What is a “Bookish Hangover” and How Do You Get Rid of It?
Have you ever read a book that was so good that you are still dealing with your feelings about it for the next couple of days or weeks? This problem in the bookaholic business a bookish or a book hangover. In this post, I will share some books that have done this to me and try to give some tips I have used in the past to get over this terrible feeling.
You just feel that the book was SO GOOD that you feel that any book you read after is not going to be as good and you go down this spiral of emptiness and heartbreak. I have also been seen to look at my TBR stack in disdain because they are not more of the characters and book world I have just left. The following books have left me with such a bad book hangover that I thought I would die without the next book.
Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco
Summary:
In Sicily, there lived two sisters. One day, one of them is murdered so the other asks Hell for help in finding out who killed her.
This book is probably one of my favorite reads of 2020. I finished the book in one day because I could not put it down. I don’t know whether or not the book was just so amazing or that it was such a shiny spot because the last few books had been disappointing. However, this book hit me in the best way and I kept trying to slow down my reading pace because I wanted to enjoy every moment. IT WAS SO GOOD! I’m just so excited for the next book!
Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage
Summary:
Hanna is a sweet little girl that loves her daddy. However, she doesn’t like how much attention Daddy pays to her mother Suzette. Suzette is Hanna’s mother and she loves her daughter. But, her daughter is a handful and she doesn’t know if she can do it anymore. Her husband doesn’t see that their daughter is starting to turn on her and she doesn’t know what to do. Hanna wants Daddy to herself and she will do anything to make that happen.
Oh this book is just so good!!! I recommend this book with everyone who loves scary movies with children or books filled with suspense. I could not believe what I was reading and I was shouting at the characters the whole time. After this book, I was in complete shock and didn’t know what to do. I didn’t pick up another book a week because my mind kept going back to this read.
After by Anna Todd
Summary:
Tessa is a good girl. She listens to her mother, she is a great and dedicated student, and has a very sweet and dependable boyfriend. However, she is starting her freshman year of college in the city. However, when she moves into the dorms, she meets Hardin. He is hard, sarcastic, rude, and absolutely handsome. She is so screwed.
I read this series so so so FAST! I think I read all five books in a week and it was a whirlwind of emotions and complete heartbreak and I loved every second of it! OMG IT WAS GOOD! This book series took me a long time to get over, and I honestly can say that I’m still not over it.
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Summary:
Scarlett Dragna and her sister Tella live on a small island with their abusive father. The two sisters have dreamed of escaping from their situation of seeing the famous Caraval led by the famous, Legend. Scarlet and Tessa both receive an invitation to attend so they sneak away for one last hurrah before Scarlett’s arranged marriage.
This book was NOT what I expected, it was SO MUCH BETTER! I was reading through the pages of this book like I was running from the boogie man! I absolutely devoured this book and I had to take a tiny break from books after I was done.
Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Summary:
Poppy is back and with a vengeance. She has been betrayed by the one person she chose and everything she knows is a lie. Who can she trust in this new world and can she stay away from the Dark One or will she be drawn into him despite his betrayal?
I was waiting for this sequel since April and when it finally came out I did the longest happy dance since I got married. I read this massive book in two days and the ending left me angry and depressed for a couple days after. My friend and I were both messaging each other questions and our wish list of the outcomes for the next book and I can’t wait to see if those wishes come true or not!
Crush by Tracey Wolff
Summary:
In the sequel of the Crave series, we arrive back to Katmere Academy and everything has changed. She is not a human, she is the only gargoyle in existence and no one has seen one in over 1,000 years. Grace thought she had it all figured out. Boy, was she wrong.
OMG THIS BOOK WAS SO MUCH BETTER THAN I EXPECTED!!!! I was obsessed with this book as I was reading and could not think of anything else for weeks after I finished. I am honestly still thinking about this book and I can NOT wait until the third book of the series. I might die from impaientance honestly.
Blood and Honey by Shelby Maurin
Summary:
In the anticipated sequel to Serpent and Dove, Lou, Reid, and their friends need allies to battle against the witches and hunters chasing them. However, those allies come at a cost and they might not be willing to pay it.
This book made me so ANGRY OMG! This sequel was a very tough pill to swallow and I was bitter about the characters and their stupid antics for weeks! I understood the curve ball that the author threw at us, but I was so not happy about it. Because of my anger I could not really focus on any books for a couple of days.
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
Summary
In the fifth book of the Throne of Glass series, Aelin has her court and has finally made it to her kingdom of Terrasen. However, now she has to worry if her kingdom will accept her as their queen and with war looming, will she be able to gather enough allies to defeat her enemies?
This book just took everything good that happened so far in the Throne of Glass series and just crushed it in a million tiny pieces. I was DEVASTATED when I reached the ending of this book and I definitely needed a moment to myself to get over it.
Some Tips to Help with Bookish Hangovers
Here are some small things that I do and you could try if you are suffering from a bookish hangover:
Watch an Episode of Your Favorite Television Show
Whenever I get a bookish hangover, I watch an episode of The Office and that always seems to get me out of my funk. I try to look for the episodes where Dwight is pranked in some way.
Scroll through Bookish Social Media
I will scroll through my bookstagram or book twitter sometimes in order to see if other people felt the same about the book or find a new book that could possibly help me get over my overwhelming emotions.
Go Outside
Sometimes taking a walk into nature helps me get my mind out of a bookish world and ready for a new one.
Reread a Favorite Book
I am a big believer in rereading books in general. By rereading a favorite, I get to revisit a familiar place and it gives me the ability to center myself and get ready for another new book that could be a favorite.
Buying a New Book
This is definitely not a healthy way of dealing with a book hangover, but sometimes the purchase of a new book will recapture that excitement for reading and get me going again.
What are some of the books that you’ve read that got you into a book hangover? What were ways that you got yourself out of it? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! Reading a shared experience and I would love to hear your ideas too!
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