Hey, my morally gray besties. I hope you are all having a great week. I have been in a MAJOR book slump lately. This happens from time to time and sometimes you just need something new. I am more of a series reader but sometimes I need a good standalone to reset my reading. Sometimes it’s also good to read standalone in a genre you normally wouldn’t read. This way, you don’t need to commit to an entire series if you decide it isn’t for you. I am looking for a new one currently so comment down below your favorite reset reads! These are ones that have pulled me right out of a reading slump and made me remember how much I loved reading.
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
I wish I could stop talking about this book, but I can’t. This book is amazing! It’s funny and romantic and checks all the boxes for me. I’m not going to go too far into detail because I have mentioned this book so many times, but you can find my full review here.
The Lonliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James
This book takes feeling alone to a whole new level. Romy is on a space mission to a new planet and is the last surviving crew member. She has been alone for years until she hears of a new ship coming her way. The only passenger on the ship is a boy called J. They only contact through email, but Romy finds herself falling for J, hard. But is J really who he says he is? This book gives you page-turning suspense, a strange long-distance romance, and a trip through outer space. This book is short and moves fast so its the perfect thing to pull you out of a slump!
The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
I cannot stress to you how amazing this book is. Alessandra has big goals, win the king and steal his crown, what could go wrong? The dialogue in this book is perfect and the plot is interesting, but achievable in a standalone book. All of the side characters are well thought out giving the story a whole new dimension. This book gives you the opportunity to route for the villains and fall in love enemies to lovers style. 10/10 read! (P.S. while researching this, I found out she is going to release another one about Alessandra’s sister, but I still consider this a standalone!)
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
Love or hate John Green novels, this book just hits different. Aza Holmes lives in a constant spiral of her own thoughts. When she rekindles a childhood friendship and winds up in an investigation regarding a fugitive billionaire, her ability to escape the spiral seems farther and farther away. This book gives a real look into what anxiety feels like. I have struggled with anxiety for my whole life and reading this book was a great representation of what it feels like when you have no idea why you think the way you do. I haven’t always been a fan of John Green, but this book hit the nail on the head.
Simon and the Homo Sapiens Agenda
I actually read this book for an article I did for my college newspaper. Simon is a high school student coming to terms with being gay. He falls for a mystery man from his school who goes by the name of Blue. Can Simon keep up his social life while trying to maintain his secret with Blue? I read it when the movie first came out and like most books, the movie didn’t do it justice. The main themes were there, but Love, Simon tried to make this journey of self-discovery palatable for straight people who feel uncomfortable with the struggles LGBTQ+ people struggle with. The book was rawer and went further with the plot. I recommend it if you’re looking for a good coming to age story.
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
If you know, you know. This book is the most recommended book I see when looking for recs on booktok, so if you don’t live under a rock, you probably know what this book is about. Alex is the son of the first female president of the United States. Henry is the Prince of England. When an unfortunate accident brings these two enemies together, will it result in more than a friendship? This book is amazing and I don’t want to beat a dead horse so if you haven’t read it, just do it.
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue
So hear me out. I know this is technically in a series, HOWEVER, they are all mostly independent from each other so, I’m adding this because this is my post and I can do what I want. Henry “Monty” Montague is going out on one last Tour of Europe before he needs to settle down and become an adult. While on this adventure he makes a mistake that puts them all in danger. How will this affect his relationship with his traveling companion and lifelong crush Percy? This book is funny, fast-paced, and crazy as hell. You need to get ready for this adventure. I really liked this book. I was in a slump when I read it so it took me a bit to get through it, but looking back it was the perfect thing to kickstart my reading again.
If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
I read this for a YA book class in college and fell in love. Amanda is a small-town southern girl trying to make it through senior year without her secret getting out. Amanda is trans and was chased out of her old town because of it. Now, she lives with her dad who she’s never had a good relationship with, and a plan to make it through high school and move up north for school. This is until she makes friends and even starts to fall in love. Will she be able to keep her secret, or will it change everything? This book is full of ups and downs and I felt like I really understood her struggles through reading this book. Russo uses flashbacks to give context and while sometimes flashbacks get in the way, these make the story feel even more real. I have re-read this book so many times and have fallen in love with it.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
This is another book I read for this class and another one that was love at first read. I listened to this while driving back and forth from school to home and was balling by the time I finished it. Charlie is beginning high school and feels like an outcast. This is a look into his letters that feel more personal than a diary, this coming to age story has it all. This book is one of the best things I have ever read. I had never been a fan of coming-of-age stories, but this one changed that for me. I even have a tattoo based on this book. I had never had so many feelings while reading a book. This book is a roller coaster you have to ride.
To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
Did Covid put anyone else in a slump? I remember seeing all of these people reading so many books while stuck at home and I couldn’t bring myself to read a page. I was so stuck that I turned to audiobooks. I am an audiobook lover, but I usually use them to listen to self-help books and things like that. I had just started doing diamond art (because didn’t everyone during quarantine?) and started this book. I sat and did my diamond art for the entire 10 hours of this book. Princess Lira is siren royalty and known for stealing the hearts of princes. When her evil mother forces her to steal the heart of a prince as a human, her fate changes forever. I fell in love with this story and it got me right out of my quarantine slump.
Thank you guys so much for reading! Sorry, all of the Synopsis ended in a question, I have no idea why I did that, but hopefully, now you’re hooked! Make sure to comment, like, and share so I know what kind of content to post in the future! thank you so much for supporting me and see you next post!