This is why I started using a booktracking app. I keep a TBR list based on books I’ve heard about/seem interesting to me. I alternate between fiction and non-fiction and only read books on my TBR, and solved the issue of choosing the next book.

I’m the same way, and I find it takes me a little bit to get engrossed in a new book as well.

I buy books aspirationally. I have more that I want to read than I’ll possibly finish. If I’m near to finishing a book and none of the ones I already have are appealing (I’ve been on a tear on a particular historical topic lately), I’ll order something that fits.

I couldn’t wait to start a new book on Monday after finishing the last one on Friday. They are from competing scholars with opposing views. I read 60 pages of the new one yesterday (I mostly only read when I’m at the office, which is three days per week; I’m online when I wfh).

@aeternum I participate in a bunch of games/challenges that help me narrow things down.

I’m usually reading at least 3 books at any given time, so when I’ve finished one or two, I still have time to pick up the next one.

Absolutely. Which is why I like medium sized series of books that way the answer is clear, but I don’t have the secondary issue of never feeling like I’m “done”.

Start looking when you get to the last book and by the time you’re through you can hop right in

I don’t have the dread of choosing what comes next, but I’ll wait a few days after finishing a really good book before I start to read something else. I think some books need those few days to be properly digested, and cycled out of your system. After a few days, I just pick something that looks at least okay. If it’s fun, I’ll read it whole, if not, I’ll drop and move on to something else. In the meanwhile, before picking the next thing, I’ll just enjoy some of my other hobbies. Play games, go deep into a rabbit hole of knowledge I had no clue it would be interesting, touch some grass… Also, it helps to take a look at discussions surrounding the book, it helps me connect through the book.

Just pick something off the too be read shelf and get at it. If it’s not the vibe put it down and pick up something else. No need to overthink

No. I just read whatever is on top of the stack of books waiting to be read, unless a new book in a series I’m already reading just came out, then I’ll start that.

If there isn’t a book that is screaming your name from the shelf, then you aren’t going to miss out on some life changing moment. Books aren’t instantaneous moments that you’ll miss out on. Your experience might be different if you read a book when you are in your teens vs when you are in your 20s vs in your 40s, but if you read a book now vs in a few weeks, I think you’ll be OK.

Often enough my library will make this decision for me. You can’t read what’s not available

My wife bought a bunch of books to keep herself occupied at work

She wasn’t able to choose a book to read next and ended up having a mild anxiety attack.

So I made a chart of books, gave her a d20, and once she finishes one series she rolls the die and reads whichever book she rolled, or rerolls if needed.

Thats why I pick my books randomly from my to read list

I always dread finishing a really good series, going back to the dregs of “not bad but not great” books is depressing.

Recently I’ve been on a “litrpg” kick, and let me tell you there are a few winners and a whole slew of mediocre novels in the genre.

I have this whole system where I alternate between poetry/non-fiction/fiction and contemporary/classic, so I always have about fifty books on my shelf and there’s always an obvious next one to read. Like right now I’m reading some classic prose fiction so my next read is contemporary poetry.

I use a random number generator to select my next read from my tbr.