So, the other day, when I finished reading Half Bad and I was in a place where I had nothing else to do but start reading another book, I realised that I just… couldn’t. I had another book with me. In fact it was a book that I’d started reading already before, while I was in the middle of reading Half Bad. And still, I couldn’t get into the other book.
I was too busy thinking about how to write a review for Half Bad. I get really excited about writing reviews! So I feel like my mind was racing because I had just finished the book and I was trying to put all my thoughts in order so I could just get ready to write the review when I got home. So maybe it didn’t used to be this hard to start reading another book immediately after finishing one, back when I didn’t write reviews? But I don’t really remember… And also, back then, I don’t think I really tried to read so much that I’d have to pick up another book immediately after finishing one.
My question is: do you find it difficult to dive into another book straightaway after you’ve finished reading one? How long do you normally give yourself between finishing one book and starting another? Does it vary, depending on the book? Does finishing a really good book make it harder to start a new one or not?
Afterwritten 
I think it varies between books for me. If they’re all very similar (like my latest reads!), then it’s pretty easy to jump right into another one. Or if they’re in a series, like the Hundred Oaks books I just finished! Then I’m itching to start right away, and hate waiting any longer than I have to.
Sometimes if a book is just THAT good, I have to wait till the next day or maybe even two to start another one. Almost like I have to give the book it’s due respect, lol.
I get what you’re saying about Half Bad though – that book definitely left me unable to read another for a while after!
Yeah, I think it’s definitely easiest to go from one book in a series to another! I always want to go from one book in a series to another but I try to make myself wait because I like being cruel to myself, haha. I think it’s also easier to start reading contemporary novels straight away after another book, because contemporary novels don’t tend to have like a lot of complicated information that you have to absorb straightaway about the setting and stuff like that, so it makes it easier to get into even if you’re still reeling from another book.
This is such an interesting discussion! I think 2 weeks ago, I started reading The Goddess and The Theif, great blurb, great beginning, but I didn’t like a plot twist halfway through and then I started to get bored. So I started reading Uprising: Heirs Of The Demon King (at the time I was suffering severe cramps O_O) and I reeeally got into that, amazing book. Only when I put it down at one point, it was hard to pick up and continue because I didn’t wanna finish it too quickly! So I started reading The Hobbit and finished that really quick because it’s amazing. But the whole time I kept thinking, ‘Man I should REALLY finish the other two…’
Since I started reviewing books, I’ve been reading a LOT more (which is great). But I don’t like reading a book immediately after because then I forget what I felt about the other book. Usually, I try and write the review the same day or the next day, when helps to stick in my mind what I thought about it. Then I’ll read the next one any time from several days to several weeks later; usually if i’m about to travel or if I’m bored (or in pain), or trying to limit my time on the internet.
Finishing a really good book makes it hard to read another one quickly, because I’m still emotional from the F E E L S >.< I have to wait until that fades and then I can start a new one!
Oops, sorry for my long comment. This was a super interesting post, thanks for sharing.
Haha, I do have a problem with starting too many books. It’s not even that one bores me, it’s just… I just get distracted somehow and I always think I’ll get back the first one eventually… Sometimes I do, but unfortunately, sometimes I just don’t, even if the first one was actually really good?? But I just have such a short attention span, it’s terrible.
Yeah, the best way to get the feels out is to write a review, I think, but when you don’t have access to a computer then you can’t really write a review yet. I definitely think that I need to write the review as soon as possible as well. I usually like doing it the next day instead of on the same day now because I feel like if I do it on the same day I’m usually like REALLY INCOHERENT and then I rate a book too high and I look back and I’m like… I don’t think it was actually that good… I need just a day or so to be able to think about the book a little more calmly.
Thanks! 🙂
I can read a book straight after, there’s hardly any issue. When there is, it’s because can’t find a book I’m in the mood for, after finishing a certain kind of book. If I’ve just finished an urban fantasy, want another one, and all I have in front of me is contemporary, then it can take me a little while to pick up another book, because I’m all meh.
My main problem is waiting too long to write reviews. I have to write a review fairly soon afterwards. Preferably the same day I finish a book, but if not, 1-2 days after. I finished a book on Tuesday, but because of Christmas, I’ve not yet had a chance to write my review. I’ve been worrying that I’m going to forget all the things I want to write. Fortunately, one of my Christmas presents was a book journal, so I was able to quickly write down some notes.
I can’t read several books at once though. Well, really, I’m not sure if I can or not, I’ve never tried. I don’t want to read several books at once. The idea doesn’t appeal to me.
Great discussion, Cynthia!
Hmm, yeah, finishing one type of book usually makes me want to read a similar type of book! It’s just with fantasy or dystopian books especially, I find the beginnings of a lot of fantasy/dystopian books quite hard to get into because there’s usually a lot of new information and worldbuilding and stuff like that and it’s very hard to absorb all that unless I give it all my attention.
Yeah I definitely need to write reviews as soon as possible too! I am really forgetful. I like finishing a book at night before I go to bed, and then writing the review the next morning. That way I’ve had some time to let it sink in and I have some distance from the book so I can think more carefully about how I want to rate it, but it’s not so long after that I forget everything about it.
I sometimes like to have two books started at the same time, but then one will inevitably grab my attention more and I will focus on it until I finish it and then return to the other one.
Firstly: I AM SO GLAD YOU TOO WHERE HUNGOVER BY HALF BAD. AJFDKSLAD THAT BOOK. OMG. I JUST CANNOT EVEN ARTICULATE PROPER THOUGHTS AND I READ IT AGES AGO.
*calms down slightly*
I…I usually read a book straight away. Sometimes I even start the book directly after putting the first down. >.> But I TRY not to do that. I like to write a review before I start a new book.
I didn’t actually love the whole book because I thought most of it was pretty slow but the last third or so was pretty amazing! I just loved Gabriel a lot, haha.
Yeah, I’ve discovered that I really must try to write a review before I start a new book, or I’ll start to forget everything I liked about the previous book. SUCH TERRIBLE MEMORY, omg.
Honestly I have no problems starting a new book, kind of. Usually I am always reading something, but it takes a lot of effort for me to pick up the book again even if I am halfway through. Though I do have book hangovers, they don’t last for a long time. Which I guess it is a good thing?
However, sometimes I do end up starting a new book, but then I stop after 8% or a couple of pages, since I’m just constantly thinking of the previous book I JUST finished. But I try to get over it because 1) I LOVE WRITING REVIEWS and 2) I never seem to have a book to review so I have to read more more MORE. I cannot procrastinate!
Reading times on the other hand, that’s another story. I take SO LONG to read a book when I wanted to finish it sooner.
Yeah, if a book isn’t amazing, I do have a hard time picking it up again. I prefer to read books in big chunks and in as few sittings as possible. In one go is always the best way to read a book, but sometimes with longer books that isn’t always feasible. But if I read a book in tiny bits it always feels really unsatisfying and then I feel like that affects my opinion of the book negatively even though it isn’t always the book’s fault…
I love writing reviews too! Writing reviews is the best way to get over a book hangover, definitely.
I read books fairly quickly as long as I have the time to do it… It’s finding the time that’s hard, haha.