Feature Follow Friday: How Do You Decide What Books to Read Next?

How do you decide what books to read next?

This is really quite the loaded question because there are SO many factors involved in what I'm reading and when I'm reading it. I keep a master list that isn't too fancy, but since I just made out "The List" for Summer and Fall so far I will show you

As you can see the above is really nothing special. It is simply a list of books that I need to read, and their release dates. Some of them are older and I haven't gotten around to them - some of them have not come out yet. It is truly a mixture. This is a brand new list (made it yesterday) so unfortunately, I have not highlighted or crossed anything off. Making a physical list helps me because it allows me to feel accomplished. I also have a calendar with all the books and the dates they come out so I know time frames required to get everything done. 

Level of importance goes as follows: 

1.) Books for blog tours/ interviews /requested reviews. 

These books are the ones I know I need to get to first because someone else is depending on it and a schedule exists. 

2.) Books requested from Publishers. 

These books are the ones that I wanted really, really, really bad... so I have to read them. Sometimes I request a book that just isn't for me, and these things happen. The occasional DNF is acceptable, but with the books I request I REALLY try. I read these books in the order of publication... most of the time. 

3.) Unsolicited books sent for review: 

These books were from the publisher but I did not request them. They are being provided in hopes a review will happen. These books I go to for the genres I often wouldn't normally seek out. Normally these books are Middle Grade and I read them when I want to feel accomplished by reading a simple, cute book extremely fast. One of my favorite books last year THE LUCK UGLIES occurred this way, it was an unsolicited Middle Grade fantasy that I LOVED. I received it unsolicited and as you can see, its sequel has made its way onto the "real" list. See, the system works! haha

4.) Books I buy for myself: 

Life of a reviewer means you often buy books that stay on your shelves for what feels like forever before you're able to get to them. I try to read one book that I bought for myself a month, but recently it has been more far apart than that. You can see on the bottom of the Summer TBR list I have just a few books that I didn't receive for review and this is primarily to remind me that it is okay to read things that aren't on the "schedule". 

Ultimately I read whenever I have the time, but I'm also a senior in college majoring in English so life happens and sometimes I have so much reading for school that I can't read for a few days and that is okay. 

I don't always follow this exactly, and that is also okay. Ultimately,  I decide what I'm going to read by this thought process... but that doesn't mean I stick to it religiously. I'm a person who does this as a hobby (the best hobby EVER, but still a hobby). If I'm not feeling a contemporary when it's the next up... it's okay for me to skip it and come back. If I receive the sequel to my favorite series 7 months in advance... I'm going to read it earlier than what is technically "allowed". 

I think it is important to not get hung up on what our system is... because that isn't fun. Reading is fun. And we love reading... so let's just focus on reading. 

Savvy? 

What does your process look like? 

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