I don’t get to re-read books nearly as much as I’d like to but I guess I can only blame myself for that one. What can I say? It’s hard to say no to a shining new ARC in favour of one of my old favourites. The only exception is audiobooks; I find that I can easily listen to a novel I read previously and it practically becomes new again because of the narrator. Plus, not having to write a review takes some of the pressure off.
It doesn’t happen often (fortunately) but yes, I have had a few of those WTF moments. Recently I re-read Kelley Armstrong’s entire Women of the Otherworld series and her werewolf books are still some of the best I have ever read. Most of the other installments actually gained on my rating scale but there were a few that lost stars namely, Living with the Dead and Spell Bound. If you’ve ever read the first, you’ll know what I’m talking about. It’s very dark and it’s not connected to the overall series story arc (until Thirteen but even then… very loosely). I would have been quite happy had I skipped my re-read of this novel during the WOTO Challenge. Savannah’s first book is good but the second time around I found it a tad too YA for my tastes. I have a feeling that by the end of my 13 book re-read I was, I hate to say it, a little sick of Kelley Armstrong which made me overly critical of her writing and anxious to move-on to the previously mentioned, shiny new ARCs waiting for me.
What about you?
Owner, designer and main blogger behind Rabid Reads. Avid book reader, snowboard bunny, video gamer and Supernatural fan. I love all things paranormal, werewolves especially. Oh, and I’m Canadian, eh!
I haven’t yet, but I got a feeling that if were to do a re-visit of Twilight I would be like, WTF!…LOL
Haha I re-read Twilight and I still enjoyed it but definitely not as much as the first time around! Especially after the movie came out. It’s impossible not to compare the two.
+JMJ+
I’ve always been a big rereader! When I was younger, I didn’t have a big budget for books, so I read the ones I had over and over, until they (literally) fell apart. Years later, in uni, I majored in English Literature and tried to reread as many of the required texts as possible before big exams. So your question, Carmel, and the implication that many people don’t reread favourites as a matter of course is very surprising to me!
Good for you for being one of the few who re-reads! I’m a little envious…
I can’t justify rereading anymore. Those shiny ARCs or just new releases that I have yet to get to are too calling. And I’m also scared of this. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, but nevertheless.
I can’t help but wonder if maybe you were over-inundated with Armstrong’s books to enjoy them, especially the second time around? I’ve found that I can’t read an entire series sequentially for this reason. I get bored with the writing style, even if the first book was absolutely captivating. It’s important to switch it up, just a little.
Not to mention, our tastes and interests grow and evolve over time. As we’re introduced to new and exciting ideas and writing, it’s only logical that we can’t LOVE everything the same as we did years ago.
Damn those shiny ARCs and new releases!! LOL
I felt that way about the Aisling Grey series by Katie MacAlister. I fell out of love the second time I read it (and after I had branched out to other UF books). I couldn’t figure out why they had fallen in love. It more like lust and hate.
I read a lot of books. Last year I read two hundred and fifty books…. so I very rarely re-read books, with the exception of a few classics. I do tend to pick up favorite books and re-read passages. I can say that through the years my tastes have changed and that perhaps a book I once gave 5 gushing stars too..might only rate it a three now. With the size of my tbr pile *watches swaying tower* I have no time to go back..LOL