Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

How do you decide what to read next? Do you have a plan or choose something on a whim?

I trying to plan at least two books ahead. I'm picking out the prompt I want and then go to listopia, Hoopla, and Amazon. I got started late, but I'm trying to read on order-but once I read the book, I'll realize that the book would work for another prompt (or more than one) and I'll pick the prompt I think will be most difficult to fill and use it there. I'd like to consider myself "flexible" but I feel more "wishywashy" or "indecisive"!

I have a loosely ordered list of books I want to read, which now stretches to about 30 or so. I tend to stick to that plan, though obviously if something I REALLY want to read comes up I'll shift things around a little. I also tend to try and alternate rereads with brand new things, and try not to read too much crime back to back.

I plan all my books for the year and then divide them up by months on a spreadsheet. Want to know what I'll be reading in November? I can tell you. Haha. This is not normal behavior.

i choose by whim mostly unless i am into a series. right now i'm switching back and forth between two series so i don't get burned out on them.

I also keep a spreadsheet by months, and titles fall into place based on which format I want (print/audio/etc) and how quickly I can get ahold of it, what I want to read (continuing series, etc), and what various GR groups are reading. I tend to be fairly flexible though, and I'm well past feeling bad if I can't get to a certain book when I originally planned. Back on the pile it goes, to be picked up when I have more time.

I generally have a stack of books that I plan to read soonish - and when I need to start a new book, I'll go to the pile and pick the one that most fits my mood. But given I go to the library once a week, I am always adding to the pile, so sometimes I have to give books back to the library unread, and sometimes books stay in the pile for years if it's a book I own.

I'm playing the By The Month Challenge at Pick A Shelf, which limits my picks to books that were either published in the current month OR added to my TBR in the current month.

That pretty much limits my selections - but I'm managing to find books as well as clean out my old TBR lists.

Usually I work through prompts if possible, but it depends on what I can get from the library. I read any books I've ordered in from another library first, then books from my library, then books I've borrowed from a friend, then anything I own (I try not to buy too much these days). I've got several books on hold just now so it will be first come, first read.

I pick my books based on my challenge lists. I generally start with the suggestions list for my monthly challenges and see what appeals to me and what's available at the library or as freebies in kindle or audible. If I can get the book I want - it goes on my list. Most of the books I pick will count for topics in the annual lists. (It will get really interesting when I hit October and start trying to fill in the gaps left). I usually pick one or two books that are just a personal choice - usually the next book in a series that I really like.

I'm a mood reader big time. I go to the library usually once a week and grab what looks good, then when I get home, I go through whatever I have and grab what looks good out of those. I also have tons of books I own that I've never read, so if somehow I don't have something from the library, I can browse my own shelves.
But this gets sidetracked when I have a hold come in from the library! Sometimes between the time I place the hold and the time it comes in, I'm no longer as excited about it. I'll try to read it anyway.

I used to read by whim, except when a book group or class was involved. But the last couple years, I am doing several GR challenges and games. Some of them are monthly or seasonal so I try to pick from books I own (plenty) to fit those prompts. I am thrilled when a book ends up fitting several different places. It really does help me decide on an order and get more read. (Yet my TBR magically never diminishes!) I also do get sidetracked by interesting items at the library or a used bookstore.

I read lots of ARCs via both individual authors and Netgalley. So the publish date of the books has a big say in my reading order. I currently have 9 ARCs outstanding, but the earliest publish date of them is 31 May (and I don't actually have that one yet!) so I don't have to read them straight away.

I also borrow kindle books from the library, so when they come in I try and read them straight away.

And of course there are plenty of books I own or want to read that aren't ARCs or library books, so I choose these based on what I feel like at the time, usually alternating an ARC with a different book. But I will always choose a book that fits a challenge before one that doesn't (if it isn't an ARC or library book).

Robin P wrote: (Yet my TBR magically never diminishes!)..."

I hear you on this one.....my goodreads TBR is huge, but I realised the other day I have more than 1,400 books on my kindle that I haven't read, and I have another kindle which has about 50 I haven't read. If I only read books already on my kindles it will take me 15 years to get through them (based on about 100 a year!) But of course I'm adding new books to my kindle all the time......too many books, not enough time!

I base my next read on several things. I’m doing three challenges so this is how I choose my next read.
1. I choose a book I will get the biggest bang from. This means I can use it for all three challenges. It’s easy early in the year but is starting to get hard right about now.
2. Is there a heritage month I want to choose books for?
3. Library availability.
4. Do I own it?
5. Is it a book I need to return to a friend.
All the books I read are those I’ve heard about & want to read. It’s a miracle I can choose a book with all of this going on.

This year has been a little different. Usually, I read whatever looks good at the time, sometimes it’s specific to a challenge. This year, I’m moderating a year long buddy read so I’m choosing books relating to it plus the monthly book my sci-fi book club is reading. And, then I’m squeezing in books, especially ones that I own, that fit challenges or other buddy reads.

Both. I usually am reading 3-4 books at once, some of them planned for book clubs or reading challenges, some because I jut felt like reading it

I try to have 2-3 planned per month, through challenges or book clubs. If I have library books out, I get those read asap (if I waited 7 months for Kaikeyi, I will NOT return it unfinished). The rest I just read whatever I feel like. I prioritize books on my ATY TBR but if I'm not feeling those, it's not a huge deal for me.

I am always reading one book and listening to another. Sometimes I am reading both a fiction and a nonfiction book on paper/ebook. I try to mix up the styles and genres so I can keep them straight. For instance, if I am reading a historical romance, I would read/listen to a modern mystery.

Sometimes I get into a series and want to read them back to back, but usually I break them up.

I usually have a loose plan, because I get almost all of my books from the library and tend to have a stack (or a holds list). So I usually know roughly the next 4-6 books I plan to read, unless I'm at the end of the stack, in which case I'm probably in the process of making a new plan.

Because I do two challenges that are offset from each other, I have two seasons of the year where I'm dedicating myself to finishing a challenge — during those times, I know exactly what I need to read because I need to finish the prompts. For the rest of the year, I tend to choose things that catch my interest and assume I'll be able to fit them in somewhere. I usually try to read off of my TBR, so I'll scroll through and find some things that seem appealing.

This year and last year I've made myself little yearly lists of books and authors I want to make sure to get to, so when I go to choose upcoming reads, I try to pick off one or two. I've also started attending a book club, so I know at least one book that I'll be reading soon.