In this modern world of Snapchat and Instagram stories, visual forms of communication are more popular than ever. One of the most popular, and greatest in my opinion, are GIFs. They’re relatable, hilarious, and can get your point across without saying a word. The emotions they convey can be perfect for almost any situation. Upset that your team lost again? There’s a GIF for that. Excited because your best friend got a promotion? Cue the happy dance GIFs. When it comes to readers or book addicts, the options are endless. There’s a GIF for everything from discovering your new favorite couple, to finishing a series and not knowing what to do with yourself. Here are five of those GIFs that have readers saying, “can relate”.

1. Packing your books for a trip.

When the time comes for a book lover to go on a trip, how can they just bring one book? Blasphemy! We, like Merlin, love bringing options for any mood or situation. Sadly, magical packing skills and bottomless bags aren’t something I’m blessed with.

2. Going to the library or bookstore for new books.

Most readers can relate to Belle, especially in the above GIF. Going to the library or the bookstore is like stepping into a magical word of opportunity. Plus, the smell of books flooding the shop or library is like heaven to a reader’s nose. If my library had one of those ladders, you can bet that I’d be swinging along just like Belle.

3. Trying to explain why you’re obsessed with books.

Some readers began their love affair with reading later in life, but some have been inhaling books since they could put letters into words. From that day on, the books you read feel like they become a part of you. It’s lovely, especially if you grew up reading something life-changing like Harry Potter or the Narnia series. The best part of all? You can share these amazing stories with the next generation and see how it shapes their world.

4. When you hear someone bad mouthing your favorite character.

When a reader loves a story, they usually love it deeply. The same can be said for characters. Be it a rouge, charming villain or a wholesome sidekick, readers are protective of their favorites. Many will fight you if you dismiss or belittle the characters they’ve grown so close too. Opinions of stories are allowed to be varied, but any extreme claim about a character will have angry readers storming the internet castle. I know that I’ve grown close to Kylo-ing out when I heard someone say that Luna Lovegood wasn’t a good character!

5. When someone keeps disturbing you while you’re reading

There’s nothing worse than being deep into a wonderful story, about to discover a life-altering plot point, when… “Hey!!” Someone disturbs you and pulls you out of the book and back into the dreaded real world. Important memo to non-readers or those who read less frequently than their book-obsessed friends: do NOT disturb someone reading unless it is a life or death situation. Have a funny cat meme you’ve been dying to show them? Wait until they close the book or prepare to face their wrath. I’ve been on the giving and receiving end of this look, and let’s be real, it never ends well.

I hope you enjoyed diving into the book lover’s GIF world! Are there GIFs that you relate to as a reader? Let me know in the comments down below! Also, I have a feature where you can send me book recommendations. You can send me those by filling out the survey here, or comment below this post and I’ll add it to my Goodreads!