As an avid reader, you know the feeling of falling head-first into a good book. The story wraps you up in its pages, and you can’t wait to see what happens next.
But then, before you know it, the book ends. You turn the final page, and suddenly, you feel a sense of emptiness wash over you.
It’s like losing a friend, someone who’s been with you through thick and thin.
You’ve been so invested in the story and the characters that it’s hard to let go. You’ve laughed, cried, and felt like you were a part of their world, and now it’s over.
As the days go by, you find yourself thinking about the book more and more.
You try to move on, to find something else to capture your attention, but nothing seems to compare.
You feel like you’re in a funk, and you can’t shake the feeling of emptiness. You’ve just fallen heart-first into a book hangover.
It’s important to understand why book hangovers happen.
When you read a book, you become emotionally invested in the story and the characters. You care about what happens to them, and you feel their triumphs and their losses.
When the book ends, it’s like saying goodbye to friends you’ve grown to love.
It’s normal to feel a sense of loss and disorientation, but there are things you can do to make the transition a little easier.
At worst, a book hangover can push you right into a reading slump where you feel like no reading brings you joy any more.
Some tips for getting over a book hangover.
- Take a break from reading: Sometimes the best thing you can do after finishing a book is to take a break from reading altogether. Give yourself time to process the story and the emotions it’s stirred up in you. Do something else you enjoy, like watching a movie or going for a walk.
- Start a new book: When you’re ready, start a new book. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, just something light and fun to help you ease back into reading. You might find that a new book is just what you need to take your mind off the one you just finished. This is a good opportunity to try something new, maybe something you’re not even sure if you’ll enjoy!
- Reread the book: If you can’t let go of the book you just finished, consider rereading it. This can help you appreciate the story and the characters in a new way, and it might even help you discover things you missed the first time around.
- Write a review: Writing a review of the book can help you process your emotions and thoughts about the story. It’s also a great way to share your love for the book with others and maybe even inspire someone else to read it. You could also check out other people’s reviews about it to see how their experience of it differs from yours.
- Talk to other readers: Find a friend or a book club to discuss the book with. Talking to other readers can help you process your emotions and gain new insights into the story and the characters.
- Find a fandom artist: This is one of my personal favourite things to do. There are so many artists doing amazing work in so many fandoms, and seeing their work is a way to keep the spirit of that book alive even after having read it!
In the end, getting over a book hangover takes time and patience. But by taking a break, starting a new book, or talking to other readers, you’ll soon be ready to dive into another great story and experience all the emotions and adventures (and book hangovers) it has to offer.
If your book hangover is really bad, maybe it’s because there was the death of a beloved character.
One day, you’ll rebound from it.
After some time, you’ll feel ready to dive back into reading. Just like I did.
Eventually, I started browsing my TBR and window shopping for a new book. And as I was browsing, I saw the cover of the book that gave me the hangover in the first place (Blood of Dragons* by Robin Hobb).
I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I was ready to go back to that world. But then I remembered how much I loved the book and how it made me feel. I decided to read The Rain Wild Chronicles from the start and went back to Dragon Keeper*.
I started reading, and it felt like coming home.
The characters and the story were just as wonderful as I remembered, but this time I was able to appreciate it in a new way.
I had gained some distance from the story, and it allowed me to see it in a different light.
When I finished the book again, I felt a sense of closure. I had come full circle, from the hangover to the healing.
I realised that book hangovers are a natural part of being an avid reader, and that they can actually make me appreciate the stories I love even more.
I was ready to move on to the next adventure, knowing that no matter what happens, I’ll always have the memories of the books that have touched my heart.
And then, one day, I stumbled on the next book in the series.
But I was still raw from reading the last one and decided to wait until the whole trilogy was out before diving into it. But it was like finding a long-lost friend after years apart. I couldn’t believe my luck.
And finally, when all three were out, I rushed read them all, starting with Fool’s Assassin*.
As I started reading, I felt that familiar sense of excitement building inside of me. I was reunited with the characters I’d missed so much. I read through the night, unable to put the book down, and before I knew it, I was finished.
But this time, it was different. Instead of feeling empty, I felt a sense of closure.
I had seen the characters through to the end of their journey, and I knew that their story was complete. I closed the book with a sense of satisfaction, feeling grateful for the time I spent with them.
Of course, the ending to Assassin’s Fate* was so sad and I cried so much throughout the whole trilogy.
But as I put the book back on my shelf, I knew that I’ll always have a special place in my heart for the characters and the story that gave me so much.
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