5 New Books To Finally End Your Reading Slump

Do you like to win free books and hear from your favorite authors? Do you enjoy conversations with other women readers? Then join our closed Facebook group, The Girlfriend Book Club, today. You'll love it!


You used to devour books. But recently, every time you pick one up, your eyes glaze over, and your phone calls out to you like a siren. Sound familiar? You’re in a reading slump and desperately looking for a can’t-put-down book to rescue you.

I read approximately two books a week, and I have suggestions for books that will keep you reading past lights out.

The Favorites by Layne Fargo

I’m a sucker for books about Olympians, and this one doesn’t disappoint. The Favorites is loosely based on Katarina Witt, a German ice skater. This book follows the traditional best-friends-turned-lovers-turned-enemies trope — all while detailing the preparation, endurance and pure determination necessary to make it at the top of your field. If you read and loved Daisy Jones & The Six, you’ll most likely devour this one, as it’s got a similar vibe. Sure, some parts seem a little far-fetched, but if you look at the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan drama, you’ll realize that ice skaters are just a little different than us. And it makes for the best novels.

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

I couldn’t put this book down for a few reasons. The main character lives in a cabin on a tiny Scottish island, and that alone brings hermit vibes that I love so much in my books. But the real draw for most is the mystery surrounding the character’s wife, who disappears but also seems to be present everywhere. So, it’s a mystery on a Scottish island, complete with all the twists and turns you’d expect. This is a very quick read, and before long, the plot twists will have you transfixed.

The Crash by Freida McFadden

Hear me out. I don’t believe this — or any of McFadden’s other books — is the best book ever. But I do believe that they will transfix you for a day or two, getting you completely out of your book slump. From the first sentence, The Crash and her other novels will suck you right in, and the energy doesn’t recede until the last line. There are twists and turns, and while some of them are pretty unbelievable, the book is fun, easy and light, which are key components for a page-turner.

The House of My Mother by Shari Franke

You may remember Ruby Franke, the wholesome, loving mother of the 8 Passengers blog, which documented her family’s life. She was arrested in 2023 for alleged aggravated child abuse. In this book, her daughter writes about the details of the abuse. And while we are simply voyeurs (Franke writes, “I wonder how the public’s consumption of others’ pain and suffering crosses the line from empathy to voyeurism”), this is a very good read highlighting the perils that can follow influencers.

The Names by Florence Knapp

This book was published at the end of May, and you’ll want to get your hands on it, stat. The book centers around one family, examining how a name affects a child’s entire life. But it’s so much more than that. It’s a novel about domestic abuse and its aftermath, and it will surprise you in so many ways. The book is a quick read, though I had to go back a few times to make sure I had the right storyline aligned in my head as they switched every chapter, jumping around in time.

 
Have you read any of the above? Let us know in the comments below.