Finally, a reason why we book lovers have a larger book stack than we can keep up with! We always wondered why some books we can read quickly, while others seem to take a bit longer despite our high level of interest in the book.

Thanks to Teresa Decker, we can finally stop beating ourselves up over those books we love, yet don’t seem to finish.

The Most Difficult Book to Finish

I love books. I love to read. Depending on the length, I can finish a book in a week. I think this is true for most readers. However, there is one book that will take me longer to finish. 

The last book in the series. The end is in sight. The plot is wrapping up and the character arcs are nearing completion. I’ll start strong. But once I’m halfway through, I slow down. I’ll read a few pages here and there. I’ll do literally anything else. Except finish the book. 

I organized my kitchen cupboards. I worked on crochet projects. I picked up another book. I played video games. I played with the dogs. I checked out more books in the kindle store. I scrolled through social media. I did anything and everything but finish the book. 

I have a hard time letting go of these characters. I have a hard time saying goodbye. I know I can revisit these worlds any time I want. Reading a book a second time is not the same experience as reading it the first time. Once the series is finished, it is finished forever. The experience is over. I am reluctant to say goodbye. 

If you are enjoying this article by Teresa Decker, check out our other Literary reads, here.

These characters have become my friends. Their struggles become my struggles. Sometimes, I find myself understanding the villain. I don’t agree with their methods but I can follow their logic. Yes, there is a longing to see how it all ends. But I’m not ready for it to end. I’m never ready for it to end. The end feels so… final. So, I walk around without closure on this story because I don’t want this story to end. 

It’s a lot like life, isn’t it? We prolong the stories we want to last because we’re not ready to say goodbye. We have such a strong reluctance to let go. Yet, there are so many other stories to read. There are so many wonderful, colorful, deep, and complex characters dying to meet us. All we have to do is finish our current story. Finish the book, put it down, and pick up a new one. It could be a romance. A thriller. A coming of age tale. Once we experience the next story, we’ll ask ourselves, 

“What took so long to read this story?”

Don’t let fear of letting go stop you from finishing your story. Don’t be afraid to say goodbye. Because each goodbye to one character turns into the introduction of a new character. A new character that has a new story to share. 

Teresa Decker is an independent writer and Tarot reader. You can often find her blogging on her Medium channel about personal experiences, gaming, and helping her readers grow spiritually with her positive encouragement to those overcoming traumas. Soulful, creative, and expressive, we highly recommend you check her out here.