How do you decide your next read? Do you rely on book reviews (if yes, from reviews from where), recommendations, personal reading log, what?

I just look over the books on my TBR list and pick one. It often depends on my mood. Sometimes it has to do with how long I have had a book. I do not have any set formula.

I'm about 25 pages to the end of what I am currently reading and about a hour glanced over at my bookshelf and said to myself, "I'm going to read A MONTH OF SUNDAYS next. Will probably start it tomorrow.

I just look over the books on my TBR

I just look over the books on my TBR

I read book reviews anywhere I find them -- in the local newspaper, I take the Dallas Morning News Sunday edition and read review there, many magazines (like People) review books.  But the best way to find a good book is to rely on recommendations, from family and friends OR from strangers.  I go to Barnes and Noble on the weekends, drink coffee, and stroll through the books.  I have on occasion asked someone if they have read the book.  I ask the help if they have read a good book lately.  Hope this helps.

Like most of my (minor) decisions, it's based on my mood and what I'm doing at the time. Right now I'm reading a TON of "books about books" since I'm trying to read a lot of literary classics this year. Right now if the book makes it sound amazing and like something I'd enjoy, I see if I can find it at a used bookstore. Other times it's based off a mention on a blog (that's how I took "The Gargoyle" off my TBR last month, when otherwise it would have stayed there for a while thanks to some bad reviews, but instead it became one of my 3 favorite books of '08 and a favorite all-around.) Sometimes just staring at the TBR piles works too, especially if I'm in a specific mood- do I want something funny and short, a historical adventure, a torrid romance, possibly something involving monkeys? I wish I had a neat system but it's insanely random. :)