How Do You Get Out of a Reading Slump?
A Cup of Jo reader named Alex recently commented that she’s stuck in a reading slump. For suggestions, we reached out to our friend Ruby Smith, who writes the books newsletter Ruby’s Recs. “When I’m in a drought, I feel like nothing will ever pull me out, not even a really good book,” says Ruby, a former Three Lives & Company bookseller who now lives in Washington, D.C. “Eventually something always does.”
“In college, I would read with a headlamp to avoid bothering my roommates. Years later, I still read with my headlamp because it feels comfy and cozy — even though I’m alone in my apartment!”
To break out of a slump, Ruby suggests a) trying a backlist book by a favorite author, b) listening to an audiobook while walking or folding laundry, or c) choosing a very short book. “Whatever it takes to get back your momentum,” says Ruby.
Finally, in case they help you, too, Ruby shares eight gripping books that have pulled her out of slumps:
Cowboys Are My Weakness by Pam Houston
“I was in a reading drought when I brought home this short story collection with the goal of reading just one story. I ended up tearing through the whole book. Most of the funny, big-hearted stories take place in the American West and center around relationship dynamics between men and women. Houston’s writing is clean and funny, like if Ernest Hemingway and Nora Ephron had a baby.”
The Body in Question by Jill Ciment
“I raced through this novel about two jurors who are sequestered for a murder trial and have an affair. It sounds super salacious, and it is, but the story is also very thoughtfully told. And it’s not long — less than 200 pages — so I think anyone would have a fun, easy time reading it.”
Blob by Maggie Su
“Vi works the front desk of a cheap hotel in her Midwestern college town. After getting dumped, she finds a blob outside a bar and drunkenly decides to take it home. It slowly becomes sentient, learning to communicate, imitate, and want. Blob is a stylish and surreal coming-of-age story about loneliness, attachment, and the way we try to create meaning when our lives have stalled.”
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
“The rare short story collection that also manages to be a page-turner! Deesha Philyaw dives into the lives of Black women and girls who are trying to find their place within (or outside of) the church. These stories grapple with the intricacies of family, death, and religion, and they are a lot of fun to read.”
Southern Lady Code by Helen Ellis
“These hilarious essays recount the author’s upbringing in Alabama and her subsequent life as a Southern transplant in New York City. She writes about everything from the utility of the phrase ‘bless your heart’ to the time her father faked his own death for her 13th birthday party.”
Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami
“This quiet but riveting novel follows Tsukiko, an office worker in Japan, who rekindles a friendship with her old high school teacher, ‘Sensei.’ As the two spend time together, playing pachinko, sipping sake, and foraging for mushrooms, they find solace in each other’s company. It’s earnest, gentle, and really lovely.”
Open Throat by Henry Hoke
“Open Throat is a novel told in verse from the point of view of a queer mountain lion living in the Hollywood Hills. Stay with me! Our narrator lurks under the Hollywood sign, eavesdrops on tourists and hikers, and contemplates eating a person. One of the most imaginative novels I’ve ever read!”
Quiet by Susan Cain
“When I read Quiet in high school, it changed how I see myself and the world. It validated that, as an introvert, my way of moving through the world wasn’t wrong, just different. I made everyone in my (very extroverted) family read it. One big insight is that our culture disproportionately rewards extroverted traits. The loudest person in the room is often mischaracterized as the smartest. Introverted traits, like observation or deep thought, are equally valuable, but not always celebrated.”
Now it’s your turn: have you ever been in a reading slump? And what was the last book you read and loved?
P.S. Tell us three things, and we’ll recommend a book you love, three favorite books of all time, and seven short, perfect books.
(Photo by Katie+Jo/Stocksy.)
Comments
128 commentsI am reading through all the Book Club picks gathered together on BookNotification. Makes it easy to have a list of TBRs at hand. I consider it my “virtual” book club. I am working my way backwards through the lists. booknotification.com/book-clubs/
My secret for getting out of a reading slump is heading to COJ book posts and picking something from the post or comments! Never lets me down!
A good book, that I can relate to, is enough to get me out of a reading slump. Currently enjoying reading Gun-Britt Sundström’s Engagement. I love it so much, I am reading just a few pages every day. I don’t want it to end.
After having young kids and Covid, the past 6 years has felt like a reading slump, some months being harder than others. To break out of it, I always start with quick page turner thrillers! I can usually devour one in a weekend and then move easily onto something heavier (or another thriller!)
Any thriller recs?? These are the only things I can read right now, mom of a 4 yo!
