How To Conquer Your TBR in 7 Easy Steps

Since December I've been reading my way through my Goodreads TBR list. I'm currently at 72 books, and that's an improvement. A while back, it was much higher than that. But I'm far from the only one with an uncontrollable TBR, so I'm going to share with you some tips for conquering that massive list of books you want to read.

1. Frequently cull your TBR list

Tastes change. What you wanted to read a few years ago might bore you now. A new release on your TBR might receive reviews that change your mind. Listen to your instincts if you suspect you might not want to read a book after all. It's okay to delete books from your TBR. Nothing bad will happen, trust me.

Click OK. You'll be fine.

2. Read only your TBR books

This goes without saying. That shiny new YA fantasy with an assassin in a red dress might catch your eye, but don't let yourself get distracted. You can do this! I believe in you.

3. DNF if you must!

Starting a book on your TBR and realising it's not for you is disappointing. But don't waste time; ditch it and move on to the next one. Time is of the essence! Don't waste it reading disappointing books.

4. Read ebooks instead of physical books

Besides saving travel time to the library or bookshop, I've found that I read ebooks at a faster pace than I do physical books. This could be because without an ebook you're less likely to flip the pages to see how long a chapter is, or peek at the ending. Or perhaps it's because you're focussing on reading rather than not dropping a book on your face or your toe.

5. Read your TBR books instead of uni readings

Your teachers will frown on this. Your parents will frown on this. Your friends will also probably frown on this. But if you're going to procrastinate, at least make it worthwhile!

6. Don't mood read

Borrow as many ebooks as you can and start with the shortest one. When your TBR is in danger of destroying you, you can't afford to be picky. Don't let your TBR drown you. In a life or death situation, you don't have the chance to make decisions based on your mood.

7. Switch your TV time for book time

I know it's hard. But if I, someone who prioritised binge watching for 2 years, can do it, so can you. Time is precious. In 40 minutes you can get a lot of reading done. In the time it takes to watch a whole series, imagine how many books you could get through. Take a break from Netflix and start on your TBR. You'll thank yourself for it later.

I hope these tips are helpful! Use them well. 

Are you conquering your TBR or being smothered by it? How do you get through the masses of books you want to read? How often do you go and cull your list?

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Lying about reading a book

I've read and watched a lot of things in which characters lied about having read a specific book (and eventually having it backfire). I've also come across people on the internet who say they've lied about reading a certain book. The books people lie about reading are usually classic literature and popular fiction.

I want to know why this happens. Why lie about reading a book? Do these people honestly think we care that much about what they read? That if someone says, "No, I haven't read Jane Eyre or Hamlet," we'll think they're unintelligent? 

Because we won't. One of the best things in the world is when you can talk about your favourite book with someone who has also read it. But that doesn't make you both more intelligent. Reading a particular book does not make you smarter than someone who hasn't read it. (Unless it's a textbook, which is designed to make you smarter.)

I have no problem telling people that I've never read and never want to read Harry Potter or 50 Shades of Grey. That I read all of Jane Austen's works by age 16. That I will probably never read The Silmarillion or Charles Dickens. Or that I'm currently reading War and Peace, one of the longest novels ever written, and am loving it.

Not every book is interesting to everyone. Not every book is accessible to everyone. It's okay to have your own taste in books. It's okay to not read at all. Just be honest. People will dislike you more for lying about it than for just admitting to not having read it.

Talk to me...

Have you ever lied about reading a book? Has someone ever lied to you about reading a book? How did it make you feel?

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The Fabulousness of Ebooks

Ereaders aren't a new thing, but in my experience they are severely underrated, and some people think they're superior beings for preferring paper to electronic books. I would like to stress that preferring to read one way does not make you any better than people who prefer to read another way. There are advantages and disadvantages to both paper books and ebooks. But bear in mind that ereaders weren't invented just for fun, they were invented because they have benefits over paper books.

I've had my Sony Reader for more than three years now, and it's still exciting to read stuff on it. So, here are 11 reasons why ereaders and ebooks rule.

Disclaimer: There are different types of ereaders, and these features might not apply to all of them.

My baby

1. They're light and easy to hold

Some books are just too massive. This is where ereaders come to the rescue - I downloaded War and Peace because that book is over 1,000 pages long. Reading a 1,000-page paperback is not fun at all - I'm reading the last Obernewtyn book, which is over 1,100 pages, and the page size is big too. It's really hard to read.

Those are my legs and that is the book. It's soo big! *cries*

2. You can look up what words mean!

I can't stress enough how useful this function is. When you're reading something and come across a word or phrase you don't understand, just press down on the word and the definition comes up! This is so much better than having to get out a dictionary. My vocabulary has definitely increased since I got my ereader.

3. They're portable

Who here has had to bring a whole extra suitcase full of books with them on holiday? I have, and it sucks. With an ereader, you can bring tens, even hundreds of books with you on holiday, and only need to make room for one device that's usually smaller than an actual book.

