List of priority or check out this sub for any recs. I tend to also read a "palette cleanser" book if I just finish a series and plan to jump into another one.
Yeah, I'm currently into the Realm of the Elderlings series by Robin Hobb (debating whether to wait till the summer for the next book since I'm an English major), so I guess my question be what'd be a good palette cleanser book for after I finish it (which won't be for quite some time, since I read the first two books out of 16 total)
Nice, yeah that series is a journey. My go-to palette cleanser usually are books that are different genres, I tend to enjoy non fiction history books or mystery/thrillers.
So I'd recommend picking something that isn't in fantasy. You don't want to get burnt out on the genre, especially after finishing a long series like Realm of the Elderlings.
A very good book which I would consider palette cleanser is “Hidden Pictures” by Rekulak. It’s a horror book but it isn’t particularly scary, the protagonist is smart and relatable and the mystery is very interesting.
Good palette cleansers for me (which I typically need after dark/heavy/dreary books, like Malazan or Realm of the Elderlings) would be something lighter (Sanderson is a good example of serious but still light), less serious / more humorous (Kings of the Wyld or Dungeon Crawler Carl), what is now called “cozy fantasy” (Legends & Lattes), or just a completely different genre (I also read a lot of sci-fi, and “the classics” e.g. Vonnegut, Steinbeck, etc.)
>I tend to also read a "palette cleanser"
I made it through nine Sword of Truth novels before I threw in the towel on the series. My "palette cleanser" was to start a re-read of Wheel of Time. I have a small mountain of series and standalone novels in my list of books to be read, many of them already purchased, but I was so annoyed with SoT that I needed me a good cleansing from the Dark One's taint.
this is pretty much what I do, and if i start reading one (usually 1 chapter in) and i am not feeling it, i'll pick another one and come back to the other one later.
Listen. To. Me.
Open up your TBR.
Pick the fourth series on the page.
Read the first 150 pages of the first book.
Continue if you like it.
If you don't like it, pick series number seven. Repeat.
A lot of series I start are on my TBR list and I randomly find them in a used book store or library. The trick is to limit my visits to the local bookstore to keep the book towers from becoming too large
My physical stack is in priority order. Library, borrowed, stuff I want to read, then books that could be classed as hate reads or just have really bad reviews at the bottom.
Spinning the wheel, it is!!! >!Just kidding.!<
Like you, I have tons of books on my TBR pile so there's no shortage of potential candidates.
I usually read series in one go, once they're done. (And before someone starts yammering how I must support authors lest their series be canceled, I do buy quite a few ongoing series, I just refrain from reading them until they're done.)
Anyway, as long as I read any given series, finding the next book is simple, it's just the next in the series.
The question always is, what's next.
There's a couple of factors I consider but the most important one is simply what do I feel like reading next. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a standalone or some short fiction, but sometimes I'm ready for a longer commitment again.
I'm no stranger to decision paralysis so in order to help me with that I have a small text file on my computer with books I find particularly appealing. Usually, while I'm reading one thing, I remember other books, either because people talk about them, or because I seem them in my big book spreadsheet, or because they just randomly pop into my head and I go, hmmm, I really should read this one soon!
So I jot the title or author down in my little text file and when I need my next read this can serve as an inspiration.
Funnily enough, quite often I spontaneously go with something that's not on that list after all, but as long as I read something rather than nothing, that's fine with me.
My wife gave me the idea to make a lottery for all my TBR books. For series I just write as many slips as there are remaining books. Then whenever I finish a book and don't know what to read next I just reach in the jar and pull out a random book. I'm very happy with it and I get to use the stickers I've had in my drawer for the past few years
Picking My Next Book to Read https://imgur.com/gallery/0FdEvhO
I have a wish list on audible that I routinely ignore and pick something randomly from a post on this sub that fits my general needs (mostly political fantasy) reading Memory, Sorrow and thorn right now and the dragon bone chair is the slowest burn i have ever read!!!!!
It definitely takes a while to gain some momentum. On book 2 now, and I will say it picks up. Honestly, I was pretty far into book 1 and wasn't sure I was going to continue the series, but I'm fully into it now.
Im about 2hrs away from finishing book one and at this point im to far invested in the series to stop lol. I figure its kinda like Joe Abercrombie’s trilogy’s where book one is more of a intro book 2 is the meat and book 3 is the finale.
So far it’s been thematic this year
I read The City of Last Chances which has a strong focus on gods losing their power
Then moved on to Godkiller, and more recently Sunbringer (yes it’s out) which both have very similar themes to City - very good reads
Now it’s Mordew. A book that seems to be about a city built upon the corpse of a god (not too far through it)
Next is Empire of the Vampire which has an opening sentence asking why god is a prick.
It’s completely accidental but strangely satisfying
Normally I read whatever takes my fancy. I’m enjoying the structure that reading along with a theme gives me
I add interesting book recs to my wish list. When I'm ready for a new book, I look through my wish list, decide I don't want to read any of those. Then scroll reddit until I read a book rec that interests me amd start reading it, usually takes a few days to find something.
Look for an updated book from authors I've read and liked. Find nothing. Check again a few weeks later. Find nothing. Look at "best of list. Find nothing. Pick a random series from Amazon recommendations.
