How to Handle a Book Hangover

Have you ever read a book or a series that was so good that you were sad to be done with it? Maybe you even read it slowly so that the reading experience would last longer. Maybe you laughed or cried over this book, and these characters – you will love them or hate them forever. They might even feel more like real people than the actual real people you know. And now, the story is all over… and you have this lost feeling, this longing to read more of the same even though there is no more to be read. What do you do? My friends, this is what book nerds refer to as book hangover. It’s a very real thing and it can feel terrible. I’m here to give you a few tips on treating your book hangover that might not cure it but will at least take the edge off.

  1. Have you tried fanfiction? For the uninitiated, fanfiction is fiction about an already established setting or a character written about by fans as opposed to the original author. This solution is not for everyone, and might even feel a little strange. But there are some fanfiction pieces out there that might be as good as the original work, or explore a creative avenue you haven’t before considered. A few of the more famous fanfiction sites are fanfiction.net, Wattpad, Archive of Our Own.
  2. Switch mediums. Part of what makes a book hangover difficult is that it’s really hard to get into a different book after you’re done with one you really loved. Even if you know you should like this new book, the old book lingers in your mind. This is a good time to try binge watching a show or movie series that you either already love or have always wanted to try. Or, binge listen to a podcast. This might give you television/movie/podcast hangover, but then you’ll be able to switch mediums again and pick up another book.
  3. Read something completely different. If changing mediums doesn’t get your mind of of the book in question, you can try reading a different book that is completely different from the hangover book. Trying to read books similar to the hangover book is a mistake because you’ll only compare the two and find the new book lacking. I’m actually going through book hangover right now. The hangover series were mystery books. I’m currently reading an amazing book of essays – We are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby. Both books are good but not comparable.
  4. Get online and join a fan forum. Some people might think this solution is bad the same way scratching mosquito bites is bad. But, talking out your book obsession and hangover can be helpful. You can find a fan group for anything online and maybe talking out every last bit of minutia about a book will get that book out of your head and free up space to read and enjoy other books.

I hope this helps! And if you need assistance with any of these things, come down to the library. We love talking books, movies and podcasts and want you to have really great reading experiences!

Post by Carey Gibbons, Reference Specialist

About #FDL

Welcome to #FDL! #FDL is a twice weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria. Twice a week, library staff will make posts that highlight some aspect of library life and relate it to you – our readers. Have you ever wanted to know which Dewey number represented a certain topic? Are you looking for book recommendations based on your favorite television show or television recommendations based on your favorite book? Have you ever wondered about the secret details of librarian life? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then #FDL is for you. We look forward to writing posts that are informative and entertaining and hope that you enjoy getting better acquainted with Fondulac District Library.