Top Ten Tuesday: Books to Pull You Out of a Reading Slump

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme brought to you by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was previously hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

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

I like to reread my favourite books or read very short books to get me out of a reading slump so this list is a mixture of short books and my favourites.

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1. 1984 by George Orwell

This is one of my favourite books of all time. I love to reread it when I’m in a reading slump because it just captivates me. I’m always in the mood to read it and I don’t put it down once I pick it up.

2. Dracula by Bram Stoker

Another favourite book! This one is longer and requires a few sittings to read it fully but I find that it helps me to get out of a reading slump. I usually read about 100 pages per day (my favourite edition is about 500 pages) and that helps me get back into reading because it’s a structured way of reading.

3. A Pair of Silk Stockings by Kate Chopin

I love this collection of short stories by Kate Chopin (collected by Penguin Classics) and it’s such a great little collection to read when you’re in a reading slump. Each story is weird but amazing and I find short stories to be a great cure for reading slumps.

4. Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan le Fanu

Carmilla is my favourite vampire story of all time. It’s better than Dracula. It’s a novella so it isn’t too long and it should only take a few hours to read. It usually takes me about an hour to read it which is perfect for when I’m in a reading slump. It’s the perfect length, the perfect story, and the perfect book in general.

5. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Usually, when I start reading The Raven Boys I automatically want to read the rest of The Raven Cycle. That helps me get out of a reading slump because I just want to devour the whole series and I end up reading four books instead of just the one I intended to.

6. The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman

If I want an emotional read to get out a reading slump then The Light Between Oceans is the book I turn to. It’s a great book to help you purge any emotions. Honestly, it’s a good book to cry to and an amazing book in general. I love it.

7. The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

Another short story collection from Penguin Classics. Edgar Allan Poe’s stories are always strange and amazing so I turn to his stories when I’m in a slump. The Tell-Tale Heart is a great little collection and I love going back to it when I’m not in the mood to read anything else.

8. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Good Omens is a wonderfully funny book and I read it so quickly. It’s a wonderful way to break out a reading slump. Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman are the perfect pair and this is an amazing book. I can always count on Good Omens to make me want to read again.

9. The Time Machine by H. G. Wells

This book is such an interesting book. It makes me think about so many things including Victorian science (one of my favourite things to research) to the future of our planet. Wells’ novella is a quick read that holds my attention from beginning to end and it’s the perfect way to break a reading slump.

10. Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Herland is another novella that catches my attention and makes me think about society. It’s a very quick read, which is useful when you’re in a reading slump, and it’s a feminist utopia which is what I wish for every day. Sometimes it’s just nice to consider a world without men in it. (#NotAllMen)

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Which books help you out of a reading slump?