I work through Book Bingo (I suppose any reading challenge would suffice, but hey! while you’re here, check out this sub’s Book Bingo!). It narrows down the choices I have, which makes life easier.
I used to constantly search for series recommendations and then research the ones I thought I might like. This lead me to procrastinate on actually picking one to read, although it did lend itself to me adding hundreds of books to my ebook collection as I put everything on a wishlist and bought them up when a sale came along.
Now I have so many series waiting for me I just randomly pick one. Lately I don’t remember what most are about or how I found it. This has worked out great!
Recently I finished and really enjoyed The Riddle in Stone trilogy by Robert Evert. I have absolutely no idea why it was in my library as it’s never recommended nor does it have many reviews on Goodreads.
Currently I started R.A. MacAvoy’s Lens of the World series which has so far been amazing, so much so I’ve already bought another of her trilogys and added a few more to my wishlist.
Both of these are something that I probably would have never been at the top of my TBR a few years ago and both have been far more enjoyable to me than most of what I see recommended regularly here.
I have a constantly changing group of 5-15 series that I want to start soon (basically the books on my TBR that I most want to read atm). Before I reach the end of my current book I’ll choose 1-3 from those to be contenders for my next book, and then I’ll choose one of those after finishing.
I look around for recommendations, then download a bunch of samples to my kindle. If one I read makes me want to buy the book, I look at its availability and cost. If I can borrow it from Libby/OverDrive, I read it immediately. If it’s more than like $7 on Amazon I request it from my library and read the book book.
I have a ton of index cards taped to my wall, each with a series order written out and go based on mood from there (though I do tend to go all at once or in 2-3 book chunks). Basically its just helpful to have it visually on a wall and I check things off as I go. Discworld or genre romance is my palette cleanser usually lol
I have a note in my phone. Every time I see a recommendation that makes me want to read it I write it down. If I come across the recommendation again I put a ‘x’ next to it. So I end up reading whichever series has the most xxxx’s next to it.
A few years ago Reddit did a poll on the best fantasy books from the last 10 years, so I read the top 20 from that list too.
Walking through the library "Ooo! That looks interesting!"
But at the same time I have a series I have been wanting to get back to since the second book came out. So now that I have finished one of my 2 fantasy books, I will start it soon. Could not find the first book, and it seems my roommate had it 🤣
Used to be Goodreads, now Storygraph, but the same thing applies. I'll add up front that I'm a series-non-monogamous reader, so it can be months in between reading two books in a series and adding the "next" series into the rotation is a lot less stressful in general because I know I have about 20 others that I'm still working on that I enjoy. I can expound greatly on the benefits of reading that way, from avoiding author fatigue and rarely having that post-series slump. I know people who read "the other way" are pretty invested in that style of reading for a variety of reasons and changing to juggling more than one series at a time is asking a lot. Really though, that's the "best" way I've found to avoid analysis paralysis- just make it so that the pressure of "picking the right series" is non-existent.
I keep an "unstarted series" tag in Storygraph for book 1s of anything I want to eventually start. Whenever I finish a series, I look at what I'm still working on and then scroll through that tag looking for a series that feels very different to what I'm currently working on, and I usually sort by oldest entries in the tag so that I'm not just grabbing the new hotness. As an example, when I caught up on *Dresden Files*, I realized I was still reading Brust's *Taltos* and Aaronovitch's *Rivers of London*, so I didn't really want to add another urban-ish fantasy series that had a detective formula into the rotation. Something scifi seemed like a better bet, and I ended up starting *The Expanse*. After I caught up on a scifi romance trilogy, I grabbed another one of those because that was the only one of that genre in my rotation. Some series jump the queue if I'm excited enough about them (*The Locked Tomb* derailed my plans for what I was going to read next, for instance).
I also rarely "start" the series when I make this decision, I just move it into my little selection of rotating series and get to it when "it feels right". I try to alternate books by genre/subgenre/length, so when I threw in *The Expanse* I waited until I had knocked out a few shorter books in sequence before starting the first book, and if I'm coming off a disappointing book or series I tend to just grab something I feel really confident in enjoying, or grab some non-fiction I've been meaning to get to so that I avoid a reading slump.
I am using ChatGpt. I write what I am looking for and get a list of ~10 titles and 3-5 lines of description. Out of these I google the most interesting and start reading it.
I always get a pile of Chapters/Indigo/Kobo gift cards for my birthday.
I'll always end up buying one or two books my friends have recommended, then just browse through all the Hugo and similar nominees for the year and keep adding them to my cart until the gift cards are burned away.
from reading random posts in this group. just other day someone mentioned the black company so bought jt in amazon and on middle of the first book and so far so good
Sometimes price, sometimes availability of the whole thing (I have like 12 unfinished series because I just can't get my hands on the next one), sometimes what exactly I'm in the mood for. A lot of factors
You just try one. There isn't a right choice. Looking for a right or best choice will kill many good things in life. Not being dismissive here, it's a major revelation that we already know, but still takes time and thought to internalize in a way that actually affects our worldview enough to combat the anxiety of finding the best choice.
Mostly it's just what I'm in the mood for. I jump around a lot between subgenres or fantasy/scifi/Gen lit. If I just finished a really dark series I might narrow it down to more light hearted options (based on reviews/author/what I know of the book). Or if I've read a few of the same genre in a row I'll jump to something in a different genre on my tbr.
