The best books, in my opinion, are the ones that are just as awesome when you come back and read them again as they were the first time around. If I can enjoy a book just as much when I know all the plot twists and secrets, then you can bet it’s a keeper. I know some people don’t reread often, preferring to move on and discover new books, but for me, rereading books is part of my reading habits, and it’s one of my favourite things. I can sink into a familiar story, safe in the knowledge that this book is going to be GOOD, and just enjoy the experience.
There are plenty of books I’ve enjoyed enough to give second readings to in the past, but just at the moment, there are several that really stand out to me as needing rereads sometime in the very near future. I’ve a hankering to enjoy some old favourites, people.
For one, I’ve had a craving for some Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus recently. I discovered these back when there were only one or two books in the very first series, loved them instantly, and devoured each new installment as soon as my local library put them on the shelves.I love Greek mythology, retellings, humour and epic adventures, and these books combine all of them. Plus there are like, 10-12 of them, so if I need a good binge read, these would be perfect.
Another book I’ve been hankering to reread recently is The Seer and the Sword by Victoria Hanley. I think the only reason my library had this book for so long was because I constantly had it checked out. I’d bring it back, then borrow it again in the same visit because it was just that good. Fantasy, magic, a love story I could actually get behind, a prince without a throne, and a princess in exile. Perfection. I also think the whole tone of the book influenced my writing of The Crystal Tree a bit. This is definitely one of my go-to comfort reads.
Finally, I am bound and determined that I am going to reread The Illuminae Files by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman again in the very near future. I procrastinated reading them for ages, right up until I saw Jay Kristoff speak at a writer’s festival, after which, I picked them up and binged my way through all three in the space of 48 hours. They’re just that good. Multiple POVs where I actually liked every single character, a unique storytelling format using no traditional storytelling, but only journal entries, security camera footage, chat logs and the like, and an epic space adventure. I’m itching to read these ones again as soon as I can possibly find the time to read them in one go.
Listing these books out has just made me want to read them all again that much more. I think I need to curl up with a thick stack of books and disappear for about a week until I’ve munched my way through them all again. While I’m fighting off that urge, tell me, what books are on your reread list? Do you like stand alones that are easy to read in a short space of time, or longer series for binge reading? Do you have books that you reread over and over and over, or do you just pick one up every now and again?
