11 books that’ll get you out of your reading slump
As a kid, I was a huge bookworm. When I was 10 or so, I was the kid that went to the library, took out 15 books at once, and finished them all before the due date — only to return, take out 15 more, and read those, too. My parents used to scold me for staying up past bedtime to read, so I would stay up to finish a book in the dark. Yeah, I loved reading that much.
In grade 9, the first book I had to read was To Kill A Mockingbird, and that’s when the hobby went downhill. After years of being in control of what I read and feeling the glee of getting to choose books at the library, being told what I had to read, and by when, was an unpleasant shock. As I made my way through high school, reading became a chore, when before, it was my escape, and so I stopped reading for leisure. With all this being said, it’s surprising that I ended up choosing English Studies for my undergraduate degree; but there, I was given huge lists of more books that I had to read.
Suffice to say, by the end of university, reading was far from enjoyable for me.
At the beginning of this year, I decided I wanted to try reading again. The general feeling of hostility that I had towards reading (thanks to school) had dissipated, television could no longer hold my attention, and I was looking for something that was rewarding.
It was incredibly difficult to get me out of my reading slump. I actually tried twice (once in 2020, once in 2021) to do so, and was unsuccessful. But I picked up a book in March of 2022, and now, in October of the same year, I’ve read more than 60 books — and I’m not done for the year.
If you’re stuck in a slump, I 100% get it. It’s so tough to get back into it. But from my experience, it’s just a matter of finding that genre or topic that really interests you, and exploring books in that area. So, I’ve compiled this list of books you can read to get you out of your reading slump, based on personal interests.
Happy reading!
If you love a good thriller
I’m starting with this because I’m a huge thriller/mystery lover myself; it’s actually my favourite genre. The one book I always recommend, one I guarantee will keep you at the edge of your seat, is The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides.
The premise: Theo, a criminal psychotherapist, is working with a woman that won’t speak a single word after shooting her husband five times in the face. The “why” behind the murder is a total mystery, but Theo is determined to unravel things, no matter how deep into the mystery he falls.
I couldn’t put this one down; it brought me back to my childhood days, when I would stay up and read in the dark, because I stayed up ‘til 5 in the morning just to figure out what the hell was going on in this book.
If you’re into things that make you go “Wtf?”
This book is not for the faint of heart. It’s set in an apocalyptic future where typical animal meat sources are poisonous, so humans have turned to eating human meat. (Yeah, I know, wtf.) It follows Marcos, a worker at a human slaughterhouse, as he navigates this macabre world, and his peculiar situation of owning a human intended for consumption.
Tender is the Flesh by Augstina Bazterrica is truly bizarre and gruesome, but I found the story to be so original that it kept me captivated until the end. I highly recommend this for anyone that loves weird things.
If you’re a sneakerhead
Okay, if you’re a true sneakerhead, you’ve probably already heard of the memoir Shoe Dog by Phil Knight aka the creator of Nike. But I’m telling you, you need to read it. I, myself, am not a huge sneakerhead, but I loved listening to the story of Nike: its beginnings, its failures, how the models of shoes that are still around today came to be… it was really cool to dive into the behind-the-scenes of the business. It adds a lot of perspective and makes me respect how much the brand has grown. Highly, highly, highly recommend (even if you’re stripes over checks!).
If you love a good plot twist
Ooooh, how I love a good plot twist. If a book can make my jaw drop, it’s likely to be a 4–5 stars out of 5 for me on Goodreads. And one book that does a plot twist incredibly well (my opinion, of course), is Verity by Colleen Hoover.
Most of Hoover’s other novels are romance, but this one is quite the outlier. It has a small sliver of romance in it, but otherwise, it’s a thriller through and through.
The premise: Lowen, a struggling writer, is hired to complete a series of bestselling books for an injured author by the author’s husband. But in completing this task, she comes across a hidden manuscript: an autobiography that contains a shocking confession about the author’s daughter’s death. Should Lowen keep it to herself, or share it with the husband… who she is gradually falling in love with?
I’m not the biggest CoHo fan, but this book was awesome.
If you were a Nickelodeon fan growing up
I grew up watching Drake & Josh, Victorious, and iCarly. So, when Jennette McCurdy published her memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died, I was all over it. After Sam & Cat ended, Jennette McCurdy seemed to disappear from media, and this memoir was like a resurfacing that no one knew was coming; which also meant, no one knew what to expect. And with its jarring title and cover photo, how could your interest not be peaked?
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
The memoir tells McCurdy’s story of living with her emotionally abusive mother and her unwanted rise to fame. If you grew up watching Nickelodeon, and especially if you grew up watching iCarly, this memoir is eye-opening and saddening; but telling of the effect stardom can have on a young teen. Bonus: I listened to this one as an audiobook, read by McCurdy herself, which lends even more to its emotion.
