I got you, fam. Choice paralysis is a documented scientific phenomenon.

So I have a full excel spreadsheet that records every single one of my books, and all the books written by the authors of those books in a side-column, so I can break it into an easy visual list.

I break the books up the same way I have them on my bookshelf. So organized by author (last name first), then within that section by series (if they wrote any, with individual works going at the bottom) then the books in publication order within those sections.

The only time where I don't follow this process is when it's a multi-author series - like, I'm not going to put my Ian Fleming Bond books 3 shelves down from Benson. So I shelve them amongst the authors by series title instead.

Then I start at the top of the list. So Adams, Douglas. First series in the list is of course the HitchHiker's Trilogy, so I read The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Once done, I then skip down to the next name on the list - in this case, Adams, Taylor (No Exit). Then Austen, Jane (Pride and Prejudice). Barker, Clive (Books of Blood, volume 1... real whiplash there coming from P&P).

By doing this, I don't have the chance to get bored of a particular author's style unless I get a run of similar authors - and if that happens, read the first, then skip to the next dramatically different author. And when I hit an author that I've read all the books I own (So example, Buehlman, Christopher - I only own Between Two Fires) I kick over to my To Buy column, and place an order for Those Across the River. Because I already know I like his style, so it's a safe bet I'll like the rest.

When trying a new author I've never done before, I try to research what is considered their 'best' work, and start with that, as long as it isn't breaking up a series. If I don't like that, I don't bother with anything else they wrote. And if I start with their 'best' and reach a point where the 'lesser' works aren't doing it for me anymore, I stop, and consider my collection by them 'done' unless they unveil a new masterpiece that has the rest of the world talking.

That being said - don't feel too bad about those 90 page rage quits. As a general rule, if I'm not fully hooked (or at least determined to slug it out to the end) by the halfway point, I'll often ditch a book and move on. Usually closer to 25% - if by then they're not wowing you, the rest often won't be any better.