The point of no return. You know it. We readers all do. It is that beautiful moment we all wait for...
The moment you become a fish on a hook.After that, the book sort of owns you. You're doing laundry and thinking about your book. You're cooking dinner and thinking about your book. You're working (or trying to work) and wishing you could rendezvous with your book. I call that moment the point of no return.
What do you call it? What was the last book that really hooked you?
I get hooked a lot. In fact for me, most books have a hook point of no return. But the best hooks are they ones I can still feel days after "the end".
Good one Juju, for me it is the ones that I try to go sleep but can't and wake up to say 1 more chapter even when it is unreasonable times, for me that means after 1pm when I have work in the morning ;-)
ReplyDeleteI can't think of the book that did this to me, it was in Dec I think, let me have a look.
The Hunger Games! I just finished it but while I was reading it I would spend all of my spare time reading it. I would even get annoyed when people would come into my room to talk to me because all I could think about was that they were cutting into my reading time :P
ReplyDeleteHmm...it's been awhile since that's happened to me. I'd probably say that the last book that had me completely hooked was Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev, and that was last summer!
ReplyDeleteIt's been a while since I've been hooked... the one book that I always think back on is Maria V. Synder's Poison Study. I was really impressed with the story and I loved Yelena as the MC and...there was Valek to love. *swoon*
ReplyDeleteI love when that happens....I'd say it was Mockingjay....I was reading that book even at work! ha!
ReplyDeletebooks that hooked me for days after the last page: anna and the french kiss, the duff, ice (sarah beth durst), jelicoe road, sisters red, and many more.
ReplyDeleteI love when this happens. As a matter of fact, I was just thinking about when my current read is going to hook me. Soon I hope.
ReplyDeleteHm, I call it "the all-nighter" ;) Let's see now, recently hooked on Courtney Milan's Unveiled, Eilis O'Neal's The False Princess, Sharon Shinn's Troubled Waters, Rachel Aaron's The Spirit Thief.
ReplyDeleteI love books that hook me. The last one that grabbed me was Still Missing by Chevy Stevens. I still think about it.
ReplyDeleteThis happens to me so often! I can't count how many times I've stayed up until the wee hours of the morning because I just can't put a book down. The last one that did this to me was Anna and the French Kiss--I blew off my friends on a Saturday night to stay in and read!
ReplyDeleteOhh, point of no return! And I love your illustration, Juju! Lol. I guess my point of no return is where I actually become invested in the characters - where I go from just kinda being curious about where the story's going to genuinely caring about the character(s) and what happens to them. A lot of times, though, I get finished with a book without ever having that "point of no return" moment!
ReplyDeleteHappens to me often too! It's a wonderful feeling isn't it?
ReplyDeleteThis is a tough one...it happens a lot, but the last book that really "hooked" me was Wither by Lauren DeStefano. I just couldn't stop thinking about that book, I still think about it and I read it back before Christmas. So good.
ReplyDeleteAs for the word...I'd say I'm "stuck" in a book, but that's because I've spent so much time conversing with my English co-contributors at Chick Lit Reviews I think.
Also, it always reminds me of Catherine Ryan Hyde's writing workshop and what she calls the hook is "the point of engagement." The point of no return when a reader is so connected to the story that there's no turning back. I loved hearing her talk about it!
Great post!
Maybe it was "The Help" or "The Art of Racing in the Rain". Both were excellent. The things I learned from each one were completely different though.
ReplyDeleteOh I"m with you on this one Juju. For the most part, many of the books I read have a hooking point...something making it almost a physial need to finish the book, or at least another chapter. Most recent...hmm...WERELING: DARK MOON...going back a bit, DASH & LILLY'S BOOK OF DARES. They don't have to be action packed to keeping pulling you back.... great post! Happy reading!
ReplyDeletebahahaha that picture! I think the last book that really hooked me and wouldn't let me go was Dark Song by Gail Giles. It was so incredibly powerful.
ReplyDeleteOver this weekend I read Jodi Picoults new one coming out in March called Sing you Home...It made me SO MAD...I was thinking about it all day/night. Thinking about all my responses...writing my review a hundred times in my head....Arghh, I have so much to say it would be like 3 pages long of post space.
ReplyDeleteTina: Oooo it haunted you all weekend :) Awesome!
ReplyDeleteMelissa: *smile* I haven't heard of that one :)
GMR: What a good point. They don't have to be action-packed at all. Just something in the story has to bite me :) Great point!
Gina Precious: I am so curious about the Act of Racing in the Rain :)
1stdaughter: Oooo I want to read that one. "Stuck" = I like that! The "point of engagement" = exactly! I love it. I had no idea it was discussed in workshops :)
PlayingLibrarian: The best :)
Amelia: Ah yes. By far my favorite part is almost always the characters :) Sometimes well after I've finished a story, I'm still pondering how the character's life may have gone from there. Sometimes I finish their lives in my head. Great point!
Meredith: O Anna and the French Kiss....I need to go there. I need to see Paris with Anna. :) You blew off your friends? Impressive! ;) *high five*
Melissa: I can't say I've heard of that one :)
EpicNight: I like that! Plus I totally need Troubled Waters! :) In fact, I need more Sharon Shinn books in general.
