This Week's Topic
A little bit ago, I found the below post on my Instagram feed. This amused me quite a bit, but also inspired me to respond to each of these confessions.
I haven't read 90% of the books on my shelf.
I know I had a LOT of unread books before the big PURGE, and I still have a LOT of unread ebooks, but I don't think it's 90%. I am a curious (and scared) to see what the actual percentage is, but we all know I don't buy many books, and I do tend to read the review books I download (at least in recent years).
I love having a big TBR. I never want to finish it or get it to zero.
I sort of agree with this reader. A big TBR is a long list of possibilites. You know you have all these books that you can read. But, if you are one of those readers whose TBR is solely comprised of the books you own, I can understand wanting to whittle that list down.
I save my new exciting books for another time until I feel like I've earned it to read it.
This one made me smile. I love the idea of a highly anticipated book being my reward, and I have perfected the art of depriving myself. Believe it or not, I am actually fairly disciplined when it comes to my weekly TBRs, and try to read by publication date.
I almost always skip prologues.
WHY? I skip nothing. I must gather as much information as possible as I wade into a story. Why would an author take the time to write a prologue if it served no purpose?
I read so fast I don't remember anything.
This one made me sad. I like to savor what i am reading. Keep in mind that books are my main source of entertainment. I take pleasure in reading, and therefore, never rush it. *Unless my stop coming up on the bus or the train and I am really close to the end of a chapter.
I treat my books poorly because I like it when they look used and loved
This was a romantic who said this. It's a well known fact that I no longer keep a physical library due to limited space, but I do love seeing a book that I can tell has been carried around from place to place and read by many.
If I enjoy a book it's an automatic 4 stars. People take ratings too seriously sometimes.
I am not in the business of telling people how to rate books, but my ratings are based on entertainment value. A quick scan of my shelf shows I have awarded 4-stars to many books. I don't know if it's automatic. I can say that I have rarely awarded less than 3-stars to a book I finished.
I usually don't want books that make me *think* too much. I won't be solving the mystery.
This is a reader after my own heart. I love to escape via a book, and therefore, do not gravitate towards heavier books. I have seen my reading take a big turn as the word became more ugly with me, more or less, abandoning YA books which tend to be issue heavy. I WILL try to solve that mystery though, and I appreciate a book that pushes me to reflect on things a bit.
I don't care if my covers are the same in a series. I'll buy the edition I think is prettiest.
Again, I am not a book collector, but I understand wanting the books in a series to match. I also understand that they turn out some beautiful editions of books. It's a tough choice, and I am glad I don't have to make it.
Now it's your turn!
Let us know in the comments!
I love a well-used and well-loved book, a cracked spine means I've read it many times! But, I wouldn't purposefully treat my books poorly just to get this look! I think my percentage of books read on my shelf is probably the opposite - 90% read and maybe 10% unread. Out of two bookshelves, there's only one single shelf that contains unread books.
ReplyDeleteThat is an amazing ratio of read to unread. It really shows your love for the books you own.
DeleteLove this!! :) I love having a big TBR. To me that just means that I have more to love forward to. I *definitely* hold off on books that I think I will love or that have the potential to be 5-star reads. I always do this. For me, it's all about prolonging the anticipation. Skipping prologues?! *gasp!* Why would someone do that? Nope, I never skip prologues. (And I live for epilogues. lol) I laugh at my husband because his whole mission when reading a book is to figure out the mystery/twist/big reveal, before it happens. It's like, a challenge from the author. Me? Never. I don't even try to figure it out. I like to just let it all unfold and not overthink it.
ReplyDeleteI am like your husband, always collecting clues. I love when I am both wrong and right. So, a highly anticipated read is a reward of sorts for you. I can appreciate that.
DeleteThese are great answers here! When I was younger I didn't read prologues, but I started once I started reading romance. I prefer my books to look like new, I hate cracked spines and the like which is why I tend to read more ebooks over physical books. Some readers really stress about their TBR haha I don't. I like a ton of options.
ReplyDeleteWhy did you skip prologues? I am so interesting in this? I don't stress about my TBR either, though I appreciate readers who make an effort to clear their owned books out. We should be reading the books we own (at some point) right?
DeleteI don't think I own a bunch of books I haven't read. I think the percentage is pretty low. I also don't skip the prologue, but I will skim some of the last minute conflict that makes me nervous and stressed out. I like my covers to match. It's a bummer when they switch things up mid way. I do remember a lot of the books I read. And I love mysteries that make me think and try and solve it as I read too.
ReplyDeleteGreat discussion, Sam!
You skim the conflict? That is interesting. I think I only skim sex scenes. Sometimes they go on for way too many pages. If you display your books, I understand wanting the full set to match. They look great when they all have the same look and feel. I even like when authors non-related books have complimentary covers.
DeleteOoo. This was fun to read! I like to read my favorite books right away. I rarely save them for another day. And I like my TBR to be smaller...until it's only books that haven't been released and then I'm mad because I want more books on it that I want to read now. Haha.
ReplyDeleteHA! That's funny about the TBR. I am impressed you can get it that small. My never seems to shrink. There are so many sides to that favorite book thing. Does holding out and getting yourself all amped up lead to more pleasure or disappointment if it doesn't live up to that hype? It was a curious confession, and I love reading everyone's take on that one
DeleteI read pretty fast but I can retain what I read. Right now I have 200 books on my Kindle. I am hoping to read half of them this year.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that goal, Mary. I am terrible about reading my own books, but at least I support my library, right?
