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What to Read Next? Get Tips From Fellow Bookworms
For a bibliophile, there's nothing harder than deciding what to read next. Some of us have a system, while others follow their heart. So we asked our followers on Twitter and Facebook to share their tips and tricks and made a list of the most popular comments. Which ones resonate with you?
1. "Lately, I've been using the random sort feature on my Goodreads Want to Read list and letting that pick for me. So far, I'm having a lot of fun with it!" says Quailing.
2. "I always go with gut instinct at the end of a book. How do I feel? What emotions do I need to feed or balance? I used to make lists and try to stick with the lists, but I ended up not liking the books as much that way," says Cindy.
3. "I start reading three or so books and see which one I fancy reading most. Sometimes, I can't decide so end up reading multiple books at the same time," says Bill.
4. "I have a jar filled with the titles of all of my unread books. I give it a shake, pick out five, then pick out one from that five, and that's the book I'll read," says Zara.
5. "Oh, it's really easy. It's a three-step process: 1) I search my library for a book I really want to read. 2) I lay on the floor and cry as I realize three lives wouldn't be enough to finish them all. 3) I force myself to pick one wondering if I made the right choice," says Peppe.
6. "I try to follow this rule: One light read that keeps me turning the pages (thrillers, Grisham, Baldacci), and then a slower fiction that makes me ponder (Murakami, Kundera, etc.). I call this pattern 'one short-term' after 'one long-term' ride," says Eva.
7. "If it’s fiction, I read more works by that author. Or if it’s a one-off, I ease into the same genre or time period by a different author. I dislike jumping around. I get literary indigestion! But if I have to change gears it helps to read nonfiction in between—a good buffer," says Haworth.
8. "Actually, this decision is always the hardest for me. Sometimes, a book has such an impact that it takes some time for me to digest before I can start something new. And then, after a while, I am so annoyed that I can‘t decide what to read next that I simply take the next book that crosses my way," says Stephanie.
9. "I am reading myself through our library alphabetically. Right now, I'm at 'D' as in 'Douglas.' This makes me read all kinds of authors and genres that I would otherwise not know about or maybe not even choose. Pretty exciting," says Susanne.
10. "I stare at my bookshelves many times over many days until something grabs my attention. Sometimes, before a book I already own grabs me, I go to a bookstore and buy/start reading something new," says Lauren.
2. "I always go with gut instinct at the end of a book. How do I feel? What emotions do I need to feed or balance? I used to make lists and try to stick with the lists, but I ended up not liking the books as much that way," says Cindy.
3. "I start reading three or so books and see which one I fancy reading most. Sometimes, I can't decide so end up reading multiple books at the same time," says Bill.
4. "I have a jar filled with the titles of all of my unread books. I give it a shake, pick out five, then pick out one from that five, and that's the book I'll read," says Zara.
5. "Oh, it's really easy. It's a three-step process: 1) I search my library for a book I really want to read. 2) I lay on the floor and cry as I realize three lives wouldn't be enough to finish them all. 3) I force myself to pick one wondering if I made the right choice," says Peppe.
6. "I try to follow this rule: One light read that keeps me turning the pages (thrillers, Grisham, Baldacci), and then a slower fiction that makes me ponder (Murakami, Kundera, etc.). I call this pattern 'one short-term' after 'one long-term' ride," says Eva.
7. "If it’s fiction, I read more works by that author. Or if it’s a one-off, I ease into the same genre or time period by a different author. I dislike jumping around. I get literary indigestion! But if I have to change gears it helps to read nonfiction in between—a good buffer," says Haworth.
8. "Actually, this decision is always the hardest for me. Sometimes, a book has such an impact that it takes some time for me to digest before I can start something new. And then, after a while, I am so annoyed that I can‘t decide what to read next that I simply take the next book that crosses my way," says Stephanie.
9. "I am reading myself through our library alphabetically. Right now, I'm at 'D' as in 'Douglas.' This makes me read all kinds of authors and genres that I would otherwise not know about or maybe not even choose. Pretty exciting," says Susanne.
10. "I stare at my bookshelves many times over many days until something grabs my attention. Sometimes, before a book I already own grabs me, I go to a bookstore and buy/start reading something new," says Lauren.