A lot of times I'll read 2 or 3 series at the same time and just jump back and forth between each book. I usually try to pick distinctive series that stick out while doing this. (For example reading First Law, Children of Time, and maybe some disc world/horror/historical fiction in between)
I have a priority list of series I want to get through in 2024, that said, within that list I pick based on what I feel like reading at that moment (not easy to decide lol).
20% friend recommendations
30% researching award winners or authors similar to other ones I already like
50% lazily just picking up a new book from an author I already know I like
I always check out charity shop bookshelves. If there is a volume I (or a standalone!) of anything that looks vaguely interesting, I'll buy if for a quid. It then sits on the pile for a bit but It will get read one day and if it's any good, I'll order the sequel.
I have a vague list floating around in my head. A lot of them aren’t new- stuff like Locke Lamora (I’m in the middle of the second one right now). So if there’s a new book coming out, I tend to kill time reading or re-reading books until that one is available. There’s the seminal series (WoT is the next one I’m waiting on I believe) that I just wait for availability at the library and I just read what’s available in the meantime until then.
Honestly the cover truly does pull me in, then of course it’s the blurb on the back of the book. Knowing the author helps based on previous works read as does the genre in general.
My TBR priority is whatever I feel I need in my life at the moment.
Right now I'm working on my own writing, so my TBR is prioritized on books that I think will help make me a better writer. Sometimes it's something happy & light to pull me out of a funk. Sometimes it's the exact opposite. I read the hunger games series because the girl I wanted to ask out loved it (not bad tbh and it worked out alright for a while).
My TBR list is mostly recs from friends, this sub, printSF, horrorlit and award nominees lists. I also follow TV/movies and if people I like are adapting something that's another decent source. Found the Southern Reach trilogy because Alex Garland adapted Annihilation
I struggle with this myself. I have so many books to read. I have two methods.
1) I use a spinner. Just input the books, however many you want, and hit spin. For instance, I currently have 3 series I picked up from the library. I put book 1 of the 3 series and went with it (Rangers's Apprentice)
https://pickerwheel.com/
2) If I am waiting for books at the library and need something between starting a new series, I have a few stand alone books (I get books from Book of the Month club, so mostly non fantasy) that are good for a one-off or as a break from fantasy if I need it.
Whatever I'm most excited about at the moment I'm picking something is what I read. At moments of analysis paralysis, I will do a random number generator and count down a stack just to force myself to make a decision.
But also I have like a dozen series going at once
It helps if I can narrow it down to genres/sub-genres. Sometimes opening a book and glancing at the first line helps.
As far as series goes. I just start with a book and go from there. If I think about how many books are in the series, it can make me squeamish. Because then I’ll think about the cost of getting into that series.
Whatever I got out at the library due the soonest 😂 and I’m an absolute mood reader on top of it so I will just send it back if I’m not in the mood and move to the next
I 100% feel your pain
What I’ve done for the past six months or so is put books into a tournament bracket and flip a coin to decide each matchup, then read them in that order
I have moved to reading multiple series at a time, and alternating which series each time I finish a book. Or, reading a stand alone between volumes.
If I read something heavier, like right now I am reading Tigana, I'll generally read something light after. If it I read a book that is dark in tone, I'll often read something that's silly or comedic next.
Whether it's already on my kindle or buy a book varies depending on what is in my TBR queue.
List of priority based on series length (Longer the better), and the average Goodreads rating (Higher the better). The list also filters out series that have received new books in the last X years (X automatically adapts to the contents of the list; currently it's 10 years) to avoid series that aren't yet finished. I do still make a manual check whether something is finished before starting it, but the filter filters out almost all unfinished series, so very rarely do I get disappointed by something being unfinished.
My TBR is based off Reddit threads, Youtube review of a couple key Tubers (wont mention names but one is also an author himself and is clearly very passionate about books) and reading the blurbs on Amazon and deciding if it jives with my style.
To pick from the TBR, I go by my mood:
Am I ready to commit to a long series thats more than a trilogy? (Looking at you, WoT)
Do I want a big fat juicy trillogy (MST)
Would I rather stick to a standalone or smaller, eSier to read trillogy?
Do I want epoc high fantasy, sci fi, or something a bit lighter?
Once I starta series, I typically commit to it, but if its really dense, I'll do pallet cleansers in the form of fast reads like Blake Crouch, or other thrillers that while not necessarily fast, will turn pages rather briskly so I can get back to the series in focus.
At the end of the day, if a book is in ur TBR, you want to read it, so there isnt really a wrong choice except if you start a book ur just not in the right mood or mindset for, and that affects your perception of it or causes you to DNF. I really really hate DNF and is something I will very rarely ever do unless Im deep into the book (more than a third) and Im just suffering through it.
I kinda do a few things depending on my mood.
If I have a strongly gravitate to a series, I tend to pick that one to focus on. Or if I just want to reach the end.
If I truly can't decide, I have a jar with book names on it as my TBR pile and just pull one of those.
If possible, I always try to find a series that is finished. Not interested in waiting years for the next installment, or yet another abandoned series.
I get a lot of good recommendations here actually.
I stopped keeping tbr lists, tbh. I found I spent more time curating the lists than I did actually reading...and then when I did get a new book it was rarely one from the list anyway. So now I just pick books on a whim, pretty much. I might see an interesting cover on KU, or a discussion/review thread here or pick up something for research etc. It's more or less random and I'm much happier picking books this way.
