Reader Problems: How to Politely Tell People No When It Comes to Lending Your Books

When it comes to lending your books, it can be difficult to say no to friends who ask for them. However, it's essential to set boundaries and prioritize your own reading habits. As someone who values their book collection, I've learned to politely decline requests from friends who may not return my books. It's okay to say no, and you shouldn't feel guilty about it. In fact, saying no can help prevent you from feeling frustrated when a friend returns a book that they've been holding onto for an extended period.

I remember having a few friends who would constantly ask me to lend them books. While I enjoy lending out my own books, some of these friends have not returned the books in a timely manner. For example, I lent "Ready Player One" and "Let It Go" to two different friends, but they still haven't returned them. This has taught me that it's essential to be cautious when lending out my books. If you're hesitant to lend your books or worry about not getting them back, you can politely decline the request.

The key is to communicate effectively and set clear expectations from the start. When a friend asks to borrow one of your books, you can say something like, "I'd love to lend it to you, but I'm trying to keep my bookshelves tidy right now." This response acknowledges their request while also conveying your boundaries. Alternatively, you could say, "I appreciate the ask, but I need to prioritize reading other books in my collection." By being direct and clear, you can avoid unnecessary stress or frustration.

If you do decide to lend out a book, make sure to establish a clear return policy. This might mean specifying a certain timeframe for when the book should be returned, such as "I'd love it if you could return this book by the end of next month." This ensures that both parties are on the same page and can help prevent misunderstandings.

However, not everyone may respond well to a clear boundary. Some friends might take offense or feel like you're not being generous enough. In such cases, it's essential to remain firm but polite. Remember, your book collection is yours to manage, and you shouldn't feel pressured to lend out books that you don't want to part with.

For me, establishing a routine of regularly reviewing my bookshelves helps prevent the accumulation of unwelcome guests. If a book has been on my shelf for over a year and a half, I know it's either time to read it or pass it along to someone else who will appreciate it more. This approach allows me to maintain control over my collection while also being considerate of others.

Getting Out of a Reading Slump: How Contemporaries Saved My Day

Sometimes, getting out of a reading slump can be as simple as picking up a contemporary novel. For me, contemporaries are like medicine – they provide a quick fix for a slow or stagnant reading experience. When I'm feeling stuck or uninspired, I turn to contemporary fiction, and it usually gets me back on track.

Contemporaries have become my go-to solution when I need a boost in motivation. Whether I'm looking for a fast-paced thriller or a thought-provoking drama, contemporaries always deliver what I'm in the mood for. They're like an instant mood-booster – they help me shake off the slump and get back to reading.

However, it's essential to acknowledge that not all contemporaries are created equal. Some series can be addictive, but others might be less engaging. My experience with mystery novels comes to mind. When I'm in a slump because of mystery books, I know just what to do – I pick up another mystery novel! It's like my brain is hardwired to respond positively to these types of stories.

Buying Too Many Books: The Reality Check

As an avid reader, buying new releases can be a thrilling experience. However, it's essential to keep things in perspective and not get carried away with impulse purchases. For me, buying too many books is a concern – I tend to buy books that I know for sure I'll enjoy reading.

When I see a new release from an author I love, my instincts kick in, and I'm eager to snap up the book. This approach helps ensure that I only purchase books I'll truly appreciate. However, it also means that some authors might not be on my radar – I don't buy too many books where I'm not familiar with the author or the genre.

To avoid overspending, I've developed a strategy of buying only what I can realistically read within a few weeks or months. This approach helps prevent me from accumulating a large collection of unread books that might contribute to feelings of guilt or frustration.

Shelf Life: How Long Do New Books Sit On My Bookshelves?

The age-old question of when new books should be read has been on my mind for quite some time. As an avid reader, I've struggled with this issue myself – it's hard to resist the allure of a brand-new release. However, I've come to realize that there's a delicate balance between enjoying a book as soon as possible and giving it enough time to sink in.

For me, if a book has been on my shelf for over a year and a half, it's likely time to reevaluate its place on the bookshelf. If I haven't had the chance to read it yet, it might be better suited to another reader or someone who will appreciate it more. This approach allows me to maintain control over my collection while also being considerate of others.

