# Selecting Your Next Book to Read



## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

I've been thinking about how I select books (Ok, so maybe that's a slightly geeky OCD topic to think about for long). Normally, I finish a book, go to my home list, do a search for just unread books and pick one that strikes my fancy. This month, since I had 4 books to read from different games/reading groups here and on goodreads, I listed them out to read in a specific order. (now, after the 3rd, I needed something easier as a brain sorbet before starting another intense book - but that's a different story)

1	The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
2	Windows in Time by M. Jules Aedin
3	The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
4	Wit'ch Fire by James Clemens
5	Perdido Street Station by China Mevielle
6

I kinda liked, these past few days, having a short list to follow and was thinking about adding to it as a sort of reading to do list ... and, of course, give myself permission to rearrange it at any time ...

So, I started thinking. How do you select your books? Is there a method and rules? Are there exceptions to those rules? Tell me ... tell me ... tell me everything ....


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## austenfiend (Nov 17, 2009)

Great question!  Normally I just read through my list and pick one that strikes my fancy.  However, this month I'm going to try something different.  I just had a birthday and got multiple Amazon gift cards (the best gifts ever for a Kindle user!) so I ordered a ton of books that I've been wanting to get for a long time.  I think this month I'm just going to take the first one on the list and work my way down.  We'll see how that goes...

I'll be interested to hear how others choose...


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

Since I review for two review sites, I usually have something lined up to read for each of those. For "my" reading, I'll pick something from an author I like, a new book I've been waiting for, a review I've read or a recommendation here. The latter is how I got started on *The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks* by Rebecca Skloot, which I am really enjoying. I also tend to read things that connect together (I'll get on a kick of something). Henrietta Lacks was descended from slaves and white men and their black mistresses. This is making me curious about another book recommended here, *Wench* by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, so I may very well be reading that when I finish *The Immortal Life*.

L


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

Whatever I'm in the mood for. I suck at required reading. I can't even assign myself something to read, if I'm not in the mood to read it I can't stay interested enough to pick it up. So no rules LOL


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## mistyd107 (May 22, 2009)

Rasputina said:


> Whatever I'm in the mood for. I suck at required reading. I can't even assign myself something to read, if I'm not in the mood to read it I can't stay interested enough to pick it up. So no rules LOL


this is me as well.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

After finishing an "assigned" book (from the February "game" thread) which I did not really care for much and just about to finish a non-fiction book on certain problematic aspects of quantum theory, I am ready for some of your "brain sorbet," preferably well-written but not too dense or dark. If nothing promising turns up soon, it may be a case of falling back to rereading some Terry Pratchett or Harry Harrison.


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

No rules for me, just whatever I am in the mood for when it's time to pick the next one. I have so many I want to read so I start by flipping back thru the pages on my kindle, but all that actually does is make me sad since there are so many I want to read but can't get to fast enough. I'm usually better off if I just pick one from the first couple of pages. I love suspense/mystery books but after a couple in a row I'm usually ready for a more upbeat, fun book.


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## Winter9 (Jan 19, 2010)

I love your OCD topics  

I like lists... I love making lists... Haven't done so yet for the Kindle, but I'm sure I will...

I usually have lots of books that I want to read, so no problems. I'm good at reading more than one at a time, or so I like to think. So I do have usually one The Bible, a Christian book, a novel, a novel from a series, .......
I'm terrified about not having enough books with me when travelling, or not the books I'm in the mood for, so you can imagine the disaster carrying a bag full of books instead of my clothes... kremt. Kindle is heaven for me!!!

I love to see what other people reads and I get easily hooked when someone else reads a book, wanting to read exactly that book for myself...


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## Neekeebee (Jan 10, 2009)

I usually have several books going concurrently, so which one I pick up depends on my mood. If I'm in the mood for something light and there aren't any currently in progress, then I start a new one. If there is a lot of buzz here about a book that I've been meaning to read, that gives me extra incentive to choose that one over another.

Also, I still get some of my books from the library (paper and ebook format), for which I'm usually wait-listed and which are non-renewable, so I also take than into consideration. For example, I am currently wait-listed for _The Girl Who Played With Fire_ ebook, so I keep reminding myself to get to _The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo_, which has been languishing on my Kindle for a couple of months.

N


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## talleylynn (Apr 24, 2009)

I guess I'm a listmaker. I have kept a list of all the kindle books I've purchased since buying my kindle last April and kept track of the date purchased. Needless to say, my stash of unread books is starting to get out of control (isn't everyone's?). So, this month I've decided I have to read one book from every month's purchases. I don't know how long I'll keep at this, but I've finished the April purchase and I'm halfway through a May book. At least I feel like I'm doing something to tame my TBR stash.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

An excellent thread topic.  Actually, I think it should be two topics:

1)  How do you select your next book purchase?

