Please tell me I’m not the only person who has plenty of books waiting to be read, yet still looks at their library and thinks, what am I going to listen to next?

You would think having lots of choice would make it easier. I will be honest, sometimes I think it makes it harder. I want the paranormal romance, I want the crime story, I want to start that series I’ve been meaning to get to, and then something else catches my eye. The small problem is that I only have one pair of ears. 😂

I can want to listen to everything, but I still have to choose where to press play.

A full library and still no idea what to choose

There is something lovely about knowing I have books waiting for me. Books are my entertainment, and I like having a choice. Depending on how I feel, I might want something magical, something with romance, or a crime story that gets straight under my skin.

But being interested in a book and being in the mood for it at that exact moment are two different things. I can know perfectly well that I want to read something, look at it in my library, and still think, yes, but not today.

Then I look at another one. And another one. Before I know it, choosing my next listen has become an activity all of its own. Surely I could have listened to a chapter by now?

Already thinking about the next book

The funny thing is, I don’t even need to have finished my current book for this to start. I’m still listening to one story and there I am thinking about what might come afterwards.

That doesn’t automatically mean I’m not enjoying the book I’m on. Sometimes I’m simply excited about the other stories waiting. There are characters I want to meet, series I want to get into, and books I’ve had my eye on for ages. I would quite like time to slow down so I can fit them all in, please.

At the moment, I haven’t finished The Witch, so you won’t be getting a review of that from me just yet. I want to finish it and have my thoughts together first. In the meantime, I thought we could talk about this part of reading, because surely I cannot be the only one with a queue of books and an indecisive brain.

Do I stay with a series or try something different?

A series gives me another decision. If I’m enjoying that world, part of me wants to stay there. There is something comforting about going into another book when you already know the characters and you’re interested in what happens next.

But then there are all the other books. Do I carry straight on, or do I have a change first? If I start a different series, I’m giving myself even more books I’ll eventually want to get back to. You can see how this gets out of hand.

I’ve now finished Martina Cole’s whole catalogue, including No Regret and The Stretch. That is a very different feeling. With an author whose books I know I enjoy, choosing another of theirs feels familiar. Once I’ve caught up with everything, that option is gone until there is something new to read. I’m pleased I’ve read them all, but I would still happily have another one waiting.

The narrator is part of the decision too

With audiobooks, it isn’t only the story I’m choosing. I’m going to spend hours listening to somebody tell it, so the narration matters to me as well.

Sometimes I need a little while to settle into a voice or the pace of a new book, especially after spending a long time with a different narrator. I can adjust the listening speed, but I still need to get into the feel of the story. A new listen can be a change of voice, characters and world all at once.

That is why I can’t always choose purely from a description. A book might sound exactly like my sort of thing, but I still have to find out how it feels when I actually start listening.

I don’t need to buy another book to solve it

This is the bit I need to remember at the moment: I already have books I want to read. I’m out of credits, and I’ve spent quite enough cash on books recently. I don’t need another purchase just because I haven’t decided which of my own books to start.

I love getting a new audiobook. I’m not going to pretend otherwise. But I also want to enjoy the ones I was excited enough to get in the first place. There could be a new favourite sitting in my library already, waiting for me to stop scrolling and give it a chance.

My next brilliant listen doesn’t have to be a new purchase. It might simply be a book I already own and haven’t met properly yet.

One story at a time

After having a reading slump between August and October, it feels lovely to be interested in so many books again. I would much rather have stories I’m looking forward to than feel as though nothing is catching my attention.

I just need to remember that looking forward to the next book doesn’t mean I have to rush the one I’m on. There is no point wishing my way through a story because I’m thinking about three others. They will still be waiting when I finish.

So, for now, I’m carrying on with The Witch. The next-book debate can wait a little longer. Although, knowing me, I’ll probably still have a look at my library. Just a look. 😂

Do you know exactly what you’re reading next, or do you have plenty of books and still struggle to choose? And if you listen to audiobooks, does the narrator help you decide?

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