How to Cure a Book Hangover

a.k.a. Getting Over The Amazing Book That Dominated Your Life for a Short/Extended Period of Time:

Book Hangover: Inability to start a new book because you're still living in the last book's world.



We've all had it. At some stage in our life, we have had the 'Getting Over It' problem. For me, I think it happened first when I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. 'What do I do with my life now', I wondered to myself? Then it was Twilight, but let's not talk about that. Then The Hunger Games x 3, then Looking for Alaska. And The Fault in Our Stars! And countless others! I'm a big reader, so for my entire life so far, I've finished many, many books and had many, many book hangovers. And sat there. In a stunned silence, not knowing what to do with my life next.

So I'm here to help. I can empathise with you. We can work with out together. I'm particularly sympathetic if you read The Fault in Our Stars (my FAVOURITE book of all time!) over a year ago and are still not over it!

So let's talk. Well, you can cry a little bit if you want to. That can help, except you're not really being very strong are you? You're trying to get over this book! But crying shows that you're still holding on! Which means that you're obviously not ready to fit back into society yet, right? I mean, you're allowed to pine over this book for a bit. It changed your life, remember? But you also have to remember that normal social interactions happen in real life, not in fiction. And most of the people around you won't even know what you're talking about if you suddenly blurt out in conversation 'BUT WHAT ABOUT AUGUSTUS AND HAZEL!'. Except if you blurt out something Harry Potter-related. Then you are guaranteed a response and a group of people to pine over it with you.

You can re-read the book if you want. And if you cry when you're reading the book, then so be it. Except if it's Twilight. Then the world disowns you, sorry. But really, if this book was so good that it gave you a book hangover, then it deserves to be read again and again! My copy of The Fault in Our Stars has tattered corners  from the amount of times that I've reread it (not only due to the fact that my ex-boyfriend bent the corners of the pages when I made him read it grrrrr! I mean, who does that!?).

Oh, that's another thing that you can do! Make all your friends read it. That way, you can all be hermits together and discuss

this book for the rest of your life and be sad and in your book hangover forever. I'm kidding. But I'm a big fan of buying my friends my favourite book for their birthdays. And make sure you write in it. And the date. It makes it more special, and when they look back on it when they're old they'll laugh at the message, or phone you, or re-read it. Or just do all of the above.

I suppose throughout this blog I was supposed to give you some actual, HELPFUL tips about how to get over a book hangover. But I don't know if there is really a cure? Maybe if you think that you're actually a part of the world described in the book, then you should see a psychologist...or psychiatrist.. or go an live at Harry Potter World in the Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios themepark in Orlando, Florida. But always remember that you don't have to get over it straight away. It's ok to mope for a couple of days, thinking of 'what if's' about the book and curling up in your bed/ not ever getting up and re-reading your favourite parts! But if you want tips, perhaps drink tea? It apparently cures everything...Maybe it will work on Book Hangovers!

http://ladyliradotcom.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/book-hangover1.jpg?w=560

p.s. Be ready for my fangirling over The Fault in Our Stars movie in like a year or whenever it's released. Ohmygosh they better do a good job! Maybe I'll blog about good books and what happens when they're made into movies sometime? :)