2016 is going to herald a new change in my reading habits.
As I was putting together my review for We Were Liars last week, I had cause to tally up how many contemporary YA novels I'd read since I started keeping track of my books on Library Thing, nine years ago. I noticed then when I flicked through my lists of books read in and before 2013, I got a much happier feeling than when I looked at the lists from more recent years.
This time period coincides perfectly with the years that my incoming books started to increase and my TBR pile got slightly out of control. In consequence, I started doing TBR challenges until they were coming out of my ears in an attempt to ensure I read the books I needed to.
That was a stupid idea. I ended up feeling guilty every time I reread a book or read a book that I'd only bought the previous month, which meant that I wasn't reading the books I knew I loved or that I actually, you know, wanted to read. Don't get me wrong, I found some wonderful books using this method - Miss Buncle's Book, for example, or The Woman in White, but I still picked them up for the wrong reasons.
This had the knock-on effect that I was reading less than I had in previous years because it felt more like a chore, and I was less interested in talking about them so my blog suffered as well.
You know what? *@!x that. This year, in 2016, I am going to read exactly what I damn well please. I'm not going to sign up to any challenges (especially no TBR ones) and I'm not even going to concentrate on my unread books if I don't want to. I'm still going to make an effort not to buy many new books (although that's partly because I'm saving up for a house deposit), but my TBR can still as it as for the rest of the year and I do not care a button. I don't care how many male/female authors I read, and I don't care when or where they were published.
I feel oddly liberated. I've read three books this year: one of them would have counted for a bloody TBR challenge anyway, one was a reread and the other I hadn't read since I was a small child. I've talked about Scarlet already and I fully intend to talk about Peter Pan and Persuasion as well. I'm actually excited about doing so.
Maybe I'll go back to my usual way of doing things in 2017, maybe not. It depends how I feel at the end of the year and if I need to get myself back in track to control the incoming books! Either way, wish me luck for this slightly inane plan!
Do you plan to monitor your reading this year? If so, how?
I am happiest when I read what I want to, just as you say. No reading challenges, just reading for the joy of it.
ReplyDeleteExactly. I did used to love my reading challenges, but I think they got a bit out of hand. It got to the point where I felt guilty just for reading something that didn't fit.
DeleteFor a while I was happy doing challenges, because they were new to me and led me to new cool books. This year I'm pulling back and doing more TBR reading----because I'm excited about that pile of books that didn't fit into challenges, but that I really do want to read. Plus I like to have plenty of room for reading whatever the heck I want. :)
ReplyDeleteI like keeping track on GR of what I'm reading, but I don't like the feeling of keeping tabs on whether I'm reading enough of this or that, so I refuse to do the spreadsheet thing.
I did pretty much the same thing - I did the challenges and then moved onto to TBR challenges, only now I've come full circle and I'm not doing any of them! If I want to read it, then I'll read it :) I don't know why this didn't occur to me sooner!
DeleteOh, I'll still be keeping track :) This is the ninth year that I've been using LibraryThing to do so, and I'm hardly likely to stop now. I like being able to click on a particular book and have it tell me that I read it in 2009 and 2013, or something. No spreadsheets for me though.
Love it. I want to keep an eye on the volume of books coming in but if I see something in Waterstones that I really fancy reading right then, I'm going to buy it and I'm going to read it. Last year, I liked what I read but I just felt like something was...missing. This year's already going a lot better! I only got The Collector for Christmas and I'm already reading it! Shock horror! 2016 is going to be awesome.
ReplyDeleteExactly. That's a good way of putting it - I want to keep an eye on the amount of incoming books without being obsessive over it.
DeleteI've already read one of the books you got me for Christmas and it feels good! :)
I wasn't even doing an official challenge last year but had a vague attempt to read more of my ancient TBR...and I think I struggled a bit too. I missed out on people talking about the latest thing, and whilst I don't always want to read that thing, it's nice to have the freedom to go out and get it and read it. I was trying to ignore lots of really exciting review requests so I've started 2016 by saying yes to them. I'm already feeling better about blogging.
ReplyDeleteI set myself a 'read so many of your pre-2015 TBR' challenge and it just felt rubbish. I felt guilty every time I picked up something that didn't fit.
DeleteIt's odd, we all seem to have picked up the blogging bug again! It's quite nice that we're all 'back' at the same time :)
good for you! :) Take back the enjoyment!
ReplyDeleteThanks! That's exactly what it's about and so far it seems to be working! :)
DeleteBrilliant. Aside from having some WW1 books I have to read for another thing I do, I'm planning this too. So far this year I've read a book I've just acquired and another that's been on my shelf for nearly ten years. Both books I wanted to read in that moment so I did. I feel liberated too and it's wonderful. Have a lovely reading year :D
ReplyDeleteIt sounds so silly when you have to put into words that you're reading what you want to, doesn't it? It sounds like it should be obvious but somehow a lot of us got away from it. Oh well, onwards and upwards :)
DeleteI only partake in challenges if I know I'll read the books anyway, like a contemporary challenge or new release challenge. Last year I tried making a TBR jar and picking from that each month, but that didn't last very long. Haha.
ReplyDeleteI used to do that too, with things like the Alphabet Challenge or similar. The only ones I used to TRY with were the TBR challenges, and clearly that didn't work well for me because here we are!
DeleteI think I like the IDEA of a TBR jar more than I'd like actually having one. I'd end up never wanting to read what I pulled out, and then reading the book I'd have chosen in the first place anyway!
For me, this is the year of tracking my reads better. Yes, I've revamped my reading spreadsheet and will actually publish stats this year (hopefully). You're going to be much happier reading what you actually want to read! :)
ReplyDeleteI do love tracking my books :) I do absolutely nothing with the information, but I like clicking on a book and having LibraryThing tell me that I read it in 2005, 2008 and 2013 (or whatever).
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