A confession, a spinning wheel, and a perfectly acceptable amount of chaos.
If you’ve ever looked at your TBR and thought,
“Wow. I really need to get my life together.”
Welcome. You are safe here.
Let’s start with the truth.
📖 The TBR Confession
I don’t have a TBR.
I have… a lifestyle.
Between physical books, ebooks, and audiobooks, my unread pile is sitting somewhere north of 800 books.
Yes. Eight. Hundred.
No, I will not be taking questions at this time.
Some readers lovingly curate their TBR.
Some colour-code.
Some ruthlessly unhaul.
And then there’s me — hoarding stories like a dragon with emotional baggage.
I would love to tell you I’m a calm, intuitive mood reader who always knows exactly what she wants next.
But sometimes my brain goes:
- Vibes? Unknown.
- Mood? Offline.
- Decision-making skills? Absolutely not.
And that’s where the system comes in.
🎡 Enter: The Wheel
When my brain refuses to cooperate, I outsource the decision.
I use Wheel of Names — yes, the website normally reserved for classrooms and giveaways — and I turned it into my personal reading overlord.
When I don’t know what to read, I spin the wheel and let fate decide.
Is it dramatic?
Yes.
Is it effective?
Also yes.
There’s something deeply freeing about saying,
“This is no longer my responsibility.”
🛠 How My Wheel Is Set Up
This is where the “system” (loosely) exists:
Standalones
Standalone books get their own entries.
Simple. Clean. No commitment issues.
If the wheel lands on one?
That’s the book. No bargaining.
Series
Series don’t go on as individual books. They go on as series names.
Because future-me does not need to be overwhelmed by Book 17 of something she barely remembers starting.
If the wheel lands on a series:
- If I haven’t started it → I begin at Book 1.
- If I’ve already started → I read the next unread book.
No restarting. No chaos within the chaos.
📏 The Series Rule (Yes, There Is One)
I may be chaotic, but I’m not unhinged.
If I’ve read Books 1 and 2 of a series and the wheel picks it again?
Hello, Book 3. It’s your time.
This prevents two things:
- Restart spirals
- Avoidance disguised as “refreshing my memory”
We move forward in this house.
🤔 “Why Don’t You Just Binge the Series?”
Ah. The question.
Because sometimes… you need space.
Reading books back-to-back can dull the impact. You miss details. You stop feeling things as deeply. A little distance makes the reunion sweeter.
Now — exceptions exist.
I absolutely inhaled ACOTAR one book after another like my life depended on it. Zero restraint. No regrets.
But most of the time?
A break keeps the magic intact.
✨ Is This Method Chaotic?
Yes.
Is it perfect?
Also yes.
It removes pressure.
It keeps things fun.
It stops me staring at shelves for 45 minutes before rage-scrolling and adding five more books to the TBR instead.
Most importantly?
It keeps reading feeling like joy — not obligation.
I don’t need rigid rules. I need vibes.
And sometimes? I need a spinning wheel to tell me what past-me already chose.
💬 Let’s Talk Reading Habits
Are you a strict planner?
A full mood reader?
Or a fellow chaos goblin?
Do you binge series or sprinkle them between other reads?
Have you ever abandoned a TBR plan on day one?
Tell me — I love knowing how other readers choose (or avoid choosing entirely).
Chaos loves company. 💛📚
Between the Pages & Pixels 