It used to be that when I was in a reading slump I’d read a magazine or two (oh, the days of the glossy periodical!)–but now that most are gone, my solution is 1. to be aware of my mindless phone use (ie, if a loved one is going through a hard time, yes, okay, keep the phone handy, but otherwise, use it like an old-school phone. ONLY.), and 2. to head to my beloved public library and wander the stacks. I may find a forgotten beloved, a new or old book by a familiar author, a cover that appeals, something I *meant* to read. . . but there is zero stress because I can get five hits or three misses or fall in love or just find an okay experience–and it’s all okay. I’m using the library as it was intended *and* showing community support. Go, public libraries!
I go through peaks and valleys with reading. During a particularly deep canyon I came across The Listeners by Jordan Tannahill in a free little library and devoured it in a day. It’s about a woman who hears a constant hum that no one around her can hear and she ends up going down a rabbit hole to figure it out and find others like her. The writing had something a bit Miranda July to it. Highly recommend!
My way of getting out of reading slumps is trying shorter, modern, lighter books. I tend to classics and difficult readings that sometimes demand a different kind of attention. So I turn to simpler readings to preserve the habit! I miss it when I lose it :(
Okay, I really need to tell anyone that would listen – two novels I recently finished based on recommendations from this newsletter by Pandora Sykes. https://open.substack.com/pub/pandorasykes/p/three-charm-novels-for-july?r=12w429&utm_medium=ios I recommend both Villa Coco and Go Gentle, both a quick and easy read but in no way crass or boring.
Kids, motion sickness and doomscrolling have been consistent blockers to my reading habits over the last few years. Last year I vowed to read more, but ended up spending too much money on the latest hardbacks (served via my instagram feed!) so this year I joined the library and promised myself to read one book a month. I’m already at 12 and the rush of a library hold coming in for a new title has kept me going! Some highlights include: Big Swiss, Wreck, The Wedding People, Workhorse and The Underdog (chose this one for the cover – turned out great!)
Any time I am in a slump, which happens about once a year, I pick up Harry Potter from Book 1, read through to Book 7, and then start something new. Slightly insane? Yes. Have I done it for the past six years? Yes. My book slumps typically align with a bad mood or a few bad days – and this is a win win all around.
Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever had a reading slump. There are only books I don’t want to leave, and a real world that occasionally insists on interrupting them. Looking at you, A Prayer for Owen Meany interfering with my pool days.
I started Land after reading many Maggie O’Farrell books. I devoured them all. But, I just cannot get into Land. Am I missing something? I am almost halfway through, do I need to keep going?
I couldn’t get into the Marriage Portrait and abandoned it, but I really l liked Land, what’s keeping you from moving through it? I didn’t really care about the typography bit, but I was interested in the family!
I just finished Land – I loved it but I listened to it on Audible – the narration was really good – I barely have time to read but find I have more time to listen as I clean the house and drive to pick up kids etc.
I thought the second half was more interesting. Her writing is lovely, but the first half rambled on too much for me. I read somewhere that she’s not kind to her characters, and this so true. I don’t like how much people suffered.
I liked the first half better than the second half and agree she is not kind to her characters. I did appreciate that story did come full circle though I would have liked more depth/better connection on the prehistoric plot line. Overall a win for me. But ironic that I’m listening to The Calamity Club at the same time and those characters stand a better chance of a happy ending.
My tried-and-true way out of a reading slump is simply a popcorn thriller! It doesn’t have to be critically acclaimed, just something that keeps those pages turning! A thriller is usually the rest I need to dive back into my TBR.
Me too!
Came here to say the same!
My sister told me that she prefers long books (we were talking about how long The Calamity Club is and my hesitance to read it) – she said the hardest part of reading for her is STARTING a new book – she avoids starting a new book for weeks. Once shes into it, she loves reading. I realized I’m the same. Once I stopped worrying how long a book is and how long it will take me to read and instead just enjoyed the ride of reading itself, I realized I too prefer a long book. Also, yes The Calamity Club is as good as everyone is saying, I can’t stop reading and know I will be so sad when this 650 page book is over (and will dread starting a new book…ha!)
Not all great novels come from big publishing houses! I’m diving into independently published books thanks to my friend Judy Taylor, who recently released her novel, “In the Company of Whales.” It’s about a washed-up punk rocker barely making a living in a small Pacific Northwest town. Her life changes when 19 orcas become trapped in a nearby inlet. The whales’ plight was real. It happened in 1997 near the small town where Judy lived.
So true! Our local shop, Green Apple Books, has a separate indie publisher section (at least, at their 9th Ave shop!). Some of the best stuff I have read this past decade is published by indie publishers.
