The Last Ten Books That Gave Me a Book Hangover

It is not often that I find myself in a book hangover but when I do it can be difficult to get out of! Maybe I will share some tips about out to get over a book hangover in a future post.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

There is just something special about this book that I could not stop thinking about after it was over. It is just so smart and there is a lot going on. It is one of those books that I just had to live in for a while before I was ready to move on, which is ironic as the plot is about living inside the story of Jane Eyre.

Recursion by Blake Crouch

Blake Crouch knows how to mess with your mind. It is almost impossible not to have a book hangover after you read one of his books. I thought that Recursion was brilliant and it left me with a lot to think about. This story did not seem that farfetched. What I wasn’t expecting was for it to also make me so damn emotional!

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro

The Travelling Cat Chronicle was so beautiful and special. As a HUGE cat lover, this story touched me and truly spoke to my soul. I adore everything about the relationship between Satoru and his cat Nana. I was an emotional wreak and I had to take a week off from reading in order to recover.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

This book was so heavy. It was a difficult read both in the plot and the way it was written. It left me feeling a certain way that no other books has before. I absolutely loved it but it also drained me in many ways. It is a book that I think about all of the time.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

I am started to realize that emotional books often lead me to a book hanger. That was definitely the case with The Nickel Boys. It devastated me and also infuriated me. It is crushing to know that it was based on a true story and a school like this actually existed. As soon as I put the book down I ended up doing a great deal of googling on the school this story is based on.

The Silence of Girls by Pat Barker

I have fallen in love with mythology and The Silence of Girls is probably my favourite. I loved that Pat Barker told Achilles story through the eyes of a women. It was not a perfect book but it was refreshing and eyeopening. It also lead me down a rabbit hole of researching more about Briseis as she has also been in the background.

Women Talking by Miriam Toews

As soon as I finished Women Talking I knew that I had found a new favourite author. I knew nothing about Miriam Toews but I could just feel that this book was deeply personal for her. This is another book based on a true story and I once again fell down a rabbit hole of research which detracted me from reading.

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet is everything that I love in SciFi. I remember distinctly how it made me feel and I think I actually hugged the book when it was over. Becky Chambers is a master at creating worlds and diverse, unique, memorable characters. I just was not ready to move on from this book.

The Ensemble by Aja Gabel

It is funny because I know many people do not feel the same way as I did about The Ensemble. There was just something about it that I connected to and has stayed with me. I love stories about musicians or artists and it was a joy to follow these characters throughout the years. Seeing how their relationships change and evolve as time went by was what made this book special in my mind.

Tin Man by Sarah Winman

I talk about Tin Man all of the time and I have no plans on stopping any time soon. I know that it is so cliche but this tiny book packed a big punch. It is an almost romance and I think so many of us can relate to that. It is also a beautiful story about a friendship that may have been more in another lifetime. I think about Ellis and Michael all of the time. I had to reflect on the story for awhile before I was ready to move on.

Putting this list together has made me realize that there are usually two reasons why I fall into a book hanger. One is when a book is super emotional and the other is when a book leads to wanting to do more research on my own. I think that is interesting!

What was the last book to put you into a book hangover?