Do you ever feel like you are constantly fighting a losing battle against the every growing, ever widening pile of To Be Read (TBR) books? Does it sometimes feel hopeless and overwhelming to know which book to read next and if all the books on your kindle, or your shelf or your list are even worth reading? Do you some times feel like that TBR list looks like this:
Perhaps you are at a loss over how to get a handle on that pile, or maybe your pile isn’t quite so large but you have a feeling it’s growing when you aren’t looking. If so, it might be time for a battle plan!
Planning for a military campaign isn’t always easy, but it’s better to take time and plan than to just sit back and wish things were different right? That’s why I’m here to help.
I have a battle plan.
Now, I will warn you, this will take some work on your part, but who expects to win a battle by doing nothing? Are you ready?
Then let’s get busy!
- First, skim through your TBR list wherever it may be and see if you can tell just by looking at book covers if there are any that you don’t think you’ll want to read. If there are, either delete them then and there, or make note of them.
- Next, take your list, kindle, phone, or wherever that TBR list is, to Goodreads or Amazon. (I recommend Goodreads and you don’t have to have an account there to use it.) Start looking up the titles of books you are not sure you want to read.
- Check reviews on books you may or may not want to read. I would highly recommend starting with the 1 star reviews. If you find that any book has things you would object to, go ahead and get rid of that book off your TBR. No use keeping it around if you aren’t going to like it.
- Depending on how large your TBR mountain is, this might take you a few days. It’s okay to spread it out and not try to do your entire stack at once! Especially if you have a very large one!
Now that you have completed your first attack on that mountain, it’s time for the next assault. This one will take more time than the first one, but it will save time in the long run if you actually do it. Ready?
- Pick a book you either didn’t find any reviews to tell you it had things you wouldn’t like in it, or you didn’t look it up but are still not sure if you’ll like it.
- Start reading. But be sure you read with thoughtful glasses on. Here are a few things to think about as you read:
- Is the writing style something I enjoy?
- Do I like the main characters?
- Does this make me want to keep reading or could I care less about what happens?
- Do I think I could recommend this to anyone?
If the answer is NO, then stop reading, delete the book, and move on.
- Repeat this process for several days or at least until you’ve deleted 5-10 books off your TBR pile.
- Join a Reading Challenge or two or three and focus on those TBR books!
Now it’s time to sit back and read a good book. Or two. It can be draining to read parts of many books and then delete them, but if you aren’t enjoying it and don’t care what happens, why keep reading. Life is too short to read everything, so read what is actually good.
What are some tricks or plans you use to fight the ongoing battle of TBR? Is your TBR pile large but somewhat manageable, or is it overwhelmingly huge? Have you ever taken time to try and go through and delete books you don’t think you’ll ever read?
My TBR is mostly in my head. There are certainly lots of books I would like to read some day if I get around to it, but they are not set in stone. I don’t know if that is called a plan or not. But I guess I just don’t let my TBR stress me out, if it happens it happens and if not then I have still ready plenty of great books in my lifetime. 😉
That’s a great way to have a TBR! And before I got my kindle, that’s what I did too. Actually, before I got my kindle I didn’t read anything unless we owned it or I could get it at the library, and I didn’t go to the library hardly at all. 🙂
I’ve been trying to work on some of the books I own, but working at a bookstore sure does make it hard sometimes. There are lots of books I see that I want to try out. 😉
Oh, I can imagine!
Now, where oh where did you get a picture of my bookcase? 🧐🤣 Seriously, I have TBR lists on GR, and in a notebook (or two!) but my main concern is the books I keep purchasing, ‘cause I find a good deal, or whatever. They *are* all off my TBR lists, but still . . . I’ve run out of room on my bookcase, my night table, and I’m slowly taking over the room my sisters and I share.
See, I had no problem till we moved out in the country (no library) and I started buying books. I read them all. I didn’t have much extra spending money, so there wasn’t a whole lot of books being bought. Then I graduated, got a kindle, and found a world of internet archives and project Gutenberg and all the oldies I love. So I downloaded a bunch, and wowzers, it was a lot. So I decided I would only purchase books to read — because I basically read everything I purchased. But then I got busy and behind and now, years later, I have a veritable mess. I’ve weeded through some (yikes! What was I thinking? Was I even thinking?) but checkin’ on GR is a great idea!!
Also, needed the encouragement to not feel bad about skimming and stopping a book of its not what I expect. One of my goals for 2023: reduce the stacks of books in my bedroom. And possibly weed through things till they all fit on my shelf 😅
*decides not to mention climbing through computer and taking pictures of Kaitlyn’s books* 😉
Oh, I get it! I don’t buy a lot of books, but free ones on kindle are hard to pass up! But yes, check reviews! And GR is a good place to check for them. 🙂
Don’t feel bad about tossing books (real or kindle) if you aren’t liking them. It’s okay. I struggle with it at times, but I’m getting better. And that’s a great goal! You may not get as many books read & finished, but if you can get rid of the books you won’t read, it will help a lot! Go for it! *offers chocolate to help motivate you to clear out at least 3 books this weekend* I’m cheering you on!