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Natasha Lester's avatar

I agree! I could never stop reading. And if you’re reading a really good book, I don’t see how it’s a bad thing if that good book inspires your writing and helps you stretch yourself.

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

That's a very good point!

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De-anne's avatar

I don’t really have a TBR pile. I love to write too. I reread books too. I like books in print & eBook format too. I’m currently rereading a Janice Thompson series called “The Bella Novella’s”. They follow on from “Weddings by Bella” series. Better to read that one first.

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

So you just buy/borrow books as you read and don't stockpile? I'm impressed. And I've not heard of that series. I'll have to look it up. x

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De-anne's avatar

Janice Thompson is a Christian author. I do go to the local library in Rockhampton. When I can't get more books, I reread what I have. I love reading a lot of Australian authors books too.

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Melissa Coles's avatar

I am constantly reading and I just can't keep up. I love our reading club online and I am constantly adding to my TBR pile just from those lists...I am never going to keep up!!

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

Same - there's nothing I'd rather do than reading and I will never stop adding books to my TBR! x

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Tess's avatar

Loved reading this! ❤️

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

Thanks m'dear! x

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Jake Graham's avatar

This is making me feel better about my physical TBR being 453 books (though... anything that's part of a series where I don't have the whole series is not counted in my TBR, so there are two boxes of books on top of this). I wouldn't dare guess how long it would take me though, because there are so many factors involved!

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

We're pretty close book wise then ;)

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Emma's avatar

I put up a picture of my small TBR pile on your socials Rachael earlier this year and I've read four books of it and added 16 books to it for a total of 24 still to go! (that doesn't included the 6 I took to read on my holiday either!!) With 36 on my other pile it will take me almost 3 years if I never buy another book again - and that is never going to happen!!

I don't think I could ever be a writer as I love that I get to use a writers imaginations to lose myself into, so much more creative than my own...

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

At least we know we'll never wake up one day and find ourselves with nothing to read. Now THAT would be a nightmare!!! x

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Rita Roxanne's avatar

Between Everand, my two kindle Unlimited accounts, an old archived amazon account & google books I think Its at least 3000-4000 @-@ & I keep adding, buying, borrowing more.

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

WOW - you win! lol x

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Rita Roxanne's avatar

But the amount I finish a year having adhd & being a writer is anywhere between 10-100 :p Most of them are Insta Love or Resource books atm as I start my pen name. I'm making it a goal in 2025 to read at least 25 next year, esp comp titles. Considered doing a depth year to dive into my collection, but I know myself :p esp with Queer recs. I gotta read them.

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nicole roslon's avatar

I've come to accept I'll die before I read all the books on my TBR pile! Or should I say TBR bookshelves! I read about 120 books a year and that's books I buy, borrow or listen to. Yet I buy books almost every week. Every now and then I freak out about all the books I have to read, and the lack of space, and do a cull!

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

Yeah, I've pretty much accepted this too! x

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nicole roslon's avatar

That's all you can do when you can't stop buying lol but at least it's a healthy obsession!

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

That's what I tell myself as well.

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Clare Fletcher's avatar

Thanks Rach, this made me feel a lot better about my TBR pile(s)! x

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

HAHA - happy to help! x

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Shelagh Merlin's avatar

I will never conquer my TBR. I read around 170 books a year and currently have 147 on my NetGalley TBR plus several thousand e-books and several hundred yet-to-be-read print books to say nothing of the audiobooks I listen to while gardening. I wish I had more time to read because there are so many fantastic books just waiting for me.

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

WOW - that's an impressive amount of books each year!! And yes, so many fantastic books. x

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Frances Tracey's avatar

I am not a writer, but I read. Probably in the 1st category 0-50 books pa.

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

Readers are the best kind of people :)

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Kim Lock's avatar

I would choose reading, too! And I absolutely cannot write without reading. Sometimes if I'm stuck, I'll pick up one of my favourite authors and reading a sentence or two can be all it takes to get things flowing again. xx

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

That's a really good tip. xx

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Anna M's avatar

My life is now busier then it once was. I have an amazing man in my life and we are renovating so life is in upheaval. I work with special needs children and reading is my destress time.

At the moment if left alone to read and without adding more books it would take me 6 years and 6 months to read all the books I have in my TBR pile. I say pile but at the moment they are in tubs and part of the renovations is putting in shelving along one wall of the bedroom for all my books that I am waiting to read.

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

Sounds like you are living your best life :) And yes, pile is really an inaccurate term - although as well as the ones on shelves all over the house, there are piles growing on my office floor ;)

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Anna M's avatar

I am starting a new pile at the moment because all the tubs are full on my shelves wont be up until mid way through january. I have 3 books due for delivery this week and I put a book list up for the family Secret Santa.... oopppss

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

I also have books coming this week ;)

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Pauline Wilson's avatar

Oh my goodness, Rachael, I might have written this myself. This exactly mirrors how I think about reading and writing. The only minor difference is that so far I have only managed to read about 50 books per year. (This year is my best so far with a current count of 53) But I love reading and my TBR pile is huge as well. I have not counted recently but I certainly don't have 589 print books that I haven't read. That is quite impressive. Thanks for sharing this post

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

Oh and this year I'm falling short of my reading goal so might not hit 80 (but that's okay)!

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

Impressive or terrifying (my bank balance and husband probably think the latter). 53 is an amazing total though. Do you listen to audio books as well? x

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Pauline Wilson's avatar

I don't listen to many audio books at all. I find my mind drifts off and I miss bits and am never sure how far to go back. I do listen to a lot of podcasts though. But funnily enough I am listening to Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott as the moment as it was the only version I could get in my local library. There has been quite a lot of rewinding.

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Rachael Johns Author's avatar

I should listen to that as I've had it on my shelf forever but (surprise, surprise) haven't read it yet!

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