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Autumn

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Hi everyone.

 

I have always been a big reader, though recently I seem to have come to a bit of a standstill.  I do want to read, but I can't seem to concentrate long enough to actually finish a book.  I stop and start, reading half a dozen chapters before getting bored or just giving up to do something else entirely.  I'm not quite sure what the problem is... I just seem to have lost my mojo.

 

So, I thought I would try and find some like-minded people who can either give me some tips on how to find my mojo again or give me some recommendations of books to read that will keep me gripped long enough to get me out of this funk I have found myself in.

 

I have been reading mainly crime the last few months (think Patricia Cornwell, Tess Gerritsen) but generally enjoy most genres and usually read a good mix.  The only genre I don't really like is sci-fi, although in all fairness I haven't really read any... wouldn't know where to start if I'm honest.

 

I don't watch much television - tending to stick to box sets, watching an episode or two at a time - so reading is my main passion and tends to be my main pastime, picking up a book any spare time I have.  So not being able to read (or not being able to concentrate should I say) is a pretty big thing to me.  It feels horrible if I'm honest and I'm finding myself at a bit of a loose end more and more often which just make me feel even worse.

 

Sorry for sounding a bit melodramatic but hopefully with this being a book related forum you will all understand how I'm feeling.  Any tips, suggestions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

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Hello, Autumn. I'm new here myself, but I would like to welcome you aboard (if you'll excuse the pun!) I have an idea of what you mean. I don't have exactly the same problem, but I've recently lost most of my access to physical books and have to rely on my tablet and laptop for reading. Ebooks just aren't the same, and I'm find the hassle of booting up, etc, to be discouraging enough that I read much less than usual. That said, there have also been times when I've picked up books and put them right back down for the same reasons  of ennui that you mentioned, and I think it has something to do with the predictability of stories after a while. Once you've read a few thousand, they become almost as mundane as the world you're trying to get away from for a few hours. When I was a child, any book was amazing, all books were amazing, but I've had to become a lot more discerning and actively look for something different. 

 

That said, maybe try out a new genre. You mentioned you don't usually read sci-fi. If you're willing to give it a try, the author I'm reading now is very good. Robert J. Sawyer is a Canadian writer whose stories tend to be fairly well based in hard science while also developing his characters and plots in a way that seems beyond a lot of hard sci-fi authors (whose books tend to read like engineering manuals). So his work is probably a great entry point into the genre for someone like you who largely reads stories set in this world.

 

I'd try out Flashforward (a experiment at the CERN particle accelerator causes the entire human race to black out for one minute and forty three seconds, during which time they have true visions of what they will be doing 21 years in the future. Chaos is the scene upon waking as countless people have died in accidents during the blackout, and more chaos follows are people rush to change or confirm their futures); Rollback  (a rejuvenating procedure is performed on a man and his wife, but fails to work on the woman. The man rediscovers his youth while his aged wife creeps towards death); Mindscan (a dying man has his consciousness uploaded into a cyborg replica of himself in a now-common procedure meant to capture a kind of immortality. Afterwards, the mortal man is sent to a corporate moonbase to live out his last days while the cyborg carries on his life and legal identity. Confrontations between the cyborg and the man's loved ones follow, as the cyborg, which has a perfect recall of all of the man's memories and feels he is the same being, is largely rejected, before meeting and falling in love with a fellow cyborg. Just when all seems well for the new replicate, the man on the moon, still living, has a change of heart and demands the return of his legal identity).

 

Have a read if anything sounds intriguing. Hope I could help. 

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Hey Autumn, welcome here :).

 

I'm sorry you haven't been feeling like reading. I know how you feel, I've felt that way quite a few times in my life. Gladly, it never lasts that long for me. Currently my reading mojo is not entirely cooperating. For the past two weeks I haven't been feeling in the mood to read. I did read a few books and enjoyed them when I forced myself to read, but unless I force myself, I keep thinking of things to do other than reading, and not many books appeal to me right now. I started one yesterday and am not sure I want to continue it now, I started another one today and read one chapter, now I'm not sure I want to read it.