2)  How do you select your next book to read from the books available to you?  (for those who are like me and tend to buy books faster than they read them!)


As for how I select my next purchase, that is most often through poking about on Amazon--I may find a book I like and look at the "Purchasers who bought this also bought..." area, and it is quite common that I'll do a search with a keyword that interests me.  Sometimes I buy automatically on news that a new book by a favored author is out (the next Honor Harrington novel will be an example).  Sometimes I buy on recommendations, though I have to know the person's tastes very well to do that.  Recommendations can be from real world friends (most common) online people at places like KB (uncommon, but it happens) or from "pro" book reviewers (occasionally).

For how I select the next book to read from my available books....I try to alternate between fiction and nonfiction, though that may not happen if I'm following through a series.  Mostly I poke around until I find something that particularly sparks me.  Occasionally something "calls" to me, and I just know what I want to read without any poking or exploring.


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## marianneg (Nov 4, 2008)

Lately I've been trying to start on the last page of my Kindle and look for something that I bought a while back and haven't read yet.  I also try to alternate fiction and non-fiction, and I also try to read a few samples after I complete a book.  Once the school year ramps up it's hard to keep my mind on anything heavy, so I tend to gravitate to light fiction, short stories, or just samples at those times.


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

However I usually do it, it isn't currently working well!  I've not completed a single book since the second week in January.  I've started at least half a dozen, and nothing seems to hold my interest.  Rereading isn't working either.  Nothing sounds appealling.

Normally though, I'll get on a kick of reading one series straight through, so the next book in line is pretty obvious....until I reach the end of that series.  And that's probably part of my problem right now:  None of the series I follow has a book due until April at the earliest.  Meanwhile, I haven't found a new one fascinating enough to keep me focused for long.

I'll also usually be focused on just one genre for a time, so for example, it will be all mysteries for months.  Then suddenly it'll switch (usually with the release of a new book) to all fantasy, or all sci-fi.


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## raven312 (Jan 12, 2010)

I typically read by mood but also if I've read a great book (I just finished two of Raymond Chandler's) I have to seek out others by the same author or in the series.  I read them until the magic is gone or until the series is finished.  Lately (because I have so many loaded on my Kindle) I'll pick them in order of my loading onto my Kindle, strange as that sounds...


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

VictoriaP said:


> However I usually do it, it isn't currently working well! I've not completed a single book since the second week in January. I've started at least half a dozen, and nothing seems to hold my interest. Rereading isn't working either. Nothing sounds appealling.


Victoria, do you like non-fiction? This Henrietta Lacks book that I am reading is really fascinating, plus very readable. Give the sample a try and see if it catches your interest.











L


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

VictoriaP said:


> However I usually do it, it isn't currently working well! I've not completed a single book since the second week in January. I've started at least half a dozen, and nothing seems to hold my interest. Rereading isn't working either. Nothing sounds appealling.
> 
> Normally though, I'll get on a kick of reading one series straight through, so the next book in line is pretty obvious....until I reach the end of that series. And that's probably part of my problem right now: None of the series I follow has a book due until April at the earliest. Meanwhile, I haven't found a new one fascinating enough to keep me focused for long.
> 
> I'll also usually be focused on just one genre for a time, so for example, it will be all mysteries for months. Then suddenly it'll switch (usually with the release of a new book) to all fantasy, or all sci-fi.


I go through those periods too, where nothing catches my interest even though I know I will want to read it eventually. And I also get sucked into genres. I haven't anything that cures it either. I just have to let it play out.


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## Brian8205 (Feb 1, 2010)

I never pay attention to the NYT list or any other lists. I always go by the actual reader reviews. The people who are truly reading the books know WAY more than the critics!


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

Brian8205 said:


> I never pay attention to the NYT list or any other lists. I always go by the actual reader reviews. The people who are truly reading the books know WAY more than the critics!


I agree. Too many professional reviewers are looking for things that are not as high on my priority hit parade. For me, it's largely about whether the book is enjoyable and many reviewers (like many English Lit Students) forget that books are a form of entertainment.


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## Thalia the Muse (Jan 20, 2010)

I read reader reviews too, but with a big grain of salt -- if no one who likes the book can spell or write a coherent sentence, or if they say "it's almost as good as The Da Vinci Code!", I take that as a warning.


