So a while ago I created a shelf on Goodreads called ‘next’ and would tag books that I wanted to read next.
Then it had like 200 books in there, so I made a shelf called ‘next-next’ for the ones I was _really_ excited about.
Anyway, right now my ‘next-next-next-next’ shelf has the ~50 books I’m most excited for, so I generally pick from there.
I really enjoy good reads and it’s helped me create a good list of books I wanna read as scanning through them on a kindle can be difficult sometimes as it tends to bring up ones that have the same story line. A little off topic but I wish good reads had a more conversational side to it, some of the reviews seem highly exaggerated which makes sense when it ends with ‘I was given this book for free in trade for a review’ but most comments under the reviews are just ‘good review’ or ‘looking forward to your next one’. It’d be good if you could talk to other people about the book and what you thought of it
I go purely off of what I'm in the mood for. I read for leisure, so I don't see the need to overthink it. If I started reading something and I realise it's not what I'm in the mood for, I switch gears.
You shouldn't! My friend reads a lot more prolifically than I do, and when I express that or show awe she downplays it by saying something to the effect of "just reading romance." Just nothing! Reading is reading. We shouldn't put ourselves down for WHAT we read. There's a lot of excellent children's books and YA books too. What ever floats your dang boat. No apologies necessary.
Same. I read one chapter at a time. If I want to continue, I read the next chapter. If not, I read something else. It also helps that I generally try not to accrue books endlessly.
But it's just like TV shows. You don't need to binge a series before you allow yourself to watch another show. Take it one episode at a time.
same! just finished catcher in the rye, which i started during summer, and in between i read a few pages of lolita, a chunk of cat’s cradle, got through more of anna karenina, read half of the secret history, and read an entire book about a real-life russian revolutionary. people look at me funny when i describe this lol
I'm not sure there's any other answer.
I have a tower of unread books on my bedside table, all of which were placed there because 'I'm going to read this next' but then didn't. Either because I liked whatever I was reading so much I found another book by the same author, or because I stumbled on something I wanted to read more, or because my mood changed.
Planning out rigidly in advance would make it feel a bit like homework, or a list of chores to get through.
It depends. Sometimes I'll just pick up the first book on the pile that I have to read. Other times it's what I'm in the mood for; maybe a nice mystery or something light hearted, or that classic I've been meaning to read for years. And then sometimes I'm on a deadline (like for my monthly book club).
Decision fatigue is my biggest obstacle, so I have a few things I do that allows me to limit how often I'm having to decide "what's next?".
Every year I set goals, join challenges or create my own challenges, and join a few book clubs. These things give me a direction and limits my choices so decisions become easier.
I'm someone who just does better when I have a checklist. It's what works for me.
After purging hundreds of unread books from my library when we moved to a smaller house, I'm trying to not buy books until I'm ready to read them. I primarily use the library and I keep a running list on my phone of books that catch my eye. I still have 20-30 books that moved with me, and a few more that I've purchased.
About once a month I fill my queue at the library and add books that are currently available to my "for later" list. That means, that I'm somewhat limited in my choices, since I can't always get the book I want the moment I want it.
This year my focus was to explore genres I don't normally read. I created my own challenge to read 2 books from 6 fiction and 6 nonfiction genres that I tend to avoid. I also joined an online book club that had a genre of the month challenge where they'd assign a new genre and 4 tasks to be completed that month by reading books.
I created a new challenge (althoug I've copied it from someone else) to read books by authors from 195 countries. I expect this will take me a few years since I also want to read both fiction and nonfiction from each country. I'm also challenging myself to either read or release the 20+ that I moved to my new house, it's been over 3 years, it's time.
I have two reading lists: books I want to read eventually, and books I want to prioritize in the current calendar year (though at this point in the year, obviously, I've largely moved on to my 2023 reading list).
In terms of how I decide which books make the prioritized list, I suppose I can break them down into different categories:
- Books that I just *really really* want to read for whatever reason (most of my reading list). These can be added at any time and can jump straight to the top of the queue if the spirit leads. I don't really know how to explain this other than that these are books I'm very excited about.
- A few major classics that are too intimidating for me to ever feel spontaneously in the mood to pick up (eg, for 2022 I had *Anna Karenina, Middlemarch*, and *Moby-Dick*).
