Being in a reading slump is a problem.
I didn’t realize it until this evening, when a friend from my B&N YA Book Club texted me, asking if I had sat down and read Blood and Honey, the sequel to Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin. We’d talked about it over a month ago, and I’d started the book, only to stop about fifty pages in.
And then I looked on my shelves. On my “Read these next” shelf, which is right next to my bed, I have ten books. Eight of which I haven’t touched. Two of which I DNF’ed (Did Not Finish) with extreme prejudice.
It hit me that I haven’t been looking forward to reading. Sure, I’ve been collecting books, thanks to Owlcrate and the book club, and a couple books that I’ve had on my wishlist. But I haven’t been reading.
I even said I was going to do that readathon. I never picked up a book. They’re sitting next to me, but I never cracked one open. Never started.
It’s unheard of for me.
The last time I was in this much of a reading slump, it was the six months after I graduated from University. I was an English/Creative Writing major, and I’d had to read and analyze so many novels that I didn’t like or care about for classes, and I was burnt out. I didn’t pick up another book until around my birthday that year, which was six months after graduation.
And now I feel like I’m in the same boat. Ever since the pandemic happened, I’ve been in a semi-self-imposed quarantine. Basically, what I mean is that I go to the grocery store or Target twice a month. The rest of the time, I’m here at home, keeping safe. I still don’t have a full time job, but this way I’m not potentially bringing something home that could cause harm to my family. And I know that is taking a toll on my mental health. I’ve been sleeping more, but I also can’t go to sleep at a normal time. I’m writing, but a lot of the motivation is gone. Video games are an outlet, but I’m having some trouble focusing.
And then there’s the reading. I guess I just got burned out again. I have so many books that I want to read, but I just can’t get the motivation. And when I do try, I find something that I dislike and I set it aside quickly.
Let’s take The Falling in Love Montage for example. This was a book that I picked up the summer of last year. I’ve been wanting to read it. I get maybe five chapter in and detested the writing, the name choices, the main character and more. Now I can’t look at it without being annoyed.
There are actually about four or five books that I have started, now that I think about it. All of which are on my DNF list. And honestly, that’s kind of a problem.
I know right now I’m not in the right mindset to be reading, which, yes, is a thing. I’ve made a list of those books I flat out DNF’ed, and hopefully in the back half of the year, when things are getting back to normal, I can sit down and blast through them.
Until then, I have graphic novels. I have fanfic. And honestly, I have The Old Guard: Tales Through Time, which is coming out towards the end of this month, and I’ve preordered all but one of the covers. Yes, that’s four of five. No, I don’t have a problem, my Discord friends, I have an… Okay, it’s a completionist addiction. Bite me. I am still gonna go on eBay and get that final issue. (Maybe. It’s like $80 right now. Damn it.)
I’m okay with this, honestly. I’ll get back at it soon. It’s just gonna take a little more time.
Until next time!