In February, I read some books and learned some things. Four of my seven reads came from my existing library. Not quite the gaudy 100 percent of January, but still above the 50 percent mark for #readmyowndamnbooks. As long as I maintain that, I will be satisfied, if not exactly pleased.
Some things I learned about myself as a reader this month: Continue reading “February reading roundup”
This month, every book I read came from my existing library. I’m going to savor that for a minute…
[*dramatic pause*]
This is the first month since making the conscious decision to read my own books that all my reads were my own. Of course, I must thank Andi of Estella’s Revenge for #ReadMyOwnDamnBooks and Benjamin Thomas of The Writing Train for the Book Hoarder’s challenge. Both have inspired me to stare down my gargantuan library. I’m … still buying books, un-redeemable book hoarder that I apparently am. But I’m making progress. Slow, snail-like progress. Continue reading “Reading my own books in 2017: January reads”
On New Year’s Day, I tackled a long overdue task: I finally confronted the beast that is my Mount TBR. Which is to say, I organized my virtual bookshelves.
When I committed to #ReadMyOwnDamnBooks in 2016, I did so out of a powerful but vague notion that I desperately needed it. My home had become so swollen with books that I no longer had a clear sense of what I owned and what I wanted to read next. I relied on the search function in my Nook to determine whether I owned a book or not while my paper book situation felt beyond my capacities.
I threw myself into #ReadMyOwnDamnBooks without much planning and the end result was, predictably, uneven. Some months, I did fabulously. In May, my best month, nine of the 10 books I read were my own. Other months, I did dreadfully. In October, my worst month, only one of the 13 books I read came from my existing library. They were wonderful books. But I’ll wager I have some equally wonderful books waiting for me on my shelves, real and virtual.
For 2017, I’m committed to reading my own books again. But this time, I want to do it with greater intention. I want to be less impulsive and more mindful. I want to make active choices rather have reactions. Especially reactions like, “Ahhh, I don’t know what to read next! I guess I’ll just go ahead and acquire an entirely new book.” Because…seriously? More books? That’s my solution?
One of my stumbling blocks is that I’m a *mood* reader. I can never predict exactly what book I want to read until it’s in my hands…and I’m 20-50 pages into it. That’s only part of the story, though. Oh, let’s be honest: It’s mostly a convenient excuse. I have at least 300 unread books in a wide array of genres on my real and virtual shelves. (That is a profoundly conservative estimate.) Surely among those hundreds are books that can satisfy whatever mood I’m in, would you agree?
The key issue: I can’t read with greater intention if I’m in a perpetual state of low-grade confusion, with little idea of what books I’ve acquired and how and why and especially where they are located. I’ve spent the last four years clicking “purchase” on book sales with reckless abandon, loading my Nook like I’m anticipating surviving an apocalypse. (After which I’m apparently expecting to have electricity. And spare time – between scavenging for food and shelter – to read.)
via GIPHY – This Twilight Zone episode has been my post-apocalypse nightmare since I saw it when I was 12.
Now, finally, I’ve sorted through my Nook books and created nine shelves with to-read lists in a range of genres. I’m sure I’ll rethink and refine how I’ve arranged them. But at least it’s a start.
Next on my agenda? Tackling Mount TBR the physical bookshelves edition…wish me luck!
My 2017 reading plans are about to get a big boost: Bout of Books 18 kicks off on Monday.
I love starting a new year with a readathon. Especially when said readathon falls during what is, for me, a vacation week. And when I have big, big reading plans for the new year.
If you’re interested in participating and/or cheering on other readers, hop over to the Bout of Books website. Meantime, here’s how they describe the event:
“The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 2nd and runs through Sunday, January 8th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 18 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog.”
Since Bout of Books begins on day two of 2017, this seems like a good time to talk about those big reading plans I mentioned (so grandiosely, ha). My three 2017 reading goals that Bout of Books can give me a boost with: Continue reading “Bout of Books 18 Begins Monday!”
If tracking my reading journey this year has revealed anything, it’s that I am one of those readers. The ones who hit up bookstores and libraries on the regular (and can’t leave without books, plural, in hand). Who sign up for every existing e-book email list. Who scour “best of” articles for new titles. Who recognize there’s a problem then start a “want to read” list on Goodreads anyway. Book hoarders and me, we understand each other. I am one of them.
For the last 11 1/2 months, I’ve been wrestling with my bookshelves. Not literally. That would be alarming. First off, assuming they could become sentient and mobile, my bookshelves would win, easy. The sheer tonnage of my books in my house!
From a certain angle, my bookshelves can look downright menacing … good thing this bookcase is screwed into the wall.
