Pretty excited about my current to read list

I just got approved for a couple NetGalleys and, you guys, I am preeeeeeetty excited about my current reading stack and thought I would share. Plus this buys me some time to work on my Cuckoo's Calling review, which I should really get to. #procrastinationftw

But anyway, check out my current "I am reading this" list:

The Notorious RBG by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik (this one isn't a NetGalley but I'm reading it now and it fits)

It's Up To The Women by Eleanor Roosevelt

Virgin Envy: The Cultural (In)Significance of the Hymen by Jonathan Allan, Cristina Santos, and Adriana Spahr

I am going to be SO MUCH FUN. The books are all on my ereader so unfortunately people won't get to see the covers but maybe people will ask me what I am reading. And then regret interrupting me.

Reading agenda

I feel like most of us (us being those who read my blog and yes, we are an us. Welcome.) have a TBR pile. Whether it's an actual, physical pile or just a list kept somewhere, you probably have a basic idea of what to read next. Or at least something to dip into. But how do you decide what's next?

I realize this isn't a new question. Hell, I've probably asked it before. But I was thinking about it today so you're getting asked about it again.

1. Do you make a set list of books and the order you'll read them and stick to that?
2. Do you scan through your TBR pile and pick the book that looks most appealing right then?
3. Do you not even bother with your pile and just whatever book you recently heard about/acquired?
4. Do you do something entirely different I haven't considered here?

Typically I'm somewhere between 2 and 3. I have a small actual TBR pile. As in those books I have in front of me, either physical or ebooks. Most of my TBR is a general Goodreads list with books I've heard of that I want to make sure I don't forget about, but I haven't actually picked up. I try to stick to 2 and go through my pile and pick something there. But I seem to have a problem where if I don't read a book RIGHT AWAY I lose interest. It doesn't have anything to do with the book itself, so much as there's ALWAYS a new book and if someone is talking up this new book I'll want to go for that one even if I have a whole TBR pile just waiting for me.

I never come up with a set list of "I will read X and then Y and then Z" because I know I won't listen to me.

I'm a brat.

I was thinking about this because I realized there's another factor I use to determine what I'm going to read next. Am I doing a readalong? Because see, with a readalong, for those of you that don't know (and really, you should try them because they are fun) you're reading certain chapters together with a group and then writing a post for those chapters. But you don't want to read ahead of the assigned pages so what do you do when you've finished your week's readalong pages but still have another hour of commuting left?

A lot of the time when I'm taking part in a readalong I've picked up a Kindle copy of the book. Which means that whatever I'm reading along side this readalong book needs to be a Kindle book as well. Well, it doesn't NEED to be. But I'm not carrying my Kindle and a physical book around with me. So if I want to read something else, I tend to go ebooks.

I have a couple physical books I want to get to (Gone Girl [finally], In The Miso Soup) but thus far have been sticking to ebooks (The Blue Blazes, Rosemary's Baby). Not a bad thing, and I'm not cursing the readalong or anything. Just another random factor I noticed in determining my next read.

What factors do you consider when picking your next book?

My book buying hiatus, and how well that's going

I found myself with a free afternoon this weekend. It was gorgeous out on Saturday so I thought, why not walk into town. I'll be outside, maybe I'll wander through the stores, grab some food. Good times.

I get down there and figure I'll pop by the bookstore. But I've told myself I don't want to buy anything right now cos I have a whole bunch of books sitting on my shelf that I really need to get to.  But what's the harm in seeing what they have? Here's the internal/text conversation I had

I'll just see what they have on the remainder tables. Probably nothing new just yet. Oh hey, what's this? A Visit from the Goon Squad audiobook, and only $10? Well now, that's interesting. And Boyfriend+ has been looking for an audiobook to listen to while in the car. I should see if he'd like this.

:text to BF+: "Visit from the Good Squad $10 audio. You want?"

Well, now I need to wait to see if he wants it, so I'll browse around a bit. 

Hmm good, it looks like all of the books I would want on the remainder tables I either have or I've read. Maybe I really won't buy anything. I mean, I was killing time in B&N the other day and didn't get anything. That was good.