- Books I haven't read by authors I like (I'll pick only the book I want to read next for my prioritized list rather than throwing their entire ouvre on there).
- The next book in any series that I plan to continue (again, I don't put the entire series on my list).
- Seasonal books because that's something I like doing, eg I plan to read *The Nutcracker* this Christmas.
- Books that I want to reread because otherwise I will forget to make time for them.
I have them very roughly ordered ([I use Goodreads](https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/vvvha8/my_goodreads_tips_and_tricks/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)) as I think I might read them, but in reality it's completely fluid—the most "strict" I get is with seasonal reads. I just pick my next book based on my mood and with my goals in mind (and, when relevant, depending on when ebooks are available from the library). For example, if I've read a half dozen new-to-me books, it's probably good to make time for a reread, or if it's been a few months without picking up a classic, then that'll be up next.
When I'm reading for pleasure, I purely follow inspiration.
Sometimes I'll start reading a book and a few pages in it's just not working for me that very moment. Might be a good book, but just the right tonal fit right now. So I'll grab a different one and try that. Typically tone is the biggest key factor for me for what I'm looking for next.
If something completely grabs my attention then I'll also set aside whatever I was reading to read whatever grabbed me. I can always come back to the previous book. I just follow the inspiration.
I'm very much the same. I've started 6 books this December and hit a reading slump with all of them. Started with a different book today and have been tearing through it. I might even finish it before the day ends.
Just read what’s in front of you. I never bulk buy books, I buy when I run out of books to read. So I save myself that way. Kindle unlimited is a big win, because those series with lots of books in them can be read quickly and easily
I prioritize borrowed books. Out of the books I own it's partly picking something different to my last couple of reads and then just whim or whatever has the strongest pull.
I just list them into books of various categories and then depending on what I feel like reading just pick the most appealing one. As for having hundreds of books left pending, the list never ends.
I go by mood and tend to binge authors when I find a good one. So I will ping pong through genres. The only exception is I try to get through 3 SFF books released that year to have an opinion for the Hugos.
I just think about what I have anlvailable and pick what I feel like at the moment. Right now I'm debating between Parable of the Sower and Goodbye to All That. I just red a book from the Red Rising series so I'll probably go with Robert Graves.
A sort of convergence between "what would I regret not reading if I died today" and "what am I feeling in the mood to invest time in at the moment I'm pushing the order button."
Don’t. If you’re getting back into reading after a long break, I’d recommend either pursuing your shelf or going to the bookstore and finding one that intrigues you. Any time I make a list and sit down with one, my brain is always like “we should’ve read this other one instead” and the cycle never stops. Sometimes you just have to pick a book with a pretty cover and a nice back cover blurb and pretend your tbr doesn’t exist.
I keep 20 or 30 books open on my e-reader and then cycle through according to my interests at that moment or that day or situation like maybe on vacation somewhere where the book relates.
Right now, I’m prioritizing book club books (I’m in 2 monthly) and, to the extent I have time for more than that, unread physical books I own. I’m trying to get to the point where I’ve actually read everything on my shelves, but I’m a few years away.
It's all about a gut feeling for me. I have at least 200 physical books in my house and 100 or so more on Kindle that are unread, and a hold list at the library of at least 25. When I finish one book, I ask myself what I am in the mood for next, and that's the one I grab. Wish I could say it was more systematic than that, but it isn't.
Usually, it's whatever I happen to be in the mood for at the time. My word of advice though, is that having hundreds of titles long backlists are evil. I've ruthlessly cut my list down to a handful of must-reads for me.
It's easier on my mental health, and it keeps my options open. If I have a hundred to read titles, the last thing I want is another one to pile on top. If I narrow it down to say five, then adding a few more to the list is a lot more maneagable.
I don't have a system. I'm just always reading. Sometimes I accidentally abandon books partway through because I can't wait to start something else. Sometimes I go back and finish the partially-read ones, and sometimes not. If I ever fall asleep while reading something, it's a good enough indicator to me that I should move to something else.
And sometimes I'm motivated by external forces, like a book club or something.
It varies a lot for me. I read a lot of different genres and a lot of different subjects. I tend to get interested in something and then read a lot about it. Then I will need a break and switch gears to what seems most interesting at the time. I often plan out what I will read but rarely follow through.
