events!) This is gripping, current, impossible to put down and Connelly at his best. Spoiler: Connelly is ALWAYS at his best!

7.  Use reading as a meditation practice

I have a confession to make that I hope won’t put you off… I’m a meditator. I was serious about it for a bit and then when I felt better I kind of slowed down and now (obviously) I want to get back to the place where I felt good and clear and like I had more space in my brain. I’m not hugely woo woo about it but it did make me feel much better when I was doing it consistently.

If you want to mediate but think you have too much of a ‘monkey mind’ why not try reading? You can try Marcus Aurelias… or for the cheats notes Ryan Holiday (I highly recommend). Or you can head to the Mind Body Spirit section of your shop and pick up a book about philosophy or meditations that you can dip in and out of. Reading can be meditative both as an act and in the content we’re reading. And it will make you feel very good.  

Why not try?

The Seeker and the Sage by Brigid Delaney is a modern book of wisdom that blends ancient Stoic philosophy with modern life. It’s the story of a journalist sent to track down the mayor of a remote and mysterious town whose citizens are reported to be the happiest people on Earth. Part novel, part philosophy, this is a wise, calming guide for life’s chaos and best consumed before bed as night-time wind-down reading (or meditative practice if you're that way inclined).

8. Follow your interests (there are no reading rules)

The last point is my favourite! You don’t have to read anything you don’t want to! Who cares if someone is reading the latest award winner or that book that’s all over TikTok. I’m sorry but I’m going to say it again: there are no rules. Just read what is interesting to you and what you like. Reading is about doing something YOU enjoy. If you’re not sure what you like you like to read you’re in a for a treat because it means you get to try ALL THE THINGS. Like a delicious cheeseboard at a party, have a bite of everything and choose the one you like the best.  

Why not try?

You read every article and you listened to every podcast. I know, I did too. But I wasn’t satisfied. The Mushroom Murders by Greg Haddrick might not give you all the answers you need (soz, spoiler) but it will give you a really interesting inside account into Erin Patterson and the mushroom murder trial. Haddrick tells the story of the true crime case that shocked a nation from the perspective of a fictional juror, and this unpacks the case with clarity, tension and forensic detail.

There you have it! If you’ve been wanting to get back into reading, build a daily reading habit or simply find great book recommendations, I hope this list helps you start. Happy reading!