I love discovering new writers too and have read that book! Here’s info about the author (judymtaylor.com). Her books is at bookshop.org. Direct link is https://bookshop.org/p/books/in-the-company-of-whales-judy-m-taylor/3dbb88031b1a0531?ean=9798218906870&bkshp-astro=t
Have you tried Persephone Books? “ Persephone Books reprints neglected fiction and non-fiction, mostly by women writers and mostly dating from the mid-twentieth century. All of our 154 titles are intelligent, thought-provoking and beautifully written. As well as novels we also publish short stories, diaries, memoirs, poetry, gardening books and cookery books; each title has an elegant grey jacket and a patterned endpaper, along with a matching bookmark.” persephonebooks.co.uk/
I subscribe to a monthly-ish, free newsletter called “Plain Pleasures” that is just like it sounds. The creator, who is also a dear friend, often chooses books that are older or in translation, which I really appreciate. She also does these amazing pencil crayon sketches of the books’ covers! https://www.marisagrizenko.com/plain-pleasures-newsletter
I usually just try to read a chapter a day at first. If I am more ambitious I will read a short story a day. Usually if the book is good I get hooked in. If I don’t then I abandon the book and try another. I found this great website that gives you the first few pages of a book to read to decide if you want to go further: https://uncovered.ink/
This came at the perfect time for me- the beginning of a slump! Reading Pam Houston now – thanks for the recommendation. I am a voracious reader (1-2 books per week)- my most troubling slump has been after the birth of both of my kids, when I just couldn’t seem to feel like myself, and was so distressed that I just couldn’t find a book to get in to. My way out both times was celebrity memoirs – Mindy Kaling and Rob Lowe in particular. Juicy, heart warming, and somehow helped me come back to my reading self.
when I went through a depression, I read lindy west! comedians are extra great during slumps or hard times xoxo
When I’m in a reading slump, I check out the juvenile section! Some middle grade novels are just wonderful, and they’re usually quick, easy reads. I recently loved Candle Island by Lauren Wolk (the characters!), and got a giggle out of reading The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls with my nine year old.
Emy, me too! I love to read fantasy books and the middle grade fantasy books help me out of a reading slump every time!
I have been reading the Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower and they are the most delightful thing I have read in YEARS. I am tearing through them. The writing is Jane Austen meets Enola Holmes–it is laugh-out-loud funny and the characters are lovable (or scoundrels!) and jump right off the page at you. I read in paperback but switch to audio when I am walking the dog or driving so the voice of a narrator is also important to me in a book and Genevieve Gaunt is brilliant.
Absolutely 100% my number one recommendation to everyone right now is The Unselected Journals of Emma M Lion. So far I’ve gotten my sister, my mom, and three of my good friends hooked. It was mostly selfish so I would have people to discuss how delicious they are! For anyone in a reading slump, give Emma two journals (very very short!) and you will be utterly captivated by her charming world.
I literally just came here to recommend this series! Isn’t it such fun? Plus, they are short. The perfect way out of a reading slump.
Came here to see if anyone else had seen the same! I blazed through all 8 volumes in about 3 weeks. I cannot stop thinking about them and feel bereft about leaving St. Crispian’s. I’ve been trying to entice like-minded friends into reading them (“it’s like if Jane Austen lived in Stars Hollow”) because I need to discuss!!
I love these books so much–I think I found out about them from COJ! I got the set of 8 for my kindle and breezed through them on our beach trip. They are endearing and indeed laugh-out-loud funny!!
Came here to say the same! It took me months of staring at the stack of paperbacks (Vol 1-8 impulse purchased) before I started, and now I cannot stop. Charming, witty, silly and tender in good measure. I have truly laughed out loud more reading these books than I have with any other book in years – reading pages out loud to my partner, mom, anyone who will listen. Have also managed to adopt an afternoon tea/cake habit, much to the delight of my two small boys. Truly, the level of whimsy these books brought to my summer is 10/10.
My depression severely impacts my ability to read. My brain just shuts down. I love to read so this is hard to deal with. I’ve learned to be gentle with myself. I reach for romance novels and scifi/fantasy. When it’s really bad I re-read the Lion the Witch and Wardrobe or anything by Madeleine L’Engle.
Would audiobooks help you with this? Instead of the pressure to “do” (opening a book and having to concentrate on each line), would pressing a button to listen be easier?
Here for the audiobook recommendation and to reinforce the power of re-reading, too! In the eighteenth century, people engaged in “bibliotherapy” as a way to heal all sorts of woes (I won’t get into the gendering of “nervous illnesses” but I’m sure you can imagine). It included re-reading and the reading of multiple books in the same genres because of the comfort of continuation, of being on a path, of knowing where you are going.
