by Enisa Haines
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| Image courtesy of: giphy.com |
Back in the days when life was simpler, a mix of school/university and leisure time, I hadn't met the TBR pile. I was always reading, devouring in a few days the ten romance novels Harlequin Mills & Boon published every month. Yes, ten novels. Soon a new publisher appeared, Silhouette Books, and the ten books per month grew to twenty. I could cope with that.
Then an explosion happened in the romance novel publishing industry. New publishers emerged, offering sub-genres never before published: romantic suspense, futuristic, fantasy, paranormal and Gothic. Harlequin Mills & Boon introduced new category lines. So many books vying for my attention but life was no longer simple, family and work obligations and using spare moments to write hacking away at my reading time. And the TBR pile took up residence in my home. Five books stacked on my bedside table.
Then the bedside table morphed into one bookcase, then two, then three, the shelves overflowing as the five books unread multiplied to 1500. Add the 1000+ eBooks waiting to be read on my Amazon Kindle app (eReader News Today daily bargain deals sure are tempting) and my stack is now a mountain!
How did my TBR pile get so out of control? I love books. Too much, I now admit. I'll see a promo for a new book release or I'll read a review and I'm purchasing, so I know I won't ever stop buying, but I have to take control of my unread books and work through that mountain. How?
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| Image courtesy of: giphy.com |
I've come up with a plan:
- Resist buying more books to replace the ones read or donated (most important)
- Read the back cover blurb and the first page. Does it grab my attention?
- Read the first chapter. Do I want to read on? (if the answer to either question is 'no', the book goes in the 'Donate to charity' box)
Am I being too ruthless? Sure, but ruthless I have to be to cull my TBR mountain.
Do you have a TBR pile? Is it out of control? How do you deal with it?
Love to love: reading romance novels
Love to laugh: at the funny gifs I find as I search the internet
Love to learn: all the ways how to tame my TBR pile
Oh, Enisa, I laughed when I read this because I know it to be true! For anyone who might not know, that first book case is actually 3 books deep!!! You'll be pleased to know that I've taken inspiration from this post and cleaned out my bookshelves. I now have sixty books to be donated to Lifeline, my friends and family or anyone else who needs a good romance to read. I also now have plenty of space to buy NEW books - win, win situation (but don't tell my hubby). :)
ReplyDeleteHi Marilyn. 60 books? Great start for you but like taking a needle out of a haystack for me. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd no, no, no! You can't think of buying new books immediately after culling your pile. Rule number one says to resist. Or you're back to building a TBR mountain.
But I've bought a new bookshelf now, and it looks too bare! lol.
DeleteHahahahahahaha
DeleteExcuses, excuses. TBR pile winning the battle!
Deleteoh goodness, my TBR is like the Himalayas. I have over 10 large boxes of books on it not to mention some scattered within my bookcase. And don't get me started on my e-TBR pile. I'm making an effort to buy on books of authors I know or books in series I'm reading. I grab a lot from the library - heaven help me if I didn't!
ReplyDeleteHi Eleni. The TBR pile sure is the boss, right? It's a reader's weakness, having trouble controlling it.
ReplyDeleteI can totally relate Enisa. With my writing and family commitments taking up my time I haven't the time I used to have to read but I kept on buying books anyway. When I moved into my new office I did a huge cull but I still have a massive pile of books not read - mostly books from a series.
ReplyDeleteWhat we are is addicted to books. Can't go past a library or a bookshop or book section in Big W and the like without stopping and checking the books and buying at least one. And so the TBR pile rules!
DeleteHi Enisa,
ReplyDeleteI mostly buy ebooks these days so my TBR pile is hidden. It's still quite big though. Thanks for the hints re how to control the size of it.
Hi Sharon. Yes, TBR piles can get wild if unaware
DeleteHi Brenda .lucky you working in a library. All those books every day. Love it. And yes, that does help keep the TBR pile stay manageable.
ReplyDeleteHi Enisa thanks for the sharing your things with us. I am so excited to read your blog post and after finished I come to know that you are really crazy about reading books like me. Last I have Download Bayside Heat PDF eBook online and read all the novel. I will share my thoughts with you after finishing my novel.
ReplyDelete