I rarely, if ever, reread books. I would love to reread favorites but I never get around to it. Plus, to my way of thinking, it subtracts quality time away from my new books. Hey, I read slow enough as it is and to go back and reread a book is out of the question.
But do readers really reread a book from front to back? I know from experience, if I must go back and reread, I just refer back to the moments in the book that I’ve bookmarked or highlighted. That’s it.
For many readers, rereading is a big part of their reading experience. What say you? Is rereading a big part of your reading experience? How much of your reading does it take up? And please share what books you’ve enjoyed rereading with the rest of us.
pic credit goes to Zitona
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
I re-read all the time, continuously. It started as a kid for me, because the books I liked were not really kept in my school library (sci fi/fantasy/romance) so I had to re-read them to have something to read, then never stopped.
I re-read when a new book comes out by a favourite author, I re-read when I’m waiting for an appointment (downloaded books in a pda) and I re-read at least once a month minimum.
When Rowlings wrote the last Harry Potter, I had re-read all the books while waiting for it. When Eric Flint and Dave Freer’s Sorceress of Karres is released, I’ll re-read Witches of Karres and the Wizard of Karres.
I have books that I re-read at least once a year and some of them have parts in them that make me cry every time I read them.
There are very few books I re-read. And when I do it’s many years in between. I’m due for a GWTW re-read. It has been at least 6 years or so.
First, thank you all for your responses.
I have that one in my stacks here that I hope to get to soon.
I read 3–4 books a week, mostly hard covers, widely varing genres. Times come for me when I feel a little ecky reading big name authors that obviously do not abound in any special word skills. It’s as if I periodicallly crave/need to read well-crafted composed words, imaginative, pithy, witty, concise in everyday tone and with amazing quality above the everyday tone, just to be reminded that good writing is rare, but possible. You know, the appreciated kind of book you read with only brief breaks to take care of basic necessities. For me it’s Betina Krahn. (You mentioned she is one of three authors you want to read some day.) Her latest, Make Me Yours, has a good dozen rave reviews from the toughest reviewers, Many readers and reviewers have ‘keeper shelves’ and are aware of her writing talent and mention they reread her books. I do. There are other authors I reread, but only every few years, mostly for fragment jog and as reference.
Just another bit of data: I don’t normally reread either. But I recently enjoyed my first reread, an old Crusie category, and I must say it was pretty rewarding.
So excited to see other non — rereaders about! I was thinking in my travels into blogland, that I was the only odd duck that doesn’t re-read!
I find once I have read the story, no matter how good it is, once I know the journey and the ending, I can’t sit down and re-read it. I hate it when I know what is going to happen and how it is going to happen.
Though that said, due to budget restrictions this year and in desperation I picked up a couple of SEP’s and a Kenyon, though with those it had been at least five years since I had read any of them. Must admit to enjoying it mostly, so might have to dig up some Lindsey’s which I haven’t read in near on 10–15 years.
Like some of you, I have ahabit of rereading, most often, for comfort and when none of the newbies seem interesting. Sometimes, when an author releases a new book, it’d spark off a reading spree of thier backlist I have as keepers. Frequenly, when the new book is the next instalment in a series I’ve been following, I’d go back and read the previous book, at times starting the whole series again, just to build up the excitement and anticipation.
Recently, I reread Maria Snyder’s Poison Study and Magic Study cover to cover, before getting to Fire Study. It was every bit as magical as when I first read the series.
Some authors tend to inspire this re-reading spurts more than others. Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas, Eloisa James, Madeline Hunter, and Elizabeth Thornton are some authors who inspire that whim. I also can’t recall the number of times I’ve reread the Harry Potter series, and Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice.
I was just thinking of this the other day. I’ve been feeling like an anomaly in the reading world because I don’t re-read and I see talks of rereading pop up all over the blogs. I’m always ready to move to a new book, needing the next adventure, surprise, scare, fascination, etc. I guess I’m a “thriller seeker” in the extreme sport of books, looking for my next fix. Besides my TBR pile is huge, and I have so little to read as it is.
But if I was to pick a book(s) to reread it would the Black Jewels series by Anne Bishop, those books have always had a special fascination for me.
I reread fairly frequently. For comfort, or just because I have nothing to read that strikes me as interesting. Luckily I rarely have reviewing obligations. I review as I feel like it , which thankfully allows me to read whatever I darn well please.