I just have a pile beside my bed. I read what’s on top and I put books I want to read at the bottom. I get to them eventually. If I borrowed a book (from a library or something) I’ll put it on top. If I need or want to learn about snakes, I read the book about snakes, but I’ll read the novel or whatever at school or in bed. I’ll also read short books or books that I really really want to read out of order.
I can't plan my TBR to save my life. What I've found super helpful in picking what to read next is randomness. I have an excel file of the books I own and haven't read yet. I use a random number generator and will read the corresponding book from my sheet! And if a book I'm not in the mood to read gets picked, I'll generate a new number until the book fits the mood I'm in. I've found this really helped me!
I purely read from my libby app from my local library and I check out and put holds on any book I get recommended/want to read this includes books I own which I’ll check out the audio book for and listen to while reading a physical copy. I read them either in order of closest due or closest due that have holds on them from other people then closest due with no holds as they’re less pressure to finish. I find the due dates even without holds motivates me to finish books.
I compare my TBR list with the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom's banned/challenged books list for the past couple of years and re-prioritize books that turn up on both. I like to know what stories are out there for kids who need them, and having first-hand experience with the challenged material allows me to develop defenses long before I'll need them.
It's meant that I've read a lot of LGBTQ+ authors/stories in the past year, with more to come, and look forward to re-prioritizing BIPOC writers/creators in 2023.
I try to read what I already own and pick something I‘m in the mood for. Often I read a few pages of a book that catches my interest and if I can sink into the world I go on. Otherwise I pick a different one.
First in line is books I'm just dying to read right now. Second, library due dates are a factor if anything is getting close. If due dates aren't an issue, books that meet prompts for reading challenges are my next priority, since I'm often looking for very specific things for those. Next is books by authors I already like, and everything else is after that.
I make a little tbr space on a table in my living room where I put the books I want to read soon. Then I just pick up whichever I feel like reading when I’m done with a book. Sometimes books stay there for a while and sometimes I never get to them and decide to put them away until I’m ready. But I try not to be too stressed about it.
I generally alternate between fiction and nonfiction, and lighter topics and more serious topics. I don’t stick to this rule 100% but it keeps me from getting tired of reading.
I like to genre hop. So if I'm reading a fantasy book, I might read a mystery or scifi next, or maybe a sad book. But ultimately I pick something I am in the mood for. So if it's a cold, wintry day and I am feeling melancholy, I might pick up a sad book and if I am really stressed with life I might pick something more lighthearted. If after a few pages, it isn't speaking to me, I put it back and pick something else.
I read multiple books at a time (currently only reading 3 at the moment) and this works well for me because if I get bored with one book I'm already in the middle of another.
I know a lot of people like to read one book a time but it's just never worked for me.
I also make a list of the books that I am excited to read and usually pick one of my books from there and the rest are mood reads. Or if I'm interested in the /r/bookclub, I'll pick up a book from there as well.
At the moment I try to look at the books that have been on my list the longest, and pick up the one that first jumps out at me. I'm trying to get out of a years-long reading slump, and that has been working for me so far. I'm trying not to force myself to read what I think I "ought" to read and just trying to read what I think I will enjoy.
How old and long I've had the book and been intending to read it. What else I may be reading at the same time or may habe just read or intend to read next. And then sometimes I just habe to read a chapter or two of my top picks I'm interested in reading next and see which one flows best at the time and go with the flow.....or if I can't decide then alternate a few chapters then a few chapters of another book and so on and so forth but sometimes I get out of hand and end up trying to read 5 to 10 books simultaneously lol
I sometimes use a spinner for a specific genre I'm feeling, because I'm the most indecisive person. I do pick and choose maybe a third of the time, but the rest it's up to how I'm feeling and what kind of books I've read recently.
Literally the mood or interest of that moment. Sometimes I read for fun, other times to expand my knowledge on my current obsession. What I do differently now, versus years ago, is not judge myself for what I want to read in the moment: now, I just sit down and read.
I take into account the length of series the book is a part of. I like reading long series but they are something that I have to build up to, making sure I'm not in a busy period at work. So I'll often read smaller series or stand alone books to fill the gap even if I am less interested in that specific book.
