Bookworms are made of sugar and spice and a habit of collecting books until they block the door and we have no escape.
Some people call this a “TBR problem” but honestly is it really a problem? Flaming lava falling from the sky is a problem. Sticky watermelon is a problem. Trying to walk away from your computer while your head is still attached to it via your headphones — THAT is a problem.
But TBR mountains piles? Pffft. It’s totally fine.
(Um, yeah, sure you can take 5 minutes to go have a breakdown. Me too, honestly.)
Great! So now that I’ve spent my intro downplaying the greatest terror of bookwormhood (WE’RE GONNA DIE), it’s time to take a really deep look at the types of TBR piles we collect.
No not all TBR pile are created equal or even look the same. They are many and they are vast. And instead of being freaked out over one pile, let’s freak out over EIGHT.
Oh but before we go on, if you’re reading this and thinking, “What the egg is a ‘tbr’?” then we should probably clear that up now:
- stands for “to be read”
- or maybe “tomorrow bears rise” which is just as terrifying
- is a stack of books you plan to read in 2 days or 2 years
- looks a little like Mt. Everest
- actually sentient and grows without permission
- it’s not usually a pile that has anything to do with YOU because there’s obviously a cute book ghost adding to the pile while you look away which explains absolutely everything
So now that we’re all cleared up, time to dive into 8 types of TBR piles you probably own, have encountered, or maybe thought about, or are just in denial over. This should be fun. No one is nervous!
Also total shout to people who DON’T have huge TBR piles because maybe you don’t have the opportunity! This post is just for fun and not meant to annoy or shame anyone. Keep being a dragon and eating people. You’re doing great.
THE “REVIEW COPIES WITH LOOMING DEADLINES” TBR PILE
If you’re a book blogger, chances are you’ve received some books for review. And by “some” I mean between 2 and 87 all in one HIT. My review-pile always fluctuates because one year I was receiving up to 30 ARCs per month (unsolicited ohhhh help) and then we have 2017 where everyone literally forgot I existed. Thanks. ANYWAY! I’m back now.
- usually split 50/50 between books you asked for and books that just showed up like Oliver Twist looking pathetic
- there’s always at least THAT ONE YOU SHOULD’VE READ BY NOW OH WOW #GUILT
- usually has a few on there you were excited about but now you’ve seen bad reviews and now you’re moving to Iceland without them
- there is so much pressure in this pile because if you don’t like the book you have to email the publicist and wHAT IF THEY SEND GOBLINS TO EAT OUR SOULS FOR THAT??
- sometimes this pile ends up feeling like work
- there is a 500% chance there’s a book on there that has 600+ pages and you’re scared of it
- probably a book out there not coming out till 6 months and you keep patting it and calling it my precioussssss
- you do like this pile
- it just has a lot of expectations tucked in the corner
THE “WISH IT EXISTED BUT IT DOESN’T” TBR PILE
As much as we complain about our TBRs, one of our #1 favourite things to do is make IMAGINARY piles! I know! We should all probably get some help for this. But shh. Shushhsh. It’s fine.
So this pile is absolutely non-existent, but we WISH we had these books. Typically we keep lists of this one on our Goodreads “want to read” shelf. Or write lists and leave them on sticky notes around the house. Like you thought that was a shopping list? Hahha. It starts off with eggs and milk but then there’s THE COLLECTOR EDITION OF HARRY POTTER right there and you know you’re obsessed.
- it’s like the imaginary friend you always wanted
- it makes you cry a lot because sometimes you feel like you’ll nEVER GET THESE BOOKS BUT YOU WANT THEM SO BAD
- chances of you forgetting WHY you wrote that particular book on the list = 100%
- honestly you get so excited for a book one week + it goes on the list = next week you forget why
- since this list doesn’t exist, you add soooo many books you don’t even care about
- but books (!!!)
- you have a problem
- but it could be worse and you could be a ghost on the moors ok. So no one should judge you.
THE “IT DOESN’T COME OUT FOR 4 MORE YEARS” TBR PILE
This TBR is very very similar to the above in that it’s imaginary. But it also has the added bonus of being frikkin’ unattainable unless you have a time machine. I mean, wanting books 6 months in advance? Torture, but okay. 12 months in advance? Hurts like a paper cut on your heart, but you can deal. 2 years? nOW you’re just gnashing your teeth. AN INDEFINITE UNDEFINED DATE BUT THE BOOK LOOKS SO SO GOOD????
That puddle on the floor is you.
- it exists because you’re a masochist
- actually who the heck announced this book this early?!? THEY are the mean ones
- you’re worried your interest in this book will die before the book actually comes out
- there’s a 76% chance it’s a sequel from a fantasy author who only can manage to write 1 word per day apparently
- (low burn at George RR Martin, Patrick Rothfuss, Scott Lynch…etc. etc…)
- (excuse me)
- the authors of these books are laughing softly @ your suffering. It is how they gather sustenance to live.
THE “APPARENTLY IS REQUIRED READING” TBR PILE
This one is generally filled with those books we casually mention we haven’t read and another local bookworm will stand atop a chair and say: “YOU HAVE TO READ IT YOU’RE NOT LIVING IF YOU HAVEN’T READ IT.” Apparently a lot of life-and-death pressure rides on this. And guilt. And terror.
there’s usually a lot of classic books on it because you feel you should read them- there’s probably some childhood book you missed out on and now feel 2% interested in revisiting but you’ve BEEN TOLD TO
- definitely some famous adult book there that’s super hyped
- but you just remembered you are a child with crayons leave me alone
- some Shakespeare is here
- a sheer ton of highschool required reading
- honestly more people say “YOU HAVE TO READ THIS” the less you want to and you’d rather take a hot air balloon up to the peaks of Peru and stay there
- but you still casually say “sure I’ll get it someday!”
THE “I’M ACTIVELY PROCRASTINATING AND CANNOT STOP” TBR PILE
Don’t even look at me with your little eyes and deny you procrastinate some books. (Unless it’s true and you NEVER procrastinate which means you are made of fairies and dragonflies.) It doesn’t matter how much we want to read that book — the question is…why haven’t we yet? And because there’s usually no good answer, this particular pile is particularly terrifying.
- the books on it are probably hyped
- so the pressure is on?!?? will you like them?!?
- sometimes you really really really really want to like the book and if you don’t the apocalypse will come and people will throw boiled eggs at you —> so why take the risk. DON’T READ IT.
- definitely a book on there that’s the square circumference size of the earth
- you’re just not in the mood for a few of these
- definitely populated by sequels and you’ve forgotten the first book so #awkward
- every time you look at this tbr pile it scares you
THE “I BOUGHT IT BUT HAVE TO READ OTHER STUFF AND NOT IT AND NOW IT’S CRYING AT ME” TBR PILE
This one is delicate. And also expensive. It generally consists of books YOU BOUGHT with your own cold hard coins that you probably pried from between a dead pirate’s hand or the nest of a raging dragon. The risk, ok? The RISK.
So these books are all definitely ones you want to read because you chose them! They chose you!
It’s like mutual true love except one half is a dead tree!
(Wow yes that sounds odd. Don’t you love the bookworm life!)
- you usually can’t even TOUCH this pile because you’re caught up reading ARCs or other required reading
- because you spent money on it, there’s actually a lot of pressure to love it???? because if you don’t you just wasted money?!?