Ultimately, getting rid of unwelcome books is an essential part of maintaining a healthy and enjoyable reading experience. By setting boundaries, prioritizing your own reading habits, and being mindful of your book purchases, you can create a reading environment that truly works for you.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enOh everyone today I'm here to do another tag video today I'm doing it I wrote it down this channel it's better trend this past couple years to read you old tags and doing the readers problems book tags so like I said I have done this tag before did it a couple years ago 2014 and I looked back then and I was like I can answer these a lot better it could have been a lot more fun and so I decided to redo it because when I film that oh my son was literally less than two muscle so I was very slicked pride and had a lot of put print Pratchett so it's like let's just redo this because it'll be a lot funner and of course my enterprise will change so I will link my tag that I did a couple years ago down below us the original tag which about to read mate so anyway without further ado let's get on to the questions the first question is is you have 20,000 books on your TBR how in the world do you decide what to read next well that is a lot for most that will ever happen to me because I get overwhelmed when I have like 25 books on my TBR I'm like oh my gosh what to read that book to read nice so I'm not gonna imagine about the 20,000 I'm just gonna imagine a lot of books about together what to read next honestly it depends on what I'm in the mood for it a lot of times I'll try to read new releases a lot that's just something I do trying to change that honestly this year I'm trying to read kiss on my older books that are my TBR honestly the way I can answer this is whatever I'm in the mood for there's no really set things to do in my TBR I can try new muscly TVRs this year but even that's kind of a loose structure I don't really like necessarily say these are glittery at this month so yeah just whatever I'm in the mood for the next question is you're halfway through a book and you're just not loving it do you quit it or are you committed if I am halfway through the book I will commit because I've already devoted let's say it's a 400 page book I've already voted 200 pages into it I'm gonna finish that sucker through I am a very adamant person where if you don't love a book within the first 100 pages to set it down and I've broken that rule before because there are books that I love but I hate the first hundred pages of the Raven boys the maxi butter is the first hundred pages in that book are so hard to get through I it was tough I cannot believe I didn't D&F that one because of that so you know it depends on the book honestly there have been some people that say there are certain books where you just have to persevere in the first half and there's some books that and there are some people that says you didn't just quit after the first habit it all it depends on the book if I am a hundred percent hating the book I will put it down but if I'm already half way through its art I will finish it because I'm ready to vote it half of my time before half of that book the end of the year is coming and you're so close but so far away on your Goodreads challenge do you try to catch up and have I don't try to catch it well I guess it depends on how many books that there's five books and it's like December esperan I don't happen but if it's like two books the maybe I could make it happen I think a lot of people put unnecessary stress all themselves sometimes it's a Goodreads challenge I think they're like oh crap oh crap I think I used to be that way but now I'm like if I hit that goal great if I don't great either way if you're really is that's amazing yes for this one I have to say I don't try to catch up if it happens if it happens it doesn't it doesn't I try to set honestly a very local for myself with Goodreads and I usually exceed it so I would say that like set your expectations low the baby like fly through I mean is that that way to go through it it works for me the covers of a series you love do not match how do you cope oh I have talked about this countless times in my channel there's one series in particular that I really don't like I am NOT a fan of cover changes hear me off I'm a fan of cover changes if the series is already done and if it's midway through the series and they change the covers I am NOT a fan of that there is literally no point in that especially when I'm sort of trilogy you've already bought two books with the same cover scheme and then they change on us everyone why why it really makes no sense why publishers do it I'm gonna show you the trilogy that I you know I'm probably talking about it because I talk about it a lot that is the one that upsets me the most and that is the across the universe trilogy I trilogy which I love by the way hell if the first two covers the trilogy they're both beautiful they represent the book great it's like intro to collective love and space and I really love the color scheme of this and then they released the third one and it looks nothing like the first two why do we do this I wouldn't have been upset about this I think as much as they did it immediately after the first one that books two and three similar to this cover scheme but they decided to wait to the last book you change it like hard invested my money and buying two books I'm not gonna go out and buy the same two books over again just so it matches this one I quite frankly do not have the money for that to go why they do that that is something that really bugs me if the series is finished and you release all new covers that's totally fine I already own the jack so doesn't send me at all even if it's like one book can they change it I think I'm a little Pete but I'm not like oh my gosh I hate my life this makes me upset so how do I cope I don't cope I'm angry about it forever apparently I will not let it go everyone and their mother loves a book and you really don't like it how do you bond who do you bond with over shared feelings I usually bought over Twitter I will treat my feelings and some of you usually rules fond or goodreads I know that there is always a book out there that somebody isn't like it I usually read the review would be like I agree so I guess Twitter and Goodreads would be my answer I don't know and don't feel pressured if you don't like a book