For a long time, I thought I’d lost it.

The love, the pull, the quiet thrill of cracking open a book (or turning on the kindle) and falling in. I’d sit with a novel and feel… nothing. My mind would wander and refuse to focus. I’d reread the same paragraph three times. I’d pick up books I should want to read—books I’d been excited about once—but they just sat there, collecting dust on my nightstand.

I was in a reading slump. And if you’ve ever been there, you know how frustrating it can feel—especially if books used to be your refuge, your favorite escape.

The good news, most slumps aren’t forever.

Slumps Happen (And They Don’t Mean You’re Not a “Real” Reader)

Let’s get this out of the way: taking a break from reading doesn’t mean you’ve failed at being a book lover. Life gets noisy. Our attention gets pulled in a hundred directions. Sometimes we’re mentally or emotionally tapped out, and even the most beautiful book can feel like another thing we “should” do.

That doesn’t mean you’ve stopped being a reader. It just means you’re human.

The Book That Opened the Door Again

For me, the turning point wasn’t dramatic. I wasn’t “inspired” to read again. I just… reached for something light. A book that felt like comfort food. Not a literary classic. Not the buzzy bestseller that dominates my social media.

And to my surprise—I found my way back. Not because it was the “best” book I’d ever read, but because it reminded me of something simple: reading can be fun. It can be kicking your feet and giggling cozy. It doesn’t have to be deep or life-changing or educational all the time. Just a story that promised and delivered laughs, ease and comfort. I devoured four books by the same author in a single week. I pre-ordered her next book (which was delivered in April and promptly read in a single evening).

Tips for Easing Back Into Reading

If you’re in a slump and want to find your way out, here’s what helped me:

• Check in with your old favorites. We all have them. Or at least I assume we all have at least one. Go back to a book you know you love. There’s comfort in familiarity. Your brain loves the familiar.
• Don’t be afraid to DNF, or put it down and try something else for a while. If a book isn’t working after a few chapters, let it go. No guilt. Alternatively, maybe that book isn’t for you in that moment. I’ve put books away for a month or two and then revisited later on.
• Romanticize the moment. Brew your favorite tea, grab the comfy, cozy pajamas and your favorite reading spot. Put your phone in another room. Reading is sometimes easier to get into when it feels special.
• Curiosity FTW. Skip the “should-reads.” Read what calls to you—even if it’s a children’s book, a romance, or a graphic novel. I fell down the rabbit hole of recommendations last year, and DNF’d more books in six months than I had the decade before. It was intense. It was disheartening.
• For those of you that like them – you could also try short stories or novellas. Sometimes full-length novels feel too big and too involved. The effort when you are in a slump almost doesn’t feel worth it. Shorter works can reignite your attention span.

Remember Why You Loved It in the First Place

Reading isn’t just a hobby—it’s a way of connecting. With stories, with characters, with emotions you didn’t know you needed to work through or recognize. When you find the right book at the right time, it can feel like someone reaching out a hand and saying, Here. I understand.

Let Reading Feel Like Joy Again

There’s no prize for reading the most books, or the hardest ones, or keeping up with every new release. There’s just you and the page—and when you’re ready, the connection returns.

If you’re in a slump, be gentle with yourself. If you’ve recently come out of one, celebrate that spark. Because rediscovering your love of books feels a little like finding your way home.

And the best part? There are so many stories still waiting for you.