Mid-Year Book Check-In: 10 Questions To Ask Yourself!
Ten unique questions to assess your reading year so far, as well as what you'd like to make happen in the second half of 2025!
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Instead of a reading + reflection guide for our book club pick this month, I thought we’d shake things up a bit and have a little mid-year chat about everything we’ve been reading, what’s working well in our reading lives and what needs changing, which books are rocking our world and which ones have let us down, and more!
Below are ten not-so-typical questions to help collect your thoughts about your 2025 reading life so far, as well as what you’d like to focus on, change, or read more of in the second half of the year. Whether you’ve read one book or a hundred books so far in 2025, taking a bit of time to assess your reading life and make plans going forward can help you make the most of your precious reading time - a benefit for anyone who struggles with ‘so many books, so little time’!
Book club members, watch your email for details on our upcoming Zoom call (and in-person meeting if you’re local) where we can chat all about our reading thus far in 2025! Fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, classics, poetry - let’s talk about it all. Plus I’ll be sharing my favorite books of the year, which ones I’ve found less-than-stellar (one in particular which may surprise you), and a revisit/update of my bookish superlatives.
Mid-Year Book Check-In!
Here are ten questions (plus a few follow-up questions) to help you begin assessing where your reading is at and where you’d like it to go next:
In a word or two, how would you describe your reading year thus far?
What genre, author, or type of book have you found yourself most drawn to?
Which book has surprised you the most? (Maybe by how much or how little you enjoyed it, how it covered a topic you weren’t expecting, the emotion it did or didn’t evoke from you, or any other area.)
Did you set any reading goals or intentions for the year? If so, how are they going? Do you plan to continue, change, or delete them for the second half of the year?
What have you found to be great sources for book recommendations? Certain Substacks, podcasts, YouTube channels, booksellers, librarians, your neighborhood book club, others?
Have you decided to DNF (Do Not Finish) any books this year? What helps you know it’s time to let a book go rather than force yourself to continue?
What have you noticed helping you focus when reading? Are you leaning toward a certain format (ie, print books), have you practiced any hacks (ie, putting your phone in airplane mode), or is there a certain time of day you prefer to read (ie, a bit of nonfiction with your morning coffee), for instance?
What 1-3 books do you definitely want to read before the end of the year?
What would you like to add to, change, or focus on in your reading life going forward?
We started with the word or two that best describes your reading year so far - now, what word(s) would you like to describe your reading for the rest of the year?
Feel free to share your answers to any of the above items in the comment section! And for a full check-in, plus a lively chat about all things bookish, be sure to join us in the Reading And Purpose Nonfiction Book Club. We’ve got a stellar lineup for the rest of the year, and you can share your votes for our 2026 picks, too!
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Christi Hegstad, PhD, PCC, and self-proclaimed book nerd, is a certified coach who helps achievers work with meaning, live with purpose, and reach bold + difference-making goals. Feel free to share your questions, comments, or topic/book suggestions below or via email to readingandpurpose (at) gmail (dot) com.
Please note books mentioned may include affiliate links; if you click through to purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can view more of my recommended reads directly at the Reading And Purpose bookshop.org shop.
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Greats questions for reflection. Thank you for sharing. Question, did you make that drawing at the top of the post with all the books on the shelf? If you did, are you making any to sell? I would love to have one of those.
This is a great mid year recap review. This year I have been trying to be more intentional about reflecting on what I have been learning and reading. This is very helpful. Thanks!