All readers know that feeling – when reading gets boring, and picking up a book is the least of your priorities. As a lifelong book-lover, this feeling, also known as “reading slump” is so frustrating. This usually happens to me when I’m reading a slow-paced book, or when life gets busy, so my desire to read simply disappears. I have found that the best remedy for one of these episodes is a fast-paced book that grabs your attention right away. Here are ten books I love that have picked me up from past slumps:
1. Daisy Jones and The Six by: Taylor Jenkins Reid
This is my all-time favorite book and my go-to recommendation when a friend asks me for their next read. Daisy Jones and The Six follows a rock band in the 70s and is told through interviews, incorporating the perspectives of each band member. The storyline is heavily influenced by Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac, which made me feel like I was reading the latest celebrity gossip. Daisy Jones and The Six is the perfect read for pretty much anyone and is guaranteed to get you out of a reading slump.
2. People We Meet on Vacation by: Emily Henry
People We Meet on Vacation has gained extra popularity recently due to Netflix’s film adaptation of the book, which is the perfect reward for when you finish the novel. People We Meet on Vacation takes place over nine years, when friends Poppy and Alex go on their annual vacations together. The characters are so loveable, making the book an easy and fun read.
3. My Year of Rest and Relaxation by: Ottessa Moshfegh
After years of being on my TBR, I finally got to reading My Year of Rest and Relaxation. It follows a 24-year-old living in New York City in the early 2000s. After dealing with family issues, she (who goes unnamed for the entire novel) essentially goes into hibernation for a year. What I loved about this book was its tone. The main character is arrogant and entitled, but in a way that makes her real and relatable. Reading My Year of Rest and Relaxation is witty and satirical, making it feel like a friend’s diary. You get attached to the characters (even though you want to dislike them), making it a fast and enjoyable read.
4. Better than the Movies by: Lynn Painter
Better than the Movies is exactly what you’d expect from its title. It is the perfect rom-com. It follows Liz Buxbaum as she navigates her senior year of high school and a love triangle. Lynn Painter created the perfect high school love story, which is so easy to get invested in. After you get hooked, you can read the 2024-released sequel, Nothing Like the Movies.
5. We Were Liars by: E. Lockhart
As a New England native, what I loved about We Were Liars is how I was immediately transported to summertime on a private island in Massachusetts. While very few people can relate to the Sinclair family, whom the book tells the story of, E. Lockhart does a great job of setting the scene and grabbing her readers’ attention. She couples mystery, thriller and romance, which gets the reader invested in the Sinclair family’s drama. What I loved about We Were Liars is that I couldn’t put it down. It is the type of book you want to keep reading– the perfect remedy for a reading slump.
6. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by: Toshikazu Kawaguchi
My genre of choice is usually romance, so when I decided to pick up Before the Coffee Gets Cold, I was hesitant. The novel follows a time travelling cafe, where customers can go back in time under one condition: they return to the present before the coffee gets cold. Of course, this book is unrealistic, so I didn’t know how I’d be able to relate to the characters and get invested in the plot. But as soon as I started reading Before the Coffee Gets Cold, I was hooked. Despite having aspects of fantasy, all of the characters have real struggles and desires, making them more relatable than I expected. I found myself getting invested in each customer’s individual story. I also loved that Before the Coffee Gets Cold, made me reflect on life. It is a great book both in the sense that you won’t want to stop reading, but also that it keeps you intellectually engaged.
7. Normal People by: Sally Rooney
Normal People is one of those books that I will reread forever. The novel focuses on Marianne and Connell, who are essentially in the situationship of the century. For the entire book, the two are on and off, but there are also outside factors in their life that add layers to the story. While many say the book moves slowly, I found myself not wanting to put it down. Normal People is so beautifully written, and as a reader, it was so captivating. It’s one of my go-to reads whenever I run out of books, and I finish it in under a week every time. It’s just that good.
8. Malibu Rising by: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Malibu Rising takes place in Malibu, California, following the famous Riva siblings as they get ready to host their end-of-summer party. The plot goes back and forth before a 24-hour time period in the 80s and flashbacks from the 1950s to 70s. The juicy family history and drama that the book explores gets you immediately invested. Each of the four Riva siblings has their own story within the plot, and each is relatable in their own way. In general, I always recommend Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books, but I have found that Malibu Rising is an especially great cure for a reading slump.
9. Beach Read by: Emily Henry
Beach Read is exactly as its title says. It is the perfect book to read when you’re on a relaxing vacation– or when you want to be transported there through the world Emily Henry creates in the story. Beach Read follows January and Augustus, two writers, as they live in neighboring houses on Lake Michigan for the summer. As a reader, I was immediately hooked on the love story. I finished it, of course, on my summer beach vacation in less than two days.
10. Everything I Know About Love by: Dolly Alderton
I first picked up Everything I Know About Love when I got on a flight back from Spain. Despite desperately needing sleep, I found that I couldn’t put it down. By the time the plane landed, I was finished with Everything I Know About Love, and it has since become one of my favorite books. I often have a hard time getting into memoirs, as I feel like it usually takes a while to get invested in someone’s life story. But reading Everything I Know About Love felt like reading an old friend’s diary. I genuinely enjoyed reading it, but even when I finished, I felt like I got something out of it. Alderton discusses anecdotes from her teenage years and college life, including friendship stories, disastrous dating tales and even recipes. To this day, I recommend Everything I Know About Love to every woman I know; my mom, sister and best friends have all read and loved it, just like I did.