How do you decide what to read next? Share your two cents in the comments!
Check out more recent blogs:
Catch Up with These Series Before the Next Book Comes Out
The Top 10 Most Popular Books About Books on Goodreads
Monogamous vs. Polygamous Reading: Which 'Type' Do You Prefer?
Check out more recent blogs:
Catch Up with These Series Before the Next Book Comes Out
The Top 10 Most Popular Books About Books on Goodreads
Monogamous vs. Polygamous Reading: Which 'Type' Do You Prefer?
Comments Showing 51-100 of 189 (189 new)
message 51:
by
David
(new)
Apr 20, 2018 09:57AM
A few years ago I did this reading challenge where I had to read a certain type of book; like a book set during Christmas, or a book by an author with the same initials as myself. So what I did for my challenge is made slips of paper with the title of each book, threw them all in a mug and picked at random. Usually I just cruise through my shelves and pick the one that jumps out at me most, but doing the random thing was quite fun and I've been thinking about doing it with all of my to-read books at home, only problem is that I don't think I have a big enough mug/jar to put all the paper slips in.... I have a pretty big library of books that I've read and haven't read at home. I thought about a spreadsheet or random number, but I'm not as keen on those ideas.... Happy reading everyone!
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I always read multiple books at once, I try to pick different types of books, fiction and non-fiction, that way if I'm not in the mood for one there are a few others waiting.
I have a shelf called "next" which contains what I have decided (after like in 5. realized I'd need 3-4 lives to read everything in "to-read") and sometimes pick up another one from elsewhere, like something that just popped up on twitter or recommended by a friend.Elaborate chaos is probably a good description :)
I read a number of books at once. When I finish one I may decide to finish another I've already started. Or I may pick up a new one I've checked out from the library or OverDrive or that I have on my shelf. I go by what I'm in the mood for and what I need for various GR challenges. I like to have different kinds of books going so I can match what I read to what I feel I want at that moment. I rarely agonize over my choice. When the books are free you can start one and put it down if you don't like it, no harm done.
Sometimes I do group reads with some of the groups I'm part of on Goodreads. This month I read The Secret History with one of my groups, which I probably would never have considered reading otherwise.
I make wishlists everywhere -- on my library's overdrive, on Goodreads, or just eyeing my bookshelf longingly -- and then peruse them endlessly thinking about which look the best at the moment and what I want to get into next. Once there's room in my life for another book I dive in and look at book descriptions until one really pops out at me, and read that! Could be the same author or genre but often I skip around. I also usually end up getting a new book that I had on hold and having to finish it in the middle of another book, or getting bored and picking something else up... reading life can be complicated!
Don't buy new books! Share them or go to the library and lend a book. Anyways, here are my tips: the subreddit "books" on Reddit and Buzzfeeds book suggestions. Also check out the normal book prizes/lists like Nobel, Pulitzer, etc.
I use Goodreads a lot to determine what I'll read next. I can't read a continuing series back to back, nor the same genre, even though I have my favorites. I must have a break in genre or style from book to book and I have designed my 100+ 'To Read' list in this manner. One non-fiction in between three fictions. When I first started reading I would look through my Librarian Recommendations table and read Time magazine's book lists. Now that I've established what I like, I am obsessed with my system and check my list everyday even though it doesn't change much, as I typically read 3 or 4 books at the same time so I don't get through them so quickly. Helps me savor the story.
I read Crime fiction and primarily Canadian authors although I do have a few favourite US authors. I like series and as a rule try to read them in order but I will skip books to read the latest releases by favourite authors. I have nothing against standalones either and I don't mind debuts if I can get them as freebies or loaners and I don't mind first in new series by authors I've read. My preference for a next read is to try to read a light, fluffy mystery, preferably with humour, after finishing a serious, dark, gritty and violent book and, of course, a serious one after a funny one and again this rule could be broken by new releases.
Actually, in Iran, we don't have plenty options for choosing. I go to Englab street and pick up a book among 10 or 20 books from a vendor.
Shhhhh wrote: "There's actually a book about this called "How to Choose a Book""For the How To Choose A Book, is the author Shane M. Ayers?
I like to go to charity shops and see which books takes my fancy. You can find a nice variety of books in a small space, and the added bonus is they are cheap to buy.