:text from BF+: "Never heard of it"

Never heard of it?? How can that even be? Oh right, there are some people who don't spend a significant portion of their free time reading about the book world. Well fine then

:text to BF+: "If you read my blog you'd know it"

Wait, that's mean. I can't send just that. But how do I describe it in a text?

:text to BF+: "If you read my blog you'd know it. Won the Pulitzer a couple years ago. Interconnected short stories"

There, OK, well I've gone through all the remainder books, but I still need to know if he wants this. I'll just wander through the rest of the store. Hmm still no more Butler. I bought their only Butler book months ago and they've never gotten more. That's sad.*

I wonder how the hell they do the PPT chapter of Goon Squad on audio. That...that would be awkward if she describes the slides. 

Let's see what's over in the new releases section. Oh hey look, Warm Bodies. I want to read this. But no, I shouldn't get it. I already have enough to read. But I am sort of in a zombie mood, since I'm listening to World War Z**

:text from BF+: "OK"

OK? OK, get it? OK, that was a good enough description? OK, I'll start reading your blog?

:text to BF+: "I get it for you? You could always read a story before opening the audio. You don't like and I'll return"

Alright, I'll go back and grab that. And, I mean, since I'm going to the register anyway I may as well get  Warm Bodies.

Because apparently it was just the journey to the register keeping me from buying it? Wouldn't want to go up there with just one thing. That would be ridiculous. Maybe I'll just get the audiobook

Guy at the register: Just these two things then?
Me: Yup!

Yeah, so I'm getting both of them. Whoops

:text from BF+: "Sounds good"

Glad he meant for me to get it, since I already did and all.

My will power is impressive, no?

*Seriously bookstore, get more Butler. I guess I should actually see what of hers I don't have and then see if they can get it but really, I want them to have more Butler so other people will read her. Because she's great.
**It is EXCELLENT by the way. At least so far.

Temporary re-reading hiatus

I re-read books a lot.  It comes down to a couple reasons.  One of the top ones is that I'm cheap.  The library is an option I suppose, but it's not one I usually use.  I prefer to have my own copies.  I don't write in them, which would be a reasonable excuse for wanting my own copies.  I just like having my own.  Logic doesn't always come into play with my reasons.

I also like re-reading because I like the books I'm reading again.  If I like a movie, I can watch it over and over again (see: Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Dogma, Zombieland).  Books are the same way for me.  Some are short and sweet stories that I use as a literary palate cleanser, like The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged).  I know that play well enough I can mostly recite it.  I know there are a lot of books out there but I am hardly planning on reading everything out there so I may as well enjoy what I am reading.

And then of course there are books I read awhile ago that I liked and want to talk about on this blog.  World War Z falls into that category.  I don't know what I would have re-read it quite so quickly if I didn't have this blog but I wanted to write about it, so I re-read it.

Both Brother and Friend have lent me a few books, so I will be reading some all new stuff.  In addition to World War Z, Brother lent me Doctor No by Ian Flemming.  I've mentioned Brother isn't a big reader, but he is a Bond fan and he enjoyed this one so I thought I'd check it out.  Then Friend sent a package, c/o Agent Thursday Next (my friend and I are geeky), containing a copy of Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut I'd lent him a while back as well as 2 new (to me) books: The City & The City by China Mieville and Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl.

The Mieville book is actually another Friend's book, he who recommended Kitchen Confidential to me.  A while back we were sitting at dinner and he was telling me about this amazing book and how it's kind of odd and I had to check it out because odd is kind of up my alley.  I was going to take it home with me and I, of course, forgot because I have the same memory as a goldfish.  My forgetfulness was in my other friend's favor, as he got to borrow the book first.  He also said it was a good read so I'm looking forward to it.

The Pessl book makes me a bit nervous, because "physics" is in the title.  I know some people find physics amazingly interesting, like my friend who had an except from a Richard Feynman lecture read at her wedding.  I am not part of that group.  I also know (hope!) this isn't actually about straight physics.  I trust my friend wouldn't steer me wrong.

So that's on my book reading schedule.  Of course I tend to pick what book I'll read next by my mood, so all "upcoming reads" items are subject to change at a moments notice.  And of course I have a Bryson re-read thrown in there as well.  Just can't get away, what can I say.