on overconsumption, book hauls & being a “legitimate” reader

[@getout9728]

A legitimate reader is just someone who reads books, that's it. It doesn't matter how many books you read, if you pick up a book sometime and and go "Hey, I like what i'm reading." That's enough. Tiktok ruins EVERYTHING.

[@kimberlylopez3230]

3 of my favorite bookTubers don’t have physical books. One lives in Korea and doesn’t have the room, she just gets them from Kindle, one always reads library books because her mom is a librarian and the other does buy books sometimes, but mostly reads audiobooks. So all this to say as a reader and consumer of book tube I don’t care if they have a full library or not, I’m just here for the review. I will say, it does bother me to see a huge book haul video only to see them unhaul the book in a few months, but that’s just me 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@Space.Panda1805]

I know the first one, and I really like it a lot, Cari. Me too, I've never fell that there's "something is missing" in her channel only because she doesn't share a ton of books hauls every week. But I enjoy to listen about stories and books.

[@readsbyemma]

cari is the goat ❤❤

[@صفيهالقرني-ط5ه]

can you share their channels ?

[@lilimel33]

one of my fav booktuber mostly buys used books and reads/hears many library and audiobooks. she does have a lot of books, but used ones, and she is doing an unhaul challenge to get rid of the ones that doesnt fit with her taste. even tho, it doesnt make me buy books, specially bc i dont have the money for it so whatever 😂

[@Space.Panda1805]

@@صفيهالقرني-ط5ه the first girl is "Cari can read", the rest I don't know them.

[@joshina4497]

here's a cute video idea: library book hauls: what books I got in the library this week/month. followed by reviews of the books before bringing them back: Was the book good enough for me to borrow other books of the series or from the author next? Was it so bad that I wouldn't even recommend borrowing it. Was it too basic to buy or life-changing enough that I had to get a physical copy for my collection? This way content creators could put out the same content with less overconsumption, but also in a unique way, which would make them stand out more amongst other creators.

[@melodieknowsit]

I wish we could find ways to help local libraries. I live in a medium sized city in France and a lot of books I want to read are not available at our local libraries

[@TramReads]

I feel like the 1 book review type of video doesn't do well compared to book haul videos in general. Therefore, not so many youtubers do that type of video.

[@joshina4497]

@@melodieknowsit I'm not sure how things work in France, but in Germany you can request certain books if the libraries don't have it. Sometimes they can't get a physical copy but will at least try to get an audio book or ebook

[@yeyefarias6442]

I do that sometimes in my bookstagram ❤

[@amyfrosty]

The ‘booktok’ sections in the bookshops now make me sad 😭😭

[@dnzkmr]

To answer why people are so drawn to book hauls: Me personally, I don’t live in a country where imported/foreign books are accessible; they are too expensive. That’s why when I watch these hauls it’s sort of cathartic, like if I don’t have the luxury to spend all this money on tons of books, at least I can watch someone else do it. It reminds me of the luxury clothing haul mentality and how people watched them not out of jealousy, but of yearning.

[@altheamaeve]

I agree given my similar situation. I read ebooks most of the time because of how expensive physical copies are and what little space I have.

[@trashpanda12300]

Agreed. I find it really fun to watch Book Hauls, and it makes me dream about having a little personal library at home in the future as well. Also helps me add new books to my never-ending tbr😂

[@lenschowbooks]

Me and my girlfriend have hundreds of unread books on our shelves. I like to compare it to people collecting fine wines; I'm saving the books for a time in my life when taking part of their story will suit me best. I also use libraries and shop second hand, and I never buy a book I don't want to read. Mind you, I'm quite the mood reader also haha, and usually read several books at once. But I think something else that very much encouraged people to focus more on buying books rather than reading them, was when we all suddenly heard that it takes a 1000 books to make a library, and since we all want our own library, that became kind of an "excuse" to buy more books.

[@narunatsu1]

I absolutely agree with this! Also I have been collecting books for many years. I like to buy the books I wanna read, so I don't forget to read them someday 😂 I like to be able to choose whatever I wanna read instead of forcing myself to read a book just because I own it.

[@aisha_bookpies]

Completely agree, the unread library is very important❤

[@rosea2350]

I borrow from the library and if I like the book then I buy it. ❤

[@maddylovesbooks]

as someone who is guilty of over consumption in general and is trying to get a hold of my spending habits, its so true about book over consumption, sometimes i feel like ill buy a book just to get that buzz of buying a product even though its the exact same as buying clothing, like you are still supporting huge organisations and still funding a system that is fundamentally flawed in the name of capitalism. I love these type of videos, they hold both parties accountable for our ways that we perceive the world

[@chrissyhiking]

Yeah buying books can be addicting, just a few months ago I bought like 20 books in a month because I was stuck in the hype of reading

[@ozisorbit]

Personally, I wouldn’t mind the amount of special editions being released if the books were actually good lol I’ve read too many books where the cover art and fan art are beautiful but the story inside just doesn’t match it and it’s disappointing. Most of them should’ve gotten more editing and the rest feel like a half baked idea that wasn’t given the proper time to develop and therefore gets published too early imo.

[@lee_rayyy58]

The special edition of The Invisible life of Addie Larue is super beautiful not even going to lie but I got the regular paperback version lol but I fall into the special edition version every time with the penguin clothbound

[@CosimasNiehaus]

illumicrate books are so beautiful but good lord most of the books (except babel and olivieblake) are sooooo average.

[@FrancisFabricates]

Atlas six got me this way and I will never stop being mad about it

[@PauletN]

Exactly! I'm having a hard time liking the books that I buy because of that. I don't know if they are worse than usual of I am becoming more picky lol.