- these books are the prettiest tho
- you take a lot of photos of them hashtag: #Iwillreadthisbeforetheyear3012
- this pile makes you feel good because you supported an artist
- sometimes you have no idea what’s even on this pile because it dates back to the year 42 BC
THE “GIFTS OF THE SHINY” TBR PILE
You know that feeling when someone gifts you a book?!? hAHAHA ME NEITHER. Okay fine! Just kidding! It does happen and I’m always super grateful! I just live in a family of darkness who says “why do you need more books you have plenty”. Rude. They’ve forced me to write my own. Anyway. These books are special and shiny because they are like Christmas.
- absolutely has a book on it you’d never read EVER but someone you love gifted it to you so??? politeness??
- definitely a book here you’re procrastinating because you’ll be murdered if you don’t like it from the giver
- has books you’re SUPER excited about because gifts!!!!!!!
- shiny
- makes you feel loved!
- it’s a good pile, Brent
THE “JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN’T SEE IT DOESN’T MEAN IT DOESN’T EXIST” TBR PILE
Hey eBooks! They have SO many good parts about them. I mean! If you read eBooks you’re guaranteed to save space which means you can fill it up with your antique Celtic sword collection and save no money at all. But whatever. We’re not here to sword-shame.Honestly the biggest downside with this pile is also it’s goodness…IT DOESN’T TAKE UP ROOM.
You see where this is going right? It is going to the moon and back in size of how many books you’ve “accidentally” collected on your eReader.
- there’s at least 67 Amazon freebies that you downloaded when you didn’t know any better
- #so #many #regrets
- obviously contains 890,00 books, half of which you have no idea how got there
- you constantly add to this pile because w h y not.
- fun things: you can fit the whole TBR pile in your pocket! that makes you feel like a library wizard instead of a book hoarder with no self control like you truly are!
- this pile will not kill you!! it cannot fall on you!!
- so add more books to it!! who even cares!!
- it’s basically a black hole
LOL this post is wonderful. I do not even want to think of the state of my TBR piles. I am making progress, though! I take great pride in that. I’ve told myself that I WILL NOT buy any books until I’ve gone through my library TBR … and so far, it’s actually working well? (It feels like a trap, TBH.) I have a gift card from Christmas that I am exercising wonderful restraint in not spending (…so far.) But in saying that, I’m SO behind on all the recent new releases, and there are so many lately that I’ve been wanting to read. Basically: I can’t wait until I’ve caught up with my library TBR so I can buy a ton of books at a bookstore. 😛
Woooow I’m really impressed with your restraint!!😂 I mean I don’t actually buy a ton of books but somehow they always still appear?! (Me requesting them is obviously NOT a problem here.😂) But omg so many books have just come out in January?! Someone is trying to drown us and help the TBR piles rise up against us. This is definitely fact.
This morning I checked my e-mail and to my horror, I mean, er, delight, I received a notification that an e-book I requested at my local library just got purchased! Oh, and did I mention I signed up to be first on the waiting list. And I’m currently reading three delightfully long books and wow, what have I done? If I were to add to the list of piles: #9 the currently reading pile. Let’s face it. I’m “currently reading” three to five books. Obviously, I can only read one at a time, but if I keep starting new books, I’ll never finish the one I started LAST YEAR.
Great post, by the way, Cait! Made me laugh. 😉
Eh you’ll be FINE. Just add 989 more books to your currently reading. WHAT COULD GO WRONG.😂 And hey at least you multitask a few books! I generally have 2 going at once, like an audiobook and a physical which is fun.😂
Great post Cait 😜 I literally laughed on each category.. I was like ‘yes this is me’, ‘yes I do that’ lol 😜 The first category is totally relatable to me at the moment.. I am drowning in them and many have already passed the deadlines? 🤣 And yes I am burried under the TBR that I purchased myself 😭
Ahhh I’m so glad it was fun!!😂 And hey at least if we miss the ARC deadlines we’re just…bringing back the hype a little later. *sweats nervously* 😂
Haha.. exactly! I sometimes think that too 🤣
You adorable muffin. This post cracked up! I am at a point where I am just trying to ignore the existence of “TBR pile”. Like, what are they? Lol.
*stares at the piles of unread books beside my bed*
Yesss like if we turn it into The TBR Who Must Not Be Named it’ll be fine right?!? Nothing bad will happen. *sweats nervously*
Great post! So funny and true! I have all of these piles, except #1 (the review copies with looming deadlines one). I also have a pile #bought-it-on-sale-but-don’t-know-if-good, for some of those books I’ve bought on sales or for little money, because they sounded good, I liked the cover and they were cheap, but I usually haven’t read any reviews by anyone I know.
Oh oh yes the sales one should be on there too! I do that at second-hand stores sometimes. Like omg if it’s only fifty cents then where’s the risk.😂
Hahaha, this cracked me up 😂
I don’t like getting books as gift mainly because I rarely read physical copies and also most people have no idea what i like…
My tbr is also exists almost exclusively on kindle, so at least i have that going for me.
My family generally has no idea what I like either.😂 But the thought is nice?! Although honestly they never buy me books anyway but oh well. And hey at least our Kindle TBRs won’t crush us! We are WINNING at life here. *hi fives*
The Review Copies With Looming Deadlines TBR is one that I definitely know, but it’s also my LEAST favorite one. I don’t like deadlines for reading, just like I can never follow monthly TBRs and therefore avoid them.
The I’m Actively Procrastinating And I Cannot Stop pile is also one that I think I own… except that if I write 5 posts, film three videos a day, and keep all my social media on a check but don’t read FIVE CHAPTERS in one sitting, that’s what I call procrastinating.
And then there’s the required reading pile filled with classics I will probably adore but am too stubborn to try out. Also, most of them are intimidating AF and why read Gone With The Wind, a 900-paged novel, instead of a freaking fantasy book with a faster pace and a considerably reduced amount of pages??? WHY WOULD I EVEN DOUBT?
Basically, you hit it right on the post with this list. Best three words to describe it: accurate, relatable, despairing.
I totally understand!😂 I mean I WANT the ARCs but also they often make me so worried because I feel I really really HAVE to like them and the deadlines are scary. *hides under the bed*
I basically procrastinate all those “all bookworms should read this” books.😂 They’re either intimidating or I’m too busy reading newer books haha. Also Gone With The Wind…WHY IS IT SO LONG.
I’m a mix of one and six, I can’t actively read six because of one which is great because I discover so many new books being unsolicited but also feel guilty when.some of those books aren’t for me. I’m actually still reading my way through review copies of 2017 at the moment. I’m a terrible reader..
Nooo you’re not terrible! I have a few ARCs still from 2017 and I just…I don’t even know.😂 I’m a mood reader and apparently I’m just MOODY in 2018. (Wow that was not surprising information.😂)
i have piles 6, 7 and 8
I sometimes think TBR means to burn reads (secretly)
great post as always
At least not all the piles are chasing you!😂
I don’t apply for ARCs, so I don’t have the first pile. I deleted my entire Goodreads TBR a few months ago and now I only add books to it that I genuinely want to read, so my second pile is nicely under control. My pile four is huge, because lit student. 🙁 Honestly, I have lost count of how many books I have read about Victorian women who go off to become governesses. My pile six is pretty high too, and always getting higher because THERE IS SO MUCH REQUIRED READING BLOCKING THE WAY. :'( I don’t have the last pile because I don’t buy ebooks.
