Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Top Ten Tuesday: Books to Read When You Don't Feel Like Reading


      
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book blog meme now hosted by Jana over at The Artsy Reader Girl!

This week's topic is: Books to Pull You Out of a Reading Slump

I decided to tweak this topic ever so slightly to be for books to read for any time you just don't feel like reading. Whether it's because of a slump, burnout, or simply because life is exceptionally stressful or tiring, we've all had times where reading can be a difficult thing to go. Here are some books that I think make it easy to just sit back, dive into, and relax with. To account for a variety of situations, I included a variety of books that I find either easy to read and get into, fast-paced and thrilling, exceptionally compelling, and/or are on the shorter side. Also, please note that 'easy' is not a negative term in any way. By 'easy,' I simply mean books that I can pretty much just pick up and immediately be hooked, there's not too much complexity to the writing or world that requires extensive attention.

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
This series is basically my go-to for anything, and that seems to be a pretty shared sentiment among most fans. I consider Harry Potter my 'comfort' books, which are what I pick up when I'm too stressed or anxious to read other things and need something to unwind with, or when I just don't know what else to read. You can really pick up any book in the series, any part in the book--Harry Potter could not be any better for any situation.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository



Anne Bonnie by Tim Yates OR The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman
Sometimes the act of reading a page full of words just seems daunting and impossible, so that's when you might want to pick up a graphic novel. Gorgeous illustrations always make things go smoother, so that's why I recommend both of these books. Anne Bonnie is a lighter, more straightforward plot that features an awesome girl who wants nothing more than to be an incredible pirate. It's a lot of fun and perfect for some light reading. If you want something with a more complex plot and more mature content, then grab Neil Gaiman's Sandman series!
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository


Bird Box by Josh Malerman
If you like horror, then this is a great choice for a reading slump. If you don't like horror, then... probably not. But still, if you do, then this is an incredibly compelling story that I could not put down. I feel like you could easily read the entire book without even realizing you've read the entire thing--it truly flies by, and it's a truly fascinating premise as well.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository





The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman
This is an incredibly fun and adventurous story that is easy to dive into. The basic premise is that Irene, the protagonist, is a spy for the Library and travels to different realities to find rare, dangerous, or stolen books. There are some fun literary Easter eggs sprinkled throughout as well, which only adds to the enjoyment.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository




The River of Doubt by Candice Millard
Sometimes when I'm getting fatigued I end up turning to nonfiction (and then I usually end up having a mini nonfiction phase where I inhale all the nonfiction I can). Candice Millard has some of the best nonfiction books that are truly compelling. This particular book is about Theodore Roosevelt's journey down the Amazon river and it is insane. She also has some incredible books on Woodrow Wilson and Winston Churchill that I would recommend.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository


The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
Most people have already heard of this book and know what it's about, so I'm basically just here to say that I think this is a perfect book to get out of a reading slump. It's funny, adventurous, and has highly engaging characters that make it easy to escape with.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository





Heartless by Marissa Meyer
This is such a whimsical and fun story that has such an exciting and beautiful world that I just fell right into. The characters are full of personality and this book is full of everything you need to keep you hooked. I loved all of the quirky details that Meyer sprinkled throughout the kept everything lively and unpredictable.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository




We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Maybe you just need something short and a bit different from the norm--if so, this is the perfect book! We Have Always Lived int he Castle is a somewhat quiet novel, but it has creepiness in all the right places which makes it nearly impossible to actually put down.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository





Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
If a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat book is what gets you out of a slump ro captures your attention best, then you can't go wrong with Into the Drowning Deep. All you really need to know is: killer mermaids. But you should also know it's about a research and entertainment crew that go out and try to prove whether or not mermaids are real... and have some surprising results. This book is awesome.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository




The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer
Sometimes when in a slump or when stressed it's nice to just read something that feels as if someone is talking to you, and this is the book for that. Amanda Palmer is such a charismatic person and it transfers into her writing so well. There are endless anecdotes that are funny, some not so happy, and some heartwarming. I've only read the physical book, but I believe Amanda Palmer reads the audiobook version and even adds some snippets from her music and other tidbits that make it well worth the listen.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository



 
...and last, but not least, if you can't find anything to suit you, sometimes it's best to just dive into some short fairy tales. There's such a wide mixture between both Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales and The Brothers Grimm that there is sure to be something to help pass the reading struggles.
Buy the book: (Andersen's) Amazon | Book Depository // (Grimm) Amazon | Book Depository

Have you read any of these? What books would you recommend to get out of a slump?


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6 comments:

  1. Ah yes, of course I love Harry Potter and I really enjoyed Heartless. Sadly, The Invisible Library just didn't quite work for me.
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2018/08/21/top-ten-tuesday-173/

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  2. Harry Potter can always get me out of a slump. I really loved Gentleman’s Guide, too.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  3. I totally agree with Harry Potter - I could sit down and read that anytime.

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  4. I need t read Bird Box! And Into the drowning Deep was a trip!

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  5. Heartless is a good book.

    Fairy tales can be a little dark if they're non-disneyfied, but they're still good.

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  6. Harry Potter is definitely one of my go-to series for breaking out of a reading slump! And I really, really need to read The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue; I think it'll be exactly my kind of read!

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