Frequently Asked Questions

Julianne Buonocore. I’m the founder and president of The Literary Lifestyle, an authentic community that helps busy women relax, learn, and embrace a very cozy way of life. I also serve as the lead writer and editor-in-chief.

I’m a reader of 100+ books per year, I studied English literature, and I’ve been on The Today Show’s Read with Jenna Book Club, Read with Jenna Book Club, Buzzfeed, The Atlantic, Esquire, Mashable, The Everygirl, Glamour, and more. My essay was published in the book But I’m a Gilmore!

It’s nice to (virtually) “meet” you!

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This is the #1 question I get, often from busy students, workers, and/or moms. I have learned many great strategies on how to find time to read books, and I have consistently read over 100+ books per year over the last several years. Here are three tips to get you started:

First, you should always have access to a book, whether print, digital, and/or audio, so you can take advantage of unexpected free time, like waiting in line.

Second, I love to recommend setting small, very attainable daily goals, like 5 minutes or pages of reading per day. You will both start to build a habit and often read even more than that once you get started.

Third, be mindful of what wastes time in your day and commit to changing it, whether it’s TV, social media, or something else. In other words, prioritize reading over other things in your life, especially if those other things aren’t serving you.

Some of my top tips to read more books include:

-Always have a book on hand so you are prepared when you unexpectedly get time.

-Set a goal and tracking your progress to challenge yourself.

-Participate in a fun reading challenge or community with others.

-Choose the right books for you, so you don’t get stuck in a book that’s not working (and don’t be afraid to stop reading the wrong book).

Books are art, and art is subjective, so there’s never a one-size-fits-all answer to this common question. But, you can easily determine exactly what to read next with my helpful guide that’s customizable to your personal preferences.

Books are art, and art is subjective, so there’s never a one-size-fits-all answer to this common question. But, you can easily determine exactly what to read next with my helpful guide that’s customizable to your personal preferences.

I like to categorize my favorite books in terms of the decades of my life. They are:

Childhood: The Polar Express, The Baby-Sitters Club series, and the American Girl series
Teens: East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Twenties: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Thirties: My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

My absolute favorite place to get books from is the library (free) and library sales (cheap). Beyond that, I regularly get books from these sources, and recommend them to you as well: Everand (digital and audio), Book of the Month (print), and Libro.fm (audiobooks that support independent bookstores).

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Thereafter, my email newsletter is sent once per week on Wednesdays. Each newsletter includes one quote, a personal update and introduction section, and sections on what’s new and noteworthy in books and on my blog, what’s being talked about in the worlds of literature and bookish lifestyle, and what readers and I are currently loving.