Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club discussion

So I noticed when some of you post the book you are reading, you post then next few that you plan to read...Do you find its easier to decide in advance what your going to read , and do you stick with it?
I finish one book then scroll around for another one, one by one.
What do you do??

I think a lot of us know what lies ahead for us because we read pre scheduled buddy reads and books of the month to join in for group discussions. At least that has been the case for me since joining groups on Goodreads this year. I used to just read whatever came next for me - no pre planning. Now I have the rest of the year planned out - but all books I want to read anyway. Even when there is an opening slot I have for a book it is taken usually by a new publication or a pile I have that I want to get to this year.

I leave it to chance. My next book would be determined by the following facts - any good review which is fresh in my mind, book club or reading challenges which are to be completed by the next fortnight or so, the book in my shelf which catches my attention or sometimes for fun, I play these games. I scroll past my library list in E Reader and think I will start with book no. 17 or the first book I glance upon with the beginning letter "S" or some such nonsense.

I used to close my eyes and reach out my finger into my bookshelf and read which book my finger touched first - after all they are all my books that I want to read anyway.

Sarah wrote: "I used to close my eyes and reach out my finger into my bookshelf and read which book my finger touched first - after all they are all my books that I want to read anyway."

lol thats great!! well, i find myself deciding my next book and then BAM!! something else catches my attention and it changes..so right this second I plan on reading Insurgent next, so we will see.

Since I work at a library - my book lists come from: a)best sellers that will be coming out b) favorite authors that have new books c)book clubs I belong to d)books that need to be reviewed for work e)books patrons tell me I have to read because they are so good and f)classics that I have missed or am rereading because its been over 20 years and don't remember much about them!! Then as I either buy for kindle or in book form or I pick them up at the library then in turn that is how they are read...sometimes its nonfiction as well as fiction because I keep about 3-5 going at a time until they are finished.

I'm with Sarah. I used to just read whatever book caught my attention at the moment. Now I have a list due to different book clubs that I have joined here on Goodreads. I have signed up for different buddy reads and try to read the books of the month in the appropriate months, though that does not always happen.

This book club is reading Insurgent in September, so I am planning to read it then. lol See how that happens! I have a huge list for this month and probably won't get to them all.

Before Goodreads, I would just pick whatever caught my eye. Now, with the different groups I've joined, I read based on what is due in that time frame. I sometimes get in over my head and can't finish though, but the intention is there. At the beginning of each month I put all the books for that months worth of group reads in one spot.

I'm too mood driven to follow a list. I read whatever sounds good/interesting to me at the given moment. :)

I only list book(s) I intend to start on within a 10 day period. I am good at listing many books to my "to read" list. But as for definite reads, I only specify within a week period. For me, I frustrate myself if I do it otherwise. I've also found it psychologically helps me if I buy books I will definitely read. Also, if I look at my "to read" list as "maybes or would be nice" if I ever want that type of genre, etc.

Oh. Forgot: it helps me, too, to only list "reading now" titles AFTER I started on them. Even if its just a chapter in. Its accountable for me to involve others. Plus, I just know if I want to continue the book.

Alycia wrote: "I'm too mood driven to follow a list. I read whatever sounds good/interesting to me at the given moment. :)"

I wish I was more like that! I always join challenges and buddy reads, then I have to read something that fits in. I'm very list driven lately!

Kristie- I feel like life is too short to worry about all the books other people want me to read. I want to read for my enjoyment! lol

Dont let me deceive you, Alicia. I wasnt always like that. I learned the hard way healthwise - realizing I couldnt "do it all"

I own tons of books!!! I have about 18,000 books in my kindle cloud, about 2,000 on my computer,about 1,000 PB/HBs and just a few audiobooks. Some how I manage to keep track of them all LOL and some I have duplicates of in multiple different forms. I used to just randomly read as I am a mood reader. I have about 20 books going at all times :( which I need to stop doing that. I am involved in several groups here on GR and have about 150 different challenges going LOL Yes, I am a book & challenge addict. When I join a challenge I try to immediately plan my books for that challenge so that I can hopefully finish on time but find myself straying and picking up other books for some reason or the other. Therefore I sometimes don't finish my challenges on time but I do finish them even if it's late :)

150 different challenges!!!! That's impressive!

I generally have a schedule but I leave space in it for "mood reads". And sometimes I just don't stick with my schedule if I find myself bored with it. I only have one life and so many books I want to read. :D

I totally agree, Vanessa, I have schedule for each month as well, but I usually add some books and change others, so it is more like a frame :D. I have three challenges, and I do not like wasting time for books that I'm not interested in, although I like reading new genres and find new authors :)

Alycia wrote: "Kristie- I feel like life is too short to worry about all the books other people want me to read. I want to read for my enjoyment! lol"

I agree wholeheartedly. When I am ready to pick up a new book I go through my books and decide what I am in the mood for.

Alycia wrote: "I'm too mood driven to follow a list. I read whatever sounds good/interesting to me at the given moment. :)"

I am with you Alycia! I do pick one book from one of my book clubs. Then I have my to read list in numerical order according to what I think I want to read next, however, when it comes to choosing my next book somehow the numbers do not mean a thing. Also, I am easily distracted by books somehow show up on their own.

Vanessa wrote: "150 different challenges!!!! That's impressive!

I generally have a schedule but I leave space in it for "mood reads". And sometimes I just don't stick with my schedule if I find myself bored with ..."

I have a schedule/list for the month but I some how always get distracted from it because I see other books I want to read that are not on the list. Most of the time I just read and slot books into my challenges LOL if I finish the challenges on time GREAT!!! If not it's all good I will finish them at some point :)

I have a shelf for the next 3 books I'm going to read, but that's for my blog followers. A few of them buy the books I plan on reading and read them with me.

I used to read whatever came along to me at the time of nearly finishing a book and I'd keep a To Read Soon list (which would generally not be followed anyway).

Now though I'm using the Book Clubs to help work out what I'm going to read next. Especially this Book Club.

So I have shelves called Book Club To Read - 2013-09, Book Club to Read 2013-10 and so on.... I have even done up a spreadsheet so I can colour code (I know, I know - but I'm an accountant and just love spreadsheets). that way I can easily see which are Goodreads Choice awards to count towards that challenge and I can also see which are published in 2013 that are potentially going to be next years award winners or nominees.

Then within the 5-8 books that the clubs have on the go for that month, I can then "Mood Pick"

I'm WAY over my head with the number of books to read through the book clubs, but its ok, because to me, its just a guide in narrowing down the selection and also they're more likely to be good choices.

Don't worry Heather I have a spreadsheet too. Many of us have! ;)

Lol - good to know !