The Ultimate List of Book Lover Struggles You Can’t Ignore
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As book lovers, we all know the book reader struggles that come with our deep love for books. Whether you’re dealing with a book hangover after finishing your favorite book, or trying to keep up with your reading list of new books and new releases, being a bookworm can sometimes feel like a never-ending journey. From deciding which fictional character to fall in love with next, to deciding what to start reading after finishing a series, the reader’s problems are real.
Book lovers often find themselves getting caught between currently reading a few books at once and the overwhelming pressure of adding more to their reading queue. Favorite books take over your mind, but time just doesn’t seem to be on your side. In this post, we’ll dive into the top 10 book lover struggles that make every book lover nod their head in agreement. Whether it’s the pain of stopping reading after a binge or fictional characters becoming more real than the people around us, these are the book reader struggles every book lover faces!
1. Book Overload
Youâre currently reading five books at once, and itâs starting to feel like youâll never finish any of them. The pressure to keep up with new books and new releases makes it hard to focus on one story. Every time you open your Kindle or grab a physical book, your mind is scattered across multiple worlds. You want to immerse yourself, but youâre pulled in different directions by your reading list. The struggle of wanting to read everything but never feeling like youâre getting anywhere is real for every book lover.
2. TBR Pile Anxiety
Your reading list keeps growing, and no matter how many books you read, it never seems to get any shorter. The constant addition of new books to your shelf, whether itâs book reviews youâve seen or recommendations from friends, creates a sense of urgency. You always feel guilty for stopping reading a book and jumping to the next, only to repeat the cycle. The pressure of getting through your TBR without feeling overwhelmed by the endless stack of unread books is one of the most common book lovers’ struggles.
3. Book Hangovers
Finishing a favorite book can be both exciting and heartbreaking. You feel like youâve lost a part of yourself in the fictional characters, and the thought of diving into a new book seems impossible. No other story feels quite as compelling, and itâs like youâve said goodbye to an old friend. Whether itâs a series youâve just wrapped up or a single fictional character who stole your heart. The book hangover leaves you in a reading slump thatâs tough to escape. If you’re a book lover, this is definitely one of your book reader struggles.
4. Struggling to Choose a New Book
Struggling to choose a new book is at the top of the book reader struggles list! You know you need to start reading something new. But the overwhelming number of new books and favorite books on your shelf makes it nearly impossible to decide. Do you want to jump into a fictional characterâs world again, or should you explore a completely new story? The decision feels like a never-ending dilemma for every book lover. The fear of wasting time on a book you might not enjoy keeps you stuck in the currently reading phase with no end in sight.
5. Getting Distracted by Social Media
Trying to finish a book is hard when you keep scrolling through Instagram or TikTok, distracted by book reviews, bookish memes, and people raving about new releases. Instead of turning another page, you end up looking at everyone elseâs reading progress and adding even more titles to your reading list. The constant stream of book lovers sharing their thoughts and experiences makes it even harder to stay focused on the story in front of you, turning your reading into a never-ending cycle of distractions.
6. Falling in Love with Fictional Characters
When you love a fictional character too much, they stick with you long after youâve turned the last page, making it hard to focus on your next story. Thereâs always that one book where the characters are so well-written that you feel like youâve lost a piece of yourself when the story ends. As a book lover, you often find yourself thinking about them at random times, wishing you could go back to that world. The idea of getting emotionally attached to another fictional character after saying goodbye to your last favorite can feel overwhelming.
7. Fear of Spoilers
Whether you’re reading book reviews or just chatting with fellow book lovers, the constant threat of spoilers makes it hard to enjoy a book without constantly fearing someone will ruin the ending. Every post, comment, and recommendation feels like it could spoil a major plot twist or a key moment in your currently reading series. Book lovers live in constant fear of stumbling upon spoilers on social media, which can completely ruin the reading experience. The struggle to avoid spoilers while staying connected to the bookish community is a daily challenge for many readers.
8. Not Having Enough Time to Read
Between work, life, and everything else, finding the time to read can feel impossible. Book lovers everywhere struggle to make space for their reading passion amidst their busy lives. Between social obligations, work deadlines, and other responsibilities, time seems to slip away, and your reading list keeps growing. You find yourself wishing for more hours in the day just to indulge in the worlds of fictional characters you love so much.
9. Re-reading the Same Books
This is one of the book reader struggles that are comforting. Sometimes, it’s easier to read your favorite books for the tenth time than to tackle something new. The comfort of re-reading familiar stories and revisiting fictional characters youâve already fallen for is tempting. While you know there are so many new books waiting to be explored, itâs hard to resist the pull of old favorites. The cycle of getting stuck in favorite books prevents you from diving into uncharted reading territory, making it hard to move forward in your reading journey.
10. Books Becoming Too Long
When a series or book becomes so long, it feels like a commitment. While book lovers are eager to read, it can be overwhelming when youâre looking at an 800-page novel in your currently reading pile. Fictional characters start to feel like theyâre taking over your life, and the idea of finishing such a lengthy book starts to feel like an uphill battle. You love the story, but the time it takes to complete it can create unnecessary pressure.
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