Bookish Banter: Reading Slumps

A little Bookish Banter to get us through.  Bookish Banter is a little bit of banter about our bookish thoughts as we have a friendly discussion over a nice cup of tea. 

Reading slumps. What do you do with them? How do you get over them?

Ash-

I'm in a huge reading slump right now. For the last week and a half I just cannot get into the books I'm reading.

I've tried audio, I've tried physical books, I've tried E-books. And nothing.

I've even tried multiple genres.

I think the problem I'm having is that I'm feeling really pressured to finish the reading challenge, and also to review all these books that I (stupidly) requested on both NetGalley and Edelweiss.

And because I'm feeling pressured I'm rushing through the books, or I'm not enjoying them as much because I feel like I absolutely must finish.

So I've decided that I'm not going to stress. I've made up my personal challenge and I'm going to stick to that. 

So for my personal challenge, it's my "Get these books off my TBR shelves onto my I read that shelf"

I have a bucket of papers that I wrote every book I own on, and weekly I will draw three papers and find out what I should read that week.

This helps me also with deciding what I want to read that week.

On top of that, I have three cups of papers that have my "To review audio" "To review physical books" and "to review e-book" for the books on NetGalley and Edelweiss that have already been published but we haven't reviewed yet. 

There are some duplicates in here, but that's okay, whichever I get to first I get to first. 

So weekly I will draw 3 of my TBR books, 1 audio review, 1 e-book review, and 1 physical review. 

Plus I will pick out 2 books that have not yet been published and try to get to those weekly.

That's only 8 books a week and honestly, it's not really that much. I'm hoping I can do this. 

If not I won't stress. This is MY challenge and if I don't make it that week, I don't make it that week.

I will try to still do the seasonal reading challenge, but if there's a challenge that doesn't fit a book I already own or have to read and review, I'm skipping it. I love picking books out for the challenge, but again, it's stressful thinking that I absolutely must finish it.

So I kind of not really sort of though got off topic. Sort of, because I'm showing you how I plan to beat my reading slump.

However, a few other ways to get over the slumps are...

Pick up a different book. 

If you're stuck in the same book, and can't seem to get through it, put it down. Pick up a different book.

Try a different genre.

Pretty self-explanatory. Try reading a different genre than the one you're stuck in. Now if you're like me and it seems to be every genre, I wouldn't try a different one.

Reread an old favorite.

I've found one of the best ways for me to get over a slump is if I read a book I know I already loved. It reminds me why I love reading.

Change your scenery.

Hey, maybe you just need to get out with your book. Take it to the park, the beach, just outside in general. 

Stop reading.

That's right. Sometimes you have off days/weeks/months and we don't judge. If you can't seem to get over this slump, take a break. Watch some TV, go to the movies, blog, go to the park. Whatever else you like doing, just do it. 

Slumps are hard, and every person has a different reason as to why they're in the slump. Maybe there's no reason at all. Either way, it's not a reason to stress (I say to myself because I stress over everything) and it will pass.

Jenn-

Well, Ash pretty much covered this topic, didn't she? I don't get into reading slumps much but sometimes I do. I find I do when I read a bunch of good books in a row and/ or the perfect book for me at the moment, then all other books become a dull black and white scene. 

So when I have a reading slump there are few things I have tried and seemed to work. 

1. Loved Author. 

I pick a book but an author I adore, one that not even a single book of theirs has let me down. 

2. Seris Love

Restart a series I was enjoying but then never finished. This happens to me a lot. I mean more than I care to admit. I know I enjoyed the beginning and I know I want to finish the series so I restart this series. 

3. Trusted Genre

One of the genres that never seems to disappoint me is Thriller Suspense. Well lucky for me they are everywhere. So I can always choose one to get me through a slump. 

4. Something Fun and Light. 

I tend to use these when I read too many deep and dark reads or for a reading slump. A nice easy breezy read that really is just fun. 

5. Just Binge. 

When I just can't seem to get out of the slump. I binge some beloved tv shows for as long as takes. Completely flush books out of my system so I can start new again. 

Before I know it... I am loving books once again. 

What do you do when you are in a reading slump?