Dangerous Hero Addict Support Group discussion

I am so glad for Goodreads. I love being able to keep track of my reading. I really regret that I didn't do that when I was growing up. I read so many books, and I don't remember all of them. I read a lot of fantasy growing up, and I'd love to reread some of those. For instance, I am pretty sure I read an Anne McCaffrey book, but I don't know each one.

Is anyone else particularly interested in keeping track of what you read? Did you have a reading journal prior to Goodreads?

I had a composition book in which I wrote down which books I read, the date, the themes, and a rating. I did that for about six years until I discovered Goodreads and it became obsolete for me.

I keep track of books that I have read. Before Goodreads and still now, I use Shelfari and now I do my google account. I will have to get back there and hit it more. Hopefully over the weekend, I can add some more books to it.

Before all these, I didn't have a log as to what I have read. But, I will do a catalog in excel, when I get the time.

I'm trying to get my Shelfari up to date. The graphics make it a pain to load up, though.

When I was younger I used to keep a note book with all teh books I had read, but I haven't done that for years. I like keeping track of what I read and what I thought. I was actually suprised at how much I have read, as what is on here is just what I have read in the last year or so!

It never accured to me to keep track, I only started to read novels about 5 years ago. About two weeks ago, after reading a thread at Amazon, I decided to get organized. I started listing all of the books in my tbr here at home onto my goodreads bookshelf. I found 5 different books that I had doubles of, just sitting in my closet.So I was more than determend to finish listing every book in the house and I did. The day I finished I rewarded myself with a trip to B&N and bought to hardcovers, I came home and turned on the computer to list them and I already had one!! The only thing I can say was that keeping my shelf here at goodreads did save me some money because I was able to return the book. If I didn't have the books listed her, the book that I had bought would have sat in my closet for who knows how long and it would have been too late to return it. Now I just have to add books that I've read but don't own any more and organize my shelves better. So much fun so little time =)

It has helped me a lot. And I can also organize books according to what themes they have. I'm a big theme reading, and it helps to make suggestions.

Suzanne, I am surprised at how much I read, and what kinds over the years.

Yes me too. I have read alot of romance over the last year, once I got stuck into PNR and UF it seems to have me completely addicted!

With my actual books I am quite fussy, they are all alphabatized and then all the series are in order etc lol otherwise I would never find anything!

I am amazed at what I'm learning about my reading habits now that I'm tracking things here. I've been marking as read things I recall reading, as well as what I'm reading now, and with my 700 to-read titles it's over 2000 books. Sheesh! I shelve my actual books alphabetically by author, and by date published within that, or I'd never find anything. This especially helps with those I own a lot of, Jayne Ann Krentz and Nora Roberts.

I know it is amazing when you think about it how much you have actually read and want to read!

I am glad I am not the only one who does it Mollie, it just seems to be the most sensible thing to do!

I have a journal for writing down the books I've read and I have GoodReads. I love GR!!! I've tried Shelfari, but I just didn't like it.

Wow. You are very organized ladies. I try to keep books together by author and type, but I stick them where they fit, and order of reading.

I didn't start to track my reads until couple years ago and I wish I had started earlier.
Now I keep a yearly reading journal divided by genre on an Excel worksheet.

I didn't keep track of what I read until I joined Goodreads. But now, I also keep an excel sheet (which I started by using the export tool of Goodreads') and I more or less keep it updated. I have my books separated to a couple of major categories, but I've worked more to keep track of the books in my TBR based on how long ago I bought them and setting priority numbers for some of the really old ones. It's my own challenge: trying to clear my TBR of the books that exist there for more than 2 years, since I tend to read mostly the new ones I buy.

I also keep some notes on some -not all- of the books I've read (like spoilers or character descriptions) and also I'm able to rate them using the 1/2 star that's missing from Goodreads.

I've been keeping a book journal since around 2006 and I still keep one even though I'm on GR. It's just habit. I wish I would've started years ago because I've been a big reader since I was around 12 and I can't remember everything I've read.

