Fantasy Dreamer's Ramblings

Donna,

I very rarely plan ahead - unless there is a new release out that I just have to have. :)

Usually when I finish a book I place it on my desk so I can write a review. I then go to my book shelf and stand there looking at the books. Sometimes I move them around so I can see what is in the back. LOL Then I just wait for something to jump out at me.

It depends on the mood I'm in as well. I have mostly paranormal romance on the shelves - but mixed in are some sci/fi and fantasy.

So I guess I'm just a random reader. :) Or a mood reader. But the way I look at it is - as long as I'm reading, I'm doing good. :)

Have a wonderful evening.
M

Hi Michelle G,

I usually plan ahead by a couple of books but it seems lately I've been side tracked by all the book promos and book reviews. My head feels like it's spinning sometimes. But I'm happy to have this problem because I remember a time when I couldn't even find a book to read. Those were sad times.

Donna

Hi :)

I tend to be all over the place, now I have put my own books in a order, those that sounds most interesting at first (or yes look cool ;).
But I always tends to have library books to and those just have to go first sometimes.

In the end I feel like romance sometimes, fantasy other times and then chick-lit. That guides me

The only time I really plan is if there is a book being released I must read. Like I know this Tuesday I will start Branded by Fire:) Otherwise I just look at my tbr pile and pick one. I do try to rotate paranormal, UF, and Historical. Even when I try to plan, I always end up switching it around.

BTW, have you read Darkfever?

I'm like you: oo shiney seems to work. It has to do with mood and what I read last too. Like I've been in the mood for romance in the past week (as seen by my last week's reviews), but now I'm kind of in the mood for urban fantasy again. But then I also have promised people I'd read and review books for them so that has to be taken into account too. Luckily not so many of those, I try to say yes to books I think I will like only.

Hi Donna,

Oh, do I get swayed! Not too often, but I'll start a book and then something will catch my eye, like a raving review or pretty cover, and I'll put on hold one book for another. But I'd say that's mostly if the book I'm currently reading is not totally grabbing me.

Choosing the next book to read is difficult sometimes too. I'll pull out a few, look over their covers, reread the blurb, and then decide. I think alot of times the cover helps to decide if that's the one or not.

I think I'm also spontaneous. When I finished a book I look in my bookshelf and try to decide. Decision-making is not one of my great abilities so this step takes a lot of time. ;-)

But I can be a little flippant at times. When a long awaited book is released I just drop everything and start reading.

On the other side some books should pay my rent because I never read them and they take to much space in my bookshelf. Perhaps I should stop buying new books and start reading the ones I have at home first. I don't think these shelf warmer are bad books but I don't know why I never pick them. Oh I know, the reasons are these great books I can't wait to read- It's like an addiction, sometimes.

Hugs,
Susi

Hi Donna...
At the beginning of each month I usually pick about 7 to 10 books off my shelf. But I rarely stick with those books. I'm always changing it. Sometimes I do get swayed by reviews and cover art. Sometimes I'll sit and look at my book shelf a good 20 mintues or so trying to decide what to read next.

I'm so glad to see I'm not the only person swayed so easily on what to read next. I thought I was just being an "easy" reader. LOL!

I do the same as most of you, I usually have 2-3 picked out ahead of time, and I'll put them on my night stand. Well, I have 12 on my night stand right now. o_O

Mandi,

No, I haven't read any of the Fever series but I have the books *sly grin*. I've thought about doing a marathon read and get the series read up to date, before the new book comes out. I just don't see how I won't like this series with so many of you raving about how good it is. See how much I trust I put into all of you. :)

Donna

I have reading commitments that I have to get through per month... but other than that I read by my mood and I am very rarely swayed by a review.. and hardly ever by a cover

If a reviewer gives a book a bad rating chances are, I will be reading that book - that's just me.

I read alot of back issues, so i am always spoilt for choice, but new books unless committed to reading it for review - I try to read a previously released book by the same author before i read a new release.

I know I try to keep a list so I always have something that I can read or want to try... and with my overflowing mountain of book - I always have something to read on hand.