 

I'm really not liking feeling this way, because like you reading is the main thing I do in my spare time. Almost all input tires me (sounds for example, and sight), and reading is one of the few things I can do without getting too tired from it. Watching TV, just to name something, tires me much more than reading a book I like. Not being able to read, is making me feel more tired because I tend to do more things that are more tiring for me. But feeling very tired might make me feel less like reading because then I can't concentrate and I've also been feeling stressed lately. I'm not sure what's going on or why my mojo is low to be honest (some other people call it a 'reading slump').

 

I wish I had a simple solution for you but I don't. However, here are some threads which may help you, discussing the same topic. I made a topic here called tips for reading mojo. Other occasions where this topic has been discussed include this topic and this topic.

 

Here are my tips (taken from what I wrote in the first topic I linked above). Unfortunately so far they haven't helped me.

 

- Reread a book you love

- Read a book you're pretty sure you'll like

- Browse your book shelves (or ereader), for inspiration

- Talk with friends about books

- Read reviews on the forum, websites, or watch a bookrelated YouTube video

- Buy a new (or used, but new to you) book (and give it a go)

- Reorganise your book shelves (this applies less to an ereader I think)

- Take a break from reading for a few days, or however long you think it's necessary. See if you feel more like reading after the break.

- Listen to an audiobook (this isn't useful for me as it'd be way too tiring, but some other people might find it nice)

- Watch a film or tv series based on a book

- Make a short TBR: pick a few books from your shelves that you think you might read in the near future and put them on top of ie. a night stand, a desk, etc.

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That said, maybe try out a new genre. You mentioned you don't usually read sci-fi. If you're willing to give it a try...

 

I am most certainly willing to give anything a try, including sci-fi.

 

I'd try out Flashforward (a experiment at the CERN particle accelerator causes the entire human race to black out for one minute and forty three seconds, during which time they have true visions of what they will be doing 21 years in the future. Chaos is the scene upon waking as countless people have died in accidents during the blackout, and more chaos follows are people rush to change or confirm their futures)...

 

If I remember correctly I think this is the book that the US television series of the same name was based on, which although a lot of people hated, I personally quite liked and was rather disappointed when it was cancelled after only one season.  So I think this might definitely be worth a look at.  Thanks.

 

Athena, thanks for the tips and links to those threads.  I have already tried the majority of the items listed above, but will definitely check out those links and have a wee read.

 

I think I'm just going to take a break from reading for a while, maybe until the end of August and then start afresh in September.  I'm not going to pick up or even attempt to start a new book until then and hopefully (fingers crossed) it will be enough too get me out of this slump.

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Hello, welcome from me too. Are you enthusiastic about the books you start? I have periods when I don't read a lot - but I have a lot of other things I can do, so I don't stress about it. My enthusiasm usually comes back when the right book comes along - what I want to read changes, depending on what I feel like. Maybe a military book 1 time, a biography another, something else another time. If I struggle to finish a book then I find something else I'm more enthusiastic about.

 

None of that perhaps helps but I suspect everyone temporarily loses that reading mojo at some point.

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If I remember correctly I think this is the book that the US television series of the same name was based on, which although a lot of people hated, I personally quite liked and was rather disappointed when it was cancelled after only one season. 

 

That's the one. Actually, I recently saw the show and liked it, which prompted me to re-read the book. They're very different stories; the novel definitely focuses a lot more on exploring the philosophy and science of what happened, and doesn't include any of the more sensationalist elements of the show like the conspiracy theories, or FBI investigations. Moreover, almost all of it takes place in Europe rather than the U.S. But as much as I generally like the book more, I'm not fond of the short third part at the end, which I think could have been left out entirely and bangs on a bit on one of the author's habitual fixations. In that sense the show was a bit more grounded. But I'll leave that you to judge when you get back to reading. 

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Welcome to the forum!

 

I too lose my mojo from time to time - the biggest thing for getting me back on track is motivation to hit targets. Like many members here, I keep a list of the books I read each year, and I set a target for myself. Not wanting to stray from that usually gets my butt in gear. As well as that, we have monthly read-a-thons here during the first weekend of each month (Fri-Sun). Participants read whatever they want, and as much or as little of it as they want, in that time - there's a thread where we talk about what we're reading and how much we've read during the weekend. I find that knowing it's three specified days of making a effort a great way of getting a short burst of reading done when I'm falling behind.

