What books do you consider re-readable?

What books do you consider re-readable?

I recently picked up my brother’s copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and started thumbing through the pages. The publishing date caught my eye: 1997. Nearly twenty years ago.

I started reading these books when I was about 13 years old. They weren’t huge then (and no, this isn’t a post about “I read Harry Potter before it was cool”). They sat rather lonely on the shelf at my public library.

I’ve been thinking about rereading these books for awhile, because it’s been over a decade and I can no longer distinguish the important difference between a Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw. But I do remember the delicious thrill of a Harry Potter book swallowing me whole, and getting lost in a fantasy world for days on end. Except this time I get to do it weeks on end! I have the whole, complete series at my fingertips!

This is escapism at its finest, I figure. And hey, it’s better than resorting to meth and computer game addiction.

Usually I am dead set against rereading books. There are far too many new stories to discover out there; my to-read list on Goodreads is nearly 200 books long, for goodness sake. I don’t even have a home at the moment but I’m lugging around five or six books to read. How can I go back? Even worse, will rereading Harry Potter count towards my Goodreads Book Challenge?! Oh the inhumanity.

What books do you consider re-readable, or what books have you reread?

On my tentative reread list, I’m all about the series.

Harry Potter – J.K. Rowling

Well, this one is explained pretty well above.

My fear about Harry Potter is that I’ll dislike the books this time around. My reading tastes have changed a fair bit throughout my 20s, and I’m pretty sure studying English had something to do with it.

Buy Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (first book).

His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman

I read the His Dark Materials series when I was a bit older, in high school. At the time, I loved them twice as much as Harry Potter (but the first movie was atrocious).

“Here lives an orphaned ward named Lyra Belacqua, whose carefree life among the scholars at Oxford’s Jordan College is shattered by the arrival of two powerful visitors. First, her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, appears with evidence of mystery and danger in the far North, including photographs of a mysterious celestial phenomenon called Dust and the dim outline of a city suspended in the Aurora Borealis that he suspects is part of an alternate universe. He leaves Lyra in the care of Mrs. Coulter, an enigmatic scholar and explorer who offers to give Lyra the attention her uncle has long refused her. In this multilayered narrative, however, nothing is as it seems. Lyra sets out for the top of the world in search of her kidnapped playmate, Roger, bearing a rare truth-telling instrument, the alethiometer. All around her children are disappearing—victims of so-called “Gobblers”—and being used as subjects in terrible experiments that separate humans from their daemons, creatures that reflect each person’s inner being. And somehow, both Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter are involved.”

This book stirred up some enormous controversy, apparently. Pullman has no qualms with bashing religion and pretty openly takes an anti-Christian stance. (Well, not openly. But read between the lines.)

Buy the first book in the series, The Golden Compass. It’s a shorter series too, with just three books.

Anne of Green Gables – L.M. Montgomery

I don’t think I’ve ever cried so hard over a book as when I closed the final book in this series. I resisted reading for years, because when I was a child I hated Anne because she hated her own red hair. I was stubborn even as a seven year old.

But after a quick visit to Prince Edward Island about six years ago, I stopped at the Anne of Green Gables house and picked up the book in the gift shop. I guess I was feeling inspired. I fell headlong into Anne’s life and I still kinda miss her, all these years later.

Anne of Green Gables is overwhelmingly gushy and wholesome. It’s over-the-top. But I swear to god, Anne Shirley has the sweet disposition to thaw the iciest of icy hearts.

All I’ve ever wanted is to marry Gilbert and live a simple life on a tiny Canadian island saddled with a bunch of youngsters. (Actually that sounds terrible, but I promise you, it works in book form.)

“Everyone’s favorite redhead, the spunky Anne Shirley, begins her adventures at Green Gables, a farm outside Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. When the freckled girl realizes that the elderly Cuthberts wanted to adopt a boy instead, she begins to try to win them and, consequently, the reader, over.”

I hate that book description. We all know I’m everyone’s favourite redhead.

Buy the first Anne of Green Gables book

What series have hooked you?

I’ve been reading a like a mofo these past few months, so I’ll share my reading list in a few weeks. Also, these links are affiliates. If you choose to click through and buy a book, I’ll get a small payment — at no extra cost to you.

 

  • September 02 2016

    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series and as a standalone The Lovely Bones. I definitely do not reread books as much as I used to though.

    • September 08 2016
      Candice

      I have the first book in the Dragon Tattoo series to read! Woot

  • September 02 2016

    Basically any book I read as a child/teenager!

    I constantly reread my Francesca Lia Block books (the Dangerous Angels “serires” is a classic), Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, the Baby-Sitters Club books whenever I’m visiting my parents… etc.

    I used to reread the first three Harry Potter books constantly – but I’ve found it really hard to reread the rest because they get SO much darker and more upsetting hahah.

    • September 08 2016
      Candice

      I’ve added “Stargirl” to my list! BSC was my favourite series of all time growing up, haha.

  • September 03 2016
    Amy

    The Princess Bride! Such a fantastic, multi-layered book full of jokes. Seriously, I recommend it to everyone and I love rereading it. That’s always been my go-to deserted island book.

    • September 08 2016
      Candice

      It’s crazy that I haven’t read it!

  • September 03 2016

    I think I have heard of Anne of Green Gables for a very long time but never got myself to pick one up!

    love from grace ♥ imaqination

    • September 08 2016
      Candice

      Oh you really, really should!

  • September 05 2016

    I think re-reading Harry Potter would be a great thing to do, they are really well written so I think they have some magic left for adults as well (uhh, the person who originally got me into the series was my mum…)

    I do think though that some books should not be re-read. I’ve read some of my favourites from my pre-teens/childhood/teenage years and been bitterly dissappointed. Then again, I recently re-read a series that weirded me out as a kid (but which I obviously had to read since it was written by my then-favourite author) and I actually loved it! So, uhh, I guess do whatever.

    • September 08 2016
      Candice

      That’s a good point, I feel the same way about movies and such. It’s so different watching them when you’re an adult as opposed to a child! So far so good with Harry Potter, though.

  • September 12 2016

    Harry Potter & Anne of Green Gables for sure! I think you are the first person (besides myself) I’ve known to ever mention Anne!
    I also re-read my old school V.C Andrews series. The Flowers in the Attic one, Cutler one, The Casteel, The Landry, those old series.

    I never got into the newer V.C Andrews books, but the older ones I will forever re-read :)

    • September 13 2016
      Candice

      Really?! How does the whole world NOT know about Anne! Gahh!

  • September 14 2016

    I like to underline interesting ideas when I read and so I like to own the book. Then I usually re-read these underlined parts!
    Jolana from http://yellowhouseideas.blogspot.sk

    • September 14 2016
      Candice

      I like that idea!

  • September 21 2016

    My all time favourite book is ‘The Secret History’ by Donna Tartt. It’s amazing and SO re-readable – I’ve read it four times now, and I get more out of it every time I come back to it.

    Also ‘I Captured The Castle’ by Dodie Smith. I first read it as a teenager, and it’s still as beautiful now as it was then. I come back to it every few years.

    • September 23 2016
      Candice

      I LOVE “I Capture the Castle”! So good. I haven’t read “The Secret History” though. Off to add that one to my to-read list!

  • September 21 2016

    My all time favourite book is ‘The Secret History’ by Donna Tartt. It’s amazing and SO re-readable – I’ve read it four times now, and I get more out of it every time I come back to it.

    Also ‘I Capture The Castle’ by Dodie Smith. I first read it as a teenager, and it’s still as beautiful now as it was then. I come back to it every few years.

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