[@FrancisFabricates]

@@PauletN Book quality has dropped soo much tbh. It used to be a lot harder to get published than it is now and unfortunately publishers are picking up books that are just bad fan fiction and then slap great covers on them. It’s so exhausting

[@moritzmartini4132]

I mean I know most of the guys who say this "only reading for aesthetics" are spiteful idiots. But in connection with overconsumption or this over the top (again I said over the top) annotations it kind of is true. Like instead of reading books bc you want to and enjoying the book or insetad of annotating it while still actually reading and enjoying it, many people buy a lot of books just to have a lot of book. And they read the books not in an enjoying way but more in a competitive way to see how many books you can read in one month or one year

[@EfiLovesBooks]

Your little Christmas tree made out of books is *adorable*! Good video, as always. Solid analysis of both the situation and some potential solutions.

[@rayareadzzzz]

🫶🏻🫶🏻 thank u so much for watching!

[@inscreamingcolour]

I feel like the argument that the book community is like fast fashion doesn't really hold up. books take months, even years to be published, so books will never be produced as quickly. that definitely doesn't mean that there's still not massive overconsumption problems though

[@rayareadzzzz]

i’m with u on that!

[@TinyGhosty]

I agree that the comparison does not hold up. However, I have noticed a decline in quality of new books. Typos will make it through the editing process occasionally, but it does seem like newer books have more typos and weird edits in them. It seems like the editing phase could have be sped up or editors are being forced to do more work than before and are letting more mistake through. I have also noticed more printing errors in newer books with lopsided or faint printing. So I do understand the argument of poor quality being a side effect of rushing out new releases for profit.

[@ToriaAlly]

I disagree. As someone who works in the production side of publishing you would be surprised by how quickly books can be churned out especially if you're not particularly bothered about quality. Then there is also the additional issue multiple special editions which we know people buy just to have and not to read. The amount of waste in the publishing industry is truly shocking and something I don't think a lot of book buyers consider when they're buying new editions of their favourite romantacy series just because there are different coloured sprayed edges

[@Whoareyoupeople900]

Most YA books can be created and released in one year because publishers don't care about quality anymore. They only care if it fits the YA genre. I think Romance and Dark romance might be going down the same path now

[@chrissyhiking]

I also don't agree, it's easier than ever to self-publish. There's a ton of crappy books out there with typos and cliché plot lines. Decades ago, people didn't realize that the fashion industry would turn into today's fast fashion, perhaps the same will be true for the book industry.

[@emilyfullhardt9822]

the biggest reason that I am okay with book hauls from some creators that I like is being able to see a book and get a synopsis of it without the bias of the creator's own thoughts like in a wrap up. my favorite creators don't do book hauls very often though so it doesn't feel like overconsumption.

[@vortexvibes5944]

I've read over 50 books this year all from the library. I request ones too. Sometimes I need to wait a couple months but I always have a back log to read

[@rayareadzzzz]

thats fantastic honestly! ✨

[@vedotin]

I relate so hard to wanting a nice, big, beautiful library - probably a lot of avid readers would love that. Me, however, I don't have the money nor the space. With the limited living space I have, owning any book is a burden. Libraries are like a luxury to me in that respect - huge collections, and storage and organization is someone else's problem. The ability to choose any book impulsively and not having lost any money if it turns out not to be good is also an enormous freedom. The only real downside is when you want to read new releases or otherwise very popular books - you might have to wait quite some time for your turn. Even then it's worth it since you get to read that hot new book at no cost.

[@rayareadzzzz]

libraries are life savers for sure!

[@jonahinthewild]

I’ve seen a lot of “booktubers” even talk about buying multiple copies of the same book for the mere concept of owning them. Many of the ones I have in mind have even openly admitted they don’t plan on reading any of them

[@dustinneely]

That's crazy.

[@LolaDelMarCaribe]

I do this for one book, I collect Peter Pan books but I couldn’t imagine doing this with multiple books.

[@justwonder1404]

I can relate to your take on hauls, listening to people just reading out blurbs is kinda boring. Buying books, though, is addictive to me so I have to be careful around bookshops😅

[@rayareadzzzz]

don’t we all have this problem 😭😂

[@theres_no_guarantees]

I agree with you that book overconsumption is a huge problem! People don't realize how many books are thrown away. If you love buying books, maybe try to buy them used unless you absolutely want to support the author (like in the case they're self published). I have a video coming out soon about how to get cheaper and free books and spoiler--almost all of them are used. It's a great way to start the break the habit of buying books everywhere since they were already purchased, and it doesn't contribute to the overwhelming problem of books being thrown out.

[@christinec2625]

Or at least donate what books you won't keep to your local libray. Mine has book sales so they love receiving donated books.

[@dustinneely]

Big booktubers are getting freebies from publishers. Published sending boxes of books so they can get this or that popular booktuber to hold it in front of the camera is a big part of the problem. Who can compete with that? Nobody is going to send me free books. Not that I'm upset about it. I wouldn't want to read the garbage the publishers are sending anyway. 90% of books are crap. Quality should be priority over quantity. Life is too short to read bad books.

[@YasminBook1]

I like to buy my books from local libraries or eBay libraries. The funds usually go to the libraries themselves and the conditions of the books are really good. I am not without flaws of course. I love to buy special editions of my favorite books so I like to even things out 🤣

[@PoorPersonsBookReviewer]

As someone who has made some massive book hauls, I definitely has given some books a way that I decided was just not for me, but leaving them in the lil free library I know someone will pick it up and hopefully enjoy, great video , glade I found your channel

[@rayareadzzzz]

thank u so much 🫶🏻

[@ranjanarawat4336]

My problem is that I try to read 2-3 books at the same time, out of excitement. But i'm learning to focus on one book at a time now.

