A day late, but a slump busted
Plus the National Book Award longlist and a new tone for Banned Books Week
Hey, readers!
Reading has been a struggle for me this week, and I found myself in a major book slump coming into the weekend. A week without finishing a book is no big deal—even for an avid reader like me—but I had been starting and discarding book after book, which is a feeling I hate. When I can’t get into a book or find something that grabs me, I start to feel a bit unsettled.
There are lots of great ways to bust a reading slump. Reading something super short for a feeling of accomplishment, picking up a super plotty page-turner, or rereading a favorite book are some of my go-to methods. What they all have in common, and what is always true for my own reading life, is that reading begets reading. When I’m not reading, finding my next book feels impossible. It’s like trying to find something to wear—I know intellectually that I have access to dozens of great titles I would love, but nothing is calling to me. But when I’m in the middle of a compelling book, I tend to think about all the other books I want to read next. I can’t wait to finish my current read and pick up the next great thing.
Thankfully, I found a perfect book for busting my slump. Did I love the book itself? Not necessarily. But I loved the experience of needing to pop in my AirPods every change I got to find out what happens next. And, of course, after finishing this very “not me” book, I easily settled back into my my reading wheelhouse of character-driven literary fiction. So if you find yourself in the midst of a reading slump, just remember that reading begets reading. Pick up something—anything!—that you will finish and you’ll likely find your reading groove again in no time.
This week in books.
This week I read…
The One by John Marrs. I picked this up after hearing Sarah of the Sarah’s Bookshelves podcast absolutely rave about it, and I’m so glad I did. It’s a little bit speculative fiction, a little bit thrillery, and a truly perfect slump buster. The book is centered around the idea of a new and perfect dating service: you submit a swab of your saliva and the company finds you your perfect match, “the one”—all based on your DNA. Marrs then follows five individuals who’ve taken the tests for different reasons, all with different results. I went into this knowing nothing and that was an enjoyable ride, so I don’t want to tell you much of anything about these five individuals. I will tell you one of them is a serial killer though…hence the thriller aspect of the novel and definitely the most heart-pounding storyline. Although every single one was compelling in its own way and the short chapters, alternating points of view, and frequent cliffhangers made this unputdownable and the perfect book to bust my slump and get me reading again. This book is pure plot, so while I devoured it and enjoyed it immensely, it left a lot to be desired in characterization. While each character’s situation is memorable, I can’t recount anything singular about any of them. But sometimes you need something that just keeps you turning the pages (or popping in your AirPods), and that’s what this was for me. I definitely recommend The One if you too are battling a book slump. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
Now I’m reading…
Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies by Maddie Mortimer. This book about a woman and her family’s experience with cancer—told in part from the perspective of the cancer—is devastatingly beautiful. I think the best way to read it is on the page and in audio in tandem. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
Platonic by Marisa G. Franco. I heard this recommended by Leigh Kramer on an episode of What Should I Read Next, and I picked it up because I often enjoy this type of psychology/sociology research translated into consumable format. It’s so hard to make friends as an adult and keeping up with the friendships in my life is really important to me, and I’m really enjoying learning about why humans need these non-familial, non-romantic relationships for our own well-being. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
Briefly, a Delicious Life by Nell Stevens. Holly of @fromhollysbookshelf recommended this to me and it’s a delight. Told from the perspective of a 16-year-old ghost who’s haunted a monastery for centuries, this book tells a story of love, obsession, and nonconformity through our spirit narrator’s observations of George Sand and Frederick Chopin. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
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Links I love.
The National Book Award announced its fiction longlist and it is…surprising.
Wish you were going back to school this fall? Check out these syllabi from LitHub’s favorite writers.
It’s Banned Books Week and that feels more important than ever.
I love this review of one of my Five for Fall selections.
I was never organized enough to keep up with a Trapper Keeper for long, but I adored reading this love letter to it.
Super reader Liberty Hardy wrote an ode to The Secret History in honor of its thirtieth anniversary. (PS the FictionMatters crew is doing an October buddy read of this campus classic and we’d love for you to join us!.
End notes.
Five things making me happy this week:
The Great British Bake-Off is back! I’m already obsessed with Sandro.
Feeling like we’re getting closer to our move. We closed on our new house in July but can’t move in until November so it’s felt far-off until recently. It’s starting to feel real and I’m getting so excited to make our new house a home. I also can’t wait for Lou to have more space to play. She started pushing a walker around this week and its going to be so fun for her to have room to sprint crawl, walk, and eventually run!
Lou’s dancing. The girl can’t help but boogie every time she hears music and it’s the cutest thing ever. This weekend we took her to an outdoor music festival, and I think it was the best day of her life.
It still feels more like summer than fall here, but cooler evenings are making me excited for the autumnal weather to come.
The FictionMatters Patreon crew. This weekend we had a last minute emergency meeting to discuss the National Book Award longlist and almost 30 readers showed up! I didn’t need any more confirmation, but that assured me that I’ve truly found my people.
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Readers, I hope you’re solidly in your reading groove! For questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or responding directly to this newsletter. I love hearing from you!
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Happy reading!
Sara
So glad you're enjoying Briefly, A Delicious Life! I'm looking forward to comparing notes.