A year of no book buying. Anyone care to join me?

[Parisbanana]

I've had a dummy run, starting at the beginning of the school year in September, just so it didn't seem too daunting! But so far I'm embracing it. I buy a lot of books generally and just thought we'd got so many in the house. I do read the vast majority of what I buy, but I do have books I haven't read, and my husband and teenage kids have some great books I would love to read.
So over the past 3 months I have definitely decreased my bedside pile. I am currently reading A Christmas Carol which dh reads every December but I never have. It's quite a joy to browse our book cases and spot things I haven't read and think this is the year I'll get round to it! Or to reread old favourites.
And I've just been made redundant so tightening the book buying belt is even more important.

Anyone fancy giving it a go?

agree bootygirl. Have stopped doing that so I can't add new books to my list of wants.....but have decided that if I don't get on with a book I won't plough on with it anymore - life is not long enough ! Off to the charity shop it goes.

I'm not going to plough on either - that's probably one of the reasons I have so many TBRs in the first place! A ridiculous book morality (entirely self-imposed) which tells me I MUST read it. So stupid.

I've just persisted with an Anita Shreve which was so badly written I've no idea how it ever saw the light of day.

Reviews are my downfall too. But not reading those would be a step too far!

I can't not read the book reviews either. And if I think it sounds up my street it goes on the "to be read in the future" list!
I'm still plodding on with book no3. Im enjoying it, it's an easy read but I've been a bit busy with other stuff. I had an appointment today but didn't put my book in the bag as it's a hardback and quite heavy and I had a long walk to and from. But I had a half hour wait so really need to have a bag-book on the go as well. Such wasted reading time

What was the bad Anita Shreve? The one set in Africa was not good.

The Lives of Stella Bain. Just awful.

In the acknowledgments she thanks someone for checking the authenticity of the First World War English background.....which was nil.

Use of 'gotten' just one of the many things which grated.

It's in the charity shop bag

Finished my final library book! So now it's just onto books in the house and on the kindle and six books down

Could I join please? I have tons to read both physical and digital - it's crazy. So apart from the three I have ever preordered, and the mumsnet book club booms I am lucky to 'win', I'm not going to buy anymore.

Iamdivergent welcome! I think most of us are doing pretty well, even surprising ourselves at our restraint! For me, there is something really nice (dreadful adjective, can't think of better at the mo) about working my way through our bookcases. But still enjoying hearing book recommendations so please let us know what you're reading. I expect to have compiled a very long list by the year's end!

Welcome divergent I also have far too many books but I have finished the last ones borrowed from the library and I'm now reading Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell which is feeling like an easy read just now! A break from all the crime and thrillers

I wasn't that impressed with Stella Bain either-I thought the plot was overly similar to the Pat Barker books.

Thanks for the welcome.

I loved Fangirl and the follow up type one Carry On.

Currently reading I See You which is a thriller type book. Enjoying it so far.

I wasn't sure about fangirl but I'm really enjoying it. Focusing on books I have is helping me discover books I was interested in that have just disappeared into my kindle!

I am on Number 4 from Mount ToBeRead with many more to go. One of them 'Revolution' was awful and has been sat on the shelf for a few years so has moved three times and dusted hundreds of times - what a waste of space and time.

I fell at the first hurdle. Had to buy my reading group book as the library waiting list was mega-long.

Also caved in at the local Co-op; they have a table of donated books and a collection bucket for charity. Books are 20p or 50p each. I came away with 10 books last week.

Back on the wagon now. February will be better.

I have succumbed - My children 'forced' me into Waterstones yesterday and whilst in there I remembered that I had to buy a present for a friend's child. The one I liked was a 'buy one get one half price' so I couldn't refuse that offer and bought myself 'Apple Tree Yard' to read alongside the TV programme. The bonus was that I had over £3 on my card which reduced the bill.
I've been frequenting the libraries (we have 4 within easy reach) and borrowing books which isn't reducng my pile at home.

I haven't been near a library or a bookstore! But did download a free book of pablo Escobar yesterday. Not sure it counts as it was more for my dp to read.... but other than that January is almost over and no books bought

I have fallen off the wagon - bought The Goldfinch in Oxfam books yesterday. Hey ho, it was £1.99 and will be re-donated when I've finished, it's almost a library book!

On the plus side, the 7 books I've read this year so far have all been library books so not purchases. So not too bad all in all.

I cracked. I've bought five books this month, four of them bought second hand and cheaply. They're all short so I should finish them all next month and then I'll charity shop them (I never keep books I've read) so it could have been worse, I suppose. Going to try harder in Feb.

someone kindly lent me a book...very nice of them but it made the pile bigger. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Ah well...

Still not cracked but slow reading so far so only read 3
Have got to go to the bookshop this week to get a requested book for nephew's birthday. That will be a test!

I haven't cracked yet. Other than the one mentioned above for DS.

Parisbanana - I carry my Kindle in my bag rather than actual books as they are too heavy. It does sometimes mean I have two books on the go but I seem to manage that ok. I hate sitting somewhere with nothing to read!

Hi guys

Well I am five books down. Currently reading 'I am pilgrim'. Really enjoying it so far. I forgot that I ordered it into the library!
I really want an audible subscription but not cracked yet!

I think even when we make small slips it's a lot less then we would normally spend & more mindful 😉

1. The One We Fell in Love With - Paige Toon
2. This Is Where It Ends - Marieke Nijkamp
3. The Girl Who Lied - Sue Fortin
4. Girls on Fire - Robin Wasserman
5. The Heat of Betrayal - Douglas Kennedy
6. Forget You Had a Daughter: Doing Time in the Bangkok Hilton - Sandra Gregory
7. Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell
8. Trust in Me - Sophie McKenzie
9. Close Enough to Kill - Beverly Barton

I'm on my ninth book which was borrowed from a colleague! And then I officially have only my own books to work through

Good work Matilda!

I'm only on number 4 - but someone has just given me Apple Tree Yard so I think I must read that first!

You'll have to let me know if apple tree yard is any good for when I reach the bottom of my TBR pile