Even the most avid readers sometimes find themselves in a depression where no book feels right. Especially in times of uncertainty, it can be a challenge to find a book that can make you put down your phone and stop doomscrolling.
If you’re going through depression right now, pick up one (or more) of these books and see if it can help you get back on track.
You are reading: Books to get you out of a reading slump
winter counts, david heska wanbli weiden
There’s nothing like a twisting, fast-paced thriller to keep you turning pages, even when you should be doing chores, working, or sleeping. David Heska Wanbli Weiden’s Winter Counts, a literary thriller set on a Native American reservation, is the perfect choice for readers looking to escape a depression. It centers on the injured horse of Virgil, an enforcer on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. When legal authorities fail to act, Virgil takes justice into his own hands. After his nephew overdoses on heroin, Virgil sets out to find out how the drugs get onto the reservation and how to stop his trade. winter counts combines an unusual setting, unforgettable characters, and a compelling plot with a deft exploration of criminal justice issues on the reservations.
a princess in theory, alyssa cole
Falling in love with a series is a great way to get out of a reading slump because it removes the possibility of deciding what to read next. Alyssa Cole’s Reluctant Royal Series is a terrific choice, filled with charming characters, royal antics, and diverse swoon-worthy love stories. In the first book in the series, A Princess in Theory, scientist and former foster child Naledi continues to receive spam emails claiming she is betrothed to an African prince. She ignores them until the prince shows up at her New York office, sparking a whirlwind romance. it is a cheerful book that provokes smiles, just like the two novels and the two novels that follow it. As a bonus, Cole’s Runaway Royalty series takes place in the same universe, giving readers even more books to binge on.
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five tuesdays in winter, lily king
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Story collections are a sure way to start reading again. they give readers the opportunity to finish a story and gain a sense of accomplishment in just a few pages. Lily King’s November 2021 Five Tuesdays in Winter collection of short stories has something for everyone: a love story, a sci-fi story, a coming-of-age story, all written with the King’s trademark empathy and wit The final tale in the collection, a work of magical realism that lampoons sexism in publishing, stands out, but each of the stories is excellent.
corpse king and the country dentist, radley balko and tucker carrington
the king of corpses and the rural dentist is both infuriating and gripping, a mix that is sure to keep you turning pages. The writers, veteran criminal justice journalist Radley Balko and Mississippi Innocence Project founding director Tucker Carrington, carefully document the way Mississippi’s death investigation system, a relic of the Jim Crow era, keeps innocent people in jail. focus on dr. steven hayne, a medical examiner who performs hundreds of autopsies each year, and dr. Michael West, a self-proclaimed “forensic dentist”. Both men gave misleading, if not outright fraudulent, testimony in countless trials, causing innocent Mississippians, often from poor and underserved communities, to be jailed while letting murderers and rapists go free. true crime fans, in particular, won’t want to miss this one.
sounds titanic, jessica chiccehitto hindman
sounds like titanic it’s one of those books that you just can’t put down because you’ll keep thinking, “how is this real?” In it, Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman recounts his time “playing” the violin in a fake orchestra. During each performance, Hindman and his colleagues pretended to play their instruments, while a recording of music that, yes, sounded suspiciously like the soundtrack to Titanic blared through the speakers. is an absurd and riveting coming-of-age memoir that explores the nature of truth (or truthfulness) in post-9/11 America. is one of my favorite books of the last five years.
several people are typing, calvin kasulke
Calvin Kasulke wrote several people are writing,an amusing satire of virtual work, entirely on loose messages between co-workers at a new york public relations firm. the form, combined with the humor of the book, makes for a quick read, ideal for starting a reading spree. The premise of several people are typing is certainly strange: gerald, a mid-level employee, accidentally uploads his consciousness to the instant messaging platform. Gerald asks his co-worker Pradeep to help him escape and to control his soulless body that is still sitting in his empty apartment. It’s a difficult plot to pull off, but Kasulke nails it. several people are writingis a fun and timely look at how we connect in a digital world.
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these precious days, ann patchett
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Essay collections offer the same benefits as a short story collection: the opportunity to start and finish an entire narrative in one sitting. These Precious Days, which Ann Patchett wrote during the coronavirus pandemic, features engaging and thoughtful essays on topics ranging from Snoopy as a literary influence to the role her three parents played in her life . The title essay focuses on Patchett’s friendship with Sooki Raphael, Tom Hanks’s personal assistant, who spent the first few months of quarantine at Patchett’s Nashville home while undergoing experimental cancer treatment. is a beautiful and moving piece about life, death and friendship.
like a sister, kellye garrett
the first line of like a sister by kellye garrett sets the tone for the rest of the novel: “i found out my sister was back in new york on instagram. I found out that she had died on the daily news in new york. The book’s narrator, Lena Scott, is estranged from her shared half-sister, reality star Wishe and hip-hop mogul father, and is convinced that the official story of her sister’s death, an overdose is incorrect. So Lena scours her sister’s Instagram feed for clues and finds a huge chasm between Desiree’s public image and real life. While the plot has its fair share of twists and turns, Lena’s voice makes the novel shine. she alternates between questioning suspects in her “black superwoman cape” and making humorous observations about music, reality TV and more. Lena’s wit plus a packed plot will capture and hold your attention.
sheets, brenna thummler
sheets is a heartwarming mid-grade graphic novel that can be read in one night, making it a great way to break a depression. Brenna Thummler writes about Marjorie Glatt, a 13-year-old girl grieving the death of her mother. Between attending school and caring for her younger brother and her father, Marjorie works to keep the family’s laundromat open, a task that becomes even more complicated when a young ghost begins to haunt the business. leaves is one of those magical books that children and adults can enjoy. the art is lovely; the moving story.
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self-care, leigh stein
self-care is a juicy and delicious satire of a gooey wellness startup that tricks readers into thinking about how we behave online. Drawing on her experience leading a 40,000-member Facebook group for women writers, Leigh Stein focuses on the three women behind Richual, “the most inclusive online community platform for women to cultivate the practice of self-care.” and change the world by changing ourselves.” The future of the once-promising company is in jeopardy after the COO tweets a threat against Ivanka Trump, and one of her top backers is accused of sexual harassment. self-care is a lot of fun to read and an incisive commentary on #girlboss feminism and influencer culture.
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