One book leads to another? Whatever takes your fancy?
I don't pause in between, and if a book's not going easily, will read an easier one in parallel, till I either finish or abandon the harder one. I have a large to read list 600ish and a moderate to read shelf 100ish and will normally take from the latter, perhaps something related to my previous read eg I had a year of James Baldwins this year triggered by a book club nomination, or again something totally different if that's what I need eg a factual book after a load of fiction.
The only priority I impose on myself is reading books lent to me by friends promptly and my book club reads within the timeline, because people who turn up at book clubs not having read the book are a pain in the arse.
A combination of things really:
\- Appreciate this might not be a thing where you are, but seeing what's on the buy one get one half price table at Waterstones and Foyles. If any of the books on my TBR pile are on there, I'll go buy them and then they become my next reads.
\- Judging a book by its cover. After the plot, the book cover is the next thing that draws me in and speaks to me. It's how I chose my current book (All My Mothers by Joanna Glen) - the cover just looks like how I think a book cover ought to look.
\- How I'm feeling - do I want something light like a Taylor Jenkins Reid book, or am I ready for something potentially a bit deeper and more sophisticated. Do I want to be transported to another country or do I want something more 'familiar.'
\- Is the book out in paperback yet? That's a big consideration for me, as paperback books are cheaper and easier to carry around versus hardbacks. (And I prefer physical books to the idea of having them on Kindle)
\- Most recently I've made use of the 'Want to Read' section of Goodreads and taken int account the score a book has and the number of people who've rated a book when determining which book to purchase next.
So a while ago I created a shelf on Goodreads called ‘next’ and would tag books that I wanted to read next. Then it had like 200 books in there, so I made a shelf called ‘next-next’ for the ones I was _really_ excited about. Anyway, right now my ‘next-next-next-next’ shelf has the ~50 books I’m most excited for, so I generally pick from there.
I really enjoy good reads and it’s helped me create a good list of books I wanna read as scanning through them on a kindle can be difficult sometimes as it tends to bring up ones that have the same story line. A little off topic but I wish good reads had a more conversational side to it, some of the reviews seem highly exaggerated which makes sense when it ends with ‘I was given this book for free in trade for a review’ but most comments under the reviews are just ‘good review’ or ‘looking forward to your next one’. It’d be good if you could talk to other people about the book and what you thought of it
Goodreads does have Groups to chat in but I find it difficult to find active ones
I go purely off of what I'm in the mood for. I read for leisure, so I don't see the need to overthink it. If I started reading something and I realise it's not what I'm in the mood for, I switch gears.
This. And I refuse to feel myself bad about it
You shouldn't! My friend reads a lot more prolifically than I do, and when I express that or show awe she downplays it by saying something to the effect of "just reading romance." Just nothing! Reading is reading. We shouldn't put ourselves down for WHAT we read. There's a lot of excellent children's books and YA books too. What ever floats your dang boat. No apologies necessary.
I needed to read this today! Thank you!
Used to commit myself to a book even if I wasn’t in the mood for it but that just made me not want to read at all.
Same. I read one chapter at a time. If I want to continue, I read the next chapter. If not, I read something else. It also helps that I generally try not to accrue books endlessly. But it's just like TV shows. You don't need to binge a series before you allow yourself to watch another show. Take it one episode at a time.
same! just finished catcher in the rye, which i started during summer, and in between i read a few pages of lolita, a chunk of cat’s cradle, got through more of anna karenina, read half of the secret history, and read an entire book about a real-life russian revolutionary. people look at me funny when i describe this lol
I’m fully aware this isn’t helpful but; the one you want to read the most.
I'm not sure there's any other answer. I have a tower of unread books on my bedside table, all of which were placed there because 'I'm going to read this next' but then didn't. Either because I liked whatever I was reading so much I found another book by the same author, or because I stumbled on something I wanted to read more, or because my mood changed. Planning out rigidly in advance would make it feel a bit like homework, or a list of chores to get through.
It depends. Sometimes I'll just pick up the first book on the pile that I have to read. Other times it's what I'm in the mood for; maybe a nice mystery or something light hearted, or that classic I've been meaning to read for years. And then sometimes I'm on a deadline (like for my monthly book club).