that a lot about the rule up that's okay because everyone is different opinions there has been several books that I've read that I don't like as lot as much as other people like you're reading a book and you're about to start crying in public how do you deal oh this is this is a good question because this has never happened to me before I don't read in public honestly because I don't have time yeah the kids were talking about like subways or I don't know I used to read like in the grocery store and I was written when I was waiting in line or you speak but I don't do that anymore because kid like I guess if I were to put myself in the situation I would stop reading that book I would stop reading that book honestly I'll just have to put it down and set it aside I had to do that honestly when I'm at home a lot of times I'm reading a very emotional books I have to take breaks while reading it because I'm like you need to get myself check hey Kip Yulin does that so I would have to take a pause and which I got home so I could sob it out or at least into the car in the car you know a lot of crying happens the car I've heard several times in the car a CEO of a book you loved just came out but you forgotten a lot from the prior novel will you reread it skip the sequel try to find a synopsis on Goodreads crying frustration well this is another bit much I love all these questions on like what saved me I know a long time ago I think when the I want to say was one of the books at the Raven cycle and I honestly forgot what happened in the first book and I don't obviously horrible but I don't know a lot of time to reread books so I was like oh crap so I did a lot of good reads and then I found the site query captains which they actually recap books in previous series so I love that site I'll link it down below and ever I'm in a series like honestly when I'm going to read the last book in the 5th wave series I have forgotten a lot about what the first two are about so I'm gonna have to go back to that site and kind of reread about what it's about and they just tell you like basically what happened in the lot and the last book and all that kind of stuff they just really honestly recap you on the thing so that's where I go to first hand when I am reading a series and I forgot what happened in the previous one recap chance calm they are amazing or REE captains that's one of those but they are amazing you do not want anyone anyone this says in caps lock bar your books how do you politely tell people no and they ask I don't have this problem a lot because a lot of my friends do not read books a couple of friends that um read books and I actually lived in my books and what am i re good friends Rachel the only one I will lend books out to learn my lesson with that I have lent out so many books and they are not in my shelves again because they're still with that person okay ready player one and let's it out to a co-worker forever go still don't have it back so it all depends on who you trust to give your books back to you I only have really one friend that I could do that with needing a DD you picked up and put down five books in last month how do you get over your reading flop it all depends on the person for me honestly the surefire way for me to get out of a reading slump is to read a contemporary contemporaries are like my slump like medicine I don't know like the pill that you take and they're like Westmont medicine if I want you to get out of myself I will pick up contemporary and I find no shame in that because contemporaries are white fast reads for me and they usually are books I like but they're very few condemned there's a few contemporaries that I love but most of the time I just really like them and they're just what I need at that moment just something fast and quick to read and its contemporaries will usually get me out of the slots in like a two and a half week slump at the end of December going into January and I could not finish any book I wasn't interested in any book and it picked up a category and that set me right back on track so I'm pens if you have a certain genre that you love and you can read like eating candy which is amazing I'd say pick that series up if you like mystery like nobody's business and you're read five mystery books in a row read a mystery to get you out of that slump now if you're in a slump because of mystery books I'm gonna help you but I don't know that's just something that I do Jeffries my way to get out of so there are so many new books coming out that you're dying to read how many do you actually buy to buy too many books honestly I only really buy books that I know I'm interested in I know that I know I'm going to read usually a lot of times the new releases that I know for sure I'll buy are continuations in series that's for sure or if it's an auto by author for me I don't buy too many books where I don't know who the author is or it's kind of like a I don't know much about this book so I do my research before I buy a new releases so let's say there are 10 new releases I'm April by three of them it depends if they're all 10 auto-buy authors and I have to buy often but that's a lot of money so I don't know for this answer I don't know the last question is do you've bought the new books you can't wait to get you how long do they sit on your shelf before you get to them oh but doesn't every reader struggle with this um I depends on what I'm in the mood for honestly I'm looking at a pile of books that I've just bought recently because I had a little extra money so I splurged a little bit but just like four books for me is super cheap and I really want to get to all of them but I don't know which one I'll get you first it all depends on the mood form I tried to achieve a rule if it's been on my shelf for over a year and a half it's either got to be read immediately like when I'm looking at it or it's got to go because obviously that's been on my shelf for a year and a half I have no like real push to read it and I don't want him to sit on my shelf when I can give it to somebody that will read it you know some extent so I don't know I'd say within a year is that bad is that good I'm not sure so that was it that was the reader problems book tuck I gotta say this is one of my favorite types of job because it really talks about reading in aa particular books but how you read and your buying habits and your reading habits and all that kind of stuff really enjoyed it and I highly