The "Book High"

Hey y'all! I don't know about y'all, but the winter always makes me want to curl up with a book and a blanket and read for hours on end. Agghh, I love it.

My favorite thing about reading is the feeling when I finish a book. I call it a "book high." My heart rushes, my brain is muddled, I can't move once I finish the last pages, and I desperately search for the next book high.

Many books have given me this feeling.  The Harry Potter series, The Selection series, See You at Harry's, and most recently, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. It's a mid-19th century version of the story of Hosea and Gomer found in the book of Hosea in the Bible. I read it in just a couple of days, and it left me feeling happy and like nothing in the world could go wrong, or that it wouldn't matter if it did because God can fix anything. Anyway, the book ended, as they all must do eventually, and I was once again in that place of wonder and loss. So, I went downstairs, watched an episode of Gilmore Girls with my mom, and starting writing this. Because when I don't know what to read, I write. And after a book high, all of the words kind of just flow out of me.

This is a poem I wrote awhile back that talks about the feeling of total terror when a book ends and despair sets in.

How could it be over?

It can’t end like that.

I’m not ready.

I need more.

It grabbed my emotions.

It toyed with them.

I can’t even speak.

I need more.

It was so good.

I can still feel it.

It took all my time.

I need more.

I did nothing else.

I gave it my all.

Now it’s done.

I need more.

I let it capture my heart.

Now I’m left empty.

I let it take me over.

I need more.

It took my life.

It played with my head.

Now I have nothing.

I need more

I can’t move on.

I can’t let go.

I can’t turn the last page,

Just to see the dreaded words:

The end.

It's one of my favorite feelings in the world, although it tends to leave me feeling like no other book in the world could ever be that good, just until the next book high comes along. And then it all happens again. It's a vicious circle.

So now it's back to scouring Goodreads to find the next book high. Or maybe I'll look to the ever-growing stack of books by my bed. I've got a bunch that I haven't read yet. Even so, I'd love to get recommendations from y'all of good books to read. The next book high has to come from somewhere!

Thanks for reading and enjoy your next book high!

Sidney

If you enjoyed this post, comment, share, and follow @sidneyhaukblog on Instagram!