We've all been through this. No, scratch that. We are all going through this. RIGHT NOW. My book blogging, book reading & book buying friends. We have to admit that we can't help buying new books regardless if our wallet or shelves can handle it. This is my lousy attempt at controlling the urge to add any more books to my to-be-read list. Now, I will still click that "Want To Read" button on Goodreads. But for the time being, there will be no buying/getting that's going to happen. Not unless I finish everything on my TBR list. You can only imagine the effort it takes for me to close out the site where I usually buy my books. Those covers are all calling out to me.
Why am I doing this? Because every time I open Goodreads and my hard drive, I get stressed out seeing all those to-read books. I feel like I spend more time looking for books to buy rather than doing the actual reading. I get so caught up clicking that Request button on Netgalley. *sigh* Okay, rant over. Let's move on to the plan. Here's my list:
Click it!
Do you see the amount of books from Netgalley? Yeah, I know. I'd like to fulfill my end of the bargain which is to provide a review for all of them. I wanted to share this here because one thing I'll need is support. So the rules are:
Rule #1 No buying of books/ebooks allowed
Rule #2 No requesting of digital galleys
Rule #3 No reading any other books aside from what is on the list
Rule #4 No looking at bookstores/booksale/book fair (meaning, no Manila International Book Fair for me)
Rule #5 Don't go crazy
LET'S DO THIS!
Oh well. You already know that I have this ban, too, because I have too much work and loads of unread books. We created this problem so yeah, a ban is totally necessary. I can't avoid MIBF though. My boyfriend wants to go and I have tickets so we're going. Tweet me if you change your mind, I'd like to meet you in person. :)
ReplyDeleteAw me too Joy! Don't make me change my mind. Haha! We'll see how long I can do this. Will definitely tweet you if I end up going. Thanks!
DeleteGood luck! I've settled on a system where I'm buying less than I'm reading now, which seems to work pretty well so far.
ReplyDeleteOh, and no Netgalley for me either. That site is just way too addicting
That sounds like a great system Celine. I don't think I can trust myself to even buy just one book, so for now, let's see how this ban can help me straighten some things out.
DeleteI'm forcing myself not to check out Netgalley. Thanks for the support :)
Good for you! I should do something somewhat similar, but I'm not ready to. Lol! I have cut back on requests and I'm planning on continuing that and starting to catch up. Perfect time for this though. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the support Tressa. I can already tell that this will be difficult but I have to stay strong! Oh and if you decided to do the same, I'll be here for you. Lol!
DeleteI'm in a similar problem, between blogging, grad school, and work I hardly have time to do any reading. I DO try to give priority to those books that I've requested or been asked to review though. Good for you on making a plan to buckle down!
ReplyDeleteBriitany @ http://www.spacebetweenthespines.com
Yeah, I feel guilty not being able to give reviews to those books I got for free. I figured it's high time to prioritize them, like you said. Thanks for taking the time to comment Brittany. Come back and check if I managed to fulfill this ban hehe :)
DeleteBook buying ban is our rehab stage. It's very difficult not to browse books even if it's just on Goodreads. It's hard not to drop by in the bookstore when you're in the mall and especially if there's an "On Sale" banner to entice us to go inside.
ReplyDeleteThis is one reason why I stopped accepting and requesting eARCS. I also stopped reading ebooks because we know how easy it is to click the buy button on Amazon. What I'm doing right now to lessen my TBR is I wrote all the books I want to read this year. Mostly it's a series I have started years ago but I haven't finished yet. I wrote them in a pad paper and posted it on my workstation wall so every time I finish a book, I just peek on my list and choose a series I want to finish.
That is a great way to manage our TBR pile. I'm feeling positive that I can somehow stay true to this ban, atleast for a while. I realized I have to come up with a plan or else I'll find myself buried on too many eARCS.
DeleteThose "On Sale" are really hard to ignore. I just won't go to a mall for the meantime :) Thanks for taking the time to comment Irish! Wish me luck.
Haha, good luck Ana! I actually don't get books from publishers or do Netgalley or anything like that, so my book pile is all books I purchased or gifts. That being said, I still have a problem. I think my biggest issue is that I want to keep buying books but I have NO idea if I'll still be in the UK next year or if I'll end up back in the States. If I have to go back to the US, how am I going to get my 80 books back with me?? There's no way I can leave them behind! D: So I keep trying to tell myself to not buy anymore because it'll just make things more complicated if I have to leave. But we'll see. It's too hard sometimes. >.< There's too many good books!
ReplyDeleteThanks Asti! I've recently just moved houses and it's such a hassle to haul all my books. But like you, there's no way I'm leaving them behind. I'm sure you'll find a way to get them all wherever you are. We can't just part with them for too long :)
DeleteEvery time I put myself on a Book Buying Ban it never works. XDDD I always end up getting heaps of books from Netgalley like it seems you did, haha. Good luck! I hope you're able to stick to it. :) I do feel sometimes that our fate as bookworms has doomed us to always having too many books to ever finish.
ReplyDeleteJules @ The Book of Jules
You're right. It's one of those "nice" problems to have. But it can be quite stressful if other people are relying on you to post that review. So I just have to finish the tours I've signed up with then no more booking reviews til the end of the year :)
DeleteThanks for wishing me luck Jules, I really need it.