Last year I wrote six posts that reflected my attempts to cull my TBR down a bit, to make it more reasonable, more manageable. The sixth attempt left me with 1,848 titles remaining on my Goodreads TBR.
With so many wonderful titles coming out every month, my total number didn’t seem to be changing very much because I keep hearing about books that sound SO GOOD… so I have to add them…. don’t I ?? Reading other glowing reviews by book bloggers, seeing tempting titles on NetGalley and Edelweiss, as well as receiving tempting offers from authors and publishers, well… it can get a bit overwhelming.
Drastic! Here is what I did.
I sorted my Goodreads “To Read” list by Goodreads rating.
Then I removed all the books that had more than 500 ratings and less than a 3.50 rating score.
Now I have 1,774 titles on my “To Read” list.
That is a reduction of 74 titles! Result!
Of the 1,774 titles I have review commitments for 175.
I’m not getting any younger, and removing five or six at a time just wasn’t very effective for me. Have you ever taken any drastic measures to decrease your TBR?
Fictionophile 
Hi Lynne, I lost your blog when for some reason I quit getting email notifications from Word Press. I’m not the brightest techie in the box, but I think I now know how to dig through WordPress and find you! I love this TBR feature you often revisit. I’ve had the same problem–my goal is to stay under 1000. I tried a totally different tact this week. I started a new shelf called AAA. I labeled it such as “A” means good, right? Plus it’s at the top of my shelves, easily reached. I then scrolled through my 1050 tbr books and moved only those books I really really really want to read to the AAA shelf. It was surprisingly easy with little angst involved! I selected 154 titles. Now it didn’t lower my TBR numbers, not that day anyway. But I plan to revisit soon, armed with the knowledge that if those other 900 books didn’t make the AAA shelf, then they must be more readily expendable. That’s my hope anyway. It’s a psych game! We’ll see what my psyche says. Wish me luck.
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I’ve missed you Christine. Glad you found me again! ♥ What a good idea for sorting your TBR. Next time I do a major cull, I’ll borrow your AAA method. Well done, and good luck!
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Thank you for these kind words, Lynne. I must say I’ll have fun catching up with some of your posts! Happy!
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I have the same dilemma of getting tempted by new books before resorting to my tbr for older titles. I’m working on it though.
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Your reduction is impressive!
I work my TBR the other way around, and never, ever let it be higher than 50. I currently have 49. I would be very anxious if I had a TBR that could not be achieved in the time that I have left to live 🙂
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I read over 100 books per year. I have every intention of living 18 more years to see my TBR completed. LOL
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Good on you getting rid of so many!
Your previous culling posts inspired me and I kept trying to do a weekly cull, but I’d look at a dozen or so, and only decide to get rid of three. Then, as you pointed out, I’d end up adding more than I took away, so the total number never really went down. So then I did something similar to what you did, or at least started to, but I couldn’t blindly let go of everything because there have been books with lower ratings that I’ve really loved, so what’s the right number? Anxiety brain got the best of me, I’m afraid. But your post has me inspired again, so maybe I’ll have another go.
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I really need to seriously do a purge. I have a lot that I put on based on the author. I really need to look seriously at my list.
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Purging feels so good Carla. I wanted to be a bit more ruthless, but just couldn’t…
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I have been taking a few off at a time, but then I add a bunch more. I need to get serious.
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Woah. Well done you. I am scared even to tell you my TBR on GR is 16k+. Yeah, kill me now. But I am not taking any measures, just reading what I want to. 🙂
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Luckily, we are all free to use our Goodreads TBR in any way that works for us. Happy Reading 😊
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Haha yes. That’s a relief. I have folders for more clarity. 😉
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I have 90 and already think it’s too much lol
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I worked as a fiction cataloguer in a public library. Had to read the blurbs of every book to catalogue them.When they really appealed to me, l would add them to my Goodreads TBR. I’m paying for that now. LOL
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Good ideas! I have 617 on my Goodreads TBR but I have a second, priority shelf/list of 173 ‘To read before 2020’! I don’t know if that will help me, but 173 sounds more manageable than 617!!
>.<
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Like anything, just take it one step (or book) at a time.
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I have heard of some people (brace yourself) who have simply deleted their whole To Read shelf. The thought of that sends shivers down my spine. However, like was said above, I have removed later books in a series where I haven’t read the first. Oh and multiple books by authors I’ve never read, just keeping one by that author until I’m sure I like their writing.
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All good points Cathy. To delete your entire “To Read” shelf would be a bit like cutting off a limb for me.
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Good job, Lynne! I only have 900 but I still need to cull that. There’s no way I can ever read all those especially with new ones coming out every week. I think I’ll start with removing all the books with less than 3.5 and see how I do. Thanks for the idea! 😊
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Would love to hear how you get on Zoe.
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I haven’t but now I’m going to!
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Great! Let me know how you do.
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1. I got rid of 1. It’s hopeless….
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I’m chuckling silently- but I feel your pain. 😞
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I have more problems giving up books than I do husbands!
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I’ve been thinking about a hard cull as I’ve got over 1,000 on my shelf and keep adding to it.
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Let us know how you get on with it Nicki.
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Will do!
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Wow that’s actually a great idea for trimming your tbr!!
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Thanks! Are you going to try it?
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You’re welcome! I might do!
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Ha, it sounds like you still have some trimming to do! There are so many books I want to read and yet never get to. Bums me out. But I’ll definitely keep trying, because I loves me some books, even if I only manage to read about one book per week.
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One a week is more than most people manage. Life does have a habit of getting in the way of reading. LOL
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I’ve done something similar. I deleted all books published at least a year ago with less than 200 reviews and checked many books against my library system to make sure I could get my hands on them! Alongside reading synopsis for each both and getting rid of ones I was no longer interested in, I got rid of about 300 books ^_^
Now my current goal is keeping it under control– under 650 is for some reason my comfort zone. I also don’t have sequels on my TBR unless I’ve already read the first or prior book and enjoyed it 🙂
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All good points Sionna. I’ll keep them in mind for my next cull.
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Goodness, that’s a massive cull! After scrolling page after page I might remove one (or two, three) but that’s it. I also try to look at average score and that it’s not too low. If plenty of people whose opinion I value were not really impressed I probably won’t buy it soon either. But just thinking about doing such a thing makes me feel ill 😂. Big admiration for you though!
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Purging is good for the soul.
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And I thought my TBR list was bad.
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Glad I could make you feel better. LOL
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I have to say I don’t know how you do it. If you read a book a day that would be over 1700 days assuming no others were added. Goodness.
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Well John, I guess it is safe to say that I have several years of reading ahead.
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LOL.
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Ooh, I like that idea! I don’t have that sort of number but I’m pretty sure there are books on that goodreads shelf I’m never going to read so I may as well remove them now instead of waiting until that shelf goes out of control.
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Tee-hee. Preventive maintenance.
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