Do you find it challenging to discover a good book to read? A book you will enjoy and a book that fits your mood. It may seem like there are too many options, and you don’t know where to start. So, allow me to give you some suggestions.
I keep a list of books on my phone that I want to read. My kindle always has a few titles I’ve downloaded and haven’t read, and there is a TBR pile of paperbacks and hardcovers in my house. In addition, I know my favorite authors, and when I hear they have published a new book, I start looking for it.
I finish a book and pick a new one immediately. In order to do this, I use these simple rules to determine which book will be my next read.
- Do I have a library book? Unfortunately, they must be returned on a deadline, so I move them to the top.
- Read something in a different genre – otherwise, the story bleeds together. For example, if I read a thriller, I opt for literary or women’s fiction. If I read a book about World War II, I would choose a different era. Finished a nonfiction? I choose a lightweight fiction or memoir, etc.
- Traveling? Bring ebooks only! I read too much to carry multiple hardback books with me.
- Feeling sad? Read something happy or thought-provoking.
There is one other criterion I apply to my TBR pile: If I don’t like a book, I don’t finish it! – Too many books. Too little time!
So how do I find all these books? I talk books to anyone that will discuss them with me. I wander public libraries and bookstores, and I read about books every day!
I’m a faithful listener to What Should I Read Next, a podcast from The Modern Mrs. Darcy. What I like about this podcast is that she interviews a reader about what they’ve enjoyed reading and what they disliked reading and then offers three suggestions. The books they discuss cover a wide range of subjects and are chosen from every genre. Anne also writes a very interesting fun blog.
I also really like OrderOfBooks.com because it lists all the books an author has published in the correct order for reading a series. And, as you may have gathered from prior posts, there is nothing much that makes me happier than discovering an author that has a LOT of books in a series. Order of Books lists both old, backlisted, books and new series, and his newsletter is interesting and fun.
If you are an eBook reader, my favorite daily email is from Bargain Booksy. I also receive Book Bub, Early Bird Books, and several others. You can find amazing books for free or at very low cost.
For audiobooks – I go straight to Chirp. I like this app because you buy what you want when you want it, and there is no monthly membership.
And before I forget—I love Overdrive and Libby, which are library apps and allow you to borrow NOT buy. These are actually what I check first when I want an expensive book. You do need a library card to use these apps, but most public libraries are part of the system.
You can probably guess my issue is not finding what to read next but finding the time to read all the books I buy or download!
Happy Reading! Tamara