[@rayareadzzzz]

i also like to read multiple books at once 😂 what i choose to read depends heavily on my mood lol

[@hobbyistfairy1712]

Me too I'm learning to read one book at a time

[@narunatsu1]

I like reading 2-3 books at the same time, because if I read only one and it's difficult or it takes too much time, I would read less. This year tho, I did like 10 books at the same time, so I'm forcing myself to go back to 2-3

[@fatimanuzhat4731]

I think in case of makeup and skincare hauls it’s different bc these items can expire quickly, but for books, if they’re donated to library or charity shops other people can also enjoy them esp if they can’t afford to buy brand new

[@lilimel33]

my father always said that if we wanted to buy books he'd never deny us, i read sm as a child to my 14th birthday and then stopped reading for some years until 2020 when i bought a kindle. in these years he died and the financial side of the always buy books changed but with a kindle i just got back into reading but never got to the overconsumption part

[@corau.3454]

In my opinion the difference between the overconsumtion of books and other items such as fast fashion clothes eg. Is that books are way more sustainable like no one in the book community would throw a book they unhaul in the trash, but giving them to librarys, friends&family or reselling them. But with fast fashion clothes you may wear/wash them once or twice and After that they are basically unwearable because of the cheep Materials eg. Youre throwing it away. You cant really be sustainable with fast fashion 😅 A similar thing with makeup you have to throw away makeup because it expires. So if you dont use a product often it goes to waste after 1 or 2 years (especially liquid and cream products) but you dont or should be giving it to friends&family or donate it 😅 This is not me saying that I/we booknerds are better in any type of form the problem of overconsuming stays the same but not how the product goes to waste 😅 English is not my first language so please be kind with my spelling and grammatical mistakes ❤

[@rayareadzzzz]

hahhaha i love it when we say “my english is not perfect” after delivering a cohesive statement full of well thought out points lol 😂🫶🏻

[@denisiyaden1231]

I had booktalk friends and looking at them I began buying MORE books. I would buy books that I read just because I want to have them physical and while it's great to make yourself happy, it's still UNNECESSARY and if you do it too much, it's just... strange to pour so much money into something that you genuinely don't need. There are books that I do want to read physical and will buy (for example, Babel. You know? The vibe is just physical), but 90% books I'd read online. I don't have nearly enough money to buy every single book I read and I'm glad I managed to overcome this influence of booktalk. I'm not criticising, cuz it's sort of collection hobby and sometimes it's people's main hobby, just saying that it's not for everyone and people should really think before trying that concept on themselves

[@jucijuicy]

I really don't get the apeal of book hauls. I don't need to know which books you bought, I wanna know which books you read and LIKED and why, so maybe I can read them too. When I was younger I loved buying books but many were forgotten and never read, so a few years ago a did a big unhaul and kept only books I loved or still wanted to read, and now I mostly read from Kindle and sometimes from the library, it's way more pratical and convenient.

[@rayareadzzzz]

🫱🏼‍🫲🏽🫱🏼‍🫲🏽🫱🏼‍🫲🏽

[@icequeensamwich9309]

I own maybe 100 physical books, one large bookshelf's worth. I also live in a very small, one room, micro apartment. I would love to have the space for more books, but I don't. So my shelf is reserved only for copies of my favorite books, books that don't read well on digital (like house of leaves and tree of codes), special editions, books unavailable digitally (which is a very, very small amount, there's actually only 2 on my shelf for this reason), or books I've been gifted. Otherwise I use my kobo. There's almost 5000 books on it, an amount that would take two rooms, each of my entire apartment just to store. I want to start making book content focusing on dystopian/apocalyptic fiction, since I don't see anyone on booktube or booktok specializing in those genres, but I do worry that nobody will watch the content if I'm just showing my Kobo.

[@caranook]

I own around fifty physical books, and they’re all books I’ve owned since I was a teenager. When I was a kid I didn’t get an allowance, instead my parents bought me one paperback book of my choosing every month. Surely enough, I ended up with quite the collection. These days, living off a shit salary, I don’t have much choice in how I get my books, I just get them from the library. I can’t afford to spend ten euro a month on something I can experience for free, but in some ways it’s a good thing. Libraries are great, it’s such a risk free way to read. If you don’t like it, you can be at ease since you spent no money and can bring it back, which as a picky reader is great for me!

[@rayareadzzzz]

yeah libraries are the best and you are lucky to have an access to them❤️

[@Diana-mu7pc]

I agree with you on not really understanding book hauls. Well, I mean, I *understand* them like some of the comments have pointed out. A desire to just look at things you want even if you can't physically have them. I just can't say I've watched enough more than a couple in my entire life, even as I've been a semi-frequent viewer of booktube for years. I especially am not interested in seeing someone unload a dozen or more books, which is I guess what makes it a "haul." But I do find it more interesting to see someone talk about a couple of books they bought and are looking forward to reading and why. But yeah. I don't feel like I fit in the "bookish" community in general, for several reasons. The biggest probably being that I don't read many novels and especially not much contemporary fiction. I read mainly historical nonfiction/biography, poetry, drama, and "classics" as well as comics/graphic novels. And I have no prejudice against reading, like, contemporary novels of any genre; it just doesn't work out that way for me. I find the genres I listed above to be easier to get secondhand, and for cheap; or much of it belongs in the public domain; or they represent more niches I'd like to learn about beyond just the plot of one particular book; etc. While I do interact with the bookish community mainly as a viewer, it's more like I just... enjoy hearing about all the books I probably never will get around to reading. LOL. And as such, I really don't feel like *I* am participating in overconsumption to such a degree. The vast majority of my books are secondhand, which is usually less expensive but is definitely better for the environment. I perhaps have accumulated too much of a collection than can easily fit in my own bookshelf, and thus my room's a mess, but squarely my own problem. I think just the visuals of a lot of typical "bookish" people online, their collections of new novels that they organize and take aesthetic pictures of, I just can't identify with them when my stacks are all faded and falling-apart paperbacks that are older than me and I either got at Savers or Thriftbooks. But that's not to say that they don't have beauty and aesthetic value to me; they very much still do. My collection just has more of a lived-in feel, as opposed to something shiny, new, and TikTok-ready. Sometimes what I do reflect on though, is the extent to which I'm buying online. Online booksellers like Thriftbooks, Abebooks, Better World Books, or hell, even just eBay, those are great in providing me the ability to seek out whatever I want. But I do have to think about the offset of the energy it often takes to deliver it for me. Plus, with Thriftbooks and Better World Books, they often send their secondhand books wrapped in colored plastic. I've thrown away so much unrecyclable plastic because of them. I have to wonder, do I need to do that? I don't personally think I have a bad buying-to-reading ratio, but can't I be buying less, still? And wasting less? Am I letting myself give into temptation because of the cheap and modern convenience? Am I doing good by buying from secondhand, especially smaller-owned businesses around the world? Am I doing something good by keeping older books in circulation? Can't both of these things be true while I can also strive to buy more books locally and lower my carbon footprint?

