Minnie's Fiction Addiction

There’s no one right way to read books. Some of us wander through our shelves like it’s a buffet, picking whatever looks tastiest in the moment. Others treat their To Be Read (TBR) list like a carefully curated itinerary, reading in order without skipping ahead.

To dig into this, we’ve got two perspectives: Minnie, a devoted mood reader, and Tess, who swears by her strict TBR system.

Minnie: Team Mood Reader 🌙📚

Reading is joy. Reading is escape. And for me, reading is absolutely about listening to my mood.

If I force myself to read a book just because it’s “next,” I guarantee I’ll end up resenting it. Maybe even abandoning it. And that’s not fair to the book or me. Why slog through a grimdark fantasy when what I really need is a cozy romance to warm me up on a rainy Tuesday?

My shelves are like a spice rack. Sometimes I crave something fiery and fast-paced, sometimes something dark and brooding, and sometimes just pure comfort. If I line them up and say, “Well, this thriller was added first, so I must read it before I can touch that historical fantasy,” I’d never actually enjoy reading.

For me, mood reading is freedom. It’s following the spark. It’s waking up one morning and deciding, today feels like a witchy gothic horror kind of day. My TBR isn’t a queue, it’s a playground.

Tess: Team Strict TBR 📑📚

I get the appeal of mood reading, I really do. But here’s the thing: my TBR isn’t just a pile of books. It’s a promise I’ve made to myself.

I read books in the exact order I add them to my TBR. No skipping, no hopping around. Why? Because it keeps me honest. If I didn’t, I’d just chase new releases and hype books, and all the brilliant titles I once really wanted to read would gather dust.

My system also stops decision fatigue. I don’t spend half an hour staring at my shelf wondering what I’m “in the mood” for. I pick up the next book, full stop. It’s efficient, and it makes sure every book gets its turn.

And let me tell you, reading something I didn’t “feel like” at first often surprises me. I’ve discovered some of my all-time favorites that way. If I’d gone purely by mood, I might have never cracked them open.

For me, the joy is in commitment. In trusting my past self’s judgment. In following through.

Final Thoughts

Minnie reads by instinct, Tess by order. One follows the heart, the other the list. And neither way is wrong. Whether you’re a mood reader who treats books like a pick-and-mix, or a strict TBR loyalist who reads like clockwork, the important part is this: we’re all still turning pages.

About the Writers

Minnie is a chaotic mood reader who treats her bookshelves like a sweet shop, picking up whatever looks tastiest in the moment. She firmly believes that a TBR should be more of a suggestion than a schedule.

Tess is a disciplined list-maker who believes in reading every book she adds to her TBR, in order, no excuses. For her, structure is the secret to actually tackling that towering stack.