…You know, I always think my TBR is out of control, but looking at how many piles I don’t have is making me feel really good about my self-control (which I also don’t have, but shh! Let me dream!)
Duuuuude you deleted your entire Goodreads TBR!?? I’M IMPRESSED AND TERRIFIED. 😂 I mean I do only add books on there I really want to read, but I also unfortunately want to read everything.😂 But hey you definitely have less piles than me so you’re doing well!
eXCUSE ME WHERE IS MY CUTE GHOST. I demand he introduce himself.
Honestly, I never have a physical TBR? I have some ebooks I need to read… and a long Goodreads list… but if I have the book clutched in my hot little hands, it doesn’t stay unread very long.
HE’S SHY, JEM. YOU GOTTA BE KIND TO HIM SO HE COMES OUT AND BRINGS MORE BOOKS AND PROBABLY COOKIES TOO.
Also I have no idea how I’d exist without the shadow of my TBR pressing down on me.😂
*clears throat* HEY, CUTE GHOST BOY, I AM VERY FRIENDLY AND WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A CUTE GHOST BUDDY. (who apparently cooks. and has a huge book collection. wow I see no downsides.)
ahhh this was such a fun post i adored it so much. i have the physical tbr which I WISH was way smaller and most of the book on my bookshelf are unread which is why I have banned myself from the library. I only have 3 books on my shelf to review and i have actually given up on netgalley sorry; i mean my ratio is okay but i banned myself for like 5 months from it in 2017 and now dont even want to return. OOPS. but is your book going to be on netgalley? maybe? hopefully? because if yes, i will be sooo excited. i have a small kindle tbr but i dont buy that many e-books so its not huge. my goodreads tbr is HUGE, massive, humgous, i think i have close to 1000 books on there and i ACTUALLY CANT STOP. its so much fun clicking “wwant on everything even if you dont REALLY want to read it but just uputting it on there for the sake of it.
loved the pictures. soooo prettyy
-ilsa
Ah ahah I actually am getting denied everything on Netgalley so I’m pretty annoyed with it right now.😂But I still try to limit myself to only go on once a month so I don’t over request (NOT THAT I GET APPROVED AGHAIGHG *growls at NG*) And also I have no idea if my book will be up on NG, but I don’t think so??? If I find out I’ll let you know.😂
Piles 4 and six especially…. yes, yes and YES. I concur! I recently organised my bookcases and somehow ended up with more separate TBR piles than I did to begin with (there is definitely somebody adding to them without me knowing). Awesome post as always! 🙂
I am absolutely sure there’s some ghost out there adding to our TBR piles BECAUSE SURELY IT’S NOT US.😂
The TBR pile I’m currently trying to conquer consists of “I bought this ages ago and have to read it”, “I read this a million years ago and liked it, so I should reread this” and “Wait, I own this?”
Also, another TBR pile I’m familiar with is “This just showed up in my local library, so I definitely have to check it out someday”, haha.
omg I love your definitions there.😂 SUCH RELATABLE ACCURACY. Haha.
Sooo true! Although they don‘t all apply to me (like, I don‘t have a pile of books to review) those that do are already enough of a struggle which I have very weak control over. Last year I tried to work on my tbr pile by creating the rule to only buy new books once I’ve read 10 of the already existing tbr-pile and that kinda worked, actually!, until it was my birthday & christmas and I received a lot of (totally awesome) new books but was also in the middle of the semester and now I only have time for required reading (that pile has a different meaning for me but it does exist and I try to keep it as small as possible) and the pile of „awesome books I long to get to but I don‘t want to read them in the midst of stress and awfulness because that could ruin them“ just grows and grows. It‘s a curse having a family which lets you pick the books they gift you (it‘s not, obviously, it‘s awesome, the curse is having no time but blaming people is easier than blaming abstract concepts).
Also, I definitely have a library-tbr problem. eBooks aside, library eBooks (& also physical books) are the cause of so much stress in my life. Like, sure, I could not read the books I borrowed and lend them again later on but I feel soooo guilty doing that, like I‘m letting those poor books down. (I‘m so sorry, I swear I‘ll squeeze you in at 3am in the morning before you‘ll be given back because who needs sleep?)
I think that definitely is an awesome curse haha.😂 YOU HAVE A GREAT FAMILY!! I actually once only had about 20 books on my TBR pile? IDK what that was. The quiet and far distant days. Now it’s just like an ever growing mountain lmao. (But it could be WORSE. I can still get out my door.)
Also I hate returning library books unread too!!
PILE ONE THOUGH. Review copies are sooo stressful to get through because you’re reading on someone else’s schedule. (And figuring out whether to send in a negative review is its own kind of hell, too 😞). OH. And YESSSS to everything under Pile 8. Ebooks are terrible because they have no physical weight yet sTILL ARE CAPABLE OF ADDING TO THE MOUNTAIN/TBR. And I have zero self control when it comes to downloading ebooks. HELP ME, CAIT.
Awesome post, as usual! Oh, and your GIF game is on point. 👌🏼😍
Yesss they are! I mean, I love them, but also they freak me out a bit because I feel terrible if I don’t review on time?! And emailing people negative reviews is so sucky. *Wails*
Oh you know us bookworms so well!
I am actually (ta daaa!) on top of my To Be Reviewed pile at the moment. I mean actually over a week ahead of where I should be so am feeling kinda smug about that. Probably best not to mention my Bought Books pile or my Swapped For pile or the hidden Free eBooks That I Will Read One Day Because They Looked Good When I Downloaded Them pile.
Ho hum!!
Oh I do.😂I knoooow our pain.😂 BUT DUDE I’M SO IMPRESSED YOUR ON TOP OF YOUR TBR. THAT IS MAGICIAN SKILLS RIGHT THERE.😂
I am for sure pile 5 & 6, I swear I constantly buy a book because I was super excited about it/liked the cover/it was on offer, put it on my shelf and just sort of… forgot about it. Whoops. What can I say, accidents happen 😛
But hey we could be making worse mistakes right?! We could be collecting snowglobes or something. AT LEAST BOOKS ARE USEFUL AND PRETTY.
My pile is the required reading pile. I see bookworms raving about a book, and then I finally find a cheap used copy of it, and then it just sits there because I’m a slow reader. I will read my whole book mountain someday. It’ll just take me forever.
Honestly “book mountain” is a much better term than TBR anyway.😂 I VOTE WE ALL USE THAT.
I definitely own all of these piles… But I mostly read from the “I BOUGHT IT BUT HAVE TO READ OTHER STUFF AND NOT IT AND NOW IT’S CRYING AT ME” pile, because I’m a monster with no self-control. One pile that I own that wasn’t mentioned on the list is the “BOOKS THAT YOU NEED TO READ BEFORE THEY’RE DUE AT THE LIBRARY” pile, which is filled with books that I grab from the library with the thought that I actually have time and energy to read but I definitely do not. (I currently have 6 books in this pile, which is not bad until you consider the fact that I have approximately 3 minutes to read every day because schoolwork hates me and also they’re all due in about 2 weeks.) Anyway… I hope that we can all conquer at least SOME of our TBR piles in 2018!
OMG YES THE LIBRARY ONE!! I’m ashamed I forgot that one because it used to be my waking terror.😂 (I just moved so I don’t have a library anymore, but I used to be in there weekly getting WAY too many books. But hey they’re free. I mean.)😂
I laughed so much at this (despaired a bit too at the fact that my ” imaginary” tbr pile is currently 900+ books long, but mainly laughed)! I’m so bad at bulk buying books then deciding I’m not in the mood for any of them and reading something completely different, much to my parents’ horror as I also live in a “you already have so many books, why do you need more??” kind of family! Good luck on getting through all of yours!