[@umbreonmichelle4975]

I use thriftbooks or used book stores if it’s available there n try the library before I buy new. The state of the book doesn’t effect the content but newer books aren’t always accessible in used stores/online.

[@meme246814]

Over consumption is so easy when you have money. I for the longest time used to buy from thriftbooks online, years ago the books were like 5 dollars max. But then I was buying with barely any money and most books weren’t even a 2 star rating or I dnf them. So then I quit that and start going to my local library which helped so much in saving but also my time with books. Later found out about kobo which is like a kindle and you get to download books directly from your library and it’s easy to read because it’s not the same light like our phones. I only buy books that I rated 5 stars and know I will absolutely re read them. I would love to have my own library one day but only on books I loved.

[@itsguppy7283]

I have recently rekindled my love for reading and have been itching to explore booktube, and I'm really glad I found this video so early on so I may keep a critical eye about things, rather than being swept away and stressed by book hauls etc. Subscribed ❤

[@rayareadzzzz]

thank you! ❤️

[@cheesethatsthatqueso5076]

My personal favorite BookTubers are Jack Edwards, Dakota Warren and Emmie, and I trust their recommendations because they’re literature/english/creative writing students and give opinions that actually tell me something instead of “I got this cuz of booktok” or “it was on sale so I bought it”. I enjoy the technical side of writing and storytelling so watching someone that actually understands it as well feels nice. And I can always tell myself that they have this many books because that HAVE to be surrounded with them for their job/studies, also that I cannot compare my reading goals with theirs. (also specifically Dakota is big on slow fashion and thrifting so i appreciate that:))

[@margauxb3591]

You might like ShaelinWrite’s book reviews, they read a lot of lit fic and poetry and are also very knowledgeable about the craft side of writing!

[@FatimaMarques0890]

I have been wanting to buy a couple of books to finish reading a saga and I haven't been able to due to countless reasons and these people buy 10+ books to not read them? *Having a stroke*

[@rayareadzzzz]

😂😂😂

[@silviechlumcova]

I love this video! I might just as well cover this phenomenon in my master's thesis. :) Personally, I found a line which I don't cross (being a broke student surely helps lol). But I do love the feel and smell of a physical book, that's why I wouldn't trade it for a Kindle or anything like that. For me, reading is a way to decompress after a long day. I'd love to be able to just go to a library and borrow the books I want in order to save money, but I want to read them in English and as someone living in a non-English speaking country, I can't find that many good English books in the local libraries. :(

[@relaxingsleepstudyaudio7378]

I prefer to get my books second hand if I can find them, I only buy new if I can’t find them used. I also sell the books on if I never got around to reading it or I didn’t enjoy it. I also recently got a kindle so if I want new books I can get them and not clutter my space

[@rayareadzzzz]

very similar to what i do ❤️🫱🏼‍🫲🏽

[@mamoru1836]

subscribed!! you speak so perfectly and eloquently i have only nodded the whole time

[@rayareadzzzz]

thank you so much, i appreciate you taking your time to watch! 🫶🏻🥰🥰

[@Book_Banter]

Buy based on your budget and read whatever you want. I'll stand by that forever.

[@rayareadzzzz]

yes!

[@missibee8554]

Thank you for this video, I have been thinking much of the same things recently. I really like your non judgmental but honest approach to this topic. :) Book hauls are kind of my least favourite videos, reading vlogs and wrap up videos are way more engaging to me. Also I really like staying longer with a book, especially if it has things to analyse and think about, so constantly buying new books would stress me way more.

[@rayareadzzzz]

thank u for watching! 🫶🏻✨

[@zarajday]

Honestly, having a library card tells me you're a reader way more than owning a lot of books. Libraries are free, and you are unlimited by finances regarding which books you can read. A reader who doesn't consider using a library is either a fool or trying to fool everyone else.

[@Aprilb3667]

I’m a germaphobe so no I don’t get used books because they are usually filthy and gross I’d rather buy them new

[@sinejorine]

This is why I uninstalled tiktok, because it makes you think that buying TONS of things is normal. If I watch book related videos it's usually to hear an opinion or a review of the content. Wether it was read from a kindle or a physical book really doesn't matter to me.

[@rayareadzzzz]

i agree ✨❤️

[@Kite562reviews]

I just like documenting my thoughts on what I've read on my channel. I only buy new books if it's a book I know I'm going to revisit down the road. I just read for the enjoyment of reading. I enjoy listening to a readers thoughts on what they read recently. I also enjoy humorous horror vlogs or Stephen King reading vlogs mostly while keeping my video and audio skills sharp. 🙂❤📚

[@angelsam29]

I read hundreds of books a year but I primarily buy kindle/audio. I rarely buy physical books.

