I was chatting with some people on twitter and I started thinking about all of the books I own that I have not read. Hundreds of them. Then I went back and looked at how many the print books I’ve read came from my own personal collection this year. The answer? Six. And 4 of those were books I read because Ben picked them out.
What is the point of owning all of these books if I only read library and review books?
So I’ve decided to dedicate the last three months of the year to reading my own books. October, November, and December will be spent reading some of the many, many unread books in my own library. No review books. No library books. (For print at least – I can still do review/library in audio and ebook form since I do not have a huge backlog there).
This is not a new idea. I’ve seen read-your-own-book challenges all over the bookish internet. But this is a first for me. And I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone dedicate three whole months to it.
Since I made this decision, I have had a lot of fun imagining which books I am going to read. I keep staring at the shelves and, for once, feeling excited instead of anxious. For now, I am finishing up those remaining review and library books because I start fresh come October 1.
Do you find yourself neglecting your own books for those shiny, newer titles? How do you balance things?
P.S. – I’m not making this an official challenge because, let’s face it, I would probably not follow through. But if yo want to join me, feel free. The more the merrier.
my books. my life. 
Good luck! I generally try to read a balance. I haven’t kept very good records this year, so I don’t know where I stand.
LikeLike
I’m working on this myself, starting with what’s on my Nook, but then I do need to tackle the shelves that are right next to me here as I type this. Just by a quick glance, I see about 20 to which I would like to get sometime. Thanks for reminding me of this…
LikeLike
I have a challenge for myself this year to read ten of my own books because I have the exact same issue. A little less than half the books I own are unread. I still have I think 7 books to read for that challenge before the end of the year lol Good luck!!
LikeLike
I guarantee I have more unread books than you do. I hoard books. (Someday I will get mono or be in some sort of Rear Window-type setup and then I will be set.)
I’m trying to do a balance of review copies vs. my own but I could definitely do a better job of that.
Good luck! 🙂
LikeLike
I should probably follow your example with over 200 unread books. But I know I’d sign up for immediate failure.
Good luck!
LikeLike
I really should do something like that. I own lots of books that I haven’t read and I want to read them, but then I’ll read a review of a newer book and I just HAVE to get it from the library. Before I started blogging, this was never a problem. Hmm…
LikeLike
Hope you have fun reading your own books, Michelle! Looking forward to finding out more about the books you are going to include in your list and reading your thoughts on them. I mostly read my own books – I don’t request review copies, because I know it will be overwhelming – though these days I borrow books from the library and from friends.
LikeLike
I do this in theory as I rarely use the library (because I own so many books) and rarely accept review books. But this doesn’t stop me from occasionally buying or listening to the audios instead.
LikeLike
I REALLY!!! need to do this too. I even signed up for a challenge to read my own books…let me see…hmmm I’ve read one (1) book from my shelves that I have had and didn’t buy new this year, or receive as a review, or borrow from library. Sad, hardly a testimony toward reading what I own!! Maybe I’ll give it Nov/Dec….hmmmm
thanks for making me think!!
LikeLike
I’m going to read all my own books for Dewey’s 24 hour readathon. I think I’ve read 2 books I own this year.
LikeLike
Now that you’ve made me think about it, I looked back and found I’ve read a paltry 5 books from my own collection this year. Awful! One of my resolutions for the new year of reading was to read one of my own books for every review book. Er, not so much…
Maybe I’ll do some catching up this fall, too!
LikeLike
I’m so glad you decided to do this! I hope to join you in November and December. I really need to improve my balance this year, especially after declaring I wasn’t going to fall prey to this imbalance again this year.
LikeLike
You and me both lady. I’ve been trying to pick from my bookshelf more often and rotate between library and review books and it’s working nicely. But I’m in the same boat as well cause I’m not planning on requesting any more books or borrowing too many more from the library when my own collection is out of control.
I fully support this!! Good luck!
LikeLike
I’m going to try to do it with you in November. In December I’ll want to be getting ahead for 2013. Hopefully I can get far enough ahead to make it happen! Right now I have nada for December and almost nothing for January, so I’m optimistic. It won’t happen for audio, but I will do it for ebooks. I almost want to do it MORE for ebooks, because that’s what I bought the most of in the last year. I still haven’t read the last book in the FEED series, for example.
LikeLike
I love this idea! I am going to try to join you. How’s your baby?? Mine just turned 3 months.
LikeLike
Evan is great. 3.5 months now. 🙂
LikeLike
Have you thought about doing Roofbeamreader’s (Adam) TBR Challenge. This is how I work a lot of books off of my own piles.
LikeLike