10 Signs That Books Have Taken Over Your Life

Reading is a way of life, for some more than others. We’ll tell you ten tell-tale signs that books have taken over your life—just don’t expect a cure.

Book Culture Bookish Memes Just For Fun Pop Culture
Comic panel of girl rejecting invitation to hang out so she can read

There are two types of book lovers: typical human beings who just happen to enjoy reading, and those who have surrendered body and mind to the art. Chances are you belong to the second group if you’re here. To help you confirm the truth for yourself, here are some signs that books have taken over your life.

1. You zone out in public while thinking about books.

Me every time I leave the house: Picture of boy thinking, "Damn.. I kinda want to go home and read"
Image via Bookstr/Veronica Vintilla

Your mind replays that epic plot twist you read yesterday for the fifth time, remembering the genius, the emotion, the audacity… And then someone taps you on the shoulder and says you’re holding up the line, could you move?

Oops. You sheepishly take care of your errand. Then your mind goes right back to that plot twist.

2. You keep bringing up books in conversations.

What I think I look like while talking about my favorite book vs. what I actually look like: girl smiling and holding a book on one side, Charlie from "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" ranting about conspiracy on the other
Image via Pinterest

When you’re obsessing over a book, which is all the time, you have to talk about it. It doesn’t matter what the other person is talking about, you will find a way to introduce it into the conversation.

Them: “I think I’ll watch Netflix this weekend. There’s always something new to catch up on.” You: “Okay, but let me tell you about this book you should read instead…”

3. You experience book separation anxiety.

cloud that says "Reality" on it chases black stick figure, who dives into the pages of a book
Image via Bookstr/Raine Harris

Many people can’t spend a day apart from their phones. You, on the other hand, can’t imagine going without a book. Braving the boring normalcy of life without your phone? Doable. Doing that without a book? Unthinkable.

4. You have a book for every situation.

Friend: "Do you have any good book recommendations? Me: "Are you sure you're ready for that conversation?"
Image via Bookstr/Raine Harris

If you’re having a bad day, you know the perfect book to lift your spirits. Welcoming the spring season? You have five beautiful book covers ready for display on your shelf. Made a friend who doesn’t know the joy of reading? Boy, do you have the book for them…

5. You put off responding to people’s messages so you can keep reading.

Woman ignoring her phone to read book
Image via Laura Chouette on Unsplash

You’re getting to a super good part of this book you’ve been dying to read when your phone vibrates. The screen lights up with a message from a friend asking about making plans for the weekend. It’s fine, you’ll just say you were busy when they texted you. It’s not a lie, right?

6. You try to calculate how many books you’ll be able to read before you die.

"Me coming back as a ghost so I can keep reading books that I didn't get to finish": ghost woman reading book in library
Image via Bookstr/Michelle Karissa

Your TBR list is… long. Very long. So long, that you’re not sure you have enough years of your life left to see its completion. But you have to try, right? There are 365 days in a year, which is about the same amount of pages in your average book, and if you live to 100 years old…

7. You seek every possible opportunity to sneak in a minute of reading.

Woman reading on a bathroom sink smoking a cigarette
Image via Ivan Mudruk on Pexels

Parties are fun, sure. But what’s more fun is reading one more chapter of that freakishly good book you just started. If it means excusing yourself from the party for a few minutes to read in the host’s bathroom, so be it. You don’t mind people’s stares as you hold the book in front of your face to read on the way there—every moment counts.

8. You have zero tolerance for interruptions while you’re reading.

"When someone keeps interrupting you while you are trying to read": Eloise from "Bridgerton" saying "I despise you" while holding a book
Image via Bookstr/Griffyn Tijamo and Gracie Lambright

People who know you well enough keep their distance when you have a book open. Or at least, they should. Otherwise, you reserve the right to politely (or not politely) tell them to shut up. And if they repeat their offense, well… you have measures for that.

9. You buy books over (other) basic necessities.

"Me: Hmm, too much." for a $25 t-shirt. "Me: I'll take it." for a $25 book.
Image via Bookstr/Griffyn Tijamo

So maybe you go a little over your budget sometimes to buy books. It’s okay, you didn’t really need new clothes anyway. Or lunch. Or a house.

Okay, maybe not that last one. You do need a place to hold all your books, after all.

10. You tell yourself over and over, “Just one more page…” until you hear the birds singing.

"When you're reading a few more pages before going to bed and something interesting happens": Sheldon from "The Big Bang Theory" saying "I don't need sleep. I need answers."
Image via Bookstr/Kaci Witter

Some might say it’s ridiculous to lose sleep over a book, that you read books to put yourself to sleep instead. But they don’t know what it’s like, reading a book so incredible that you can’t keep your eyes shut. And you keep looking for books like that, because you love books that have the power to keep you awake at night—thinking about them long after you’ve finished turning the pages.

FEATURED IMAGE VIA BOOKSTR/NAT RENOUF