Ask Experts: Book lovers share all

Their love of reading is contagious, it feels like they have collectively read every book on the planet and combined they spill so much goodness while wheeling their Book Club Cart. And, today we have the treat of bringing both their passion for reading and their practical advice to some of our biggest questions. We are asking Ali and Emilee about all things reading related!

From connecting over books, to helping our kids enjoy reading, knowing when to keep and when to pass along a book, how to keep books organized and how to embrace the never ending TBR pile, Ali and Emilee share it all. As they put it best, "If we can help someone find their next favorite book, that’s a win in our book."

Kim, Home Connoisseur from @Reverie.and.Root & Founder of Spilling Goodness

Kim asked:

How do you decide what to read? My TBR pile gets so big, but I don't have a good way of sorting what to read next.

Ali and Emilee answered:

We wish we had a magic formula for this, but the truth is we’re both huge mood readers. No matter how organized we try to be, our moods almost always win.

Sometimes we’ll be convinced a thriller is next on the list, only to suddenly want a romance, historical fiction, or a lighthearted beach read. We’ve learned not to fight it too much because reading is supposed to be enjoyable.

One thing that has helped is paying attention to book accounts and reviewers whose tastes consistently align with ours. Having a trusted group of readers makes it easier to prioritize which books move to the top of the TBR pile.

We also try not to put too much pressure on ourselves. Not every book on the TBR needs to be read immediately, and some books sit there for years before their moment finally arrives. That’s okay!

If we’re truly stuck, we’ll usually choose based on one of three things: what’s available through Libby right now, what our friends are currently talking about, or simply what sounds the most exciting in the moment.

And honestly? We think every reader’s TBR pile is destined to be longer than the number of books they’ll ever have time to read. That’s just part of being a book lover! 

Jen, Bespoke Travel Planner from @GlobalOnDemandTravel

Jen asked:

I just cannot bring myself to throw away books. What do you do with used books? I have tried to take them to our library in the past, but they seemed overwhelmed. Maybe I should just switch to kindle? But I love having a house full of books.

Ali and Emilee answered:

This is such a great question because we completely understand both sides of it. There is something so comforting about a house full of books, but we also know how quickly those stacks can take over every available surface!

We’ve both tried donating books to libraries in the past, but many libraries are limited in what they can accept. We love sharing books with friends, donating to Little Free Libraries, and passing them along to other readers whenever we can.

We both have Kindles, and honestly, we love them—but neither of us has completely switched over. We primarily use our Kindles for Kindle Unlimited, Libby loans, and travel. There’s still something special about holding a physical book.

One thing we’ve both become more intentional about is not buying every book we want to read. Instead, we borrow from the library, use Libby, listen on Audible, or read digitally first. Then, if a book becomes a favorite or one we know we’ll recommend often, we’ll buy a physical copy for our shelves.

At the end of the day, we’re book lovers, but we’re not necessarily collectors of every book we read. We love keeping the stories that truly mean something to us and sharing the rest so they can find their next reader.

Rebecca, Woman's Leadership Coach from @PleasantlyAggressive

Rebecca asked:

How do you keep track of all the books you read? And, other than your social media, how do you share books with friends? Do you send them links? Do you send a review? Do you use Goodreads? I'm always recommending books to people and having books recommended to me, but I'm having trouble keeping track in one place!

Ali and Emilee answered:

If we’re being completely honest, we don’t think we’ve mastered this either! There are so many amazing recommendations coming at us from every direction that it can feel impossible to keep up.

Goodreads is definitely one of our main tools for tracking books we’ve read, books we want to read, and recommendations we’ve picked up along the way. It’s not perfect, but it’s probably the closest thing we have to a central hub.

One of us is also very low-tech and keeps a running note in her phone each year. Every January, a new list starts with books read and books recommended. Read books get a little emoji rating, and recommended books get added as they come up in conversation. At the end of the year, any unread titles simply roll over to the next year’s list. It’s simple, but it works!

We also use Libby holds as a sort of unofficial TBR system. If someone recommends a book and it sounds interesting, adding it to Libby is often the fastest way to make sure we don’t forget about it.

As for sharing recommendations, it’s usually much less formal than people might expect. Most of our recommendations happen during conversations with friends—at school pickup, sporting events, over coffee, or through a quick text message. And if we’re putting together a gift for someone, there’s a very good chance a book is finding its way into the bag.

Books are one of our favorite ways to connect with people, so recommending them has become part of everyday life.

Ashley, Millennial Mom Nutrition Coach from @AshleyBreaksTheCycle

Ashley asked:

Are there any books you don't like and if you are in the process of reading it and find you don't like it do you finish or let it go? How can you get your kids to read more when they absolutely hate it? Have you always loved reading? What are you hoping to do with your social media page? Love reading all your reviews!

Ali and Emilee answered:

First, thank you! We’re so grateful you’re here and that you enjoy our reviews. As for books we don’t like—absolutely! And one of the biggest reading lessons we’ve learned is that it’s okay to stop reading a book you’re not enjoying. Life is too short and there are too many incredible books waiting for us.

That doesn’t mean a book is bad. Sometimes it’s simply the wrong book for that season of life. We’ve both had books that we set aside, picked up months later, and ended up loving. But we’ve also had books that just weren’t for us, and that’s okay too. The beauty of reading is that there truly is something for everyone.

When it comes to kids and reading, we’ve seen a wide range of personalities in our own homes. Some of our kids naturally love reading, while others need a little more encouragement. One of the biggest game changers for us has been audiobooks. They help make stories accessible and enjoyable, especially for kids who don’t love sitting down with a physical book.

We’ve also learned that giving kids ownership over what they read makes a huge difference. Graphic novels, joke books, sports books, audiobooks—if it gets them excited about stories, we’re all for it. We both make regular library visits with our kids and love finding books that connect to movies or shows they already enjoy.

Ali: I have always enjoyed books, but I can’t say I always loved reading. As a child, I struggled with reading and often found it frustrating. Sounding out words and understanding the mechanics of reading didn’t come naturally to me, so reading felt more like work than enjoyment. That changed in middle school when I picked up my first thriller. I still remember the excitement of being completely pulled into a story and wanting to get back to it every day. It was the first time I realized reading could be fun.

I’ve definitely had seasons where I read less than others, but I’ve never stopped reading completely. Looking back, I’m so grateful I kept giving books a chance because they’ve become one of the greatest joys in my life.

Emilee: I have been a reader for as long as I can remember. Books have always been a constant in my life, and I was the kid who was constantly recommending my favorite reads to friends, cousins, and family members. Reading was never just a hobby—it was something I genuinely loved and wanted to share with others.

Now, one of my favorite parts of being a mom is revisiting the books I loved as a child with my own kids. Reading those stories together has reminded me just how much joy books have always brought me. There’s something special about experiencing those beloved classics through their eyes while rediscovering the magic that made me fall in love with reading in the first place.

As for our social media page, our biggest hope is simply to create a welcoming space where people can discover books, share recommendations, and connect with other readers. Some of our favorite conversations happen in the comments and messages. If we can help someone find their next favorite book, that’s a win in our book.

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Ask Experts: Book Lovers Share All