How do you choose what to read next?

[L.Y.]

Do you close your eyes and point at a random title, or are you more logical about it?

[Gianluca]

I definitely don't choose at random. I don't have a lot of free time, so I don't like risking disappointment like that. I at least want to know what the book is about before I actually read it. Goodreads is very helpful when it comes to finding new books, and my To-read List has grown exponentially since I joined up.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma*]

Quasi-random. I have a list in my head of what I want to read and then I pick from that. Unless something jumps out at me...or a favorite writer drops a new book. Or... :-D

[Tara]

I usually pick my next book from my to-read list and sometimes join the group reads on goodreads or pick books from their bookshelves...

[Louise]

I'm usually behind with some challenge or other, or I have to read next month's book club book, so that narrows the field a little:-) but often there'll be a new book I'm really excited about, and start right away!
I have about 1000 unread books, 8 un-listened audiobooks and 27 unread ebooks, so there's always plenty to choose from:-)

[Sophie]

I had started a "to-read" list this past summer and only followed it for a little while (read: two months). The idea was to have a minimum of 10 books a month, all from a different category: favorite author, re-read, Urban Fantasy, first in a series, classic, etc.

The problem was that I just can't stop buying new books and my "book mood" changes pretty frequently. I might be in a coming-of-age-fantasy-mood or a snarky-hero-mood or a brain-candy mood (which has been often lately) at any given day.

The group reads have been pretty good at keeping me on track lately. I do tend to read later in the month, but I do try to get them done within the month.

[Weenie]

My next books to read are "loosely" tracked in Goodreads. I have a top 20 list and also a 'shortlist' (the latter feeds into the former). I try to vary the genres and include books that have been on my TBR list for a while and mix ebooks with old fashioned books.

The list gets disrupted however whenever I visit my local library and something catches my eye.

[James]

I have a "to-read" list here and well as a spreadsheet where I keep track of all the books I want to read and in what order as well as whether I'll read or listen to them. However, it is constantly growing and changing, so it's sometimes hard to decide on a new series.

[Valerie]

I take advantage of the Goodreads shelves. When I'm ready for the next book, I just go to my "To Read" list and sort on average rating. The highest rated book, gets my next read. Of course, I am adding to this list all the time, so I never know what I'm reading next until I do the sort. Then again, there is always that "must read" that pops up and somehow manages to squeeze itself into the mix ;)

[K.]

There's a ton of books on my Nook, so unless I'm in the middle of a series that I love, I just scroll through and pick books at random. I read the first few pages and if it pulls me, I go with it. I have a lot of "reading moods", so sometimes I will read the first pages of the same book several times before I really feel it.

[Nyssa, Don't make me get the ruler!]

Last year, there were specific series that I wanted to read; this year I'm hoping to be more involved with the book clubs of which I'm a member, like this one.

The challenge is trying to prioritize. There are 7 or 8 books-of-the-month selections from which to choose, and I can not, realistically, read all of them.

[Jalilah]

Often when I am reading one type of book and really like it, I want to keep on reading something similar. So if that book is part of a series, I like to keep reading the same series or at least the same author. If it is a standalone, then I often use the suggestions of Goodreads. Lately I have been choosing books by the discussions on GR groups I am in. Because my reading tastes differ from my family and many of my real life friends, the goodreads discussions are a fun opportunity to be able talk about the books I am reading

[Olga]

I follow my 'book-mood'. Sometimes I'm in the mood for light romance or something funny or an adventure. There is always something on my TBR to fit my current craving or an old favorite on my physical shelves. I also read what I get from the library. Those aren't up to me. I order most of my books, and when my turn comes, I have to read them quickly, before the due date, no matter if they match my mood or not.

[R.M.F.]

Impulse buying is the way forward for me and I'll tell you why. Months ago I read that the average person gets through 3900 books in their life, so I thought I'd better fill it with quality. So I picked up a tale of two cities. What a let down.

[Louise]

3900 that's quite a lot - considering that a lot of people don't read that much. Hmm wonder what age we'll be when we reach that number? :-)

[R.M.F.]

Louise wrote: "3900 that's quite a lot - considering that a lot of people don't read that much. Hmm wonder what age we'll be when we reach that number? :-)"

It's based on a person living an average of 76 years, and who reads at least one book a week.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

I tried to read 'Tale of Two Cities' several times. Never got past the first chapter.

***

As for how I pick books, I usually start the month with any group reads I plan on reading. Then any library books I have out. And when I'm done them I pick from my small shelf of owned-to-read books, based on what mood I'm in - and, in the meantime, put some books on hold at the library for the following month.

Rinse. Wash. Repeat.

[Sharon]

Unless I read a really good 'first book' of a series and have to go on with that series, it's pretty much a matter of mood for me.

I usually have 20-some books or more on my Kindle from the free downloads and skim through those until I find one that can hook me enough to go on with.

