I think it’s fair to say that a blog post is overdue here. The truth is, I haven’t been reading much. I’ve been in a reading slump. If you’re not familiar with what a reading slump is then first of all, you’re lucky! Second of all, a reading slump is when you want to read but find that you can’t do it. You can’t concentrate and can’t get into any book that comes your way.
At the end of October, my hubby and I endured the sudden loss of one of our beloved fur babies, Wylie. He was a very special dog, more than just a pet. He was a member of the family for eleven years. He came to me at a point in my life when I was broken-hearted, and he truly healed my heart. I used to tell him that really he rescued me instead of the other way around. So in dealing with that loss, I’ve found it difficult to sit quietly and read. My mind kept wandering back to memories of him and when he would curl up with me while I read. I’ve found that keeping busy is better. It gives me less time to stop and think about the loss. But unfortunately, it also means less time for reading. Enter the reading slump.
Wylie was my very first rescue. He was saved from a puppy mill situation as a puppy, and I adopted him at around 6 months old. He was with me 11 years. Wylie had begun developing some health problems in the last couple of years, as tends to happen with older dogs. He received a difficult diagnosis a couple of months ago. We got him on meds and he maintained a great quality of life for weeks filled with treats, belly rubs, and walks. Then early Sunday morning October 27th he suddenly took a turn for the worse. We lost him a few hours later.
I tried to turn to books for comfort in the days that followed. Reading has always been a comfort to me. But I just couldn’t get into anything. I was finding it difficult to concentrate. I also didn’t want any books filled with emotion that were going to make me feel too much. I was already feeling way too much for me to handle at the time. Since that’s pretty much all books do for me, well, I was out of luck.
But here we are, over a month later. I was able to pick up a couple of books eventually, books I considered entertaining yet pretty light. Then before I knew it, it was time to host Thanksgiving, which was a wonderful day and a much needed distraction from my grief.
There are some new books coming up that I’m excited to read, including Cynthia L. Copeland’s debut graphic novel, CUB, from Algonquin Young Readers, so stay tuned for that review in January.
Other than that, I’m picking up books as they strike my interest. I’ve got a list of nonfiction I still haven’t read and think I might dive into over the holidays. Perhaps I’ll finally read Becoming by Michelle Obama or Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. I’m also deeply intrigued by the new memoir from Julie Andrews and new autobiography from Elton John.
Thank you for being patient with me while I worked through my grief and as I continue to pull myself out of this reading slump. New reviews will be coming soon! Do you ever find yourself in a reading slump? How do you pull yourself out of it? Do you have a go-to book that always seems to work for you?
Happy reading! – Kait
Kaitlin Scirri