On my bookshelves I try to keep books organized by author and series, but I'm not too particular beyond that. Definitely don't alphabetize or anything. I either put them in with the other books I own by the same author of just stick them wherever they fit.

A friend invited me to Shelfari via FB but I didn't like it. The another friend pulled me to GR and I love that I can list up all the books I've read.

There's a lot I don't recall titles, and that's a shame coz I've read tons and some were really good stories.

I'm going in and putting in reviews on Shelfari right now. It's kind of tedious, but I'll be caught up soon, hopefully.

Fani, that's a good system you have.

I never thought fo putting a read list on excel, but that is a good idea, I might try it out

Fani wrote: "... I also keep an excel sheet (which I started by using the export tool of Goodreads') and I more or less keep it updated. ..."

Fani, do you do double bookkeeping with GR and Excel, or do you only update the excel spreadsheet?

Harper wrote: "On my bookshelves I try to keep books organized by author and series, but I'm not too particular beyond that. Definitely don't alphabetize or anything. ..."

Harper, when I had a room to myself after my mastectomy four years ago, I was all "alpha by author then by date". Now that Mom has moved in with us, it's your system. Some of my shelves are even in the garage.

I didn't keep records until I started reading so many series'. I would go to the bookstore and then couldn't remember if I was on #2 or #3 and the 1st chapter would always sound familiar (I also stopped reading the "coming soon" chapter in the back of each book) or after I'd been looking at books for a while I couldn't remember a series, aghhh!!! Now physical books go in my "checked out already" section and my "TBR" list is STILL too big to remember but at least I can use it easily to order books with (still need to fine-tune an actual shopping list).

That's a good idea, Cindi. I need to update which books I've gotten off my to buy-wish list. I am soooo unorganized!

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "...I need to update which books I've gotten off my to buy-wish list. I am soooo unorganized!"

I track such things here on Goodreads. My "to-read" list of 730+ titles is also marked with such categories as "requested-from-library", "requested from PBS", and "ordered-and-awaiting" (for those items already in transit). I may add other categories such as "requested-from-amazon" or "requested-from-goodreads-swap" so I don't get so confuddled. I still have ended up buying something I already own occasionally, but now that I pawn off my excess through paperbackswap.com and the swap here, I don't feel so bad about that.

Should I get wealth enough to start buying books at my pre-recession rate, I'll have to export my to-read list to excel for sorting by author and printing out to carry to the shops with me. (Same with my yarn stash on Ravelry.com LOL)

:P

Very organized, Mollie.

Mollie wrote: "Fani wrote: "... I also keep an excel sheet (which I started by using the export tool of Goodreads') and I more or less keep it updated. ..."

Fani, do you do double bookkeeping with GR and Excel..."

Sorry it took so late to respond Mollie. I do double bookkeeping actually, but it's not too much trouble since I only have to add 3 or 4 books at a time, as I buy them and then move them from one list to the other when I read them. It's really not too much trouble.

Interesting systems everyone has. Mine is a little less organized and different. I have five sections on bookshelves: contemporary, historical, mystery, and sci-fi/fantasy (I also have the true Regencies, but they're not being published any more). Within each section I have a TBR subsection, and a 'finished' subsection. I don't particularly organize too much except a halfhearted attempt at author. I keep all my books and I've been reading a loooong time. Within each book, inside the front cover in pencil, I note my initials and the date I read it. If I loaned it to anyone, their initials and date goes under mine. That way I know not to give the same book to a friend twice. I recently reread "Crocodile on the Sandbank" by Elizabeth Peters and I know I originally read the book back in 1977.

Inside each front cover I also add the "Romantic Times Book Club" magazine issue date, page number, rating it got, and the reviewer's initials. I wanted to know which reviewers I agreed with after I purchased books based on their opinions. Now I have a pretty good idea of whom to trust with my particular taste in romances, mysteries, and sci-fi.

