The year of the re-read

I re-read a lot of books in 2016.  Some I had read only last year, others closer to 8 or 10 years ago.  To put a number on that, about 15 books of 51 were re-reads (I say about as I’m not too sure where I stopped in the the Young Wizard books the first time).  

But I’m not upset by this.

Firstly, I got to revisit old favourites and discover they are still really good books.  Others I re-read and they didn’t hold as much water, but that was part of why I wanted to reread them. 

Re-reading books is something I used to do quite often.  As a child it was because I didn’t have exposure to books as much as I do now.  I didn’t know what was coming out or can out recently so I couldn’t ask for them from the library.  Also my home town library is tiiiiiny (same with my school one) so it was hard to find new things to read.  I also have a lot of old favourites. 

As a young adult I typically re-read because I really want to read something by the time exams hit in university, after a semester of refraining from all contact with books.  At this point I need a distraction and my self control is at an all-time low so the best way to combat the problem and get back to studying is to read an old favourite.  This way I know what is going to happen and don’t feel the pressure to stay up all night because I really need to know what happens next!! as a do with many books.  I can stop in the middle of the action to continue to study (in theory, at least!).  I can read through the book in a hurry since I already know all the little details.  Typically my go-to reads for exam periods is Tamora Pierce (Protector of the Small most often).

Last year I didn’t re-read anything.  It was all new books after finishing off my schooling for good.  It was a fun year!

This year there has been no Tamora Pierce as I revisited Harry Potter, some Maria V Snyder and Diane Duane.  I suspect I’ll get back to Tamore Pierce next year as there might be (finally) a new one of hers out.  

I have no regrets about re-reading so much!  Sure, I found new favourite when I did read new books,  but while reading new books is fun but there is a risk of reading a bad book.  Many of the books I read this year were merely ‘meh’ or average books.  

So if anyone gives you flack for re-reading ‘too much’ send them to me!  I will defend re-reads to my dying breath!  Please don’t ever feel like you are not a ‘good’ reader because you re-read old books instead of new to you books.