No matter what anyone says, reading slumps are definitely a thing. Everyone goes through times in their life when they don’t feel like reading a thing, and that’s totally normal. Slumps can last days, months, or even years for some people. College life isn’t exactly associated with free time, so it wouldn’t be all that strange if you were to say that you haven’t read a book a while. But if the books are good, reading is a fun way to spend your time, so here are a few great books to read when you don’t actually feel like reading:
1. The Devil’s Fire Trilogy by Matt Tomerlin
These books might just take up some of your TV watching time. They’re all about Katherine Lindsay, a woman who’s bored out of her mind while sailing on her husband’s merchant ship. That is, until she gets kidnapped by pirates. She is by no means a damsel in distress, and instead is a dynamic character that’s really fun to read about. The trilogy is basically as violent and graphic as Game of Thrones, so enjoy it, but read at your own risk. If you want a story that you can get lost it, these books are the ones for you.
2. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Let me start out by saying that this is the weirdest book I’ve ever read in my entire life. It centers on a group of beauty queens that get stuck on an island (Lord of the Flies style) while flying to a pageant. Don’t think that you know what’s going to happen, because the story gets weird real fast. It’s packed with strong-willed, funny characters, relevant pop culture references, and a lot of situations that you’ll definitely be able to relate to (and a lot that you won’t!). If you like reality TV or dramatic stories in general, this book will have you reading like there’s no tomorrow.
3. Stargirl and Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
You may have already read these two way back in your middle school english class. Their main character is Stargirl, a highschooler who doesn’t exactly fit in, but is totally ok with it. While Stargirl is mainly focused on her time in high school and is narrated by someone other than her, Love, Stargirl is made up entirely of letters written by, you guessed it, Stargirl and documents her life in a new town. Both books are really heartwarming and offer a nice new perspective on conformity (or lack thereof). They’re pretty quick reads that are perfect to fill that awkward chunk of time when you’re waiting for class to start.
4. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
This is one of those books that will stick with you for a while. I don’t want to say too much and spoil anything, but it’s about a girl from a very rich family who spends entire summers with a few of her cousins and friends on a private island. It’s not exactly a light-hearted beach read, but it’s bound to get your attention and keep you guessing.
5. The Mediator series by Meg Cabot
If you’re still mourning the end of Halloween and need more ghost stories in your life, check out The Mediator. It stars Suze Simon, a normal teenager from Carmel, California who just happens to be able to talk to the dead. As you would expect from someone who has to juggle high school with being a medium, Suze is a little rough around the edges and is not at all the delicate main character presented in so many Young Adult books today. Starting with Shadowland and ending with Twilight, the entire series is super entertaining and really well written. The next book comes out this February 2016, so start reading now if you want to keep up with the story!
Hopefully one of these books peak your interest and stops the “no book blues”. If you want to learn more about these, or document your own reading journey, check out Goodreads.