Yours sounds very organized Xanti. I like the idea of marking the date you read it.

My husband has given two of his book shelves and I try to keep my books in alphabetical order according to the author's name. Under each author's name, I keep them in chronological order. The only problem with this is that whenever I buy a new book, I have to rearrange the books on the shelves to fit it in.

That's an issue for me, Carol. I try to group the books by the same author together, as much as possible.

You do the same as me Carol, I am forever reshuffling my book cases to try and fit new books in!

I never really kept track of books I read before joining GR:-) Way too many to note in a notebook, but Xanti, your pencil system seems great!

I have over 7 bookshelves in my room , that I separate into genres and then subgenres:
- 1 criminal justice/political science/law bookshelf;
- 1 fiction bookshelf/fantasy/thriller bookshelf;
- 1 poetry/english classics/philosophy;
- 1 reference books/travel/mythology/ethnology;
- 1 French/foreign language bookshelf, and
- 2 and half romance bookshelves

Then I just try to keep my books organized by subgenre and author: for example I have almost two full bookshelves triple stacked with romance novels, and one would be paranormal/contemporary/romantic suspense, and the other historical.. then the smaller bookshelf has about 700+TBR titles, and that's not counting my TBR piled on the floor, lol! But I pretty much know where to find the books I'm looking for, so it's a system that works I guess, although I've been more organized since joining GR!

Melanie wrote: "...I've been more organized since joining GR!"

Yeah, me too. The trouble I have with organizing books by genre and subgenre is that my favorite authors keep crossing lines... some of Nora Roberts' work is straight contemporary romance, some is futuristic detective fiction, there's fantasy romance, and even a historical in a series with two contemporaries! I prefer to keep things where I think I can find them, but my brain doesn't always work the same way each time.

Mollie wrote: "Melanie wrote: "...I've been more organized since joining GR!"

Yeah, me too. The trouble I have with organizing books by genre and subgenre is that my favorite authors keep crossing lines... so...
but my brain doesn't always work the same way each time.
"

I usually do subgenre first, then author:-) I sometimes have two different piles by the same author, but at least I know what I'm looking at:-)

Although my brain doesn't always cooperate either, lol!

I don't sort by genre as my brain doesn't work like that, I tend to remember books by authors, so my book shelf is organized alphebatically by author with any anthologies I have on a separate shelf.

Since being on GR's though I have started a spreadsheet of all the books I read, when I read them and what rating I have given them, just so I can look back and see.

I keep track on goodreads. I did at one time start back in 03 trying to keep track in Excel, but I saved it on a floppy disk, and can't access it now. Oh well... I keep track here, and then export to my phone so that I have my 'to read/to buy' list with me when i go shopping.

Bekah, that's a great idea. (My daughter is Bekah also, spelled the same way.) I've got my Must Buy list on the refrigerator, ready to grab anytime.

i sincerely wish i had tracked my books. i just joined good reads and added as many as i could easily find/remember. but i read at least a book a day, and never kept track. infuriating since i also suck at remembering titles and author names! can't tell you how many times i've read five pages of a book only to discover 'i've read this!' and the whole storyline returns. especially bad with series if i read them out of order, and can't remember which i've read and which i haven't. the breed series is a prime exampmle!

I read so many books in my childhood that I would love to recall...but I don't. :(

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "I read so many books in my childhood that I would love to recall...but I don't. :("

Me too. I try to read series in order, which helps some.

Years ago I created an Excel spreadsheet with a tab for each author I became obsessed with, probably way back with Suzanne Brockman. I read mainly series and I want to read them in order and I want to buy the next one the minute it comes out. I copy and paste a short synopsis so I can quickly review if I've waited a year for the next. When I discovered Goodreads I added all my books. Even keeping my spreadsheet I love Goodreads for the ratings and watching what everyone else is reading so I don't miss a good author. This happens to be my new eBook account, but I've had another for a couple years for paper. I use Nook and Kindle for iPhone and have moved my spreadsheet to Google Docs so I'm totally portable. There's even an iPhone app for Goodreads.

