The Quiet Concert: Thoughts for Thursday (8) - Re-reading, I don't do it (until now).

Dec

2013

Thoughts for Thursday (8) - Re-reading, I don't do it (until now).

Welcome to Thoughts for Thursday! This feature is our outlet to talk with you about whatever we currently have on our minds. It might be bookish, it might not! Now for this week's thought:

Re-reading, I don't do it (until now).

I am trying really hard to think of a time that I have re-read a book in my life and I am coming up blank. I can only think of one book I've ever even tried to re-read and that was Harry Potter right before a new book or movie in the series was released. But I never completely made it through any of the books a second time (and I LOVE those books).

It's not that I have an aversion to re-reading. I mean, I see the appeal and there are many books that I love enough to re-read. I think it's just that I've never been motivated enough to pick up a book that I've already read over one I haven't. There are too many books that I want to read and not enough time to read them all. I'd rather spend my time reading something new. I think a big part of this feeling is the fact that I already know how a book ends if I am re-reading. It takes away a lot of the excitement and discovery that a new story holds. This and other little reasons likeI love the feeling of making progress through my TBR, and Goodreads is all weird with re-reads (kind of joking on that last one but not really).

Well that's all changing my friends because I am re-reading a book as we speak - Amber House by Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed and Larking Reed. I LOVED this book the first time I read it. So much so that I gave it a glowing review, I included it on my list of 5 books I wish more people would read, and I recently listed the sequel, Neverwas, as one of my most anticipated sequels. And then the most awesome thing happened and the authors invited me to be part of the blog tour for Neverwas.Best. moment. ever.

And for the first time in my life, I had a strong desire to re-read a book. Amber House is not only a story that appeals to all the things that I love, but it is so intricately detailed that I could seriously benefit from a re-read. I don't want to miss a thing when I read Neverwas. And it has one of those endings that makes you look at everything from a new perspective - so there are so many little details that I can appreciate and connections that I can make the second time around. In fact, I think I may be loving it more this time.

Anyway, this is a big milestone for me. I don't know if Amber House will be the exception to the rule and I will go back to my non-re-reading habits as soon as I am done. But maybe, JUST MAYBE, I will start revisiting some of my favorite books. We shall see.

So talk to me. Do you re-read? Why or why not? Is there a special book or books that you just HAD to re-read?

Comments (19)

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astoldbyrachelk 50p · 590 weeks ago

In high school, I reread books ALL THE TIME. I've read the HP series around 15 times and I don't even know how many times I reread Looking for Alaska. I loved returning to my favorite worlds over and over. That's changed as I've grown older, for two reasons I think. I read to experience different lives and places, and htat's difficult to do when you're always reading the same books. And with blogging, I just don't feel like I have that luxury. There are too many other books I need/want to get to that I don't have time to read something I've read in the past.
My recent post Review: The Extra by Kathryn Lasky

1 reply · active 589 weeks ago

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Nicole · 589 weeks ago

I agree with you on the experience I gain from new stories. No matter how silly a book may be I feel like I learn something from every new book I read.

I don't feel like I have the luxury of re-reading either if I wanted to re-read. The only reason I could afford to re-read Amber House with no affect to my post schedule was because I read so much over Thanksgiving that I got about a week ahead.

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kirstymstudio 102p · 590 weeks ago

I used to re-read all the time, especially when I couldn't just decide on what to read next and needed something good, I've re-read Vampire Academy and Roswell High a few times (more times than I'd like to admit.) Mainly now I re-read as a refresher for the next. Ahh, congrats, that's so exciting! I really liked Amber House too, and such pretty covers! :)

1 reply · active 589 weeks ago

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Nicole · 589 weeks ago

Ahh another Amber House reader! Not enough people have read this book and it makes me really sad.

I wish I could re-read before new books in a series came out but now with school taking up a significant chunk of my time, I can barely manage to read one physical book a week. If I re-read often I'd never put a dent in my TBR. *sigh*

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Kay · 590 weeks ago

Congrats on the blog tour invite!!!

So I do admit that I am a re-reader. :) Normally the books I re-read are to refresh my memory before a new book in a series comes out, but that isn't always the case. Sometimes my re-reading urges come from watching the movie version of the book and then I miss the book so much that I have to re-read it. Then there are just occasions when the urge will strike me or when I'm looking for a book to read that I know for sure I will love, then I grab a book I've already read. Now, I don't do this all the time, but it happens several times a year. Since I am a blogger now I don't do it as often because like you there are so many books to read and there will never be enough time, not to mention the goodreads thing. ;)
My recent post Waiting on Wednesday #9: Conversion by: Katherine Howe

1 reply · active 589 weeks ago

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Nicole · 589 weeks ago

I had the urge to read Catching Fire again after I saw the movie. And Mockingjay to remind myself what happened. But obviously that urge didn't lead to anything haha. It would be nice to have a refresher before a new book in a series comes out, at least for the books I REALLY like, but It's more like I want to refresh my memory rather than re-experience the first book, if that makes any sense.