[@rayareadzzzz]

i’m a kindle girlie these days too 🫱🏼‍🫲🏽😄

[@ruthiebee11]

The only popular book recs that got me were the legendborn cycle, ace of spades, and the poppy war trilogy.

[@KMort]

People who do those reveals of how many of their books they didn't read and it comes out to like 70-80% drive me insane. I just assume they buy everything. I also dislike the format because they are essentially talking about books they know nothing about and could be horrendous.

[@awaywiththetheories1833]

I must be in a very small minority because book hauls are the one ‘booktube’ video style I don’t bother watching. No matter who made it. I find them pretty boring 😅 P.s I made this comment just before you gave your, pretty similar take 😂 Plus, I don’t really buy books brand new so they’re also pretty irrelevant to me too.

[@rayareadzzzz]

🫱🏼‍🫲🏽 it’s the same for me, but we are truly in the minority 😂

[@nostalgicsapphic8450]

your rules for buying books are mine too!! investing in a kindle was one of the best things i could’ve done to my wallet cause now i can read anything that strikes my fancy without having to worry about my bank account haha

[@rayareadzzzz]

it’s the best!! ☺️☺️

[@skynoodle4623]

I really enjoyed this video :) I appreciated how you gave such a balanced insight into the topic and offered solutions too without being judgmental. I've just subscribed and was looking through your channel, I can't wait to watch more of your videos!! Happy Christmas and thank you for the informative and calm commentary

[@rayareadzzzz]

thank you so much for you kind words! ✨🫶🏻 happy christmas!! 🎄🎄

[@wolfwatch9731]

honestly imo a lot booktok / booktube creators (especially a lot of the bigger ones) either already have or are two steps away from developing a legitimate shopping addiction. like i've genuinely seen some ppl on tiktok defend their book spending habits by going like "well i just feel so happy when i buy books like it gives me instant sastisfaction so i need to buy more! :-)" like girl... 😬that and the fact that some of them are two steps away from hoarder behavior when it comes to unread books. "it's been sitting on my shelf for years completely untouched and also i keep buying more and doing the same thing to them but i can't get rid of it because i might want it ~someday~" GIRL 😭 and this is coming from someone who HAS a large book collection (not as large as some big book influencers, but certainly larger than anyone i know irl) and DOES frequently buy new books. its just that i make an effort not to buy more than i can reasonably read within the next few months, and i go on a book buying ban AND STICK TO IT whenever it gets too much. also i remember that libraries exist lmao...

[@fancifulimpression]

I have asked this question of some of my favorite booktubers and I think many of those I watch are trying to find the middle ground but it’s tricky with new releases. I know my library for example is great with getting new releases but the hold lines can be months long 😅

[@iteite9488]

this was a great video! keep up the good work

[@rayareadzzzz]

thank you so much for watching! 🫶🏻☺️

[@RafBlutaxt]

This was a good summary and analysis of the issue. I agree, the same issue of buying too many books has been around on every platform and it is in fact baked into these platforms. The fact that it is compared to fast fashion and the criticism is mostly targeted at women is of course connected and as ridiculous as predictable, male bookfluencers do just as many hauls after all. I think one aspect that often gets ignored is that bookhauls are successful because they allow those who can't afford to buy tons of books to experience the excitement vicariously, at least up to a point. I don't have an issue with that but I'm a bit worried that the trend towards more and more expensive special editions may give some viewers the impression that validity as a reader depends on how expensive the copies of books they read are and that would be a real shame. And then of course there's the issue that some people view special editions of books just as investments, hoping to sell them for much more on the secondary market and that of course makes me very angry indeed but goes beyond the scope of this current discourse.

[@chrissyhiking]

Hey Raya, new subscriber here! These are some really interesting insights, I never thought about booktok being similar to fast fashion, but it kind of is, especially with the book hauls. I love your commentary! Looking forward to watching more of your videos 😃

[@rayareadzzzz]

heeey thank you for watching and being here 🫶🏻✨☺️

[@100modik]

This was a solid and fun video to watch, thank you! I don't watch or really enjoy book haul videos, especially with 15 or 30 plus books all the time, but I must admit, if I only had 5 unread books in my tbr, I would stop reading, haha. It's a mental block for me, I wouldn't want to lose my ability to read new and exciting things and when I have so few, I noticed that I can't bring myself to pick one up and enjoy because what if I won't be able to go to the bookshop or the library for a while? What if I lose my internet access for a month or so and I won't be able to read online either? I need to keep those few precious unread books for such occasions! I also love libraries but ever since I was a kid I was a slow reader and sometimes with life getting in the way, I could never finish a book and before I realized, it was time to take them back because someone else wanted it already. But I don't understand the hype around buying all new books or having special editions. I just get them from wherever I can, haha. Used books? Love them. Random box of books next to a trashcan? I'll grab my backpack. One time sale in the library of books they don't need for dirt cheap? (And I really do mean less than a pack of the cheapest gum) Hey-ho, get ready to see me come over and over again for the next couple of days. I like new books as well and it's a treat when I buy something full price and new, but I just want to have books, no matter the condition that I'll more than likely like or something that I've never even thought of reading. Wow, sorry for that wall of text, that line about the 5 books giving you anxiety was just such a weird statement for me! It's hard for me to believe, haha, but you are probably doing it better, so hats off to you!

[@rayareadzzzz]

hahahha thanks for your comment! 🫶🏻 i meant only physical books of course, i have a ton of digital ones on my TBR, being a mood reader, i love having options too! 😂 also i’m so much worse at DNFing physical books, so i guess that plays into it as well

[@nursemain3174]

I don’t really buy books, I reread my favourite books all the time. The only books I’ve bought recently are the series of unfortunate events as I read them growing up and lost them and a 20 book box set of some penguin great ideas cause I was missing some in the set. I get judged for re reading a lot it makes my book shelves more personal to me cause if you ask me about them I can give you a story of where I first read them and why I love them.

