I discuss, at length (oops) how I've noticed my reading has changed, whether for the best or the worst, and where I sit with my reading journey right now.
Showing posts with label Let's Talk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Let's Talk. Show all posts
Thursday, 11 June 2020
Let's Talk: How Life Experiences Have Re-Shaped My Reading Journey
I discuss, at length (oops) how I've noticed my reading has changed, whether for the best or the worst, and where I sit with my reading journey right now.
Wednesday, 6 May 2020
Is Gendered Reading A Thing? A Discussion on Book Recommendations Based on Gender
What really prompted this was the first few times I started seeing guides to purchasing books as gifts, more specifically for Mother or Father’s day. I started to notice a difference in recommendations, more so to do with genre, and whether the differences were pulled from data on what females and males preferred to consume or based on assumption of what each gendered wanted to consume.
Firstly, let’s take a look at some of this year’s Mother’s Day book buying guides.
- New Idea's Five New Books To Give Mum on Mother's Day
- Dymock's 2 for $30 for Mother's Day
- Booktopia's Mother Day's Essentials
- Barnes & Nobles' Mother's Day Books & Gifts
- Sunday Morning Herald's Tome Sweet Tome, the Grea Mother's Day Round Up
Have you picked up a theme after looking at these guides? Beyond the fact that there are probably some great reads listed, the similarities between all guides are the inclusion and lack of inclusion of different genres. The recommendations are narrowed down into contemporary fiction, mystery/suspense or longer reads revolving around history or family themes. For guides, like that of Booktopia and Barnes & Noble's, there’s also the addition of lifestyle books, either to do with gardening or cooking. So what isn’t included in these lists? Not once do these guides recommend a fantasy, sci-fi or horror novel (amongst other existing genres). Yet, we see these genres specifically pop up in majority of Father’s Day guides.
Take a look at the following lists:
- Booktopia’s Father’s Day Fiction Gift Guide
- Sunday Morning Herald’s Tales Tall and True, Great Reads for Father's Day
- Today’s Great Gift Ideas for Dad
- Barnes & Nobles’s Father’s Day Books & Gifts
Notice that there is rarely, ever, a crossover between recommendations for mother’s and father’s whether it be genre or author. For men, it seems, there is a huge focus on horror, crime thrillers, politics, sports amongst the other recommended books.
You could say that the crime/suspense recommendations in Mother’s Day guides are similar, if not the same, as the inclusion of thrillers for Father’s Day guides. However, I argue that whilst they are from the same family of reads, the themes or premises are quite difference. For instance, I noticed that the suspense novels listed for mums revolved around family mysteries (stemming numerous generations) or crime series written by women that are more focused on the why a crime occurs. In New Idea’s Five New Books To Give Mum on Mother’s Day (2020) they include newly released The long Shadow by Anne Buist. The premise is about psychologist Isabel Harris whose sole concern is her toddler and the mother-baby therapy group she’s involved in. However, one day she receives an anonymous note alerting her the fact that the baby killer will strike again. So off she goes as the heroine of the day to save these babies by understanding why a baby’s death 25 years ago could result in more deaths in present day. Authors like Kathy Reichs, Ann Cleeves and Agatha Christie’s name came up quite often. In thriller reads for men, authors included John Grisham, Michael Connelly and Daniel Silva who all write long standing crime series about male detectives who are intent on solving cases and demonstrate the process of investigating or prosecuting, whilst also touching on political or legal themes.
If there is a list that can convey which genres are targeted at which gender, it is Barnes & Nobles’, albeit very well sectioned and easy to navigate, site. On the left hand side there are the genres listed clearly based on whether you are buying for your mum or dad. Obviously, these are well thought out selling strategies, intentionally targeting their audience with books they believe their audience will read.
My questions then, are whether the continuation in recommending certain genres for one gender over another is derived from audience informed or reliable sources/studies? Are book recommendations built to serve its consumers or are they written to reinforce certain beliefs about genders. For instance, whilst women are targeted with books about love and family, or how to tend to their garden and expand their cooking repertoire, men apparently prefer more confronting themes involving horror or crime solving, if not knowledge building books based politics or sports. I definitely believe there are times when people resort to thinking about whether someone would enjoy a certain gift based on their gender, as though women won’t enjoy reading about sports or men can’t appreciate a story about family bonds.