Holly x
hollyolivia19.blogspot.co.uk
Ahhh my imaginary TBR is about that long too SO YOU’RE NOT ALONE. We’ll both be crushed under our TBRs soon. 😂😂 (Ugh though we need to re-train our families to learn that tons of books is only ever a good thing. We’re blocking the door to keep out the strangers.)
I JUST finished culling my TBR from 650 down to 175.
DUDE THAT IS MADLY AMAZING. MUCH RESPECT.😂
This post is everything. Right now I am struggling with – 1) ARC Giveaway wins TBR pile because I am apparently not capable of resisting from entering them. 2) kindle free books TBR pile because… Sigh. Why do I do this to myself *sniffs*
Free kindle books are honestly the death of me.😂I think I once won this massive indie giveaway once and there was like 50+ books and FOREVER DROWNING.😂
Ha ha this was hilarious! For me, #1 & #8 are the same pile as most of my review copies are e-copies, I do love that pile but it does often feel like a lot of work, no matter how much I wanted to read the books when I requested them! I currently have 3 books on that pile due for review on February 8th and ha ha like that isn’t happening at all! Netgalley archive dates are mean! Piles #2 and 3 are so painful, although I only have GR shelves up to 2019 atm, I try not to have shelves for books more than a year or two away. Pile #4 is fricking stressful, when all these bloggers are telling you to read something and you’re just like….well what if I don’t? #6 is probably my biggest one because I buy a lot of books and they just sit there and judge me all the time and I swear if I don’t read them soon, they’re probably gonna kill me! #7 is not a problem I have because no one ever buys me books, my friends say I’m too picky and they don’t know what to buy me and my parents insist I have too many, despite the fact that I repeatedly tell them there’s no such thing!
I know right?! I’m the same! I love reading ARCs but I do feel a huge amount of pressure on them (particularly to like them) so it can be so exhausting.😂 And AGH being told to read books is exhausting too!! BASICALLY THE BOOKWORM LIFE IS FULL OF EXHAUSTION AND WE’RE DOING OUR BEST.😂
Well from those descriptions, I’d have to say I have a combination of “Gifts of the Shiny” (because my birthday/christmas presents are usually books from my TBR or books from my aunt who is somehow under the illusion that I read books for twelve-year-old boys?) and “I Bought It”. Mostly because after Christmas I’m fairly certain that on top of the 10+ books I received, I went out and probably bought 15 more.
I think there is one pile you forgot and that pile is “Books I Legitimately Want To Read But Cannot Find The Time To Because of Other Books I Want To Read Equally As Much”. Traits include books that are a) part of an amazing series, b) by an amazing author, c) recommended by people with similar book tastes as you, d) recommended by awesome book bloggers (hence why my TBR has doubled since I subscribed to your blog), e) books THAT JUST SOUND DOWNRIGHT AMAZING
Eeek it can be SO awkward getting books that are really not your thing right?! Like the only time my sister ever bought me a book it was like an adult classic and I just…😭😭 I haven’t told her I DNF’d it, but it was so freaking boring.😂
And yes to that pile!! I feel like that’s the one I cry over because I WANT to read it, but am procrastinating or distracted. But your description is A+ yes. Very relatable.😂
Yeah, that’s the exact reason why I just send my family the link to my nice, long Goodreads list. Plenty of options.
It’s literally me right now. I have so many new books that I just got and I even had to make a list so that I wouldn’t forget any. I’m actually about to start Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine, which is only number four on my list.
Aw I was hoping you’d make this one into a quiz so that I’d know what type of TBR pile I am. I HAVE ALL OF THESE TBRs BUT MY BIGGEST ONE IS THE IMAGINARY ONE THAT I NEVER WRITE DOWN AND IMMEDIATELY FORGET LONG WITH EVERY CHARACTER NAME OF EVERYTHING EVER
I actually wanted to make a quiz but I was too busy. SO I AM BAD, AND PLEASE FORGIVE ME.😭😭
Ohhhh, I have #5 and #6 for sure. I’m terrible. x’D I’ve shoved many a book under my reading chair because my bookshelf is already full . . . whoops. I may in fact have books that date back to 42 BC because WOW I’M EASILY DISTRACTED.
I’m just living in a sea of piles of books by this point. It’s very glorious.😂
I have a confession. Mine is #6. But, like, in a really big, sad, dragony way. I don’t sit on the books (because they’re pointy and that would hurt both of us, obviously), but I do hoard them like treasure. To the point where I went to reorganize my shelf to add all the books I had bought after Christmas, and I DISCOVERED NEW BOOKS. Clearly, some benevolent fairy has been gifting me new lovelies. Now if I could just convince them to finish writing my book for me…
Hoarding books like treasure is amazing, and I fully am with you there. Although I’ve not yet forgotten anything I’ve collected 😂 but that would be such a nice surprise?!
Somehow I manage to have almost every single one of these, but the only one I have that’s actual a PHYSICAL PILE and not just books that I’ve shoved onto my bookshelf but haven’t read yet are the bought books that I’m procrastinating for various reasons. Because I bought it for a book signing with multiple authors but didn’t want to be THAT person who doesn’t have books for all four people, or because I bought it then suddenly there were a bunch of bad reviews around it, or because of the opposite reason, where I bought it because I needed a kind of stupid read for the bus that I ONLY read on the bus and don’t want to risk being pulled in, and oops, SO MANY GOOD REVIEWS.
That was a very long run-on sentence. Sorry.
I procrastinate books ALL THE TIME it’s just gotten ridiculous now.😂 And ugh I hate it when I’m super excited for a book and then all the bad reviews come pouring in…like no. I did not ask to waste my money on this. I AM IN PAIN.
My want to read list on goodreads is huge and it keeps growing daily. It needs to stoooop, before it comes to life and plots my death.
My Ebook tbr is the largest. Seriously, I have over 1,200 books I haven’t read on my tablet because bookbub, instafreebie, etc. Most of them were freeee the day I picked them up. And I don’t even pick up every free book I see. I have a passed on reading shelf for the books I pass on and it has over 1,000. There are…so…many…free deals every day. O_O
All the beautiful tbr piles, looking at us, crying and glaring.
I mostly read books I bought with $ and Netgalley books.
I totally think all our TBR piles are plotting our deaths due to their being so neglected.😂 And those eBook piles omgggg. There’s no stopping them and they just grow in their virtual darkness!
Oh lawd, the truth of pile #8 ….*glances at ereader*
eReaders are such dangerous creatures of the darkness.😂
Mine is DEFINITELY #2. “Wish it existed but doesn’t.” Basically all of the books on my TBR are books I would love to read if a) I had money, b) if I had shelf space, c) if my city library was nicer to me and stocked more Actual Good Stories instead of lame Amish fiction.
*lowkey judging my local librarians rn*
Agh I hear the pain, I really do. I would just like a library back so I could borrow all the books of ever ahhHHH!!! (Although then libraries do need to come through and STOCK all the books of ever, but we can dream, right?!)
I have them all… except for the ‘gifts of the shiny’ cuz my family is just like yours…. oH and the to-review list, because I haven’t request any arc for my blog in spanish.
