6 addictive books so good they break reading slumps - we personally guarantee it

There's nothing better than getting lost in a good book. It's wonderful to be so engrossed in a story you lose all sense of time and forget all your responsibilities. But try as you might, that magic can slip out of reach.

The dreaded reading slump can be hard to beat. To help anyone fall in love with reading again, we've put together a list of gripping page turners we personally recommend. These slump-busters span cosy autumnal fiction to thrilling fantasy and sci-fi. Happy reading - and share your own recommendations in the comments!

Dungeon Crawler Carl. It is, in my humble opinion, one of the best books of all time, as well as the ultimate breaker of book slumps.

With seven books (and counting) in the series, there's a whole lot going on, but all you need to know for book one is that it's about a guy named Carl, and his cat Donut, who enter a deadly, game show-like dungeon after an alien takeover of Earth.

I'm not really a video game person or a cat person, but this book is so addictive that neither of these things mattered. It's really fun and fresh, and it takes no time at all for you to start rooting for all of the characters. I would also highly recommend the audiobook. This series got me out of a huge book slump, and it's one I can't wait to revisit before the next book comes out.

- Talya Honebeek, Content Editor

You can buy Dungeon Crawler Carl from Amazon or Waterstones - it's also on Kindle Unlimited.

" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="Talya Honebeek" data-licensor-name="Talya Honebeek" /> Earthsea series by Ursula K. Le Guin.

The first book follows Ged, a young boy who has incredible powers who is sent to a magical school. He unleashes a terrible shadow when trying to impress a girl that he must banish before it can possess him.

Many people may believe it sounds very similar, but Earthsea was first published in the 1960s long before Harry Potter. I think Le Guin's writing is more poetic, elegant and simply better while also including much deeper themes so it is worth reading if you have ever enjoyed reading about the J. K. Rowling's wizarding world.

It is perfect to try out during a reading slump as the first book is incredibly short at only around 200 pages so can easily be finished over a weekend or even a day if you are enthusiastic.

- Katherine McPhillips, Reporter

Earthsea is available from Amazon and Waterstones.

" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="Katherine McPhillips" data-licensor-name="Katherine McPhillips" /> available from Amazon and Waterstones. " data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="Ketsuda Phoutinane" data-licensor-name="Ketsuda Phoutinane" /> Netflix series starring Anya-Taylor-Joy in the making, is bound to get you out of a reading slump. How to Kill Your Family is a dark, witty crime thriller about a narcissistic anti-hero, Grace Bernard. After being abandoned by her wealthy father and left to care for her dying mother, Grace meticulously plans and executes the murders of her father's family members to inherit his fortune.

To say I was unprepared for how the story unfolded would be an understatement, and is almost exactly my reason for recommending this book. That, and it is an easy, invigorating read. I am quick to judge books that get off to a slow start, and I thought that was the direction this book was taking as the deeply unlikeable protagonist commenced her killing spree.

However, the author's wonderfully weird story, told in an unusual and addictive narrative from Grace's perspective, committed me to finishing the book in just six days. That's a personal record, considering I (ashamedly) make no time to read when life gets busy.

- Phoebe Cornish, Senior Reporter

You can purchase 'How to Kill Your Family' at Waterstones.

" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="The Borough Press" data-licensor-name="The Borough Press" /> When you're stuck in a reading slump, one sure-fire way to pull you out of it is with a short and incredibly weird book. And that's exactly what Earthlings by Sayaka Murata is. I'm always drawn to translated fiction so when I saw this on the library shelves I immediately checked it out - and by the end of the day I was finished.

This story is about a lonely Japanese girl called Natsuki who feels out of place in a society obsessed with reproduction and following the rules. Fully believing she is an alien, she looks for freedom beyond the norms of society whilst pretending to be normal in a loveless marriage. And when she reconnects with a childhood companion, their journey to escape the ‘factory' of human life leads them down a very strange and unsettling path.

This book is only 256 pages long so it's perfect if you want something short and snappy to keep you entertained. Your jaw will drop at the ending - it makes your skin crawl, but guaranteed you won't be able to stop thinking about it for a long time.

- Nicola Roy, Senior Reporter

You can buy it on Amazon here or Waterstones.

" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="Granta Books" data-licensor-name="Granta Books" /> Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce in a bargain bin. Now it's a Richard and Judy Book Club bestseller about "a lesson in cruelty".

Telling the story of Alison, a lawyer with a big murder case to defend, a doting husband at home and an adorable daughter, but underneath she is barely keeping herself together. Drinking to excess, having an illicit affair and neglecting her family, but there is also something else going on that doesn't add up. In my opinion, this is not the most literary of novels, but it is short, fast-paced and has a twist you will never see coming. In fact, it is so wild you will be desperate to talk to anyone who will listen to help make sense of it all. Just good fun and guaranteed to break a slump.

- Rebecca Koncienzcy, Content Editor

You can get Blood Orange on Amazon here or from Waterstones.

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