There should be a word to describe the time between finishing a book and starting a new one. Sure, there are plenty of people (myself included) who read two or three (or seven) books at one time. So, we’re never truly not reading a book at any given time.

Nevertheless, there’s a special emotion connected with closing the page (pun intended) on one tome and the excitement upon realizing that you get to start another. According to Anne Bogel in her book, I’d Rather Be Reading: “You’re looking for a book that reminds you why you read in the first place… Part of the fun of reading is planning the reading.”

If you feel this strongly about reading, you probably have no trouble picking out your next book. At least, you’ve got no shortage of books to choose from—the real trouble comes with selecting one from a stack of ‘to read’ books.

Still, if you do have trouble finding another title to choose, that should never be an excuse to stop reading. There is no shortage of books or ways to choose books.

  1. Read more by the same author. Have a favorite author? Read more by that person. Read everything by that author. Find another author in the genre and start on their bibliography.
  2. Ask a friend. People who love reading have no shortage of book suggestions or opinions on what you should read next.
  3. Visit a library. Believe it or not, libraries want to encourage you to read. They’re willing to help you find another book and let you borrow it for free.
  4. Search the web: There are a few websites, like Goodreads, Which Book, and What Should I Read Next, that can help suggest some reading material.
  5. Grab one at random: Close your eyes. Extend your arms. Open your hands. Lunge forward. Grab hold of something. It takes a few tries until that something is a book.
  6. Re-read an old favorite: Everyone has favorite books. Try re-reading one you haven’t read in a while. You can appreciate books again and again.
  7. Steal one from a neighbor: In the middle of the night, sneak into a neighbor’s house. Steal one of their books. Rearrange the furniture while you’re inside.
  8. Random: Pick up the next book you see and start reading it. Stop if it’s no good. If it’s good, keep reading.