I can’t say that all women and men read only within the confinements of what is recommended to them. That would be rather narrow-minded of me, especially as, from personal reading preference, I definitely read across a range of genres. However, I will say that a major reason for writing this post is to point out that what we’re recommended to us, whether it be books like I’ve mentioned or movies, TV shows, music etc. can really be based on our gender and the stereotypes that come from it. I wouldn’t say there’s anything wrong with reading the genres that are recommended to you, according to whether you define as female or male. Reading preferences will vary for everyone, but it’s up to yourself, as a consumer, to be aware of what is being presented to you and not have it subtly become a restriction or dictate what you can or cannot like.
Book buying lists are still a great source of recommendations though, as you can find a number of great reads. There’s still room for improvement though, in that compilations of book recommendations shouldn’t be based on just gender stereotypes or beliefs (or a definitive split between what women and men like) and should include a wide range of options. If there are any dangers to following a rather strict guideline on what men or women like and what you should buy for them, then it’s creating the sense that a certain gender should not read the genres that are reserved for the other gender.
I would love to know what your perspective is regarding what I have addressed. Do you also notice a difference in recommendations for women and men and, if so, do you think it is necessary to be aware of or discuss?
Wednesday, 22 May 2019
25 Books I Want To Read This Year
My aim this year was to read 25 books, a feat that seems small but something I’ve been struggling with for close to 4 years now. I’ve stopped trying to pressure myself to read just for the sake of reading, but it’s now become something I’ve started to neglect and I don’t like that one bit. Instead, I’ve curated a reading list for 2019 that I want to refer to in case I end up straying away from the reading path. Again.
My two friends and I have also attempted to establish a book club. Essentially we have a number of books we want to read together, which has helped with knowing what I want to read this year. Some of them will be part of this list a well!
25 Books I Want To Read This Year
The following 5 books are all non-fiction, and a genre that I'm trying really hard to get into and read more of - especially motivational/self-help and true crime and history
1. The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck by Mark Manson
2. Boys Will Be Boys by Clementine Ford
3. Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
4. East, West Street: On the Origins of "Genocide" and "Crimes Against Humanity" by Philippe Sands
5. I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michele McNamara and Gillian Flynn
I'm playing catch up with these series, except for A Face Like Glass. I am so behind with YA series, especially with ones that I've loved and were really anticipating but never ended up picking up the continuation.
6. Obsidio (The Illuminae Files #3) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff'
7. Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer #2) by Laini Taylor
8. Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass #7) by Sarah J. Maas
9. Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor #1) by Jessica Townsend
10. A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge **
11. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
I'm really keen to read this due to the political climate that this revolved around, but also because I haven't seen the movie adaptation and want to read it first
12. The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
13. Call Me Evie by J.P Pomare
14. Maus (Complete Collection) by Art Spiegelman
15. Harry Potter by J.K Rowling**
I'm not 100% sure I'm going to read the entire series again or just pick my favourite one and read, but definitely for the month of July!
I've had most of these books (17-19) on my TBR list for forever! They're all really well-known and much loved so I do have high expectations for these reads.
16. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley **
17. 1984 by George Orwell
18. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
19. We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
20. Where the Captain Goes by Sean Carney
Local Melbournian, Sean Carney writes horror themed stories, and I'm kind of very excited to dabble in his works starting with this one!
I do like Adult Fiction and think it's a good break from YA, which I tend to read more. I'm also disappointed that I haven't picked up Kate Morton's new novel yet, considering she's one of my favourite authors.
21. The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
22. The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton
23. Atonement by Ian McEwan**
24. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
25. The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next #1) by Jasper Fforde
Jane Eyre is kidnapped from her novel in this alternative universe and Thursday Next, renowned literary detective, must dive into Bronte's world to save her character. If you read that and didn't immediately want to read it then I'm sorry but I'm shaking my head at you right now.
What Are You Reading This Year?
** indicates re-read
Friday, 19 January 2018
A Year of Reading In 2017
In 2017, I didn’t set yearly resolutions as I usually do. Instead, I decided to implement steps to build towards habits and goals I want to achieve in the long run. I found that every year I tried to set New Years Resolutions, I didn’t plan the appropriate steps to achieve them and so they were left forgotten by April or May.