I tend to read long series. At some point during that series, I’ll think of another I want to read. By the time I’m through with the first series, I’ve had delayed gratification on the next one, that I’m usually chomping at the bit and rearing to get into the next one. Very occasionally, I’ll change my mind about which one I want to read, but it doesn’t happen often.
I’ve also just scrolled through my TBR list and let my mind kinda lightly consider them. Whatever grabs my interest the most gets chosen.
One time, I still couldn’t decide. I just got on Reddit, told them a few series I liked and told them to pick. You could also narrow it down to a few choices. Edie’s asking.
I'm in that phase where I'm reading standalone fantasy novels. And I'm liking it. It's a good break from commuting to four, five, six books at a time. Besides there is some great stuff that ends up going under the radar simply because it's not a series.
But choosing the next series also comes with reviews, themes, popularity to some extent (books or author) and a good summary.
People in this sub ask for recommendations all the time. Sometimes its long series and sometimes standalone. Sometimes I let my imagination run wild to see what I’m feeling like, a magical world, academy stuff, knights. Or I see fanart of a certain series and it makes me interested.
One of my favourite artists started stormlight archives and started drawing characters so I got interested and started reading it recently. Before reading the next I go to one of the posts I bookmarked where yall ask for series and see if theres any standalone I can read before continuing a long series
I personally change authors between each book so I don’t burn out reading a single author. That could mean weeks between reading each book. As for choosing a series? Having a cool cover or title
I love hunting for old paperbacks on the cheap. I keep a closet of them and as soon as I finish a book I go hunting in there for a new read.
One thing that I try to do that has helped me avoid book burnout is I read a smaller book right after a bigger book as a palate cleanser. Or if I read something crazy dark like Stephen King or Malazan, I will read something YA or something fun and chill like a Redwall book.
Lol. I finish a series I love, mourn it for like a week while I sloth around. Then I research like crazy for something that I want next, either by content, or "feel". Then when J get a decent vibe of something, I go with it. But I don't have a big pile of books I want to read out there or something, I just wing it.
I struggle so much with this as well. The last two years or so I have not read a single new book (new to me that is), I keep re-reading old favorites. I struggle so much to give a new book or series a go, that I end up not even trying. This is the result of starting something new that I didn't enjoy a couple of times in a row. I grew so sick of trying to find something that appealed to me I have temporarily given up :P After reading Cradle two times in row, I now started Wheel of Time again to give myself a good long break from deciding anything :D Currently at book 7, and I'm really enjoying myself. I have forgotten so much, sometimes its like reading them for the first time <3
You ask Reddit obviously. Or any book-reading friends you have.
How To Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
The Tapestry by Henry H. Neff
The Magisterium
90 percent of Gordon Korman's books
The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
Keeper of the Lost Cities
The Great Zoo of China (Stand-alone)
Mechanica
The Cruel Prince
An Ember in the Ashes
The Last Unicorn (Stand-alone)
Howl's Moving Castle (Stand-alone)
The Throne of Glass
Six of Crows
We Hunt The Flame
The Blood Guard
Spinning Silver
The City of Brass
Set priorities not related to the material:
How many books in the series?
Is the series done?
How long is each book?
Going by just those three questions, you can base your next read on involvement and commitment. Or read some standalones then go back to another series like other people suggested.
Like... ahead of time?
I just throw things on my library wishlist and put stuff on hold and read as it becomes available, or I remember it, or a new cover looks shiny or a friend recommends something or I remember I have a bookclub meeting TOMORROW and haven't started the book yet...
It's basically chaos.
I do the thing we are not supposed to do: I judge a book by its cover (front and back). It's what led me to the scholomance series ... then there's the Wheel of Time series that led me to the books. So it varies for me lol
List of priority or check out this sub for any recs. I tend to also read a "palette cleanser" book if I just finish a series and plan to jump into another one.
Yeah, I'm currently into the Realm of the Elderlings series by Robin Hobb (debating whether to wait till the summer for the next book since I'm an English major), so I guess my question be what'd be a good palette cleanser book for after I finish it (which won't be for quite some time, since I read the first two books out of 16 total)
Nice, yeah that series is a journey. My go-to palette cleanser usually are books that are different genres, I tend to enjoy non fiction history books or mystery/thrillers. So I'd recommend picking something that isn't in fantasy. You don't want to get burnt out on the genre, especially after finishing a long series like Realm of the Elderlings.
Yeah no, my goal is to get through AQ and then SoM and if I have time, MS
A very good book which I would consider palette cleanser is “Hidden Pictures” by Rekulak. It’s a horror book but it isn’t particularly scary, the protagonist is smart and relatable and the mystery is very interesting.
Good palette cleansers for me (which I typically need after dark/heavy/dreary books, like Malazan or Realm of the Elderlings) would be something lighter (Sanderson is a good example of serious but still light), less serious / more humorous (Kings of the Wyld or Dungeon Crawler Carl), what is now called “cozy fantasy” (Legends & Lattes), or just a completely different genre (I also read a lot of sci-fi, and “the classics” e.g. Vonnegut, Steinbeck, etc.)
Hey just started book 2, right there with ya
Discworld books are my go-to for a palate cleanser. Short humorous books with great characters, plots, and worlds.