I LOVED THIS POST. Seriously, your posts are amazing. My TBR pile always stares at me weirdly, there’s no reason to deny it bc that’s the lfe of a bookworm and I should be proud of it. I cry, yes, I do, and a lot. But I’m proud..
Seriously whatever did we do to deserve families that won’t buy us books!?? THE INJUSTICE.
(Also I’m so glad you enjoyed this!!😂)
THE “I BOUGHT IT BUT HAVE TO READ OTHER STUFF AND NOT IT AND NOW IT’S CRYING AT ME” TBR PILE
Yeah this is mine mostly….
Honestly I have so many on that pile we’re just all crying together.
Wow, how did I never realize that there were multiple types of TBRs?! This is perfect.
My most unruly ones, in order, are:
#1 DEFINITELY the ebook one. I think because you can’t see it, it’s totally more sneaky with accumulating. Also because ebooks are *usually* cheaper? So you’re like “oh what does it matter I’ll just get it instantly”, or like you mentioned the free ones. And then you don’t see them so you forget they exist and like whoops why is my Kindle running so slowly? Hmm….
#2 Books people gave me/I got at a yard sale that I’ve never read before and look interestingish but…library books have a DEADLINE and so the owned books get permanently shoved aside. Sadness.
#3 The Goodreads to-read shelf. Ugh. Yes. Let’s not even talk about the fact that I technically have 3 of these (regular to read, “maybe,” and priority to read…)
Also hey wait, I just realized I don’t think you have the library book TBR here (both physical and ebooks)! That’s the one I’m usually the best at destroying, because deadlines and fines (or in the case of ebooks, they DISAPPEAR OFF YOUR KINDLE EVEN IF YOU WERE ONLY ON PAGE 98 of 256! The HORROR!).
Yesss the ebook ones are so much more dangerous. Plus they obviously live in the darkness SO that’s why they just multiple evilly. This is fact. We are not the problem here, our books totally are to blame by themselves.😂
Also if books are cheap and 2nd hand we obviously have to adopt them. We can’t leave them alone in the snow to cry?!?
I’m SO ASHAMED I forgot the library TBR!! I think because I don’t library so much anymore (*desperately weeping*) since I don’t have a good local one, but ugh those library books are amazing (FREE) and terrifying (FREE) and they just pile up (BECAUSE THEY’RE FREE).
So, ummmm, I went to the library to get 5 books that were on hold for me.
Explain how I managed to leave with 24 books?!!?? Because, obviously, I don’t know xD
I’M THE CULPRIT!! I WAS THE ONE FEEDING MY TBR AND NOW IT WANTS TO EAT ME NEXT!! I feel like I’ll still be the ghost that’ll be feeding my TBR after it devours me. GHOSTS CAN STILL READ BOOKS, APPARENTLY!!
1) Haha, the first one is so not me, but one day, hopefully, if I feel up to it
2) LITERALLY ME EVERY SINGLE DAY. I’M WAITING FOR ME TO WRITE THAT BOOK, BUT SCHOOL WANTS TO PREVENT ME FROM DOING ANYTHING PRODUCTIVE AND WORTHWHILE
3) OH, THIS PILE IS ON MY GOODREADS!! I LOVE FINDING OUT ABOUT NEW BOOKS, BUT THEN I SEE THE RELEASE DATE AND I CONSIDER MOVING TO ANTARCTICA UNTIL IT’S ACTUALLY OUT BECAUSE THE. WAIT. WILL. KILL. ME.
4) HAHAHAHA,HAHAHA, NO CHANCE OF ME GETTING TO IT. THE TEXTBOOKS FOR MY ENGLISH COURSE. HAHAHA, YEP, TEACHER, I’M THAT STUDENT WHO NEVER READS HER REQUIRED ESSAYS
5) I’M NOT PROCRASTINATING, OK. IT’S SCHOOL. THAT’S WHY I CAN’T READ. I HAVE TOO MUCH HOMEWORK *it’s just an excuse. she’s lying*
6) FBHSZAOJGBOSDBGOUSG
7) ALL I EVER WANT AS PRESENTS ARE BOOKS AND FOOD!! I MEAN, IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU KNOW WHAT I LOVE MORE THAN YOU. hehehe, i me an ALMOST AS MUCH AS I LOVE YOU. hehhehe
8) i don’t like reading ebooks because they would blind me and physical copies you can hug and sleep with without your phone exploding
24 book is obviously a lovely number and pfft, you can get through that in like a week.😂 I’M SURE YOU’LL BE FINE.
Ahahahah totally reviewed myself in all of the types. I mean every bookworm has a bit of everything. This year I found out about ARC and I thought why not try? So here I went to Net Galley and now it is another huge list of books I want to read and do not have time for all of them!!!
It is nice though read a bit of everything. So I decided to balance books for me to read (a bit of everything) from the TBR virtual list on Goodreads, from the ones I already bought (physical or ebook) from the ones I really want to buy, from ARCs and for my kid of course!
Huge exercise this one!
After that… a second exercise…. review all on the blog, share on Goodreads/twitter/NetGalley and add to my excel stat folder.
The Book Worm
I totally think we all have ALL the types of tBR piles and this is why we bookworms are so stressed.😂 Also Netgalley is amazing and also so dangerous because once you start requesting, omgg WHERE IS THE END. *desperately wants to read everything of ever* 😂
Pile #6 speaks to me because #lifeofacollegestudent! There’s no time to read anything for fun or hardly read the required readings. But I’m determined to get back in my reading groove this year!!
AbsolutelyAriana
http://absolutelyariana.com/2018/01/13/5-goals-strive-2018/
Ohh I can imagine how hard it’d be to balance or just squeeze in any reading time along with college! GOOD LUCK. *sends cake*
Oh my god Cait, I couldn’t stop laughing! I’m lucky that most of what I read comes either from my “ARCs with approaching deadlines” or “purchased with gold I stole from a pirate aka the accountant at my job” piles. But that imaginary pile sneaks!! up!! on me!!!! I’ll be so good about cutting down on new books while I read what I own, then BAM I run off and spend an embarrassing amount on signed or special editions of books I ALREADY OWN. It’s shameful. But also makes me really happy. But still a little shameful when I have to tell my rabbit I got new books and he didn’t get new treats. Oops.
The imaginary pile is SO SNEAKY OMG. I want all the books and then complain about them as well.😂
You forgot the Way-Too-Large Time-Sensitive Library TBR Pile That You Didn’t Even Intend To Get But When You Stopped By The Library For One Book Ten More Wanted To Come With. (If you’re someone who goes to libraries. It’s particularly dangerous because they’re all free?!?)
Omg yes that TBR is very real and very terrifying. I actually used to go to the library EVERY WEEK (and basically my TBR was even more of a nightmare😂) but I moved and now don’t have a library so the suffering is still real.
Oh my word, Cait, I have literally ALL of these! O_O YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. Or should I say, the book hit us on the head, because it (er… they) are made at us for not reading them.
BASICALLY THIS IS GOLD AND 100% AND THANK YOU. I feel much less alone. XD (Butbut so many books to read, halp.)
Books are definitely going to hit us on the head a least.😂😂 I’M GLAD YOU ENJOYED IT.
This is so true: the ebooks piles that is invisible so you forget exists! The books you buy because of hype (at least two), the books you want to buy but can’t because of a big tbr list. Series I’ve started and not finished, or worse book one that leads to book two… oh dear more books!