What I wanted to focus on was how I felt whilst reading and blogging, amongst other things in my personal life. I mentioned in my 2017 goals video that I didn’t want reading and blogging to become a chore because I felt like I had to read the most books or feel like I’ve failed as a reader. Likewise, I didn’t want to overcommit to blogging and produce content I wasn't happy with just for the numbers. With that in mind, let’s jump into 2017 and how it panned out for me!
A Year of Reading
Book Count: 17
Immensely lower than any of my other years, but what I wanted was to read memorable books that left an impression, which I can confidently say has been the case. Alongside that I did make a conscience effort to expand my reading genre and read books that were thought-provoking.
Favourites
Reviews
Overall, I'm pleasantly surprised with how satisfying majority of the reads I went through for 2017. Here's hoping 2018 is the same. I'm not too sure I'll write a full post on my goals for 2018 because I feel like that's kind of too late as well, but we'll see!
How Was 2017 For You? Let Me Know What Your Favourite Read Was!
Thursday, 14 December 2017
A Guide To Buying Presents For Bookworms
I've put together a Gift Guide for your fellow bookworm in case you're out of ideas!
Host a Games Night
Take a night off from reading together and grab this board game (or any other literary related board game) for some laughs! It Was a Dark and Stormy Night challenges you to identify the novel and author just by listening to the first two lines of a book.
Book Recommendation Tote
Featured: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Illustrated Version, Night Film, Illuminae and Fairytales for Wilde Girls
I personally tend to be one of those people who will buy you books that I’ve loved, so you have to read it as well. Pick reads you want to recommend to your fellow book lover and wrap them up in a tote - a book-related one would be perfect!
For The Tea/Coffee Lovers
Store: 'PaperFury' (Society 6)
Such a cliche, but still one of the best things to receive. Society6 is a great place to look at mugs with bookish designs or head to Etsy. They’re so adorable! You could even put together a hot chocolate pack with mini marshmallows for them to christen their mug!
'Perfect Night In' Hamper
Featured: Anne of Green Gables
Grab a basket or box and add in a novel and its movie adaptation that you think your friend/family member MUST read and see. Pop in some of their favourite snacks and you’re set for a night of entertainment.
Your Lifestyle Lovers
Stores: Spineless Classics & Litographs
Guilty as charged! I’m a sucker for plastering my walls with posters and images. Fairly sure these posters are really well known, but I can’t get past how creative it is, and still has a personalised feel because you’re gifting them a part of their favourite read. Otherwise grab a throw pillow for their reading nook or bed!
Stocking Stuffers
Stores (Left to Right): Belle Regalia, Wonderflies, KitCronkStudio
We’re talking those super cute and creative items on Etsy. I absolutely love book-related pins, bookmarks and anything else that is a miniature reminder of the books I love!
Recommend Me Other Gift Ideas!
Thursday, 13 July 2017
Recapping The Movies I've Watched In 2017 So Far
I feel like 2017 has been the year of movies for me. Not in the sense that every movie I’ve watched has been outstanding but rather, I’ve watched an immense amount, for someone who only watched She’s The Man in 2012 and have not seen a single Lord of the Rings or Star Wars movie. Basically, I’m not a huge movie buff - I don’t rush to watch movies unless I feel like it’s necessary and I’m not fussed on whether I do get around to it or not. I guess the biggest difference this year is that the friends that I’ve been hanging out with all love watching movies, and it’s become a social thing for me. Almost like a movie club!
So without further ado let’s get into the first half of the year recap.
Movies that I’ve watched
Most, if not all of these, are pretty mainstream movies with heaps of hype around them.
Best Movies
I’m going to admit it, I’ve barely seen any of the other Wolverine movies, but Logan was amazing in that I didn’t have to know much about the other two to watch this one. It was such an emotional journey, played out spectacularly by Hugh Jackman and Dafne Keen. The plot was detailed enough, without dragging out moments, and I loved that it conveyed themes around equality, discrimination, love and family.
I’m a Disney fan and this pretty much exceeded my expectations of it. I always go into adaptations quite apprehensive, but I throughly enjoyed this. Full review here.
Worst Movie
Don’t even ask me why I watched it. From the plot to the script, it was all so cheesy and barely made any sense. Do not waste your time.
