how to get out of a reading slump!

okay. first off, i need to mention that i have been in a HUGE reading slump for two months. TWO MONTHS! and it is killing me not being able to get through more than three books a month. i am waaayy behind on my goodreads challenge because of this. therefore, i have tried a few things to help me get out of my slump and they worked, so now i am going to share them with you!

reread an old favorite
when i was struggling through the mortal instruments series, i picked up the clockwork angel and reread it (for the third time) and since i had read it twice before, it did not take me near as long to read it as it usually would have. this really helped me get through more books and get a bit caught up on my reading challenge! also, rereading a favorite is very beneficial because you already know you're going to like what you read. i think that reading books you're not interested in and DNFing a lot of books definitely slows your reading process and sticks you in a slump.

you don't have to finish the book

i struggle with this one a lot. i tend to feel like i need to finish the book only because i want to know what happens at the end. i've only ever DNFed two books in my life, and i'm pretty sure i was 12 or 13 when it happened. i DNFed allegiant and an abundance of katherines. i couldn't seem to get into the book, so i just stopped. (fun fact: the bookmark i had in allegiant is still there because i never finished it. i put the bookmark there in 2012. oops.) if you don't like a book, don't continue reading it! why waste your time on a bad book when there are hundreds more you could be reading and LOVING? i understand that reviewers usually have to read most of the arcs they receive, but honestly, if it is painful to keep reading, just stop. it is okay to have to write a bad review every once in awhile! 

read a book recommended by a friend
at the very beginning of 2015, when i became an avid reader, i got all of my book recs from the same friend. she recommended me at least half the books i read in 2015, if not more, and i loved every. single. one. (incase you're curious, the books were legend, shadow and bone, the winner's curse, the infernal devices, red queen, an ember in the ashes, cinder, and throne of glass. aka pretty much all of my favorite books.) reading a book a friend loved could mean a new favorite for you! next time you hangout with a friend, ask them about their favorite book and give it a shot!

finish up a good series 
i know some of us like to read the entire series once all the books are out, and some of us painfully wait a year between books to read them. if you read, lets say, the first book and loved it, but never got around to the second or third, try picking that one up! put yourself back into the story you loved a year (or more) ago! i read the winner's curse in march of 2015 and still haven't picked up the second or third book... i really need to get to that. i loved TWC and will hopefully be diving back into that series in may! i love continuing series when i've been away from them for quite some time. i know i'm going to end up loving the book and getting back into the world of it is one of the best feelings!

take a break, you may be burned out!
i definitely think that this is the number one reason i can't seem to finish any books. in 2015, reading was my life. i averaged 75 pages read per day the entire year. once 2016 rolled around and school got a bit more difficult, reading became less and less of a priority. this also affects how much i blog, because i feel like i need to write more reviews. the less books i read, the less reviews i write. if this is happening to you, try writing up a fun blog post! maybe a top ten tuesday, waiting on wednesday, or simply just tips or favorite books! if you've been reading non stop for a long time, give yourself a break! you deserve one! 

i hope these tips help you get out of your slump! they've surely helped me! :D