recommend you do this tag as well if you're interested in it if you like this tag be sure to give it a thumbs up and hit subscribe and I will see you in my next video byeOh everyone today I'm here to do another tag video today I'm doing it I wrote it down this channel it's better trend this past couple years to read you old tags and doing the readers problems book tags so like I said I have done this tag before did it a couple years ago 2014 and I looked back then and I was like I can answer these a lot better it could have been a lot more fun and so I decided to redo it because when I film that oh my son was literally less than two muscle so I was very slicked pride and had a lot of put print Pratchett so it's like let's just redo this because it'll be a lot funner and of course my enterprise will change so I will link my tag that I did a couple years ago down below us the original tag which about to read mate so anyway without further ado let's get on to the questions the first question is is you have 20,000 books on your TBR how in the world do you decide what to read next well that is a lot for most that will ever happen to me because I get overwhelmed when I have like 25 books on my TBR I'm like oh my gosh what to read that book to read nice so I'm not gonna imagine about the 20,000 I'm just gonna imagine a lot of books about together what to read next honestly it depends on what I'm in the mood for it a lot of times I'll try to read new releases a lot that's just something I do trying to change that honestly this year I'm trying to read kiss on my older books that are my TBR honestly the way I can answer this is whatever I'm in the mood for there's no really set things to do in my TBR I can try new muscly TVRs this year but even that's kind of a loose structure I don't really like necessarily say these are glittery at this month so yeah just whatever I'm in the mood for the next question is you're halfway through a book and you're just not loving it do you quit it or are you committed if I am halfway through the book I will commit because I've already devoted let's say it's a 400 page book I've already voted 200 pages into it I'm gonna finish that sucker through I am a very adamant person where if you don't love a book within the first 100 pages to set it down and I've broken that rule before because there are books that I love but I hate the first hundred pages of the Raven boys the maxi butter is the first hundred pages in that book are so hard to get through I it was tough I cannot believe I didn't D&F that one because of that so you know it depends on the book honestly there have been some people that say there are certain books where you just have to persevere in the first half and there's some books that and there are some people that says you didn't just quit after the first habit it all it depends on the book if I am a hundred percent hating the book I will put it down but if I'm already half way through its art I will finish it because I'm ready to vote it half of my time before half of that book the end of the year is coming and you're so close but so far away on your Goodreads challenge do you try to catch up and have I don't try to catch it well I guess it depends on how many books that there's five books and it's like December esperan I don't happen but if it's like two books the maybe I could make it happen I think a lot of people put unnecessary stress all themselves sometimes it's a Goodreads challenge I think they're like oh crap oh crap I think I used to be that way but now I'm like if I hit that goal great if I don't great either way if you're really is that's amazing yes for this one I have to say I don't try to catch up if it happens if it happens it doesn't it doesn't I try to set honestly a very local for myself with Goodreads and I usually exceed it so I would say that like set your expectations low the baby like fly through I mean is that that way to go through it it works for me the covers of a series you love do not match how do you cope oh I have talked about this countless times in my channel there's one series in particular that I really don't like I am NOT a fan of cover changes hear me off I'm a fan of cover changes if the series is already done and if it's midway through the series and they change the covers I am NOT a fan of that there is literally no point in that especially when I'm sort of trilogy you've already bought two books with the same cover scheme and then they change on us everyone why why it really makes no sense why publishers do it I'm gonna show you the trilogy that I you know I'm probably talking about it because I talk about it a lot that is the one that upsets me the most and that is the across the universe trilogy I trilogy which I love by the way hell if the first two covers the trilogy they're both beautiful they represent the book great it's like intro to collective love and space and I really love the color scheme of this and then they released the third one and it looks nothing like the first two why do we do this I wouldn't have been upset about this I think as much as they did it immediately after the first one that books two and three similar to this cover scheme but they decided to wait to the last book you change it like hard invested my money and buying two books I'm not gonna go out and buy the same two books over again just so it matches this one I quite frankly do not have the money for that to go why they do that that is something that really bugs me if the series is finished and you release all new covers that's totally fine I already own the jack so doesn't send me at all even if it's like one book can they change it I think I'm a little Pete but I'm not like oh my gosh I hate my life this makes me upset so how do I cope I don't cope I'm angry about it forever apparently I will not let it go everyone and their mother loves a book and you really don't like it how do you bond who do you bond with over shared feelings I usually bought over Twitter I will treat my feelings and some of you usually rules fond or goodreads I know that there is always a book out there that somebody isn't like it I usually read the review would be like I agree so I guess Twitter and Goodreads would be my answer I don't know and don't feel pressured if you don't like a book that a lot about the rule up that's okay because everyone is different opinions there has been several books that I've read that I don't like as lot as much as other people