Guides
How to choose what to read next
The hardest moment in reading is often between books. Too many options and a vague feeling of “something good” can keep you from starting anything. Here are ways to find the next book that suit you, not an algorithm’s idea of you.
Updated
Coming soon · iPhone with iOS 17 or Android 8 and later
Notify me at launch
Start from what you just loved
The book you just finished is the best clue. Ask what you liked about it: the voice, the setting, the pace, the kind of question it asked. Then look for that, not for the same genre label. A slow, quiet thriller has more in common with a literary novel than with a fast one.
Follow people, not lists
- Authors. Read more by an author you liked, or the books they recommend in interviews and afterwords.
- Friends with similar taste. One person whose taste matches yours is worth more than any bestseller list.
- Librarians and booksellers. Tell them the last three books you loved, and they will often find a fourth.
Use your own list
If you keep a list of books you want to read, the answer may already be there. The guide on managing your TBR list shows how a simple priority makes the choice quick.
Mix it up
After a long or demanding book, try something short or light. After a run of novels, try non-fiction, and the other way round. Changing pace keeps reading fresh and helps you avoid a reading slump.
Test before you commit
Read the first few pages in a shop, a library or a free sample. Ten minutes with the opening tells you more than any description: whether you like the voice and want to know what happens next. If the first chapter does not pull you in, it is fine to move on.
Let Pagetime help you choose
In Pagetime, books on the “Want to read” shelf are sorted by the priority you gave them, “Must-read” first, and the library can be filtered by genre. A book on the Want to read shelf shows its page count and, once you have timed some reading, roughly how long it will take at your pace.
The free version holds up to 5 books and includes 20 page scans with text recognition in total. Deleting a note does not restore a used scan. Notes and the timer work offline without an account; sync is free after signing in. A subscription removes the book and scan limits and unlocks your full stats history, year in review and folder export. Pagetime is coming to iPhone and Android; you can leave your email below to hear when it is available. Until then, ask a friend for the best book they read this year.
This independent guide is published by Pagetime and is not authorized, sponsored or endorsed by Apple Inc. or Google LLC.
Keep reading
How to manage your TBR list
Keep your to-be-read list useful, not overwhelming. One place for it, a priority for each book, a regular clear-out and a quick way to pick your next read.
Read the guide
How to get out of a reading slump
When every book feels like work, start smaller. Shorter books, a lower goal and permission to set a book aside, plus how Pagetime helps you get back to reading.
Read the guideWhen to stop reading a book
It is fine not to finish a book. How to tell when to stop, what to try before you give up and how to set a book aside without guilt, with Pagetime on iPhone and Android.
Read the guide