My name is Cathy. I am a 40-something mother of 7 year old twins who loves buying books.

I am addicted to buying books of all types; real proper books, second hand books, borrowed books, books for Kindle, books for iPad….
In 2013 I realised this madness could not continue, so I set myself a challenge. I counted all the unread books in my house and it came to 746.

It was frightening.

What was even more frightening is that I didn’t count the unread books that are packed away in boxes in the attic and have been since we moved house, 17 YEARS AGO. Nor did I count the books that belonged to my father that have been in storage for the last 4 YEARS. Plus, I didn’t factor in books of my husband’s that I’ve been meaning to read as well. But 746 books was what I had to hand, and 746 was where I started.

In the last year preceeding my challenge, I read 36 books. Continuing at this, let’s face it, not very inspiring rate, meant that it would take me 20.72 years to read everything I have in the house. I’ll be 63. Bloody hell.

So, I decided to stop. Since that day I haven’t bought myself any books. I do allow myself bookish gifts, publisher’s ARCs and the occasional library trip, but I have stopped buying and am reading and reviewing from my mountainous TBR pile!

I am also passionate about Irish Literature and host the annual Reading Ireland Month in March. Click on the Irish Literature section to see news and reviews about the exciting work coming from Ireland. Each month I focus on a writer from Northern Ireland and you can check those reviews out in my Northern Exposure series.

I work full time as the Arts Programmer at the Seamus Heaney HomePlace in Bellaghy where my compulsive reading is seen as a transferable skill! I review theatre for the Irish entertainment website No More Workhorse and have taken part in the Belfast Book Festival, Dalkey Book Festival and Jaipur Literature Festival in India.

You can follow my progress on Twitter @cathy746books or email me at cmac2708@yahoo.co.uk