What if we told you that Nadia Odunayo, the founder of StoryGraph, went from reading 12 books each year to reading 80?

Well, according to Odunayo, you could also be reading upwards of 50 books a year. You might just need her app, StoryGraph.

“If you are reading books that you’re loving and keep turning the pages, it doesn’t feel like work or a chore. Even if you’re a relatively slow reader, you’ll get through books a lot quicker,” says Odunayo.

On a basic level, the app functions as a reading tracker, where you can log the books you have read, that you would like to read, and that you are currently reading. It shows you your reading stats and allows you to set an annual reading goal.

But what really stands out about StoryGraph is its ability to figure out your reading profile and recommend books that are perfect for you.

“The hypothesis behind the app is that everybody is a mood reader,” says Odunayo. “There are many books that, if you read them at a certain time, they’re going to hit just right. The goal of StoryGraph is finding that book for you.”

The advanced book search is also super-granular, allowing you to search for books based on mood, theme, or similarity to books you love, or even by pace and number of pages.

StoryGraph has its own community where you can join “buddy reads,” in which you read in parallel with other users and discuss the book in-app. You can also read user reviews of books, link up with friends, join or create book clubs, or find users with similar tastes to yours.

Indeed, the app has some truly devoted fans, who, says Odunayo, “spend hours making custom charts, running book clubs and reading challenges, and volunteer as librarians who improve the book data in the app.” She credits them as stronger power users than herself, though she built the app solo, from scratch.

“Most people assume that, surely, when I started this business, my reading plummeted. In fact, my reading more than doubled,” explains Odunayo.

Three years before starting StoryGraph, Odunayo had already set herself some lofty reading targets, inspired by another business founder who had what Odunayo considered to be a far busier life, but who had written a blog post saying he felt it had been a bad year for his reading as he’d only made it through 47 books.

“I thought, ‘I am a single young woman with no dependents. I need to do more,’” says Odunayo. “The year I set the goal of 35 books was the year I started StoryGraph. By the end of the year, I had read 58 books.”

Odunayo counts two important contributors to this change—simply being exposed to more books, but also carving out daily time for reading. “As the CEO and founder of a books company, reading was part of my identity, so I put an hour of reading in my calendar each day to make sure I found time to read.”

This is no mean feat for someone who is not only the CEO but remains the sole developer of her own app, personally coding every detail.

“The more I read, the more I wanted to read. It’s such a great escape and break from work. Over the years I’ve had more ambitious goals and now I’m reading 60 to 80 books a year, despite my increased workload.”

Yet Odunayo dismisses the idea that this would be simply impossible for some.

“This is where it comes to choosing the right book. So many people say to us, ‘StoryGraph has helped me get back into reading. Before, I struggled to read a book a month and now I’m reading 50 books a year.’ It’s amazing.”

1. Find the right book. “This is where my app really helps. The StoryGraph tagline is: ‘Because life’s too short for a book you’re not in the mood for.’”
2. Assume the identity of a reader. “An avid reader is always going to have a book on them. When you go out, have a book or an e-reader in your bag. There will be a time when you’re waiting or commuting, and you will just read.”
3. Read each day. “Find a time in your day when you can read. It can be five minutes, 10 minutes, half an hour, or an hour. Rather than watching something on your lunch break—read.”
4. Put your phone down. “Put your phone away or on Do Not Disturb so that you don’t get interrupted. Have a pen and paper so that you can note down any words or anything you want to look up later.”
5. Set a reading rule. “My current rule is whenever I’m commuting, I say to myself, ‘You cannot use your phone. You have to read.’”
6. Audiobooks count! “Listening to books counts as reading as well!”

The Fifth Season, N.K. Jemisin: “The first book in an epic fantasy trilogy that introduces a world where seismic activity shapes society. This is a challenging but highly rewarding read that pushes the boundaries of the genre.”

Born A Crime, Trevor Noah: “A laugh-out-loud memoir by comedian Trevor Noah, recounting his experiences growing up as a mixed-race child in apartheid South Africa.”

Don’t Touch My Hair, Emma Dabiri: “An examination of the deep cultural, historical, and social significance of Black hair. The book made me reflect deeply on my relationship with my own hair and the impact of Western beauty standards.”

Girl, Woman, Other, Bernardine Evaristo: “This Booker Prize–winning novel weaves together the lives of 12 characters, mostly Black British women. I loved this book so much that I wanted to start it all over again the moment I finished it.”

Long Division, Kiese Laymon: “A bold and unique novel that explores race, identity, and time travel, blending humour with deep social commentary. It’s a book that sticks with you, and I’m excited to revisit it in the future.”