Thanks for the random sort idea, that's kinda fun.
Before I signed on Goodreads, I read few authors, about the same genres.Now, I choose my books in several ways. Usually I give a look on my bookshelf or Kindle for an inspiration. Sometimes I look for the groups where I am registered if there are books that month I like. Also, If the last book is part of a series, is natural continue to the end and if I find an author I like, I read more books I can.
Reviews and discussions are another good source of inspiration. :)
I have a list... it currently has over 3000 books on it. I try to read two or three series books and a third book that just looked interesting at any given time. I'm working my way through my list (I am at 24.7% completion). Goodreads helps recommend books I'd like to read, as does my local library. Sometimes just walking through the library I'm drawn to books I haven't seen before. All of this just adds to my list. Come to think of it, I read about 100 books a year and I've been at about 24% on my list for three or four years! It's an addiction.
I try to keep my TBR shelf under 15 books I usually manage to choose from those. If that fails I use my KU subscription & try a new to me author.
I choose books on discount whether they be audio, physical, or digital. I also go to book fairs and libraries. I have found that cost is a major factor in what I read. If I can get a book inexpensively, then I do not worry about finances. Then I can settle down and enjoy a book.
The best thing to do is to make a poll with 30 books on it and a description 100 words long, then spam all your friends with it, forcing them to scroll down the notifications tab xinfinity to try and read all of that. /sarcasm
I have a "too read" list on GR that I keep sorted by the rating score and try to read, or listen to the audio book in rating order. I also am in a book group, so if there is a monthly book selection that I need to read, that is the next book. I also have 2 shelves of actual books at home that are on my GR"to read" list. I use a random number generator to randomly select which book to read next. I always have an audio book and a book I am reading from at least 2 of these sources. My "to read" list is made up of books I see reviewed positively by the people I follow on GR, recommendations by friends I trust, books my husband buys and thinks I will like after he finishes, and sometimes books from "best books" lists.
I love going to book stores and see which books are the top 10 I just love reading books
I usually load my up all 3000+ books on my "Want to Read" shelf, turn on sorting, so I can see the place number of each book, and use a random number generator online to pick one for me. It's lots of fun.
Rohini wrote: "I usually enter the bookstore and walk through all the aisles smelling the books, touching them, feeling them. I take them, see the cover, read the back-cover, then think, "Okay, I'll come back to ..."I agree with you Rohini
I didn't know about the randomization feature. That could be pretty useful.Usually if there's a book I haven't read in a series that I collect, I'll prioritize that. I also like to do things in chronological order, even if a series has standalone books.
Right now I am pushing through all the unread books I own so I can resale the ones I don't want. I started the year with more than 50 in this list. Some I am excited about and others I dread. When those run out, I've made a list on my library account in order of when I added books on my want-to-read list, and I will check those out in that order.
Deciding what to read next is both scary and thrilling. A "sure" feeling has to hit me before I decide on a book.
I usually read at least two books at the same time, either one fiction and one non-fiction or one fantasy and one of the classics. That way I always have something lighter and something heavier to read. If I start getting urges to read more, I try to see which one I feel most like continuing to read after having started to read a lot of them.Getting in a book club here on Goodreads also helped. I like the group because it's not about reading a certain book every month or so and discussing it, it's really about reading books for your list.
You've got a trimestral challenge, with about 15 themes forbooks to read every three months. Themes can be very varied, like "A book with/about magic", a "A book by an author of a certain nationality", "A book with a cover that reminds you of spring (for Spring challenges)", "A book by an author whose name starts with the first letter of your name..." etc. Since one can chose whatever book one wants to fill the theme however one likes, one has the freedom to adapt their to-read list to the theme. It's about going through you pile of books and finding the ones that fit. Just don't get obsessed about finishing each challenge perfectly, I never did. Use it more as a guideline to help you through your reading list! ;)
I've stressed a lot less about which books I should choose since I've got into it.
I usually either go into a bookstore and just look around for something that jumps out at me, or ask a friend for a recommendation, seeing as several of my friends read just as many books as I do!
