Read What You Own Challenge

[ÚlldemoShúl]

I’m going to start a Read What You Own Challenge on the 1st of July to try and reduce down my ridiculously huge TBR both physical and kindle.
My rules for me are-

• No buying any new books after midday on July 1st
• Unsubscribe from the kindle daily deals email
• I am allowed to break it for the Booker Prize longlist when it’s announced, but must check my library for the books first.
• Keep going until August 21st as my first goal. (Maybe until 2026 in total)

These rules are specific to me and anyone who wants to join me is free to make their own set of rules for their challenge. I’m going to log each book I read here to keep me accountable. Anyone else up for it? I know some 50 Bookers are considering it…

@OurMavisI DNF’d the Mick Herron book too. I was disappointed as I’d read such rave reviews. Tried twice, but it just wasn’t for me.

I read the original 3 Mick Herron books as an anthology and just stopped after that they didn’t hold my interest.I can’t seem to click with the TV series either!

Read another over the last few days A Killing In November by Simon Mason. Didn’t rate it at all!

I’ve enjoyed the Mick Herron’s- I like his humour and it translates well to the tv but I can see how it would be love or hate. I’ve also enjoyed the Simon Mason books- both characters are exaggerated for the ‘odd couple’ feel I think.
mum going on holiday tomorrow, taking 4 Booker books (one of which I’m 1/4 of the way through) and 4 RWYO- 2 audios I’ve already started (A Symphony of Echoes- Jodi Taylor and a mammoth The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich- William Shirer that I’ve had since audible first came out) and 2 kindle- Blackwater 1 (part of a horror series) and Parable of the Talents. I doubt I’ll even get close to finishing them all but will see how I go- I intend for this holiday to be pure beach/ pool/ read/ doze/ repeat. I don’t like that for every hol but this time I feel I need it.

Oh also have the last of Elena Ferrante’s Neopolitan quartet with me. Excited and also sad to be finishing it.

I caved and bought the new Lisa Jewell novel, I've been struggling to read and needed an easy win. It's not the best thing she's ever written but I am invested.

I’ll join as I have over 2000 physical books and have run out of storage space. Haven’t opened my kindle in years but struggle to stop buying ‘bargains’ 🤦🏻‍♀️

I used to read prolifically but these days barely have time to open a book. I have a library but have NEVER sat in it and read a book as I just don’t have time.

About 2yrs ago I started a book buying ban. It did make me think twice about buying but what started it was noticing I was duplicating books. I have the Libib app but forget to update it or even consult it. Recently I’ve started buying again so need to be accountable or I’ll keep doing it.

in the past couple of months I’ve read 2 books which is more than I’ve managed in the past year so it’s a good start. I HAVE to reduce the amount I own as it’s now at ridiculous levels.

I’ve read it. I didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as None Of This Is True the denouement was quite silly as were a few other aspects. I did do it as audio though and Richard Armitage did sinister very well!

@PissedOffNeighbour22 You’ve found your tribe here!

@PissedOffNeighbour22you are not alone. Thankfully my TBR pile is virtual but huge.

One DNF JC Williams - The Seaside Detective Agency. The first chapter alone was so bad, what was I thinking??? Another one down anyway.

5 books taken to our village library in a phone box, 1 DNF, 4 I didn’t start

I find that when I do get chance to read I’m choosing books that I likely won’t want to keep/read again just to make space. I’ve always been a book hoarder though, since I was a kid.

My mum has a huge pile ready to read, but she’s living the dream - sits for many hours a day just reading as she’s barely worked a day in her life.

Just chosen Fall by John Preston, about Robert Maxwell to start next. We’re on holiday next week so may get a chance to do some reading.

The Problem with Men: When is it International Men's Day? - Richard Herring

This was a quick read, bought in 2021. A light and amusing look at his experiences tweeting “November 19th” repeatedly on IWD.

@ÚlldemoShúl I loved the Slow Horses TV series but just didn't get the books. I read Shirer's Rise and Fall of the Third Reich in the 70s I think. It was a doorstep of a book but readable.

I have been ruthlessly DNFing and I've come to the realisation that the reason my TBR is so big is that I don't actually want to read most of them. There are books that have languished for years and every time I glance at them I think "not now". These are often books by writers I used to love and have gone off, or impulse buys on recommendation.

I've been signposted here by a lovely mner...
I'm too ashamed to post a pic of my tbr pile (the one in my bedroom - I've also got a bookcase in the summerhouse)
😬
I'm currently reading Lion Hearts by Dan Jones (the last in the Essex dogs trilogy) its very good.
I'm struggling with attention span lately (probably thanks to my phone and podcast habit) but really need to get going.
I bought 4 more books for £10 from awesome books last night
No more books (aside from the 2 I've pre ordered) until next year!
Argh....help! 😃

@OurMavis I hear you about not feeling it over some older.books - I guess I’m in a v different place than 10+ years ago when I bought some of them!

@OurMavis Find a grateful charity? My local library also takes unwanted books

What I really need to do is prioritise 17 or so in paperback to make room for more. Can I get off my Kindle though? No.

@SheilaFentiman @OurMavis I think I’m in the same boat. Most of my oldest unreads (on kindle at least) are thrillers/ police procedurals and fantasy- I still enjoy all three but like more of a mix now. Re physical books, DH and I only moved back from Australia 2 years ago so we have t anywhere near as many of those.

Me too, my paperback bookcase is being diminished quite well at the moment with getting rid of books that I really won’t read

Vast majority are on kindle. I have culled my book collection from many 1000s to a few hundred. It's decluttered the house very nicely. My paper tbr pile is a bit different because I do actually want to read them but just don't like reading paper any more.

@ÚlldemoShúl yes mine include a lot of police procedurals but I'm currently enjoying period fiction. Someone gave me a set of Phillipa Gregory paperbacks. I've never read her before, not sure whether I would like them

This is where I get you @OurMavis many years ago, I read all of and couldn’t get enough of the Philippa Gregory Tudors and Plantagenets - loved them but somehow I think I’m past that now, and that I’d be disappointed by a reread!

Glad to see you found your way over @swampwitch0.

I have been rubbish. Started a book a few weeks ago on my Kindle and went back to it finally yesterday and couldn’t even remember what book it was! So I started again. It’s A Lady Cyclist’s Guide to Kashgar which I think I’d had on my Kindle since 2013.

I need a holiday by a pool and/or beach to get back into it I think!

Ah, yes.
I read all of the Phillipa G novels and some non fiction Tudor era...
I enjoyed them but
I think I'm "tudored" out!

@Peridot1
Thank you!
I feel I need this thread!

My local secondary school library benefit a lot from my book buying habit 😬🤣