{DISCUSSION} Book Length

Do you choose your next book based on length?

So… everyone reading this (I hope) knows that my physical TBR is ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, IMPOSSIBLY… insane. Last time I checked, I had close to 80 books that I own, but have not yet read. 😵 That’s horrible! I mean, I could understand your TBR on Goodreads being out of control, but I have so many unread books in my house that I’m basically becoming an unread-book hoarder! But… the used books are soooo cheap! 😖 (As such, I’m on a permanent book buying ban… after the Slytherin edition of HP1 shows up in the mail. 😆)

In addition to no longer buying any books (at least until I get down below 50 unread books 😜), I’m also not requesting any ARCs, digital or physical. (Not that I get many anyways. Hee hee.) Because I’m not entirely sure I even have enough shelf space anymore for all the books I have. (I’m between apartments at the moment. So, most are in boxes. 😂) So, until I can get some place permanent and get an accurate count of how many unread books I own, I’m on a book-buying ban. But now comes the hard part:

Which book(s) do I read first? 😳

I think every reader understands the struggles of deciding which book to read next. Sometimes it’s easy because the library doesn’t have a certain book or the bookstore is too expensive to buy that book. However, when you already own all the books you plan to read…

You’re pretty much S.O.L.

At this particular moment, I’m choosing my books based off sequel releases, author events, and ARCs. I just won an ARC of The Dark Breaks the Dawn, and it’s already published, so gotta read that. I’m going to be seeing Susan Dennard next week. Time to read Truthwitch! Fireblood is coming out soon, currently reading Frostblood. BUT!

What next?

What books I do pick up from my 80+ book pile (or closer to 30 as 50-60 are still in boxes) and decide to read next? How do I pick from my menagerie? Do I read an adult book or YA? Do I read contemporary, scifi, fantasy, historical, etc, etc? Answer is: None of the Above.

I pick my next book based on length.

Now, to some of you that may sound crazy. Many of you likely pick a book because it sounds amazing or it’s just what you’re looking for or your friends are one step shy of murdering you because you haven’t read it yet. Well, I don’t have those problems. 😝 I also am never in the ‘mood’ for a certain book. Thus, I must resort to more logical means to pick my books. (Darn you 50/50 logical/artistic brain. Why must you intrude in these matters! Rawr!)

But why don’t I explain why this works for me, eh?

1) I write book reviews.

One of the biggest reasons that I decide to read shorter books before longer books is my constant need to have books on my review schedule. As many of you know, I review one book every week on Sunday. As such, I need to have a book read and reviewed by Sunday every week. If I read shorter books, I can not only ensure this, but I can build up a bit of wiggle room by having reviews prepared for the weeks to come.

2) I read super efing slow.

If you haven’t heard me say this enough, you’re hearing it again! 😂 (Or reading it really. 😉 ) I read super freakin’ slow. Like mega-slow. Like I’m lucky if I finish 30 pages in an hour slow! (Granted, I absorb a LOT of what I read. So, it’s a toss up). But because of my slow reading pace it may take me 2-3 weeks to read a longer book which, combined with my review schedule, means I could leave myself without reviews for a few weeks unless I have that wiggle room built up ahead of time. (More scheduled reviews = more time to read a longer book.)

3) My brain is just organized like that.

Yup. That darn brain again. It’s done this for YEARS, and it’s how I used to finish class assignments/homework when I was younger, as well. I like the idea of progress. I like achieving goals. As such, I’m more likely to finish a bunch of smaller tasks before working on a larger task. The larger task takes more time and effort, but you will still have all the little tasks afterwards. So, by getting them out of the way, I’m on a completion-high and feel accomplished going into this larger task and I know it’s the last thing I have to do. (Okay. Well, there will always be more books to read, but it kind of works. Hahahahaha!)

Now do you see? Now do you understand part of the madness behind the face? 😈 There are reasons why I read smaller books before the larger books, but… this also means that I still have yet to read A Feast for Crows or Outlander because they will always be the longest books on my shelf. 😕

What about you?
Am I the only one who picks their next read based on the book’s length? 
Leave your thoughts below!

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And check out my discussion from last week:
“Sub-Genre Abyss“