If you follow the NBA
I might be a bit biased with this one. I’m based in Toronto, so naturally, I’m a huge Raptors fan. Hence, it’s no surprise that I greatly enjoyed Nick Nurse’s biography/memoir, Rapture: Fifteen Teams, Four Countries, One NBA Championship, and How to Find a Way to Win — Damn Near Anywhere.
It’s the story of how Nurse entered the NBA, how he worked his way up to becoming the head coach of the only Canadian NBA team, the Raptors — and furthermore, how he led them to their first championship. It’s an incredible tale, and if you like to root for the underdog, or you’re just a lover of the game that is basketball, you’ll enjoy this one.
If you like short stories
Listen, I get it. Thick novels with hundreds of pages can be intimidating. So, this one’s for those that prefer shorter, snappier stories: Radium Girl: Stories by Sofi Papamarko is a collection of 12 short stories that all have some sort of dark twist to them. I sped through this one and enjoyed every story; they’re easy to digest while still being very interesting and unique. It’s a quick one to get you back into the swing of reading.
If you love getting your heartstrings tugged
Oh man, what words can I use to describe this book? Beartown by Fredrik Backman is a heartfelt story about a small hockey town where everyone knows everyone. But don’t be fooled, this book is about way more than sports — it’s about the strength and solidarity of a tight-knit community, and how one single act can tear a whole town down.
I wasn’t expecting to be as moved by this book as I was. It was an easy 5 stars for me. I felt as if I was living in this town: I hurt with them, celebrated with them, cried with them, cheered for them. This book was recommended to me by a bookish friend, and now I recommend it to everyone. And I very rarely come across someone that doesn’t love it.
If you’re a gamer
This is a fun one. If you’re into video games and online, digital worlds, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is the read for you. It’s set in the future, where reality sucks so much that people are escaping to the virtual world, OASIS. Wade, a hardcore OASIS enthusiast, joins a massive competition set up by the creator of the online world, one for which the winner is granted an unbelievable amount of power and money. But to win, Wade will have to battle the thousands of other players that are willing to kill to come out on top.
There are a ton of references to pop culture and old video games in this novel, so if you’re familiar with those things, you’ll enjoy this book. Plus, it’s been adapted into a movie — so you can have a movie night after! Forewarning: the book is always better than the movie.
If you love love
I will be the first to say I am not a romance fan. But if I were to recommend any romance author, it’d be Emily Henry. Book Lovers is one of the only romance novels I read this year, and for me to say it was tolerable and even kind of cute is saying a lot — so if you love love, you’ll fall for this one.
Honestly, I’d recommend any of Henry’s 3 books if you’re looking for a feel-good romance novel. This one specifically is playfully meta: following the love story of a literary agent and a book editor in a classic enemies-to-lovers trope.
Okay, I have nothing else to say. But again, it’s because I’m not a huge romance fan. This one is pretty good. That’s all.
If you just want a good story
All the stories on this list are really, really good. But this one stands out to me; it’s made its way onto my ‘Favourites’ list on Goodreads, a list that bears only 6 titles to date.
Almond by Sohn Won-Pyung is a story about Yunjae, a boy with a brain condition, and his bully-turned-friend, Gon. Through their improbable friendship, they teach each other about life, emotions, and other people. And when Gon finds himself in a dangerous predicament, Yunjae is able to save him just by being himself.
Man, this book was amazing. Compelling and unique, it’s a great one to get you over your reading slump.
There you have it!
I was in a reading slump for 5+ years, and through persistence and finding what makes me excited in a book, I was able to overcome it. Some tips I’d like to share based on personal experience:
Find friends that love to read and form a book club. I owe my reading revival to my own little group of bookish friends, and having a group chat where we discuss our current reads and recommendations has really, really helped me keep things going.
Create a Goodreads account and set a Reading Challenge for yourself. I’ve had my Goodreads account since 2012, but I’ve only been consistent in the last year. After picking things up back in March, I set a Reading Challenge of 50 books for the year, and having that number in my head pushed me to read more and more. The website is also a great way to keep track of all the books you’ve read and how you rated them. It’s truly an underrated social platform. (And since we’re talking about it, you can find me on Goodreads here!)
If you can’t read, listen. Half of the books I finished this year are actually audiobooks that I listened to rather than read. It’s especially cool for memoirs and biographies because the author typically reads the story themselves. I listen to audiobooks during my commute, while I’m on a walk with my dogs, when I’m doing my skincare or getting ready… really, any time I’m doing something in my routine that’s mindless enough for me to focus on the story. Also, I find that looking at a book or my eReader can make my eyes heavy, causing me to fall asleep while I read — audiobooks help counter that.
Get a library card. My bookish friends put me onto an app called Libby which allows you to connect your library card and take out books or audiobooks and read them on your own device. There are due dates, just like when you borrow from an actual library, but because everything is digital it makes the process much easier and more convenient. Highly recommend so you aren’t always buying new books.
And with that, here’s my final note: to all my fellow once-a-bookworms, I hope you find this list useful, and that it helps you get over your reading slump!