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littlebookstar 68p · 590 weeks ago

I am the same as you! I don't re-read because there's just so many books out there that I want to read as much books as possible. The only books that I'm planning to read so far are: Across the Universe trilogy, Tragedy Paper, Dash & Lily's Book of Dares, Tiger Lily, and Jane Eyre. I'm also planning to re-read those books maybe after 6 years? I feel like it's too soon for me to re-read those. I get bored easily so if I re-read it, I would get bored because I know what's going to happen in the story.
My recent post {Tour Stop} Rewrite Redemption by J.H. Walker – Review + Giveaway

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Nicole · 589 weeks ago

I GET BORED EASILY TOO!!! So if I remember the book too well I just can't get through it again. I feel like this is a big reason why I didn't re-read Harry Potter. Those books are ingrained in my memory because I love them so much. If I re-read it has to be a really complex book or a book where I forgot the little details and can be surprised by them again.

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Pam@YA Escape · 590 weeks ago

I re-read when a new book in the series comes out because I have a horrible memory so I have to re-read the other books. I wish authors would just write a summary of the previous books in the new one, but I find if I don't re-read, I'm either confused because I have no idea what's going on or I do remember, but I feel disconnected from the characters and so I don't like the new book as much. I also occasionally re-read just because I know that I loved a certain book, I'm in the mood for that particular story, and so I reread it (sort of like watching your favorite movie over and over). But I agree, way too many great books out there.
My recent post Book Review: Beastly by Alex Finn

1 reply · active 589 weeks ago

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Nicole · 589 weeks ago

A summary would definitely be helpful. I'm kind of of the opinion that if an author is going to write a series and release the books a year or more apart than it is their responsibility to give us all the information we need to understand and enjoy the new book. And they kind of do this but it's not always easy to write into the story. So maybe just an ad hoc summary would be better!

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bookaddictsguide 51p · 590 weeks ago

You know... I used to re-read ALL THE TIME. Before I blogged, that was really what I did. I had my favorites and I just constantly re-read them and occasionally, I would read new books haha. I read the books I owned, ya know? I actually started re-reading a lot more this year because I discovered audiobooks and I re-read Harry Potter (1 and 2) and Catching Fire & Mockingjay that way. I re-read the Gayle Forman books with the read along (okay, I created the read along so I had an excuse to re-read haha). It's so hard to re-read when I have so many new books to read!! But I also miss those books that I LOVED that changed my life. It's hard to find a balance but I think I'm getting the hang of it and how I need to do it for me! :)
My recent post Novella Mini-Reviews: The Stranger, The Department of Alterations, The Memory Coder

1 reply · active 589 weeks ago

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Nicole · 589 weeks ago

I'm glad you brought up audiobooks! Audiobooks are a big part of how I "read" and I am a lot less picky about what I listen to because my options are limited. Maybe I could do re-reading this way. I would be limited to what the library has to offer but they do offer some of my favorites. I might try to re-read Harry Potter this way and see how it goes!!

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mel1704 86p · 590 weeks ago

I re-read quite often! I've read HP around 8 times (some books more often than others), The book thief also around 6 times and I'm currently re-reading Daughter of the forest. My all time favorite books are the ones I pick up every now and then :) I just love returning to the world and again losing myself in how much I love them.

I always read several books at the same time, so re-reading doesn't stand in the way of reading new books :)

1 reply · active 589 weeks ago

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Nicole · 589 weeks ago

I really like that idea!!!! Maybe if I re-read slowly at the same time as another book that could work out. I am always reading one physical book and listening to one audiobook. Maybe if I revisited a favorite and say read 100 pages a week or something, it wouldn't really affect my normal schedule. Best of both worlds perhaps!

PS: EIGHT TIMES! That's crazy but awesome because I have immense love for HP

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charleenlynette 32p · 590 weeks ago

I do re-read. Not as much as I used to (like Brittany, I used to mainly re-read the books I already owned) but I still would never want to give it up completely. There are so many books that I couldn't imagine reading once and then giving up forever.
My recent post Return of the Not-So-Random Reads

1 reply · active 584 weeks ago

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The Quiet Concert 59p · 584 weeks ago

I don't want to give them up either. Just right now I don't really re-read. But I still try to acquire my favorite books in the hopes of re-reading them some day!

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jaimelester 53p · 585 weeks ago

I LOVE Amber House, and cannot wait for Neverwas! I will absolutely re-read Amber House, and will enjoy it yet again! I am a big re-reader anyway. I love to read a story a second time, and find new things that I might have missed, or just reacquaint myself with a story that I fell in love with. A lot of people don't understand, but I will always be a proud re-reader! Harry Potter series once a year!

2 replies · active 584 weeks ago

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The Quiet Concert 59p · 584 weeks ago

YAY ANOTHER AMBER HOUSE LOVER! Isn't this book AMAZING? Why haven't more people read it :(

And I totally see the value in re-reading. I didn't think of using audiobooks for re-reading but I am definitely going to start using them for that reason this year. Harry Potter once a year?! I am amazed/inspired by your dedication/love.

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jaimelester 53p · 584 weeks ago

Amber House is definitely underrated, and that makes me sad. It truly knocked my socks off! I cannot wait for Neverwas!
Harry is the man! And I always seem to find new, sometimes tiny details that I missed in books the first go around! I don't re-read every book, but I do end up reading a good many, especially when the final book in a series is out. It is nice to read stories from beginning to end!