Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Could Reread Forever

Holly

Happy Tuesday!! I am so excited about this week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic because it features one of my absolute favorite parts about being a bookworm: rereading. I adore rereading my favorite books over and over and over again for countless reasons: the comforting familiarity, the brilliant writing, the characters that feel like old friends you haven’t spoken to in a while… the list goes on and on! It is my pleasure to share with you this list of ten books that I could reread forever. 

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

I know I mention this book all the time but that is certainly not going to stop me from highlighting it here! I’ve read this novel more times than I can count and each time I do I become invested in Taylor and Jonah’s story all over again. It contains everything I love: characters with depth, a boarding school setting, stories within stories, literary references, beautiful writing, and a plot twist at the end that I never saw coming.

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

I first read The Hobbit when I was in fifth grade and then continued on with the trilogy before the following summer was out. I love these books to pieces and they’ve played such an important role in shaping me into the avid reader that I am today. (Favorite of the bunch? Definitely Two Towers. For some reason I’ve always had a dear attachment to it!)

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

What would a list of rereads be without mentioning good old Harry Potter? I’m sure I’m not the only one who has featured this in their list this week. I’ve read many of the books a handful of times, although I can’t remember ever rereading Goblet of Fire now that I think about it…. (that’s my least favorite of the seven). I could definitely reread these books (and rewatch the movies) forever!

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

I reread this book for the first time last summer and was taken aback by how many new things I noticed. I’m now a firm believer that Faulkner is meant to be read more than once and I’m already looking forward to reading this brilliant, fascinating, bewildering novel again and again in the future. (The same goes for basically all of Faulkner’s works for me!)

The BFG by Roald Dahl

I was first read this adorable book by my fourth grade teacher in elementary school– and then again in fifth grade by the same teacher. Since then I’ve reread it once or twice and have loved it even more each time. Road Dahl is the master at creating timeless stories that captivate readers of all ages. There’s nothing like going back to this old favorite!

The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by E.L. Konigsburg

I purchased my first and only copy of this book at a Scholastic book fair (I miss those so much!) when I was in third grade and I have read it nearly every summer since then. Not only is this simply an entertaining, clever summer camp story, but it’s also a novel about growing up and realizing that even adults don’t really know what they’re doing (what’s more liberating than that?!).

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This is definitely one of those classics that never get old. There are countless fascinating ways to read and interpret this novel, from focusing on colors and other motifs to thinking about location, the American Dream, the role of women, prohibition, narrative voice– the list goes on and on! I’ve studied this in two different classes over the years and I honestly hope I get to study it again before undergrad is over.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

This may be John Green’s debut novel, but it remains my absolute favorite out of all the ones he has written. I love how the story seems so simple yet involves all of the complex and confusing emotions we each experience at one point or another. Besides, this novel has some of my favorite quotes in it!

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

It’s generally rare for me to want to reread mystery novels once I know how they end; however, this book has always been the exception to that rule. This murder mystery is so cleverly executed that I never tire of tiptoeing around its twists and turns over and over again. (If anyone has seen the BBC mini series, I’d be really interested to hear what you think of it because I have yet to watch it!)

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass

I. Love. This. Text. I’ve written numerous papers about it for various classes over the years and Douglass’ story never ceases to amaze, inspire, and intrigue me. Douglass’ life story is as captivating as his writing is eloquent, making Narrative a text that I’ll undoubtedly return to again and again in the future.

What books could you endlessly reread? What do you think of the books on my list? Let me know in the comments section below!

Yours,

HOLLY

63 thoughts on “Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Could Reread Forever”

  3. Looking for Alaska wasn’t really my thing, but I guess that’s “normal” since people tend to like or dislike it? It’s been sooooo long since I read The BFG. Like, I was a little munchkin back then? Maybe I should buy it and be all nostalgic. Maybe. 😛

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  4. You’re an angel. I’ve been looking for a book that starts with J in the past couple of hours… I just checked Jellicoe road and I think Id love it. Also in some edition it says ON THE Jellicoe road but i think it’s okay to use this for J… it’s for a reading chaallenge Im joining. 🙂

    Great list by the way..