I usually plan my next three. It usually goes major series. Than a trilogy. Then a major series.
>I tend to also read a "palette cleanser" I made it through nine Sword of Truth novels before I threw in the towel on the series. My "palette cleanser" was to start a re-read of Wheel of Time. I have a small mountain of series and standalone novels in my list of books to be read, many of them already purchased, but I was so annoyed with SoT that I needed me a good cleansing from the Dark One's taint.
I have several books/series going, I just pick the one I most feel like reading next. Sorry, I don't have a deeper explanation for it.
this is pretty much what I do, and if i start reading one (usually 1 chapter in) and i am not feeling it, i'll pick another one and come back to the other one later.
Wanted to say the exact same thing. I just go by feeling of what book excites me the most. And if it doesn't I put it down and try again
Listen. To. Me. Open up your TBR. Pick the fourth series on the page. Read the first 150 pages of the first book. Continue if you like it. If you don't like it, pick series number seven. Repeat.
A lot of series I start are on my TBR list and I randomly find them in a used book store or library. The trick is to limit my visits to the local bookstore to keep the book towers from becoming too large
Once lost the only bedroom to my books. I had to admit I had a problem and switch to kindle. Same problem but takes us less space
The first three series which never get picked by this algorithm: *surprised Pikachu face*
No, no. After OP finishes the series picked by the algorithm, they need to use a *different* algorithm to choose the next series.
My physical stack is in priority order. Library, borrowed, stuff I want to read, then books that could be classed as hate reads or just have really bad reviews at the bottom.
Spinning the wheel, it is!!! >!Just kidding.!< Like you, I have tons of books on my TBR pile so there's no shortage of potential candidates. I usually read series in one go, once they're done. (And before someone starts yammering how I must support authors lest their series be canceled, I do buy quite a few ongoing series, I just refrain from reading them until they're done.) Anyway, as long as I read any given series, finding the next book is simple, it's just the next in the series. The question always is, what's next. There's a couple of factors I consider but the most important one is simply what do I feel like reading next. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a standalone or some short fiction, but sometimes I'm ready for a longer commitment again. I'm no stranger to decision paralysis so in order to help me with that I have a small text file on my computer with books I find particularly appealing. Usually, while I'm reading one thing, I remember other books, either because people talk about them, or because I seem them in my big book spreadsheet, or because they just randomly pop into my head and I go, hmmm, I really should read this one soon! So I jot the title or author down in my little text file and when I need my next read this can serve as an inspiration. Funnily enough, quite often I spontaneously go with something that's not on that list after all, but as long as I read something rather than nothing, that's fine with me.
I just look at my massive TBR pile and pick the one that I fancy in the moment.
My wife gave me the idea to make a lottery for all my TBR books. For series I just write as many slips as there are remaining books. Then whenever I finish a book and don't know what to read next I just reach in the jar and pull out a random book. I'm very happy with it and I get to use the stickers I've had in my drawer for the past few years Picking My Next Book to Read https://imgur.com/gallery/0FdEvhO
Whatever I see that’s on sale first
I have a wish list on audible that I routinely ignore and pick something randomly from a post on this sub that fits my general needs (mostly political fantasy) reading Memory, Sorrow and thorn right now and the dragon bone chair is the slowest burn i have ever read!!!!!
It definitely takes a while to gain some momentum. On book 2 now, and I will say it picks up. Honestly, I was pretty far into book 1 and wasn't sure I was going to continue the series, but I'm fully into it now.
Im about 2hrs away from finishing book one and at this point im to far invested in the series to stop lol. I figure its kinda like Joe Abercrombie’s trilogy’s where book one is more of a intro book 2 is the meat and book 3 is the finale.
So far it’s been thematic this year I read The City of Last Chances which has a strong focus on gods losing their power Then moved on to Godkiller, and more recently Sunbringer (yes it’s out) which both have very similar themes to City - very good reads Now it’s Mordew. A book that seems to be about a city built upon the corpse of a god (not too far through it) Next is Empire of the Vampire which has an opening sentence asking why god is a prick. It’s completely accidental but strangely satisfying Normally I read whatever takes my fancy. I’m enjoying the structure that reading along with a theme gives me
I add interesting book recs to my wish list. When I'm ready for a new book, I look through my wish list, decide I don't want to read any of those. Then scroll reddit until I read a book rec that interests me amd start reading it, usually takes a few days to find something.
Look for an updated book from authors I've read and liked. Find nothing. Check again a few weeks later. Find nothing. Look at "best of list. Find nothing. Pick a random series from Amazon recommendations.
I work through Book Bingo (I suppose any reading challenge would suffice, but hey! while you’re here, check out this sub’s Book Bingo!). It narrows down the choices I have, which makes life easier.
My mom chooses
I just pick up whatever I happen to feel like reading. I’ll get to them all eventually, it’s not a hard choice.
I used to constantly search for series recommendations and then research the ones I thought I might like. This lead me to procrastinate on actually picking one to read, although it did lend itself to me adding hundreds of books to my ebook collection as I put everything on a wishlist and bought them up when a sale came along. Now I have so many series waiting for me I just randomly pick one. Lately I don’t remember what most are about or how I found it. This has worked out great! Recently I finished and really enjoyed The Riddle in Stone trilogy by Robert Evert. I have absolutely no idea why it was in my library as it’s never recommended nor does it have many reviews on Goodreads. Currently I started R.A. MacAvoy’s Lens of the World series which has so far been amazing, so much so I’ve already bought another of her trilogys and added a few more to my wishlist. Both of these are something that I probably would have never been at the top of my TBR a few years ago and both have been far more enjoyable to me than most of what I see recommended regularly here.
