Comfort Reads and Lifechanging Stories – My Favourite Books to Reread!

I’m sure many of you know the pleasures of rereading: the comfort of a familiar book, the turn of a well-thumbed page, the nostalgia-filled nuances that bring back fond memories. As a self-confessed rereader, I like to try and find the time to fit it in (despite all the shiny new titles sitting on my shelf 😉). Oddly enough, for me, I find the spring (a time for new beginnings) a good time to return to my bookish roots. And, with everything going on, it seems like that’s truer than ever- which is why I thought it might be fun to share some of my favourite books to reread. I’m going to keep books I studied to a minimum, with one notable exception, because I want to avoid books I reread out of a sense of obligation (and also cos then this would be a very narrow kind of list). Without further ado, let’s get into it!

The Hobbit– this was my most recent reread and what prompted this post. All I had to do was mention it, spot it on my shelf and I couldn’t resist! Abandoning all my reading plans (hello, mood reader here) I found myself wandering around Middle Earth again and loving every second.

Sabriel– by contrast, this is one I haven’t reread in a while, but definitely plan to soon. It’s one of my favourite series from when I was a teen and periodically reread as often as I could- so much so that between me and my friend repeatedly borrowing them, the library rarely had copies available 😉

Shade’s Children– yes, I’m including more than one book by the same author, because it’s just as deliciously dark and rereadable! A unique dystopia with lovable characters, I can’t say how many times I was pulled back into this story. It doesn’t hurt, either, that it’s a standalone- so fully satisfying on its own!

Northern Lights– ahh this series is so good. I’ve reread across the span of my life- from childhood, to my teens, to now. It’s just as good every time. And, unusually, watching the amazing adaptation in December has actually amped up my excitement to do a reread- result!

Harry Potter– I mean, I wouldn’t be a basic millennial if this wasn’t one of my most reread series 😉 But, c’mon, there’s a reason this makes everyone’s reread lists! Funnily enough, when it comes to the boy wizard, I decided a few years back, after rereading Philosopher Stone that my appetite was sated and I wasn’t going to do another reread… Of course, I didn’t keep to that (who could?) and reread and reviewed the whole series a couple of years later. So, now I know, this is always going to be a series I keep going back to.

Carry On– on the subject of Harry Potter, this parody of the beloved series stole my heart… so much so that when I finished it for the first time, I went right back to the start and read it again! I’ve since discovered it’s one of my go-tos for cosy rereads.

The Secret Countess– thinking about comfort reads, you can’t go wrong with an Eva Ibbotson book. And none works better for me than Secret Countess– I periodically pick up this *perfect* love story and am never disappointed.

Emma– speaking of romance, there had to be at least one Austen on this list (especially given I’ve reread them all). But, as I’ve mentioned before, Emma is my favourite- and consequently the one I’ve reread the most. Not just because it has flawlessly developed character arcs, not just because it has friends to lovers, but because it has the best Austen love interest (you can fight me on that 😉).

Picture of Dorian Gray– as promised I’ve tried to keep books off the list that I’ve studied or done essays on. However, I’m making this the exception because it’s a book I read of my own accord and chose to study. And, regardless of whether I’m studying it or not, it’s still a book I want to reread- which just goes to show how special it is!

Man’s Search for Meaning– this is probably the book on this list I’ve reread the fewest times, yet it’s probably the most important and the one I’m sure to return to. No, scratch that- it’s the one I need to reread. Because I need the reminders that life is precious, that meaning comes from the struggle and all the vital lessons this book provides. If ever there was a book that deserves to be reread, it’s this one.

And that’s all for now! Do you like (or dislike) any of these? What books do you most like to reread? Let me know in the comments!