My ereader, next to my laptop for reference

4. You can change the font and text size

The text size in some books is just too small for comfort, and in others it's too big. On an ereader, you can choose the font size that suits you the best, and you can also choose what font the text is in. How cool is that?

5. You can get books without having to leave your house!

Going to the library is a hassle. Going to a bookshop is dangerous. If you have an ereader, you can get books just by having an internet connection. (This is very useful when it's the middle of the night and you want something new to read... Shhhh!) I download most of my ebooks for free from Project Gutenberg and Goodreads, although I also borrow them from the library. Of course the same problem occurs with ebooks as it does with paper books - you end up with more books on your shelf than you can read. But it's still more convenient.

6. Nobody knows what you're reading

Are you reading Les Misérables, or are you reading Fifty Shades of Grey? No-one knows. However, this can be slightly awkward when your Year 12 form teacher asks what you're reading and you have to say, "Fanfiction, actually..."

7. They're electronic devices, which means... buttons to push!

Who doesn't love playing with technology? C'mon, it's fun.

8. You can make notes on the page... without ruining the book!

You can highlight sections, make typed notes and handwritten notes, all without marking the paper. What sorcery is this?

9. You don't need bookmarks

No matter how many ebooks you've got on the go, the ereader always remembers where you're up to. Your younger sister can't pull your bookmark out of an ebook!

10. There's no way to damage the book

No dog-eared pages from when your "friend" borrowed your book, no food or sand in the pages, no yellowing of the paper, no cracked spine, no rips and tears and dents and bends... It's incredible. My ereader is getting old and has cracks and chips in it, but since I'm very protective of my physical books, it's much safer to have an ereader.

11. Ebooks are the best for studying at a tertiary level

(Note: I don't use my ereader for this, I use a computer, so this reason is a bit of an odd one out.) It's so much easier to download ebooks you might need to refer to in your essay and use the finder to find keywords than it is to use paper books. I wouldn't be able to study without  textbooks and journals being available online. Thank you, internet!

Do you have an ereader? If so, what do you love about it? What do you dislike about it? Do you ever buy ebooks, or only download free ones?

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Girls don't want boys; girls want more LGBTQ characters in genre fiction

I see plenty of LGBTQ books (especially in YA) being published these days, and this is a fantastic step for representation. These sorts of books are essential for young LGBTQ readers to know that they are valid and are not alone in having their experiences. They're also important as they help non-LGBTQ readers to understand the issues our community faces. It's all well and good to have these sorts of books becoming more mainstream.

But.

Most of these books fit into a specific LGBTQ genre. Which is fine in itself, I certainly won't complain about there being a whole category of books dedicated to non-cis and -straight characters.

But.

The problem is that these characters are being confined to this one genre. We need to see more LGBTQ characters in our beloved genre fiction, characters whose orientations are not part of their character development or the plot, they just happen to be LGBTQ because they can. We need to see these characters because our LGBTQ identities are not all that we are - we can exist without being riddled with angst because we don't conform to a hetero- and cisnormative ideal. We can be LGBTQ and still get on with our lives without it being a big deal. We can be LGBTQ and face huge problems that have nothing to do with our orientations.

Therefore.

There need to be more LGBTQ characters in genre fiction to make sure we get the representation we deserve, and to make sure our community (especially the young ones) doesn't get classified as angst-ridden, hormone-raging adolescents. Genre fiction deals with bigger, wider issues, like historical and fictional societies, war and politics and morally grey decisions. It's easy for LGBTQ characters to be featured, heavily or not, in these books without any stretch of the imagination (there have always been LGBTQ people and there always will be, so there's no need for "Is it historically accurate for this Medieval character to be gay?" These characters won't always use these labels for themselves, especially if they live in the past, before these words came into use, but labels for their orientation is a subject for another post). It's easy, so they should be included in these books. They need to be included in these books.

Example.

I'd like to point you in the direction of the Bi the Way trope (FYI, TV Tropes is an amazing website for a) learning about millions of tropes you didn't know existed, and b) filling in a few hours). In this trope, the character just happens to be bi because they can be, not because it makes them more interesting or allows for more angst. If you go to the page, you can see examples of the trope's use in literature, film, TV, and other media. This trope proves that it is indeed possible for a character in genre fiction to be LGBTQ without their orientation being its own plotline.

Conclusion.

Give me bi men in space. Give me aromantic lesbians in Ancient Greece. Give me transwomen on fantastical quests. There are so many stories to be written, and so many identities to represent, so just make it happen: put more LGBTQ characters into genre fiction. It doesn't have to be a big deal. Just give my community the representation we deserve.

Disclaimers.

1. While writing this post I was thinking about genre fiction books, but the same applies for TV and movies. 
2. My definition of LGBTQ includes heterosexual aromantics and heteroromantic asexuals. I won't take part in any discourse surrounding this.
3. I just decided now that this will be the first in a series of posts about LGBTQ representation in fiction. Can't wait? Neither can I! 

What are your favourite examples of LGBTQ characters in genre fiction? What is your favourite type of genre fiction? Who is your favourite LGBTQ figure from history?

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