If I hit a "nothing appeals" I go back to my own personal books for one or more of the favorite re-reads there until I'm ready for more of the Kindle trial runs. (And used to do the same with a stack of library books as well, so it's not entirely the quality of the free downloads ... just my preferences.)

[Terry]

Usually it's cover first or a recommendation from a group or from friends.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma*]

I used to be able to do lists.

Now I'm totally moody about it all.

[Tammy]

Interesting how much thought people put into this, makes me sort of embarrassed for just deciding these things spontaneously °m° If I come across (usually more or less by chance)/recall something interesting and am in the mood to read it (and have the time/means to do so), I do. Not much planning or list-making involved... or any at all, really :S

[Sophie]

Note however that, in the end, most of us do end up choosing spontaneously, no matter how much planning is done ahead. =]

It's kind is a weird slightly nerve wracking thing to decide what you're going to read next. At least, for me it is.

[Melissa]

Ok, confession of a bibliophile. I know this is probably strange weird psycho, but.....One of my very favorite things is standing in front of my to-read bookshelf bookshelves to pick out my next book or series. I feel like a little kid who's just been taken to Toy R Us and told they can have any toy they want. I read the titles, look at authors names, touch them, sometimes can't resist picking some of them up to look at the front cover or read the back. I think about if I want a smaller book or a 600+ pager; a single book or a series; new author or old favorite. I can spend 15-20 minutes easy just thinking about it. I might even walk away without making a decision, so that I can come back in a little while and do it all over again. And then when I am at the point where I'm starting to think 'this is ridiculous, just pick a book dammit!', I do. And it's a good feeling to have chosen, but also a sad feeling for all those other books that didn't get picked. But then a happy thought enters my brain....that I'll get to do it again next time and one of those unlucky other books will get picked. (Told you it was psycho!! lol)

[carol. , Senor Crabbypants]

^Adorable.

I get a thrill looking at my books which is strangely similar to Scrooge McDuck fondling his gold.

[☼Marian☼]

I pick my next read based on my mood or frame of mind. Usually I don't read 2 or 3 consecutive books on the same genre or theme, except in series. For erotica or themes with BDSM, it'll take me a month before I can read another erotica.
I like jumping from one genre to another. No particular pattern. From memoir then horror to contemporary...etc..

[R.M.F.]

I'm sure other people feel the same, but because I've read so many book (same goes for TV series) nothing feels 'new' anymore, and at times, It can be hard to find a good read.

[Sharon]

R.M.F wrote: "Louise wrote: "3900 that's quite a lot - considering that a lot of people don't read that much. Hmm wonder what age we'll be when we reach that number? :-)"

It's based on a person living an average of 76 years, and who reads at least one book a week. ..."

I'm sure there have been times in my life where I have not read at least one book a week, but for years, especially during Montana winters ... and now Kentucky summers, I probably average a book a day ... although that is including re-reads of my favorites as well.

[L.Y.]

Wow. I wish I was as organized about it as some of you. I usually just decide what kind of book I want, and then decide what book of that type isn't going to bore me, lol.

[Kit★]

I just look through my TBR cupboards/drawers/box and pick whatever calls to me at the moment unless I've planned to read a specific one for a group read or buddy read .

[Gourav]

I think it's totally random for me. But I'm almost just starting out in this world, I haven't read many books and so I pick just from the most popular ones in the sci-fi or fantasy genres.

[Steve]

It's changed a lot since I got a nook. Before, I would agonize over every book I picked up. Did it have good reviews online? Was it on some best-of list? Did a friend recommend it?

Nowadays, I take a more active stance. If I'm going through threads on Goodreads or anywhere else online and see a book come up, I check it out and maybe download the sample. Whenever I finish the book, I read through my list of samples until I find one I want to continue, and that's my next read.

The exception is if some author I care about just released something new.

[Carl]

Since I've had a chance to get to know some fellow writers, I've been trying to support them by reading their books. Next up for me is Bottled Abyss by Benjamin Kane Ethridge.

[Bryan]

I keep a list, but it's of books I want to purchase. I have about 100 books in my to-read pile right now, and unfortunately - or maybe fortunately - my reading can't keep up with my buying. When I finish a book I choose somewhat randomly from my shelves - however, I generally don't read books from the same series one after another. I like to mix it up.

How I buy my books is based on reading recommendations from some of my favourite authors. If I really dig an authors style, I'll visit their blog/webpage/wiki entry to see what they like. I've been doing this for a few years now, and have about a 95% success rate with this approach.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma*]

I only keep a purchase list, too. :-)

I don't take very many recs anymore. I have too many books and my taste is very personal.

I think I need to do a decimation challenge again...

[Sharon]

I do have my 'auto buy' authors ... authors that have proven to write books that I like well enough to keep and re-read and these are automatic purchases as they have another book published. As a new book comes out by one of these, this takes precedence over anything else I have in my TBR stack.

Otherwise, I download to my Kindle from a couple of different 'freebie' lists plus check out books by new-to-me authors from the library. I usually have at least 5 or 6 waiting ... sometimes as many as 80 or more depending on how much time I've had to read. If I'm busy with other projects the TBR stack gets higher.

