A big family, a reading addiction, and the occasional celebrity scandal are the ingredients of life that create one woman's opinion on just about everything.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

The Booklover Lament

Too many books... Too little time. I rarely suffer from reading slumps. Yes, I can go through phases where I pick up and put down several books, but inevitably there's always something in my tbr or the bookstore that I want to read.

Lately my problem is like that of a binge eater being sat down in front of all their favorite foods and not knowing where to start. I feel overwhelmed with choices. Anyone who's ordered a meal with me knows I get a little nutty with too many choices.

I'm going a little crazy trying to decide what to read next. Maybe I need to assign myself homework reads. Something I 'have' to read for someone or some assignment. *heavy sigh* I have to admit I've tried that. It makes me cranky.

What about the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs? I have the first three in paperback in my tbr and won BONE CROSSED in a recent contest Nath had. They are definitely on my radar.


Do I want to re-read a Theresa Weir book? Kristie's Author Spotlight got me all worked up and salivating to re-read one or more of those keepers.

Ever since my wonderful conversation with Pamela Morisi last year at RWA I've been wanting to pull out one of her keepers from my shelves and take a look at it. Or maybe one of the Penelope Williamson books still in my tbr...

I was panting for Nalini Singh's ANGEL'S BLOOD release and haven't cracked it open.

Have you been reading the current series by Madeline Hunter? I have her last three book in my tbr. LORD SIN is sitting on my bedside stand? Should I read it next?

See what I mean? I don't know what to read. Well, I don't know what to read until March 31st anyway when SMOOTH TALKING STRANGER by Lisa Kleypas is released. That will be devoured immediately. I've read the excerpt a couple of times and for some reason just can't wait for that book. Go figure.

How do you decide? Any tricks or clues you can share?

Hey! Maybe I should read TEARS OF THE RENEGADE by Linda Howard from the 'Famous Firsts' series by Harlequin. Think?

What? You're speechless. Me too!

I still don't know what to read next.

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16 Comments:

Blogger Bridget Locke said...

Hmm...choices, choices. Well, I'm waiting for S-TS as well. I love Lisa Kleypas. :)

As for your other options? I'm a Mercy Thompson girl all the way. The books just get better and better. :)

I just got and read the ARC for Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre. It was sooooo good! :) I've been very lucky lately in my reading choices. 'Tis a miracle. :D

12:17 AM PDT  
Blogger nath said...

T_T I'm in the same boat as you Rosie!! I don't know what to read, bleh! I mean, once I read the book, I enjoy it... but choosing which book to read? Torture!

I say, put the candidates in front of you, ask GG to mix them up, close your eyes and choose one.

7:46 AM PDT  
Blogger Rosie said...

BRIDGET! The BLUE DIABLO ARC? Ho-lee! That's another release I'm anxious for. Man oh man oh man... I iz sooooo jealous.

Nath, you really think I should get GG involved? All that power might go to his head and then where will I be?

9:59 AM PDT  
Blogger CindyS said...

Been there, done it, own the planet it's from ;)

It was in January that I started by reading Harlequins or shorter books to get me started. I haven't read in a bit and I was getting overwhelmed about what book to pick - so I finally grabbed a Jessica Bird that will be a short read but it's good to keep me reading after --- you know what ;)

Just go with the flow babe ;)

CindyS

10:10 AM PDT  
Blogger Marg said...

I have been trying to get Angel's Blood from the bookstores here but noone has it! Apparently it is stuck in boxes in the US somewhere. I am going to have to end up buying it online I think. Sins of Lord Easterbrook is the same! I have read the first three books in the series and liked the first and third ones a lot.

I recently read the first Mercy Thompson book and liked it, and I am waiting for Smooth Talking Stranger as well.

12:40 PM PDT  
Blogger Rosie said...

Cindy, I usually gauge things on my mood, but I have all these books and I feel so conflicted! Nothing stands out or screams to me, and there are several I want to read. I guess it's a good sort of dilemma to have.

Marg, no ANGELS BLOOD? See that would drive me nuts if I knew a book was out and I couldn't get it in the bookstore.

I still have no clue what I'll pick up. Nath's idea to put a bunch out, blindfold myself and just pick one is as good as any other system I've heard of.

3:32 PM PDT  
Blogger Tracy said...

I've found - which I also mentioned to Nath - that I have to mix my sub-genre's up when I have this problem. I read a historical then a contemporary and then a paranormal romance...although I have to say that theory's gone a little wonky lately. I usually choose from the most recent ones I have but then the rest just sit. This is why I've had to force myself into making a pledge to read one book from my "back" tbr every week or else it's going to get ugly! lol

I like the suggestion of having GG pick!

Angels' Blood was FAB!

4:37 PM PDT  
Blogger Rosie said...

Tracy, if you could read ANGEL'S BLOOD all over again, would you?

5:09 PM PDT  
Blogger Kristie (J) said...

I SO hear you on this dilemma. And there seems to be no way to win. The only thing to do is to quite buying books until I've read all the ones I've already got *snort - as if that will happen* - but then I'm a big rereader too.
The best thing I can suggest is to just sit in quiet and listen for the one that yells the loudest.

8:35 PM PDT  
Blogger Kristie (J) said...

But - if none of them are yelling at you *wink* go for the Theresa Weir books. I'm on my fifth one in a short amount of time and not many in between and I've really enjoyed every one.

8:37 PM PDT  
Blogger Renee said...

Sometimes it's so many choices that keep me in an overwhelmed state, and I just can't pick. It would be easier if I just had 2 books to pick from.

I was commenting somewhere earlier (Lea's, i think) that I tend to carry the contenders around the house with me, opening them from time to time, reading a paragraph or two here or there. Usually one will stick, and that's my choice. Right now, I'm carrying around the Bride of Casa Dracula by Marta Acosta and Riding Wild by Jaci Burton. The jury's still out yet.

I do the same thing as Tracy. I really try to mix up the type of books I read, rarely reading the same subgenre more than 1ce or 2ce in a row. It keeps me fresh, and helps prevent them all running together in my memory.

Good luck with your choices. I'd go with the Mercy Thompson, but then, I'm a total fan girl! :-)

10:05 PM PDT  
Blogger Rosie said...

Kristie, you all were so entertaining that I've decided that misery loves company. I'm dragging around a Mercy Thompson and a Madeline Hunter. Haven't had time to crack 'em yet.

Renee, so far I'm perfecting my avoidance behavior. GG and I watched a Hallmark movie we recorded and had saved last night. He didn't even watch his eppy of BIGGEST LOSER. Tonight we swim... See how good I am at ignoring?

10:14 AM PDT  
Blogger nath said...

If it can help you get back your reading mojo, I say go for it.

11:12 AM PDT  
Blogger Rosie said...

So true Nathie. It can't be any worse than where I am now.

12:29 PM PDT  
Blogger Tracy said...

Tracy, if you could read ANGEL'S BLOOD all over again, would you?
Absolutely! In fact I originally gave it 4.5 stars and have since changed and given it 5 because it stayed with me so long. I found that days later I kept thinking of other great things I loved about the book and that kind of book deserves 5 of those little twinklers. lol

3:12 PM PDT  
Blogger Rosie said...

Tracy, ANGEL'S BLOOD is still on my bedside stand. I've been in such a 'historical' state of mind lately. Maybe it's time to rethink...that is if I ever open a book.

5:51 PM PDT  

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