How do you choose what to read next?

It's one of the problems of being a book hoarder - how do you choose which book to read next?

I haven't been reading much lately. What I have been reading definitely hasn't been anything taxing.

I think I've read about a quarter of Agatha Christie's bibliography, and I've read the Harry Potter and Twilight series at least times each. I'm expecting baby number 2 and so between the morning sickness, work and looking after my toddler those books have been just about all I can manage.

 Now that I'm starting to feel more like myself, I've started to read a little more widely. A little while ago I read An Atlas of Impossible Longing by Anuradha Roy. More recently I re-read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (oh my goodness, how amazing is that book!).

I am currently halfway through The Children Act by Ian McEwan. I have a love-hate relationship with Ian McEwan. Some of his books I love. Some of them, I don't love at all. I must say that, so far, I am really enjoying The Children Act. It is well written, easy to read, and I feel very drawn to the protagonist, a Family Court Judge. It helps that I am currently working in a very specific area of international family law, so its content is spot on the sort of issues I have to consider at work on occasion. I feel like I am actually having an insight into what it is like being a Judge. Soon, though, it will be finished.

So here is the question - what do I read next?

My bookcase, circa 1898.

I have shelves and shelves of books. There are a lot of books on those shelves that I haven't read yet. I look and look at the shelves.

Sometimes I pull down a book and start reading it. Usually, though it doesn't grab my attention, and it ends up back on the shelf while I aimlessly continue to peruse in the hopes of finding something that grabs my attention and keeps it.

Just tonight I pulled down The English Patient and Song of Solomon. No luck. Neither of those are my next read. I am clearly not someone who plans ahead with their reading. Not usually anyway. Right now, though, for whatever reason, I am struggling to choose books.

So many books. So little idea what to read next.

How do you decide what to read next?

Originally posted 1 April 2015 Page Turners