The Quiet Concert: How many books do you read at once?

Feb

2014

How many books do you read at once?

Welcome to Thoughts for Thursday! This feature is our outlet to talk with you about whatever we currently have on our minds. It might be bookish, it might not! Now for this week's thought:

How many books do you read at once?

I discuss books with co-workers and friends all the time. Just the other day I was asked how many books I read at once and how do I keep them straight; I then proceed to give my 5 minute explanation of my reading habits. Explaining how many books I am actually reading. I then asked the fiance his exact thoughts on it and he proceed to tell me usually only one book at a time. So it got me thinking/wondering how many books you guys read at one time! I thought to myself, I almost never read just one book at a time. Below are my 4 types of books I read.

Book Type #1: I almost always have an audio book I am attempting to listen to. I used to have a much longer commute so I would get through audio books much faster but with less driving it takes me a bit longer to finish the audio book than it used to.

Book Type #2: The reading-with-someone-else book. The fiance and I drive all over the place going to mini-vacations/long weekends so we pick a book that we are both interested in and listen to the audio version every time we have to drive anywhere longer than 20 minutes. (So yes, sometimes I am juggling two audio books!)

Book Type #3: Physical book. This is usually the ARC or the library book I am enjoying.

Book Type #4: E-Book. My kindle books!

So I almost always am reading/listening to book type #1 and #2. I try not to read both a physical book and an e-book at the same time since most of the time when I can read a physical book I could also read a e-book. (Unlike audio books... I cannot read and drive!). So on average I am at least always reading two books at once, usually 3 books once.

I will say in order for me to read multiple books at the same time I try my best to read very different books. For example, I won't read two sci-fi books at the same time or two fairy tale re-tellings at the same time. This is a personal preference. It is easier for me to keep the stories and my opinions on the multiple books separate if the books are very different genres.

Do you read multiple books at once? Do you read the same genre at the same time? Do you ever get the story lines or your thoughts mixed up if you read similar books at the same time?

Comments (12)

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Pam@YA Escape · 578 weeks ago

I only read one book at a time, i just can't read more than that. Part of it is that I don't think I could keep track and I feel like I would get confused (although reading different types of books sounds like that would help). But also if I really like a book I can't put it down so I can't imagine stopping and picking up another book. And I don't do audiobooks, I've tried and it just doesn't work for me. I have a really short commute (5 minutes) so I'm just not in the car that much and so if I'm working out and listening to an audiobook, same thing, I didn't want to stop and so I was just sitting on my couch listening to a book, which was just weird (not to mention the fact that the audiobook takes soooo long compared to how fast I can read). Interesting post!
My recent post Book Review: Firelight by Sophie Jordan

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Mel@thedailyprophecy · 578 weeks ago

I read between the 3 and 5 books at the same time. I always have one owned book, one ARC and one e-book (owned or eARC). I had a time in the vacation where I read 8 books at the same time, haha, but it's very hard to decide which book you are going to read, so 3-5 is manageable for me. I never mix up stories or forget important details. I have a pretty good memory when it comes to reading and I'm happy with that. Reading several books is a great thing to me, because I like to read different genres - this way I can always pick up something I'm in the mood for :)
My recent post Review 236. Cayla Kluver – The Queen’s choice.

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Katrina · 578 weeks ago

I typically read about 3 books at the same time. I usually have an audiobook, physical book, and ebook. I usually pull my ebook out when I'm waiting in line to check out at the grocery store. I read physical books when I'm up and about at home. And audiobooks are for the drive in to work.
My recent post Quickie Review: Broom with a View by Gayla Twist

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thekillfix 6p · 578 weeks ago

I used to be able to read 3+ books at a time, and now I could maaaaybe do a physical/kindle book and an audiobook (even my husband does that) if my commute was longer. Right now I try to stick to one at a time - I already read so much that books can start running together. Since I only do one at a time, I either have to DNF or just ride out the misery. I stopped feeling guilty about DNFing pretty quickly haha.

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dtrumps 36p · 578 weeks ago

I do read multiples at once. Usually if I'm going on a trip, definitely an audio book, but most of the time, I have a nook book (usually a review book) and I also have a physical book for when the nook dies (probably a library book).
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Natalie · 578 weeks ago

I'm working on a post about this very subject! I'm always reading no fewer than 3-7 books at any given time. Like you, I'll be listening to something in my car, plus usually 2 library books, plus usually 2-3 ARCS. If I'm absolutely adoring a book, it will "win" and I'll forsake the others until it's done, but I'm always in the middle of a handful of books. Other books just always catch my eye and I have to start it RIGHT now. Great post!
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Christy @ Novel Ink 76p · 578 weeks ago

I'm a one book at a time kind of girl :) When I first got my kindle I would read a physical book and other one e book but I just couldn't keep the stories straight in my head so now I just read one at a time and it feels like I get so much more invested that way. Great discussion post!
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Nikki · 578 weeks ago

I used to only be able to read one book at a time, that is, until I discovered audiobooks. Like you, I used to have a very long commute and audiobooks were a great way to pass the time (and contain the rage of said commute). So now, it's pretty typical that I have at least 1 audiobook (sometimes 2 --- 1 in the car and 1 on my ipod) and 1 actual book on rotation. And yeah, I can't be reading books of a similar genre/style, otherwise it just gets way too confusing.
My recent post Audiobook Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

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littlebookstar 68p · 578 weeks ago

I am definitely type 3 and 4. You can almost always see me reading a physical book and an ebook at the same time. I feel like I read faster when I'm reading multiple books at the same time which is weird because it shouldn't feel fast since you're reading a lot of books at the same time. For some reason, I take FOREVER to finish 1 book.
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Kay · 578 weeks ago

I applaud you for being able to follow so many books at one time! I read one book at a time and that is it. I've never really tried reading more than that to be honest (except for when I was in school as an English major I read many books at one time, and come to think of it I did fine with that). I can totally understand the audio book for while you are in the car and then a normal book. I would do that if I drove more, but I don't.
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tempestbooks 21p · 578 weeks ago

I never used to do this before, because it just seemed way too overwhelming to me, but recently (within the past year), I've started reading multiple books at once. I don't ALWAYS do it, but a lot of times it's helpful. Like if I have book that I'm not loving but still want to finish, or a book that's super dense, I can read a chapter each night (or whatever), but spend the majority of my reading time on another book. And sometimes I'll have an audiobook going at the same time. Even though I have a horrible book memory when it comes to remembering books after I've finished them, it doesn't get in the way with reading multiple books — I don't mix stuff up or get confused at all, which I'm really glad about.

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bookaddictsguide 51p · 577 weeks ago

Haha I do the saaaaaame thing. Physical book and audiobook almost always. A longer book I'm reading with someone else usually comes into play (may or may not be long) and then sometimes an ebook either via Kindle or on... my work computer LOL. I just cannot stop reading more than one book at a time anymore!
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