You might like Diana Wynne Jones, specifically the Chrestomanci books, or Diane Duane’s Young Wizards series, for similar stuff to your faves. And if it’s not too on the nose, At First Spite by Olivia Dade has a really satisfying romance with one character dealing with a severe depressive episode, and reading it made me feel really loved.
Kandy, we might be BFFs. Lewis and L’Engle are the safest go-tos for me. (That, and a cozy murder…)
My favorite way to get out of a reading slump is to ask a contact who I’m not that close with what their favorite books are. It’s an easy way to forge a new connection and usually results in a super interesting read for me that I likely would never have picked up on my own and a rare new personal connection with someone new. Some examples of books I’ve picked up from this method: Sapiens A Brief History of Humankind (highly debated, controversial, fun to discuss at the company keurig machine), Unreasonable Hospitality (sparked an entire group of colleagues to start a book club), and the ACOTAR series (so many texts with an acquaintance who became my friend).
Find your literary comfort food: I was in a multi-year slump after having kids and this year have embraced reading as much chick lit/romance/smut as my little heart desires and I’ve read more books than ever before. Some are one-stars, and a few I’m still too embarrassed to add to my Goodreads, but I’m reading regularly again and I love it.
Oh, my. What is this “reading slump” of which you speak? I am a voracious reader and have not experienced that. As a kid, I would read the cereal box at the breakfast table every morning, even though I read it thoroughly the day before. I always have a book or two plus an audiobook (or two) going. I listen to an audiobook with one earbud while running, gardening, at the gym, walking, doing housework. Fiction, non-fiction, whatever. I cringe at posts like this because my “For Later” list at the library is currently 1,095 books, and I’m adding to it, reading everyone’s recommendations. Because of the abundance, if a book isn’t to my liking, I don’t have a problem letting it go. I mean, someone, somewhere, actually liked Yesteryear. It just wasn’t me! I also started a book club in my neighborhood as a way to get to know my neighbors and that has been a lot of fun. I really look forward to spending time with everyone at our monthly meetings, and only have to host/pick a book twice per year, or less.
The only time in my life i couldn t read was when my mom was dying and I started to write at night. Then during the pandemic. And i read a novel from my teenage years, The mists of Avalon. Our minds are weird. I’m camping in Norway now and reading so much. Just finished Beautiful world where are you? (Its alright, the sex scenes are so well written but prefered Intermezzo) and cannot stop thinking about Martyr! I loved it, it is so different, but the ending is mysterious. Who has read it? What to you think about the end?? Love from Norway (but usually love from Paris)
I loved Martyr, and I refuse to accept the potential very negative ending!
Oh Kristin I know what you mean I think I just don t want to accept it. And now I’m doubting about other elements of the book. Like is Orkideh really who he thinks she is? It is all annoying.
As a recovering academic (10+ years out of academia) I escaped into escapist fiction. If it’s not scifi/fantasy/fanfiction, it is hard for me to process and I’ve elected at this point to just… not. Legit the world is hard enough as it is rn without me reading gruesome, heartbreaking realism. My empathy is in overdrive on the daily just existing in the US right now, and if the most I can stomach in a day is lesbian necromancers in space (Gideon the Ninth) or MG fantasy (hello, reading A Wrinkle In Time with my kiddos!) or, LBH, some fluffy Heated Rivalry fanfiction, it’s not taking up my time and/or brain space.
You may like Aliette de Bodard! I’m thinking specifically of The Vanisher’s Palace.
I have THREE wildly gripping historical fiction recommendations for you (you’re welcome): NONESUCH by Francis Spufford Iris wants to get ahead in her finance job in the City of London. Unfortunately for her, it’s WWII, bombs will shortly be falling on London and she’s about to get mixed up in an adventure featuring terrifying angels, a sinister secret society and a plot that could change the course of the war. Also, she’s about to inconveniently fall in love. (This is really well-written as well as fast-paced. Be warned – there is quite a lot of fairly graphic sex, so don’t lend it to your granny unless she’s into that.) THE ART OF A LIE by Laura Shepherd-Robinson Deception! Murder! Love! Also the introduction of ice cream to 18th-century London. (Lots of twists and turns, will make you crave ice cream.) A SKINFUL OF SHADOWS by Frances Hardinge Makepeace is a young Puritan girl who is very attractive to homeless ghosts – every night, she fights off spirits attempting to possess her. She also has to contend with the English Civil War and the dark secrets of her lost father’s sinister aristocratic family. Makepeace is going to need help. (Technically YA, but Hardinge is so brilliant that she deserves a wider adult following.)
