3 Best Thrillers to read to get you out of a Reading Slump
Welcome back to the second installment of Ashley’s Corner! This is a bimonthly series all about BOOKS on the blog, written by my favorite guest writer Ashley Diogaurdi. Today on the blog, she is going to be covering her the three best thrillers to read to get you out of a reading slump.
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Need a good poolside read? Check out Ashley’s last post: 5 Romcoms to Read this Summer
Thrill Your Way Back into Reading
We’ve all been there- you’re in the groove of reading again, and it feels SO good! You go through a book quicker than your friends or family think you can. It’s just that good. You went to Barnes and Noble twice last month and went home with more books than you probably should have. Each book you picked up was better than the last, and you can’t remember a time where you felt so accomplished, checking off books left and right from your TBR (to be read) list.
Suddenly, the books you’re reading seem to blur together. All of the plotlines feel similar… the characters seem flat. You feel unmotivated to pick up a new book or even finish the one you’re currently in. You aren’t excited anymore for the chance to finish that 400 page literary fiction in your hands. We’ve ALL felt this way better (me, more times than I’d like to admit). This is what I like to call the reading slump, and avid readers hit this roadblock constantly.
What I Do When I Get into a Reading Slump
The thing that helps me the most when this happens is to put down the book that isn’t exciting me anymore and start a new one. Now, I know not finishing a book is frustrating. Books aren’t cheap! And you’ve already invested time and effort into reading this story that you just want to see it through. Sometimes it’s not the book itself, it’s just the timing of it all. Why would you find comfort in a cute romcom if you’re currently going through a messy breakup? Those lovesick feelings probably don’t bring out the romantic in you… so put down the romcom! Find something to match your moodiness, like an upbeat memoir or an angsty thriller.
Not going through a breakup and actually in search of a good romcom read? Check out my last article: 5 Romcoms to Read this Summer.
Top 3 Best Thriller Reads
Today I am going to be talking about 3 thrillers that I LOVE. These books have made me feel so many emotions and have kept me on my toes. I have stayed up late at night thinking about them. Even after finishing these books, I still think about certain scenes or characters over and over again. In my book, thinking about a story long after finishing it means that it’s a GOOD one, and I usually recommend these types of books first.
Book Summary & Review:
This book is CRAZY, y’all. Before I share a little bit about it, I want to disclose that this book is pretty dark and deals with a lot of disturbing things. Lots of trigger warnings are in this book so definitely do your own research prior to reading! But, because of this book’s dark nature, I have not been able to stop thinking about it ever since I finished it last month. I have recently recommended this one to EVERYONE who asks, and if you pick it up I would love to know what you think (shoot me a DM on insta @ash.dio.reads).
Why would this book get you out of a reading slump? Simple. I bet it’s nothing like any other thriller you’ve read. For starters, it isn’t fully a mystery on “who done it”. Meaning, we find out about halfway to three fourths of the way through the book who actually is responsible for these crazy disappearances. I think this is a unique thing to read in a thriller, as most of the time I try to figure out who did it before I finish a book. This is always fun (not) because usually, I am FAR off.
Second, the characters are pretty well-rounded. A lot of the time in these shorter reads, you don’t get much background and character development from the main characters in these books. The two main characters, Claire and Lydia, are both polar opposites, which makes the story even more fun. They butt heads along the way but ultimately find that their bond as sisters outweighs any past issues they’ve dealt with.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Twenty years ago Claire Scott’s eldest sister, Julia, went missing. No one knew where she went – no note, no body. It was a mystery that was never solved and it tore her family apart.Now another girl has disappeared, with chilling echoes of the past. And it seems that she might not be the only one.Claire is convinced Julia’s disappearance is linked. But when she begins to learn the truth about her sister, she is confronted with a shocking discovery, and nothing will ever be the same…
Book Summary & Review:
This is probably my favorite thriller to date. It is spooky without being overly scary. Alex North has a way of writing that is easy to follow yet complex, and he always manages to keep you on your toes. It’s a true crime thriller that has a few main characters, and at the end you get to see how they all interconnect which I LOVE in books and movies. I will say in this story you have to read with intention (aka: don’t rush while reading this book) because there are a lot of threads that tie together in terms of the overall storyline. I think this is a classic thriller in the fact that there are plenty of “Easter Eggs” hidden throughout the book, and if you miss them then you can potentially miss out on figuring out who the true criminal is.
Goodreads Synopsis:
In this dark, suspenseful thriller, Alex North weaves a multi-generational tale of a father and son caught in the crosshairs of an investigation to catch a serial killer preying on a small town. After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town: Featherbank. But Featherbank has a dark past. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and murdered five residents. Until Frank Carter was finally caught, he was nicknamed “The Whisper Man,” for he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night.
Just as Tom and Jake settle into their new home, a young boy vanishes. His disappearance bears an unnerving resemblance to Frank Carter’s crimes, reigniting old rumors that he preyed with an accomplice. Now, detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis must find the boy before it is too late, even if that means Pete has to revisit his great foe in prison: The Whisper Man. And then Jake begins acting strangely. He hears a whispering at his window.
Book Summary & Review:
I feel like MOST readers have read this thriller, but on the off chance that you haven’t, RUN to get it! It is one of the most popular thrillers out there for a reason. This is another one of those reads that just sticks with you. B.A. Paris is also just a super popular thriller writer (for good reason), so she always knows how to keep the reader on their feet in all of her books.
Goodreads Synopsis:
The perfect marriage? Or the perfect lie?
Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth; she has charm and elegance. He’s a dedicated attorney who has never lost a case; she is a flawless homemaker, a masterful gardener and cook, and dotes on her disabled younger sister. Though they are still newlyweds, they seem to have it all. You might not want to like them, but you do. You’re hopelessly charmed by the ease and comfort of their home, by the graciousness of the dinner parties they throw. You’d like to get to know Grace better.
But it’s difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are inseparable.
Some might call this true love. Others might wonder why Grace never answers the phone. Or why she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. Or why she never seems to take anything with her when she leaves the house, not even a pen. Or why there are such high-security metal shutters on all the downstairs windows.
Some might wonder what’s really going on once the dinner party is over, and the front door has closed.
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