Booking through Thursday question ....

1) Do you plan ahead for your reading? Work off of a to-be-read pile? A reading list? Or do you wing it, choose whatever you're in the mood for?
2) If you do plan ahead, how far ahead? Do you have two or three books waiting in queue? Or are you backed up by dozens of volumes waiting their turn?
3) If you do not plan ahead . . . well, never? What about if you're reading a series? Or someone gives you a book for a present?

1) I rarely plan ahead when it comes to choosing a book to read. And I don't have a to-be-read pile of books stacked on my night table. I just go down to my library and wander around until something strikes my fancy. I may have a book that's number 3 in a series, usually fantasy, and I may be eager to read it, but sometimes I just like to leave a long waited for book on the shelf for awhile to savor the anticipation of reading it. As long as it's safe on my bookshelf, where I can grab it at any time.

I have a bad habit of not choosing a book to read until the last minute before leaving for work. DH is waiting at the door and I'm downstairs scanning the shelves trying to make a decision. Nothing like a little pressure to make the choosing a bit harder or urgent.

I also don't usually like to read several books by the same author in a row. I do do it, as you can see by my "books read" list on my other blog but often I find that if you read several books by one author you begin to notice a formula emerging in their style of writing or story telling. Then I find I get turned off by this. A really good author keeps you so involved in the story and keeps their writing fresh and original so you don't see a pattern/formula.

2) No queue. Always a back up pile. And of course then there's books that you reread even when there are new ones waiting.

3) There are exceptions to every rule. But I really don't have a system for choosing my next read. Its left a great deal to whim and mood.