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Wednesday, June 11, 2014

How's Your To-Read List?

To-Read, TBR, the pile of books in the corner... whatever you call it, is it under control, or eating you alive?

About three years ago, I went to a conference on becoming a published children's author.  One piece of advice was to read great children's books.  They mentioned some books and authors, so I scribbled them down: Skellig, the Tiger Who Came For Tea, Liz Kessler, The White Giraffe Series, Eva Ibbotson, Laura Marker series, David Almond, Marcus Sedgwick, Sally Gardner, Meg Roscoff, Anabelle Pilcher, Jonathan Gould, Pongwiffy, Boy in Striped Pyjamas....   These have a UK bias, but the ones I've read are great books. 

First I put them on a reading list on my blog.  Then I found Goodreads and put them on there - other book sites are available: I also belong to Librarything, for example.

So about twenty books found a home on my reading list.  Then I got my kindle app on my laptop, and discovered free books...  you know the story. I had 100 books very quickly.  Then I started getting books I wanted to read, as opposed to those that looked good.  Last November I went into a bookstore with a £25 ($40) book token.  I spent over £35 (nearly $60), and have only just started on those.  I listed ten more I'd like to read but didn't buy.

I am trying to read a book a week.  But I make the error of entering blog review tours, and get advance or free copies to review for the tour.  I have read some wonderful books that way, but my plan to read 60 books from my TBR list this year is under severe strain.  The book that was number 4 at the start of the year is now number 1.  And I am skipping down a way because I really want to read and review the books I won in Giveaways last year.

I'm beginning to feel anxious about all these books I have to read.  And my list isn't even that big.  Go on, guess how many it is.  I'll tell you at the end.

I saw a lovely short post from The Story Reading Ape at the end of April:  What’s YOUR TBR pile like?
Click the link and it'll open in another tab or window.

Feel familiar?  I bet!

What's even funnier is reading the comments - I'm sure they'll resonate with you, too.

I'm looking for the person with the longest current TBR list on Goodreads (or any other list, but it needs to be verifiable).  Just flicking through people who have my first book The Princelings of the East on their Goodreads TBR list, they seem to range from less than 8 books to over 29,000! (Authors, you can find this by looking at your Author Dashboard and the TBR listing for your book).

Can you beat that?

Mine's currently 270.  I have copies, print or ebook, of around 90 of them.  You can add another to yours if you want to download my latest book, Bravo Victor, which is free today on Amazon.

How many books do you currently want to read?  What's your strategy for getting through them?  I'd love to know.

19 comments:

Teresa Kander said...

I currently have 481 books on my to-read list on Goodreads, and it seems like I add more every day.So far this year I have cleared 62 books off that list, and I currently have 8 checked out from the library, and about 40 on my audiobook queue.

Mason Canyon said...

I think my TBR stack has eaten me alive, spit me out and started again. I don't have a list telling me how many books are on my TBR stack. I think I'd be in full blown panic if I did. There are just so many wonderful books out there to read and as you mentioned all the great blog tours to participate in. I sometimes feel overwhelmed by all that I need to read to fulfill commitments, then I stop and think how lucky I am to be able to do this. I guess I'll just start another TBR stack. :)

Thoughts in Progress

Dean K Miller said...

My list is around 15 or so, but certainly there's more to come. So many friends/authors are putting our books it's becoming harder to choose which to pick up next. "Fixing Destiny" by S. E. Reichert is next. Opening it up this afternoon!

Anonymous said...

My TBR list has a mere 1950 books on it, and at the rate I'm reading, I will never get through it.

cheerfuloptimistic said...

I have a small pile of books I got from the library and the bookstore, plus some others I borrowed from friends. With the way I read, I'll get through them eventually.

Birgit said...

I am making a list but I try not to look at it because then i feel guilty that I haven't read them or haven't read more. I have a pile beside my bed which is not good but I promise to get through it since I also read magazines like Archeology Today. Amazing how we can place ourselves into our own turmoil with something we truly enjoy

Jemima Pett said...

You're doing well! I've not got through 30 yet. Is it easier to get through audiobooks since you can do something else at the same time?

Jemima Pett said...

"I think my TBR stack has eaten me alive" - I love it! I know that overwhelmed feeling. Thanks for commenting and good luck with your next stack!

Jemima Pett said...

That sounds like good discipline. I think the mistake I made was adding books I liked the sound of, from reviews etc. Enjoy your next read!

Jemima Pett said...

I read just over 1 a week last year, and was aiming for slightly more than that this year, but am slightly behind. At that rate I'll take over 5 years to clear mine if I don't add any more. You'd take 39 years! But of course it's like that maths problem of the bath with the dripping tap and the leaky plug - we will keep adding more to the contents faster than we read them!

Jemima Pett said...

I used to get six books a month from the library - but I also commuted to/from work, so got through them pretty quickly on the train,.

Jemima Pett said...

Whatever you do, don't feel guilty! It's only a list :) I've fallen behind with my magazines, too :(

Anonymous said...

I have too many books to read between what is on my kindle, pdf copies, paperbacks and hardcovers. Don't currently have a good plan on how to get thru them all. I stopped adding to a TBR book list because I need to get thru some of the books I already have before adding more to my already wobbly stacks.

ErraticElle said...

I use Goodreads as well. I just mentioned the other day on Twitter that reading a pile of book bloggers has led to my TBR list being a Mount Everest. Current count via Goodreads (which still is missing a few that are on various lists at the house): 1032 and counting. I feel like I should hide my face in embarrassment. Totally out of control.

Unknown said...

Too many to count.

pamlovesbooks said...

I dont know how many books are on my TBR list. I want to READ ALL THE BOOKS!!!!

Tina said...

I have 114 on my Kindle. I keep telling myself not to buy anymore books until I finish those...but then my author friends have free days, or 99 cent days, and I can't resist. I've won books. I've promised to review books. Honestly? MY TBR pile is a source of stress. I feel like I'm letting all these wonderful friends down. I'm reading five books at the same time right now. Several books I've been reading since SEPTEMBER. I feel just horrid I haven't finished, but reading time is really scarce around here. I'm feverishly trying to keep up with my own blogging and the A-Z stuff...and there just aren't enough hours. I think, and I've said this before, I need to "assign" myself reading as a "task" and then I won't feel like I'm just goofing off and not doing anything...sigh.
Tina @ Life is Good
On the Open Road! @ Join us for the 4th Annual Post-Challenge Road Trip!

Unknown said...

I don't have that many on my Goodreads TBR list-- though I think I should consolidate all my TBRs there. I'm physically surrounded by TBR books, half my book shelves are TBR...doesn't stress me though-- it's only like a chocoholic living in a candy shop ;)

Anna Tan said...

I have 224 books on my goodreads TBR list. This doesn't include free books I've downloaded from Amazon (but haven't read yet) and the 3 shelves and 1 box of books I have bought from book sales and have yet to read.

I'm getting to them though!