Hey Reader,

You’re not in school anymore. So why does your reading list still feel like assigned homework?

You scroll through your Kindle, open a few samples, skim a chapter. They’re fine. But not important. Not impressive. Not worth the time. Meh. Maybe later.

Says who?

Most reading slumps don’t come from bad books. They come from trying to read for approval instead of curiosity.

Some slumps come after a heavy, intense book.

The Count of Monte Cristo did that to me—brilliant, immersive, exhausting in the best way.
When you finish something that big, everything else feels…flat.

​Read about how I used ChatGPT to help me tackle The Count of Monte Cristo.

ChatGPT is a wonderful reading companion, but the back and forth between book and conversation does take effort. In the case of The Count of Monte Cristo, the effort was totally worth it.

​Check out my 10 favorite prompts for reading a challenging book with AI.

Around that time, I came across a video from one of my favorite BookTubers. Tony is, cohost of the Life on Books podcast with “Andy AKA Metafictional Meathead.”

Their channel has quietly shaped my reading life this year.

I’ve downloaded a bunch of Kindle samples from their recommendations. Three of them turned into full reads (or current reads)—and they’ve been some of my favorites so far.

But in this video, Tony isn’t recommending books. He’s doing something better.

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He’s talking about how to get out of a reading slump—without guilt, without goals, and without needing to finish anything.

His best advice?

Make peace with reading just one page a day. Not to hit a goal. Just to stay curious.

Here’s the part that stuck with me most:

You don’t need a reading plan.
You don’t have to finish the book you started.
You definitely don’t owe Goodreads anything.

Tony suggests:

1. Read a page or two from any book, then put it back.
2. Sample widely—zero guilt if it doesn’t click.
3. Keep a short book nearby to feel momentum.
4. Reread a favorite when everything else feels meh.
5. Talk to someone about anything you’re reading.

And the big one? Your goal is the habit. Not the number.

Because one page usually leads to two.
And some days it doesn’t.
But the door stays open.
The joy has a way back in.

— Tracy

P. S. I've heard from readers on their thoughts about AI in general. Some are familiar with tools like ChatGPT and many others are skeptical. How about you? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

A few books I’ve read—or am reading—because of the Life on Books Podcast:

​Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison​
Ellison’s classic follows a nameless Black narrator navigating mid-century America, peeling back layers of identity, race, and societal expectation. It’s sharp, layered, and still hits hard decades later.

​A Naked Singularity by Sergio De La Pava (Also on Kindle Unlimited)
​Currently reading. This one’s a wild ride through the mind of a public defender unraveling under pressure. It’s dense, darkly funny, and full of legal chaos—definitely one for readers who like their fiction with teeth.
Not on Kindle Unlimited? Try it free → 30-day Kindle Unlimited trial.

​The Inspector Barlach Mysteries by Friedrich Dürrenmatt​
So glad I stepped outside my comfort zone to read this book. It's a quiet, unsettling pair of literary mysteries from postwar Switzerland—compact, philosophical, and strange in all the right ways.

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