Overwhelming library holds, beyond Bookstagram book recs, and not saving the good stuff

Ask FictionMatters Vol. 4 - February 27th, 2024

Hey, readers!

It’s been several months since I responded to reader questions here, so yesterday I put a call out on Instagram and received a slew of interesting reading conundrums. I’m going to pocket several of them for longer Reading in Public pieces, but today I’m weighing in on a few questions I think many readers of this newsletter will find highly relatable.

When the library controls your reading

A reader asked: I’m struggling to read the books I own because I have to get through coveted library holds.

So first, I think if you are satisfied with your reading life, this doesn’t have to be a problem! Are you reading a great mix of books? Do you enjoy the books you’re reading? If so, problem solved! Unless you need to make space in your home, I think having an unread selection of books around is a great thing. There was a tweet (an X??) awhile back comparing a collection of unread books to a collection of fine wine. It’s good to have the right thing on hand for when the mood and occasion strike. You don’t need to feel bad or guilty about unread books, they’ll be there when they call to you or when the library holds dry up.

Now let’s talk about some options for you if you’re not feeling satisfied with this arrangement. If we were having a conversation, I’d ask if there is a particular type of book you’re requesting from the library. If it’s mostly new releases or particularly buzzy books (the “coveted” leads me to believe so), I would ask yourself if these are the books you genuinely want to be reading, or if you’re reading them primarily because they are the hot books right now and you happen to be the lucky librarian patron with access to them. Again, if this is the type of reading you love and you want to keep up with these coveted books, keep going! But if not, perhaps it will be necessary to reevaluate how many books you put on hold and free yourself from the treadmill of new releases.

Regardless of what type of books you tend to request from the librarian, I’d also recommend setting aside a dedicated time for you to prioritize the books you own. Maybe it’s one week a month or the last month of the year. Alternately, you could implement a quota, for example four library books followed by a book from your unread shelves. For me, a dedicated time works better than alternating based on numbers, but I would experiment with both and see what sticks. Either way, slowly, but surely, you’ll get through that unread stack while still reading the library holds you craved.

Finally, does your library let you snooze a hold?? As such an avid library user, I’m sure you know about Libby’s “Deliver Later” feature. I love it so much! This could be an easy way to tell yourself you’re going to read something on your shelf now and snooze everything that comes in for a week or two while you do.

I have a feeling that once you break the cycle of letting library holds determine all of your reading, you’ll find a rhythm that works for you!

Under-the-radar reads and the paradox of choice

A reader asked: I’d like help finding great books that aren’t on Bookstagram and BookTok, just like in the old days at the bookstore.

I shared some of my best sources for backlist book recs with paid subscribers in a recent edition of Friday Mood Recs, but I’ll say a little more here. First, I think it’s a great start to identify where you have gotten recommendations recently (or maybe not so recently) other than social media platforms. Maybe there’s a book podcast you love; a reviewer, lit prize, or publication you align with (I love Maureen Corrigan, the Women’s Prize and Kirkus Reviews!); or a bookseller at your local indie whose staff picks tend to lead to good reading experiences for you. Seek out more recs from those sources! Dive into that podcast’s back catalogue, comb through prior years of prizes or best-of lists from your top publications, and visit that indie to ask for more recs.

But I want to get at something else I see in your question that goes beyond finding under-the-radar books. I think something that makes the bookstore browse so satisfying is that there’s a limiting factor to it. We are browsing the books an individual bookstore has rather than trying to find The Best Recommendation on the Internet. Think about the difference between choosing a recipe by Googling versus looking in a single cookbook, or what it feels like to choose a movie from the Oscars nominees rather than scrolling through Netflix to find your evening entertainment. There’s something about a limiting force that helps us feel more satisfied, rather than feeling like there might be something else out there that’s better if only we search a little longer.

As you suggested in your question, browsing a bookstore might be a great way to do this—but you may be able to recreate a similar experience by putting some limiting factor on your next book selection process. That could be something mentioned above (a book from a specific prize or best-of list) or something else entirely. Maybe you’re choosing a backlist book from an author you love; a book from a great booklist on Lit Hub or Book Riot; or a book to meet a reading challenge prompt. Limiting yourself in some way may help create that satisfied feeling we miss from the good old days of bookstore browsing, and I have a feeling you’ll find quite a few books that aren’t currently all over social media.

Go ahead, read the good stuff!

Teresa asked: Somehow, I am never reading the books that I really want to be reading the most! I’ll have a “high priority TBR” of books that I am the most excited for, but then when I choose my next read from my shelves, I’ll randomly pull something that feels lower tier to me. Like I’m afraid to read the books I was excited for!

This wasn’t something I could have articulated before getting this question, but I totally do this too! I have a lot of books sitting unread on my physical shelves that I’m pretty sure I will love and, for whatever reason, I’m not reading them. I think there could be many reasons for this and the right solution will depend on the reason behind it. Let’s consider a few possibilities.

1. Are you, on some level, forgetting about your high priority books when you go to choose your next read? If so, check out my recent post on my new TBR management system. That was happening to me last year and this system has made a huge difference.

2. Do you really want to read these books? I’m asking this because I have had books on my high priority TBR that I realize I haven’t read because I simply don’t want to. They never sound good to me. And there’s not a compelling reason beyond “I should” to pick them up anyway. Maybe I’ve even started and stopped a few of them. It’s okay to decide that these books aren’t actually important to you and let them go. They’ll find their way back to you if you ever decide to read them again.

3. Are you experiencing book FOMO? Sometimes I read what I see everyone else reading instead of the books on my priority list because I’m afraid of missing out. I almost never am. It’s not that the popular books aren’t good, it’s just that reading them when everyone else is isn’t necessary. When I feel this happening, I choose the most obscure book on my priority TBR to remind myself how fun it can be to read something no one else is talking about. Avoiding Bookstagram, book podcasts, or even this newsletter for a bit can also help with this!

4. Are you saving the good stuff? This is a problem I have both with books and with clothes. I will find myself not wearing my favorite sweater because I’m “saving” it. Do I know what I’m saving it for? Absolutely not! I do that with books too. I think, I’m going to save this for when I’m in the mood for a really good book. But why not now?! I don’t really have any great advice on this front other than to adopt the mantra “don’t save the good stuff!” Not to get existential, but who knows how much time we have! Wear the favorite sweater! Read the great book!

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Readers, if you’d like reading advice for a particular reading conundrum or are in need of some book recommendations, please fill out this form or write to me at fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com with the subject “Ask FictionMatters.” I can’t wait to hear from you!

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Happy reading!

Sara