It’s once again time for my favorite feature: Tackling the TBR! There’s nothing I love more than picking out which books to read next, and this slightly organized method of reading has really amped my enjoyment to the next level. Bring on the mantras!

Read the best books first.
&
Life is too short to read books you’re not enjoying.

However you put together your TBR for the next month, the goal is to reduce the amount of obligation in reading and increase the fun.

Here’s a look at how the system works:

1. Identify the titles that take top priority in your TBR.
2. Combine them all in your own Tackling the TBR post.
3. Throughout the month pick from that pile as the mood strikes you.

Here’s what mine looks like:

March 2019 TBR Tackler Shelf:

Priority Titles!!!

The Reserve…

Wow, it feels like it just posted one of these!… because I did… mid February lol. But look at me all on the ball and shit for March. :P

It has been pretty clear to me over the last several months that no matter my good intentions to read all ten TBR titles, I just can’t make it happen (I have waaaay to many ambitions and obligations these days… and I watch too much youtube, haha). So I finally came up with a new strategy and have reorganized my titles accordingly:

Priority Titles – books I’m extremely excited to read and want to focus on for the month.
The Reserve… – options of things to read if I have time.

I plan to hold myself accountable for the top 5 titles only. The remaining books are just secondary options I can choose from once I finish my priority reads. I’m excited for this new system because it helps me narrow down my priorities ever further AND it gives me a goal to strive for that I can actually achieve… I’ve been desperately missing that. I also like that it gives me a place to keep track of all the next in series I’d like to get to without making me feel obligated to pick them up within a certain timeframe. I’m currently letting the checkout periods of my library holds dictate my reading schedule,and it’s not fun… hopefully this will change that.

So in summary… 5 a month. That seems totally doable. And maybe without obligation I’ll actually enjoy reading more and potentially get through more titles <-you see, THIS is exactly the train of thought that has me over-booking myself haha.

Have a great March!

by Niki Hawkes