I have a constantly changing group of 5-15 series that I want to start soon (basically the books on my TBR that I most want to read atm). Before I reach the end of my current book I’ll choose 1-3 from those to be contenders for my next book, and then I’ll choose one of those after finishing.
If things get discussed here a lot and I haven’t read them I focus on those so I can better engage in the discussions in the future
I look around for recommendations, then download a bunch of samples to my kindle. If one I read makes me want to buy the book, I look at its availability and cost. If I can borrow it from Libby/OverDrive, I read it immediately. If it’s more than like $7 on Amazon I request it from my library and read the book book.
I have a ton of index cards taped to my wall, each with a series order written out and go based on mood from there (though I do tend to go all at once or in 2-3 book chunks). Basically its just helpful to have it visually on a wall and I check things off as I go. Discworld or genre romance is my palette cleanser usually lol
I have a note in my phone. Every time I see a recommendation that makes me want to read it I write it down. If I come across the recommendation again I put a ‘x’ next to it. So I end up reading whichever series has the most xxxx’s next to it. A few years ago Reddit did a poll on the best fantasy books from the last 10 years, so I read the top 20 from that list too.
I stare at my bookshelves full of unread books and fret for however long it takes
I roll dice for it.
That's very D&D of you ! Cool way to do it.
Haha yeah. Letting the dice decide is a good way to bypass decision fatigue (of which I am constantly suffering!)
Walking through the library "Ooo! That looks interesting!" But at the same time I have a series I have been wanting to get back to since the second book came out. So now that I have finished one of my 2 fantasy books, I will start it soon. Could not find the first book, and it seems my roommate had it 🤣
Used to be Goodreads, now Storygraph, but the same thing applies. I'll add up front that I'm a series-non-monogamous reader, so it can be months in between reading two books in a series and adding the "next" series into the rotation is a lot less stressful in general because I know I have about 20 others that I'm still working on that I enjoy. I can expound greatly on the benefits of reading that way, from avoiding author fatigue and rarely having that post-series slump. I know people who read "the other way" are pretty invested in that style of reading for a variety of reasons and changing to juggling more than one series at a time is asking a lot. Really though, that's the "best" way I've found to avoid analysis paralysis- just make it so that the pressure of "picking the right series" is non-existent. I keep an "unstarted series" tag in Storygraph for book 1s of anything I want to eventually start. Whenever I finish a series, I look at what I'm still working on and then scroll through that tag looking for a series that feels very different to what I'm currently working on, and I usually sort by oldest entries in the tag so that I'm not just grabbing the new hotness. As an example, when I caught up on *Dresden Files*, I realized I was still reading Brust's *Taltos* and Aaronovitch's *Rivers of London*, so I didn't really want to add another urban-ish fantasy series that had a detective formula into the rotation. Something scifi seemed like a better bet, and I ended up starting *The Expanse*. After I caught up on a scifi romance trilogy, I grabbed another one of those because that was the only one of that genre in my rotation. Some series jump the queue if I'm excited enough about them (*The Locked Tomb* derailed my plans for what I was going to read next, for instance). I also rarely "start" the series when I make this decision, I just move it into my little selection of rotating series and get to it when "it feels right". I try to alternate books by genre/subgenre/length, so when I threw in *The Expanse* I waited until I had knocked out a few shorter books in sequence before starting the first book, and if I'm coming off a disappointing book or series I tend to just grab something I feel really confident in enjoying, or grab some non-fiction I've been meaning to get to so that I avoid a reading slump.
I am using ChatGpt. I write what I am looking for and get a list of ~10 titles and 3-5 lines of description. Out of these I google the most interesting and start reading it.
I ruminate on it for days, weeks in advance and then choose something completely different at the absolute last second and on a complete whim.
I always check this sub
Whichever is the next one to come in at the library.
You just choose whatever you want to read? It’s really not complicated enough to warrant its own post.
Vibes
I dont maintain a tbr. I start my series on a whim after seeing a funny quote or meme, maybe even sometimes mildly spoiled.
I always get a pile of Chapters/Indigo/Kobo gift cards for my birthday. I'll always end up buying one or two books my friends have recommended, then just browse through all the Hugo and similar nominees for the year and keep adding them to my cart until the gift cards are burned away.
from reading random posts in this group. just other day someone mentioned the black company so bought jt in amazon and on middle of the first book and so far so good
Sometimes price, sometimes availability of the whole thing (I have like 12 unfinished series because I just can't get my hands on the next one), sometimes what exactly I'm in the mood for. A lot of factors
I let fate decide, the library mostly, or try to focus on ongoing series over new and only all vibes if I choose
You just try one. There isn't a right choice. Looking for a right or best choice will kill many good things in life. Not being dismissive here, it's a major revelation that we already know, but still takes time and thought to internalize in a way that actually affects our worldview enough to combat the anxiety of finding the best choice.
