TBR Pile | Purging shelves (???) (2)

This is a post I started one night when I couldn't sleep, after seeing the tenth video about #0by16 and just being baffled at the idea. Saying that - I don't mean any harm. You can do whatever you want to do. And if you can do that - I am amazed by you and bow down to your better self control (way better then mine, you freaking go). But these are my thoughts on the manner, how I feel like I can't do that. However - it's also a discussion post, so I want to hear from you guys about what you think, if your opinion is different or similar. And I hope no one takes offense from this, because that's now how I mean it. It's more a meandering musing, that I actually had no idea what the outcome of it would be.

There's this strange thing that seems to be very prevalent in the Booktube community specifically (at least that's where I've seen it most), which I can understand to an extent, but don't understand fully. And it's trying to get your TBR shelf to 0. Maybe because it's literally impossible for me, but it just seems so... ridiculous? I don't mean it in any negative way towards anyone, if you can do that then I bow down to your restraint/abilities. I also might be asking you questions with suspicious eyes, but don't worry about it, I totally believe you're human.

I just don't think it's possible for me, maybe a better word is realistic. One: there are always new books coming out I'm going to want to read. Two: there will be always be books that've come out year ago I'm going to want to read. Three: sometimes I feel like I have nothing I want to read, with hundreds of unread books, I don't know what I'd do with less then 50 or 100.

Now this is definitely one of those personal preference things. At least I think so. And I bow down to anyone who can actually get their TBR to zero. But, personally, I'd feel like I was lying to myself.

I did recently, while reorganizing and logging books, pull a bunch off my shelves and put them into the: getting rid of pile. And there are always a few more I'm considering doing the same thing. However - there are a bunch I'm not doing that with and probably won't. I don't loose interest in books that easily, even if it isn't at the forefront. I keep a book if I think about reading it / the plot and get excited all over again. And I get excited about a lot of books.

This also might be a problem for me because I read everything - all the genres possible. New genre? Give me. I love books and I love trying new ones, dipping my toe into new subgenres or genres (though, I think I've tried all the main genres by now?). It's fun and I want to keep reading everything, not sticking to one genre (though I am known to go on genre binges, those still vary wildly in that, too).

Right now, there are 1,723 books on my "to read" shelf on Goodreads. I don't own all of those, mostly because some are literally impossible to own and I do have some restraint (ha. This is me lying to myself). But I think I feel comfortable saying I own a majority of them, more then 75% maybe. And that's not to mention the books I own that I've already read. Or the books I haven't read that aren't physical - ebook or audiobook, those are still TBR books. But here - I'm mostly talking about physical TBR.

It's a lot of books, almost a never-ending pile - but if I got rid of books I still really wanted to read then what would be point? I'd just have more trouble reading it, not owning it, or I'd have to just buy it again when I wanted to read it. Which sounds ridiculous to me.

However - seeing all this stuff about people going "I have so many books on my to read shelf - it's at like eighty five." My immediately reaction is - that's good, that's really good. I have hundreds of unread books, high hundreds. And, yes, even 85 take up a lot of space, and I totally understand that (it's all in relation to you. And I've kind of officially run out of space so I get it), but the thing is... it makes me feel guilty. Not owning the unread books, seeing people able to have such small TBR piles (physical ones). Which is ridiculous, because I've accepted it's always going to be out of control, but it still makes me feel bad, even when worded kindly.

I'm not going to apologize, though, for owning so many books I haven't read yet. They're just full of stories I'll get to experience. And, yes, I might be planning on picking through them again soon and stacking a bunch to the side to get ride of (somehow. There's a lot ARCs from 2012/2013 I'd like to get rid of as well), but I'm sick of feeling guilty for not being able to cull/purge my physical TBR pile.

It would feel like a lie, though, the biggest lie ever - if I have, like, a hundred books. Because I don't think I'd have the same sense of urgency I do now, to try and read these books, or the same sense of love of reading as I do being surrounded by books day to day. And, yes, sometimes the urgency is a problem, when I want to not stress about finishing a book, but most of the time it's just good. At least I think so.

Saying all this, I want to say it again - do whatever you want, I'm sorry if I've offended you or something else. I don't mean any harm, do whatever you want, it's not hurting anyone. But I'm curious on your perspective, especially if it's different.

So that brings me to the end. How do you deal with all the books you want to read? Physical, digital, whichever. And how many physical unread books do you have? Don't feel embarrassed whether the number is ten or over a thousand, no judgement here.

TBR Pile | Shame? (1)

Pile? More like mountain. I own a lot, lot of books that I haven't read. I stress shop and when I do I mostly stress buy books. (Amazon Prime makes it so easy, and sometimes the books are so cheap, and they're so pretty in a book store...)

Now when I say a lot, I mean way more then you're probably thinking. 2014 started with me wanting to buy less books, which is all find and dandy on paper, but hard to do when I was reading so much. I read over 270 books last year, and not to buy books just felt very strange to me. So this year is a kind reward system, for every how many books, I get to buy one.

I think this will work pretty good unless I go into a bookstore (sorry, Barnes and Noble, it's not you, it's me), because then I'll just start picking things up.