Seconding Nonesuch! And thanks for bringing up Frances Hardinge, I haven’t read her since I was a kid and she has so many more books now!
These all sound so good!! Thank you for the recs :)
I’m so happy see Jill Ciment recommended here! Her novel The Tattoo Artist is one of my favorite books.
I have a really hard time reading when my phone is nearby, and also generally when I’m home. So the best thing for me has been to read at a coffee shop and leave the phone at home. For some mysterious reason I can read on vacation.
I have had trouble getting myself to read ever since Trump was elected in 2016. The one exception is when I go to a family cottage in New Hampshire – no wifi. I read a book a day there. No concentration problems whatsoever. I am currently trying to read the Interestings. Am not a huge fan of short stories, but Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by ZZ Packer was a stunner. Also recommend In the dream house by Carmen Maria Machado. I recommend the audio version bc the author reads it and her voice is really important for the story.
I’ve been through one reading rut but it last maybe 3 years. The book that picked me out of it? Celeste Ng – Little Fires Everywhere It was a nice easy read with a bit of suspense and believable characters. I don’t remember the details of the story but I have so much gratitude for this book. Immediately thereafter I started reading a book a month – and I had an under-1-year old at the time (2021). And I’ve continued with this, in part thanks to my book club… so my other tip is to join a book club. My most favourite book I’ve ever read was a book club selection that I never would have found on my own!
Always back to Agatha Christie for me :)
Omg yes! The easiest most fun reading
I have been in a book slump for a few months now… I’m pregnant and my brain just can’t take on any additional a challenges beyond work. So I’ve just been re-reading Harry Potter. Thankfully, I still have the copies from my childhood so she who will not be named does not benefit financially from me reading them. It’s honestly been the best way to give my brain a break though! I look forward to reading every day again, and I really needed that. So maybe that’s my tip – revisit books you used to love to get you out of your rut!
I do have a rec! The Albion series by Celia Lake are a nice adult equivalent for those of us who came of age with HP and have had to let that go due to you know who. There’s almost 50 of them and they really got me through a tough postpartum period. Favorites off the top of my head are Pastiche, The Shoemaker’s Wife, The Hare and the Oak, Sailor’s Jewel, and The Fossil Door.
Reading is a fitness. The way to get out of the slump is to tell yourself: “I am unfit. But I can get fitter!” And then just read regularly. Find something, anything you like, and commit to a habit, even 10 minutes before bed or over breakfast. Then, it’s all on and your fitness improves and you can tackle so many other books that would have otherwise been out of reach. YOU CAN DO IT! xox
My reading slumps usually come after finishing a great book that I loved and my brain isn’t ready to move on from. I’ve learned to just ride them out and they usually fade away within a week or two. The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson has me there right now, I loved it!
An amazing new novel is arriving August 4th and I promise it’ll cure any reading slump you’re having! ‘The Wild Beneath’ by Dr. Kelly Anderson. Check it out!
This year I realized that I always hit a reading slump right after I’ve read a really good book.
If you have a child in your life read what they are reading. Ideally it will be something they love, but also maybe you will keep them company as they struggle to enjoy their assigned reading. My parents, sisters and I all just read the Percy Jackson series alongside my step daughter. It was so fun to dip into her world and be able to have big conversations about what she was reading and what she thought of the characters’ choices.
I second this! I often ask my nine-year old what she recommends so we can talk about it! She also pitches her favorite novels to her aunt and nana. It’s so fun to see what they like/don’t like and makes them feel really important too.
Writers and Lovers got me into reading literary fiction again. I’d been reading romance since Covid because I needed a break from all things sad and serious. Lately I’ve read and enjoyed Villa Coco and Go Gently. Couldn’t put them down. I will read romance again but I’m enjoying getting into a different genre, one I used to love.
One of my favorite books! “Heart the Lover” is a companion to “Writers & Lovers,” also excellent.
This is a great list of books from Ruby! I’ve only heard of two of them so I am thrilled to check out the others they all seem so good. I usually go with a genre change with every book I read so I avoid a reading slump, but I will re-read an easy trashy romance for a quick reset if I really need to get back into reading.
When I’m in a slump, I go to an independent bookstore and ask the bookseller to hand me their last 5 star read. This has never failed me.
I just finished Heartwood by Amity Gaige about a woman who goes missing while hiking the Appalachian Trail. It was so good! Reminded me of God of the Woods which was another compelling read. Yesteryear and The Correspondent were also 2 other recent reads. Both hard to put down and great for getting out of a reading slump!
