These 7 books will cure your reading slump immediately.

Is your TBR pile gathering dust? Do you start a book only to abandon it 30 pages later? You, my friend, are in a reading slump — and it's okay! We've all been there.

The trick to beating the slump isn't forcing yourself through a dense classic. It's finding a book so immediately gripping that you literally can't put it down. You need a page-turner, a compelling character, or a mystery you're desperate to solve.

Watch: The trailer for The Thursday Murder Club. Article continues after video.

We've compiled the ultimate list of 7 books that are practically guaranteed to reignite your love for reading.

How To Murder Your Life by Cat Marnell. 

Image: Simon and Schuster

This is a blistering, raw, and often hilarious memoir by former VICE and Jane Magazine beauty editor Cat Marnell. Marnell chronicles her glamorous, chaotic, and drug-fueled life: from her privileged upbringing to her spectacular career rise and devastating public addiction to prescription pills. It's an unflinching look behind the glossy façade of the New York media world and one woman's battle for survival.

Non-fiction, particularly a memoir, is great for a slump because the narrative is driven by real-life events, giving it an undeniable momentum.

Marnell's voice is so distinct, candid, and magnetic that you'll feel like you're sharing secrets over a dirty martini. You'll keep reading just to see what completely outrageous thing happens next.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman.

Image: Penguin Random House

Eleanor Oliphant leads a carefully constructed, solitary life. She works in an office, eats the same lunch every day, and spends her weekends talking to her "Mummy" on the phone. She believes she is "completely fine."

However, beneath the surface, Eleanor is deeply lonely and harbours a dark, unresolved trauma from her childhood. The book follows Eleanor's life as a new friendship and a crush on a musician begin to gently crack open her isolated world.

You'll instantly become obsessed with Eleanor. She is one of the most unique, moving, and often unintentionally funny protagonists in modern literature. Her voice is the engine of this novel.

The plot weaves together humour, heartbreaking revelations, and a slowly unwinding mystery, forcing you to keep turning pages to understand the full picture of Eleanor's past and cheer for her future.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt.

Image: Penguin Books

Richard Papen secures a scholarship to Hampden College in Vermont and is immediately drawn into a mysterious and exclusive clique of six students studying classics under an eccentric professor.

Their intense academic pursuits soon bleed into their real lives, culminating in an ethical disaster that leads to a terrible, shocking crime. It's a dark, psychological thriller about morality, class, and the dangerous pursuit of beauty.

It's the ultimate 'Dark Academia' page-turner. Tartt achieves the rare feat of telling you who is murdered in the very first sentence, but then making you read 500+ pages to find out the why and how that led to it. The atmosphere is intoxicating, the characters are compellingly flawed, and the suspense is immediate and constant.

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata.

Image: Granta Paperbacks

Keiko has worked at the same small, brightly lit convenience store in Tokyo for 18 years. At 36, she is happy with her life. The store is her purpose — she loves the specific, rigid rules and the comfort of being a gear in the machine. However, the expectations of society (her family, her co-workers) to find a husband and a 'real' job begin to weigh on her, leading her to take an unconventional approach to fit in.

It's short, sharp, and totally unique. At under 200 pages, this novella is the perfect literary palate cleanser. Keiko's perspective is so refreshingly odd and focused that it snaps your brain out of its usual reading rhythm. It's a quick, quirky, and thought-provoking read that will remind you how much fun a truly original voice can be.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman.

Image: Viking Press

In a peaceful, luxury retirement village in Kent, four unlikely friends — Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim — meet weekly to discuss unsolved cold cases. They call themselves The Thursday Murder Club. But when a local developer is murdered and a second body follows, the group finds themselves in the middle of a very real, very current case, putting their skills (and sheer cheek) to the test.

There's nothing like cosy crime to get you reading again. It's fun, witty, and has relentless plotting. This book is a pure delight. It's a mystery that moves at a brisk, enjoyable pace, filled with genuinely charming and clever characters.

Not to mention, Netflix recently turned it into a movie so go watch it straight after!

Beach Read by Emily Henry.

Image: Berkeley Books

Augustus Everett is a literary fiction darling. January Andrews is a romance novelist known for her happy endings. They are polar opposites, and they also happen to be literary rivals who are forced to be neighbours for a summer. Stuck in neighbouring beach houses, they make a deal: Gus will write a happy romance, and January will write the next Great American Novel. They challenge each other to research, leading to surprisingly steamy and emotional outcomes.

It's the perfect mix of high-concept romance and emotional depth. This book is the ultimate holiday for your brain. It's fun, banter-filled, and utterly consuming. The will-they/won't-they tension is masterfully executed, but it's the smart, witty dialogue and underlying exploration of grief and creativity that makes it impossible to put down.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Image: Simon and Schuster Australia

Monique Grant, a struggling magazine reporter, is summoned by the reclusive and legendary Hollywood icon, Evelyn Hugo, to write her official biography. Evelyn promises to tell the full, scandalous truth about her life, her rise to fame, and, yes, all seven of her marriages. As Evelyn tells her story, Monique learns about the crushing cost of ambition, the true meaning of love, and a shocking connection to Evelyn herself.

It delivers immediate, high-stakes glamour and mystery. This book is pure catnip for a slump. It reads like the best kind of gossip, transporting you into the golden age of cinema and Evelyn's glittering, tumultuous life. The 'why' behind her final confession is the driving force, and the twist will keep you reading well past your bedtime.

Feature Image: Berkeley Books / Granta Paperbacks / Penguin Random House.