[David]

I guess I have a rather complex method. It was only recently I got an e-reader, so my method still involves the physical books. I'm a book collector and a Good Will shopper, so I probably have about 10 large to read shelves. There's one that has books I think I want to read soon, but half the time that isn't where I start. I pull off 8 books that seem like they might grab me. I'll read the first couple pages of each until one grabs me and I end up reading 10 pages without trying too hard. Sometimes none of the 8 grab me and I have to go back for another 8. Most of the time one of the 8 works

[jaw]

I guess my method is go with your gut. I've got three lists: To Read, Contemplating and Read, If Desperate. Then when it's time for me to choose a new book, I go with my gut on whether I want to read an author that I like (To Read) or an author that I think I might like (Contemplating) and if I have nothing in those lists then I go to my list of books that I started and couldn't finish or books that have been on my other lists for years and they never piqued my interest (Read, If Desperate). I've switched from physical books to e-books (the last 2 years) but my "gut" selection method is the same method I've employed since I was in sixth grade which was when I stopped picking books out of the Scholastic Book Club that was sent around during grade school. I read the titles and wait for one to stick out, then I look at the cover, if it's cool, or not atrocious, then I read the "back cover" blurb. Then my "gut" says, read it or don't read it.

[carol. , Senor Crabbypants]

Ha, love the 'desperate' category.

[L.Y.]

If desperate. xD That's awesome.

[H.]

I work at a library, so I'm constantly bombarded by books both new and old. My method, I guess, is to vaguely pay attention to what I've been handling and if I've found that something piques my interest enough to read the back-cover more than once or twice, that it's something I should probably just read. Right now I have a stack of six library books next to me, and a stack of four purchased books on the other side, and I pull from them according to what I feel like reading when I finish the previous book. Good thing I can keep renewing the library books until someone else requests them, because sometimes I don't feel like getting to a certain book for a while...

I also read by coworker recommendation, which has worked out pretty well. The library life is nice like that.

[jaw]

Hehe. I thought 'Read, If Desperate' was rather humorous, too. It even happens to be true for me in some instances. :D

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma*]

I like to go sit in my library and just stare at books sometimes. Quite often - but not always - a book will yell at me to read it. :-)

That's when I'm in a good mood, of course.

[L.Y.]

H. wrote: "I work at a library, so I'm constantly bombarded by books both new and old. My method, I guess, is to vaguely pay attention to what I've been handling and if I've found that something piques my in..."

I think it would be amazing to work in a library.

MrsJoseph - What happens if you're in a bad mood? (I just had a funny mental picture of books throwing themselves at your head - I had to ask! xD)

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma*]

L.Y. wrote: "MrsJoseph - What happens if you're in a bad mood? (I just had a funny mental picture of books throwing themselves at your head - I had to ask! xD) "


Then I'm all...

[Sophie]

I do love the things that come from your image hoard =]

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma*]

:)

[L.Y.]

MrsJoseph wrote: "L.Y. wrote: "MrsJoseph - What happens if you're in a bad mood? (I just had a funny mental picture of books throwing themselves at your head - I had to ask! xD) "


Then I'm all...


"

Love that picture! xD

[Heidi]

sitting here trying to answer that question…how to choose what I'm going to read next! The past two books have been BOTMs, I think I'm going to go scavenging for the next one:)

[Mimmi]

Well, that is a hard question with to parts for an answer.

On my freetime reading, I read whatever I'm in a mood for, dosn't matter if I've read it before or if it's new. Anything can spurr me into a feeling of chosing a book, if I watch a movie, and somehow get the feeling to read a specific book because of a scene in the movie made me think of that specific book, that is the next book I'm picking up. Also reading a specifik genre at the time makes me wanna read more of that specific genre. Ergo, if I read about dragons, I might wanna continue that and read more about dragons.

The second part of that answer gotta do with my work as a Librarian. Sitting everyday surrounded på books is SO AWESOME! But at the same time, very bad for my bookshelfs. Some nice old lady comes in, saying to read the book she just returned because it was so good, I might put it on my "to read for work" pile. I also pick up books that my fellow librarians say is good to know about. These books I usually get to read on some break (lunch is a good break) or sometimes at the info-desk if it's a REAAAAAAALLY slow day. I usually then take the first book in the pile (I've several piles distributed around in the Library, the info-desk, the break-room, etc etc, for easy access when a break or a dull moment comes by, which means at a specific moment I could be reading at least 4-5 books).

[carol. , Senor Crabbypants]

Emelie wrote: "Well, that is a hard question with to parts for an answer.

On my freetime reading, I read whatever I'm in a mood for, dosn't matter if I've read it before or if it's new. Anything can spurr me in..."

I would think working as a librarian would create problem hoarder tendencies for me. You know, the latest release would come in and I'd be saying, "no, we can't make this available to the public until I read it." Then there'd be some books that would mysteriously never make circulation. Temptation!