SERIESous Discussions: Every once and awhile I will post my random ramblings about a bookish or blogging topic. Feel free to join in by making a comment below or linking back!
If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.
~Oscar Wilde
Now who am I to disagree with the great Oscar Wilde?
(Well, I do. But I digress…for now.)
I was inspired to write this post after reading numerous other discussion posts on why people reread books. As someone who rarely rereads books, I have to admit that I was a little surprised by the number of people who do reread on a regular basis. If I do reread a book, it’s books simply to remember what happened in the previous novel, not just for the sake of revisiting a world.
Now, that isn’t to say that I don’t have some books I wouldn’t mind rereading. In the last two years, I’ve started to accumulate physical copies of my favourite series. Because I mostly eRead and/or borrow books from the library, if I do find a series I particularly love, I want it on hand. I want to be able to share it with friends and family…maybe even my future kids one day.
So what makes you want to pick up a book again?
For me, I have two main criteria: characters and the plot.
The series that I have on my shelf have some of my favourite characters ever. They made me laugh, they made me swoon and they probably made me cry. Basically, they made me feel a variety of emotions while I was reading. I love when that happens. These characters feel like family to me and I couldn’t imagine my reading life without them.
Personal Examples: The Mortal Instruments | Vampire Academy
I think it goes without saying that when you reread books, you’ll probably catch things you missed the first time around. This is especially true in series that have intricate, overarching plots where things are constantly building as you read. I love books with complicated plots and I can’t wait to reread these bad boys again to appreciate their stellar writing.
Personal Examples: The Winner’s Trilogy | Rook
Now, I do have to give a special shout out to those books that just make you happy. These are the books that you go back to simply for the fact that they can cheer you up and make you smile.
Personal Examples: Victoria and the Rogue | Never Love a Highlander
To go back to the quote from Oscar Wilde, I have to say that I disagree. I may never read that book again, but if I enjoyed it, I don’t consider it a waste of time. It’s the same situation with movies and TV shows. You’ll develop your favourites that you will constantly return to. But in between those favourites, you’ll watch entertaining pieces that you will appreciate for what they are in that moment and there is nothing wrong with that.
So what makes a book reread worthy to you?
What are some of your go-to rereads?
Connect: 
I soo agree with your examples of TMI series. It’s honestly, one of the best series I have ever read and it’ll forever have a special place in my heart. The books I can connect with this level, are definitely the ones I love rereading. Great post!
Poulami @ Daydreaming Books recently posted…TV Show Review: Full House (Thai)
I’ve never felt so attached to a set of characters like I have for the TMI series! They are so special to me <3
I used to reread ALL the time before I started blogging. Now I’m so much more AWARE of all of the new releases, and also want to read newer books to make my content feel more relevant. However, I am trying to revisit some of my favorite series again (I’m currently rereading the A Court of Thorns and Roses series to prepare for the newest book’s release in May) and I’m shocked by how much I’m enjoying rereading, even to the point where I’ve stalled on the rest of my TBR because I’m just so excited to reread!
Cristina @ Girl in the Pages recently posted…The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney | Mini Review
That’s so true! When my reading TBR was smaller it wasn’t a big deal to reread. But I try to keep my content fresh and having to review whole series keeps me focused on new to me books.
I would like to find the time to reread again…maybe a goal for next year 🙂
Before I discovered the online book community I would just reread my favorite books, it drove my mom insane. The only time I would read something new is if I had to read it for school or if there was a movie coming out (yes, I was *that* person). Now I don’t have time to reread books, but I miss it so much. If I could, I would reread the Harry Potter series, the Percy Jackson series, The Last Song, TMI, The Lunar Chronicles….there are so many!
I’m totally guilty of the “omg the movie is coming I have to read the book” motto. Most of the time I read the book and then it takes me months to see the movie.
I’ve been buying hard copies of my favourite books over the years for the purpose of rereading and the more I see them on my shelf, the more I want to read them. Especially TMI as I watch the TV show and just got the newer paperback boxset…
[…] Lauren always posts the most wonderful, thoughtful discussions and I particularly enjoyed her thoughts on what makes a book re-read worthy. […]
I pretty much never reread because there are SO many books I want to read. But I have had the urge from time to time. Maybe one of these days I’ll actually do it!
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction recently posted…Laini Taylor’s Strange The Dreamer Event Recap
In an ideal world, I would be rereading my favourites within the next two years. I just have so many books to read on my Kobo that I can’t fathom rereading those I’ve already enjoyed!
I don’t reread a TON, but I do sometimes, and I really enjoy it. I don’t have specific criteria for what makes a book re-read-worthy, but obviously it’s going to be books I loved. And what you said about noticing the things you missed the first time, especially in intricate series, is my favorite thing about rereading! But I also disagree with the Oscar Wilde quote. Just because I don’t want to reread a book, doesn’t mean it wasn’t amazing the first time around!
Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight recently posted…Bloggy Musings: Is Blogging a Creative Outlet?
Some books are just one-time-wonders. You can’t get those feelings back when you already knows what happens. I could see with some mysterious that rereading would help you see where those hints were all along but I don’t know if I would necessarily have the patience to do that.
And as I get into audiobooks more and more, I’ve started to pick up some of those books I’ve already read but have heard fantastic things about the audio versions (like The Illuminae Files).
I used to reread books all the time! But that was before I knew about all the great NEW releases I was missing. I now find that I cherish books I loved by thinking of them fondly, before picking up a new read rather than rereading an old favourite.
Kelly recently posted…Book Review: We’ll Never Be Apart
I totally get that. I have such a hard time keeping up with new releases that I can’t even fathom picking up a book I’ve already read instead of a book I’ve been waiting over a year to read! I’m sure in a few years my attitude will change a but for now, I want to focus on the new.
Fantastic post, and I definitely agree with you: characters and story make a book reread worthy, but not ALL books have that hook that will make you explore it over and over again. I LOVE that you put Victoria and the Rogue on your list! I love that one and Nicola and the Viscount. Meg Cabot’s books are all on my “make me happy” list so I tend to reread a lot of hers. Also, I have reread a lot of sports romance and regular romance like Christina Lauren a lot. I know CL’s Beautiful Player incredibly well because I’ve listened to the audio at least 7 times.
I also want to add that a sequel will always make the rest of the books in the series reread worthy because I want to be sucked back into a world before each installment.
Mary @ Mary Had a Little Book Blog recently posted…Review + Giveaway: Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy
Meg Cabot’s books always make me smile. I really enjoyed Nicola and the Viscount as well.
Beautiful Player is without a doubt my favourite in that series and I can definitely see myself rereading that one in the future when I need a solid romance fix.
It’s so true about rereading before a sequel. I find a lot of sequel books don’t give you enough detail of the previous novel to totally transport you back. My crappy memory doesn’t help either and I’m terrible with names so I do a lotta “why was that important again?” So that is one thing I miss about rereading because I think it dampens my reading experience when it takes me longer than it should to acclimatize to the world again.