Reading books back to back?

[Dazrin]

I will start a new book if I finish with enough time (at least 1/2 hour) to read. Otherwise I will wait till the next time I have enough time.

I rarely am reading multiple books at the same time so switching to another in-progress book is unusual. It does sometimes happen if I have an audiobook going on in parallel with a regular book.

[Catlady]

I read one book at a time. If I have an idea of what I want to read next--something by the same author, next book in a series, or library hold that just came through--I'll start the new book right away. Otherwise I might take a little time to decide--e.g., overnight.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I admire your ability to stick to a list. If I made a list of the booking I wanted to read, by the time I finished the first book I would resent the list and wonder what I was thinking.

Usually, when I'm in the middle or near the end of a current book, a few different ideas for my next read will bubble up and I'll pick one of them based on how I'm feeling at the time.

That's why I don't mind having such a large TBR pile.

I never said that I stuck to it. I shuffle books on the list on a regular basis, adding new ones as I get them. Got the new Tamora Pierce book on Tuesday and just finished it last night. Now, I've gone back to a book that was next on the list before the Pierce book. Other times I'll get in the mood to re-read some books, so I'll shift them over from CC and move them to the top of the list. One of the reasons that I like Marvin is it's easy to shuffle the list, just go through, open the books I'm interested in, then sort by date last opened. Ibook allows you to manually order a list, which I love, but iBooks tends to be unresponsive at times. I guess it's trying to go out to the cloud or something.

[4691mls]

I usually begin another book right away. Of course I am not usually reading anything particularly profound or thought-provoking - I suppose if one is reading something along those lines some time for reflection would be good.

[cfrizz]

I read back to back.

[Thasaidon]

Often I do but sometimes I have a little break before I start another book. A couple of days perhaps. It depends on the book I have just finished and what other things I have to do.


What about reading a series or author back to back? I remember starting to read a series and being disappointed after reading three or four. The problem was each volume was essentially the same story with variations. Harlan Ellison in one of his rants complained about authors whose output was the same book written numerous times with slight variations to disguise the fact.

[theducks]

Semi-retired, so I frequently have time.
I have as many as 10 going at a time and I might read a chapter or 3 from multiples in a day. (Still trying to figure out why some Authors just get read start to end, in a single go )

But sometimes a new Author (for me), prompt a Series binge
And a few, get flagged as abandoned for good.

[Tarana]

I usually have more than one book going at the same time, so when I finish a book, I will then read the other book that is already going (I usually have 2 ebooks and 2 audiobooks going simultaneously). When I read a series, I prefer to wait a week or so before the next book to enjoy and savor what I had already finished.

[Pizza_Cant_Read]

It depends on time. If I would have continued reading then I will move to the next book. If I was procrastinating because I wanted to finish then maybe I let myself accomplish other goals before reading.

Sometimes there is also general burnout. Other factors include whether or not I have already read the books, what else I am reading etc. Its a complicated question, like asking how many hamburgers one could eat, it is fun to discuss (I can eat 8 hamburgers) but how big are they? Stomach stretched and ready for a contest? Maybe that morning the body said to eat a salad?

-pcr

[soulfuldog]

I only read one book at a time and pretty much always take a day or two rest before starting a new book. Not sure why, just to give it time to settle I guess. The exceptions are if its been a very good book, or one that really makes you think, I'll wait a few days to a week before starting something else. On the other hand, if I've not enjoyed a book, I'll sometimes start a new one straight away.

[cadele]

I always start a new book straight away. I usually change genres to stop things feeling samey. I mainly split up series if the books are not a direct continuation. It helps the keep the stories separate in my memory and also ekes out the better ones for longer enjoyment. I have a massive TBR so there is always lots of choice.

[barryem]

My preference is to take a day to decide on my next book. Sometimes I'll take two days. Sometimes I'll have one waiting that I'm eager to begin and I'll just start it right away.

Every now and then I'll begin my next book when I'm near the end of the current book. I did that with the book I'm reading now. I read about 30 or 40 pages one night before falling asleep. Not for any real reason. It was just an impulse thing. The next morning I went back to the book I was reading and finished it before going back to this one.

Most of the time I take a day between books to pick my next one.

Barry

[FizzyWater]

For me it really depends on how the book I just finished affected me. If it hit me especially strongly, I might wait to start a new book so I can reflect on the previous book (or maybe even re-read it or skim certain sections). I remember when I read Lehane's Shelter Island, I immediately went back to the first page and re-read the book to find all the clues I'd missed the first time around.

[ienosos]

When I'm reading (sometimes I do go through spells where I just don't want to read) but when I'm reading, I feel a bit like how I imagine a chain smoker must feel. If I don't start another book right away or pick up one of the many other books I'm usually already reading, I get this ansty feeling, a little bit of a downer, and I don't know what to do with myself. I have to be in the middle of something all the time.

And then I'll just stop cold turkey for a while and be okay. I'm a bit of a binge reader, to be honest. I binge until I'm absolutely sick of reading and can't concentrate on another sentence, much less a book, and then I stop for a while.

But yeah, multiple books at a time, and I do start another right away. Doesn't matter if it's fiction or nonfiction.

This doesn't stop me from thinking about the books I've finished though. I just do it when I can't be reading.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by barryem

Most of the time I take a day between books to pick my next one.

What??? Waste the time when I could be reading and finishing another book or two deciding on what to read next?