Supernatural Fiction Readers discussion

I find that it's not too often that I'm only reading one book at a time. Right now I'm reading 3 though I'd love to be reading a few more but just don't have the time.

How many are you reading right now? And do you like to read more than one book at a time?

I usually tend to 'read' several at a time. I have my relaxation fiction book, a nonfiction book, an audio book & often another or a short story open on my desktop at work. I try to make them different genres so that I don't get mixed up. Sometimes I'll have a really good hardback that I don't want to carry in to work, so I'll have it as a home read & carry another in my lunch box.

I read the primary fiction book at lunch (I always 'escape' during lunchtime!) & after work to wind down, the nonfiction book at home other times. The audio book is for my commute which is about 45 minutes one way. The desktop book is just in case. Days can go by without reading it, other times work is slow, so I get more time on it.

Why do you read several books at a time, Kate? Are they the same genre & format?

Hi Jim! I read several books at once because I love reading and sometimes I just can't sit still with just one. Also, it depends on my mood on what book I want to read. Sometimes I need something light and easy, and other times I want something more demanding and both of those things can happen the same day!

Usually the books are not from the same genre and I read both physical and ebooks.

Not sure why I never noticed this thread until now!

Paper books are my preferred format for reading, and I read just one at a time, to myself. However, my wife and I also always have another book, nearly always fiction, that I'm reading out loud to her. (For many years, we've done this reading when we're traveling together in the car.) At times, I might also be reading another book in electronic format, though I read those more irregularly. (I don't buy e-books, but I sometimes pick up freebies, or authors send me a review book in that format.)

Generally, I also have a book of short stories that I've started, and that I dip into during those times when I'm between other paper books and don't have time to start another long one (maybe I'm waiting for a common read to start, or for an interlibrary loan book to arrive). I created a special customized exclusive bookshelf, "being read intermittently," for these.

I normally (99.9% of the time) read one book at a time.
Reading different books at once pulls me out of the storylines & 'feel' of the individual writer and story.

Angela wrote: "I normally (99.9% of the time) read one book at a time.
Reading different books at once pulls me out of the storylines & 'feel' of the individual writer and story."

I always have at least two books going. One in bed at night~either ebook or paper; I prefer paper, but ebooks prevent that ever-growing pile of books I have to find homes for~and one audiobook I listen to in the car. Even a fifteen minute trip to the gym is not too short to listen to a book. If I'm reading a book for my reading group that I'm not loving, I'll sneak in a fun book to break the tedium and make bargains with like 25 pages of fun and 20 pages of literature.

I generally read three to five books at a time-all different genres and usually at least one non-fiction.

I have had up to five books going at once, but most of the time it is between two or three books and I try to have a mixture of genres if possible. :)

I read 7-9 books at a time. This has really helped me avoid reading slumps. 2-3 books I read a little bit from each day, 10-15 pages on average, and I rotate through the other books trying to read a little bit from at least two of them every day. It's kind of a funny system but it has helped me finish off 50-70 books per year fairly consistently with just 2-3 hours reading time per day (I think I average about 20 pages per hour of reading).

I try to read one book at a time from each of the following categories:

General Fiction/Classics
Non-Fiction
Mystery/Crime/Thriller
Science-Fiction
Fantasy
Short Stories
Horror/Weird

and I try to slip in 1-2 books from group reads when possible.

I try to always have a book with me in the car so whenever I have to wait around I can read a little bit (even sometimes at long traffic lights).

I usually have 5 or so books on the go, in different genres. I generally have at least one ebook I can read on my phone.

Is this still active? I read one book at a time, but my yearly count is over 100+ each year

Yes, Pamela, this thread is still open; until now, it's just been a while since anyone commented on it. Kudos on reading that many books in a year! (I figure I'm doing well if I read at least 30. :-) )

IMO, reading multiple books at a time doesn't help anyone to get more books finished in a year. It takes you X hours/minutes to read any particular book. It's going to take you exactly that same amount of actual reading time, no matter whether you devote all of your reading time in a given period to it, or spread it out over multiple periods. (For instance, say that each one of five books would take you every minute of time you have for reading in a typical week to finish. You read them one at a time back to back, and finish with five books read in five weeks. OR, you read bits and pieces of each one over the same five week period, and finish triumphantly with --well, still five books read in five weeks. :-)