The dreaded reading slump! I am currently afflicted by it, but it's actually a double whammy cause I don't feel like writing reviews either.
I was supposed to have posted a review today of a book I requested in NetGalley a while ago, but I haven't even read it yet. Just thinking about it makes me cringe and shy away from the book. I have been like this for the past like 2 weeks. I look at my kindle and all the books loaded on it that I should be reading and have absolutely no inclinations to actually start reading them. I thought that if I made myself read, just pick something up and if it was a success I would shake off my slump. It hasn't worked! D:
I have still been reading it's just incredibly hard to actually settle on something to read. These days I'm just picking randomly and hoping for the best. And it's not like the books I have been reading were bad they were actually pretty good! 1 five star and a few 4 stars, but once I finish I still don't feel like actually reading anything. It's so frustrating!!
I have tried some tips that I've seen others mention like changing up the genre (I actually read full on sci-fi with an alien race and the whole shebang), reading some fun chick-lit, reading short books. Nothing is working! I take ages to just decide on a book, it might catch my interest it might not. Then I'm happy while I'm reading it cause it's it turned out to be good, I finish it and I'm right back to where I started.
To top it all off I also haven't been feeling like writing up reviews, which of course means that I'm behind now, because it's not like I don't have books that I could write reviews for, I just don't feel up for it. I don't mind posting the meme/features, it's just the review writing that I don't feel like doing.
Have you guys gone through this? How did you get over it? I'm open to all suggestions!
I totally understand how you feel. When this happens to me I usually either go for a change of genre, something really drastic, or I go for a favourite author whose books I know will make me feel good. The other suggestion is to stop reading for a while, try a different hobby. Reading (and reviewing) should be fun, not work :)
ReplyDeleteRecently I went over my head and requested too many ARCs on NetGalley. Now I feel pressured to read them and I am not enjoying some of them. I even left one DNF ... So, I took a break from them and went to Jill Shalvis's romances - light, sexy, fun.
Hope you'll get out of the reading slump soon :)))
I have been feeling this way for a few weeks. I am persevering through but I'm just reading at a slower pace and only my favorite authors. There is a few titles that I don't "have" to read but want to so I will be reading them next. I wish I had some advice for you because I feel your pain :(
ReplyDeleteI hope it gets better!
This happened to me a couple weeks ago. You can try changing where you read. Like instead of on the couch, maybe sit outside.
ReplyDeleteThe only way I got over it was once I finished a book I didn't start a new one until the next day even if I finished it in the AM. It just gave me a chance to breath and gather my thoughts. (because of this I have been writing review with ease right after the book is done because the emtions are fresh in my head) To many books in to short time clutter my brain and the books start to mix together and I stress. So far it has been working. I also stopped taking review requests and only accept ones that I REALLY want to read and when I do sign up for blog tours it's only ones I really want to read. I think the pressure of having to read the books in a specific period of time stresses me out to the point I don't want to read the book. I like to take my time. Maybe you just need to step back for a day or two and regroup. It will pass...Hang in there!!! <3
Michelle :)
Because reading is better than real life
I'm feeling a bit like you, too. Fifty Shades traumatized me, I think, not to mention I'm up to my ears with college essays... :O
ReplyDeleteUgh. I hate essays! You are a masochist, I bet you are going to end up finishing the trilogy too lol.
ReplyDeleteI actually used to read and then immediately write the review, but got burned out that way, so I switched to just reading and leaving the review for much later which was working out. Now I'm gonna have to figure something else out :\ I stopped taking review quests as well unless it's damn interesting. That pressure of HAVING to read it was getting to me.
ReplyDeleteThese damn reading slumps suck! But I'm slowly getting through it. Hope it goes away all together soon :)
ReplyDeleteI tried all those (except the not reading for a few days xD) I switched up from one side of the genre spectrum to the other, then started reading from my favorite author and still no go.
ReplyDeleteARCs are a double edged sword. Excited when you request the book, then you actually get it and all of a sudden just knowing that now you HAVE to read it is just depressing and makes you not want to read it all, which sucks. I usually take breaks with light romances as well, they are always a mood lifter :)
Hahah yes, but not so soon.
ReplyDeleteI am right here with you. I am a broken mess right now. I want to read nothing. I finished Harry Potter for the first time and what a mistake, because now everything else sucks (even though it's all still pretty good). I just can't.
ReplyDeleteSo I've been taking a break.
Aw! That's horrible, but great all at the same time! I had it that bad back in June. Couldn't read for like 2 weeks straight. It was horrible! But I got through it, so just hang in there! :)
ReplyDeleteLmao, knew it! You really need to break that horrible habit xD
ReplyDeleteI know, but it's hard >.< I'm slowly overcoming that by putting reading the sequels off as long as I can. It helps a bit, I think.
ReplyDelete