by Yummy Men and Kick Ass Chicks
Every now and then I will have a physical reaction to a book; the main ones being either crying and/or laughing. The other obvious one happens on occasion whenever I’m reading a particularly hot chapter in a paranormal romance novel. I don’t think that I really need to elaborate on this one… š
I’ve had a nightmare or two back when I used to read more genres; especially when the content dealt with rape, child/animal abuse, etc. Needless to say, I’ve stopped reading these types of books. I like my happily ever after endings, thank you very much!
What about you?
Have You Ever Had A Physical Reaction To A Book?
About the Blogger
I review Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance books with a focus all things werewolf. Based out of Ottawa, Canada
Owner, designer and main blogger behind Rabid Reads. Avid book reader, snowboard bunny, video gamer and Supernatural fan. I love all things paranormal, werewolves especially. Oh, and I’m Canadian, eh!
Same as you really! Though I’ve also had books that have made me really angry at one of the characters and I’ve had to put the book down and take deep breaths to calm myself! Does swearing count as a physical reaction? Because I’ve had books that have had me swearing at characters too! Lol!
@suzi1811 Hehe well if swearing counts, I should probably add that to my answer too! š
Yeah, I think those are normal reactions, especially if the author’s eliciting the right emotions out of us. And swearing at/because of characters definitely counts!
Does chucking a book across the room because I’m so full of angst at the ending count? That’s happened twice – The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks and Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin (for the ridiculous left open cliffhanger ending).
Great question. : )
I mostly laugh. š I rarely cry at books, for me to cry it has to be really sad.
I like horror and I can read pretty much anything without showing much emotion, but I can’t take animal abuse.
@Jessie Marie Absolutely that counts! I’ve chucked a book or two…
@Cayce I have a love/hate relationship with books that make me cry.
Some books can leave me flying high with happiness but I remember The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo left me bummed out for weeks.
The Aspect of Crow series by Jeri Smith-Ready left me emotionally wrecked. I laughed, cried my eyes out, got sick to my stomach….everything.
heart racing, scared, sweaty palms, nervous laughter, outbursts of non-stop giggling, subject to speaking in a different dialect/century, tears, anger…i breathe in my books and connect with the protagonist and have been none to suffer mood swings while reading..LOL
@Karen I keep meaning to read The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo but your comment is kinda discouraging…
@kimba88 Wow, sounds like reading is an intense experience experience for you. š
I realise this is extremely sad to admit but I cried in New Moon when Edward left Bella.
Among the most usual physical reactions are giggling and laughing:) A couple of times I cried over particularly sad scenes (it happens very rarely, because only very sorrowful and soulful books can cause such reaction). Probably the most unusual reaction I had was reaction after finishing Parfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind. The story and the way P.Suskind has written it engulfed me completely and after finishing the book I really felt nauseous.
@emmameade.com I’m sure that you’re not alone!
@oloore Wow, that’s pretty crazy! I’ll have to investigate that book.
I do cry often when reading books– I cry more with books and TV series because I have a longer relationship with the characters. I’ve sobbed through the ends of at least three Harry Potter books and recently I sobbed through the end of The Fault In Our Stars and Mockingjay. I was actually laying in bed, next to my husband, trying to stay quiet at the end of Mockingjay as a horrible lump formed in my throat, trying to sob silently at 1am.
@Jessie Marie
Lol! Yep, I’ve done that before and nearly done it with a couple of other books but refrained from it at the last second!
@Karen I’ve had that experience with a couple of Rachel Vincent’ books cause I’ve felt particularily strongly for a certain character or characters and gotten really emotionally involved with the story then not been able to get it out of my head for ages afterwards! I mean it’s the sign of a good book but at the same time it’s kinda disturbing and I’ve had to tell myself ‘It’s just a book, it’s not real!’ Lol!
@Carmel @ Rabid Reads Lol, I think it should count! So should mentally screaming at characters and occasionally actually speaking your thoughts towards the characters out loud and glaring at the book!
Mostly laughing and crying. I’ve been pissed enough to slam the book shut and shocked enough to just have to sit back and absorb the info. My son has asked me “what’s wrong” on many occasions while reading a book
I’ve had lots of reactions so like you I try to only read book with a happy ending. I’ve cried so hard and been so upset I couldn’t eat dinner. I’ve gotten so angry before that I want to burn the book. I’ve also hated characters so much they make me want to puke. LOL I’m very emotional and my life is hard enough as it is so I prefer to read fun reads. Sometimes you can’t always tell how depressing something will be though. I try to read lots of reviews and ask people. I’m like does it have an HEA? Cause otherwise I’m not reading it.
Yes, I have definitely had physical reactions to books, mostly being laughing and crying. The book that recently brought out both of these was John Green’s “The Fault in Our Stars”. I LOL a lot, but sobbed at the end. Such an amazing book. The series that makes me laugh the most is Darynda Jones’s “Charley Davidson” series. Those are awesome š
The inadvertent laughing was a bit embarrassing when I sat in the back of the class and read books during high school. I’ve been through a full range of emotions while reading, and I have a few tear-stained books. I become emotional when I write as well, and I think it helps transfer the mood to the readers. If a book does not illicit some degree of emotional response, it may as well be a textbook because either the writer or the reader is unimaginative. It takes creativity to read just as it does to write.
@Amy Leigh Strickland Hehe yeah I can’t help but check out who’s around me whenever I’m at an emotional part in a book… I’m a little embarrassed when I start balling my eyes out. LOL
@Christy D It’s always weird when people notice you’re upset because of a book and ask you why. I never know what to say!
@Jennifer Messerschmidt Wow, you’ve burned books!? That’s intense! It musta been really awful!
@Amber Hughes I really need to make time for the Charley Davidson series. Everyone has such good things to say about it!
@Courtney Interesting perspective! I never thought about there being a creative side to reading but I guess there kinda is!
“Daughter of the Forest” by Juliet Marillier made me cry. There’s been a couple others, but that sticks in my mind. I’ve had the various chuckles, cursing under my breath, slapping my forehead when the character does something where I think “You’re an idiot!” and, of course, dancing around randomly for a second when something makes me extremely happy. I also get emotional when I write. If you’re not emotional when you write it, how can you expect the reader to get emotional?
Real physical reactions? Hm.. I often get headaches, tummyaches and stuff like that. I blame Young Adult novels with abusive relationships for that. XD
I also sometimes get goosebumps (happened when I read Archangel by Sharon Shinn when the protagonist started singing), start crying without noticing it(Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma), or notice that my heart’s beating really fast (Fair Game by Patricia Briggs, Comfort Food by Kitty Thomas). Like.. usually it’s 65/minute or less. Then it’s 100+. (Yes, I actually checked. XD)
Great post. I loved reading all the comments!
@Carmel @ Rabid Reads – Reminds me of people who say that reading is boring. It probably isn’t if you have enough imagination and creativity. (Of course there are people who just don’t like reading.)