Jan 15, 2013

Discussion: Why Books Scare Me


Why Books Scare Me

I am the book lover. At least, according to my friends, I am. I’m the go-to-girl when someone wants a book recommendation. My room (aka my inner sanctum) is hailed as a private library that friends and family members are frequently granted access to. It’s a title and notoriety that secretly makes me giggle and preen. And when I get more books? I am the happiest girl alive. I know you might think you are, but really it's me.

I freaking love books … But sometimes?  Books scare me.

Yeah. I actually just said that.

I’ve noticed lately that I have been so excited for certain books to come out, but then when I finally have them in my fingers, I set them aside. Or place them on a shelf with their series-mates like decorations. Or carry them with me in my purse, work bag, car, etc. for weeks with the intention of reading them, but always finding an excuse not to.

Need an example? OK, fine.

Lets take Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi as an example. This was a highly sought-after book. After the smashing success of Shatter Me (which I raved about for months), everyone—myself included—was desperate to get this book. An amazing, patient and benevolent friend of mine actually got a copy at ALA in June. She offered to lend it to me almost immediately because she had plenty else to read in the meantime.

I know. This girl (*cough*Lena*cough*) should clearly be nominated for sainthood. I've already submitted the application.

She sent the book to me and I am ashamed to say it sat on my shelf for months before I returned it to her for reading. And I never read it myself.

It’s not as though I didn’t have the time. I most assuredly did. I think the problem is that I loved Shatter Me so much, I was worried about 2 things:

1.)    The Sophomore Slump: We all know it’s a real issue in books. The first in the series is out-of-the-park phenomenal, but then the second just gets bogged down with details, separation of characters you’ve come to love, the introduction of new characters that infringe upon time spent with the original characters, etc. Sometimes this an author can climb out of this slump in book 3, other times the sophomore slump is the first nail in the coffin for the series.
2.)    The Agonizing Wait: Cliffhanger endings slay me in a big way. To the point where I got through the 5 stages of grief, I think.
a.       Denial: I don’t want to admit it’s over and that just happened. Clearly there’s a hidden chapter I’m missing.
b.      Anger: How dare the author leave it like this? Do they want to infuriate their readers?
c.       Bargaining: I’ll do anything to know what happens next. Seriously. I’ll come mow your yard for the next chapter.
d.      Depression: I’ll never know what happens ever again, will I? Sigh. I need chocolate.
e.      Acceptance: The next book will be out in a year! I can move on with a new book until then!
It’s utterly exhausting. And to repeat this process with each book in a series may eventually lead me to the nuthouse.

See? There’s just so much involved in this. I look forward to something so much, that when I happens I can’t appreciate it because I hate that it will be over soon.

Does anyone else do this? Do you get so excited to have a book, but then find yourself inexplicably shying away from it? Maybe we can get a group rate on therapy!

16 comments:

  1. Yes, sadly. I have a very anticipated sequel sitting on my nightstand. It has been there for almost 2 weeks and I haven't cracked it yet. I try to make a plan though when I find myself shying away. Giving myself internal deadlines seems to help and in the end, I'm always glad I read it in a timely manner :)

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    1. I wish I was disciplined enough for internal deadlines. I'm just ... not. LOL

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  2. HANNAH!!!! I love this post so much! It's as though I wrote it about me. I go through this exact thing sometimes - a book I've been dying to read finds its way into my hands and I just sort of freeze in terror and then set it aside. I have such high hopes for it - what if it doesn't meet them? What if something terrible happens to a beloved character/couple? What if, what if, what if? And then I work myself up into an epic tizzy and it's really all downhill from there. We're peas in a petrified-of-books-we-love pod:)

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    1. YES! YES TO ALL OF THIS! I get so worked up that I can't enjoy the book! It's a mess! Clearly I just need to wait until the entire series is done so I can dedicate and entire weekend or week to finishing the series in one fell swoop.

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  3. Yeah. That's like me as well.
    I don't think I'm like that with EVERY series, just some. With Boundless coming out soon, I've been so excited - but I bet once I get my hands on it I won't want to read it. I'm just too emotionally attached to the characters, you see. I don;t want it to end. Sad face.
    WHAT?! You didn't read Unravel Me even though you had the chance to?!
    Yeah, I love getting new books as well. I get so hyper. I love smelling them. I guess I'm weird like that.

    The Teen Reader
    :)

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    1. I did. I'm such an epic failure as a blogger. I had Unravel Me ... and I didn't read it. Sigh.

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  4. I do this ALL the time! I've started only picking up series if they are already all released. It helps with the panic. Of course, final books in series always freak me out, because I never know if it's going to end like I want it to. Love this post, you are not alone :0)

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    1. I'm so glad people replied to this and I know I'm not the only one who hides from her books!

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  5. I used to do this but I've gotten a little bit better about it when it comes to series. Debuts, on the other hand, I'll pine and pine for, buy by the dozen and not read. It doesn't help that I'm a slow reader on top of that.

    I will always have a fear that I won't feel as much with the sequel as I did with the first but I tell myself that there is no way to know unless I try them out. Usually, I'm pleasantly surprised.

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    1. I'm great with debuts - freaking LOVE them. Devour them. But then freak the rest won't be as good, characters will die or break up, or the book will spontaneously combust while I hold it. So I hide it.

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  6. Yes! I am definitely like that in regards to cliffhangers. It's how I feel about most of the major series. I get excited about them and realize that I have to move on, because it's just so hard to maintain that excitement without fear of being disappointed. I've started reading more debut novels because you don't have that fear or excitement yet; you can find a new person to follow without going through these hard-to-meet expectations.

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    1. It's so hard when you have a year to build expectations for the next book in a series. I put books on a pedestal they'll easily fall off of and then I kick myself.

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  7. I just had to comment on that picture of a baby. So cute lol

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  8. Okay so part of this discussion made me laugh. I agree with you though, sometimes books are scary and not in the horror/suspense kind of way. I'm always nervous when I love a first book and then the second book comes out and I'm scared I won't like it, which in return may make me question how much I really liked the first book. (if that makes sense)!
    Great discussion topic and very understandable!

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