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Original poster

What's the one book that you've stayed up into the early hours to read?

98 replies

FlorencePennnywell · 27/08/2022 21:10

Despite having to get up early or whatever .. what is the one book that you simply couldn't put down as you needed to know what happened next or you were just thoroughly engrossed?

OP posts:
Suetwo · 29/08/2022 22:23

Loads of books

Sherlock Holmes: Sign of the Four (audiobook read by Stephen Fry)
P G Wodehouse: Right Ho Jeeves
Oscar Wilde: Picture of Dorian Grey
Ian McEwan: Atonement

Oh, and the final part of Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell trilogy. Man did I have nightmares that night.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 29/08/2022 22:27

Most books by Douglas Kennedy

1990s · 29/08/2022 22:31

PiffleWiffleWoozle · 29/08/2022 22:00

Harry Potter

Yep, Potter. Read the final one in one day making me later for a house party aged about 20.

WhatWouldHopperDo · 29/08/2022 22:31

And another Stephen King. The Green Mile. I was reading it in my caravan at 2am a few days ago!!

Celia24 · 29/08/2022 22:33

The Lighthouse Witches by CJ Cooke

Theendofnature · 29/08/2022 22:33

His Dark Materials, beautiful book

CatNamedEaster · 29/08/2022 22:40

Did it last night; Pidgeon English.
Incredible book, funny but at the same time heartbreaking story narrated by an 11 year old immigrant living in a deprived area.

Before that it was The Couple Next Door...unfortunately the ending was shit so I was tired for nothing.😂

fireplacetiles · 29/08/2022 22:49

Another vote for Fingersmith! Best twist EVER! Once you get to that bit, no way are you going to bedGrin

SammyScrounge · 29/08/2022 23:04

A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel.
Fabulous tale of the French Revolution. No

SquitMcJit · 29/08/2022 23:07

TwinsAndTiramisu · 27/08/2022 21:22

The Neverending Story.

Never have I been more horrified by a film adaptation. When I tell people it's my favourite book, most have never read it, but have seen that embarrassing film, presume the book is similar, and look at me like I'm a philistine. If the film was titled something else, you wouldn't even recognise it was the same story.

I gift the book to everyone, it's a magnificent read. The descriptions and images you conjure as you read are like nothing I've read before, and it's truly frightening.

Yes! I couldn’t agree more.

SquitMcJit · 29/08/2022 23:11

I missed my stop on the tube reading The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy. I was completely horrified and absorbed by the passage I was reading. Such an incredible writer.

denpark · 29/08/2022 23:11

TwinsAndTiramisu · 27/08/2022 21:22

The Neverending Story.

Never have I been more horrified by a film adaptation. When I tell people it's my favourite book, most have never read it, but have seen that embarrassing film, presume the book is similar, and look at me like I'm a philistine. If the film was titled something else, you wouldn't even recognise it was the same story.

I gift the book to everyone, it's a magnificent read. The descriptions and images you conjure as you read are like nothing I've read before, and it's truly frightening.

I completely agree with you. The book is truly incredible

Pallisers · 29/08/2022 23:29

going to order The Neverending Story from the library now.

InMySpareTime · 30/08/2022 06:30

Definitely the Neverending story.
Did you notice the thing about the chapter first letters?

The only book that's truly kept me up until dawn reading was The Stand by Stephen King, but that's only because it's such a long book it took a whole day.

I've read many books in "one sitting" but usually start at dawn so am finished by night time.

Minimalme · 30/08/2022 10:40

This is a bit embarrassing but I had to lie in bed to read the last half of the final Harry Potter book.

I basically cancelled everything, got in bed and joined the characters in the battle. It felt epic and mind blowing.

Afterwards, I stumbled downstairs and told dh my 'revelation' which was - prepare to be underwhelmed by my expressive skills - "love, it's all about love. Everything in life is about love."

I wonder now if it unlocked something deep in me about not being loved as a child. It was like JK Rowling showed me something I had never felt. Which I didn't even realise was out there.

JK Rowling is a genius.

TwinsAndTiramisu · 30/08/2022 19:55

InMySpareTime · 30/08/2022 06:30

Definitely the Neverending story.
Did you notice the thing about the chapter first letters?

The only book that's truly kept me up until dawn reading was The Stand by Stephen King, but that's only because it's such a long book it took a whole day.

I've read many books in "one sitting" but usually start at dawn so am finished by night time.

No! I haven't noticed anything about the chapter first letters! Off to the study I go...

InMySpareTime · 31/08/2022 16:06

@TwinsAndTiramisu have you seen it yet?
(I'm really excited that someone else will notice, it took me until the third time reading it to twig)

MoltenLasagne · 31/08/2022 16:10

Oh many, many books but the one I remember most was finding A thousand splendid suns by Khaled Hosseini at a holiday rental and thinking I'd give it a go to get to sleep. Was just finishing it when people started waking up in the morning.

littlebauxpeep · 03/09/2022 22:04

The Book Thief

SwimmingOnEggshells · 03/09/2022 22:22

Ditto The Book Thief

Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks

Star of the Sea by Joseph O'Connor (Sinead O'Connor's brother

hookiewookie29 · 04/09/2022 16:06

Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes. Could not put it down!

petridishmystery · 05/09/2022 07:59

almostmummyof2 · 27/08/2022 21:11

I loved the shining by Stephen King!

I was coming here to say that! I’ve stayed up late to read loads of books, can’t remember them all but always remember staying up to read that one. It was the night before my first ever tattoo so I was nervous anyway and then once I started it I knew I’d be too scared to sleep so just stayed up! That and It are the only two books to ever make me jump the way films do.

MaryasBible · 16/11/2022 23:49

This is a lovely thread so I’m resurrecting it.

I stay up late reading quite often. I love being that gripped by a book.

The most recent was Still Life. I had to, had to, finish it. I sat in bed crying my eyes out being as quiet as I could because DP was asleep next to me. When I’d finished I went to the loo to give my nose a good blow and realised it was getting light! (It was summer so 430am rather than 8am)

rosegoldwatcher · 17/11/2022 00:02

Last week I downloaded The Wonder by Emma Donoghue before breakfast and read it all day (mostly in bed!) I finished it just before midnight.

I love finding a book that you just can't leave alone.

SammyScrounge · 17/11/2022 00:05

A Place Of Greater Safety. Hilary Mantel
In my.opinion her very best work. Sat up till dawn reading it.o