When I set my reading goals for the year, I decided that 25% of the books I read would be books I already own. I stopped buying books for the most part, wanting to get my bookshelves in order and put a serious dent in my already owned TBR. Kindle daily deals were digital books I was buying just to forget about. In less than a year and a half, I had seriously purged my bookshelves at least 3 times. I needed to change the habit of acquiring books just to have them pile up until I gave them away.
According to my goodreads “on-my-kindle” list, I have 167 unread books on that device. I just counted 31 TBR books squeezed onto the tiny shelves in our travel trailer. If I have any hope of making progress, I may need to up that 25% percent in years to come and continue my book buying hiatus.
For the first five months of the year, I was doing really well with that. Then I remembered our trip was coming up and decided I needed to focus on reading as many library books as I could while I had access to them. I realized for the last quarter of the year I’ll be “stuck” with books I own anyway. Though with 198 books to choose from, I don’t think lack of variety will be an issue. I also still have access to my libraries’ online catalogs so I can check out ebooks and audiobooks via Libby.
I currently stand with this goal at 21 already owned books read this year. That’s not too bad – almost 24%.
However some of those books were rereads so I’m not sure that those should count toward this goal since its not checking anything new off the list. Also after I saw Hallmark’s Chesapeake Shores series, I became hooked on the book series by Sherryl Woods and I’ve been grabbing used copies wherever I find them. I acquired the three books of hers I’ve already read after the year began. When you remove those and the rereads from the equation, I’m at 13 already owned books read. That is only 15% of my year’s reading so far.
Still a huge book nerd here! I’ve got some making up to do in these next 3 months.
What are your reading goals for the year? If you track them, how do you go about it? Let me know in the comments.
2 responses to “Reading Goals: 25% Already Owned Books”
Wonderful goals. Great reads. Keep it going. Miss you.
Thank you, I’m trying. It’s harder than I thought it would be to find time to keep up on things. Miss you too!