Reading Slumps and Harry Potter

I've been in a bit of a reading and blogging slump lately, as I'm sure you can tell by the lack of blog posts and tweets and everything. I'm not really sure why I'm in this slump, but for whatever reason, I just haven't been in the mood to read or talk about books that much. I mean, I've still been reading, of course, but not like I usually read. I've been reading a few books a month as opposed to like ten or so, which is really bad for me!

The other day, I decided to pick up Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Since I didn't read the Harry Potter series for the first time until about two years ago (I KNOW. WHAT WAS I THINKING?!), I've only read the whole series once. Over the past several months, I've been slowly working my way through the series again, reading a chapter or so every once in a while, but not actually sitting down and reading the whole book. So I'd made my way through the first three books, and about half of the fourth, when I found myself in the midst of a reading slump, with no desire to pick up any of the hundreds (yes, I mean hundreds) of books in my TBR pile.

So I picked up Goblet of Fire, and this time, I didn't put it down. I read the last half of the book in a few days, not focusing on any of the other books I was feeling pressured to read. I just let myself forget about my TBR pile and the reviews I needed to write. I forgot about all that, and just focused on Harry Potter.

I think it was just what I needed. Because as I was reading Goblet of Fire, I found myself falling in love with the Harry Potter series all over again. Not the movies or the actors or the fandom, but the actual books. I'd forgotten how beautiful and simple and amazing the books were. And as I read, not only did I fall in love with Harry Potter all over again, but I think I fell in love with reading all over again.

I'm glad I took a break to read Harry Potter, because now I'm ready to read other things and write blog posts and get back into my usual reading and blogging and tweeting routine. I'm excited to go to BEA in just a few days, and I think I'm totally ready to start reading like a maniac again.

Whenever I find myself in another reading slump, I hope I remember to just chill out and reread a favorite book. It's amazing how quickly I can forget how much I love reading, but it's also amazing how quickly I can make myself fall in love with reading again.

For those of you who've experienced a reading slump, how have you gotten out of it? Let me know below! I'm really curious to know how other people deal with them.