I’ve always found myself to be the kind of reader that can’t help but read multiple books at once. It’s a habit I’ve always had and one I hope to break!
My most recent example of this ‘reading sin’ began when I started to read ‘Fractured’ by Teri Terry. (Note I write started and not finished…we’ll get to that later.) I really enjoyed ‘Slated’, the first book in the trilogy, and it has been over a year since I read it. When I saw the sequel in my local library, I knew I had to read it. Also, the ‘Slated’ trilogy was what I pulled out of The Series TBR Jar this month, so I had an obligation to read it!
I got 180 pages through, but then….
The impulse to read something different struck. Another library book I had was ‘The Year of the Rat’ by Clare Furniss. It had huge font, and was only around 300 pages, much shorter than ‘Fractured’. So…I picked The Rat Book up instead, thinking I’d read them simutaneously.
Nope!
After I finished ‘The Year of the Rat’, I began the ‘Poison Study’ series by Maria V. Snyder. That’s three books, each 400 pages or more. It got to the point where I had to renew ‘Fractured’ from the library, having had it out for three weeks and not finished it.
I’m going to finish it, and hopefully the last book in the series before the month ends, but I couldn’t help but feel this overwhelming sense of book guilt for not just finishing ‘Fractured’ to begin with. Instead of reading multiple books at once, poor ‘Fractured’ just got left dusty and forgotten.
So, I vow from this day forth to only read one book at a time, and just see how long it takes for me to break that promise. I reckon I’ll last….three days. Fingers crossed.
Heart Full of Books 
this RARE if I read two or more books at the same time. Can’t imagine to keep in mind multiple plots and characters from them
You two know me well enough to know that I don’t tend to have multiple books on the go at once and when I do its usually because I’ve been lazy and I’m close to a deadline! But one thing I can say is that if I’m reading two books at the same time they HAVE to be from different genres or I just get so confused!
I have run into this problem before. It taught me how much I can take before becoming too anxious. A good thing to know. 😀
I think four is about my maximum! What about you? 🙂
Three for me!
I’m just curious why is considered a bad thing to be reading multiple books at once. I can see how it might get confusing, or lead to one book being left in the dust, but I wouldn’t think it’s inherently bad…?
I think people think that reading two books at once will confuse the two plots, but this hasn’t happened to me before 🙂 I do really like reading multiple books because I feel I’m being more productive, even if I am forgetting about something!
I also have this habit of reading more than one book at a time. I find myself too eager to read multiple books. I’m trying to break that habit as well. However, to save me from confusion I usually read two books from different genres.
That’s an excellent way of reading multiple books! I definitely think reading a dystopian and a contemporary kept them both fresh in my mind.
I wouldn’t say it’s a sin… but then I can’t help myself from doing it. I think I’m reading 5 books currently, all different genres. It gives me something to read whatever I feel like reading because unfortunately if I’m not in the mood to read something – it just won’t get read.
I’m a self-confessed multiple book-reader. One time I had about five on the go at the same time, they even shared bed-space with me. I never had to go “eeny-meeny-miney-mo” – just relied on gut instinct LOL