Agreed, I loved Heartwood!
If you can’t get into a book, thud causing the slump, give yourself permission to abandon the book! This is advice I would always give to my 5th graders if they just couldn’t find the motivation to keep reading a book. I am getting better at reminding myself to do the same!
I hadn’t read fiction in quite a while, but in May I started back in and am now reading books that I feel like I should have encountered at some point but didn’t. I just finished The Optimist’s Daughter by Eudora Welty (will have to re-read before returning to the library) and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. I’m also making my way through novels by Willa Cather. I’m absolutely loving these, and just setting aside a specific amount of time per day is really helping me.
#1 tactic for getting out of a reading slump: re-read an old favorite. It reminds you why you love reading, and then you’re off to the races!
Great tip!
So many people read (consciously and unconsciously) for the approval of others. They read books that are high-brow lit or nonfiction when in fact in their truest souls they’d rather read low brow chick lit or a thriller or a cozy mystery or a graphic novel. I’m a huge reader, it’s probably the only area of life where I feel entitled to make such firm assertions because I’ve spent a lifetime reading and observing and asking about other people’s reading habits. My biggest piece of advice for getting out of a reading slump is to remember to read what brings you joy and not to care what it looks like to others.
Yes! The best advice.
Yes, this is so wise and true! Read what you want!! Reading is reading is reading.
Grady Hendrix writes some really funny horror. His books are about, in no order: Haunted Ikea 1970s era Unwed mothers school, a hell on earth Southern book club of polite women saving their town Your best friend needs an exorcism
I had been in a reading slump and recently discovered Kennedy Ryan’s Skyland Series, I started with Before I Let Go and just finished This Could Be Us, they are so emotional and heartfelt, give them a try if you are looking for a pick me up.
I was in my worst reading slump ever during Covid. (I’m certain I wasn’t alone.) I couldn’t read anything remotely scary or suspenseful, even things that were uncomfortable/awkward were not for me. I finally fell into the Victorian mystery, and just read all of them. They’re low stakes, easy reads, and got me through. I also find that when I’ve read several back to back that just don’t do it for me, I go back to a tried and true favorite, either book or author, that I know I can skim read. Usually just the act of reading – laying in a weird position on the couch within arm’s reach of my drink and tissues, gets me back in the headspace to read. That’s also usually when I allow myself to buy a book instead of using the library, sort of as a treat. Or I pick one that I’ve wanted to read for a while but have been saving.
Ooo what victorian mysteries do you like?
I am reading Gold Dust Woman, the biography of Stevie Nicks and it’s captivating! I am not always a fan of biography but this one reads like fiction due in part to the subject matter and in part due to great writing! Highly recommend, especially if you are a fan of Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid!
Ohh thank you for this rec, I love her and I love listening to biographies of gutsy women!
I loved this book!!
I went through some real reading slumps when I was post-partum. I couldn’t handle anything scary, real, hard, emotional or interesting, frankly. And wouldn’t you know it – reading rom-coms of the mid variety for years on end will make one fall out of love with reading. Now that my youngest is 5, I’m relishing reading everything again. It’s been a real juicy book summer over here! I’m at the tail-end of Fellowship Point by Alice Elliot Dark and I cannot believe how gorgeous the writing is and how much I have come to love these characters. Dark is a short story writer – the holy grail of writing, I was taught in journalism school because you have to do what a novel does, but in about a tenth of the space – but FP is as sprawling and beautiful as its Maine setting and that’s not a bad thing. It’s a slow burn, but you won’t be disappointed!
Ah, me too! (I had a hard time with intense movies or TV shows, too.) I just finished Fellowship Point and was SO sad to close the book. Truly gorgeous. xoxo
I have a quote from Fellowship Point on my fridge: “There are a lot of bad ideas in the world. I have less and less patience with any ideas at all. Animal, flowers, the sea. Friends. Children. Art. The end.” God I loved that book.
I adored Fellowship Point on audiobook and didn’t want it to end!
I had a reading rut this summer. I set a 30 min timer and just committed to sinking into the book I thought I wasn’t into. By the end of the 30 minutes I was into it! It sounds punitive, but sometimes I have to go to those measures to get my attention span back.
Where is this straw bag from?!
yes please!
Graphic novels! There are so many good ones and they sometimes can be a bit easier to break back into. Short stories are also excellent. I’m reading the Persians currently and it is oh so good.