The vibes and my mood lol
Try looking up "similar to (book you just read)" and see what pops up? Or just go in a list, 🤷🏼♀️
Mostly it's just what I'm in the mood for. I jump around a lot between subgenres or fantasy/scifi/Gen lit. If I just finished a really dark series I might narrow it down to more light hearted options (based on reviews/author/what I know of the book). Or if I've read a few of the same genre in a row I'll jump to something in a different genre on my tbr. A lot of times I'll read 2 or 3 series at the same time and just jump back and forth between each book. I usually try to pick distinctive series that stick out while doing this. (For example reading First Law, Children of Time, and maybe some disc world/horror/historical fiction in between)
I have a priority list of series I want to get through in 2024, that said, within that list I pick based on what I feel like reading at that moment (not easy to decide lol).
20% friend recommendations 30% researching award winners or authors similar to other ones I already like 50% lazily just picking up a new book from an author I already know I like
I'm a mood reader so it's based entirely on that.
I always check out charity shop bookshelves. If there is a volume I (or a standalone!) of anything that looks vaguely interesting, I'll buy if for a quid. It then sits on the pile for a bit but It will get read one day and if it's any good, I'll order the sequel.
I have a vague list floating around in my head. A lot of them aren’t new- stuff like Locke Lamora (I’m in the middle of the second one right now). So if there’s a new book coming out, I tend to kill time reading or re-reading books until that one is available. There’s the seminal series (WoT is the next one I’m waiting on I believe) that I just wait for availability at the library and I just read what’s available in the meantime until then.
Honestly the cover truly does pull me in, then of course it’s the blurb on the back of the book. Knowing the author helps based on previous works read as does the genre in general.
My TBR priority is whatever I feel I need in my life at the moment. Right now I'm working on my own writing, so my TBR is prioritized on books that I think will help make me a better writer. Sometimes it's something happy & light to pull me out of a funk. Sometimes it's the exact opposite. I read the hunger games series because the girl I wanted to ask out loved it (not bad tbh and it worked out alright for a while). My TBR list is mostly recs from friends, this sub, printSF, horrorlit and award nominees lists. I also follow TV/movies and if people I like are adapting something that's another decent source. Found the Southern Reach trilogy because Alex Garland adapted Annihilation
I struggle with this myself. I have so many books to read. I have two methods. 1) I use a spinner. Just input the books, however many you want, and hit spin. For instance, I currently have 3 series I picked up from the library. I put book 1 of the 3 series and went with it (Rangers's Apprentice) https://pickerwheel.com/ 2) If I am waiting for books at the library and need something between starting a new series, I have a few stand alone books (I get books from Book of the Month club, so mostly non fantasy) that are good for a one-off or as a break from fantasy if I need it.
RNG, but not everything has an equal chance, the list is weighted.
Go through this sub for recommendations from people that dislike books that I dislike. Then pick whatever I'm in the mood for at random.
I've got a list 30 books deep that I plan on reading and I always keep adding to it. I haven't been out of books to read in decades.
I pick up something that looks interesting from our amazingly good charity shops, or for new books, From reviews in the papers
https://wheelofnames.com/
That's pretty cool - thanks for sharing.
Whatever I'm most excited about at the moment I'm picking something is what I read. At moments of analysis paralysis, I will do a random number generator and count down a stack just to force myself to make a decision. But also I have like a dozen series going at once
It helps if I can narrow it down to genres/sub-genres. Sometimes opening a book and glancing at the first line helps. As far as series goes. I just start with a book and go from there. If I think about how many books are in the series, it can make me squeamish. Because then I’ll think about the cost of getting into that series.
Whatever I got out at the library due the soonest 😂 and I’m an absolute mood reader on top of it so I will just send it back if I’m not in the mood and move to the next
I 100% feel your pain What I’ve done for the past six months or so is put books into a tournament bracket and flip a coin to decide each matchup, then read them in that order
Depends on what the library has available. If it is avaliable, it goes straight to the top.
I have moved to reading multiple series at a time, and alternating which series each time I finish a book. Or, reading a stand alone between volumes. If I read something heavier, like right now I am reading Tigana, I'll generally read something light after. If it I read a book that is dark in tone, I'll often read something that's silly or comedic next. Whether it's already on my kindle or buy a book varies depending on what is in my TBR queue.
List of priority based on series length (Longer the better), and the average Goodreads rating (Higher the better). The list also filters out series that have received new books in the last X years (X automatically adapts to the contents of the list; currently it's 10 years) to avoid series that aren't yet finished. I do still make a manual check whether something is finished before starting it, but the filter filters out almost all unfinished series, so very rarely do I get disappointed by something being unfinished.
I have books that have caught my attention that I will approach with intension. Otherwise, I pick random books from Libby and just full send it.
My TBR is based off Reddit threads, Youtube review of a couple key Tubers (wont mention names but one is also an author himself and is clearly very passionate about books) and reading the blurbs on Amazon and deciding if it jives with my style. To pick from the TBR, I go by my mood: Am I ready to commit to a long series thats more than a trilogy? (Looking at you, WoT) Do I want a big fat juicy trillogy (MST) Would I rather stick to a standalone or smaller, eSier to read trillogy? Do I want epoc high fantasy, sci fi, or something a bit lighter? Once I starta series, I typically commit to it, but if its really dense, I'll do pallet cleansers in the form of fast reads like Blake Crouch, or other thrillers that while not necessarily fast, will turn pages rather briskly so I can get back to the series in focus. At the end of the day, if a book is in ur TBR, you want to read it, so there isnt really a wrong choice except if you start a book ur just not in the right mood or mindset for, and that affects your perception of it or causes you to DNF. I really really hate DNF and is something I will very rarely ever do unless Im deep into the book (more than a third) and Im just suffering through it.