And, honestly, I don't see a problem with my multiple towering stacks of books that won't fit on my already overflowing shelves. Except for the fact that I've kind of run out of space to put books. Have mostly run out space, in all honesty. So trying to buy less, is probably a very good idea. And I know some people feel guilty with too many unread books on their shelves, and I try not to because guilty about books isn't a helpful emotion, but I do frequently feel overwhelmed. There's so many things I want to read, there's no way I can read them all in my lifetime, there's just not enough time.

I started this post a while ago and then there was a video I saw that reminded me of it again (BookRiot's How To Bust TBR Guilt video) and it definitely made me feel better. I've always gone back and forth, feeling immediately guilty whenever I saw a post or a video about someone having so few books, but I think I've reached the point where I'm past that (and have written a whole post based on that thought, that I'm going to post soon).

And the reason I wanted to post this, because I'm curious. If you're reading this, I'm sure you're a reader, and I'm wondering your thoughts. Do you feel TBR shame/guilt? Or do you have only... ten, eighty, two hundred books and are trying to get it lower? Or have you, also, given up on feeling guilt about something you shouldn't feel guilt about?

(I want to add again, a little disclaimer. That I don't mean any harm for this, I don't mean to push anything onto you, you can do whatever you want).

Horror/Scary/Thriller Books I Haven't Read Yet

I got into the horror genre very young, probably too young, but I was interested and it was amazing. I read a lot of genres, though, and I kind of read/love most genres, which sounds ridiculous but I can't think of any genres I don't like or haven't, at the very least, tried. And, while making the two book recommendation posts I just did (Scary Books for Beginners & Horror/Scary Books for Halloween) I realized that I hadn't read as much as I thought I had.

I'm trying to read more horror/thriller (or just plain creepy/weird) books, because at some point I'd forgotten how much I ten to actually enjoy these books. I don't know why, I know a lot of people don't, but I just adore them.

Some of these, I'm not expecting to be incredible, but I still will be fun (also, I'm writing this towards the beginning of the month, ideally I will rad some of these during the month).

Authors:

H.P. Lovecraft
A person, not a specific book, but most of his fiction is short. I'd most like to read all of the stuff in his Cthulu Mythos, but I'd like to read at least some of his work, if not all of it.

Stephen King
There are a lot of his books I haven't read, unsurprising considering how many there are, but some very big ones I haven't: The Shining, The Green Mile, The Stand. I'd really like to read those, but also: Insomnia, Misery, 11/22/63, rest of The Dark Tower series, Under The Dome, The Dead Zone, Cell, Thinner, and more. And also I'd like to reread some, maybe because I don't remember them very clearly or just because I love them: Carrie, Pet Semetery (don't remember either very clearly), IT (I kind of reread this almost once a year, love it), Duma Key (kind of same as IT), Bag of Bones, Dreamcatcher (it's been a few years for both of these, but I want to reread soon).

Dean Koontz
I haven't read a single book, which feel weird, because he's a very large name in horror. But I've also never known where to start - but I think I might start with Intensity or Phamtoms, I don't have it yet, but it'll think that'll be there. Opinions?

Books:

• Horns by Joe Hill - I haven't read anything by Joe Hill yets, and considering the movie coming out (or is out, with Daniel Radcliff). So I guess this is a good place to start.
• The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancy - I really want to read this first book, and probably the rest of the series. It looks fantastic, and I've heard good things.
• The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith - I haven't read anything by this author yet (by any of these guys yet, actually), and I've heard mixed reviews about this one but I think I'm really going to like it. 
• We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson - I remember, vaguely, reading The Lottery in middle school, but not enough to remember what happened. And this looks amazing, a lot of her stuff looks strange, weird. Also - The Haunting of Hill House.
• The Phantom of the Opera
• Dracula
• American Psycho (classic, both this and the above two - I'm excited for all, I just haven't done it. I did try to read Dracula in 7th grade but the journal/letter whatever through me off).
• Carmilla (lesbian vampires, that's what brought this onto my radar. Don't you want to read it now? it's a classic novella - with lesbian vampires. RonLit did a video about it, she convinced me).
• The Yellow Wallpaper 
• Abbadon's Gate (and other in the Leviathan series, I hadn't thought about how these were horror until I started researching for my recommendation posts
• Horrorstor (this just came out, and it's been some hype, but it looks awesome)
• Sleepless (I haven't heard much about this, but it's really short and has a great cover)
• The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes (I actually started this and I'm loving it way more then I thought I would)
• Unwind Series (I'm stunned I haven't read this series yet, because it sounds right down my alley. And also the covers are all awesome).
• The Forest of Hands and Teeth series (this series has been complete and out for a while now, and I still haven't even started it).
• Razorland series (I have the first book and I've had it for years, but I've always wavered about reading it, but I have liked everything else I've read by Ann Aguirre).
• Jasper Dent series (This book series sounds awesome, from what I've heard, people seem to love it. And the books are awesome, mostly under the jacket...)
• The Madman's Daughter series (This sounds... interesting, and I've heard middle things)
• Feed series (Adult zombie stuff, it sounds fun)

What scary books are on your TBR? I'm sure I missed some on my own list, but which one are you most excited for? And are you planning on reading any this month?

Other Halloween Related Posts:

Scary Books for Beginners

Horror/Scary Books for Halloween

Movie Recommendations: Halloween Movies to Watch During October (Horror and not so scary included)