Why Reading Multiple Books at a Time is Actually Helpful

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One of the biggest bookish debates is whether to read one book at a time or multiple books. You can ask that question to almost any reader and they will have strong opinions on which way they prefer to read (and in some cases, which way is better).

Now, I firmly fall into the multiple books at a time camp, but I didn’t use to. I had many misconceptions about what it was like to read several books at once, so I tried my best to stick to one book at a time. But I’m a big mood reader, so that, coupled with the fact that I refused to DNF books, put me into a years-long reading slump.

But now, I’m finally coming out of that slump, and reading several books at a time has been a big part of why. Now, I’m not going to tell you that reading multiple books at a time is the right way to read because there isn’t a right way to read. But, if you’ve been thinking about trying to read more than one book at once, let me give you three reasons as to why it can actually be helpful.

It can help you balance your required reading and your pleasure reading.

Ok, this one may seem obvious, but reading multiple books at a time is great for when you have required reading, whether it be for school, for work, or even for something like a book club. I don’t know about you, but whenever I have to read something, even if I’m enjoying the book, my desire to read it goes out the window. For example, I’m currently reading The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan for the podcast I host with my Husband, Not the Beginning. And while I’m enjoying the book, if it was the only book I was reading right now, I probably wouldn’t like it as much. It’s not a genre I typically read, and it’s a lot longer than most of the books I read, too, so it’s nice being able to escape to one of the other books I want to read. This way, reading is still fun.

Similarly, it can help balance your comfort genres and books outside of your comfort zone.

If you’ve been following my blog for any amount of time, you’ve probably gathered that I love reading light and fluffy romances. I simply can’t get enough of them. But, occasionally, I like to branch out to other genres or even heavier material, and reading multiple books helps with that. Like when I was reading Just Last Night by Mhairi McFarlane (reviewed here) earlier this month, I was enjoying it, but it was pretty heavy emotionally, so being able to pick up Playing the Palace (reviewed here) for a little bit before going back to it actually helped me finish the book.

Multi-book reading can help you get through your TBR faster.

This sounds counter-intuitive, but if you’re a mood reader like me, limiting yourself to one book, even if it’s a book in your comfort zone, can sometimes leave you unmotivated to read. But, if you want to read and the book you’re currently reading isn’t fitting that mood, you can just pick up another book. Eventually, the other book will spark your fancy again, and you’ll finish it, but if you just avoided reading entirely because the one book you were currently reading didn’t fit your mood, then you’re stuck at a never-ending TBR.

There are many more advantages to reading several books at once, but these are the biggest ones I’ve found since joining the “dark side” so to speak. Have I convinced you to give it a try? If so, here are a few tips that may help keep your books straight from one another.

Read in different genres. You’re way less likely to get the plot of a science fiction novel confused with the plot of a contemporary romance. Or, if you only like one genre, read different sub genres. So, if you like romance, try picking one historical, one fantasy, and one contemporary. The differences in setting should be enough to help you keep things straight.
Read in different mediums. When I have different books going, I try to diversify how I’m consuming them. I’ll usually have at least one kindle book, one paperback, and one hardcover going at any given time, and just the change in medium helps me keep plots straight.
Read in different places or at different times. For example, you could have one book by your bedside table that is always your nighttime book, but another that stays in the living room for daytime reading. And, if you commute, you could have your “commuting” book whether it be in physical or audiobook form.

So, there you have it! Some benefits of and tips for reading more than one book at a time. Do you read more than one book at a time? Let me know down in the comments!