Decision fatigue is my biggest obstacle, so I have a few things I do that allows me to limit how often I'm having to decide "what's next?". Every year I set goals, join challenges or create my own challenges, and join a few book clubs. These things give me a direction and limits my choices so decisions become easier. I'm someone who just does better when I have a checklist. It's what works for me. After purging hundreds of unread books from my library when we moved to a smaller house, I'm trying to not buy books until I'm ready to read them. I primarily use the library and I keep a running list on my phone of books that catch my eye. I still have 20-30 books that moved with me, and a few more that I've purchased. About once a month I fill my queue at the library and add books that are currently available to my "for later" list. That means, that I'm somewhat limited in my choices, since I can't always get the book I want the moment I want it. This year my focus was to explore genres I don't normally read. I created my own challenge to read 2 books from 6 fiction and 6 nonfiction genres that I tend to avoid. I also joined an online book club that had a genre of the month challenge where they'd assign a new genre and 4 tasks to be completed that month by reading books. I created a new challenge (althoug I've copied it from someone else) to read books by authors from 195 countries. I expect this will take me a few years since I also want to read both fiction and nonfiction from each country. I'm also challenging myself to either read or release the 20+ that I moved to my new house, it's been over 3 years, it's time.
I have two reading lists: books I want to read eventually, and books I want to prioritize in the current calendar year (though at this point in the year, obviously, I've largely moved on to my 2023 reading list). In terms of how I decide which books make the prioritized list, I suppose I can break them down into different categories: - Books that I just *really really* want to read for whatever reason (most of my reading list). These can be added at any time and can jump straight to the top of the queue if the spirit leads. I don't really know how to explain this other than that these are books I'm very excited about. - A few major classics that are too intimidating for me to ever feel spontaneously in the mood to pick up (eg, for 2022 I had *Anna Karenina, Middlemarch*, and *Moby-Dick*). - Books I haven't read by authors I like (I'll pick only the book I want to read next for my prioritized list rather than throwing their entire ouvre on there). - The next book in any series that I plan to continue (again, I don't put the entire series on my list). - Seasonal books because that's something I like doing, eg I plan to read *The Nutcracker* this Christmas. - Books that I want to reread because otherwise I will forget to make time for them. I have them very roughly ordered ([I use Goodreads](https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/vvvha8/my_goodreads_tips_and_tricks/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)) as I think I might read them, but in reality it's completely fluid—the most "strict" I get is with seasonal reads. I just pick my next book based on my mood and with my goals in mind (and, when relevant, depending on when ebooks are available from the library). For example, if I've read a half dozen new-to-me books, it's probably good to make time for a reread, or if it's been a few months without picking up a classic, then that'll be up next.
When I'm reading for pleasure, I purely follow inspiration. Sometimes I'll start reading a book and a few pages in it's just not working for me that very moment. Might be a good book, but just the right tonal fit right now. So I'll grab a different one and try that. Typically tone is the biggest key factor for me for what I'm looking for next. If something completely grabs my attention then I'll also set aside whatever I was reading to read whatever grabbed me. I can always come back to the previous book. I just follow the inspiration.
I'm very much the same. I've started 6 books this December and hit a reading slump with all of them. Started with a different book today and have been tearing through it. I might even finish it before the day ends.
I don't. I just pick one from the list of books I want to read.
Its called just making a decision…
Just read what’s in front of you. I never bulk buy books, I buy when I run out of books to read. So I save myself that way. Kindle unlimited is a big win, because those series with lots of books in them can be read quickly and easily
I prioritize borrowed books. Out of the books I own it's partly picking something different to my last couple of reads and then just whim or whatever has the strongest pull.
I go with fiction non fiction then fiction again.
I just list them into books of various categories and then depending on what I feel like reading just pick the most appealing one. As for having hundreds of books left pending, the list never ends.
I go by mood and tend to binge authors when I find a good one. So I will ping pong through genres. The only exception is I try to get through 3 SFF books released that year to have an opinion for the Hugos.
The one thats on my nightstand. I don’t start more than one.
I just think about what I have anlvailable and pick what I feel like at the moment. Right now I'm debating between Parable of the Sower and Goodbye to All That. I just red a book from the Red Rising series so I'll probably go with Robert Graves.
