Bringing Back the Book-Borrowing Ban


My dearest bookish friends, I have reached that time again where I've looked at my shelves, nearly died from fright and come to terms with the fact that I need to embark on the arduous challenge of a book-borrowing ban. New year, new me and all that jazz. 

In 2017 (I was about to type last year, and then I realised that it's now two years ago) I created a lengthy post titled "The Great Book-Buying Ban of 2017". I decided to revisit that post, and since I still completely agree with what I wrote (well done, 2017 brain), I thought I'd use some of those same rules. I'm basically going to plagiarise my own blog which is totally okay. When you've been blogging since 2012, desperate times calls for desperate measures. 

1. I'll finally whittle down that TBR mountain
I have a whole bookcase (and more!) of books that I haven't yet read. Although I don't mind having unread books on my shelf as much as I used to, I would like to read more of my own books. I've also found that a lot of books I bought quite awhile ago I've lost interest in. I don't want to buy books that I'm interested in now, not read them, and then unhaul them a couple of years later because I no longer want to read it. 

2. READ. MY. REVIEW. BOOKS.
I don't have toooo many review books on my bookcase, but I do have quite a bit. I really want to review those arcs and get back into reviewing more new releases, rather than focusing on a lot of the backlist titles I read from the library.

3. I can unhaul some of the read books that I didn't love that much and get new books! Hurrah!
I CAN ADOPT MORE BOOKS. YAAAY!


You get people who break rules, people who consider rules made to be broken. I'm not one of those people. I believe these rules will help me to finally read my own books -  A MIRACLE.

Image result for rules gif

Preach it, Leslie.

1. The ban started the 1st of January 2019 and ends the 31st of December 2019 (but it officially started the 12th of February, because I went on a little book acquiring spree on my birthday hehehe)
I want to really try to focus on reading my own books this year. I have a feeling I'll be able to do it! GO ME! 

2. Only take out 1 library book a month
So far, I've accomplished this!!! Okay, it is only February, but any victory (no matter how small) shall be celebrated. HUZZAH! I did, um, take a couple of books out on my birthday because...well, YOU DON'T TURN 20 EVERY DAY.

3. Once I've sent in five reviews for each publisher I have a book from (I don't have five books from every publisher I've worked with but for the ones who I have, that rule applies), I may request another (if it's a book I really want) after I've sent in the desired amount of reviews.
I am the worst book blogger. I have quite a backlog on review copies, so I really want to focus on getting through them all. It's not a massive amount, but there are some that still need to be read and reviewed. 

4. If I'm reading one of my own books that are in a series and I haven't got the other book, I'm allowed to purchase the next book in the series provided I read it immediately
I don't know about you, but if I don't read a sequel pretty much immediately after, I sometimes lose interest in the series. If a book is already out, I'm allowed to buy it, as long as I read it immediately after. It's a win-win situation. I'll still be interested in the book and I won't have an unread book sitting on my shelf for 50 years.

5. STAY OFF NETGALLEY
I'm pretty good at not going on Netgalley (except this past week in a moment of weakness but we won't talk about that ahem), so this should be fairly easy! 

This is not so much a book buying ban, as a book-borrowing ban. I use my library way too much for someone who has a lot of their own books to read, so I'm hoping to finally curb my library sprees a bit this year! 

Are you going to undertake a book-buying/book-borrowing ban this year? Do you agree with any of these rules? Can you think of any other good rules that might help me? LET'S CHAT!