Whenever I'm in a bookstore (a rare thing nowadays because of my kindle), I cut through to the back magazine section for the monthly must-haves: Foreword Reviews, Bookmarks, NYT Book Reviews, etc. Then I slowly walk to the front of the store to the best-seller tables and racks. Finally, I just walk around, soaking in the atmosphere until I am finally drawn to a book. Like any addict, I love the thrill, the fright, and the fix.For my kindle, it's the same. What should I read next from that pile of unopened digital treasure that I bought 2 years ago... The book has to grab me. I love my kindle.
I have an entire box of books that I want to read but right now I'm completely obsessed with this cozy mystery series I can't read anything else!! I'd recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries. But when picking a new book....I tend to go through and pick a top 3 and then pick from that so it's a little easier. I have a "To Read List" of 8600 + and about 800 authors so if anyone wants a recommendation HIT ME UP!!!
Hutch wrote: "Rohini wrote: "I usually enter the bookstore and walk through all the aisles smelling the books, touching them, feeling them. I take them, see the cover, read the back-cover, then think, "Okay, I'l..."I work at my local Barnes and Noble so I get to do that every day and I love it!!
Sidney i'm interested in both your cozy mystery and in recommendation(s) you've got, I read anything and everything i can get my hands on, regardless of possible genre it may be classified as.
Kiandra wrote: "Sidney i'm interested in both your cozy mystery and in recommendation(s) you've got, I read anything and everything i can get my hands on, regardless of possible genre it may be classified as."Ok the mystery series I'm reading is by Lorna Barrett (look up the whole thing on Goodreads of course) I'm on book 9 just started it. She has written under "alter egos" too which just means more books
And as for recommendations lets see.....I just recently read this book called Orbiting Jupiter by Gary Schmidt....it was awesome it's considered a YA novel but I couldn't put it down!!!
i put all my physical books in order from least pages to most pages, and have been reading them that way, based on which ones have readily-available freebie audiobook versions (cds or e-links from library).. if it doesn't have a freebie audiobook, it goes back on the shelf for later, still in page count order... my amazon books are... insane, so many freebies from bookbub, and few have audiobooks. and i straight-up can't trust reviews here.. so many gushers, over books and authors i have hated or agonized over getting through.... so first i look for the negative reviews on a book, because i'm likely to be in that camp.. i haven't DNF'd a book yet, but have come very close. negative star ratings would be very helpful.
Figured out I can't read on Goodreads. Also am trying not to buy anymore books until I'm well caught up or near as I can get. If/when I'm able to get to a library or happen upon them, I'll certainly check them out. Thank you so much Sydney, catch you all later!
Topher wrote: "i put all my physical books in order from least pages to most pages, and have been reading them that way, based on which ones have readily-available freebie audiobook versions (cds or e-links from ..."What's DNF'd mean?
Kiandra wrote: "Topher wrote: "i put all my physical books in order from least pages to most pages, and have been reading them that way, based on which ones have readily-available freebie audiobook versions (cds o..."Did Not Finish...
Amanda wrote: "I love the idea of reading alphabetically through authors. Also love the random sort feature, didn't know that was a thing until now!"I looked and how do you sort random? I cant see that option.
Heather wrote: "Amanda wrote: "I love the idea of reading alphabetically through authors. Also love the random sort feature, didn't know that was a thing until now!"I looked and how do you sort random? I cant se..."
This took me AGES but if you go to the shelf and click the thing with the drop down menu it's in there.
Edit: if you're in a computer look at the bottom of the screen (don't scroll just look)
Omgosh! I didn't know it was there, this is nice. Thank you. :-)
Sydney wrote: "Hutch wrote: "Rohini wrote: "I usually enter the bookstore and walk through all the aisles smelling the books, touching them, feeling them. I take them, see the cover, read the back-cover, then thi..."Woah! That's just...wow! Living the dream!