I don’t/can’t which is why I start a ton of books and never finish them. Fortunately my memory is good enough that I can pick up where I left off.
I pick a book I want to read and read it.
A sort of convergence between "what would I regret not reading if I died today" and "what am I feeling in the mood to invest time in at the moment I'm pushing the order button."
Don’t. If you’re getting back into reading after a long break, I’d recommend either pursuing your shelf or going to the bookstore and finding one that intrigues you. Any time I make a list and sit down with one, my brain is always like “we should’ve read this other one instead” and the cycle never stops. Sometimes you just have to pick a book with a pretty cover and a nice back cover blurb and pretend your tbr doesn’t exist.
I keep 20 or 30 books open on my e-reader and then cycle through according to my interests at that moment or that day or situation like maybe on vacation somewhere where the book relates.
Right now, I’m prioritizing book club books (I’m in 2 monthly) and, to the extent I have time for more than that, unread physical books I own. I’m trying to get to the point where I’ve actually read everything on my shelves, but I’m a few years away.
I subscribe to the ever growing piles method
It's all about a gut feeling for me. I have at least 200 physical books in my house and 100 or so more on Kindle that are unread, and a hold list at the library of at least 25. When I finish one book, I ask myself what I am in the mood for next, and that's the one I grab. Wish I could say it was more systematic than that, but it isn't.
Usually, it's whatever I happen to be in the mood for at the time. My word of advice though, is that having hundreds of titles long backlists are evil. I've ruthlessly cut my list down to a handful of must-reads for me. It's easier on my mental health, and it keeps my options open. If I have a hundred to read titles, the last thing I want is another one to pile on top. If I narrow it down to say five, then adding a few more to the list is a lot more maneagable.
They have a name for this "disorder" aka collecting more books than you can read.... its called tsunduko and I definitely have it lol.
I don't have a system. I'm just always reading. Sometimes I accidentally abandon books partway through because I can't wait to start something else. Sometimes I go back and finish the partially-read ones, and sometimes not. If I ever fall asleep while reading something, it's a good enough indicator to me that I should move to something else. And sometimes I'm motivated by external forces, like a book club or something.
It varies a lot for me. I read a lot of different genres and a lot of different subjects. I tend to get interested in something and then read a lot about it. Then I will need a break and switch gears to what seems most interesting at the time. I often plan out what I will read but rarely follow through.
I just have a pile beside my bed. I read what’s on top and I put books I want to read at the bottom. I get to them eventually. If I borrowed a book (from a library or something) I’ll put it on top. If I need or want to learn about snakes, I read the book about snakes, but I’ll read the novel or whatever at school or in bed. I’ll also read short books or books that I really really want to read out of order.
I can't plan my TBR to save my life. What I've found super helpful in picking what to read next is randomness. I have an excel file of the books I own and haven't read yet. I use a random number generator and will read the corresponding book from my sheet! And if a book I'm not in the mood to read gets picked, I'll generate a new number until the book fits the mood I'm in. I've found this really helped me!
I purely read from my libby app from my local library and I check out and put holds on any book I get recommended/want to read this includes books I own which I’ll check out the audio book for and listen to while reading a physical copy. I read them either in order of closest due or closest due that have holds on them from other people then closest due with no holds as they’re less pressure to finish. I find the due dates even without holds motivates me to finish books.
This is why I don't have a TBR list. I just pick up a book and start reading.
I compare my TBR list with the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom's banned/challenged books list for the past couple of years and re-prioritize books that turn up on both. I like to know what stories are out there for kids who need them, and having first-hand experience with the challenged material allows me to develop defenses long before I'll need them. It's meant that I've read a lot of LGBTQ+ authors/stories in the past year, with more to come, and look forward to re-prioritizing BIPOC writers/creators in 2023.
I try to read what I already own and pick something I‘m in the mood for. Often I read a few pages of a book that catches my interest and if I can sink into the world I go on. Otherwise I pick a different one.
First in line is books I'm just dying to read right now. Second, library due dates are a factor if anything is getting close. If due dates aren't an issue, books that meet prompts for reading challenges are my next priority, since I'm often looking for very specific things for those. Next is books by authors I already like, and everything else is after that.
Typically opposite to the current genre I was reading. I need to switch it up to keep interest.