I’ve joined up with the Beat the Backlist challenge this year to read all the books i keep buying but never seem to want to read. Then I can buy more books- if I can let them go and find them homes once I’ve read them
I have a book problem
It’s just impossible to control the eBook TBR piles…they just GROW WITHOUT PERMISSION in their darkness. 😂 Also good luck with the backlist challenge! I’m so guilty of always going for the new shiny ones instead haha.
throwback to that one time you mentioned dragon coins and i thought that was a real thing and I KEPT LOOKING IT UP BECAUSE I WAS LIKE “AHHHH THOSE SOUND COOL” and finally i’ve realized…. it’s NOT A WEIRD AUSTRALIAN THING it’s a metaphor thing!!!!
wow!!! anyways, fantastic post and i love all of these!! I HAVE ALL OF THESE PILES and my friend gifted me these two books that I’m not really interested in but I FEEL BAD so i’ll probably read them. eventually?
OMG I’M SO SORRY.😂😂😂 It is legit just me being a dork here with the “dragon coins” ahahhaah.
(Also TOTALLY relate to the fear of being given books you don’t want/like!?? I always want to be nice buuuuut, *scoots weird books away from me*)
This is one of the realist things I’ve read in a while, I have so many books in my tbr piles but just cannot read quick enough. (Here is my link to my blog if anyone is interested I only started it recently so I’m just trying to get the hand of it: oliviaamy.weebly.com
Thankyou
There is definitely not enough time in the day to read everything we want to read!!
I absolutely love how you seperated the most common TBR piles into 8 groups 😄 I have a lot of books that I SHOULD have read by now, but I procrastinate them because of … reasons. Either they are super hyped & the pressure is great to love them OR I have heard too much about them and I’m no longer unbiased OR I’m not really in the mood, because the book will tear out my heart #readerstruggles. I recently bought some books with a gift card so now I have a huge TBR #6 looking at me from my bookshelf and judging me because I haven’t read them yet 😮 Not to mention the Christmas gifts that are also waiting to be read 😮 I did procrastinate reading a book a friend gifted me for exactly 1 year, because I was afraid that I wouldn’t like it, because it was her favorite 😱 (Good News: I looooved the book!)
Now we know in great detail the depth of all our TBR suffering.😂 8 TYPES OF SUFFERING!! And agh the super hyped/pressureful books are scary I totally get that! And then if you’re not in the mood it’s all doomed.😂
(I’m glad you liked the book gift though!! My sister bought me a book for my birthday and I hated it lmao.)
I especially relate to piles 4, 5, 6 and 7.
#4 – as soon as I tell someone I like reading they expect me to have read all of the classics.
#5 – I procrastinate reading hyped books all the time because I think not reading them is better than the chance of not liking them.
#6 – What if I don’t like a book I bought? Then I just wasted money.
#7 – What if I don’t like a book someone gave me? Then they’ll probably feel offended.
Ugh what is it with people thinking “bookworm” = classic reader?!? THERE ARE OTHER BOOKS.😂 (That saying I do feel bad for not having read a lot of classic and occasionally I try haha.)
CAN’T CHOOSE ONE BECAUSE MY TBR PILE SOUNDS LIKE PILES 2,3,4,5,7, AND 8 COMBINED. I can just relate to everything you wrote about the aforementioned piles I want to cry. Especially pile number 8. I probably told you before that I mostly read from Ebooks because there’s no bookstore here (major cause of heartbreak). When I checked my elibrary, I was surprised that there are about 500+ books there. I mean, when did these books get so plenty? Can I read all of them before I die? Maybe not.
I REALLY REALLY LOVE THIS POST CAIT. My bookworm soul feels so fluffy right now. My tbr pile doesn’t have any indication to decrease so let’s cry together. AND THE NEXT ASOIAF BOOK PROBABLY WILL COME OUT AFTER GRRM DIES SO LET’S CRY AGAIN.
Seriously hoping for my tbr to be good to me this year.
-R
I JUST KNOW ALL THE THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO TBR IMMINENT DESTRUCTION.😂 And you should definitely try to read 500 books in, like, this year. I’m sure that will happen. We can’t NOT read all the books right?! What if we miss out on something GREAT.
(I’m like 99% sure GRRM is trolling us with how long he takes to write.)
I have no idea how you are able to get inside my mind, but YES to so many of these. I DIED at “books that just showed up like Oliver Twist looking pathetic” because OMG yes that is how I look BACK at these books too- Like “awww poor sad book that no one wanted so I can’t bear to get rid of” 😂 And um, you NAILED the regrets with the ebooks. WHY do we do this to ourselves?! The worst is when I bought ebooks that I already OWNED, which… is pathetic. I have soooo many of the “you must read this!” books too- and I procrastinate those the most too. The review ones I always suck it up and read, but the “required” ones? Yeah they’ll definitely still be here in a century or seven. LOVE this post!!
See it’s so legit?!? Books are poor sad waifs and we must love them and pet them forever and keep them. And get them friends. So many friends!! It all makes perfect sense why our TBRs are so huge they block out the sunlight!
Don’t forget the “I just discovered this genre and there are so many good books from the last 5 years so I have some serious catching up to do” tbr pile. Oh look! A new release! Aaaaaaaand I’m broke.
Ohhh YES. That’s definitely the death of me (my TBR pile?!?) all the time.😂
Ahhh these are all. so. true. (although i don’t do many arcs or ebooks) i feel compelled to get used classics because….i should read them…right? but now they’re just taking up precious shelf space and i’m not reading them really (but i started one today so,,,) i do my best to keep my goodreads tbr and read shelves equal but at the moment i’m afraid there is a ~20 book gap so i must go through and think about all those tbrs.
ALSO…my family is also like “oh but you have so many books already…” and “oh but…the library.” and i’m over here “but i want to support these wonderful authors!” and also “having books is so lovely” so the whole being not necessarily being gifted books thing–i understand!
Yes exactly! I keep saying “oh yes I definitely will read that” to all these classics and I just…??? No.😂 It’s not going to even happen.
And hey we should totally be able to collect books and not have to justify ourselves right?! WE’RE SUPPORTING AUTHORS AND THEY’RE PRETTY!😂
BAHAHA CAIT, YOU NEVER FAIL TO CRACK ME UP. HOW DO YOU DO THIS!?
Anyway, Pile #2 will be the death of me. It’s pretty much the worst one for me, because it kills me INSIDE. Even seeing book covers of books I don’t own but want to own pretty much makes my teenie little heart shrivel up and die. D: BUT I MUST RESIST. These books don’t sprout money (although I wish they did–that would totally justify this horrible longing).
Also Pile #5. I procrastinate TOO much. There are some books on my shelf that I’ve had for… 7 years? Whoopsie. ONE DAY, I SHALL CONQUER THEM.
Awesome post as usual, Queen! <3
THIS MAKES ME VERY HAPPY, AIMEE.😂 I TRY, I TRY. (I mean really I’m just mocking us all but somehow it works. *TBR falls and crushes me as payback*)
Honestly we just need to find a goldmine!? That will really help.😂
Hahahaha! Most of my TBR is on the “Wish it existed but it doesn’t” pile… I have SO many books that I want to read, but I have a tiny library, and I’m completely broke, sooo… I pretty much get a new book, and desperately gobble it up, because it is LITERALLY THE ONLY THING IN THE HOUSE THAT I HAVEN’T READ! Well… hahaha… aside from the million books that I borrowed from my cousin, and no longer care the slightest bit about… there’s those. But mostly they’re all sequels to books I sort of liked, so I just don’t really care. But I borrowed hem, so I feel obligated to read them. Even though I really could just return them unread. But for some reason no, I can’t do that. Ugh, ugh, ugh.