I'm the kinda person who reads multible books at once. But they're usually different genres, so that way I can still keep up with them all. I'm a really slow reader tho, at about 170 wpm it takes me a long time to finish a book. But I still love browsing for my next book while still reading the first. I like to look through pinterest and my GR bookshelves to see what cathces my eye first, and then I read about two or three books to figure out which one I want to read :)
Rohini wrote: "I usually enter the bookstore and walk through all the aisles smelling the books, touching them, feeling them. I take them, see the cover, read the back-cover, then think, "Okay, I'll come back to ..."Sorry to hear that Rohini! I suffer from the same habits; I definitely take my time in bookstores, and the like. (It just means we are super passionate about what we read. ;)
I have to say, I like Zara's approach! (#4, on this list.) Unfortunately, I don't know that I'm disciplined enough to follow the guidelines there, but I'll have to try that sometime. I have hundreds of books on my Want to Read shelf, but I tend to add all kinds of titles at random. I haven't added new titles in a while but every so often I'll add anywhere from five to 20 new titles at once! It's really a problem, especially since I don't read according to any kind of pattern or schedule.
Only thing I'll usually do is loosely plan my next read. For example, I'm about to finish a re-read of the HP series and (once I digest it and grieve for the characters appropriately,) I plan to read the Handmaid's Tale, if I can. Then I'll probably kick off the start of summer with something by Ian McEwan, since I've wanted to read "Atonement" for years, and I've heard great things about his other works. (Not necessarily 'warm summer reading' but I don't care. With so many books in the world, it's impossible to read seasonally! :)
Kristin wrote: "Rohini wrote: "I usually enter the bookstore and walk through all the aisles smelling the books, touching them, feeling them. I take them, see the cover, read the back-cover, then think, "Okay, I'l..."Kristin, that sounds lovely! I completely agree with you about those customers who allegedly (because they will rarely admit to it, I've witnessed it happen!) leave a stack of books unorganized and unattended. What a pain for the store staff; but also, whenever I see that, my inner monologue turns into that stereotypical brash NYC corner store owner. "Hey, whaddaya think this is, a free library??"
Sample it, and buy it, sample it, and put it back, but please, please don't sample it and just leave it abandoned! That really irks me. (No, I'm not a bookseller, and I'm not actually from NY, but I am in retail; and it's amazing what people abandon right in the checkout line.)
People think I'm completely bonkers in my reading habits, but I generally have 5-6 books going at any given time. I've always got a book-book (my term for a physical book, don't judge... I read mostly ebooks) that either my dad or I won here on Goodreads, a book on my phone, two on my Kobo, and two on my tablet (one in Epub format and one pdf). But I rarely have two of the same genre going at the same time, just so plot-lines don't cross so I don't confuse my brain (don't cross the streams, don't ya know).My phone is for fluff books that I can read in fits and spurts while waiting for the bus, and usually romance novels. My tablet is for non-fiction stuff, like bios and textbook type things where I want to learn something. My Kobo is for everything else, and travels with me too (I never leave home without my phone and my Kobo... Book-books never leave the house). Because I'll read just about anything with words, this means picking my next book is rough sometimes lol.
But my aim for 2018 was to read a wider variety of books, since about 70% of what I read last year was romance. So I'm keeping track of the books I've read by genres and whichever has the fewest number is where I pick from next. And I've also got checklists of complete series I want to get through, so I follow those (you know, those monster series like Terry Pratchett's Discworld, or J.D. Robb's In Death, or Sue Grafton's Alphabet series, etc.)
So pretty much the equivalent of throwing a dart at a map to see where you vacation next. Highly scientific stuff. 🙂
Lorrie wrote: "People think I'm completely bonkers in my reading habits, but I generally have 5-6 books going at any given time. I've always got a book-book (my term for a physical book, don't judge... I read mos..."I agree with your comment "I'll read just about anything with words,"! No truer words were ever spoken.
I chose a yearly challenge to do and picked out my books. Then I created a poll and let the people of goodreads vote to determine the order I read them in :)
After rereading those 10 above I have decided that there is no way I could just blindly pick from a jar or go in any order. I am positively a mood reader. I usually grab 5 or 6 totally different books and read the back and sometimes it takes me a day or two. When I know there is a book I have to read, I usually can't get into it right away if it is one that wasn't what I was craving. I do have a pile next to my bed that I want to get to soon but it is a large pile with a variety of different books, and once in a while I go and grab something totally different and just go with it. After all, we are supposed to enjoy the experience, right?
Right now for me, I need to finish the books I started & put down because of my stupid dumb reading slump. After that I plan to read The Outlander series to see what the hype is about. After that I'll just wing it.
I always look for stuff that can help me in my personal growth. Luckily, I have been able to read some good books in the recent time...
