Most book bloggers and readers enjoy looking at other people's bookshelves, right? I know I do. So today I thought that I would share with you the current state of my to-be-read shelves. I currently keep all of my unread YA books on two specific shelves on a bookcase in my garage. They're surrounded by loads of other books - my adult fiction books, non-fiction books, children's books for the boys. Next to these bookcases are plastic shelving overflowing with excess toys. My garage? Pretty crammed filled of storage. Books, toys, board games. It's pretty shocking. Even so, I love going into the garage, if only to have a quick glimpse of my books. This picture above shows my two dedicated TBR shelves. Photos below show them in closer detail...
First off, in this photo we see the first of my four large piles of books. I've mentioned before that I organise my books into different piles occasionally. For this latest arrangement, I decided to separate the books in a series away from the books that are standalones or the first in a series. This picture above shows the sequels in a series that I've started but have not yet finished (aside from those two Sophie McKenzie books, which I haven't started because I don't yet own the first book in the series!). Also, these are all books that I bought, swapped, were gifted or otherwise acquired by my own means. By my count, there looks to be 12 series that I have yet to finish or get up on. Yikes. There will be more sequels later on in this post.
Here we see the first book in a series/standalones that I bought/swapped/acquired myself. No books sent from the publisher amongst these four piles. If you are surprised by the number of books in this pile compared to the sequels I bought myself pile? Don't be. Before these photos were taken, I went through and had a massive cull of my books. The majority of books that were discarded were sequels in a series that I don't have the energy or strength to continue with.
Most of the books in these four piles I've had for some time. Not many of them are recent titles. Which I can only take to mean that I put off reading the books I purchase myself and have not made them my priority for some time. That really needs to change.
These two piles are books sent from the publishers for review. They are all books in series that I've started and haven't quite gotten to finishing them or catching up. I feel incredibly guilty about my stacks of books sent from the publishers. But at least these relatively small piles of books are nothing on the books in the following photo...
Man alive would you look at these three stacks of books? I think the thing that gets to me most is how many of them are books that would fall under the UKYA in 2013 category. 19 of them count. Guilt is something that I feel very strongly about these books, but especially as I'm going through a rough reading and blogging slump lately, I must remember to be kinder to myself. Not put myself under so much pressure. No matter how many times I tell myself that, it rarely works. But I'm trying. And I really hope to get to these books soon. Or at least soonish.
And last but not least, we have the books that populate my bedside table. This photo actually shows two of my moody shortlisted piles joined together. It's almost an even split between books sent for review (the Markus Zusak series, Noble Conflict, If You Find Me, Where You Are, Dead Silence and Heroic) and books I purchased/acquired myself. I'm hoping to read most of these within the next few weeks (as well as a SECRET book ...that you'll have to wait to hear about, I'm afraid!) You can also see just to the left of the books is my Kindle, which I've been using more often lately. I've been requesting like crazy from NetGalley... (My e-book TBR pile is a whole 'nother story!)
And there you have it. I'm not even going to count up how many books there. (Oh hell. As soon as I typed that, I had to count. Shit. Even with my massive clear-out, there are still 120 books there.)
I hope you've enjoyed seeing my unread books! I must leave you now to go attempt making a dent in all of these books...
Wow, you know you have a lot of books when you have to keep them in the garage! I feel guilt about my unread books too, especially those that I really wanted at the time and got as gifts. I just have to tell myself that I will tackle them eventually and it's not worth beating myself up over. My TBR is still over 200 :S
ReplyDeleteI'm not including any of my unread adult fiction ... which are on two double-stacked shelves above my unread YA! None of the adult books were sent for review, so everyone of those books I bought myself. And still haven't read!
DeleteOh wow, Clover - that is a lot of books! And I hear you on shoving aside those you've bought for those you've been sent for review (and even then it's too hard to keep up!) And the invisible Kindle TBR *gulp*
ReplyDeleteMy TBR shelf is just one shelf, in my bedroom. But it's a really deep wardrobe shelf and the books go three layers back. I think the back row is entirely books I've treated myself to or been bought as presents, with publisher-sent books in front, glaring at me occasionally...
It's so easy to prioritise books sent for review. Even though I bought those books for a reason and some of the review books are unsolicited.. ah! I'll find a balance eventually :) Good luck on yours!
DeleteSO many amazing books on there! I think you'll really love ACID, My life Next Door and Beauty Queens when (if!) you get around to them!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about putting aside books you;ve bought in favourite of review titles - I do that all the time.
Oh it'll definitely be WHEN for those three. I'm hugely excited to read them, I just need more hours in the day :(
DeleteAnd I thought mine was bad! My TBR pile is actually subcategorised ( ;) ) into review copies (9), library books (7) and bought (18 after a couple of charity shop raids - only £1 each (!) so I just kept going back for more ;) ).
ReplyDeleteIt is a nice feeling, though, knowing that there's lots of books waiting for me to read. Kind of like a stockpile...
Oh I do like the variety and I can't really complain at the fact that I have too many books to read!
DeleteOh, Michelle, you MUST read the Blood Ties series! They are amazing, Sophie McKenzie is such a good thriller writer. This post has made me feel a lot better - I have 50 books that I have to read... I feel so guilty!
ReplyDelete:) The problem with those two Sophie McKenzie books is that I read the synopsis of the second book and it spoilt what happened in the first :( I was confused as to which comes first...
Deletewow you have...so many unread books! probably almost as many as I actually own! I really hope you read the Sarah Rees Brennan books soon, that woman is my queen
ReplyDeleteI was waiting to read the second book until I managed to find a copy of the third in case I wanted to read them back to back. That was the first problem. The second is that it's same series with different narrators for each book? Ireally struggle with that.
DeleteI have a 100 too! I thought I was the only one, I feel a lot less guilty now ;) It's just so hard to get round to reading them all!
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, I am VERY jealous of some of the books you have there. ;D
It is really hard to read so many books! And to maintain a furious level of reading :) Good luck to you both!
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