Separate reputation from reading
Write down what you expect before opening a book. Afterwards, distinguish the work's actual voice and structure from the reputation that brought it to your attention. A famous cover can set misleading expectations.
Choose a productive contrast
Pair two works that handle a similar subject through different forms: a tightly plotted novel and a fragmentary narrative, for example. Compare what each form allows the reader to notice.
Keep a personal index
Record one scene, one formal decision, and one unresolved question for each book. These notes make a reading list useful without reducing a complex work to a rating or a recommendation slogan.