Papier’s reading journal is the low-tech way I made reading feel calmer and more intentional – and you don’t need to love reading to benefit from it

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In 2025, I thought I failed. I was six books shy of achieving my annual reading goal. No matter that I’d read 44 books, more than the average American; it wasn’t the 50 I’d set out to complete.

For a while, flipping the pages of a novel has felt more like an item on my to-do list and less like a way to unwind. Then, while reporting on the best ways to read more in 2026 (are we surprised?), I tried out a reading journal from one of my favorite stationery brands, Papier.

The best way to read mindfully: Papier Reading Journal