 

 a Canadian writer whose stories tend to be fairly well based in hard science while also developing his characters and plots in a way that seems beyond a lot of hard sci-fi authors (whose books tend to read like engineering manuals).

 

 

Oooh I like the sound of that myself, and of all of the books you described! May check him out myself, thanks! :)

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Thanks for the welcome everyone.

 

As well as that, we have monthly read-a-thons here during the first weekend of each month (Fri-Sun). Participants read whatever they want, and as much or as little of it as they want, in that time - there's a thread where we talk about what we're reading and how much we've read during the weekend. I find that knowing it's three specified days of making a effort a great way of getting a short burst of reading done when I'm falling behind.

 

I like the sound the monthly read-a-thon so I will definitely be participating in that on a regular basis.  I shall aim for the September one.

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Welcome to the board :)

 

I am desperate to read more - I have a massive TBR list (though not as big as some members here ;) ) - but rather than in the past when I would read during every spare minute I was stationary - cleaning my teeth, during my lunch break at work, whilst 'watching tv' in the evening and whilst laying in bed at night - I tend to find that now I get drawn into looking at my phone instead. It's either Facebook, news sites, sport sites or emails and before long, the time I would have read is taken up with reading pointless stuff. Even catching up with what I've missed on this forum takes time away from when I would have otherwise read a book. :lol:

 

I think with me it's a bit about having young kids and not having much spare time (and the time I have spare, I'm either running around after them or doing chores) and a bit about it being 'too easy' to waste time on social media. Maybe I should do what I did with Pokemon Go after a week and just delete FB off my phone - now that was a real time suck. ;)

 

As I've spent the last year breastfeeding my daughter, you'd think with all the sitting down time, I would have have shed loads of time to read, but instead my phone or telly tended to win out. I have to properly force myself to get my book out first or else that 'quick look at my phone' turns into a whole session of phone time. :doh:

 

I think iPhone has effectively killed my reading mojo! :D

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I am desperate to read more - I have a massive TBR list (though not as big as some members here ;) ) - but rather than in the past when I would read during every spare minute I was stationary - cleaning my teeth, during my lunch break at work, whilst 'watching tv' in the evening and whilst laying in bed at night - I tend to find that now I get drawn into looking at my phone instead. It's either Facebook, news sites, sport sites or emails and before long, the time I would have read is taken up with reading pointless stuff. Even catching up with what I've missed on this forum takes time away from when I would have otherwise read a book. :lol:

 

I don't have any social media accounts anymore.  I did have a Facebook account but deleted it years ago because I very rarely used it, and although I think I did sign up for a Twitter account at one point I don't think I've even logged in since doing so, so I don't even know if it would still be active.  I am thinking of signing up on Goodreads, but other than that I don't really 'get' social media.

 

But yeah the internet is a big time waster for me too.  It's amazing how a quick 30 minute browse of even the BBC News website can lead on to other sites and before you know it the 30 minutes you had planned has suddenly turned in to a couple of hours!

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Hi Autumn, hope you find your reading mojo again soon, maybe you simply need a break for a while.  I think Athena had some good suggestions, so hope you find your way back into reading at some point, there are lots of suggestions on here - perhaps some shorter books might help?  Nothing worse than being bogged down in a doorstep of a book!  Good luck.

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...there are lots of suggestions on here - perhaps some shorter books might help?  Nothing worse than being bogged down in a doorstep of a book!

 

I actually like big chunky books more than shorter ones.  It's the shorter ones I have more difficulty with when I'm struggling like this.  I find longer books hold my attention more as they tend to have a bit more depth to them story wise.

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Hello and welcome! I hope you like it here :) I think most of us have suffered from our mojos going AWOL and so you're in good company! I hope new recommendations will spice up your reading life... I've read and liked Patricia Cornwell and Tess Gerritsen, too, and so I think I could recommend Karin Slaughter's books to you. Linwood Barclay writes great thrillers, too, as does Jeffery Deaver. Kathy Reichs is also worth checking out, if you haven't already. 

