Read What You Own 2026

I’m in as my book buying is a bit out of control. I need to count how many physical books I have TBR but I have 1,207 on my kindle TBR mountain. I also have 99 audibles unfinished in my library and 6 credits to spend. These are my aims:

1. No rereads / re listens (unless they are part of a series where I need to refresh my memory, or part of my Stephen King readathon.)
2. Reduce the number of TBR kindle books by as much as possible (I’m not going to kid myself that I’m not going to buy any books, esp as I have a £25 gift card to spend, but I want to limit it).
3. No buying books unless they are high priority on my wishlist, or part of a series I’m reading or by a favourite author.
4. Reduce the number of audible unfinished books by as much as possible.
5. Read at least 2 physical books per month.
6. Read at least 1 kindle unlimited book per month (I actually did manage this in 2025 and this should help reduce my buying of the 99p thrillers or crime books as they have a lot of these types of books included).
7. Be strict about DNFing books that I’m not enjoying (does not inc books that I’m just not in the mood for at that moment - I have been much better at this in recent years so hoping to continue this).

I'm in again for another year, thanks @ÚlldemoShúl. I have around 90 TBR books at home and have planned to read at least 20 of them this year. Re book buying, I'm currently limiting that to one a month and only to books I've previously borrowed from the library and loved so I have my own copy.

In 2025, 33% of the books I read were bought before 1/1/24 (which I set as my definition of RWYO)

In 2026 I will aim that 40% of books read will be those I bought before 1/1/25.

I am also trying to read paper books in preference to Kindle when convenient ie when at home. I am being helped in this endeavour by having misplaced my kindle a couple of days back 😀

@Buttalapasta sorry!😉

Dammit @Boudy - now I'm going to have to make another exception for the new Cazalet book! 😆

Im in..want to reduce my current TBR pile. And not buy or borrow more books till ive read 6. I have over 50 physical books and need to clear my kindle of all the books I downloaded just because they were free/cheap

I only like to read books on kindle these days. My reading resolution is to re-read some books I enjoyed long ago and have forgotten, so I guess that counts as RWYO.

I'm in. I started trying to do this when you first suggested it @ÚlldemoShúl but I did have that very generous work leaving voucher that had me in books shops for months. I also cleansed my Kindle, created a spreadsheet with a view to random number generating (a 50 booker does this and I have borrowed) and I have decided to read a book off each shelf when reading hardcopies.

I am not going to count them, but suffice it to say I could probably take part in this challenge for at least a decade.

As others, Book Club books the exception and any vouchers.

I'm in, mostly. I will buy a few books but I had seven for Christmas so plenty to read at the moment.

I want to reread several books by a couple of authors, not their entire back catalogue but the ones I know I will enjoy again.

As I'm sure is the case for many people here we have enough books to last a lifetime but still like a few new ones.

Perhaps I will aim for two or three rereads from our shelves and then a new book.

@LadybirdDaphne - that sale sounds amazing. And very environmentally friendly. What a great way to deal with second hand books. I would find it very hard to resist.

@LadybirdDaphne 😀

I’d love to join!

Have planned my next 12 books and 6 I already own (other 6 will be library, I do physical books only). There are 12 others unread in my bookcase on my want to read list. But how can I return my current library books without getting tempted?!

Thanks for the new thread @ÚlldemoShúl. I had some success at the start of last year and the two months leading up to the Booker, but then reading the prize longlists really messed up my last few months. I have about 100 unread books on my Kindle and about another 20 in real life.
So my initial rules are

• No new Kindle books until Woman's prize longlist is announced on 8 March
• Exceptions for book club and audios as I don't have a back log there
• After March will review but may try and alternate one old and one new

Yes it is pretty awesome and you can spend hours in there and it runs for two days so you have to make at least two visits… I think I may have to leave town that weekend, it’s my only hope.

My aims:

• do not buy any books except the one book that I need to buy for a book club meeting - and only then if I don’t manage to borrow it from someone/somewhere
• read some of the 203 😮 unread books I have on my Kindle - they definitely appealed when I purchased them so I have no excuse!
• delete free books from Kindle that I only "bought" because they were free
• read the many books I bought second hand when I was in the UK this summer before I am allowed any more!
• stop reading "What we’re reading" as it is responsible for about 90% of my purchases 😆

@LadybirdDaphne Prob not helpful BUT that charity book sale sounds fab. How will you resist??

@LadybirdDaphne - the charity book sale sounds awesome 😂.

I need to do this too! I’m one of those people who acquires books as a separate hobby from reading them.

Resolutions:

• I’m doing a ‘summer reading challenge’ from the local library where you have to read 15 library books by the end of March. After that, concentrate on own books.
• Stop trawling through kindle monthly deals. Only make kindle purchases if it’s something I’ve already heard of and really want.
• Buy no physical books unless get given a voucher.
• DO NOT GO TO THE CHARITY BOOK SALE IN FEBRUARY!! This is a highly dangerous event with masses of second hand books in a big sports hall, most of them only NZ$1 - about 40p

my first task is to go through my kindle books- I have a lot I bought years ago and I’ve no idea why and I’m just not picking them to read now.

@Boudy - I loved the Cazalet series. Will definitely be buying the new one. And might have to re read the originals!

I really would like to aim for NO books purchased other than book club books. It’s a big ask though.

I have a couple of large piles sat beside our bed yet I carry on buying others .
this year I'm determined to read them all .
I buy ones I really want to read and they are added to the pile . Yet I buy 99p offers on Kindle , Prime books , and charity shop buys and read those whilst the ones I buy at full price still lie unread in the pile !

Thanks @ÚlldemoShúl .

My aim is to read 8 books I own before I am allowed to buy one new one and/or borrow one from the library (which I tend to read straight away). And then another group of 8. I find it helps me be quite choosy about what I buy - and can have maybe one from the monthly deals but have to resist most from the daily deals.

My current TBR pile is 198 (down from 264 this time last year!). I'd love to reduce it by a third this coming year.

Signing in. Need to read some physical books and make some space. Need to be accountable. Also have more Kindle books than the total of adult fiction books in my local library so need to make a dent. Thanks @ÚlldemoShúl

Well will see eh?😱😁