I love Goodreads for any reasons. Organization is one of them. I've read so many books but have not been keeping tracks so my Before-Goodreads-list was totally crafted out from my memory. I can only remember bits-n-pieces not all. I have a big hole in my list, while I was in Grad School and playing "single mom" to my only son (soon-to-be-ex was in the military and been on the sea duties), no time to read for pleasure what so ever just text, text and text. Now I'm catching up the lost time. Gosh!! There are so many good books out there that have not gotten my hands on (in my 2 read). And now I can keep track.

Wan, I'm trying to remember some of the books I read before I started keeping track of my reading.

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Wan, I'm trying to remember some of the books I read before I started keeping track of my reading."

Me too.

Too many books lost to the ravages of time. :(

iRead wrote: "Years ago I created an Excel spreadsheet with a tab for each ...There's even an iPhone app for Goodreads.
"

That is great that there is an iPhone app, just what I was wondering. do you know if there is an iPod app? The portability is a huge advantage...but until I get an iPhone I keep a list in an address book (it has alphabetical tabs).

I don't know, Steamywindows. They really should have one though.

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "I don't know, Steamywindows. They really should have one though."

I wonder if there is a way to suggest this to goodreads? or maybe to Apple??? who knows?

Wow...you are all so organized! And I'm not!

I started recently reading and did not have any system at all. It's a good thing that GR exists. For me, I only had 2 categories: read and to-be-read. I really got into trouble when I started last fall to do reading challenges. I started so many series I could not keep track of them all. All the categories...I made a Excell spreadsheet to use the same books in multiple challenges because I don't read really fast.

I am still struggling to find a good system and you have given me ideas. Basically I go by the to-be-read category and everything goes from there. I use Fictfact for email notifications about new books in a series and one week before reminder before the books comes out.

The TBR pile starts with upcoming releases in order of release dates (so I keep an eye out for them), after that it's books TBR ordered by ratings per pages of 100. At the end of the TBR pile are those I do not have, not reserved or found. I must say my affliction is not as severe as some of yours because I have less than 400 in my TBR pile....but increasing exponentially as time goes by.

Lady Danielle and so many others have all those categories when they write a review and it helps a lot to tag and choose. I started to do that but I'm to very diligent about it. It got very evident that it's a good habit to have because when it comes to recommend a book for a reading challenge...being organized saves a lot of time. Worst of all, I discovered that I have like 30 series that I started and am not up-to-date with (evidently I was out to lunch when the spring cleaning challenge was announced if there was one) because I can't let go.

I found it very helpful to make shelves for my favorite themes, because I am a theme reader. Also because you can make suggestions for others who are looking for certain books, like you said, Val.

Steamywindows, there is a group on Goodreads called Goodreads Feedback where you can make suggestions to the GRs administrators.

With over 1200 books at home spread over 5 bookcases, I have really had to get organized. I try to keep all my books by one author on the same shelves (even under their pseudonyms like JAK,AQ and JC). But I was having trouble having to move all my shelves around when I go new books, so I started an excel spreadsheet and I have colour coded my bookcases, so now when I get new books I just colour code them to whatever bookcase they go on. This works a treat, but I recently had a major crash of my laptop and my son lost my flashdrive (which was my backup), so I had to do it ALL OVER AGAIN!!!! So now I use google docs. (fantastic btw) and I have 3 spreadsheets, my owned list, my on order list (cos I have doubled up on pre-orders a time or 2) and my wishlist (which consists of whats coming up and gaps in my series books). This works so well for me.

For a while on goodreads I was simply adding the books to my shelves once I received them in my hand, but I created an 'on-order' field, so now I just update my shelves when my books arrive. Seems to be faster.

Like others I sincerely regret that I haven't recorded my reading over time, but it is exciting now to see how much I read in any given time. Cheers goodreads!