With Christmas just around the corner, I know as a reader that you will have a TBR (to be read). I class TBR as books that you want to read, as well as books you own but haven't read yet.
Honestly, if I sat here and wrote every book on my TBR list I think I'd be here for days. My ever-growing list grows every time I scroll through Instagram, Tok Tok or even Netflix (when you find that you're watching an adaptation). The first instinct I have is to buy the book in whatever way possible!
In this post I plan on giving you some helpful tricks on how to help with that TBR. Now just to pre-face that these have helped me in the past, not just book for reading but also watching anime and Asian dramas. These may not help you but maybe you could even adapt them to your personal preference.
1) Stop looking at what others have
This is the most boring advice I will ever give, but the more you look at what another people have, the more you'll add to that growing TBR. Now this may be quite hard due to places like Instagram and Tik Tok always giving us new shiny books to look at, but you probably already have many unread books on your shelves. Please actually read them - because if you're anything like me they are probably accumulating dust.
2) Make a book journal
This is something that may only help a few but it's a cool one to try out. Personally, I don't have one for books, but I do have one for anime and things I want to watch. I really like them because you can keep a track of what you've read and what you thought of them. It also allows you to be a bit creative as you can come up with how the front cover will look, spreads, themes, and even favourite book boyfriends, girlfriends, or partners!
Honestly, I love when I add to my anime journal as I talk about what I liked and what didn't work. I even write about certain topics. My personal favourite is what tropes I dislike. All of this can be applied to a book journal.
3) Budget for the TBR
This one sounds like common sense but it's not. I rarely see book people having restraint or budget for books they want. Please comment bellow if you have a budget dedicated to buying books. Like for myself: I recently bought some books while in London and I'm not entirely sure how they were paid for.
4) Read the books you own
This is something I've noticed over the time I've been on Instagram: we re-read the same books. I'm not sure why but this happens… I'm guilty of this too (I've read call me by your name 7 times and cry at the ending all the time). On a serious note, I know new books are great, but maybe look to what you have on your shelf.
5) Make a list
Now hear me out on this one as it seems pointless however I know a lot of people who have never made a list of books they want. A list might help you visualise what but also it could help you to take some books off the list.
TBR lists are about personal preference, so whether your list is short or ultra-long, you will probably already have ways to manage them. I hope this has been helpful in some way as I know this is a genuine struggle for us readers!
Ella
Writer
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