[@CosimasNiehaus]

i'm a super fast reader, novellas are done within an hour or two, and even an average 350-400 page book is done within 6 hours or so (some take me longer if the book is TOO good and i want to savour it), so im constantly buying more books. However, if there's a book i don't like, i donate it to the local charity shop - why waste space on my bookshelf with a book i despise??

[@a.b.2405]

I wish I was a fast reader 😂

[@Michaelthelast]

I can’t get anything done if I don’t have a time limit. That’s why the library is my first choice. The book I would buy would probably be second handed from someone because books are expensive.

[@Trishitareads]

As a book influencer, and reading and reviewing books for years now, i got into overconsumption this year, and here's the reason why - 1. Last year, i started my first job, and finally built my home bookshelf (this was a big dream for me hehe🙈) 2. Since I was never supported by my parents to read or buy novels, it was my dream to have a bookshelf full of books, when i have the money. Hence i went for that. Now, i have a bookshelf full of books, with the novels that i will love to read and talk about. Will I do this again? Absolutely not! I will be controlling purchases, will go on a ban till i finish all these.

[@rayareadzzzz]

oh that is so interesting, thanks for sharing! 🥺 i feel like i also have this urge - especially for books i read and loved in childhood, i get extra pleasure for buying special editions of them for example

[@Trishitareads]

​@@rayareadzzzz ❤❤ let me know your favorite books! Will love to read them ❤❤

[@sliceofmini]

I prefer watching book unhauls and reading vlogs ( not wrap ups just because I think they’re way too short imo ). I don’t watch hauls . Unhauls are pretty popular as well , so my reasoning as to why I find them enticing is you’ve considered the story in someway ( whether you’ve read it and not liked it or you think it’s no longer what you like) I never liked hauls because you’re just plain excited for any story just because it’s new , there’s no variation in your feelings because they all do sound interesting and that’s why you bought them. Another thing about unhauls is I like clearing out stuff I don’t need so it’s cathartic watching chunks of new space that wasn’t there before. ( But then to get said “huge” chunks of space I guess you need equally huge amount of hauls ) I personally own hardly 10-15 books mostly from my childhood so I also think I like experiencing that without actually having to buy and get rid of huge stack of books

[@rayareadzzzz]

hmm interesting thank you for sharing your perspective 💛

[@dannajeon8895]

I love to see books that are not available in my country (and if I could buy them would be three or four times the price a U.S. person buys it). But like you, I prefer wrap-ups, because I like to hear about what people thought about the book, and not just see it. In my case, I love to have books on my own library, so I read books usually online and then if I love it I buy it. I hate to buy books I end up not liking it.

[@isidorajovanovic2979]

personally, i dont like reading books online. i grew up reading a lot of physical books, partly because my dad works at a small, independent publishing company, so he would bring me books to read quite often. now, there are libraries where i live and i do frequent them and get books they have that i want to read, but dont want to necessarily spend money on. unfortunately, the types of books i love (fantasy, romance, etc) are not always available in our old libraries and if you put in a request, you can wait for months before they get it, if they even get it. thats why i buy books. i try to use opportunities like book fairs, book nights and black friday to buy a fair amount of books - but i do read everything i buy. even if i dislike a book, i will read it. i have never dnf-ed a physical book and never will. i also, mostly like the books i get, because i know my taste and i research a lot before buying anything. if i dont like something, i do gift them to friends i know have a higher chance of liking it. thats all to say, i dont think there is a problem with regular people buying lots of books at once and having lots of unread books on their shelves - for me, nothing excites me more than knowing i have a lot of books i have yet to read!

[@Whoareyoupeople900]

The only books I buy physical are classics. I have the chiltern editions and ive recently began trying to find the fancy leather editions.

[@badassmomofteens4611]

I buy 10 or 15 books at a time cause of sales or finding them used. I wanna read them all at once,I love to read

[@Hippiepoper]

Are authors, publishers and people working in the working industry working in extremely poor and abusive conditions (modern slavery)? Is the impact on the environment of the production of physical/digital books comparable to the fast fashion industry? Unless the answers to these questions is yes, i think they are not comparable.

[@sayuriakirayuu7944]

the christmas book tree behind you is adorable

[@rayareadzzzz]

thank uu ☺️☺️

[@tenebraintus]

Вижу серию "эксклюзивная классика" на фоне - подписываюсь) Loved the video🌹

[@rayareadzzzz]

🫶🏻🫶🏻

[@Sonoryah]

Off topic but your voice is so soothing and you speak so clearly, english is not my first language but i was able to understand everything you said

[@rayareadzzzz]

thank u, that’s quite a compliment since eng is not my first language as well ☺️🙏🏻

[@imnobodywhoareyouu]

it’s funny cause I don’t have many books, and every time I get to know someone who “loves reading” I always end up reading much more than them. I just read, I don’t tik tok about it, don’t blog about it, just read. If I finish a book and I like it very much, I’ll probably will hand it to a friend or my sister, so they can read it and I can talk with somebody about that book that I liked so much, also my shelve will have more space for more books.

[@QuestionsIAskMyself]

Thank you so much for talking about this issue. I felt like I was being a hater and going crazy because I was starting to see booktubers have 30+ hauls almost every two weeks. Plus, most the books would be from Amazon and there was the constant need to every book in a series at once.

