The Sunday Salon: Choosing the next read

One of my favorite aspects of a reading hobby, other than the reading and the book buying and the library hounding and the cataloging and the bookshelf decorating, is the part where I pick my next read. In fact, when I am close to the end of my current book, I am already deciding my next book.

Sometimes, it is a straightforward choice. I usually always have a stack of library books, and I just go from one to the next. With library books, the decision is easier. The books have to go back soon, sometimes, there's already a long waiting list. Besides, I'm better about reading books I picked recently as opposed to books I picked up eons ago. But if there are no library books at home, then I pick something from the shelves. There's always something that I'm hoping to read.

Unless I just got off a really awesome book. Then no book appeals to me. That's what I got myself into last night, when I spent a good four hours trying to figure out what to read. I had just finished reading my first proper Neil Gaiman book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which turned out to be an amazing read. Gaiman can tell a story well and make you want to be in it. I didn't have much success with his Coraline, so it was absolutely refreshing to find his newer book so much more enchanting and hard to put down.

(Photo credit)

Which makes the next read always a very challenging one. I usually like it to be as engaging as the one I just finished, but no matter which I pick, it could fade in comparison to the great big read before it. That makes it hard to choose one - should I go for a lighter read and risk getting into a dud or should I just pick a read I feel confident about and risk it paling in comparison to my expectation from the book?

I'm not sure. Before you think it any other way, I love being in this spot. Deciding what to read is part of the whole enjoyable reading experience. You pick a book at a certain time, fully expecting to enjoy it. Besides, there are a couple of books waiting for me at the library - two titles I am really looking forward to reading. But the library's closed today and I just need a nice enjoyable book to read in the meantime. I'm sure I'll know the right book to read - I'm already tossing between Dave Eggers' Zeitoun, and Jojo Moyes' Me Before You.