I’m back this Friday participating in another Let’s Talk Bookish post! It was created by Rukky @ Eternity Books and co-hosted with Dani @ The Literary Lion. However, in April of 2022, Aria @ Book Nook Bits took over! For this week, our topic is: Tackling Your TBR, suggested by Jillian @ย Jillian the Bookish Butterfly!
Let’s discuss!
Tackling Your TBR
Here’s this week’s prompts: How do you keep track of the books you want to read? Do you have a lot of books on your TBR? Is there any order/organization within all the books you want to read? Does your TBR ever feel overwhelming?
So, this post is going to cover a lot of reading stress. ๐ (Spoiler on the do you get overwhelmed question, apparently.) Still, let’s discuss my tracking method, my TBR stack and how to deal with reading anxiety.

My TBR: Mountains Look Small In Comparison
So, a goal I have right now is to read all the books I own. Which, roughly, counts to somewhere in the 200-300s. That’s what I consider to be my immediate TBR, though we all know how immediate could really just be exchanged for easily accessible, since the books are literally….right here.
But, fully, my TBR–for me–is everything I want to read. It includes upcoming new releases. Backlist books that I don’t own yet are definitely present. Self-published reads I’ve been meaning to secure, but haven’t yet.
In all honesty, my TBR is a fluid, living thing. A monster that will never be conquered, an appetite never sated, a mountain impossible to climb, Tackling my TBR isn’t a reality upon which I’ll live, yet one I’ll always dream to do.
It is any wonder I have severe TBR anxiety?
Tackling Your TBR Anxiety
So, how do you tackle that? Not like me, where (until this past August) I was averaging less than two books a month. Part of it has honestly just been acknowledging my changed relationship to reading. Ever since I started blogging, reading has felt more like a job than ever before. In some ways, that makes me read less, because I naturally rebel against things I’m forced to do. In others, I just have to acknowledge it and then help myself to fight against that feeling. I do that by:
- Reading books I enjoy
- Allowing myself to mood read
- (Learning to) not beat myself up if I read slowly and little
- Celebrating when I read a lot
Honestly, TBR anxiety is a real thing I struggle with. I’m always open for new tips!
Tracking Methods
Y’all, at this point, I’m pretty much an ambassador for Kal’s spreadsheet (found here). A project I hope to complete in September is to actually update my spreadsheet properly, so I know how many books I actually need to tackle. Unhauling was part of a many to manage my TBR anxiety by lessening that number (oops). But, tracking it and being able to see the cool charts move as I make progress is a great motivator for me!
There are other methods, however! Some like monthly TBRs (which I used to do, until I realized I’m too much of a mood reader). Sometimes, the pressure of ARCs, buddy reads, library due dates or other commitments/accountability helps keep you accountable. (Not me. It just gives me more anxiety). Plus, there is always tracking you reading via an app, like StoryGraph or Goodreads (both of which I need to clean up, too).

In Sum
So, I feel like, if you were looking for tips on tackling your TBR, I didn’t really deliver that. Since, really, this post was just about how I will always be conquered by the desire to read more books. ๐
Still, though, I’d love to hear about your own thoughts! Do you deal with reading/TBR anxiety? How do you track your own TBR? Do you use any methods to determine what is a priority? I’m super curious, so please don’t be shy in the comments!
I relate so much to your TBR being a fluid thing! For me it also includes all kinds of books that I don’t actually own (yet). I am also a huge mood reader and making a monthly TBR has never worked for me. My lizard brain is also very attracted to shiny new things which has made tackling my backlist books very hard. Right now, I’m mostly struggling with my physical TBR, I don’t even know how many books I own because I’m scared to count! I’ve been mostly listening to audiobooks and yet keep buying physical copies and now my shelves are once again too full.
My big goal for the rest of this year is to read more physical books and cut down on my collection because I’ll have to move next year! And as much as I love to collect books and dream of a home library, they are a moving nightmare and I’m already overwhelmed by thinking about packing up all my stuff. Now I just have to find out how to get myself to actually read physical books again…
Oh gosh, I connect with this a lot! I know Amber @ The Literary Phoenix also has a yearly goal to read more of her phyiscal books, so you’re not alone in that. I’m very grateful that I don’t read books electronically or online (just to give my eyes a break from tech) or I’d never get to my physical books, I fear.
And you’re right. As much as I love them, they are SUCH a pain to move. And, since we’re in an apartment, we definitely have a goal of moving out to a house one day. Not looking forward to that….
I don’t really have that much anxiety about my TBR. I mean, yes, I do get a bit worried if I’m behind on reading the ARCs I’ve gotten, but other than that, I’m fine! My only problem is that I really want to cull more of the books on my shelves so I have room for new ones.
I’m glad you don’t have anxiety about it (honestly, it’s something no one should, though so many, like myself, do!). I hope you’re able to do a proper cull soon, if you want to!
I know I will never read all the books on my TBR, so I just let any anxiety about ‘needing to read’ just float away, haha. Luckily I can do that; I know it’s not so easy! My TBR has been hovering around 1,000 books and that makes me a little uncomfy, though, so I try to keep it below that for peace of mind.
I am so honestly impressed you can just let it slip it away, that’s amazing. Teach me your ways!!
(Tried to reply yesterday but got an error – apologies for the repeated comment if it actually posted before haha.) I suppose one tip I can offer is to try to focus on your current read – if you are enjoying the book you are reading right now, then thatโs all that really matters! Thatโs the core of all this – reading and experiencing and appreciating a good book. Never mind all the others out there for a moment.
Thanks for being so persistent that you were willing to try again! I do like that tip, actually!! I’ll need to remember that!