I’ve found it helps to keep a few genres available at once. I’m reading 3 books right now, and switch them up depending on mood. I’m listening to Emma by Jane Austen. I’m trying a thing where all of my audiobooks are older classics. I listen while I’m cooking or getting dressed for the day. I have Outlier by Kia Bird (a Jimmy Carter biography) on my nightstand. This is for days when my brain is fresh and smart. For days when I’m feeling mentally frazzled, I keep it light. I’m half way through The Frozen River by Ariel Lawton, a fictional murder mystery set in the 1700’s. My favorite books that I’ve read this year were all old favorites: To Kill a Mockingbird which made me laugh, cry, rage, and hope. And Sarah Plain and Tall + Skylark which I read aloud to my 6 year old, and got a lump in my throat over it.
Sarah plain and tall was a book I missed when I was a kid so I picked it for a family read aloud and my kids have not let me live it down. Every time I critique a book or give my opinion they say “I get that it’s not Sarah plain and tall but…”. I personally thought it was very good!
@SunnyJ – also at that point in Frozen River and it is so interesting to spend some time in the late 1700s. My husband is currently reading about Captain Cook – also set during a similar time period and its been fun to share little snippets from our respective books.
LOL, @Mona P, my kids also gave me a hard time about that book! I had forgotten all about it until your comment. I think I recommended it when they were looking for something fun to read, but they were not impressed.
Honestly, when I’m in a slump, I read potato chip book (aka, guilty pleasure books). For me that is either a spicy romance or romantasy…but pick something easy, breezy that you can get immersed in and just enjoy reading. Not all reading has to be profound, IMO.
Hey Rebecca! I’m a fellow romance reader and would love to ask you to gently reconsider calling a particular genre a guilty pleasure. About a year ago, I stumbled upon this Substack post which really stopped me in my tracks. (Here’s the link, if you’d like: https://niacarnelio.substack.com/p/why-do-we-constantly-shit-on-romance?s=w) Like a lot of women, I think, I downplayed my interest in reading romance and was echoing the common sentiment that it’s indulgent, easy-reading, unimportant, etc. On reading that article, I questioned why I’d determined the fiction or memoir displays ‘worthy’ but the romance shelf felt embarassing. Reflecting more on the article, I realized that my attitude towards the genre had been heavily shaped by public opinion (and pretty capitalist, male-gazing one at that). I asked myself to consider my own values: did I, too, feel that all of my reading needed to be informative, productive, educational? Would I judge my parents, a friend, or one of my students for reading a genre for pure enjoyment, be it sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction, or cartoons? No, I realized, I’d be happy they found a book or genre they found engaging. What’s more, I was contradicting my very own advice to my students (and their parents) when they’d ask if it was bad that they liked reading the Dog Man series, or Junie B. Jones, or Harry Potter. I’d tell my friends or students that any book counts when it comes to reading for pleasure. If you’re loyal to a particular genre, awesome; it you never read the same thing twice, cool; if you’re curious to try something new, let’s get a recommendation. I was wholeheartedly supporting others’ reading for pleasure (and sometimes even citing the research!) but dismissing my own. TLDR (clearly I got excited; stepping off of my soap box!): I love reading romance and am trying really hard to stop being self-critical about it :)
I completely agree with this!! When I’m in a slump, I realize it’s almost always because I’m trying to read the more literary books on my list and I’m just not dying to read them at 11PM on a Tuesday. Switching to a lighthearted romance type book always gets me out of my funk! Case in point – I was reading something I couldn’t get into, and switched to reading “Dolly all the Time” and stayed up til 1AM reading it last week and then spend the next day listening to the audiobook any chance I got (like while on a run!). And now I’m back to reading again. Another tip – my 78-year-old mother, a lifelong reader, advices to QUIT a book ANYTIME you aren’t loving it. That can be 5% in, that can be 55% in, that can even be 85% in! If you aren’t loving it, time to move on. I applied this to “Crying in H Mart”, which I read 80% of and was over it and DNF’d it, despite it being on everyone’s favorite book lists.
@Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo, thank you for your words. You are correct…reading is a pleasure regardless of the genre. And to be clear, I absolutely own my love of romance and feel zero shame reading it. I do find it easier reading than most literary fiction, which is why I love it for reading slumps or palate cleansers. I did not mean to yuck anyone’s (reading) yum.
Love this thread ! Honestly, my gift to myself this year was to stop having anything I thought of as a guilty pleasure. Chops and icecream in bed : PLEASURE! ACOMAR reread : pleasure ! Pretending I’m on the toilet and reading Kate Baer poems in the bathroom: pleasure
For any Catherine Newman fans in the Bay Area – she’s doing an event at Mrs. Dalloways on Aug 21 for the paperback release of Wreck. https://mrsdalloways.com/event/2026-08-21/catherine-newmans-wreck-paperback-release
Thank you! I’ve just registered.