Soooo many for me too!! And it’s ridiculous because I own TONS but no, it’s the ones I don’t have that I really want.😂
I mean Cait, you know which pile Sabriel is in. You do! You do. You just have to read it…. I don’t have that many review books, which is mostly good, but there’s one that has veen sitting on my kobo for…I don’t even want to think about how long ugh. I mostly get books from the library and the books that confuse me the most are the ones which I checked out on an impulse from the library and now feel stressed about reading. Overdrive is stressful because you can see the clock ticking. And finding time to read books I own is h a r d.
Also Cait, I love how your blog is such a regular thing in my life but the fact that you’re no longer posting every day at 2:20 my time is totally throwing me off and I feel so confused and keep forgetting to comment. lol. Paper Fury is part of my lifestyle now…
I do *cries in shame* It’s a wonder you haven’t marched over to Oz and beat me over the head with it. (SOON!! I WILL READ IT SOON!!…I’ve been saying for like a year.😂)
Omg Overdrive does have that lovely clock. UGh. I was freaking out over an ebook I thought was about to run out the other day, but turns out it had a week left.😂
OH YOU MAKE ME LAUGH.😂 You changed timezones right?! *sends cake to make up for failing your time schedule*
I have an entire pile that’s just weird crud my mom has sent me. To be fair, not all of it ends up being weird, but sometimes I wonder why she passes these things on to me…
It’s a bit awkward right?! “Bookworm” doesn’t equal “likes every book ever” ah ahaah.😂😂
Your definition of a TBR:
a stack of books you plan to read in 2 days or 2 years.
Me:
(Sweats) Haaahaha…..ha…ha…more like five years.
And seriously my TBR is like ALL of these except for probably the first one. My Goodreads shelf has 1,728 books on it now. D:
And recently I felt the 7th one pretty hard. My birthday was earlier this month and my friend gave me a GIANT BOX full of 29 of her old books because recently I lost a bunch of my old books so she wanted to help me replace them which was AMAZING and SO nice of her! Buuuut more than half of them were the entirety of her favorite series which I have zero interest in reading and so now I feel like a terrible friend. D: D: D: D: D:
Okay you are being MUCH more truthful than me.😂 I’m pretty sure I have books on there from 5 years ago but ohhhh well. At least we’re prepared for the zombie apocalypse!!😂
(Also it’s so so awkward to be given books you don’t even like?! People are being nice but heLP.)
My gosh. To me you are literally, *literally* the funniest person to roam this earth. I mean really.
THIS ACTUALLY MAKES MY DAY THANK YOUUUUUU.😂
I LOVE this list! I have all these lists and I feel a bit better about the threat of being trampled by them now.
At least we know all we bookworms will die the same way right?!? *TBR collapse on us* 😂😂
Shouldn’t there be a support group or some kind of emergency protocol to save us???
This post was hilarious! Except for the whole ARC thing, I could see myself in every category. Especially number 6 hit we really hard. Because I have to buy the books that are Booktubers/Book Bloggers are loving at the moment, right? (even if I have to pawn a kidney). But then again, I need to catch up with the series that were popular 5 years ago, so where is my life heading to?
Who needs kidneys anyway right?! We definitely need books instead.😂
This made me laugh so much. I’m convinced one day I’m going to be found by my cat buried under the weight of my never-ending TBR pile. I suppose there’s worse ways to go!
That seems very likely and relatable for me too.😂
I think my biggest pile is the second one… I just started a new list 20 days ago and it’s already full… OOPS. Obvs full of classics and books that you SHOULD read because others say that you HAVE to but you just freak out because THERE IS NO MORE SPACE TO ADD NEW BOOKS but you see so many new books and you are scared that you will forget about them because you can’t write them down.
Oh well, I’m way too deep in already.
RELATABLE. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO. *adds more books to the lists*
My tbr is made up of 98% imaginary friends.🤣 I’m terrified of my ‘ want to read ‘ shelf on Goodreads. Like I’d be terrified if we gift me free books for a review. 😱 But, I’m a baby blogger, so I’m safe from that one. I’m terrified too of the ”hype books” tbr. I left The Raven Boys so long on it. I was so scared to not like it. 🙈 It’s safe to say I’m scared of tbr piles, I think.
I say that my kindle is my tardis because I can have hundreds of books in my pocket and I get to travel in space and time with her. 💜
Noooo *slowly scootches The Raven Boys at you* I mean hype is scary BUT I WON’T LEAN OVER YOUR SHOULDER I PROMISE BUT THEY’RE SO GOOD ANDFASDJKL. 😂😂
(Also kindles are definitely like another world.😂)
They are good! 😍 Well, at least the Raven Boys. 😂 BUT IT WAS MAGNIFICENT! I READ IT TWICE IN A ROW!
Thanks to this book, I read again like I did before which I believed was a ship that had sails long ago. I thought the worms in my brain were dead, dead, dead. So scary.😱
2, 4, 5, 6, and 8 are ALL my TBR. How dare you point out my problems this way. (I have so many books I need to review omg help also why did past me think it was a good idea to request literally 20 non-fiction, life-advice type books???? WHO THE HECK HAS TIME TO ACTUALLY WORK THROUGH THOSE BOOKS)
I absolutely HERE to show up all our problems and then laugh at them while softly crying in the background (WE LOVE BOOKS BUT THEY’RE GANGING UP ON US HELP).
The Library TBR Pile: the collection of books you take out from the library, keep renewing, and honestly forget about because there are just so many books to read. ;_;
I think mine TBR is mostly of the #6 variety, but I have a bit of each if I’m being honest. *lol*
Oh that library problem is very relatable.😂
HA! This post, like so many others, has made me laugh HARD! This is totally relatable, especially the “I bought it but I’m reading other books”. I do that A TON! One day I’ll decide that I’m going to read a particular book, and bam, another book will pop into my life and take precedence. The problem is if I don’t buy books at all, then I feel like I’m missing out on the community. *Sighs* First world problems…
I’m so glad you liked it!😂 And ommmg we’re so bad when we actually buy books but then never read them right?! (BUT HEY! Stocking up for the zombie apocalypse!!)
Mine is a mix between #5, 6, and 8. I make physical piles, forget that I have eBooks, procrastinate, and make a mess.
I also write out lists of what I am going to read on each and every day and then promptly ignore it (see: procrastinate).
I’ve gotten better though, since I no longer check out a million books from the library at a time and then get charged for a ton of overdue fines!
I SO RELATE. Those eBooks though.😂It’s the huge problem. Like they just pile up and don’t take up room sooo *adds more to the pile* 😂
Exactly! And then all of a sudden I look at my eBook stash, can’t breathe, and panic myself right onto the floor…
I’m weird about TBR (mountains) *cough* I mean piles because mine is more like a hill… I’ve gotten in the habit of getting books from the library so I don’t actually have a big physical TBR and I try to keep my Goodreads TBR below 100 books.
That’s actually amazing and I wish I had that sort of restraint.😂😂
Okay I officially need help! I can identify with all those TBR piles and have huge guilt. I have a bad tendency of buying more books as soon as some Proof copies have arrived meaning I then cant decide which to read first. But its all good because theyre all books and its exciting right?
