Four Novels To Break a Reading Slump
Be gone, book burnout!
It was right before Daylight Savings that, as I squinted at my phone in my dark office, I realized BookTok was wearing me out. Thumb throbbing, I noticed that I had been served recommendations for the same five(ish) books, with maybe one or two outliers. I’d been trying to keep up with all of the latest suggestions and ripped a hole in my wallet in the process. All I had to show for it was a major case of book burnout.
I carried on. I dutifully waded through the titles I’d been influenced to purchase, yet despite my best efforts, I just limped through them. I began to put off reading, which is pretty close to pigs flying, or whatever. It was like eating frozen yogurt when you were craving a towering ice cream sundae.
Tired and feeling a little scroll-over (a phenomenon that’s known to occur after endless hours of flicking through mind-numbing videos), I went on a hunt for books that carried a little more umph. I decided it was time to shove off what’s cool in exchange for what’s interesting. Please do the same.
To remedy the slump, I revisited a hopelessly long list of want-to-reads that I frequently add to with the full knowledge that I’ll never complete it. A happy coincidence: I had a trip to NYC already on the books, and determined to lift out of this reading rut/social media burnout, I swung by some of my favorite bookstores that offer more than the most popular, bold-print titles. I returned to Nashville with an aching shoulder and another (whoops) shelf’s worth of novels that are sure to leave me contented for the next few months. So far, I haven’t seen one TikTok suggesting any of my finds. Bliss.
If you’re in a similar situation, I encourage you to revisit your list of bookmarked titles. But, if you’re looking for a bit of a running start, I’ve got you. More below.
4 Books to Fix a Reading Slump
1 You Want Something Short in Length But Big on Storytelling
“Foster” - Claire Keegan
Clocking in under the 100-page mark, “Foster” might be the perfect novel. The prose is as crisp as a beading glass of Pinot Grigio and hoists more emotion than many of its lengthier counterparts. What’s it about? A girl has been sent away to a family friend’s farm to lessen her mother’s load for the summer. The book is sure to remind you of the flush of childhood summer and the acute nostalgia as it comes to an end.
You’re Feeling a Little Lost in Life and Need Some Reassurance
“Good Material” - Dolly Alderton
O.K., so this book is getting some buzz, but hear me out: It’s good. Whether you’re an elder millennial grasping for the next thing, going through a breakup, or simply crumbling under the weight of the world (or all three!), this book might be for you. Meet Andy, a flailing comedian who’s nursing a broken heart—and failing at it, royally. You’ll chuckle with Andy as he tracks the progress of his bald spot and choke up as he encounters his ex for the first time since their uncoupling. The ending is really a doozy. A little rec: Read the printed version vs. listening to the audiobook (the narrator didn’t hit high marks, to my ear).
You Want a Dystopian Tale Written By a Contemporary Master
“Zone One” - Colson Whitehead
Fans of the Walking Dead franchise, right this way. Whitehead is arguably one of the contemporary masters of modern literature, who’s scope ranges from heart-throttling tales of survival to throwback capers. In “Zone One,” Whitehead imagined how Manhattan might fare after a zombie apocalypse, far before Maggie and Negan arrived at the city’s shores (IYKYK). However, unlike some of the other dystopian novels that have bubbled to the surface lately, Whitehead deploys the trope to analyze everyday tribulations, and what we’re losing as a result.
You Want a Dishy, Under-the-Radar Horror Novel
“The Historian” - Elizabeth Kostova
Edward and Bella might have been a mere daydream when “The Historian” hit shelves in 2005. What would you do if your father was a vampire slayer, like, for real? “The Historian” is a sweeping story of family heritage, the power of knowledge, and the urge to rid the world of evil—no matter its form. Told in a series of letters, you’ll fall down this gloomy rabbit hole faster than you can hang garlic around your windows.