TBR
Also known as To be read · TBR pile · TBR list
TBR means “to be read”: the pile, list or shelf of books you’re planning to get to next.
TBR is probably the most used abbreviation in the reading world. It can mean the stack on your nightstand, the wishlist in your reading app, or the loose list in your head of books you keep meaning to start. Some people’s TBR has five books on it. Others have hundreds. Nobody expects you to finish it.
A big TBR gets unwieldy, so a lot of readers split it up. You’ll see seasonal TBRs for the next few months, monthly ones built around a readathon or book club, and lists of books already sitting on the shelf at home. Plenty of people also keep a reread list for old favourites.
Publishers pay attention to TBRs too. When lots of readers add a book before it comes out, that’s one of the few early signs of how well it’ll sell.
In BookBubble
BookBubble gives you a TBR shelf out of the box, along with Currently Reading, Finished and DNF. You can add your own collections on top.
TBR: common questions
What does TBR stand for?
To be read. It’s the list of books you plan to read next, whether that’s a physical pile, a spreadsheet or a shelf in an app.
How big should a TBR be?
Whatever size works for you. Some readers keep it to five so it feels doable. Others let it grow into the hundreds and browse it like a personal library.
What is TBR jail?
A joke name for a book that’s been sitting unread on your TBR for years. Some readers do a “TBR jailbreak” challenge to finally read the ones that have waited longest.