I am right now inside the busiest six weeks of my usual calendar year. The six weeks before April 15th. Tax Day. My list is now more than a page long. In small type. Time to panic. But no, I can’t panic. It’s bad for the health an helps nothing. So I sneak short reading time in whenever I can. Even five minutes of escape lowers my anxiety levels, and presumably my blood pressure. It gives me a moment, like the palate cleanser in a gourmet meal.

Five minute reading breaks allow only for re-reads of favored books. If I try to read a new book, especially books by certain authors, I’ll be up until 2am and no tax returns will be prepared. I re-read books so often that I have a pattern to them. Does this happen to anyone else?

For instance: my love affair with Captain of Industry (by Karin Kallmaker) is no secret to anyone who has heard me discuss books. A re-read of that, however, leads to a certain list of books: Stepping Stone, Wild Things (out on audio now with Abby Crayden reading!), Substitute for Love, Painted Moon, Just Like That, and Roller Coaster because all those couples appear in Captain of Industry. And if you read Roller Coaster then you need more food books like Kris Bryant’s Taste and Rachel Spangler’s Perfect Pairing, and Chef’s Special by Susan X Meagher.

Melissa Brayden has a couple of series, Soho Loft and Seven Shores, that provide multiple books for escapist reading. And if I get started on her Waiting in the Wings, I end up grabbing KE Lane’s And Playing the Role of Herself, Jae’s Just Physical, Georgia Beer’s Fear of Falling, Lola Keeley’s The Music and the Mirror, A.L Brooks’ Write Your Own Script, Lee Winter’s Breaking Character, Rachel Spangler’s In Development, Chris Paynter’s Survived By Her Longtime Companion, and then back to Melissa Brayden and First Position.

Time travel is always fun with Catherine Friend’s Spanish Pearl books and Spark. Or just plain travel books, like KG McGregor’s Sea Legs, Georgia Beers’ Snow Globe, and Rachel Spangler’s Full English.

Sometimes I get on a second chance binge, or a sports binge, or books with great animal sidekicks. I know The Lesbian Review has bunches of theme related lists for those who enjoy a good book binge.

What are some series or types you all binge?