[@miuchan107]

My favorite part of booktube is the ones reorganizing their shelves and getting rid of their books. I've gotten rid of a few books this past month cause of watching those. I'll miss my copy of Miss Periguines home for perculior children but I've aged since I've bought it so I'll never reread it. Though I'll always hold onto my copies of Animal Ark no matter how old I get😅

[@quistwing]

the "at least people are reading!" argument falls so flat for me because doesnt overconsumption via buying books imply that you are not actually reading even half the books you're buying every year

[@rayareadzzzz]

10000%

[@bertagalindo1392]

The best you can do is to stay out of social media and stop buying every book you see and just those you will acc read. I still have a big tbr but nothing to do with these and I acc read them and I only buy a book every so often

[@deltaniris6898]

All in all, I don't understand why supporting a publisher by buying a new book would be a bad thing :) In addition to the author, there are a bunch of people who make money from creating novels - editors, artists, often translators, etc. - who may have some more stable income from working for the company than from freelancing. Also, not all publishing houses are mega-corporations, especially not in my country. And self-publishing is a great option, but for authors who also want to be businessmen. Anyway, in high school and early college I read a lot and used libraries to keep from going bankrupt. Now I read far less, so I try to always buy my own copy - sometimes I buy something I don't like in the end, but I don't mind. I pay the author for his work, not for my taste :) Besides, I grew up in a home where buying books was considered an "investment" - because books "can always be sold", even if for pennies. Possibly that's why it's easier for me to spend money on a physical copy than an ebook or an audiobook.

[@rayareadzzzz]

that is an interesting perspective, thanks for sharing!

[@SquareUp03]

I like book-hauls when they don't purchase books in copious amounts. Like they would realistically read four books, not fifteen in a month or so. It's unrealistic when I see KZbinr's or TikTok book accounts buying ten or more books while there to be read pile is ever growing. I personally have a pile of books I have already purchased that I want to read. When I notice my pile is shrinking, I will go to the bookstore and get more. I do agree with what you said about purchasing a book series before reading the first book to see if you'll even like the first one. I felt that way about Caraval. I wanted to purchase the series and absolutely hated the first book, so I am so glad I didn't purchase the whole series.

[@rayareadzzzz]

totally agree with this take, everything in moderation 🙌🏻

[@alivenreads]

This trend makes it really easy for me to buy second-hand books that are never read. 😂😂😂

[@rayareadzzzz]

😂😂😂

[@soojincho2829]

I will sometimes watch them for book ideas. It's a quick list but overall I don't enjoy them. Especially when someone is like yes this is my 8th special edition of X book. I'm all about book collection. I have a Tolkien collection I am quite proud of but it seems it's more of a way for Book Dragons to be aesthetic. The only few times I've bought an absurd amount of books at once was when I was out of town and there was a phenomenal used book store so I used my opportunity to get a lot of my TBR list for less than half the price. But I'm also not gonna buy books now for months.

[@februerik]

this was very encouraging, thank you so much

[@rayareadzzzz]

thank u for watching 🫶🏻

[@9cloudrachel207]

10 years ago, when Booktube was really poppin, the same issue existed. Half the books I own are ones I bought back then and just haven’t read yet. I’ve gotten rid of a lot of them through the years too. I used to buy soooo much, influenced by the ppl I watched and wanting to have the books they did, the shelves they did. This is NOT a new issue/conversation.

[@chairmanmeow958]

Everyone keeps talking about this mysterious group of men who are constantly accusing women of being interested in reading only for the aesthetic and being generally misogynistic to women in the community, however, no one is ever able to show proof of this. You would think if the issue was this rampant that you felt the need to address it in the first few minutes of your video you would have an ample selection of screenshots to show this happening.

[@MarxieMango]

I do book hauls mostly because the books I like get ordered overseas and is much cheaper compared to when I get them here in my area. Each order usually takes around 3-4 months and i'm lucky if I get it earlier so I do bulk buy at least 2-3 times a year If I can afford it. 😂 I will admit though some books gets left unread since I either lose interest in them, or I get into a slump and some gets forgotten. 😂

[@rayareadzzzz]

that’s exactly why i try to buy only the books that i intend to read right away, cause i lose interest way too easily too 😭 and then it just sits there and gives me anxiety hehehe

[@queenboss7]

I don't like very large book hauls, and never buy fiction books before reading them outside of middle grade/media tie ins/Discworld/Brandon Sanderson but ocassionaly I'll watch a haul, esp it it involves the book store or foreign language editions, because I wish I had the money to go book shopping. Same why I look at the home library tours, I wish I had one.

[@nandinivijay9355]

I love your book Christmas tree in the background!💗

[@rayareadzzzz]

got influenced by tiktok girlies hahah, thank u! ✨🫶🏻

[@vaishnavikuppa9539]

I always liked reading books but "since I'll never read them again," as I grew up, I was not really allowed to buy books (I was broke lol). So I either read through online libraries or getting them from physical libraries. I continue the same now---I don't want to invest my money on something I'll never enjoy, so I typically read the books first from the library and only if they are 4-5 star reads and I know I want to reread it again, want to have it on a shelf, and want to support the authors, will I buy the book. so you can imagine how the concept of 30+ books twice a month is jarring for someone like me to even comprehend 😅

[@fancifulimpression]

I also prefer wrap-ups to hauls - I tend to only watch hauls of booktubers I trust or if it’s a category I’m interested in that I struggle to find new suggestions in.

[@rayareadzzzz]

🫱🏼‍🫲🏽🫱🏼‍🫲🏽

[@tikkaho]

I used to read physical copies and let me tell you if i wanted to go to the bookstore i just felt like i HAD to buy something, but ever since being gifted an e-reader I've only been reading from it, i can read in the dark and and its small so i cab take it anywhere, and also a lot of books that are banned in my country i can just read on it

[@rayareadzzzz]

my kindle literally changed my life 😅🫶🏻 i love how convenient it is

[@Cloudcrest]

The way you stack all your books makes me cry 😭 I get it looks cute but it's not good for the books to be stacked like that

[@alexmcginness8859]

I read a solid 30-40 books a year these day and over 75% of them are digital. I’d say half of those 75% are from the library. I don’t get why more people don’t read this way. I’m at a point in my life where I’m only buying physical copies of books if it’s something I truly love (like I’d def buy a fancy edition of the LOTR series.)

