lou's library

One of my very first posts on this blog was one about books to get you out of a reading slump, which you can find here. As it’s been close to two years since I wrote that, I thought I would give you some more recommendations of books that will get you straight back into reading, as I assume a lot of people will have that on their New Year resolutions list. So, buckle up and get ready to fall (back) in love with reading!

If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio

I read If We Were Villains last autumn and you better believe me when I say that I was obsessed. So much so that whenever I wasn’t actually reading the book, I was constantly thinking about it, pondering the characters’ motivations and how the hell it might all end?? M. L. Rio, you created a masterpiece there!! As it’s a murder mystery, I’ll keep the premise brief: it’s dark academia, set at an elite college in the US focusing on Shakespearean plays and we follow a group of friends who get caught up in the middle of a murder. Yes, it really is as gripping as it sounds. Bonus points if you’re into theatre and/or Shakespeare and BEAUTIFUL writing. Also, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve loved a main character as much as I loved Oliver, so just be prepared to develop unhealthy obsessions with these people. Fun times all around!!

The History Of Sound by Ben Shattuck

Full disclosure: At the time of writing this post, I’m not quite finished reading The History Of Sound yet, but it simply fits the theme of this post too well not to include it and as we’re on route to a five star rating, I feel comfortable recommending it to you despite not having read the last few pages yet. It’s a short story collection but believe me when I say that every single story just hits different in this book! That might be because Ben Shattuck is a genius and interconnected every story in here with another one of the stories in this collection. This means that you might be learning something new about a character you met in a story five stories ago, which is strangely satisfying. Also, the vibes are immaculate. Some of the stories are set in the past, others in the present, but they all have something slightly tragic and uncanny to them, and that’s something I am simply always here for!

The Song Of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Be warned: The Song Of Achilles will rip your heart out and drag it through the mud, but you will love every second of it. Madeline Miller is really good at that. It basically follows the story of Patroclus and Achilles during the Trojan War, so if you’re familiar with the Iliad, you basically know what’s going to happen in The Song Of Achilles. Except you don’t, because Madeline Miller is Queen of retelling Greek myths and she will have you at the edge of your seat the entire time. I listened to this on audio book and I repeatedly had to stop what I was doing and just listen, because I was so invested in the story and the characters. It also features some of the most gorgeous writing I have ever had the honour of consuming, so just know you’re in for a treat. I know this book has been recommended online a bunch, it’s basically everyone’s favourite at this point (and rightly so!!), which is why I don’t mention it all that often, but if you’re in a reading slump, The Song Of Achilles will pull you right back out!!

Sunrise On The Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Usually, I wouldn’t recommend the fifth book in a series for a post like this, but basically the entire Hunger Games series works for this. If you’re struggling to get back into reading, Suzanne Collins has got you covered. Sunrise On The Reaping was released last year and is a prequel, following Haymitch’s (<333) story and Hunger Games. It should go without saying that this is not an uplifting story, it’s actually heart-wrenching, in case you were wondering. But it’s also so goddamn addictive, even though you know (for the most part) how the book is going to end. I was so invested in the story of multiple characters you meet in this book and my God, was I rooting for Haymitch. If you’ve read The Hunger Games when it was first released, it’s also just incredibly fun to get to dive back into this world. It genuinely made me feel like I was 15 again.

These are some of the books I would recommend reading if you’re in a bit of a reading slump. If you pick one of these up, do let me know if it helped or drop some of your own recommendations below! Happy reading <333