Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018.
This week the challenge is to recommend books to end a reading slump. Thankfully slumps are not something I struggle with a ton, but I have found a few books, and tips that help me when I just don’t feel like reading.
1. Read something short!
One of my top tips for getting out of a reading slump is to pick up something you can finish in an afternoon or a weekend. Sometimes just stepping into a different world for an hour is all it takes. I highly recommend the Wayward Children series by Seanan Mcguire, or a graphic novel. Here are some of my recent favorites:
Descender: Robot boy & his robot dog, fight to understand what it means to be alive.
Lumberjanes: A team of kick-butt lady nature lovers, fight the paranormal in the woods.
Nimona: Villian origin story, need I say more?
Through the Woods: Haunting and beautifully illustrated horror anthology about the monsters within us all.
2. A Darker Shade of Magic: or really any Schwab book! She typically writes with short chapters that keep the pacing quick.
3. Read something you already love!
Sometimes the most helpful solution is to read something you already know you will enjoy. Some of my personal favorites for this tip are Six of Crows, & Strange the Dreamer. Obviously, this will be up to your own personal taste! Go through your 5-star reads and find one that will take you back to a place you really loved.
4. The Illuminae Files: another fast-paced, action-packed read that I find hard to put down!
5. Make a big change.
I tend to mostly read SFF, so sometimes I change it up and read some fluffy contemporary to cleanse my palette. I try to do this at least once a month so I can keep all the fantasy worlds I read straight in my mind. Here are some of the contemporary books I love. (There aren’t many!)
The Astonishing Color of After
6. Write about your slump.
One of the major reasons I enjoy book blogging is that it helps me clear out my headspace between books. Especially after I’ve read something really heavy, or something I didn’t like, it helps me to get all those thoughts down on paper before moving on to my next read. If I don’t, I just can’t stop thinking about the previous book and I get distracted. Find your own way to get closure between reads!
7.The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein: this one isn’t out yet, but I highly recommend adding it to your slump buster reading list. You can read my full review here.
8. Take recommendations from friends with similar tastes.
This tip is super obvious, it’s probably the reason you’re reading this post. XD Getting recs from people who read similar books is a great way to get over a slump. Not only are you reading something you will most likely enjoy, but you also have someone to help keep you motivated to read.
9. Arc of a Scythe Series: everyone I know who tries these books loves them. They have shorter chapters, lots of interesting questions, and a world that is simultaneously absurd and all too real.
10. Switch up the reading level!
If you mostly read YA, try some middle grade, or adult fantasy, here are a few suggestions from disparate genres/reading levels that I love.
Hope some of these tips and books help you the next time you’re struggling to pick up a book! Happy Tuesday 😀
Tinted Prose Reviews 