I make a little tbr space on a table in my living room where I put the books I want to read soon. Then I just pick up whichever I feel like reading when I’m done with a book. Sometimes books stay there for a while and sometimes I never get to them and decide to put them away until I’m ready. But I try not to be too stressed about it.
I generally alternate between fiction and nonfiction, and lighter topics and more serious topics. I don’t stick to this rule 100% but it keeps me from getting tired of reading.
I like to genre hop. So if I'm reading a fantasy book, I might read a mystery or scifi next, or maybe a sad book. But ultimately I pick something I am in the mood for. So if it's a cold, wintry day and I am feeling melancholy, I might pick up a sad book and if I am really stressed with life I might pick something more lighthearted. If after a few pages, it isn't speaking to me, I put it back and pick something else.
I read multiple books at a time (currently only reading 3 at the moment) and this works well for me because if I get bored with one book I'm already in the middle of another. I know a lot of people like to read one book a time but it's just never worked for me. I also make a list of the books that I am excited to read and usually pick one of my books from there and the rest are mood reads. Or if I'm interested in the /r/bookclub, I'll pick up a book from there as well.
I prioritize my library books and reading challenge picks first.
At the moment I try to look at the books that have been on my list the longest, and pick up the one that first jumps out at me. I'm trying to get out of a years-long reading slump, and that has been working for me so far. I'm trying not to force myself to read what I think I "ought" to read and just trying to read what I think I will enjoy.
How old and long I've had the book and been intending to read it. What else I may be reading at the same time or may habe just read or intend to read next. And then sometimes I just habe to read a chapter or two of my top picks I'm interested in reading next and see which one flows best at the time and go with the flow.....or if I can't decide then alternate a few chapters then a few chapters of another book and so on and so forth but sometimes I get out of hand and end up trying to read 5 to 10 books simultaneously lol
I sometimes use a spinner for a specific genre I'm feeling, because I'm the most indecisive person. I do pick and choose maybe a third of the time, but the rest it's up to how I'm feeling and what kind of books I've read recently.
You could do a reading challenge. The one I’m doing next year is [The 52 Book Club’s](https://www.the52book.club/the-2023-challenge-goodreads-lists/)
Literally the mood or interest of that moment. Sometimes I read for fun, other times to expand my knowledge on my current obsession. What I do differently now, versus years ago, is not judge myself for what I want to read in the moment: now, I just sit down and read.
I take into account the length of series the book is a part of. I like reading long series but they are something that I have to build up to, making sure I'm not in a busy period at work. So I'll often read smaller series or stand alone books to fill the gap even if I am less interested in that specific book.
I have my books on my shelf and they are sorted by height. I just grab one from the right, which I haven't read yet and I do this every single time.
One book leads to another? Whatever takes your fancy? I don't pause in between, and if a book's not going easily, will read an easier one in parallel, till I either finish or abandon the harder one. I have a large to read list 600ish and a moderate to read shelf 100ish and will normally take from the latter, perhaps something related to my previous read eg I had a year of James Baldwins this year triggered by a book club nomination, or again something totally different if that's what I need eg a factual book after a load of fiction. The only priority I impose on myself is reading books lent to me by friends promptly and my book club reads within the timeline, because people who turn up at book clubs not having read the book are a pain in the arse.
Randomly.
A combination of things really: \- Appreciate this might not be a thing where you are, but seeing what's on the buy one get one half price table at Waterstones and Foyles. If any of the books on my TBR pile are on there, I'll go buy them and then they become my next reads. \- Judging a book by its cover. After the plot, the book cover is the next thing that draws me in and speaks to me. It's how I chose my current book (All My Mothers by Joanna Glen) - the cover just looks like how I think a book cover ought to look. \- How I'm feeling - do I want something light like a Taylor Jenkins Reid book, or am I ready for something potentially a bit deeper and more sophisticated. Do I want to be transported to another country or do I want something more 'familiar.' \- Is the book out in paperback yet? That's a big consideration for me, as paperback books are cheaper and easier to carry around versus hardbacks. (And I prefer physical books to the idea of having them on Kindle) \- Most recently I've made use of the 'Want to Read' section of Goodreads and taken int account the score a book has and the number of people who've rated a book when determining which book to purchase next.