4 Books to Induce a Reading Slump

What exactly is a “reading slump”? A reading slump is the scariest, most terrible thing that can ever happen to a bookworm. Scarier than running out of books. A reading slump is being unable to read because of exhaustion (probably caused by dry textbooks) or disinterest.

I have a theory about the cause of disinterest in reading. For me, this happens when the last book I read was sooo mind-blowingly good that I need to take a break to reflect on it, send it into long-term/life-changing memory, and get my emotions in order. 😉

Here are four unforgettable books that sent me into a reading slump. And I’m so happy they did. 😉

I was taking a big chance when I picked up Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. The front cover says “very dark, high fantasy” and the back blurb implies “shallow, irritating romance”. Neither of those is really my genre. 😉 It was well-beloved by some Goodreads friends and fiercely hated by others. It was a dark book, one of the darkest I’ve ever read but only because it’s an allegory (surprise!) of sin, misplaced love, and redemption. There is no other way to portray how helpless our state is. It was exhausting and heartbreaking and eye-opening and beautiful. (Read my review to find out why it’s a book I’ll never forget.)

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is not without its problems (grateful for whiteout!), but it’s a very unique, rich book. It focuses on the ordinary people of World War II and the power of art while being a literary delight itself. There are metaphors and word pictures in this book like none I’ve ever seen before. There are complicated characters. And the plot doesn’t follow the regular rules. 😉 I think I probably mention this one too much. 😀 (Read my review for more explanation and excited babbling.)

Maybe I’m a little biased, but I love this book. Crossroads by Paul Willis is a heart-pounding, dystopian novel. At the end of my review, I literally wrote: “How can I ever read again?” 😉 Because of the themes, it was emotionally exhausting (in a good way) and very thought-provoking. I grew to love the characters, as well, and I’m holding out for a sequel. XD (Read my review here.)

I discovered Beautiful Blue Word by Suzanne LaFleur at the library recently. From the cover, it could look like a very little kid’s book, but it has a depth of story and meaning that translates well to older readers. It’s a lot like The Book Thief in its theme, but much cleaner and shorter. It also had a neat twist on the classic Ye Old World War II Book by making it set in a realistic fantasy world so the themes shine without worries of historical accuracy. Pretty fun. 😉 (Read my review here.)

Reading slumps aren’t all that bad when the books that cause them are sooo good. 😉 Have you ever had this happen to you? (And if you’ve read any of these books, let’s fangirl. 😉 )