Pfft, we could be collecting WORSE things right?!? 😂😂
This post is basically a sum of my life, because literally all those piles are mine. I love buying books, and every time I step out of my house (not v often cuz I just hole up in my house) I somehow come home with a stack of books weighing me and my TBR down. LOVEEEE this postttt
If we leave the house we kind of HAVE to come back with books right?! It is the bookworm way. :’)
TBR piles… the greatest and most terrible things ever haha. Great post as always from the future famous author!! <3
Thanks for sharing,
~Brittany @ Brittany’s Book Rambles
N’aww, YOU’RE MAKING ME BLUSH.😂 Maybe not the “famous” part but I will come through with at least the author part lmao.😂
You so get me. I’m pretty sure I have every single one of these. XD
#bookwormproblems
At least we’re all in agony together.😂😂
I love this post!! I think my biggest pile is probably Pile #5.. I get scared reading books that have a ton of hype because.. sometimes I don’t like them and I am afraid of bloggers who DID like them will throw things at me. So that’s scary.
I knooow!! It’s scary and I totally feel the pain of the hyped books!
Great read.
My physical TBR is currently only 16 books.
My non-physical TBR is 1289 books.
Here’s me weeping I did not invest in Apple shares or Bitcoin in the early days. The disparity between physical and non-physical TBR is directly related to financial survival in 2018.
I also have a TBP (to-be-purchased) pile – it is only comprised of notebooks (yes, yes, I really need another one), pens and pencils (I am a writer and I must write), Hogwarts wands (used when I have lost my pencil), and bookmarks with enough motivational text to warrant the initial deposit. Oh yes, and I cannot leave out my current number one want (desire? need? necessity?) – a Funko Pop Porpentina Goldstein.
I think it’s pretty amazing your current TBR is down to 16 though!! I’m so impressed.😂 TBP is also a great way to refer to the not purchased ones. I totally have suuuuch a long list for that one.😂
SUCH ACCURATENESS. I swear I have every single one of these TBR piles. Haha. I feel like I will never not have the review copies with deadline looming one. I’m always behind! And my kindle alone has over 500 books on it. WHOOPS. And don’t even get me started on the lists I have on Goodreads with unpublished books. omg it’s all just too much. I will never read them all. *sobs*
Haha, I know your pain Holly.
*pats shoulder and sends cake* There is no hope for us. Basically all we can do is add more books and invent more types of tbrs until we explode.😂
My TBR was 90% books that are apparently required reading until I snapped and removed all of them that I wasn’t personally that interested in. There are still books I tell people are on my TBR to stop them from removing my head *cough Game of Thrones cough* but inside I’m screaming “neverrrrr”.
I got a bunch of books out from the library over the christmas holidays and they’re all due back in a week and I haven’t finished them, so while I am sitting here gazing at my “I bought it and really want to read it” tbr I have to get through them first.
I try to only add books I’m interested in too, buuut…I’m interested in so many haha.😂
i have such a big pile 2…help
THERE IS NO HELP. THERE IS ONLY ADDING MORE BOOKS.
I dunno if anyone else has this??? but I have a tbr (to-be-returned) pile because if I hate a book I bought with my own money I tell myself I’ll return it so I can get other books I like but I NEVER DO!!! UGH!!!
You can return books?!?
Hahaha when I actually bring them back u can exchange them for other ones 🤷🏻♀️
TBRs???? I have no idea what they are! I don’t know the word (is it a word??)
OK so you caught me out – I am a terrible liar. I don’t have #1 and #8. My TBR consists of a mix of all the rest. I can never conquer my TBR pile because I always find books to borrow from the library and they just HAVE to be read because they need to go back soonish.
Thanks for a great post.
If you ignore them MAYBE THEY WILL NOT BE SO THREATENING. #FantasticLifePlan 😂😂
I own every single one of these TBRs but they seem far less intimidating now that they’re not one ginormous TBR, so I am eternally grateful to you for helping make them seem more manageable, Cait. And for the laughs as I recognised each one. This was a fun read.
I’d like an honourable mention to go to the Trickster Duplicates TBR pile – those books I can’t remember buying already or can’t find when I’m looking for them or which have come out with a shiny new cover meaning I no longer recognise them… making me buy them for a second time.
I put myself on a book-buying ban at the beginning of the month, and that’s already gone to hell :’D My poor shelf has no more room, poor thing!
Book buying bans are just made to laugh at us I KNOW THEY ARE. SO IMPOSSIBLE.😂😂
Everything in this post is so true!! I don’t even want to look at my kindle app or my iBooks because so many books lurk there in the shadows 😀
Aaand I recently went on a NetGalley requesting spree and I didn’t actually believe I would be approved for any of those at least not for a longer time and I woke up yesterday to find already two of those accepted and I’m like: YES but NO, I have no time, but also … they sound so good. But I have so many other books I wanna read! From my physical tbr who is always watching me sleep and judging me for not reading.
And my imaginary tbr is growing like crazy!
I think I’m going mad over here … but #noregrets #living thebooklife 😉
Omg the kindle app just gets so dark and terrifying after a while right?! I’m trying to avoid eye-contact with mine for sure ah hahah. Ahem.😂 Also I totally relate to the NG spree thing! Either I get denied everything or approved EVERYTHING, and while the later is exciting, sometimes I do regret clicking so many request buttons.😂 Good luck with that monstrous TBR, Nora. 😉
Yeah, I probably have all those piles plus a ‘flake-out’ pile. You know the one where when everything in life is overwhelming and you just want to flake out with a book but not one that causes any stress? Between the #1 pile and my flake-out pile, I stay pretty much glued to a book all the time. 🙂
Oh oh a flake-out pile is totally one too!! And there’s basically never a time when we won’t have 93893 books we need to read, right?!😂
Great post! And so true. I have books I preordered from forever ago that are staring at me, but I am the worst at collecting eBooks. I also write down titles to add to the TBR pile in notebooks, on scrap paper, and on sticky notes. Recently I started using my phone and dictate a document titled “book list” in hopes of curtailing that tendency, but yeah, I see I’ve scribbled a title down just yesterday on a notepad here by my computer.
Glad to know I’m not alone.
Preordering is the best and then…I don’t even know what happens.😂 I feel worse for procrastinating a preordered book though because like I was so so excited for it at one point?!😂 And I also have scrapes of paper around with list of books on them. One can never have too many TBR piles.
Oh, this post made me cry! So so true. I am stuck in pile #1 with all the books I need to read for reviews….and I don’t even own a blog!
I am really thankful though, for the book tours that allow me to read and review ARCs without a blog and all the wonderful authors who allow me to be a part of their launch teams and influencer teams.
Oh, but my other poor piles…..especially my ebook TBR pile…..I actually spent hours at the end of December cleaning out my Kindle ebooks and my Goodreads want-to-read pile….sigh….
Aww I’m really glad you get reviewing opportunities anyway!! That’s really exciting and awesome for you. 😀 It is a lot of work😂 but glorious fun when the books are great. :’)
I was giggling all through as I read this. 😅 So. Relatable.
Aww thank you! I’m glad you liked it!
I do realize this is an older post, but I couldn’t pass up telling you that it’s genius. LOVE IT!
Your writing in this article is phenomenal and addictive. Was just looking for the term for ‘opposite of your physical tbr’ but ended up reading the entire thing after just reading your hilarious intro. Awesome work 🙂