DeleteAnd what to think of I read at a steady pace and don't remember anything?? LOL Because that would be me!
ReplyDeleteI am sure you remember more than you think you do. I know names slide right out of my memory (that's why I highlight those), but there will be details that are important to me that I hold on to.
DeleteThe thing is, if I read the first lines of a book I have read even decades ago, everything will come back to me. But I need a little nudge.
DeleteI do agree that it does come back, but not in the detail my kid can remember. She amazes me with the little bits she can dig up. But it jogs stuff for sure
DeleteI had a big book purge when I moved and then finally made a dent in what's left last year but I kind of like having mood reading books just lying around for the choosing. But I'm done buying a lot of books now so it's very manageable.
ReplyDeleteI've started enjoying (or I should say appreciating) well loved books more since I started finding older cookbooks. I'm not sure I could mess up a book lol but yeah, it's a romantic heart that loves a book that much.
I'm also an escapist reader so I don't like super serious books. The exception - audiobooks - which is a new format for me - and I seem to like heavier audiobooks.
Karen @For What It's Worth
That is so interesting about audiobooks for you. I tend to always gravitate towards the same stuff that I always read, but have found that contemporary romance work best for me on audio. But I have been caught sobbing as I listened which is not a good thing since I normally listen to books in public. So, a book ban, huh? Though I rarely buy books, I also ignore my own. I found library books make up the largest share of my reading.
DeleteWho would skip a prologue??!! There's usually vital information in those. Ha! I'm generous with my star ratings, too. Most of the books I've read get four stars, as well. Fun discussion post, Sam!
ReplyDeleteCrazy, right? I guess the rating depends on what you were looking for, but I have seen many reviews where people are talking about a lot more than just entertainment value (which is the most important thing to me)
DeleteFun post! I like to clean out my TBR at least once a year, but it will never get to zero since I'm continually adding to it. Also, like you, I never skip prologues.
ReplyDeleteExactly. I am always adding to my TBR as well. Half the fun of being a reader for me is finding my next great read.
DeleteLove this post! I never skip prologues either, I mean, like you said, there has to be some important information there, why skip it? And definitely with you on the whole "I rate too many books 4 stars". I'm here to have fun and enjoy myself, sooooo... maybe I'm not too critical, but I'm okay with it! :D
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine skipping anything. I mean, I think sometimes I skim over chapter titles (unless they make me giggle), but a prologue? No way. Yes! Reading is fun. I find I am not that critical of any of the entertainment I take in. If I have a good time, it gets a thumbs up from me.
Delete"I haven't read 90% of the books on my shelf."
ReplyDeleteI mean, WHY? I can't imagine wanting to read so many books you only manage to have read 10% of them at any given moment. Maybe it's because I'm a picky reader, but goodness. Also, some of us are poor. I would never buy a book to leave it unread on my bookshelf, let alone a number of them. It's hard enough to afford those that I CAN read.
"I almost always skip prologues."
Like you, I'm puzzled. I even read the acknowledgment section LOL.
"I read so fast I don't remember anything."
Again, WHY? It's not a race. What a waste of a good book.
"If I enjoy a book it's an automatic 4 stars. People take ratings too seriously sometimes."
I take pride in fussing about ratings LOL. I can agonise over 3 or 3.5, 4 or 4.5 stars...
"I usually don't want books that make me *think* too much. I won't be solving the mystery."
I typically stay away from "problem books", but I want to think. They aren't the same thing to me. And like you, I'll try to solve the mystery...
I'm with you on prologues. Seems crazy to skip them!
ReplyDeleteThey obviously serve a purpose.
DeleteI am one of those that never wants to see the end of my TBR. Despite the fact that I love completing things, that would just make me sad. I love having so many options to look forward to.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be so distressing to wake up and have nothing to read on hand. Simply crazy to think about. I do like smaller goals - like my weekly TBRs. Getting them all read makes me happy
DeleteThe reason I have more un-read then read books is that I get rid of books after I read them. The books I do keep are for me worth keeping.
ReplyDeleteI cannot say that was the same for me back when I had a library of physical books, but I do delete read books from my kindle. It's easier to find my next read that way.
DeleteI counted my unread books recently!! And I reviewed synopsis (especially for older acquisitions) and purged!! Still, I was left with over 1400 books when the dust had settled and I'd rooted out all the one's I'd missed on the first pass (the first pass put me at just over 1200 so not hugely better!)
ReplyDeleteGiven I've read only (only?) 1300+ books since I started tracking on GR (about 12/13 years ago) I'm less than 50% of books "owned" vrs read...
Luckily, I've given up being stressed about it.
I often put off reading a highly anticipated book when I finally get my hands on it... Sometimes for over a year. (Because I'm a weirdo.) I love knowing that I have books that I will most likely LOVE waiting for me.
I also don't care about "intellectual" or thinky books... Not my bag! I blame it on my brain needing the escape from thinking and having a very thinky job!
And I don't deliberately treat physical books poorly, I just dont care enough to wrap them in bubble wrap and treat them like museum pieces. Books should be read! They should look loved. Screw this whole "spine training" nonsense that seems to be taking off...
That is one way of looking at it, to have a great book waiting for you. "Spine training"? I need to look into that, and I agree with you - books should be loved. Like your favorite doll.
Delete