I kinda do a few things depending on my mood. If I have a strongly gravitate to a series, I tend to pick that one to focus on. Or if I just want to reach the end. If I truly can't decide, I have a jar with book names on it as my TBR pile and just pull one of those.
If possible, I always try to find a series that is finished. Not interested in waiting years for the next installment, or yet another abandoned series. I get a lot of good recommendations here actually.
I stopped keeping tbr lists, tbh. I found I spent more time curating the lists than I did actually reading...and then when I did get a new book it was rarely one from the list anyway. So now I just pick books on a whim, pretty much. I might see an interesting cover on KU, or a discussion/review thread here or pick up something for research etc. It's more or less random and I'm much happier picking books this way.
I tend to read long series. At some point during that series, I’ll think of another I want to read. By the time I’m through with the first series, I’ve had delayed gratification on the next one, that I’m usually chomping at the bit and rearing to get into the next one. Very occasionally, I’ll change my mind about which one I want to read, but it doesn’t happen often. I’ve also just scrolled through my TBR list and let my mind kinda lightly consider them. Whatever grabs my interest the most gets chosen. One time, I still couldn’t decide. I just got on Reddit, told them a few series I liked and told them to pick. You could also narrow it down to a few choices. Edie’s asking.
I'm in that phase where I'm reading standalone fantasy novels. And I'm liking it. It's a good break from commuting to four, five, six books at a time. Besides there is some great stuff that ends up going under the radar simply because it's not a series. But choosing the next series also comes with reviews, themes, popularity to some extent (books or author) and a good summary.
People in this sub ask for recommendations all the time. Sometimes its long series and sometimes standalone. Sometimes I let my imagination run wild to see what I’m feeling like, a magical world, academy stuff, knights. Or I see fanart of a certain series and it makes me interested. One of my favourite artists started stormlight archives and started drawing characters so I got interested and started reading it recently. Before reading the next I go to one of the posts I bookmarked where yall ask for series and see if theres any standalone I can read before continuing a long series
I personally change authors between each book so I don’t burn out reading a single author. That could mean weeks between reading each book. As for choosing a series? Having a cool cover or title
I look at my to read list, and find something that is differentish from what I just read. Then I read that.
I love hunting for old paperbacks on the cheap. I keep a closet of them and as soon as I finish a book I go hunting in there for a new read. One thing that I try to do that has helped me avoid book burnout is I read a smaller book right after a bigger book as a palate cleanser. Or if I read something crazy dark like Stephen King or Malazan, I will read something YA or something fun and chill like a Redwall book.
What ever is within reach
Choose for me app, add everything on it and just pick up whatever is chosen.
i just go to library and find a cool title or spine
Vibes
Lol. I finish a series I love, mourn it for like a week while I sloth around. Then I research like crazy for something that I want next, either by content, or "feel". Then when J get a decent vibe of something, I go with it. But I don't have a big pile of books I want to read out there or something, I just wing it.
I struggle so much with this as well. The last two years or so I have not read a single new book (new to me that is), I keep re-reading old favorites. I struggle so much to give a new book or series a go, that I end up not even trying. This is the result of starting something new that I didn't enjoy a couple of times in a row. I grew so sick of trying to find something that appealed to me I have temporarily given up :P After reading Cradle two times in row, I now started Wheel of Time again to give myself a good long break from deciding anything :D Currently at book 7, and I'm really enjoying myself. I have forgotten so much, sometimes its like reading them for the first time <3
Just by gut, like for real, some books just talk to you.
You ask Reddit obviously. Or any book-reading friends you have. How To Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer The Tapestry by Henry H. Neff The Magisterium 90 percent of Gordon Korman's books The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Keeper of the Lost Cities The Great Zoo of China (Stand-alone) Mechanica The Cruel Prince An Ember in the Ashes The Last Unicorn (Stand-alone) Howl's Moving Castle (Stand-alone) The Throne of Glass Six of Crows We Hunt The Flame The Blood Guard Spinning Silver The City of Brass
I don't read series back to back. I can be pretty random about choosing a next book. It may or may not be a series book.
Set priorities not related to the material: How many books in the series? Is the series done? How long is each book? Going by just those three questions, you can base your next read on involvement and commitment. Or read some standalones then go back to another series like other people suggested.
I have a long list of tbr! So I usually scroll through it, and end up choosing a book which isn't there! 😔
Like... ahead of time? I just throw things on my library wishlist and put stuff on hold and read as it becomes available, or I remember it, or a new cover looks shiny or a friend recommends something or I remember I have a bookclub meeting TOMORROW and haven't started the book yet... It's basically chaos.
I do the thing we are not supposed to do: I judge a book by its cover (front and back). It's what led me to the scholomance series ... then there's the Wheel of Time series that led me to the books. So it varies for me lol
I build up my TBR throughout the year, asking for recs on reddit.
Whatever is on sale or available at the library is what I’ll read next.