[@rayareadzzzz]

i definitely understand that! though sadly not everyone has access to a library :(

[@alexmcginness8859]

@ after watching further into the video that makes sense. I hadn’t even considered that, but having lived abroad as a kid I totally remember that being a thing! As far as my original comment goes, I mostly meant that I don’t get why more Americans don’t read the way I do. I really don’t get the point of book overconsumption.

[@tiffanyslibrary]

The amount of times I’ve stopped and not started a book channel because I feel like I can’t afford to keep up 🤍 thank you for mentioning this !

[@rayareadzzzz]

me too!! ❤️ that shouldn’t stop you period

[@dontmindme2375]

I have to admit that I bought books because of how it was bound, but I do read it.

[@rayareadzzzz]

same 🫠

[@Jozibookishexplorer]

I had to pause the video before it ended to comment, in case I forget. I am new to booktok and haven't posted anything yet because what I'm seeing isn't what I imagined or expected, and this is not to say that it's bad. Firstly, I seldom see detailed book reviews that give me the impression that the review read and understood the book. It all feels shallow and seems like it's for vibes. Book hauls make me cringe because of the overconsumption aspect 0f it. I think it's wrong regardless of where it show up, whether in fashion or books. I do enjoy recommendations and following book styling accounts, they're super cute.

[@TheLimitlessLibrarian]

I’ve just started booktube last month, and yes, there’s a two part book haul on my channel, and yes, I have a massive TBR. But most of them come from secondhand bookshop, and due to my disability preventing me from driving, it is rare for me to go to a bookshop. So yeah, I admit I go a little nuts but thid Monty is not reflective of a normal month. Because unlike most, I can’t just jump in a car whenever a feel like to go buy whatever. I need to make the most of the time I have to do book runs. Furthermore, I intend to disclose how much I spent, a, to keep myself in check and b, to be real with my viewers and make them aware of how much it costs. I do acknowledge how materialistic booktube can feel at times and I don’t want to become a part of that. I am just as infuriated as you are to see people unhauling books they never read, especially ones from those STUPID subscription boxes (gods I hate those things, don’t get me started on those). Never will I go on TikTok, though-I don’t trust it, and what you said just made me find it even more icky. I don’t plan to buy nonphysical books because I believe in physical media preservation so strongly. If you buy, say, a kindle book, you didn’t actuwlly buy the book, you bought a LICENSE to access it. Amazon can revoke it at the drop of a hat just cause they can. If for whatever reason kindle stopped being profitable, they’d discontinue it, and you can kiss all “your” kindle books goodbye. This exact thing happened with a book service owned by Microsoft a long time ago, I believe.

[@SchoggiGurke]

so excited for this video!

[@rayareadzzzz]

🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

[@_Risa1992_]

My thought always go: you tell me people can afford spending hundreds of dollars on books they are not reading? I sometimes look out for second-hand books and borrow them, and they are out there flexing with book hauls lol

[@L-tb9kk]

i very much have this problem, i keep buying books more than i can read, and i know its also my own fault but i do think these booktube and booktok videos affect me alot and makes me want to buy even more books. Also it affects in a way that i buy books that might not even interest me that much but i will buy it because its popular in the book community. Which has resulted in me having quite a big book collention that i havent read 85% of and some of them are even books that i most likely wont read 😅 but now i try to do better, buy less books and ones that actually interests me

[@thedana89]

In The Craft of the Verse, published in 2000, a collection of lectures given by Jorge Luis Borges in the 1960s, there is a paragraph concerning (in a very relatable manner) the overconsumption of books - buying plenty of books never to be read. I guess this is not a new concept whatsoever 😅

[@rayareadzzzz]

this is so interesting, thank you for sharing!

[@badbettybooks4001]

Really enjoyed this video! Book ownership definitely does not equate to being a "legitimate" reader. I read every day, read 150-250 books a year and have my entire life except college, and only buy 1-2 books a year mostly secondhand. While I understand not every country is the same, at least in the US many people have access to a free library- I use mine for literally hundreds of books a year. Do I find aesthetically pleasing bookshelves full of beautiful books enjoyable to look at? Yes. Do I need that in my apartment to be a true reader? No. I'm a reader because I read. HOWEVER on my very tiny youtube book channel, I do notice people like book hauls, so I create library book hauls for content. I love showing off my great finds from my local library! I am very upfront that I am a library reader, and that doesn't make me any less of a reader or my suggestions or opinions or reviews any less valid. Of course I can't control what other people think though.

[@rayareadzzzz]

library book hauls is such a cool idea! ❤️

[@blah914]

collecting books and reading books are different hobbies

[@bheartsbooks]

I don’t understand how anyone can compare books to fast fashion. Fast fashion is made to be consumed and discarded. After it’s discarded, where does it end up? In a landfill where it sits forever. When people buy a bunch of books, then get rid of them, where do they end up? In other peoples houses. Books are not made to be consumed and then discarded. Some probably end up in the trash, but most don’t, and if they do? They’re made of paper. Another concern with fast fashion, is where, and who is making the product. This is also where the comparison is irritating. To my knowledge, books are not printed by forced labor. That’s not to say that there are not problems. Why do all books get printed in the US as hardcovers first. Most consumers reading romance, thrillers, or literary fiction seem to want nothing to do with hardcovers. I work at a bookstore, and the majority of people buying books want the paperback, not the hardcover. So there’s things that publishers can do, as far as waste, but to compare books and fast fashion is absolutely ridiculous.

[@nova6339]

I have a hard time buying more than one book at a time. I don't think I could ever do hauls.