Hi Everyone, my name is Sara Santana and I’ve been in a book slump for about two years now.
I hate it.
Now, I think there are a lot of reasons why I’m in this slump. I mean, don’t get me wrong – I’m reading and I’m still reading more than a lot of other people are. I’m 20 books in for 2021, which ain’t bad and I read 80 books last year. But I used to read 100, 150, 200 books a year and I’m just not doing that anymore. Part of that is we’re in the middle of a global pandemic and even though we technically have more time on our hands, I’m also depressed because its a global pandemic so I’m not doing the things I love – i.e. reading – as much as I normally do. I’m also so much busier than I was in 2013, 2014 or 2015 when I was getting through 150-200 books. I was working way less hours and for waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay less stressful jobs. I also am just in a slump, that unexplained, I don’t FEEL like reading most things. My favorite genre is fantasy, hands down, and I’ve been struggling to read fantasy for the past year or so and most of what is on my TBR list and in my TBR pile is fantasy, because its my favorite genre!
It’s horrible and gets me nowhere haha.
There are certain authors, though, that no matter how much of a slump that I get into, if they put out a new book, I’m dropping everything and reading their new book. The list used to be larger, again, due to more time and a higher desire to read everything that came my way, but there’s still a list of authors that are insta-read. I have a million insta-buy authors. I buy every book they put out aaaaaaaaaaand then they sit there are on my shelves, looking pretty, so unread. SO sad. But again, there are authors that I will stop and read because even if I don’t feel like, I love them and they’re so good that it doesn’t matter, I’ll read it.
Here they are –
Meg Cabot
I have read every Meg Cabot book (except her middle grade/children’s books) since I was 12 years old and picked up The Princess Diaries for the first time. It doesn’t matter what she puts out or if I’m even in the worst slump ever, I’ll buy it and read it. I think being a fan of hers for over 20 years now will do that to a girl. I feel like I always know what I’m getting with Meg and so I know I’m always going to enjoy it. I know I’ll always get current pop culture references (reading the original PD is always great because the references are from when I’m a preteen/teen and it makes me feel SO old) and I know I’m going to get humor, even if serious books, and I know I’m always going to have a good time. So she is always an insta-read.
Sarah Dessen
I actually went and looked this up to make sure I’d read all of her books and yeah, I have and I always read them and buy them when they are released, at least pretty consistently since I was 13 years old and read Someone Like You for the first time. Sarah’s books are getting a little repetitive with age, and she’s had some misses in the past years – I did not like What Happened to Goodbye – but on a whole, she always delivers these very emotional, very human, very real stories and I’m always here for them. She captures me with her characters as easily in my thirties as she did when I was a teenager. My copy of Along for the Ride is TORN up because of how many times I’ve read it. I was in the middle of a HORRIBLE slump with The Rest of the Story came out but I still bought it, as per usual, and finished it SUPER quickly because…duh. Her books are always good.
Cassandra Clare
This woman. THIS WOMAN. She has disappointed me before. She has dragged me in, gotten me all excited and then upset me. I loathe City of Heavenly Fire and thought it was a terrible ending to TMI. I thought Queen of Air and Darkness was a super weak ending to TDA, especially after Lady Midnight and Lord of Shadows were SO strong. But this woman. I love her so much and I love those Shadowhunters so much that I keep coming in for more, no matter how much she hurts me. I was disappointed by CoHF but I eagerly jumped into the Dark Artifices series. I was disappointed by that series end but I jumped enthusiastically into the Last Hours series, the second book of which is due out in just a few days. I have both the ebook and a special signed boxed copy of Chain of Iron coming my way and I will devour it, even though its over 600 pages and I don’t feel like fantasy because its CASSIE and I’m a sucker for anything to do with those Shadowhunters. Always
Morgan Matson
Morgan Matson’s first book, Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour, came out nearly eleven years ago and she’s only put out four books since then, with the fifth (sixth total) coming out later this year. This is really unusual for book releases, especially in YA, but I think every single one of her books has absolutely been worth the wait. Save the Date, her last release, came out nearly 3 years ago – that’s a huge gap! But I love her books and, like I said, always, always worth the wait so no matter how much of a slump I’m in, no matter if I’m not even feeling contemporary at the time, I will drop everything to read her new book. Every single time. I think it might have something to do with the time in between each release – I’m so starved for a new Morgan book that I need it NOW.
Leigh Bardugo
I’ll be honest – this doesn’t include her adult release, Ninth House. I mean, it kind of does. I bought it the day it came out – both in ebook and physical, like normal – and I immediately started it but I’ll admit it – I never finished it. So still true, even if I haven’t finished all the books yet haha. But I will instantly buy each one and I will instantly read each one because I love her books and I love her as a person and I have a cat named Kaz, from Six of Crows. I love the Grishaverse so I’m always excited to dive back in. The newest King of Scars book, Rule of Wolves, comes out VERY soon and I already have mine preordered, of course, and again, even though I am SO not feeling fantasy, I know I’ll drop everything to read it.
Tamora Pierce
This one is a little easier to do because she isn’t as prolific as she used to be. Tempests and Slaughter came out in February 2018, three years ago, and I’m eagerly awaiting its sequel but I think she’s a lot older now and probably writes a lot slower than she used to so I sit patiently and wait. But because of this, this big gap in between novels releasing, I am eager for something new in the Tortall universe and absolutely gobble it up. I do remember when it came out, I didn’t feel like reading anything but I read this because its Tammy, my favorite author, and I HAD to. I have NO idea when the next Numair book will be releasing – GoodReads says its called The Exile’s Gift but has NO release date and Tammy’s website has no info at all so…I’ll patiently wait for that insta-read whenever it gets here.
Marissa Meyer
I was late to the Marissa party, for sure. I distinctly remember looking at the cover of Cinder and being like, well that looks dumb. Which is hilarious because I did eventually end up reading it in 2013 and loving it and now have a cat named after one of the characters. And since then, every single book has been purchased on release day (or I’ve gotten an ARC!) and has been read then and there and I’m pretty confident that will continue to happen, even though the last of her books wasn’t my favorite. I think I’ve enjoyed 98% of her books and even if I’m not in the mood for whatever she’s put out – usually science fiction – I will always read it because I HAVE to know what great universe she’s created this time. I’m not sure what is next for her, I listen to her podcast pretty religiously, but whatever it is – I’m here for it.
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