Me, too! LOVE her and anything she says, cooks, draws, or writes.
Re read an old favorite ( some of Alice Hoffman’s earlier books!)….or a childhood favorite, like Ramona the Pest….or anything by Beverly Cleary! Or, one of Margaret Truman’s DC murder mysteries.
I do love rereading childhood favorites! For me I go back to Anne of Green Gables, Walk Two Moons, & Molly by Any Other Name
A book club really helps! I didn’t read much at all a couple years ago and now I’m reading at least 12 books a year. Bonus points if your club is non-judgmental and doesn’t care if you didn’t finish the book :) I also think perusing a beautiful book store with a coffee or tea is helpful. All the pretty covers draw you in!
I DEVOURED This Time Tomorrow, by Emma Straub. It’s got allllll the elements I love. The magic realism is always a hit with me. But add in NYC as a setting and lots of other perfect things and that made it even better for me! It’s like someone asked Emma Straub to write a perfect book that would check all my boxes (and then some) and this is the result. Loved it! Highly recommend :) Then after that, I’ve just read Half his Age, by Jennette McCurdy, and loved that one too. Great fun to read as well!
I would argue that any and all reading slumps can be cured by picking up Whistler but perhaps that’s because I just recently devoured it. When I get in a real slump I reach for short stories because there’s less pressure to get into it or poetry. During Covid I could not focus long enough to read books. Instead I worked my way through Mary Oliver’s Devotions every night before bed. Another thing that works for me is rereading Pride and Prejudice, I know the story so well it’s like catching up with old friends and I know how it ends!
I’m making my way through the Guardian’s list of the 100 greatest novels of all time. My current read is The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst, but I also have 100 pages to go of A House for Mr Biswas by VS Naipaul. We have a family contest to see who can read the most books this year, and I find that leaving my phone on a different floor of the house helps speed reading up.
this sounds like so much fun, all around!
I just read The God of the Woods by Liz Moore and it was a page turner. My little book club chose it partially because it’s being made into a movie… I love reading a book before watching the movie adaptation. The motivation of watching the movie version can propel you!
For anyone who might be finding themselves reading less because of their phones, get a brick! You have to scan a physical “brick” to unbrick your phone, and you can chose what apps the brick blocks from opening, social media, mail, etc., and it’s way harder to bypass than the screen limits. I started using mine in December and I’ve read 110 books this year so far, as opposed to 22 total last year. Mom of two tiny kids, wife, work full time and I’ve found that I fill all those little moments I used to use my phone with my kindle.
Yes get a brick! I’ve also seen much better progress with reading since I got one.
Thanks for your tip! Haven’t heard of ‘brick’ before and just checked it out, looks promising.
My best friend and I share a brick (she’s also my neighbor) and I just finished “Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt” in one day and I think it is because of the Brick!
If short stories sound like a way to ease back in, I LOVED Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri and can’t recommend enough. They were beautiful and haunting and contemplative, and stuck with me for a long time in a way that I’ve rarely felt.
Looove Jhumpa Lahiri!
I never have a reading slump because if I can’t think of anything I want to read, I just go back to an old favorite. However, when friends ask for recommendations when they have a slump, I always suggest the first book in a good series because it isn’t just one book. Two of the best are Magic Bites by Ilona Andrew’s and Just One Damn Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor. Both the Kate Daniel’s series and the Chronicles of St. Mary’s are fascinating, funny, and well-written series that will kill a slump.
I have found the Thursday Murder Club and Hunger Games serieses very helpful in getting out of a slump.
Finished Whistler a few weeks ago (as good as they sat!), almost done with A Spool of Blue Thread (quirky, comforting!), and hoping to read Villa Coco soon (loved Less!)
I read Villa Coco this summer and it was wonderful. Beautiful prose and also a fun story. Enjoy!
Highly recommend The New Yorker Fiction podcast where authors read short stories published in The New Yorker (some are more current and others are from the archives) and then discuss the story afterwards. Its a beautiful way to get your literary muscle warmed up :)
I just finished the Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and am telling everyone I know to read it. For me it’s the perfect trifecta of history, fantasy and romance. What a beautiful, thoughtful, surprising story. 10/10 already can’t wait to reread (which is my trick for getting out of a slump! Go find one of your all time favs and read it again!)
Just picked this book back up to get out of a reading slump! I read it 2 or 3 years ago and LOVED it, and it’s been so fun to revisit the characters.