In the past I've never really been one to re-read books. I've always been one to believe that there are too many amazing books out there that I haven't read, why would I waste my time reading books I've already read? And then I signed myself up for the PopSugar Reading Challenge this year, and there was one dreaded prompt - A book you haven't read since high school. I have to say that I was a little bit disappointed it was on the list of prompts. I wanted to use the challenge to discover new books that I hadn't heard of before, not read books I've already read!
As I was packing earlier this summer to move into a smaller space with Brett, I knew it was time to say goodbye to some of the books that had been sitting on my shelf for years. As I was going through each title I really asked myself, Which of these titles do you have absolutely no intention of picking back up again? and Which ones can you picture yourself at least flipping through again? The question was surprising, but I really do have quite a few books that I loved reading so much that I kind of want to revisit again - something I had never really felt before - and it really helped me decide which books I would be okay with passing off to a new home and which ones I couldn't bear to part with.
The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
I mean, I wouldn't be a product of my generation if this wasn't the first item on this list! I grew up with Harry - I read the first book when I was 11 years old and I read the last book when I was 17 years old. I was the same age as Harry and the trio with each book I picked up and because of that, I could relate so well with these characters who were coming of age (albeit in a magical world, but that's neither here nor there). I've been a fan of this franchise for so much of my life and I know I will continue to be as I get older as well. While I don't own the entire series yet, I'm buying the illustrated editions as they release (they are GORGEOUS) and re-reading the series that way. If I decide to have a family one day, I know I'll share these stories with my children and hope that they love them as much as I do.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
I read this book for the first time in 9th grade at age 14. I remember it was assigned as summer reading for my Honor's English class in high school and while it did take me quite a bit to get through, I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Scout grappling with understanding a world that is much more complex that it seems when you're a child. I often cite this book as being my favorite, but I haven't read it in over 10 years and some of the details of this title have become quite fuzzy. I'm interested to see how I enjoy it as an adult reader vs. a teenager, as I'm sure there is so much I missed when I was reading it the first time through.
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
I believe I first read this book in college (though I'm foggy on what year I did read it), and it's just one of those books that when you pick it up you just can't put it back down. The story of this boy who is trying to find answers that his father - who passed away in the September 11th attacks - left behind is so enthralling and interesting that you feel like you are just as desperate to figure out the mystery of the key just as much as the main character. Foer has a way of writing that make it very easy to slip into the shoes of the main character which is always so crucial for me to really enjoy a book.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
This is my most recent read, completed in March of 2015 when my family and I went on vacation. This story is adorable and hilarious and really quite adventurous as well which made it a perfect read for a trip that we were going on. The narration is so light and easy but the story is so wonderful and I get an instant feeling of happiness when I look at this book on my shelf. I think this is one of those books that would just feel good to hop back into, and it's actually in the process of being adapted into a film which I am VERY excited about (with rumors of Helena Bonham Carter being involved!), so this would be perfect to revisit before seeing the movie.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
This was assigned in my English class my junior year of high school and this is just one of those 20th century classics that is so much fun to read. This was one of my favorite assigned readings and a really great glimpse back into the roaring twenties. Again, it's been about 10 years since I've read this novel so the details of it are a little fuzzy around the edges so I really would love to refresh my memory of the story and see it from the perspective of an adult reader instead of a high school student.
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Those are a quick handful of books I'd love to re-read and as I was building this list I thought of several more titles I would love to revisit one day. Perhaps I'll make another list in the future for more books I'd like to re-read because I'm sure I'll start finding more and more books that I will fall in love with!
And if my own feelings toward re-reading weren't enough, one of my favorite BookTubers, BooksandLala, recently posted a video on why re-reading is enjoyable and different reasons why you might want to pick up a book for a second time. She actually had the same feelings toward re-reading as I did before she started reading books, and now she re-reads all the time! If you're considering re-reading a book but maybe aren't entirely sure if you should or WHY you should, give the play button on this video a little click and Lala will give you a slew of reasons to revisit your favorites!
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