July was great. I read a lot, like a champ.
August? Not so much. I haven’t read one book all the way through in weeks, and it’s driving me a little crazy.
Sure, the start of the month was busier, and summer pressure is real—but nothing is grabbing me. And it’s not like I don’t have books. I feel like I have hundreds of unread books staring at me right now. Maybe… that’s the problem.
Too many books, not enough me
Sometimes I forget I’m just one person (especially when it comes to buying books… or hitting a buffet). I look at my shelves and feel like I should be reading them all at once. But I can’t.
Yes, I can multi-task with an audiobook here and a novel there—but wanting to read twenty books at once? Across different genres and age ranges? Absolutely ridiculous.
My reading life in a nutshell
- Historical fiction and fantasy are my top loves, across adult, YA, and middle grade.
- Retellings? Count me in.
- I’m in multiple book clubs.
- I read for work.
- And of course, I have my personal list.
It is, frankly, a little ridiculous.
The slump struggle
Right now, I feel a bit defeated. My brain keeps asking, “How will you ever catch up?” Simple answer: read. But I can’t seem to stick with a book. I’ve picked up at least five and put them down again.
Has this happened before? Yes. Will I get through it? Absolutely.
In the meantime, I feel the wasted moments slipping by—the moments I’m not reading. So, what’s a book lover to do when they have no energy for the thing they love most?
Making the most of a slump
In the meantime, I’ve found that diving into other book-related activities really helps. Booktube and Bookstagram are my go-to whenever I can’t muster the stamina to read but still want to immerse myself in the bookish world.
I also keep trying new books. Eventually, something will stick and get me back into the groove. I have to remind myself: having too many books isn’t a bad thing. It’s just more opportunities. Everything in its own time.
Our lives are never perfect. As much as we’d like, we can’t plan out everything—the universe just doesn’t work that way. When you hit a reading slump, don’t be afraid to explore other interests for a while. Don’t worry—you’ll enjoy reading again. And when you do, you’ll find yourself savoring the joy of books even more than before. Which, weirdly, makes the slump completely worth it.
The Book Nook 