Any true reader knows that books are our friends. They distract us from our everyday life and transport to fantastical worlds where the perfect guy is a gallops ride away, great mystical powers rely on one person fighting the odds and vampires stalk the night. Reading is a joy and sometimes there’s nothing better than diving into a world so different from our own to pass a few hours. Even better when that book is part of a series where we can get to know the characters over several adventures, or if it’s an old favourite that you’ve read numerous times. Re-reading favourite books can be a balm – a comfort to catch up with old friends. Recharge the reading batteries.
However. I haven’t re-read a single book since I started this book blog 18 months ago. It’s not that I haven’t wanted too, but my TBR pile has grown so much that I keep wanting to get that under some sort of control before picking up a book I’ve read many times before. So all those books I used to read once a year or so, with their spines cracked and corners slightly ruffled are sitting feeling neglected. Not one single re-read have I done in the last 18 months and I miss it. These are old friends like The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice, Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong, Watership Down by Richard Adams, the Obernewtyn series by Isobelle Carmody, Robin Hobb’s Liveship Traders. These are all books I kept because I enjoy the story, love the world and they moved me in some way. I miss them. Like old friends who’s new address and phone number I’ve misplaced.
So I am thinking I will try to re-read some of these books throughout the year – and I will even review them on here. The reviews may be slightly different than normal purely because I have read these books many times and would automatically be giving them 10 out of 10 – but necessarily because they are the best books in the world but because I love so much.
I have to ask other book bloggers out there if they re-read books often? Do you review them, if you do? What’s your opinion on re-reading? I know many bloggers are fast readers (I used to think I was fast until I discovered people who could read 6 books a week easily!) – does that help squeeze in re-reads? Or have you never read a book twice? I want to know what people think! J
I'm like you, my TBR pile is HUGE...More Mountain like than a pile. I like to re-read some of my favorites and I will be reviewing them on my blog (most I've read before I started blogging). I LOVE the idea of re-reading, especially if the book is part of a series and the next installment is coming out soon.
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I've reread a bunch of books since starting my review blog. A few of them are books I've already reviewed, too, but most of my rereads are books that I read years ago, before doing book reviews called out to me, and so when I reread them I also give them a review as I go. I reread books all the time, especially old favourites.
ReplyDeleteThough I admit, before starting the blog, most of my reading consisted of rereads. I stuck to old favourites, rarely branching out, even though I would often purchase a good number of books that looked interesting. Doing reviews has been wonderful to break me of that habit, but still I go back and revisit some familiar worlds and stories, and there's no harm in that at all.
I used to re-read Magician by Feist once a year, a couple of WOT books and Robin Hobb but then I started blogging and nada. Not before now and my WOT challenge
ReplyDeleteI love rereading my favorite books and keep doing it when I feel like it, even if that does result in an ever growing tbr-pile.
ReplyDeleteI don't reread as often as I should or want to because, like you, I feel the pressure to control my TBR pile. I used to reread more in the days before blogging.
ReplyDeleteI reread The Historian & Dracula last year and just finished rereading The Secret Garden. I got much more out of each of them on the second read so I think it is worthwhile.
I don't sit and re-read my favourite books cover to cover, but quite often I pick up a book I read a while back just to re-read a favourite scene or two.
ReplyDeleteI used to re-read books all the time, but like you, since I started blogging there are way too many new books to read instead!
There are very few books I will reread, but I haven't done so with my tbr review pile. I am so in awe of you for doing so! I'm getting quite burned out and probably should be doing more things like this... but... *sizzle* ;)
ReplyDeleteI will dip in and out of books I've read before, to follow one storyline, or just read a favourite chapter, but I haven't been re-reading whole books as much as I used to. I reread a couple of favourites over the Christmas holiday, but apart from that, it's been a while since I properly reread something. I miss it! There are so many books on my shelves at home that I keep because I like them enough to read again, and it's a shame that I haven't been doing that. I think it's partly the pressure of needing to read something so that I can post a review - I tend to read slower if I already know what happens.
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