As a lot of us readers are no doubt familiar with there are so many books and yet so little time. In facts there’s some 130 million books in existence today and that’s only counting books from recent history. Bookworms can be an ambitious bunch but at some point we all have to face the reality that we will always have a tbr pile, no matter how many books we read there will be more waiting.
In light of this I’ve spent sometime combing through my Goodreads want-to-read shelf and thought I’d share some of the books I decided to pull from my shelves. These are books that I feel apathetic about or ones I added years ago but my changing reading habits mean that I’m no longer interested in. It’s also about learning not to feel guilty about not wanting to reading certain books as well!
If you love these books don’t feel bad or that you need to defend them! This isn’t a negative post but rather clearing space on the shelf so to speak. But do feel free to share your thoughts, good or bad, about the books. Who knows maybe this post has a new favourite you are about to discover!
So here are just a selection of the books I removed from my Goodreads shelf.
Remind Me How This Ends ~ Gabrielle Tozer
I added this book back in 2016. When I first started getting involved in the online book community, in YA in particular, I noticed that contemporary was a predominant genre. And whilst I have read some great ones it isn’t really my thing and so I’m unlikely to ever get to this book.
Three Sides of a Heart: Stories about Love Triangles ~ anthology
On one hand I love the idea of anthologies, on the other I don’t think I have ever read one cover to cover? I might read one from a particular author but that’s generally it. There’s a lot of amazing authors in this one, including several I’ve read and loved, but it’s just not piquing my interest anymore.
Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour ~ Morgan Matson
I really enjoyed The Unexpected Everything as a light-hearted summer read, and Save the Date is on my shelf. Matson’s books (that I’ve read) are fun reads but I do find them very white and heterosexual and that’s not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself but when I read romances these days I prefer them to be more diverse in the cast of characters and a little more reflective of who I am.
Our Own Private Universe ~ Robin Talley
I think I originally added this book for it’s queer rep and its lovely cover but a couple of reviewers who I trust talked about some of the bi-erasure that goes on and honestly I’m just not here for it.
Dreamology ~ Lucy Keating
I was pretty excited for this when I first added it and I loved the cover, however when I read the blurb now I’m just not interested in it. It’s one of those ones that I don’t think I’d ever get around to reading now.
One of Us is Lying ~ Karen M. McManus
I’ve heard good things about this book but I just don’t read a whole lot of mystery and if I do I’m quite picky. I read the first couple of chapters in a sampler but it didn’t hook me.
Caraval ~ Stephanie Garber
I added this one at the time because there was a lot of hype around it but to be honest it just doesn’t capture my interest, not for any particular reason there’s just nothing that’s driving me to pick it up.
Do you clear out books from your GR shelves at all? What prompts you to remove a book?
This is such a great post Ash!! You’re doing the right thing in getting Our Private Universe off your TBR. I’ve tried to read that book three times now and it’s just so boring. the romance wasn’t good either, they were both really selfish characters. I did like One of Us is Lying but it’s also a book you’re not missing out on. I think they’re making a movie or show about it?
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Thank you! Yeah even the biphobia aside the review aren’t great
It is isn’t it, I’d probably be interested in watching it because in terms of different mediums I’d watch mysteries more than I’d feel like reading them! 💖
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You’re absolutely right – with over 130 million books in the world, there should be no need to feel guilty about not reading a certain book. We’re never going to get through all of them in our lives and so we should only read the ones that interest us. I read One of Us is Lying and it was interesting but the book was full of tropes and the plot was quite easy to figure out near the halfway mark. It’s a good read but not a WOW kinda book.
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Exactly and this was a great task to help me realise that! Especially learning that others can think a books amazing but it’s ok not to read it if I’m not interested!
I might watch the tv show of One of Us Is lying because for me mysteries are more interesting to watch but I’m picky about reading them! ❤️
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Every 6 months to a year, I clean out my GR to-be-read shelf. If it’s been sitting there for years and I don’t really feel the urge to read it anymore, I get rid of it.
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It’s such a great thing to do and I find it gets me more interested in the ones I want to read rather than feeling like I have to read ones I’m not interested in! ❤️
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i love clearing off my shelves every now and again to make sure it’s filled with books i actually want to read. definitely second getting rid of the gabrielle tozer book – really meh contemporary from memory – and I haven’t heard good things about the robin talley book either
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Exactly! I’d rather be reading books I love/think I will and getting rid of that feeling of obligation is so freeing.
Sounds like I made some good decisions 😅😬
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