The book breakthrough
What reading through a difficult start to a book taught me about persistence.
This is the third week in my April 30 day reading challenge and I’ve surprised myself with how intuitive its become. I don’t have a particular routine or time when I read, but it flows as a natural part of my day.
However, this week, my established rhythm was put to the test because I finished a very bingey book, and found myself at that awkward time in between books.
Are you familiar with this space?
The time in between books is a dangerous place. One one hand, it’s ripe with possibilities. You have so many options to choose from and every book holds potential for a new experience.
On the other hand, it’s a place where you can get stuck in not only choosing the next book, but also starting a new book and not vibing with it right away. Which could lead you to stopping reading altogether for a bit. A topic I’ve covered in the past, see “How to get out of a reading slump.”
But this week, I learned an unexpected lesson: not all books hook you right away, but persistence pays off.
After I finished A Court of Wings and Fury, the third book in my romantasy series, I was coming down from a bit of a high. The book’s ending culminated in an adventurous, action packed battle that was purely enthralling. Coming out of that fantasy world and back to real life almost felt daunting.
As usual, after finishing a book that I was truly enjoying, I was left with a bitter sweet feeling.
That day, I had the inevitable choice to make — what should I read next?
Luckily this time, I had an obvious option because I had a book to read for my book-club and the deadline was nearing. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman was my next pick and without lingering, I dove right in.
But from the start, this book was messy and I was annoyed. Backman’s writing is more than a bit chaotic, with one word sentences, many interwoven stories, different characters, not to mention his own side-commentary peppered with his humor which is present throughout the book.
This book was all over the place and I wasn’t emotionally connecting to any of it. The characters were annoying me, it seemed there was no story line. To be honest, I wasn’t connecting with anything at all.
But — as I am in the middle of this reading challenge — I had to keep going.
After doom reading another 25 pages however, something started to shift. Two of the characters had an interesting interaction and it was revealed that each of them in their own way had a rather traumatic experience which altered the course of their life. My curiosity was peaked and I actually wanted to continue reading to see how this story would unfold.
I had reached the book break through.
The point in the book where you become invested, and you want to continue reading, not just because you thought it would be a good book, but because you actually care.
You might care about how the story of one of the characters will unfold, you might care to see what they will do or not do, you might just care to continue reading the writing that somehow touched you emotionally - but you care, and you are invested.
All books will have a different breakthroughs that are unique specifically to you. Some might not have one at all. But getting to this point is key.
With this particular book, the breakthrough happened later than it usually does, and I think it’s partly because going into it, I honestly did not think that I would enjoy the story.
So this week, the 30 day reading challenge has reminded me that persistence has become an underrated quality in our culture but one that we should be cultivating.
Having persistence in life is about giving chances. Not expecting fast results, fireworks, or to be wowed right away.
In this case, giving a book a chance to grow on me, and continuing to read to see its potential has been a breakthrough for me personally.
Had I given up on this book, not only would I have missed this story and what it holds, but also a chance to have a conversation about it with my friends.
I’m curious about you. Do you give up on a book if you’re not feeling it from the start or do you read on to see if this will change?
But wait — What if this breakthrough never happens?
That’s a question I don’t have an answer to at this moment but will try my best to reflect on and share with my thoughts in my next post.
For now, wherever you are in your reading journey, if you’re in between books, in the middle of a marvelous one, or just getting powering through one hoping for that breakthrough, I hope that story finds you.
See you next week.
xx Toni
PS: It’s never too late to jump into the 30-Day Reading Challenge. It’s running all of April 2025, and you can join us by posting a picture of your book when you read daily.
If you’ve been wanting to make more time for reading or find books that truly speak to where you are in life, I’d love to help.
As a bibliotherapist, I curate personalized books to help you gain new perspectives, find comfort, and explore your own inner world. Whether you’re feeling stuck, seeking inspiration, or simply want to deepen your reading life, bibliotherapy offers a thoughtful, personalized way to explore yourself through books.
Reach out if you're curious—I’d love to chat. You can also schedule a bibliotherapy session with me.