When you read a book, how do you feel? It's hard to answer that question, it really is. Bookish feels cannot be explained to those mundane fools who don't appreciate a good book. And if you don't feel anything, THEN YOU'RE NOT A GODDAMN READER [No I'm kidding, I'm kidding]. But seriously, there has to be a way to cope with these bookish feels right? Although this post may not discover all the cures to bookish feels, it'll at least explain what you're feeling when you're feeling it.
1. An ending so beautiful.. it makes you want to cry
Aww Buffy, you're still adorable like that. I am crazy sensitive when it comes to crying. I cry at almost anything. If you show me a video with a polar bear trying to swim because the freaking snow is melting, I'll start bursting into tears. You know what, just thinking about it makes me all wet-eyed. But seriously, when there is a sweet and beautiful moment that you're not expecting, doesn't it just make you want to cry? Ahem ahem the books Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon, Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom, and goddamn The Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare. If I received a nickle for every time I cried, I'd own the damn bank.
Um.. what else makes you cry? Ingenious quotes from the author [John Green, Jandy Nelson], romantic makeup and breakup scenes, kissing in the rain, and even moments of character realization.
2. Character deaths. Oh shoot, someone just stabbed you in the heart.
I actually take pictures of myself when I finish books and trust me, you don't want to see what I looked like after finishing Allegiant. This is a great way to keep track of all the emotions you're feeling! That's what inspired me for this feeling. Sometimes authors find that one of their characters need to... *swallows*.. d-d- die. And when that time comes [and it will] it might come when you least expect it. I know it's going to feel like the author betrayed you and is making the story go to a bad place.
How to cope?
Wear a bullet-proof vest so you don't get hit too hard!
3. Blushing at those cutesy romantic moments and imagining it being done to you in real life.
This occurs most often for me because I love a book with some good romance. Anytime you read a part where the characters are holding hands, kissing each other, getting it on, or just sitting on the couch staring into each other eyes, you imagine yourself in the place of the girl [or guy] and you can't take it! You start blushing like crazy, asking yourself: What me and my boyfriend/girlfriend did that? Will that ever happen to me? Don't deny it. I know you think about it too. But let's face it, these YA [MG or NA, depending on what you read] romances are nothing but pure abstract thoughts from the author, or personal experiences of course. And even if you don't find yourself blushing, someone who happens to be walking by will see you. In fact, they'll be more than happy to point it out. And then you'll blush even more out of embarrassment. Or perhaps if it's another booklover, you can go up to them and show them the part and blush together [goals].
4. So angry at a character that you just have to tweet about it.
Thanks @Lilyh_R for your wonderful example!
You won't agree with a character's decisions all the time. In fact, more than half the time, we usually expect the opposite to happen than what the character does [Well, at least for me].
How to cope?
Realize you can't do anything about it. Once the author has published their book for the world, it's out there and you can't stop it from going out to millions of other people. It's kind of sad that we can't change what a character does but it's something that we always have Twitter for. Post a rant on twitter and maybe others will argue against it or follow up with some more interesting details.
5. When you've finished a book and the sequel isn't out yet...
I'll end this post with a feeling that we're ALL familiar with. Sometimes I read books and I'm unaware that there is going to be a sequel that's coming out in the next year. Don't throw your book out the window. That's craziness! But I will say it feels so good to use your pillow as a punching bag and your book as your punching gloves.
How to cope?
Look to see when the sequel of the book you're reading is coming out. It's always nice to know ahead of the time so that when you do finish the book and can't handle the feels, you can rant about the extremely long publication date with others who feel the same exact way.
Are you susceptible to any of these bookish feels? |
I literally never ever cry over a book, it could tear me up, and I'll be completely dry eyed. 'Cause I'm a G. Lol. But seriously I never cry, ever. But show me a video where a dog gets a splinter, or a guy proposes, and watch out for the waterworks. I'm so weird.
ReplyDeleteWow that is so strange but you're lucky. I read in public so when something comes unexpectedly, I start bawling like cray cray. I wish I could function like that!
DeleteLol, I love the gifs. A book has never made me cry, but I do get angry at stupid characters. I guess I just can’t handle stupidity.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
And their stupid decisions :D
DeleteHaha, I can relate to every point you mentioned in this post! I always have no idea what to do with my feelings. But mainly, I feel frustrated because either a) the book is over or b) I've been hit in the feels. Usually it's b), since it's near impossible to avoid being hit by the feels!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, I absolutely love these ones! :)
~Erika @ Books, Stars, Writing. And Everything In Between.
Thanks Erika! I very much hoped that most of you could relate to these. It happens to me way too often so I'd figured I wanted to know who else went through it.
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