Most Surprising
I watched this at the beginning of the year, after looking at what was on and not seeing anything else my friends and I would’ve liked to see. Surprise, surprise, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Maybe it’s because I didn’t expect too much, but I loved the design of the spaceship and the world building, the flawed characters and yes, even the sappy plot line. It was an enjoyable movie and would be great for a night in.
Most Disappointing
Okay, let’s just get this straight. “Split” was one of those movies that I pictured what would happen in my mind and hope it would blow my mind. Instead, it left me confused and unsatisfied, veering from psychological thriller to having supernatural elements. I was hoping for darker elements that would leave me questioning the entire plot but really, all I'm questioning is why they decided to do what they did.
Let’s be real, I expected this to be a disappointed. I don’t even know why I thought this would be better than it was. I mean I liked the transformation of the cars. I liked the humour. I liked the fighting. But everything else was way, waaaaay too cheesy. Optimus Prime had so many monologue moments, I thought I was watching a Shakespearean play.
Thoughts on other movies
Gal Gadot was badass and beautiful. I’m not a huge DC fan nor do I know much about the history around Wonder Woman, so I felt like the context was strange. Nevertheless, it was an amazing movie celebrating a female superhero so I’m all about it.
Can you tell I really like superhero movies? I really appreciated this re-make of Spider Man, because it explored Peter’s younger years and how he struggles to balance his teen years with his secret missions. It’s so realistic and relatable, from the peer pressure to thinking that he can tackle everything in the world because he has powers. It was definitely different to other superhero movies, but once I got past the lack of action - there is action, just not the same amount as per usual - I found I really enjoyed it for the message it portrayed.
I'm in two minds about this. I liked it. It had a good back story to Kong, his demeanour and personality and how, as humans, we tend to take things for granted and assume that every land is ours for the taking. The island was incredible and so rich in creativity, and I loved that they filmed part of it in Ha Long Bay. On the other hand, it wasn't as engaging or captivating as I wanted it to be, so there were times I zoned out or felt like it was dragged on.
Bottom Line - go see Logan, Spiderman, Beauty and the Beast and Wonder Woman because they were all incredible and had so much to take away from.
What Movies Have You Guys Seen This Year?
Wednesday, 28 June 2017
Counting Down 20 of My Favourite Harry Potter Moments
In honour of its 20th year anniversary, I wanted to share my favourite moments of the series. I honestly thought it was going to be hard to make up a list of 20, but it was harder to not go over!
20. Harry visits Diagon Alley for the first time
This was pretty much the first time both Harry and readers are introduced to the world of Magic, and boy was it magical. From Gringotts to Olivander it was such an amazing experience.
19. "Weasley is Our King"
No, not those times Ron was terrible at being Keeper, but when he completely shut down Slytherin and helped Gryffindor win the cup. Hell yeah is Weasley Our King.
18. Exposing Rita Skeeter
At the end of Goblet of Fire, when Hermione discovers and exposes Rita for being an illegal Animagus to eavesdrop on people's conversations, I felt such a deep satisfaction. Serves her right for being such a mean person.
17. Molly and Fleur see eye to eye
Fleur’s ferocious approach to telling Molly that she doesn’t need Bill to be “pretty” for her to love him and Molly’s offering of Aunt Muriel’s tiara was such a perfect way for each to accept the other.
16. D.A classes
Reading about Harry’s self taught Defence Against the Darks was about the only thing that got me through the whole Umbridge ordeal.
15. Hermione and Ron's kiss
I’m sure we were all waiting for this moment to happen *cue fireworks*
14. The twins leave Hogwarts
Oh man, when it comes to Fred and George, one of their best moments is playing an impressive amount of pranks on Umbridge and her brigade before leaving Hogwarts. Did anyone say drop the mic?
13. The Yule Ball
AKA Hermione and that dress, her hair and pissing Ron off for thinking he owns her. You go girl.
12. Harry catches the Remembrall
Cast your mind back to Philospher’s Stone and the moment when Harry zoomed off on his broom to rescue Neville’s remembrall after Malfoy takes it, which then leads to him being part of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
11. Escaping Gringotts
There were so many parts of Deathly Hallows that I loved, but the moment that the trio mount the dragon, cut it loose and then fly it out of Gringotts is epic.
