Discussion: ARC Overload


So I currently find myself in a position I've not been in before. One that I'm sure is familiar to many of you. Let's call it... ARC OVERLOAD. Do I see you nodding your head already?

It's not like this is some new phenomenon. It happens all the time. I know this because I see some of you post about it. But - it's new to ME.

Here's the thing: I'm not one to request a lot of ARC's. Typically it has to be a book by one of the handful of my favorite authors or one with a synopsis so amazing that I just have to have it. This doesn't happen often. Sometimes a couple months can pass without me requesting a single title. And when I do request a book and get denied... well, it happens. I never view it as a personal slight, to me or my blog (I've never understood that particular reaction), and all it means is that I'll get the book on its release date along with most everyone else.

But (there's always a but), there seems to have been a perfect storm of circumstances that now have me experiencing ARC OVERLOAD.

1) I was in a blissed-out book haze one recent afternoon and had a field day at Edelweiss. And requested eight books. Yes, eight. And, so far, have been approved for at least half of those.

2) Those emails direct from the publishers who tell me that since I previously requested Book X I'll probably enjoy Book Z and I can download it now from NetGalley. Yeah, the emails must have been sprinkled with book crack because I was all over those.

3) A direct request from an author for a book that sounded so right up my alley and, despite all the other ARC's already pending, I couldn't help myself.

4) Blog tours that I had previously signed up for are coming up soon and, because I typically choose to do review posts... yeah, the ARC's for those are coming in as well.


Now for the real irony? And the real reason I rarely request ARC's? Because my reading philosophy has long been: I read what I want to read - when I want to read it. I try not to get my head turned by all the shiny new releases, the latest book that everyone is reading/talking about, or (you guessed it) ARC's. I love the freedom of reading whatever my heart desires at any given moment. A book that's been on my shelf for 3 years, a series that I want to binge, a book I picked up at the library. I'm a total mood reader and I never know what I'm going to pick up one book to the next.

And yet here I am, currently buried under a pile of ARC's, knowing I'm on a timeline, and ignoring all the books that I really, really want to be reading. You see the irony, right? That I did this to myself? Yeah, me too.

So. My current plan? Get through these ARC's (without requesting more!) and consider this a lesson learned. And then I can get back to my bookish happy zone: reading exactly what I want to read. Again.

Do you ever experience ARC OVERLOAD? Is that your usual
state of being or do you prefer to keep a handle on it?
Let's discuss!



18 comments

  1. Oh, this has definitely happened to me! It's easy to do sometimes, especially when you start getting approved or sent ARCs all around the same time. I hope you'll still enjoy all of these books while you read them though!

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. Exactly, Lauren... somehow all the ARCs happened at one time. Feast or famine, right? :)

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  2. I have such a trigger finger when it comes to requesting ARCs, and it makes me so mad at myself. LOL I have been getting better in recent months, but I sill have too many.

    I wish you luck in getting out from under your pile and reading what you want to read when you want to read it again! I am also a mood reader, and that does make it hard when prioritizing ARCs.

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    1. LOL Angie! I specifically try *not* to have that trigger finger, which is what makes my current predicament all the more crazy. :)
      Do you have a blog, Angie? I checked your Google profile but couldn't find a link to one.

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  3. I've done that in the past but have had to lately curb my enthusiasm. :( Life gets in the way sometimes so I think this is a good problem to have. It's hard to not want all the shineys! :D

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    1. So right, Melissa! It's hard not to covet all the new shineys! :)

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  4. It's good to read what you want, and because WLABB is a small blog, we always just read what we want. I read about five books a week, so I can handle a bunch of ARCs. My problem is, I request a book, and weeks pass, no approval. So, I request more, and I keep repeating this process until I am approved for everything all at once. What I have resolved to do is spread out publication dates, so I don't have too many in any one month. I usually only sign up for blog tours of books I have read or plan to read, so they are never a big problem for me.
    Sam @ WLABB

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    1. Isn't that the way it usually seems to work? No response, keep requesting... and then surprise! You're approved for everything! And they all release within a 2 week period. LOL

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  5. I've never actually had this as I don't request ARC's but I totally sympathize- I'm a mood reader too. And I can totally see this happening, so don't feel too bad. :) I know if I was requesting ARC's it would inevitably happen to me too lol. Good luck getting through them!

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    1. Thanks Greg. This is *exactly* why I rarely request ARC's. Now I feel obligated to put all of these at the head of the line and ignore my own books that I'd hoped to read this month (and next month). Lesson learned!

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  6. This is my life all the time. I never learn!! Hope you get out from under the pile soon :)

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  7. I'm currently going through this right now. I put way too much pressure on myself and I'm taking August off to read what I want. There are currently two ARCs which is not a big deal. But I always stare longingly on my bookshelf telling it that one day I will reach in and read one of them. *sigh* Great post. ~Aleen

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    1. Good to know I'm not alone, Aleen! And this is exactly why I so rarely request ARC's! I love your plan to take August off to read what you want. Hope you enjoy every single book. :)

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  8. Been there, done that, multiple times and it does feel like you're buried in books and you have to read them but you just can't read. Its weird. Hope you enjoy them though!

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    1. Ugh. This is exactly why I rarely request ARC's, Kei. I'd rather be reading everything I'd planned to read in June/July. Lesson learned. Next time requesting more than one or two at a time sounds like a good idea... I will refer to this post. LOL

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  9. I learned that lesson the hard way back when I was still blogging! I think that's why blogging became so stressful to me! Hope you get through them all soon so you can get back to reading what you want!
    -Em

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    1. Heeeey, it's Em-Dawg! :) How are you, girl? I keep up with you here and there on IG but I still miss our chats in the blog comments. :)
      Anyway, yeah, lesson learned... next time I'm tempted to request more than one ARC at a time I'll refer back to this post. LOL

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