like you're reading a book and you're about to start crying in public how do you deal oh this is this is a good question because this has never happened to me before I don't read in public honestly because I don't have time yeah the kids were talking about like subways or I don't know I used to read like in the grocery store and I was written when I was waiting in line or you speak but I don't do that anymore because kid like I guess if I were to put myself in the situation I would stop reading that book I would stop reading that book honestly I'll just have to put it down and set it aside I had to do that honestly when I'm at home a lot of times I'm reading a very emotional books I have to take breaks while reading it because I'm like you need to get myself check hey Kip Yulin does that so I would have to take a pause and which I got home so I could sob it out or at least into the car in the car you know a lot of crying happens the car I've heard several times in the car a CEO of a book you loved just came out but you forgotten a lot from the prior novel will you reread it skip the sequel try to find a synopsis on Goodreads crying frustration well this is another bit much I love all these questions on like what saved me I know a long time ago I think when the I want to say was one of the books at the Raven cycle and I honestly forgot what happened in the first book and I don't obviously horrible but I don't know a lot of time to reread books so I was like oh crap so I did a lot of good reads and then I found the site query captains which they actually recap books in previous series so I love that site I'll link it down below and ever I'm in a series like honestly when I'm going to read the last book in the 5th wave series I have forgotten a lot about what the first two are about so I'm gonna have to go back to that site and kind of reread about what it's about and they just tell you like basically what happened in the lot and the last book and all that kind of stuff they just really honestly recap you on the thing so that's where I go to first hand when I am reading a series and I forgot what happened in the previous one recap chance calm they are amazing or REE captains that's one of those but they are amazing you do not want anyone anyone this says in caps lock bar your books how do you politely tell people no and they ask I don't have this problem a lot because a lot of my friends do not read books a couple of friends that um read books and I actually lived in my books and what am i re good friends Rachel the only one I will lend books out to learn my lesson with that I have lent out so many books and they are not in my shelves again because they're still with that person okay ready player one and let's it out to a co-worker forever go still don't have it back so it all depends on who you trust to give your books back to you I only have really one friend that I could do that with needing a DD you picked up and put down five books in last month how do you get over your reading flop it all depends on the person for me honestly the surefire way for me to get out of a reading slump is to read a contemporary contemporaries are like my slump like medicine I don't know like the pill that you take and they're like Westmont medicine if I want you to get out of myself I will pick up contemporary and I find no shame in that because contemporaries are white fast reads for me and they usually are books I like but they're very few condemned there's a few contemporaries that I love but most of the time I just really like them and they're just what I need at that moment just something fast and quick to read and its contemporaries will usually get me out of the slots in like a two and a half week slump at the end of December going into January and I could not finish any book I wasn't interested in any book and it picked up a category and that set me right back on track so I'm pens if you have a certain genre that you love and you can read like eating candy which is amazing I'd say pick that series up if you like mystery like nobody's business and you're read five mystery books in a row read a mystery to get you out of that slump now if you're in a slump because of mystery books I'm gonna help you but I don't know that's just something that I do Jeffries my way to get out of so there are so many new books coming out that you're dying to read how many do you actually buy to buy too many books honestly I only really buy books that I know I'm interested in I know that I know I'm going to read usually a lot of times the new releases that I know for sure I'll buy are continuations in series that's for sure or if it's an auto by author for me I don't buy too many books where I don't know who the author is or it's kind of like a I don't know much about this book so I do my research before I buy a new releases so let's say there are 10 new releases I'm April by three of them it depends if they're all 10 auto-buy authors and I have to buy often but that's a lot of money so I don't know for this answer I don't know the last question is do you've bought the new books you can't wait to get you how long do they sit on your shelf before you get to them oh but doesn't every reader struggle with this um I depends on what I'm in the mood for honestly I'm looking at a pile of books that I've just bought recently because I had a little extra money so I splurged a little bit but just like four books for me is super cheap and I really want to get to all of them but I don't know which one I'll get you first it all depends on the mood form I tried to achieve a rule if it's been on my shelf for over a year and a half it's either got to be read immediately like when I'm looking at it or it's got to go because obviously that's been on my shelf for a year and a half I have no like real push to read it and I don't want him to sit on my shelf when I can give it to somebody that will read it you know some extent so I don't know I'd say within a year is that bad is that good I'm not sure so that was it that was the reader problems book tuck I gotta say this is one of my favorite types of job because it really talks about reading in aa particular books but how you read and your buying habits and your reading habits and all that kind of stuff really enjoyed it and I highly recommend you do this tag as well if you're interested in it if you like this tag be sure to give it a thumbs up and hit subscribe and I will see you in my next video bye\n"