Sunday, September 6, 2015

Sunday Discussion: Book Slumps and Life


Each Sunday is a new discussion topic.  Have an idea for a topic?  Just leave me a comment or send me an email at christinathebookreader@gmail.com

I'm moving this topic up a week, because I would like to talk about book slumps and how life can generally get in the way.

So here's a little story...

Once upon a time there was a girl who loved to read.  And then she got this terrible book hangover from a book about an Egyptian prince-turned-god-turned-mummy (it's Reawakened by the way).  After she finished reading it, she couldn't seem to get into the feels on any other books.  She picked up multiple other books, including review books, ARCs, and books that were just on her TBR.  She couldn't seem to get very far in.

Okay.  It seems fairly obvious I'm talking about myself here since I had stated recently that I've been in a slump.  Which is one of the reasons I wanted to move this topic up a week.  I was having so much trouble getting into anything.  I could tell that I should be liking these books.  If it were under any normal circumstances of me reading I would be liking these books.  But I just couldn't get into anything.  I couldn't even finish my Truthwitch preview from NetGalley.  I ended up think, "What is wrong with me?"

I considered rereading The Orphan Queen, but that would've just given me another horrible book hangover.  So I considered continuing my reread of Newsoul with Asunder.  Less of a book hangover, but when I had so many reviews I needed to write, did I want to reread something?

I decided to tough it out.  And that was me taking a week or so off.  Then, The Glowing Knight came out.  It was just a novella.  But it ended my book hangover in a flash.  It was super short.  I felt a feeling of accomplishment by finishing it and writing the review.  And I just adore Jodi Meadows' writing (as you may have noticed).

So then I thought that was it.  My book slump was over.  Last night (Wednesday night as I'm writing this), I had trouble sleeping through a huge storm, so I took out my phone and went back to the review book I have now been reading for over two weeks.  I got through about 15% more in less time probably than it took me to read 1% at a time for the rest of the book.  And then today (Thursday as I'm typing this) happened.

So here is book slumps and life.  I went to work.  Had an okay day.  I got home.  Walked upstairs to my office.  And that is when I heard it.  My roof is leaking.

I have now spent the past two hours on the phone to different contractors to get them out here immediately for an estimate.  But chances are it can't be repaired.  I knew this.  I knew I needed a new roof.  But I haven't had the money for it.  And so now here I am, with my roof from 1986 (I'm actually not kidding, being sarcastic, or using hyperbole in any way) that is leaking - the ceiling in my closet about to collapse.  Please don't rain again.  

I can't even think about reading again at the moment.  Please don't rain again.

As it stands, I will likely be spending a few grand on a new roof.  And I will not be able to buy any books for a few years because of it.  Please don't rain again.

I am now officially on a book-buying ban indefinitely.  And soooo... How am I supposed to care about books and reading with this... THIS over my head?  Updates to come...

3 comments:

  1. Oh, man :( I'm so sorry that you've been having horrible days, Christina! I can't even imagine the kind of frustration you're having now... having a leaking roof SUCKS. When I was a kid, our roof had holes, so it was tough when it was typhoon season, and back then, every month it seemed like we had at least 2 typhoons. I wish I could shower you with books that are as good as REAWAKENED (YES!!!!) :( I'm thinking of you and I'm hoping that things will work out okay. If you need any cheerleading done, I'm on Twitter!!

    Faye at The Social Potato

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    1. This made me happy to read. Turns out my roof (while really old and needing to be replaced) isn't the thing leaking. The guys that installed my AC installed it incorrectly and so the drain pan hasn't been draining. So now it overflowed. And voila! Hole in my ceiling making everyone think my 1986 roof was leaking.

      And yes! Reawakened was so good!

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  2. Reading slumps are the worst and even more terrible when you have something like that to deal with. I'm so sorry. I hope everythIng works out.
    Jodi Meadows is awesome!

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