Before I started reviewing for Dear Author, I used to reread very frequently. Now that I have so many new books to review on my list, I do a lot less of it, but I still reread occasionally.
I was a huge re-reader as a kid but hardly ever do these days. If I’m looking for known comfort reads, I re-read my favourite books by Georgette Heyer, Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christie.
I don’t manage to read as many books as I used to, so I tend to stick to new ones. My TBR pile is frightening.
I’m a serial re-reader. I fall in love with characters hard core and simply have to revisit them. Particularly when I get into a reading slump or when I need comfort. I would say probably 1/3 of my reading time is spent re-reading. And I do it cover to cover, every word. Probably because in my very favorites it’s often the language as much as the characters that I love to savor. Some authors I consistently re-read include Juliet Marillier, Sharon Shinn, Robin McKinley, Mary Stewart, Tamora Pierce, and Ellen Emerson White.
I barely reread. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I did. That said, I have hugely enjoyed rereading Jane Austen and Laura Kinsale, so I probably should reread again some time, either Pride and Prejudice or My Sweet Folly, I think.
I re-read compulsively. Especially when there is a new book to the series particularly if its been a year or more since the last installment.
As to what I re-read on a regular basis. That would be the following:
* Black Jewel Trilogy by Anne Bishop
* Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh
* Tarien Soul series by CL Wilson.
I just love them and can’t get enough.
I reread my keepers & “permanent collection” all the time. Cover to cover. It’s like a favorite cookie recipe– wonderful every time. I too read slowly, but I’m not overly interested in the numbers game, so reread all the time.
~Amanda
I don’t reread too often, but I do do it occasionally. I’ll reread the entire book if it’s been a while since I originally read it–like a year or more. Otherwise, if the book was a recent read, I’ll just reread the sections I particularly enjoyed.
I rarely re-read, but have done so with a few books thru the years. Interestingly enough, the books that made the second go-around would not be considered classics by any means. #1 favorite is “The Bride” by Julie Garwood. It’s fun, ridiculous, but totally entertaining. In fact, most of Garwood’s early romance books are favorites of mine. Amanda Quick’s early books also were great for re-reads, as well as a few of Elizabeth Lowell’s early slim books. There were also a couple of Dorothy Garlock’s, Jayne Ann Krentz’ and Theresa Weir’s. But in the years I’ve been reading, the re-reads would only make a small indentation of that total number. I rarely pick up formerly-read books anymore. Suspense does not do well when read again, IMO. When choosing to re-read, for me, it’s probably because I’m wanting a cozy, comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. The authors I mentioned above were successful in producing that feeling, IMO.
I re-read constantly when I first started with romance — Garwood, Lindsey, Johannsen, Woodiwiss. I couldn’t afford to buy too many books so re-reading was a great pleasure. I would re-read from the beginning and sometimes I would think of a scene I had loved and pick up the book, page to the scene only to end up reading every word from that point on again.
20 years later I have a TBR pile that looks menacing and seems to growl at me if I try and pick up a book to re-read. The thing is I know that eventually I’ll want to re-read some of my favourite books again. So I still have keepers, they just don’t get to come off the shelf nearly as often as they once did.
I think also, in the back of my mind, I wonder if I’ll get to the point again where money could be a problem. Hey, we all retire and our incomes decrease so knowing I have a large keeper shelf and not the best of memories, I can relive some of the best romantic book moments over and over again.
CindyS
There are a few books that I’ll re-read. I have re-read Rex Stout’s, Nero Wolfe series several times and each time get something new out of the books. I have re-read several of Agatha Christie’s mysteries. I have re-read some of Nora Robert’s books (especially the Chesapeake Bay series.) Some of Nora’s books, I have just gone back and read passages that I enjoyed. I have re-read the first two books of Linda Howard’s Mackenzie series.
As you can see, I’m an avid re-reader. If a book resonates with me, it goes on the keeper shelf to be savored over again.
I have a feeling that I will be re-reading Julia Spencer Fleming’s Miller’s
Kill series. I love Russ and Clare.
I very rarely reread, but I’m thinking I need to remedy that with CASTLES by Julie Garwood. Sometimes I need reminding why I got into romance fiction in the first place. For that matter, I need to hunt down a copy of FAMILY MAN by JAK, too. She started me on contemporary romance.