Elie: *fingers crossed*
Chelley: I was just telling Meredith, I need to visit Paris with Anna. :)
Christina: O Mockingjay. I bought it when it first came out and I still can't bear to read it. I'm afraid of leaving Katniss, Gale, and Peeta. ;)
Sandy: I SO need to read that. And you know I'm a sucker for a good swoony boy ;)
Natalie: Oo I should try that too :)
Ariel: O the HG series! I love those books. But like I was just telling Christina, I'm hesitant to read Mockingjay because I don't want to leave Katniss, Gale, and Peeta. ;)
Marce: Thanks :) Sleep robbers! My favs! I remember for the Twilight series I called into work. A similar experience happened to me the with Uglies series :)
Oh, it was definitely Crossing Oceans. I just couldn't stop!
ReplyDeleteLaundry & Food - be gone! I was into it!
Gina Hott: *smile* O it's serious when I forgo food! I know that feeling.
ReplyDeleteI love your image and from now on when I'm hooked that picture will pop into my mind :) Right now I'm reading Tiger Rising and it has me hooked. I can't wait to get back to it. But alas life gets in the way :/
ReplyDeleteThe most recent book that hooked me in was The Iron Witch, but it's still The Hunger Games that reeled me in, spat me out and left me hung out to dry! Even months after reading this book i still think about it a lot.
ReplyDeleteKaye: Thanks :) And you're so right, it's so annoying when responsibilities get in the way. I am definitely looking forward to your review :)
ReplyDeleteSlowestBookworm: I know that feeling. LOVE HG! I was telling Christina and Ariel, I devoured books 1 and 2 but I'm hesitant to read Mockingjay because I don't want to leave Katniss, Gale, and Peeta ;)
Great topic! I call it the same thing and the last books that did this to me were....
ReplyDeleteThe Dark Divine & The Hunger Games Trilogy
Jamie: Thanks doll :) O the Dark Divine. I love that book! I can't wait to read the Lost Saint. Have you tried it yet? :)
ReplyDeleteHA! Love that graphic! I get hooked a lot as well, I get sucked right into the books I'm reading and find myself thinking about them all the time. The most memorable one of late for me would be Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning, I'd been waiting 17 months for it to release and it hasn't stopped haunting me!
ReplyDeleteWhen I get hooked, I don't want to reach the end of the book..., and read slowly!
ReplyDeleteGlimmerglass by Jenna Black & Lifted by Wendy Toliver!! For sure!
ReplyDeleteAcross the Universe which I just finished. I just started reading the book and not even one chapter in and it has me crying already.
ReplyDeleteIt's when I forget I'm reading and think I'm "in" the story. Personal Demons and Nightshade had me pretty quick. I love your picture for this post!
ReplyDeleteLast book for me would be Bleeding Violet. So different yet so good
ReplyDeleteFor me it was Room by Emma Donoghue, I could not stop reading
ReplyDeleteI finished Rampant by Diana Peterfreund 4 days ago and am still thinking about killer unicorns. They fascinate me more than I thought they would. Peterfreund unicorn mythology has hooked me and I can't wait to read more about it!
ReplyDeleteJenny: Thanks :) O I was just hinking about that book. It's part of a series right? Do I need to read the others first?
ReplyDeleteMaya: O good for you! I wish I had that restraint. :)
Nina: Noted :) I think I have that one waiting for me :)
Jenny N.: Crying? Really? Please please tell me which part. (I loved it too)
Alyssa: I love it. Good point! When you forget you're reading. I love that :)
Andrea & Blod: Really? I think I need to look that one up :)
Alita: Your thing with unicorns is like my thing for mermen and mermaids. I'm obsessed with sea creatures :)
*giggles* Where did you get that picture of me? *blushes*
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so in love with Melina Marchetta right now. I've been thinking of her stories for weeks. I didn't want them to end.
Missie: LOL :) Surfing the net. Do you think it's too scandalous? Regarding Melina: Interesting. I need to check her out :)
ReplyDeleteThe last novel to really hook me and refuse to let go was probably The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate, though I have to say that I'm really loving Melissa Ford's Life From Scratch right now! Totally hooked!
ReplyDeleteMeg: O Melissa Senate. I liked the Secret of Joy. Maybe I should try that one ;)
ReplyDeleteI love it when you look forward to sitting back down to read a book. Or even getting some things done first so you can reward yourself with some reading time. My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier was like this. I was hooked from the first page and had no idea what was going to happen. And then I thought, "No, Phillip, no."
ReplyDeleteKim: Ooooo now I'm wondering what Philip did. I love when I find my self taking to characters! Thanks :) I'm off to look it up ;)
ReplyDeleteUnearthly was the last book to really “hook” me. I’ve read good books since then, but none can compare to how that one made me feel.
ReplyDeleteChristie: O that one got me too! :)
ReplyDeleteThe Fever series by Karen Marie Moning has me hooked right now. I too, needed a break from YA and it's good me good. I can't stop thinking about those books!
ReplyDeleteKelli: I've been thinking about those. They look so good!
ReplyDeleteLOL - love the pic for this post
ReplyDeletei'd have to say characters are hooks for me. if i really like a particular character in a book i'll read it and all books in its series - like the outlander series by diana gabaldon.
VV: Thanks :) O I am a serious character girl too. Both in books and in movies.
ReplyDeleteThat "point of no return" as you call it is what I look for in a book... sometimes I find it, sometimes I don't...
ReplyDeleteCherry: I know what you mean :)
ReplyDelete