A reading slump. The three most dreaded words ever known to a reader. Whether you have just read the most gut wrenching book known to man, had to say goodbye to beloved characters from a 12-book series, or are uninspired to read with your current book option, a reading slump is a place that welcomes all…. unfortunately.
A reading slump does not have a one-size-fits-all criteria, but it’s felt throughout the whole reading community. I remember finishing Sarah J Mass’s (SJM) A Court of Throne and Roses series for the first time… I couldn’t pick up another book for a month. So whether you’re experiencing the grief of finishing a series, have just been in school for nine months and have only had time to read your textbooks, or just don’t know where to start, I have compiled a list of books from various genres to help you overcome your reading slump.
Before even thinking about picking out or picking up your next book, you can familiarize yourself with the excitement that comes along with reading. Walking into a bookstore alone gets my blood pumping faster and my adrenaline going – mix that with my favourite coffee and browsing the Thriller section at my favourite Indigo, and I can’t open a book fast enough.
With this list you can switch from your preferred genres or stick to what you know. Either way, I hope you find a book you can enjoy.
Coming of Age: Judy Blume Essentials by Judy Blume
Whether you have read these books as a child or not, everyone can relate to the incredible writings of Judy Blume. Her coming-of-age Essentials set includes the following books: are you there god? it’s me, margaret; blubber; deenie; iggie’s house; then again, maybe i won’t; and starring sally j. freedman as herself. These are short, easy to read books that focus on girlhood and connecting with a deeper part of yourself.
Dystopian: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Almost everyone is familiar with the iconic film series: The Hunger Games. Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson and many other iconic actors have brought the novel series to life. The books, however, provide the same adventure as the movie but include far more intricate scenes, relationships, and plot lines. The Hunger Games series will grab your attention and won’t let go until you are on the last page of the very last book.
Fantasy: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
If you loved Divergent by Veronica Roth and the Throne of Glass series by SJM, you will love Fourth Wing. It combines the training camp aspect of Divergent with the fantasy and badass character components of Throne of Glass. It is a five-part series with three of the books having already been released. Every page is filled with excitement and a need to know what happens next.
Fiction: The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides, is one of my all-time favourite books. It’s an intense coming of age novel about four sisters living a supposedly quiet life in a suburb of Detroit, but centralizes themes of religious trauma, the romanticized Western suburban lifestyle, sex, and suicide. Each character has immense depth that is revealed throughout the book, making the devastating plot lines even more moving.
Historical Non-Fiction: The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman
If you’re looking for a non-fiction book that will keep you interested and informed, The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman is an incredible read. Written based on the lives of Antonina and Jan Zabinski, Diane Ackerman takes readers on a journey through 1940’s Poland when the couple’s Zoo was shut down and turned into a pig farm. The couple helped saved hundreds of Jewish lives by using the farm to hide and provide shelter forJewish people during the Nazi reign. The book intensifies when the couple befriends German commanders and invites them into their home to avoid suspicion.
Psychological Thrillers: The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager and Under My Skin by Lisa Unger
Psychological Thrillers has to be one of the best attention capturing, enthralling genres out there. Plot twists and suspense are used to expertly keep readers hooked with The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager and Under My Skin by Lisa Unger being no exception.
In The House Across the Lake, actor Casey Fletcher escapes to her family lake house for months after the death of her husband. She drinks alcohol like water and wears her binoculars like glasses. One night Casey witnesses an event take place in the glass house across the lake, and from that moment on, unexplainable things start happening.
Under My Skin takes readers on the journey of Poppy Dawson, a widow trying to get closure of the brutal murder of her Husband, Juno Dawson. Her best friend supplies her with sleeping pills that fog her memory of the person who she thinks might have killed her husband. Strange things keep happening to Poppy until she can no longer bear it and hires a private investigator to look into her husband’s death. The perpetrator is the ultimate plot twist.
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Looking on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Google, or going into a bookstore yourself can all be great ways to find your next read. Being in a reading slump is hard to get out of but the first step is wanting to read again. It’s hard not to, but comparing every book you choose to your last read will only prolong your slump. Instead, try thinking about how your next book can be your new favourite, the one you recommened to all of your friends, or the one that inspires you to read a new series! Once you have that down, you’re faced with the excitement of choosing your next book. Whichever book you choose, enjoy the process and get excited to read again!