Every night since reading this book, I've had to struggle with my droopy eyelids and desperate need to keep reading. I've had give myself a minor therapy session in order to convince myself that 'It's ok if you stop reading and continue tomorrow night. The words on the remaining pages are not going to run away. They'll be there tomorrow. I promise."
This is the conversation I have with myself:
"Sleep. You're tired."
"But I can't! I have to know what happens next."
"It'll still be there tomorrow. Go to sleep."
"But, but, I won't be able to sleep if I don't know what happens next!"
"Ok, just read one more chapter. Then promise me you'll sleep."
"Ok. I promise."
... reads one more chapter ...
"Oh no! Another cliff-hanger! I need to read another chapter."
"No, you don't. You need to sleep."
"Please? Just one more chapter?"
"Oh for God's sake get a grip of yourself you dipshit! Close. Eyes. Now!"
"No! I refuse to give into your coniving plans for me to miss out on the goods. I'm reading another chapter."
... reads one more chapter ...
"Oh no! Another cliff-hanger! I need to read another chapter."
Um, ok, you see my problem? I may need to put some 'day' time away for this book.
So who wants to know what the book is? I'll give you a clue. Click here for it. I should have finished the book by the weekend and I'll be sure to post a review! :o)
I'm sure this happens to you when you read a good book. I'm sleep deprived. Do you get sleep deprived over a good read?
Naw, sleep usually wins with me.
ReplyDeleteI always do this and then regret it in the morning. But I love getting my hands on a book that I can't put down.
ReplyDeleteI used to and then I had kids and you need your sleep and are too tired to read. When they grew up I had time to read during the day so didn't bother. I usually read in the bath before bed and morning and afternoon coffee times.
ReplyDeleteHaha! This happens to me all the time so I can totally relate! :)
ReplyDeleteI read at night, in bed. I don't think I could sleep if I didn't read first. It's like my pacifier. And yes, sometimes I have a hard time putting a book down.
ReplyDeleteEyelids droop, book slips from fingers, book falls on the floor, noise wakes me, gets book off floor, apologises to book for letting it fall and continues to read....
After a while the words run past my eyes but I can't take their meaning in. Then I know it's time for sleep. Better to read while the words still have meaning.
ReplyDeleteI rarely read in bed these days because my shift at work starts so early, but reading does get in the way of other things sometimes, especially when I have a particularly good book going.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could say I do but after a long tiring day at work I climb in bed to read a book and it puts me right to sleep (no matter how good).
ReplyDeleteAll the time. I was laughing at your conversations. I think you may be watching me. :)
ReplyDeleteNot very many books do that to me, but I love it when I find one that does!
ReplyDeleteI do that with a new DVD collection of a TV series I am watching new like DEXTER, LOST, or TRUE BLOOD.
ReplyDeleteI have done that with Harry Dreden's adventures though.
Be kind to those eyes and put down the book. LOL
Nice tease...of course I followed the link. Can't wait for the review. I also read in bed...or at the coffee shop, or on my breaks. I'm always sleep deprived because of great books :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm always sleep deprived. Sometimes the culprit is a good read, other times it's attempting to write a good read.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean here. You keep reading, glance at the clock, and think just one more page...one more chapter. I read an entire book one night because I kept saying that, even though I meant to only read the first chapter and go to bed.
ReplyDeleteoh! Is THAT book THAT good??? I've been hearing about it nonstop! Moving it up on my TBR pile...
ReplyDeletesleep or read? depends entirely on the book, but you totally reinforced my theory on how to keep readers turning pages---cliffhanger chapter endings. It's like the whole "clean your plate thing." People MUST finish the chapter... :D <3
*squeals* I know, I know which book it is! Knew as soon as the link took me there! THE PREACHER'S BRIDE!!!! I really need to read it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, yes, I get sleep-deprived. It's usually Suzanne Collins' fault. Or Peretti's. Or Dekker's. Or various other cruel people who have a vendetta against my sleep.
All the time! The last time I sacrificed sleep for a book was Mockingjay. But I've always been a 'just one more chapter' girl. It used to drive my parents nuts when I was little. lol.
ReplyDeleteIt's as if you're narrating my life... except for the part about the duvet.
ReplyDeleteLast night I turned off the light at 1 am. I call this progress.
That's a great review! I've had similar issues. I always think just a little bit more then sleep.