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## akpak (Mar 5, 2009)

I like when I'm reading a series... It makes these decisions so much easier.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

When I was leading the Outlander book club, that was about the only thing I could read.  The last book was so intense, I could read nothing but fluff for two months afterwards. Reread all of the Plum series, some children's books, Harry Potter for my Potter club. 

Now it's time for more serious stuff, and I like to support our own Indie authors, so I'm going through Jeff's series, waiting for Mike's next one, and I have Maureen Miller's three up next after I finish the other's.  

After that I'll flip through my book (I keep my listing on index cards in a small binder) and see what strikes me.  I have them sorted by genre and then author.  I also have a bunch of Agatha Christie to slot in between all those.  

Very scientific method.


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## GwenNoles (Jan 25, 2010)

My interests change daily, sometimes hourly, so I read whatever I'm interested in on a given day and time. I'm fairly consistent in my inconsistency regarding reading choices. I set a high mark, and if I don't get roped in with the first paragraph, I won't read the book.


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## G. Henkel (Jan 12, 2010)

I usually don't have a to-read list and when I'm finished with a book, I either go to Border's and browse the shelves for something that looks and sounds exciting or I check my reading mood and go to some websites to see what people have been talking about that particular genre. If I do have a book I put aside previously as to-read, I typically read that one first.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

Guido Henkel said:


> I usually don't have a to-read list and when I'm finished with a book, I either go to Border's and browse the shelves for something that looks and sounds exciting or I check my reading mood and go to some websites to see what people have been talking about that particular genre. If I do have a book I put aside previously as to-read, I typically read that one first.


I'm impressed with your self-restraint. Even in the pbook days I always had a x books on my shelves I hadn't read before ... I would feel weird only having the book I'm reading - what if I finish reading it?!? (the horror of it all)


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

there are 300 books on my kindle.  at the beginning of the year, i decided that i would read them in the order i bought them.  i did pretty good for a bit, but then i needed a break and turned back to my star trek collection.  i'm re-reading one of them now and then i'm going back to my bought by order.


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## libros_lego (Mar 24, 2009)

Geoffrey said:


> I'm impressed with your self-restraint. Even in the pbook days I always had a x books on my shelves I hadn't read before ... I would feel weird only having the book I'm reading - what if I finish reading it?!? (the horror of it all)


This was one of the reasons why I bought a kindle. I was always worried that I'll have no book to read. 

But to answer your question, I make a to-read list @ Goodreads based on people's recommendations here (and other places). I used to write them somewhere, but now I have Goodreads keep the list for me.


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## G. Henkel (Jan 12, 2010)

If I run out of a new book to read, which happens occasionally since I do not have a to-read stack, I usually look over my shelves and see what I could re-read from there. Usually I can find something pretty quickly and if all else fails, there's always my "Asterix" and "Tin Tin" comic book collection to hold me over for a few days. 

And the, yes, as Jenni points out, too, with the Kindle in hand, if I REALLY run out of things to read, thanks to the Kindle and various book review and community sites, It typically takes no more than 5 minutes for me to discover a new title that intrigues me that I can then purchase and start reading within seconds. Kindle rocks, but you all know that, of course!


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

I have such a backlog of unread books on my Kindle, I could probably survive a year or two without buying books. When I'm reading a series, it's easy to pick the next book. Sometimes I flounder around for some time trying to decide what to read. I think it's because I have so many I want to read, I can't seem to decide which one I want to read the most. 

I picked 12 books to put at the top of my TBR pile. I'm not sure what order I'll read them, but hopefully I'll get through them without getting sidetracked by a different one.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

luvmy4brats said:


> I have such a backlog of unread books on my Kindle, I could probably survive a year or two without buying books. When I'm reading a series, it's easy to pick the next book. Sometimes I flounder around for some time trying to decide what to read. I think it's because I have so many I want to read, I can't seem to decide which one I want to read the most.


That's my situation exactly. Someone on the Amazon board dubbed it "E-book Hoarding Disorder", and yep, I've got it bad. It does make it hard to decide what to read next - it would be easier if I liked reading books in a series back-to-back, but I like to space them out. Sometimes I'll start 2 or 3 books trying to figure out what to read next - I've been known to have one started on my iPhone, another on my Sony and a third on my Kindle, waiting for one of them to "stick". There are worse dilemmas to have, I suppose.


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## eldereno (Dec 27, 2009)

Meemo said:


> Someone on the Amazon board dubbed it "E-book Hoarding Disorder",


Now I can get help now that I know there is a name for my disorder!!!!!! There will be experts cropping up all over the reality show circuits!!!!!!!


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