Monday Mood– Book Hangover

I’m sure I’ve posted about this at some point in my years on the blog. I regularly have a book hangover. Now, I’ve never been drunk from alcohol so I’m not quite sure how it compares but there’s always a bit of self-loathing and regret. However, I know I’m powerless to stop.

Thursday evening, I started a new book. I finished it Saturday afternoon. I don’t know about you, but there’s always a feeling of WHAT DO I DO WITH MY LIFE NOW??? when I finish a good book.

So what is the most sensible thing to do? Start another one by the same author even if it’s after midnight, of course!

Now, what’s the lie all of us book-a-holics tell ourselves? We can stop any time we want! Just after one more chapter!

And so around 4 am, I finally convinced myself that enough was enough and Margaret and John would be perfectly fine if I left them alone for a few hours.

I’ll admit that I read in the car on the way to church and in the sanctuary as we waited for others to arrive. Side note: we’re trying out a new church and apparently no one else goes in until the very minute service is supposed to start. If I didn’t know my husband and I were a bit anti-social before, that was confirmation!

Usually, on the weekends, I spend some time with my family, church if we’re able, and do schedule some blog posts. Not this weekend! I did have family and church time but work? Nope!! No, work was not as important as this book. While I type this, I have pried myself away for just a few minutes after John and Margaret are married. I anxiously await the honeymoon and other matters. My eyes glance to the clock. It’s already 10 pm. Can I finish before bedtime? If I push it, that’s 2 more hours. Kindle app says I am at 73%. No, I don’t think that will be enough time. It’s a hopeless cause. I REALLY should be a responsible adult and go to sleep early tonight to make up for the late night before. I’m really just too old and in too ill of health to keep doing this to myself but…

Tell me I’m not the only one completely powerless over this book addiction. Now, I haven’t read this compulsively in a long time. I usually have a stern “no new books after 9 pm” rule…but I chose to break it and now I’m having to deal with the consequences. The irony is all the better because if I had begun this book today instead of last night, I would have been at a better stopping point. As it is, if I don’t finish my brain will probably be up most of the night trying to guess what will happen next.

This might seem like a long-winded complaint, but it’s really not. I love it when a book enthralls me so much that I must live and breathe it. As a writer, I aim to do the same. It is the highest compliment when someone tells me they stayed up late to read my book or couldn’t put it down.

What was the last book that gave you a book hangover?