 

I hope you find your mojo soon again! 

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I've read and liked Patricia Cornwell and Tess Gerritsen, too, and so I think I could recommend Karin Slaughter's books to you. Linwood Barclay writes great thrillers, too, as does Jeffery Deaver. Kathy Reichs is also worth checking out, if you haven't already. 

 

I've never read anythng by either Karin Slaughter or Linwood Barclay but will definitely check them out.  Thanks.

 

As for Jeffery Deaver, I've just recently started reading his books and although I've only read a couple so far I've really enjoyed them.

 

I am a big fan of the TV series Bones and have actually bought all (with the exception of maybe the more recent ones) of Kathy Reichs's Temperance Brennan series.  I haven't read them yet though as I have heard they are very different from the TV series so I'm waiting for the series to end before making a start on the books.

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As for Jeffery Deaver, I've just recently started reading his books and although I've only read a couple so far I've really enjoyed them.

 

Cool! :cool: Have you read his standalone novels or have you gone for any of his series? I really like the Lincoln Rhyme series, although admittedly I've only read the first two. But those were really good! 

 

I am a big fan of the TV series Bones and have actually bought all (with the exception of maybe the more recent ones) of Kathy Reichs's Temperance Brennan series.  I haven't read them yet though as I have heard they are very different from the TV series so I'm waiting for the series to end before making a start on the books.

 

Ah, that makes sense :) I haven't watched the TV series from the start myself so can't say anything about that. One thing you ought to know (and perhaps already know) when going for the books is that there's no Booth character in the novels :( 

 

Another suggestion that popped into my mind: the Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay. I like both the TV series and the books. But it's too violent and graphic for some... Anyhow, just another suggestion I thought I'd throw in :) 

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Cool! :cool: Have you read his standalone novels or have you gone for any of his series? I really like the Lincoln Rhyme series, although admittedly I've only read the first two. But those were really good!

 

I haven't read any of his standalone books, but have read a couple of the ones featuring Lincoln Rhyme. On a bit of a book buying ban though so have to borrow them from my library which means I'm reading random ones rather than in order.

 

One thing you ought to know (and perhaps already know) when going for the books is that there's no Booth character in the novels :(

 

Gutted!

 

Another suggestion that popped into my mind: the Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay. I like both the TV series and the books. But it's too violent and graphic for some... Anyhow, just another suggestion I thought I'd throw in :)

 

I've never seen the TV show but have heard really good things about it and it definitely sounds like it's my kind of show. The books, however, not so much. I bought the first one in HMV earlier this year and I found it a bit blah. It was okay, but I didn't really see what the fuss was about. Thought it was a tad boring if I'm honest, but maybe subsequent books get better?

 

Thanks for the great recommendations by the way! Love them!

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I haven't read any of his standalone books, but have read a couple of the ones featuring Lincoln Rhyme. On a bit of a book buying ban though so have to borrow them from my library which means I'm reading random ones rather than in order.

 

Oh :( Can you make a reservation for a particular novel at the library? I don't know, it might be okay to read the books out of order, without being spoiled too much re: the lives of the main characters, but then again, it might not. But if that doesn't bother you, then there's no harm in reading the books which ever order you get them in  :D

 

I've never seen the TV show but have heard really good things about it and it definitely sounds like it's my kind of show. The books, however, not so much. I bought the first one in HMV earlier this year and I found it a bit blah. It was okay, but I didn't really see what the fuss was about. Thought it was a tad boring if I'm honest, but maybe subsequent books get better?

 

Sorry you didn't enjoy the first novel :( I thought it was ace, and have loved the subsequent novels. But they might not be for you, then... Maybe you can just watch the show instead? 

 

Another series I thought of last night is the Gretchen Lowell series by Chelsea Cain. I loved the first two, but didn't enjoy the third, so can't recommend that one... And haven't read the latest ones. The first book in the series is Heartsick

 

Thanks for the great recommendations by the way! Love them!

 

Always happy to lend a recommending hand :)

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