10. Troll in the castle
Wingardium Leviosa. The start of the friendship and knowing that Ron is capable of many things, despite what he thinks.
9. Dobby is freed
You cannot have read Harry Potter and tell me this wasn'y one of the most touching moments ever. EVER.
8. The Quidditch World Cup
I’m choosing this more because I wish it was an actual thing to attend. Also because it opened up the world to Quidditch and the rest of its culture a lot more.
7. "Not my daughter you b#@!*%"
Yeah that moment. With Molly and Bellatrix. It was especially satisfying for me because of how Sirius died and to have Bellatrix experience the exact same thing. I’m sorry but karma is a *bleeeeeep*.
6. Kreacher's tale
I find this to be one of the most memorable and bittersweet moments. 1) Because there was so much humanity and compassion when the three of them learn about what he has been through and 2) Kreacher is an absolute gem after he reconciles with Harry.
5. Hermione slaps Malfoy
Enough said
4. Snape's memory
Learning about Snape’s role in Harry’s life, finding out about his love for Lily. So many tears shed. “Always"
3. Harry's Patronus
This is one of my favourite Harry moments in general - when he discovers that its not his father, but himself he makes the Patronus appear and gets rid of the Dementors. That whole time travelling aspect just makes so much more sense and is so cleve by tying it back to this moment.
2. The truth about Sirius
There’s no surprise this is in my top 3 considering Sirius is my favourite character. You learn so much about him as a person - the loyalty, resilience and courage he has.
1. Harry finds out he's a Wizard
Without this moment there would be no story. Harry gets to escape the Dursleys and start a better life, Hagrid give Duddley a pigs tail and just seeing someone who's happy to know Harry exists is really heartwarming.
What Is Your Favourite Harry Potter Moment?
Tuesday, 20 June 2017
Diversity In Books: What You Need To Read & What I Want To Read
When I was doing my research for this post, I realised that I barely, if ever, read any novels with diversity. I'm actually so embarrassed by that. Diversity is important, we talk about being unique and to celebrate our individuality. Yet, there is little reflection of this in our literature, and that's not acceptable. Only recently have I started to notice that YA authors are writing from POC/Non-Caucasian point of views, or including them and LGBQT characters in their story. It should be a norm to have stories that involve people from different races, sexuality, genders etc. because that's life realistically.
I want to share with you guys 5 books to read if you want to look for something with diversity, but also 5 books I want to read myself this year.
5 Books You Should Read
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
-- POC lead --
Alongside themes about family, loyalty, guilt and redemption, The Kite Runner is a huge eye opener on the turmoil occurring in the Middle East that has and is still affecting the people living there.
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
-- LGBQT --
I'll admit it, I rarely read LGBQT books, but this one is in my top five reads and for good reason. Besides being such a great coming of age story, Green and Levithan explore sexuality and how confusing, scary and exciting it can be at such a young age.
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
-- Race/Female Leads/Mental Health --
This was one of the first novels I read in high school that explored racial discrimination and the impact it had on people's daily lives. It also had such empowering female characters, hands down one of those reads that have left an impression on me, even to this day.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
-- Race --
Lee's novel is one of those that I implore people to read. TKAM speaks volumes on racial discrimination, humanity and respect. Even if you don't read any of the other novels on this list, please read this one!
Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman
-- Race --
For younger readers, Noughts and Crosses, is the perfect read. It's an alternative universe where the blacks are superior to the whites. It's such a powerful love story that depicts the harm when we treat people differently.
5 Books I Want To Read
-- LGBQT --
I've told myself to read more LGBQT novels this year, and up first is this story about Aristotle and Dante who are drawn to each other as friends, before discovering much more about themselves and their relationship.
The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
-- Race/Feminism --
Published in 1982, this was a controversial novel addressing coloured women and their life in rural Georgia. It's been censored due to its content, but I can just tell that this will be a profound read.
Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham
-- Race --
Technically this is more of a crime/mystery novel, but the murder centers around a "racial firestorm", so I'm intrigued to see how the depiction of segregation and discrimination is conveyed.
