10 Fun Ways To Choose Your Next Read

One of the most asked questions I see from readers around the internet is what to read next. Readers finish a book and then get stuck trying to choose their next book. But this doesn’t have to be a problem anymore.

I tend to get so emotionally attached to a book that it is nearly impossible to think about what to read next. So, I created these fun ways to choose your next read. I hope you find them helpful as well.

10 Exciting Tips to Help You Choose Your Next Read

Use a Spreadsheet and a Random Number Generator

I am a total spreadsheet nerd, and I have my entire physical library listed in an Excel sheet. Occasionally, I will look at the sheet to find my next book. If nothing jumps out at me, I take my dilemma to a random number generator. It then spits out a coordinating number on the sheet.

It is important to keep your sheet up to date, though. If you don’t want to reread that book, you can move it to a separate sheet.

Let Your Child Choose

Set out a few random selections from your shelves and let your child pick the one they like best. Depending on how old they are, they may choose the prettiest one or read the synopsis before they choose. Regardless, the choice is out of your hands.

Another interesting way to do this is to allow your pet or partner to pick. My cats love bright covers, so they do a good job picking great titles for me.

Roll the Dice

Grab 12 random books and number them. Roll the dice and read the book that corresponds to the number rolled. This method also works great for e-books.

You could also do something similar with a deck of cards, using the deck in place of the dice. Or, if you are really into it, use fancy dice with more numbers on them.

>>> Check out Which is The Better e-Reader: Kindle vs iPad Pro

Wrap Your Books Like Presents

Take a random stack of books from your shelves and wrap them in brown kraft paper. Line them up and when you are ready for a new book, grab one. It will be like Christmas all year long.

If you want to take it a step further, have someone else do the selecting and wrapping. That way, you’ll be totally in the dark. You could even number them and do a random number generator pick.

Pick Out of a Hat

Go old-school style and write your book titles down on scraps of paper, then throw them in a hat. Pick one out and go to town.

A brown paper bag or other hat-like object works equally well.

Make a Paper Chain

Create a paper chain of all your book titles. Randomly pick one up and add it to the chain, then follow the chain to choose your next read.

This activity could be fun for bedtime reading with your child too. If your child enjoys the same story night after night, this approach would be a good way to get out of the rut.

Use a Grid Approach

Use a grid approach on your next trip to the library or the bookstore. Before you leave home, select a section, such as bestsellers or newly arrived. Choose the first number to hit your brain and use that as the shelf number. Pick one more number and use that as the number across from the left.

For example, let’s say I choose 3 and 15. I would go to my local library and find the newly released section. Go down to the third shelf and go 15 books across from the left, and that would be my next book.

Play Reading Bingo

Create a Bingo board with all the different prompts and see if you can get a Bingo. Set it up as a real game for yourself with prizes if you win!

Create your own Bingo board at BingoBaker.com.

Use a Reading Challenge

There are several reading challenges floating around the internet. I do the Read Around the World Challenge and Read the 50 States Challenge here on Roaming the Pages. I choose books based on the prompts given to me.

My friend Jenny does a great challenge twice a year on her blog. It’s called the Trope-ical Readathon. I’ve participated in each version, and I love it so much!

Play Book Darts

Make a giant poster with your book titles and hang it in front of a dartboard. Throw a dart, and the title you hit is the book for you.

Decorate your poster to make it even more fun!

Wrapping Up

Having no problem choosing your next read is one of the best feelings in the world. And who couldn’t use a little more fun in their life? Use one or many of these methods to pick the next book on your list.

Be sure to share this post with all your reading friends!