I cannot be the only one who loves books so much that I read more than one at the same time? Surely there are some out there who have clicked this post to figure out how to navigate and track two separate stories? Maybe even more than two. If you are like me and have and endlessly growing reading list or you are a book reviewer and consider reading for business and pleasure separately—then you have come to the right place! I hope these tips find you well on your reading journey.
SAME FORMAT?
Everyone has a preference, whether they like paperback, hardback, ebook or audiobook. How do you distinguish the difference when you are reading multiple books? Or are you a dedicated reader who binges on paperbacks only?
I like to absorb my reading content in all those formats. It makes it easier when I am figuring out which one to continue reading if I am going on a day trip or using public transport. If I had two paperbacks, I would not know which one to take for the day! So, I settle for reading a physical book (paperback or hardback) and a digital book (ebook or audiobook) at the same time. Thus, I can navigate both stories continuously without carrying the weight of two. It also helps when I am on the go, I can whip out my phone and when I know I am going to be stationed for a while I can bring out the physical book!
KEEPING A JOURNAL
There is one of two ways to track the multiple books you have taken on and this is the first advice I would like to share. A reading journal can really come in handy in this situation. Whether you like to update it after each reading session or like me, who does it after every few chapters or hundred pages—a journal is a great way to identify the different books you read. Since we are dealing with various stories, a few things to note down to jog your memory (like mine) when it comes to reviewing the book, are character names, genre/s, themes, setting and likes or dislikes along the way.
TRACK BY APP
If you are tech savvy person and love to use apps, then I would highly recommend keeping track by using apps. There is the common Goodreads app to use, but nowadays there are so many book / reading related apps catered to any bookworms needs! I have trial and error a few but I like Readerly, Bookly and Leoi. They each have their pros and cons but don’t rely on my suggestions; there are so many out there to try.
READ DIFFERENT GENRES
Another way to separate what you are reading is to divide the different genres. I have made the mistake once or twice when I have read two books at the same time and they were both romance or young adult. Not only can this become confusing amongst the multiple storylines, but subconsciously you begin to compare the two. From there you will prefer one over the other and even though they might be equally good stories and not end up finishing one of them because of this shallow judgement… yes, I talk from experience!
TAKE A BREAK
Most importantly, take a break in between reading these wonderful books! That way you can have a breather and absorb the pages you endured and enjoy the full story at its finest!
I hope these short tips will help your reading journey run smoother! Any tips on reading multiple books that you’d like to share? Drop them in the comments below. Checkout what I’m reading here.
