Midnight Confession: Project 20 Books

I've been telling everyone I didn't make any New Year resolutions but I did. I didn't want to say it out loud because I knew I wasn't going to succeed in keeping it--telling everyone I didn't make any resolutions was better making one and then failing to follow through. BUT I've been thinking and I think that telling you all my secret resolution will keep me from breaking it so here it is...

I, Michelle, will NOT buy any books until April 1, 2010.

Yes, that is a very, very hard resolution to keep. What was I thinking when I made it? A moment of insanity? I don't kn... oh wait, I do and here is a little peek of it:

This is a small corner of my bookshelf and see all those books? I haven't read 70% of them. I don't have room for new books! Besides that, I can't afford new books but I kept buying a whole lot of them anyway last year! When 2010 hit, I decided to stop buying books (at least for a while!) until I've read at least most of what I own right now... and that's when I made that secret resolution.

The problem is I am a bookaholic and I had a huge book buying binge in the last month. Unfortunately, since I have a full time job (that doesn't pay nearly enough to support my book addiction) I haven't been reading all that much. I buy faster than I read--on average I read at least 4 books a month (sad face). But when I see all those pretty, shiny books in the store or on the computer screen my fingers start itching and before I know it I've walked over to (or clicked) the checkout line.

Since making my 2010 resolution though, I've been good. I haven't bought any books in 2010 and the only way I've been getting new books were through giveaways. But I am very much weakening. I almost clicked on the checkout button on Book Depository last night but Leslie stopped me in time (she's the only one I told my secret to and she's been acting like the resolution police). Without her, I would've broken my resolution again as I do every single year...

**Deep Dreath** This year, it's going to be different! I am not going to weaken and I'm going to make this a challenge for me and for YOU too if you're a bookaholic like me and want to push yourself into reading most of the books you already have on your bookshelves (AKA your TBR pile hill) or have made a resolution similar to mine. Here are my (and your) options:

Give yourself a date of when you're allowed to buy books again--it must be at least 2 weeks or it won't be a challenge. (Mine is going to be April 1, 2010)

OR

You must give yourself a number of books you're going to read before you can buy another book. (Mine is going to be 20 books--hence the name Project 20 Books up on the title)

I must do one or the other or no new pretty, shiny books for me.

The only way I (and you) can get new books are through giveaway wins, publisher/author review books or gifts from friends--but I cannot use my own money to buy myself books. The only time I am allowed to buy a book using my money is if I am going to give it to someone else as a gift--that's it and no other exceptions!

Do you think I can do it? Are you going to join me with this challenge so I won't be so lonely? Do you think YOU can do it?

If I get a lot of readers joining me, I'm going to find out how to make one of those Mr. Linky thingies and host this challenge so we can all share our experiences :)