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  6. Such a great list! I adore Gatsby, so I am definitely all there with you! I have this theory about Looking for Alaska and Paper Town. Depending on which one you read first, you are most likely going to like that one more. So, I read Paper Town before Looking for Alaska and now I just prefer that one haha

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    1. OMG I’m definitely a fan of your LfA/PT theory 🙂 That’s sort of how I feel about The Office and Parks and Rec– I watched The Office first and LOVED it and then tried to fill the void with Parks and Rec and it just wasn’t the same!

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  8. you have the best taste in books EVER!!! i just added Jellicoe Road to by Goodreads tbr you’ve described it so beautifully!!!! ❤
    and I adore Fred Doug too!!!! I read it in high school and was STRUCK by his voice, a person actually subjected to American slavery and what it was like???
    I could FEEL his honesty and heartbreak. and of course the prose was so gorgeous. ❤

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  9. It is so interesting that you have here And Then There Were None haha I think that after reading it the first time the mystery is already over… Like yo already know who is the killer haha great list! With The Hobbit and The Great Gatsby!! :3

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    1. I feel that way with most mysteries, but for some reason this one is different 🙂 I think it’s because it’s so complex and really focuses on the characters themselves, so there’s a lot more to it than just a suspenseful plot.

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  13. I love to reread, too! Harry Potter is a great one, of course – I’ve been listening to those on CD recently, after reading in paper a couple times. I would love to read And Then There Were None again, it’s been years since I read an Agatha Christie book.

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    1. I’ve never listened to HP read out loud, but I feel like it would be such a relaxing, comforting thing to do. I’ll definitely have to keep that in mind the next time I’m spending a cozy night in ❤

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      1. It is incredible!! And yes — if you liked Jellicoe Road you need to read her fantasy series. It’s nothing like Jellicoe Road but it is one of the best fantasies I’ve read in while.

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  20. We’re list twins! I couldnt’ agree more – The Hobbit, HP, and And Then There Were None are all amazing and only get better each time you read them!

    A friend just gifted me Looking For Alaska and I have heard so many good things!! Hoping to get to it soon – currently reading Turtles All the Way Down and I LOVE Green’s writing style!

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  21. I love that you added in children’s books! Too often I think we forget about them which we shouldn’t because there’s often a good reason a book really meant something to us when we were young 🙂

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    1. I completely agree! It’s also really fun reading children’s books from an adult perspective– you never know what clever jokes will be hidden for older readers! 🙂

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  22. Pingback: Top Ten Tuesday: Future ReReads Inspired By Fellow Bloggers – Nerd Narration

  23. Ahh yes to the Hobbit- I can reread that forever!! And of course HP is worth rereading! I so agree that Gatsby never gets old- I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve read it!! And I loved and then there were none (I need to watch the adaptation too) Great list!!

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  27. I love re- reading an old favorite but I hardly get any time to re- read anymore. I should try and do something about that. 🙂 The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings would definitely be on the list- I read LotR a few times but the Hobbit only once. Due for a re- read! And I need to read And then There Were None- and the watch the movie!

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  28. Harry Potter is definitely a classic one to put on this list. I think I’ve read the entire series a total of ten times now! As for the other books on your list, I haven’t read them, but they all seem really intriguing and like books I’d enjoy reading and decoding.

    I’ve noticed that you always have amazing classics and literary novels for your reviews and bookish lists, which is amazing because I haven’t seen many book bloggers focus so much on classics 😊 I wanted to ask you — when did you start getting into reading classics? Did you love classics as a kid, or did your passion for classics start later on? What made you start reading classics?

    Thank you, and great list of books! 😋

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    1. WHOA 10 times?!?!?! That’s incredible!

      Omg yes, classics are my favorites ❤ I didn't really get into reading classics until high school when I had to read them for classes (which I feel like is probably the opposite of how many people feel). I liked how there were so many different ways to interpret them and make meaning out of them, as well as the idea that I was reading something that countless people decades ago had also read. When I went to college and started doing an English lit degree, this love for classics only got bigger! ❤ Thanks for such a great question!

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  30. Pingback: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta – Lili's Blissful Pages

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