E.h>

I never plan ahead. Unless, like some of you have said, a long-awaited book is coming out. Then I will drop almost anything to jump into it. Although, I usually try to be in between when it comes out so I don't have to stop whatever I'm reading at time. Otherwise, it's entirely mood. Gets rough when the one I'm in the mood for isn't in at the library or bookstore. That's when I get cranky...;)

First and foremost, ARC's get to be read fairly quickly and I try to return a review asap to ROOB/author and or posted on blog. With my own TRP though I am kinda like a flash widget, much like the one you have at the top of your blog here Donna. I am reading JoANN Ross at the moment then I have 2 ARC's to read but then I have my own TRP to focus on...what to choose, after a review from VFG I am highly anticipating Tempt Me Tonight from Toni Blake, Anne Bishop is yanking my chain with The Invisible Ring, I have Erastes who joined the "must-read-NOW-pile" with Transgression. It is the symptom of a to-read mountain of hundreds of books, they are all wanted by me.

Reviews from website/blogs perk my interest but my own intrigue in the book must be stirred as well, heck it is the main reason for me buying a book but when I stand in front of my bookcase I am often like a man watching a cheerleader squad...my needle is out of control and I don't know for sure what to pick from the pile until the moment of finishing my review of previous book.

I have far too many books for a strict reading schedule plan to work. I've picked ten books I want to read before the equinox for the Summer Reading Challenge, but I've already deviated from it by several books (and will likely deviate some more before I get back on track). There are so, so many books that I really should get to and really want to get to...

Usually I try to decide what to read based on a few factors:
- what do I feel like reading when I'm picking books?
- how long will I have to read?
- is it a book that needs a decent amount of attention? (e.g. a graphic novel or children's book is easy to take to work, but a writer whose style requires a lot of attention to follow the story isn't such a good choice when you've got five minutes between students or something)

Reviews do tend to perk my interest, especially if it's a book I have but haven't got around to reading yet. But I'm not sure I've ever seen them get read quickly because of that. (I'm actually avoiding Anne Bishop because I've been having a lousy experience with the books I've seen in reviews recently. I don't want to jinx more books by reading them soon after reading about them!)

The best 'plan' I've ever had was to pick my reads using LibraryThing and random.org. (Pick a page, then pick a book from the page and repeat a few times to get a list. Which I then proceeded to deviate from, but I still got the books read reasonably fast!) I like my variety and picking books on a whim. ^-^

(Also, hi!)

I see most, other than those with review commitments, are pretty much in the same boat as me - you pick whatever excites you the most at that time. Cool!

Although, Shanra, your idea of using the randomizer might be fun to do. Thanks for the idea.

Most of the time - I'm not as consistent as I'd like to be, I divide books into categories. I pick a library book, an audio, review book, and a vine book. Each are the ones I've had the longest. Of course if a book arrives that I can't wait to read, all those books get pushed out of the way. ;)

Hi J. Kaye - I try to pick a couple ahead of time too but yeah, I'm the same way when something I've been wanting to read arrives. All coherent thoughts on my book system flies out the window. :D

Great post. Yes, I get hypnotized by the covers and ravings, too! Often, just one glint won't do it, but they can build up in a kind of wave and sweep me away. Sometimes if it's between a book that's newly released and an older one I want to read, I'll go for the new release, just because if I do end up liking it and writing about it, that helps the author more.

Sometimes I have a group on my bedside table, and when it's time to pick a new one, I just put them side by side and go with my instinct.

Jessica at Racy Romance Reviews had a funny post recently on reading and what time of month it is. I think that can play into things, too.

Hi Carolyn - I need to check out that post, I never thought about that. Bet it does play into what you want to read. Thanks for sharing!

The best thing about randomising the books, for me, is that it means that some of the books that have been on my pile so long I've forgotten them can actually get read! I don't usually take that into account since I just pick what sounds interesting at the time. A lot of books (plenty of which I'm sure I've love) get neglected because my immediate reading interest has gone after buying them.

Shanra, I find I do the same after I've purchased books. There have been several books I've done this to, when I finally read them, thought "Why in the heck did I wait so long!" Wonder if there is name for that malaise? LOL!

Hi Donna,

sorry for belated comment. I'm always behind my google reader items.

Normally I don't have a reading list. But this year I reated for the first time a summer reading list. But there is no strict order inside the list. I often change because of my mood or due to recommendations. I think this is a lot easier for non blogger. You receice ARCs and so on and that means you have to read certain books at a certain time.