I miss the days when I could read books nonstop for days on end. In third grade, I was finishing Harry Potter books in less than two weeks. In sixth grade, I would read 75,000-word Wattpad books in a weekend (we won’t discuss this further). The point is that ever since school made reading a chore to get a grade, I have slipped out of the grips of being a book nerd. Recently, I have seen a lot of people recommend books that I would like to read, either on TikTok or on the lists of my favorite musical artists (Namjoon, I’m looking at you). It simply became a matter of breaking out of that rut and making time for myself to read books. If I wanted to, I would. Eventually, I did. Here’s some advice for those of you who want to rediscover the joy of reading.
Figure out what you like to read
What kinds of books did you use to enjoy? What do you want to learn? What are your favorite genres? Did you have a favorite author? If you can’t think of the answers to these questions just yet, I suggest listening to what others have to say and taking some recommendations.
Some of my favorite book recommendations often come from people on YouTube and TikTok. I wholeheartedly trust their opinions, especially since mine tend to coincide with theirs. I know I can rely on them when deciding on what books to read.
My favorite genres include Young Adult, comedy, romance, fantasy, crime/mystery, psychological thriller, self-help books and sometimes the occasional autobiography. If those sound like genres you would enjoy, here are some of my favorite BookTube recommenders and their recommendations.
Nicole Laeno: A lifestyle YouTuber who occasionally shares the books she has read in a month.
WithCindy: A certified BookTuber.
AmandaBB: She primarily makes beauty and entertainment commentary videos.
Ava Jules: A lifestyle vlogger with loads of book content on her channel.
Caleb Joseph: The ‘InsaneReader’ known for his hilarious and hot book takes.
As Told By Kenya: She buys tons of books every month and provides brutally honest reviews.
NayaReads&Smiles: She is full of amazing and fun energy when talking about books.
Myonna Reads: She will always tell it to you straight!
However, if BookTubers aren’t your thing, curate your algorithm on TikTok by using the BookTok hashtag to find what you want. If everyone on TikTok is already reading it and offering reviews, then why not tune in?
Figure out how you like to read
Do you prefer physical books? If so, do you like paperback or hardcover? Would you prefer to read books on a screen, like on your computer or a Kindle? Maybe you’re the listening type and need to have them read to you on apps like Audible. Or perhaps you have all these preferences on different days. It’s simply a matter of determining what is best for you. It’s like the classic story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears: she couldn’t find her favorite porridge until she tried them all!
Open a Goodreads account
Goodreads will allow you to keep track of the books you have read and bookmark some that you want to read in the future. You can also leave reviews for books with Goodreads’ five-star rating system. I keep track of every novel I’ve read since middle school. At least, all the ones that I can remember.
I have also created a rating key in my biography to show others what my reviews mean, because a five-star rating to me may not be the same as a five-star rating to someone else. To me, five stars mean that I could not put it down and I’m probably still thinking about it for days afterward. One star means I shouldn’t have picked it up in the first place and it was personally a waste of time. I know this might seem a little harsh, but the beauty of it is that it’s for me. Besides, I warned you with my key! Follow this link to my Goodreads to see the books that have suffered the one-star rating vs the chef’s kiss five-star favorites.
Here are some other quick tips just to get the ball rolling:
- Re-read an old favorite
- Join a book club or read the same book with a friend
- Annotate your book with sticky notes and tabs for a more engaging experience
- Find your favorite place to read
- Read a short book or a book with shorter chapters
This may not be everything that you’ll need to get out of your book slump, but it’s just the beginning. Without a doubt, you will have to ease into this process. There will be books you adore and books you wish you hadn’t laid eyes on. It will take time, and you may finish one book in a week but another in two months. Whatever the case may be, you will enjoy the time you spend living between the lines on the page.
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