Wednesday Chatter #3: On ARCs and why I'm giving them up

Wednesday Chatter is a weekly feature at Ruby's Books where we'll be talking about anything and everything related to books and reading. Click here if you want to see what we talked about in the previous weeks


WARNING: Some bad words might be used in the following post. Don't say I didn't warn you!

You know, when I first started blogging about books I thought ARCs were like mythical treasures and all the bloggers who got them were almost equals to the ancient Greek heroes. I actually think I looked like this when I got my first ARC:

I love getting ARCs. Who doesn't? Whenever I receive one I feel like it's my birthday all over again, especially if it's for a book I've been dying to read for what seems like an eternity. It's always a happy day when I get a "Yes" in my inbox to a request for an e-galley and it's also a humbling experience, since it means that someone, somewhere actually gives a damn over my opinion. Which always makes me feel really important and cool. 

But here's the thing. Besides the responsibility tied to an ARC (writing a review on time, posting regularly on your blog and more) I find that it takes me away from other books that I already own and that have been sitting on my shelves for months and I never opened them. EVER. I know, I should've figured it out when I first requested those galleys, right?

I actually looked on my Goodreads account the other day and I saw I have over 1000 books on my TBR pile. That's more than just insane. Of course, I haven't yet bought all those books, otherwise I'd need to buy a house just for them, but still, it's a huge list. And I'd like to read them sometimes during this lifetime. I'm not complaining over getting ARCs, don't get me wrong. I'm just complaining over all those books I haven't yet read and I want to do it.

I sort of had this heart to heart with myself (it's a good thing I can't contradict myself all that much, you know?) so I decided that after I finish reading the galleys I already have now, I'll stop requesting them. I figure I need to take some time off from ARCs and read random books I pick at the bookstore and the books I already own. There is only one book I'll request if it ever comes up on Netgalley next year (I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this one, since all the other books in the series where on Netgalley). 

Also, as you might have noticed, I haven't been very active lately. That's because I'm studying and I'm starting to work on my dissertation, which turns out to be a huge pain in the ass.

Also, requesting ARCs (and receiving them) are starting to make blogging look like a job. I started book blogging for fun. I wasn't looking for a job, but for a way to express my feelings over the books I'm reading. And since I don't exactly want to join a book club (the idea of synchronized read-alongs of a specific book just doesn't do it for me) this blog is the only way I can actually do that.

So. Bottom line: I'm giving up ARCs. I'll probably do a little of this when it sinks in and I see all the cool books that will pop up on Netgalley and Edelweiss once I publish this post:

But I'll be taking a deep breath, look at the pretty covers, add the books on my TBR pile and just wait until I can read them. No pressure, right?