Have so many books that you can't decide which to read next?

[Jana]

I have a problem often where I simply don't know which book to read next because I have too many to choose from. Sometimes I want to start a book and then decide not to because I'm not ready to commit. It's almost like Elaine on Seinfeld with her sponge contraceptives - is this book sponge worthy? Do I want to take the time to read THIS book when I could be reading THAT book?! Agghghgh!

[sonya]

I switch between books on a daily basis. I have 23 books in progress because i get bored.

[sonya]

but I never stop reading; that would be a sin in my book. lol

[Mark]

I have plenty of books that I haven't started and almost as many that I have... I own most of them and can never quite decide which one to finish let alone which one to start although I often do the latter first.

[Ellen]

I finished off 3 books today & I feel hungover & at the same time I'm trying to settle on another book (preferably one already started to finish not yet another one to begin) & I can't focus.
You'd think having read several hundred pages today I could let my mind rest a little before even trying to decide.
Sometimes I think I take the say, So many books, so little time (or is it, so many books, too little time? whatever) way too hard.

[Patricia]

I'm so glad to hear other people feel this way! I have about 350 books on my Kindle, and half the time when I'm reading one, I'm wondering if there's another one that's better. There are a lot of books I would love to re-read, but when I try to re-read a book I keep thinking I should be reading something new.

[Jana]

Patricia wrote: "I'm so glad to hear other people feel this way! I have about 350 books on my Kindle, and half the time when I'm reading one, I'm wondering if there's another one that's better. There are a lot of..."
Oh I feel the same way about rereading favorites. I feel guilty because I could be missing out on a new favorite!

[Nixxie]

half of my book case is filled with unread books. i don't know which one to read next, in the end i buy new books to read and stock. haha

[Andrea]

My reading list is so long that I don't think I'll ever run out of options as to finding which to book to begin next...haha

[Andrea]

Sonya wrote: "I switch between books on a daily basis. I have 23 books in progress because i get bored."

I'm do the exact same thing!

[Hannah]

I will never, ever read all of my owned books. I love a bargain and buy them quicker than I can read them. I always debate over which book to read next. I usually narrow it down to about five and then spend the evening reading the first chapter of each of them to see what I'm in the mood for.

[Michelle]

I have a lot of books to choose from too, so I'm always debating with myself on which book to read next. I started signing up for reading challenges so that I'd have some guidance on which book to go to next. But, I still bounce all over the place. I was thinking of using a smaller bookshelf that I have for the books that I've owned the longest and haven't read. Then only allow myself to choose books from that shelf for a while.

[Shirley]

I used to be blocked by which book next.
I find challenges helped get me reading instead of deciding. Challenges help reduce the decision to maybe 5 or 6 books that fit a category. Looking at the choices of other participants helps too. It gives you variety to fit your mood and keeps you reading. The discussions keep you involved in the book while you are reading it. Hope this helps you, as it did me.

[McKenzie]

At this point, yes. I have over sixty I have yet to read and sometimes I cannot decide which series to start next.
I tend to switch between two genres - paranormal romance and horror. So I choose my next book based on what I am in the mood for. Then I go through my stacks of books and see which sounds the most intriguing at the time.

[Becomingme]

I'm another who has a lot to choose from...so I know that library books helps me read them faster (as I have only a limited period in which to peruse them). I also want to keep up with some of the books given away here (and in LibraryThing). So those are next(and I really want to read and give my honest opinions about their works)...
But when I run out, it is such an agonising choice of which to start out with...

[ஐ Katya (Book Queen)ஐ]

If you havn't tried joining groups here on GRs that have monthly, quarterly or yearly challenges, you should give it a try. If you are unsure what to read next, it's fun to see what books you already have on your shelves that fit the categories to help you decide what to read next. And, of course, you can always change your mind. lol Picking out the books to fit a challenge is half hte fun. :)

[Ellen]

Sonya wrote: "I switch between books on a daily basis. I have 23 books in progress because i get bored."

Only 1 of many reasons I love you, Sonya! Someone like me, hehehehe.

[Beth]

I used to spend hours sitting in front of my bookcases trying to decide what to read next! Then my boyfriend and I came up with a great way to pick out a book quicker. . .I have all of my books alphabetized by the authors; first, I look through the A's and pick out a book. Once I've read that one, I move on to the B's and pick out a book from those. It's much easier to pick out a book from maybe a group of 6 or 7 as opposed to standing in front of 400 books and getting totally overwhelmed!

[Suzanne]

Hannah wrote: "I will never, ever read all of my owned books. I love a bargain and buy them quicker than I can read them. I always debate over which book to read next. I usually narrow it down to about five and t..."

I completely agree, I've worked in bookstores and libraries since I was 16 years old and if I read a book a day I wouldn't be able to read them all in a year or 5 for that matter... It's sickening but I love it!

[Suzanne]

I started out just reading the most recent purchases first and I would put these books on my night stand. After a year, I have 5 piles of books on there and I have to go through the top of the lampshade inorder to turn my light on and off. So this system is not working.

I've tried to keep all of my books in alphabetical order by author (regardless of genre) so maybe I'll just start with the A's and just keep going until I get tired of this system too... First book would be A History of Celibacy by Elizabeth Abbott

[Suzanne]

On my Ipod, my audiobooks are listed in alpha by first name, so that's a bit more interesting. Right now I'm listening to The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley.

[Peter]

Last year I made a committment to myself that I would read every unread book on my bookshelf before I purchased a new book. I just completed this goal and now feel overwhelemed and scared that I don't have enough to read. I'm a mess.

[Reese]

I have a library in my house. Literally. On top of that, I check out books at my public library too. I dare say I will never read every book I own. Plus, I usually have so many I want/need to read, I really can't decide which one to go with first. So, if I get a new book, sometimes I just go on to that one. Or sometimes, I will read two at once.

[Louise]

Wow Peter, I'd be stressed out if I didn't have any unread books! (As if that's ever going to happen...:-)

[Ellen]

I can't imagine having unread books. My problem is sometimes I can't figure out which one to read (sort of the "I have nothing to wear" syndrome)

[Willi]

Goodreads gives me the opportunity to organize my to- read books.I put them in order of what I want to read and when.I buy the first 25 at a time and when I get near the end of that, I will buy more.Right now, I have 180 to-read books and have read 135.My to-read goes up often as I get new friends and new ideas.

[Ellen]

Sounds organized. My plan is like that but I hardly ever stick to it. I've got a "next up to read" list, followed by "tbr-hopefully soon" and then a general "to read" list. All preceded by an "interested in" list.
Also, aside from my general "to read" list, I have some specific to-read lists: to-read-mystery, for example. I have about 5 of those, I think.

And even with all of this, my general "to read" list is over 800 books again. :(

[Kirby]

Nixxie wrote: "half of my book case is filled with unread books. i don't know which one to read next, in the end i buy new books to read and stock. haha"

@Nixxie - Me too! Every time I say "No new books until you read what you have," I break the rule and walk out of the bookstore with a big bag full of new friends to add to 'the collection.'

[Ellen]

Actually, I realize this is exactly what I do. Too much to read? Start fresh & buy something new (or 2 or 3 things).

[Traci]

I have this problem right now. I have lots of books on my Kindle just waiting to be read, so after I finished one book, I just randomly selected another book and began to read it. I'm trying to get through reading some of them before it's time to read my next book club selection.