ReplyDeleteI had the same problem when I read that book! In fact, I actually (true story, I swear) hid in the bathroom for two hours one night so my husband wouldn't know I was still up!!! LOL. I couldn't put it down. Jody did such a wonderful job! :-)
ReplyDeleteThis is also my preferred method of reading. Stephen King is the one who kept me up all night, and dang it his books are long. I really want to read this book. Your post clinched it for me.
ReplyDeleteYou're better than me. I can't read at night or the same thing happens to me. I'm up to late and can't function the next day. But I do read more in the summer when I'm off so I can sleep in a little.
ReplyDeleteIf you get a chance, I'm hosting a Halloween Haunting at my blog "Substitute Teacher's Saga" from 10/28-11/1 if you want to join in. There are prizes!
That's a sure sign of a great book.
ReplyDeleteI have a wrestle and make myself count the chairs and sofas around the house in my head to switch off from the other thoughts. If I'm still awake half hour later I read a bit more. Maybe you should just read another page and not allow yourself to reach the next cliffhanger. LOL! :O)
ReplyDeleteNot over a book, but over something ridiculous like Law and Order.
ReplyDeleteI actually love the anticipation of putting down the book at a key part (still at the end of a chapter or section, mind, but usually those are pretty cliff-hangery). Then I drift off to sleep knowing there's more treasure the next night. Mmm.
ReplyDeleteB
The Middle Ages
I never read in bed. Beds are for sleep and sex. I have tried but I can't enjoy a book when I should be sleeping and if there's sex on the go who wants to read? I often wake up in the middle of the night and read but I do it in my comfy leather chair which a cup of coffee.
ReplyDeleteI can't actually think of any book that I couldn't put down. Not ever. There are books I've enjoyed but when I start skipping sentences and then whole paragraphs just to find out what's happened then I'm no longer reading and it's time to do something else instead.
I used to read before I went to sleep all the time . . . but not anymore. I find that if there's an awesome book to wake up to the next day, I'll get up early more easily.
ReplyDeleteBTW, there's an award for you on my blog. :)
hi miss jessica! yikes! now that i got that cool new light for reading over my bed i gotta just keep going. then one of my brothers comes in my bedroom and takes the book away and puts the light out. one night i fooled them and read under the covers with a flashlight. ha ha. then i couldnt hardly get up in the morning. ugh! yep if its a really good book it soooo hard to get stopped and go to sleep.
ReplyDelete...hugs from lenny
I do that all the time! I always find myself reading at 2:00 am and then having to convince myself to stop reading and go to sleep.
ReplyDeleteI do most of my reading while I walk (and have commitments when i get there) or in the bath--and eventually the water gets cold so I get out. But I do love a book that sucks me in like that.
ReplyDeleteI'm starting to think this bloggy thing is a support group or something...lol! I read before bed too. Even got myself a snazzy little book light thingy to alleviate the DH annoyance level. (Bad idea. Leads to even longer evening reading hours and the most horrible book hangovers.) Let me know if you find a cure!
ReplyDeleteA sign of a good book is when you can't put it down :)
ReplyDeleteThis always happens to me. sigh.
ReplyDeleteAwww, You're awesome, Jessica! And totally hilarious! I'm so glad THAT book is keeping you awake. ;-)
ReplyDeleteShannon, you never told me you took THAT book into the bathroom to sneak in reading time! Too funny!
Thanks for the sweet words. I just love you guys! *sniff, sniff* :-)
I have this problem almost every night...I promise myself as I head up the stairs that I will read two chapters and then go to sleep by 11 at the latest, then by 12:30 I commit to finishing the chapter and going to sleep, and at 1...well you get the picture...
ReplyDeleteAt least I'm not alone with my problem it appears it is not just a reader problem it's a writer problem...
Been there done that, back in the early school days I would read to midnight plus, the next day was a drag until I got home to finish my book. I'd forget to eat, drink everything just to finish a good book.
ReplyDeleteAfter years of this, my sleepy self has given up all hope. I frequently lose sleep over books.
ReplyDeleteThis happens to me all the time!!! But as much as I love getting a good night sleep, it's totally worth it to be sleep-deprived when I'm reading an amazing book!
ReplyDeleteOnly two books have held me like that:
ReplyDeleteStephen King's It, which I read in two nights.
Cormac McCarthy's The Road, which I read through to almost the end in one sitting, and finished the last few pages the next night.
All the other times I read multiple books, read a few chapters from each here-and-there, and can put down and pick up the books will.
- Eric
I usually read until I fall asleep, then I wake up a few hours later with the book on my face (this happens more often than it should, hehe). If I'm listening to Pink Floyd, though, I'm gone before the first page is read, so I gotta be careful :P
ReplyDelete