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Justyce starts a journal to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, recounting his daily life. One day, his friend and himself are confronted by the police and soon Justyce finds himself under attack by the public for the truth about what happened. I'm not surprised to see that this soon to be released YA novel is addressing coloured people and their encounter with law enforcement, after the rise in deaths that have occurred in the US, so I'm holding out to see how this one will go down.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
This has been a super popular read in the YA community now, and much like Dear Martin, it explores police shootings of coloured people and the effects it has on the community.
What Diverse Novels Would You Recommend?
Thursday, 8 June 2017
Let's Talk: Am I Outgrowing Young Adult?
Since finishing Three Dark Crowns, I’ve began to really think about how my reading style has and is continuing to evolve and what that really means for me. In my review for TDC, I stated the writing was somewhat juvenile for the content that was within the novel. However, considering that it’s been almost 3 months since I’ve read any type of book, I wonder if maybe, instead of TDC being too “young” for me, it’s the actual genre of Young Adult instead.
To cover my reading journey briefly, I started off with middle grade novel around the grade 4/5 mark, before moving onto adult fiction in high school. I did read a few YA novels, including Twilight, but was never fully immersed in the genre, much like I am now. In fact, before starting blogging/booktube, I never realised how expansive this genre was and just how many readers loved YA. So instead of transitioning from MG to YA and then to Adult fiction, like typical readers, I somehow found myself reading less Adult and more YA by the end of Year 12 up until now.
There is definitely nothing wrong with that. Age shouldn’t be the dictator around what genre you should be reading. I still love reading middle grade and currently my bookshelves are stacked with 80% YA novels. However, because of my commitment to this blog and the community that I’m involved in, even if it’s not as much as I hope I’d be, I’ve constantly just explored YA and in some ways have now found that I really don’t know much else. There did come a time when I felt a little embarrassed by the fact that I was only reading YA. I felt like I couldn’t say I that I was well read, considering I don’t read a lot of classics, rarely ever read non-fiction, and only know of the adult fiction authors that I’ve grown to love.
These days, I’ve started to venture back into the adult fiction realm, especially novels that have been listed for awards and such. I think the biggest reason for this is because, as I get older, my beliefs and morals are maturing. Being able to read novels that can convey ideas and values, whether I agree or disagree with them, forces me to think and leaves an impression. I want to be able to read something of value, something that I know I will remember and can share with others, instead of reading purely just to read and hit a number of ‘x’ amount of books. There are definitely YA novels out there that can deliver on this front. However, I do know that for the intended audience (albeit so many different age ranges read YA) the ideas that are explored in them, are those that I think I've come to grasp with, hence why I think that I might be outgrowing YA.
I write this post not to say that I won’t be reading YA anymore. Let’s be real now, of the 80% that’s on my shelf, I’ve read probably 60% of them. But that I’ve come to realise that my reading taste is changing and will continue to change. I want to see that change reflect in this blog, and be able to discuss and share with you guys the different reads that I've discovered. I do want to say though, that you should never feel obligated to read a genre because you think it’s what people want from you. Never feel ashamed of what you’re reading either. There is no law to dictate that you should or shouldn’t read something. Happy reading guys!
How Has Your Reading Taste Changed? Is It What You Expected?
Thursday, 16 March 2017
Let's Talk: How I Organise My TBR
Over the years I've trialled so many different methods to track my TBR list, and I think finally I can say I have found a way that I know I will use consistently and know that I will be happy with.
I've seen so many Bloggers share their experience in tracking their TBR and spreadsheets seem like the most popular choice. I did try to use that, but as I started creating my spreadsheet I started to feel so lazy. True story. So what I've done is gone back to Goodreads and figured out the best way to use it to my advantage.
I know a lot of people aren't a fan of Goodreads - and for good reason - but I've found it to be a great tool to use. Initially there are three basic shelves: Read, Currently Reading and Want To Read. Pretty straight forward. I use to file every single book that I wanted to read into "Want To Read" (very self explanatory). However, that made me really confused because some were books I wanted to buy and some I owned and had never read. The solution? I added another shelf labelled "Interest" to differentiate the two.
Everything in "Want To Read" are TBRs on my bookshelves, and everything in "Interest" includes books I want to read and buy later on. At the moment I'm in the process of adding books into my "Want to Read" self on Goodreads to have it up to date with what's on my shelf, so there's only 80 books listed in there. That's pretty much it!
Add me on Goodreads here!
How Do You Organise Your TBR?
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