I keep a list of books I want to read on Goodreads. When a friend mentions a book they liked, I add it on the mobile app. When someone mentions something here or on Reddit, I do the same. I keep adding books without any commitment to actually reading them, and then I review the list whenever I need another book.
I use a couple of browser extensions that tell me what's available at my library on Goodreads:
- Available Reads - checks which books are available as eBooks or Audiobooks on OverDrive (online service through the library) - Library Extension - checks specific books if they're available at a set of libraries (physical books or eBooks/audiobooks)
I like the first because it creates a sortable list on my "to read" shelf, whereas the second is useful if I'm looking at a specific book.
[0] https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/09/30/leo-tolstoy-reading...
[1] http://www.gandhi-manibhavan.org/eduresources/bks_read_by_g....
My current approach is to keep a list of books that others recommend both online (hn, reddit, etc) and in person, and choose a book off the list as I finish each one based on what I'm currently interested in reading.
Once I've read a book by an author and liked it I'll normally try 1-2 more. So that's a main discovery path for me. However I try not to read the same author back-to-back as I like to have variety.
I think the key is don't keep a list, just buy the book. In my house I have a stack of 5-10 'queued' books at any time so when I finish one I can immediately start another.
It's the book list from the guy who brought you "Inventing on Principal".