Musing Monday

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS prompt:

Have you ever finished a book, then turned around and immediately re-read it? Why? What book(s)? (question courtesy of MizB)


Please don't laugh, but this happened to me with the Harry Potter books - I told you not to laugh!

I discovered the Harry Potter (by J.K. Rowling) books before they were truly famous in the United States. I had already bought and read numerous times, the first 3 books before the 1st book became such a HUGE success. Of course, by the time the 4th book was released, there were Harry Potter parties all over the country on the night the books were released.

As a child, I re-read each Trixie Belden(by Julie Campbell Tatham) book over and over again until the next new book was released. A Wrinkle in Time (by Madeleine L'Engle) was also another book I continued to go back to again and again, as was Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret (by Judy Blume). I also continually re-read The Betsy Books (by Carolyn Haywood) and The Three Investigators (by Robert Arthur).

As a young woman, A Pirate' Love (by Johanna Lindsey) became my favorite book and I read it so many times, the front cover finally came off. Also, Ashes in the Wind (by Kathleen E. Woodiwis). I also moved on to Stephen King - Salem's Lot and The Stand are still 2 of my favorite books and I occasionally re-read them, kind of like "comfort reads."

In my 30s, I moved on to The Bean Trees (by Barbara Kingsolver) and Feather Crowns (by Bobbie Ann Mason). I truly wanted to write like both of these wonderful authors. These are 2 books still in my collection and I still occasionally go back and re-read them.

Now in my 40s, I think I'm reliving my childhood because I've returned to young adult fantasy books. Most recently I have re-read all the new Fablehaven books (by Brandon Mull) at least 2 times before returning them to the library. Because I'm on a limited budget, I haven't been able to add them to my home collection, but they are on the top of my "Want to Add" list. I've also recently read The Graveyard Book (by Neil Gaiman) twice in a row - I was afraid I missed something and I wanted to absorb every detail.

I also enjoy the supernatural writings of Laurell K. Hamilton and I catch myself re-reading each one of the books in her two bestselling series just before a new book is released. I'm currently re-reading the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series in anticipation of the June release of Skin Trade. I'll re-read the Merry Gentry series this fall, just before the release of Divine Misdemeanor.

Dracula (by Bram Stoker) is the one book I have carried with me from my childhood to adulthood and it remains a favorite book in my home collection. I have re-read this book so many time, I can recite passages from it and it occasionally drives my family crazy.

So, yes I am a re-reader - maybe not immediately after reading the first time, like with the Harry Potter books - but I do have books I return to over and over again.