New Years Book Ban+Getting Rid of my TBR!

Just kidding…did you think by the name of this that I would actually be getting rid of my TBR. I will never get rid of my TBR. An unfortunate fact all readers, and friends of readers will eventually learn. If you read you will always have a TBR. But it wasn’t totally a lie. 

My New Year's Book Ban will end once I’ve finished all the TBR books on my bookshelf, which is currently around 16. I don’t feel like that’s a lot but I have been shamed into thinking it’s a lot because most of my friends and family members aren’t big readers. But I’m not necessarily doing this book ban out of shame. I was honestly not sure why I was doing this. Like most of my decisions, it was a do now think later situation. Sure I could always go back on my commitment but I’m committed to sticking with this commitment. That was one of the most used words in a single sentence I have ever written… 

Getting side-tracked aside, I realized that a book ban would be a good thing for three reasons…

1. It Would Feel Really Good To Have No More Unread Books On My Bookshelf.

1. Once The Book Ban Has Ended, Buying New Books Will Feel Deserved And Not Just A Manifestation Of My Need To Constantly Escape Into A Fantasy World.

1. Lastly I Feel Like With The Current Social Media Air Of Book Buying and Book Hauls It Might Be Nice To Slow Down A Bit.

Because I like spending time with my books and I like breaking things down into smaller, more manageable lists ( because it’s sooo fun!! ) I’ve broken down my Book Ban Reading List into four categories, Young Adult, Classics/Literary Fiction, Series I Need To Continue, and Brandon Sanderson. ( He is indeed in a category of his own) I actually wouldn’t even dare to argue that I am a huge Brandon Sanderson fan, though I really like him. It just happened to work out that a good portion of my TBR was Sanderson. Enough rambling and on to the list!

Young Adult 

1. The Prison Healer By Lynette Noni. I am so excited for this one because her other series, The Medoran Chronicles is one of my favorites!

2. Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson. First, the cover is gorgeous! This has been one of the books that I’ve always seen whenever I walked into the bookstore but never bought it, but after I heard it had Enemies-To-Lovers and beautiful prose, my willpower broke and I had to buy it. 

3. Eragon by Christopher Paolini. So I’m actually not a fan of fantasy books with dragons, but I just felt like this is one of those books that I just have to read and I also find the author's story really interesting!

4. Nature of a Lady by Roseanna M. White. I honestly forgot I had this book till I was looking through my bookshelf and found it. I can’t remember why I never started reading it but from the cover and the blurb, it seems like a cozy Christian romance mystery. It isn’t usually the genre I read in but I am actually really excited for this one!

Series I need to Continue.

1. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

2.  King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard.

So back in November, I finished Red Queen, and I loved it! I think it quickly landed into the top ten of my favorite books, but I had so many other new books I wanted to read I never went around to reading the next books. But I found them at Half Priced Books for like six bucks and I couldn’t let them just sit there. So I am so excited to get to read them now! I love Mare and Cal so much! I hope none of you who have read the entire Red Queen series are laughing as you are reading this because you know something I don’t. I know I’ve only read one book but I love them too much for anything to happen to them.

Brandon Sanderson 

1. Tress of the Emerald Sea. I am so excited for this one, and honestly, even if I knew I would hate the book I would buy it just for the cover and interior art!

2. The Well of Ascension. I borrowed the first book from my brother and just never got around to buying the second book but that's all changed now. And I am so excited to see more of Vin’s and Elend's relationship. They are soo cute!

3. Rhythm of War. So this has been on my TBR for a while but I have refused to finish it because I didn’t want to wait for the fifth book but now that it's on pre order I can finally devour this 1,219-page masterpiece!

4. The Rhithmatist. I have no idea what to expect from this one, I’ve never even heard of it. I just saw it at Barnes and Nobles and liked the cover and I read the Blurb and it sounded really interesting!

  I’m thinking of doing a post entirely dedicated to the classic books/literary fiction I want to read because I don’t want this post to be super long. But the books in those categories include "Great Expectations" by Dickens, "Anna Karenina" by Tolstoy, and "Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole.

  I’m really excited about this, something I never thought I would say at the thought of not buying books, but I think it is just the push I need to finish the books I have been wanting to read. And it is so easy to get swept off in the business of school and life, that I forget that I need to take time to read. Buying books is fun and easy but getting around to reading them is an entirely different monster. And like I said earlier once the book ban is over I will be so excited to return to the bookstores ready to fill my arms with books.

  Anyway, I hope all you readers and writers out there are doing great during this new year. Let me know in the comment section if you have any bookish or writing-related New Year resolutions. Or books you are excited to read in the New Year…or maybe don’t. I don’t need any more reason than I already have to buy more books. I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your day and enjoy a good year!

Love,

JB