You know how, in the past, I have imposed book bans on myself in an attempt to stop spending so much money in bookstores and read the books I already own?
Yesterday my other half put me on a book buying ban.
To be fair, in recent weeks my book habit has completely spiraled out of control. I can barely function on a day where I don’t go and throw down some money for my next hit. And it’s not like I have more time to read the ones that I already have. I just can’t stop. There are so many great books out there right now! These poor books were probably so excited to come home with me, looking forward to the moment when I jumped into their stories, eagerly anticipating the chance to share their magic with me.
And what did I do? I pushed them aside in favour of another book that caught my eye. A book that I felt was more important than the others, in that moment.
On my kitchen table there are at least 10 books that I’ve brought home with me in the last two weeks or so. Those are the books that I haven’t even shelved yet. That’s in addition to the stack of 5 on my bedside table and all the others that continue to sit on my bookshelves unloved and unread.
On my birthday, we went to the bookstore (obviously) and I came out with: The Count of Monte Cristo, which is my friend’s favourite book and I’ve always meant to read it; Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight because it mentioned Gone Girl on the cover and if something says it’s like Gone Girl, game over, you’re mine; Hide and Seek by Ian Rankin because this is the second Inspector Rebus book and it was the first time I’d seen it.
Then I got a gift certificate to the bookstore from a friend for my birthday (who knows and loves me so well) and I can’t hold onto that for any period of time so back I went. That time I was good. I only picked up Eva Stachniak’s Empress of the Night because I was going to see her at an event at the library that week; and Frog Music by Emma Donoghue because I took this quiz on Buzzfeed which told me that this was the book I was meant to read this spring.
I don’t even remember when I picked up Caitlin Moran’s How to be a Woman but it’s been on my list for forever so I’m glad I could read it tomorrow if I wanted to. I’d been waiting for Paris: A Novel by Edward Rutherfurd to show up in paperback and when it did: mine. We’d talked about my frustration at discovering that Jo Nesbo’s The Snowman should have followed The Redeemer, not The Devil’s Star but I hadn’t managed to find it. Until a few days ago.
Then two nights ago we were in Costco and you know what happens there. Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl (look at me reading more YA fiction!) and The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell were in my hands before I even realized it. I almost brought home Jimmy Carter’s A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence and Power but I knew I was already pushing my luck.
And all of those are in addition to the books I already had to read at home. Night Film, Claire Tomlin’s Charles Dickens biography, a biography of Princess Louise, War and Peace, Charlotte Bronte’s Shirley and A Winter’s Tale are all still sitting at home waiting for me.
Did I mention that I got my sister to lend me The Bone Season?
I’m out of control. I need some book rehab.
The Paperback Princess 
Ah! I know. I had three ARCs come in from publishers in one week, plus a couple e-galleys. Free at least, but still just adding to the pile! (Loved Count of Monte Cristo, btw.)
So that’s another vote for Count of Monte Cristo! I know I will love it but it’s such a commitment. My book numbers will suffer! Probably the nerdiest thing ever said.
I waited until I knew I had a kind of clear schedule (less busy anyway), so I could commit enough time and not draw it out. I think I read it in three weeks.
I’m afraid I can’t help you. I made a pact that I wasn’t allowed to buy new books except those I needed for the Spring Reading Thing which goes until the end of June. That lasted about 2 weeks and then the book buying began.again. But I’ve been noticing that joining groups where I have to list the next 10 or so books I’m going to read has been getting me to stick to opening up the poor lonely books on my shelves that haven’t gotten read yet, AND to making me less magpie-like in my reading (Ie: start a book, look across the room, see another book, start that book, oh look at that one over there etc…). But I’m truly not sure what the cure is when it’s the spring or fall publishing season and so many awesome books are coming out.
My deepest sympathies and my hopes that there is still enough money left in the bank for both of us to buy groceries 🙂 -Tania
At least all you book peeps totally understand. This has been a strong publishing season. I’m losing my mind. I feel like I’m thinking about books and reading them constantly.
I’m such a cheater that I would have a hard time sticking to a reading list that was made public, only adding to my feelings of shame.
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