Katelyn Benschoter-

If you are anything like me, an aspect of your ideal life is to have all the time in the world to sit and read all of the books on your TBR (to be read) list. Unfortunately, life gets pretty busy. Especially during this time of the school year when classes are ramping up. This is when I always lose my motivation to read during my free time. I know once I get into a book, I will not be able to put it down, but the steps to actually get into it feel so hard. To me, there is truly nothing like escaping into a good book and forgetting the rest of the world exists for just a little while. But in recent years, I often find myself in a reading slump. This is when many books peak my interest but I simply can not be bothered to start one. Or, conversely, I do start the book but struggle to get into it and never end up finishing. There have been a few books along the way that have helped me get out of these reading slumps. Those are: Where the Crawdads Sing, I’m Glad My Mom Died, and Malibu Rising.

For my first recommendation, you will just have to trust me. Where the Crawdads Sing is a novel by Delia Owens, which follows Kya who was abandoned as a child. From a very young age, she raised herself while living in the marsh. As she gets older, she finds herself involved with two different men, but when one of them becomes the victim of a murder, she becomes the number one subject. The book follows everyone, including both Kya and the police, as they are all trying to solve the case. It slowly becomes less and less clear who could have possibly done it. The main reason I recommend this book is because it keeps the reader guessing ‘till the very end. The reason why I say trust me on this one is because it is a slow burn of a story. The novel starts with a lot of character building, which allows the reader to have a deep sense of why Kya is the way she is. But it can feel a bit slow at times. But I absolutely promise that if you stick it out, you will not be able to put the book down. I have recommended this book to my mom and many friends and they can attest that this book truly keeps you guessing.

My next recommendation is a book that has personally pulled me out of a reading slump. I read I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy at the start of last school year. I was stressed about the school year while trying to figure out my footing in a new place. I found this book to be comforting, as the author, McCurdy, was very relevant to my own and many others’ childhoods. Reading this book after a busy day here on campus acted as a nice break in my day. McCurdy is best known for starring in shows like iCarly and Sam and Cat. She tells her story of growing up as a child actor and her very complicated relationship with her mom who passed away in 2013. I know this may seem like an odd pick to get out of a reading slump due to the heavy nature of the book, but it really worked for me. Since it was nonfiction, there was not necessarily an overarching storyline that I had to follow. Unlike Where the Crawdads Sing, there was not much world-building that had to be done. I found it very easy to read in between classes, and the more I read the more I needed to know. Some of the details McCurdy reveals are shocking. As a reader, I felt like I was getting a backstage pass on what it is like to work on a TV show and the downside to working in the acting world. McCurdy opens up about many struggles she has dealt with as a result of this period of her life including an ongoing eating disorder and anxiety. It was a very well-written memoir. I would highly recommend it if you want to branch out and try a non-fiction book; or if you grew up watching Nickelodeon and want to hear about the behind-the-scenes of your favorite childhood shows.

My final book recommendation to get out of a reading slump is one that is a perfect ode goodbye to summer. That book would be Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Malibu Rising is a very fast-paced story about one unforgettable night in Malibu, California. It surrounds the Riva family, in particular Nina Riva: a retired model and surfer. It deals with themes of family loyalty, self-acceptance, and how women are treated in the media. There is a ton of summer imagery, as it is set in sunny California. While it is a perfect summer read, it is also an excellent way to say goodbye to summer before the trees start changing colors again. This story –like many others of Taylor Jenkin Reid’s books– includes one story being told through multiple different perspectives, which was an important factor that led this book to be so fast-paced. I found myself wondering how what one character did was going to affect the other character’s storyline, but instead of just wondering, the audience actually gets to hear about it. Reading this book feels like there is a ticking time bomb, which keeps readers entertained until the very end. I read this book in five days over the course of a summer road trip and loved it.

Like many others, I love reading; it is one of my favorite hobbies and I would always love to have more time to sit down with a good book. But life gets busy. I, like many Gustavus students, find myself over-involved, which makes it hard to get into a good novel. However, with the right book, I believe anyone can enjoy reading and can get out of a reading slump. This article had a few examples of excellent books to prevent or get out of a reading slump. But, the list does not end there. There is a book out there for everyone. So hit up the library or your local Barnes & Noble (my happy place) and find the book for you that, without fail, will get you out of your reading slump.