A Confession, A Wheel, and a Whole Lot 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 a confession.
📚 The TBR Confession
I don’t have a TBR.
I have a lifestyle choice.
Between physical books, ebooks, and audiobooks, my TBR is sitting somewhere north of 800 books.
Yes. Eight. Hundred.
No, I will not be taking questions at this time.
Some people lovingly curate their TBR. Some people colour-code it. Some people 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 just goes:
❓ Vibes? Unknown.
❓ Mood? Offline.
❓ Decision-making skills? Absolutely not.
And that, my friends, is where the chaos comes in.
Enter: The Wheel 🎡✨
When my brain refuses to cooperate, I outsource the decision.
I use Wheel of Names — yes, the website you probably associate with classrooms and giveaways — and I turned it into my personal reading overlord.
I created a wheel filled with:
- Standalone books
- Series names
- Audiobook options
- Physical reads I swore I’d get to
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 is 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 arguments. No bargaining.
Series
Series don’t go on as individual books — they go on as series names.
Why? Because future-me does not need to be overwhelmed by Book 17 of something she barely remembers starting.
Instead, the wheel might land on:
- Brutal Birthright Series
- ACOTAR
- Wolf Ranch
- etc.
The Series Rule (Yes, There Is One) 📏✨
Here’s how it works:
- New series I haven’t started yet?
Obviously I start at Book 1. I’m chaotic, not unhinged. - Series I have started already?
I read the next unread book in that series.
So if the wheel lands on a series I’ve already dipped into, I don’t start over — I pick up right where I left off.
For example:
If I’ve read Book 1 and 2 of a series, and the wheel chooses it again?
Hello, Book 3. It’s your time.
“Why Don’t You Just Binge the Series?” 🤔
Ah. The question.
Because sometimes… you need space.
Sometimes reading books back-to-back actually dulls the impact. You miss details. You stop feeling things as deeply. A break lets the story breathe.
Now — exceptions exist.
Yes, I absolutely inhaled ACOTAR one book after another like my life depended on it. No regrets. Zero restraint. Would do it again.
But most of the time?
A little distance makes the reunion sweeter.
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 instead and then adding several more book titles into the ever growing TBR list (thanks bookstagram!).
Most importantly?
It keeps reading feeling like joy, not obligation.
I don’t need rules. I need vibes.
And sometimes? I need a spinning wheel to tell me what past-me already chose.
Final Thoughts (aka: Embrace the Chaos) ✨
Would I love to be one of those readers with a perfectly planned monthly TBR?
Sure.
Am I?
Absolutely not.
This method works for me. It fits my moods, my life, my attention span, and my love of a little unpredictability.
If you’re stuck, overwhelmed, or just bored of choosing — try letting fate have a turn. Worst case? You read a book. Which is never really a loss.
And honestly… chaos has never steered me wrong before.
Come Chat 💬📚
Are you a strict planner, a full mood reader, or 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 make their choices (or avoid making them entirely).
💛Chaos loves company 💛📚
The Reading Nook 