The Problem of a Good Book

I have noticed that sometimes I don't like when I finish a really great book. That sounds kind of crazy at face value, and in some ways it is, but hear me out. I love reading books that completely consume me. I like feeling like I am in the book, part of the plot, the main character, watching it unfold. I love that feeling of reading just a solidly great book.

And then I finish the book.

I have such issue picking out the next book because nothing will be as great as the book I just read. Obviously, that is not true. But I get that feeling. I finish a great book and all I want to read is more of the same book. It works out well sometimes to have a series of books, but that is almost worse. After reading a ton of books in a series, I am solidly in the world and have it all fleshed out in my head and really then have more trouble picking the next thing to read.

I have a couple tricks that I use to get into the next book. One is that I sometimes read a book that I've read before because I already know that I like it. Or even reading an author I know that I like. Anything Meg Cabot usually is a good choice. But also, I love Meg Cabot so I find picking a book after any of her books is difficult. Even if it is a book I've read before. Another strategy is to pick a book that I'm not sure I'll get totally into. Going into it expecting to not be fully engrossed can help with the panic of "Oh no! How will anything live up?" Since I am not planning on it living up, there is no pressure on that book. Another strategy that I've found is just to not read for a bit. This is rather hard since I always read before bed. But I have found that if I read a magazine or short story instead of a book for a while, it helps cleanse the palette for the next book to come along. And lastly, sometimes I just force myself to read another book and tell myself to stop being so weird about it.

I finished To Tame a Highland Warrior last night (it was so good, even though the main guy kind drove me crazy with his concern that the main chick wouldn't like him if she knew his "true nature", but she was totally fine with it because she was awesome. Give the girl some credit, dude!) and now am at a loss at what to read. I grabbed a book on my way out of the house this morning, but am not sure I want to read it. So now on to the various strategies to find the next book.