In a world of millions of books, how do you make your next pick?
The number of available books has exploded in recent years. In 2025, over 4 million books were published. 650,000 of those were traditionally published by the world’s publishing houses, such as Penguin Random House and HarperCollins, and 3.5 million were self-published through platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.
The sheer volume of books makes it difficult to choose the next book to read. Today, I am sharing the ways I make my decisions.
The most important rule in reading is to read what you like and make no apologies. If True Crime is your jam, great. If Romance makes your heart flutter, fantastic! I do not particularly like Science Fiction, so you will not find many from that genre on my Goodreads shelves.
Ask your community for recommendations. Ask me. Ask your friends. Peruse Goodreads, StoryGraph or Fable for reviews.
Judge the book by the cover. We are discouraged from judging people by the way they look, but it is perfectly acceptable to judge this way in the reading world.
Read the synopsis. Does the synopsis sound interesting, or are you thinking about your To Do List before reaching the end?
Access your mood. Ask yourself what feels right today. I am a mood reader, and many times a long-awaited book arrives in my mailbox, inbox, or library holds, and I pass. The timing is wrong. Maybe you want escapism and just do not have the bandwidth for a self-help book at the time.
Read a sample. Kindle books usually offer a sample. If you are unsure, read the sample pages.
Read the first and fiftieth pages. My elementary school librarian, Mrs. Herndon, recommended reading the first page. I encourage you to continue that practice, but here is another suggestion. After reading the first page, turn to page 50 and read it. Are you still interested?
Read the first chapter of each book you are considering. This is a practice I am using this year. Our bookshelves are full, and it helps to make a stack of books that have caught my attention each week. When I finish a book, I read the first chapter of the books in my most recent stack.
Reading is personal. No two readers choose a book for the same reasons. I would love to know how you make your choices.
What I am reading and listening to this week: The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett.
Look for books at Knox County Online Library or your local independent bookstore each week.
Linda Sullivan is an avid reader and wants to inspire you to become one, too. For more recommendations or to talk books, reach out to her at thebookwhisperertn@gmail.com. She can also be found @thebookwhisperertn on Instagram.
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