I want to start by saying THANK YOU to everyone who has subscribed to my silly little substack. I started this on a whim, with absolutely no expectation that people would actually want to read it, and yet here we are! So thank you for sharing my rec lists, for sending me comments, and for reading what I write, hopefully, I have helped you find some books along the way :)
With New Year’s Eve just around the corner, I am trying my best to make some book resolutions for 2023. I read way too much. That’s not a humble brag, that’s a Georgia You Need to Go Back to Therapy statement. By too much, I mean that I read, at the very least, one book a day, and sometimes up to three. Yes, I read fast, but also this means that sometimes I’m barely even acknowledging the writing, just skim-skimming along, glazing over when the main characters are apart, blah blah blah, my AHDH brain seeking out the dopamine hit of romance book beats. This isn’t a great habit, and I know it. So, my main book goal for 2023 is to read with intention and to read slowly. Part of this means that I need to stop falling into Kindle Unlimited/Libby rabbit holes, and part of this means that I need to actively plan my reading instead of just gorging on books as I do now. Maybe I will even try to sprinkle in some other genres along the way... But to start, I have decided that in January I am going to go back and read a bunch of historicals that are deemed *classics* that I have missed along the way. Historical romances were my first entrance into the genre, and there are a ton that I have somehow skipped over. As someone who has plans to write a historical romance one day, I feel like it’s necessary to go back and read them, in order to examine why they are classics, and also to see if they hold up to today’s standards. I’m still rounding out my list, but I will post it soon, in case anyone feels like reading along with me!
The second thing I plan to do is reduce my spending on books. Mainly this means that I need to stop one-click buying on my Kindle (I see u and ur ways Amazon!!!!!), but also I bought a ton of hardcopy books last year that I really didn’t need to own and could have just checked out from my library (The American Roommate Experiment I am looking at u!!!!). While the aesthetic of a hardcopy book is great, they can be a money suck, and also my apartment is 600 sq ft. Being more conscious of my book spending will hopefully help space out my reading, and also force me to make decisions on which books I actually need to read. These are the methods for saving money on books that I have cultivated over the years and that I am going to do a better job of sticking to in 2023, maybe they will help you too!
The Georgia Twiss Guide to Saving Money on Books
Download Library Extension
This is a browser extension that will tell you, whenever you are looking at a book online (ie on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indigo, GoodReads, etc), if it is available at your local library. It’s a good reminder that your library exists and probably has whatever book you are looking for. You can see what that looks like below…
Get the Libby App
This is the app that will allow you easy access to eBooks and audiobooks from your library (though you can also download them in other ways). It’s extremely user-friendly and also gives you free access to a variety of magazines and newspapers as well. I love using it.
Use Inter-Library Loans
Inter-Library Loans are such an underutilized aspect of library services, most likely because people just don’t know that they exist as an option!!! Basically ILL allows you to borrow books from any library in North America through your local library. All you have to do is fill out a short form (check out your library’s ILL info page to see how), and then wait for the book to arrive. This means that you can access any book at any time, and it is especially great for older books that might have been taken out of circulation. I had to use them all the time during my MA to get really old history books that the UBC library didn’t have. Recently I used ILL to get my boyfriend an old book on film that he really wanted to read and could only find for $400 on Amazon.
Go to your local library’s book sales
Most libraries have at least one book sale a year in order to get rid of low-circulating books. While you may think this means that the books will be old, and out of date, it often includes a ton of recent books. A lot of libraries buy a ton of books when they are bestsellers (ie. Beach Read by Emily Henry) and then after a few months/years when they aren’t in such high demand, reduce their number and sell them. Also, the books usually cost less than 5$. Ask your local librarian when your library’s book sale is, and then make sure to get there early in order to get the good stuff!
Sign up for NetGalley and Edelweiss
These are two sites that will provide access to advanced reader copies of books (ARCs) and audiobooks in exchange for reviews published on social media and book-selling sites. You do have to apply for ARCs and then get approved, which means that you aren’t guaranteed access to every book that you want, but you do have a good chance of getting access to at least some. In the last year, I have been able to read ARCs from Kennedy Ryan, Kate Clayborn, and Mazey Eddings, all through NetGalley. I definitely recommend it!
Signup for BookBub
This is a free book discovery service that provides free and discounted eBooks, personalized book lists sent via email, and alerts for when authors you like/books you want to read go on sale. It’s a really great service to help you track the authors you love.
Subscribe to Kindle Unlimited
To start, you don’t actually need a Kindle to be able to get Kindle Unlimited. You can access the app on your iPad, phone, or other tablets. KU is a subscription through Amazon (not great, but alas), that provides access to a tooooooon of books, mainly from self-published/indie authors (ie. BK Borison, Kennedy Ryan, Heather Guerre etc). You pay 9$ per month, though you can cheat the system and get the first month free and then also threaten to leave and then give you another three months free (lol), in order to get access to these books. I will note, that the downside to KU is a) falling into the KU dark hole and reading like 20 motorcycle club romances in the span of two days, and b) because KU authors get paid in a system that tracks “pages read”, sometimes these books can be overly long for no other reason than the author needs to make money (Lucy Score I am looking at u and your 600 page contemporary rom coms which are still fun but whyy??)…so just be prepared for both of these things.
Subscribe to Scribd
This is another subscription service that is more expensive than KU ($12.99/ month) but provides free access to traditionally published eBooks and audiobooks. Honestly, for me, I would rather just use Libby and have to wait for the books on hold, but this is an option if you really love reading trad pub eBooks and don’t want to wait for library holds. I have friends that use it and really enjoy it.
Check out local used bookstores
Last but not least, when all else fails, go to your local used bookstores. Most likely you aren’t going to find new books, but you will be able to find a ton of classic romances, particularly the old-school bodice rippers of yore, which are fun and very pretty to look at. I also love to play the game: “how many copies of the DaVince Code can you find?”, or, “how many Danielle Steel books can you find?”
Hopefully, some of these tips and tricks help you out!
Recent read that I enjoyed: Next of Kin by Hannah Bonam-Young
Current read: Hero by Claire Kent
Happy New Year!
—Georgia <3