2019: A Year of Re-Reading

I don’t usually re-read books.

I’m one of those people who get stressed out by the idea that there are *so* many books I want to read but time is a thing and I find new books to add to my TBR every other day. So, instead of re-reading books, I just read new ones.

But I want that to change this year. I’ve been really pretty down in the dumps recently and I thought: what better way to cheer myself up than by re-reading old favourites?

They’re favourites for a reason: they make me happy. I need them now more than ever. So, 2019 is officially my year of re-reads. I’ve already started on a few, but I’ve got a lot I want to get to. To make sure it happens, because, knowing me, I’ll probably get distracted by new books, I thought I’d write a post. It kinda means I have to do it then.

Let’s get to it…

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THE BRONTË NOVELS:

I finished reading the entirety of the Brontë novels in summer 2017. I still some of their juvenilia and poetry to get through, especially Branwell’s and Patrick’s, but I desperately want to revisit the sister’s novels. They are, quite possibly, my favourite books ever. I can’t experience the feeling of reading them for the first time again, but I’m sure the feeling of a re-read will be just as satisfying.

I’ve already re-read Emily’s Wuthering Heights this year, so that’s one ticked off the list. My next re-read will be Charlotte’s Jane Eyre, which, if you’re new here, is my favourite book of all-time. It’ll be my third read of the novel. I’m thinking of incorporating it into my dissertation, so I’ll be studying it intensely whilst reading. I’m also really eager to revisit Shirley and Villette by Charlotte!

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THE SHADOWHUNTER CHRONCILES:

Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter Chronicles were my livelihood in sixth form. They were, quite literally, my everything. I know many people grow frustrated by Clare constantly releasing new books in this world instead of writing a completely new story, but I really don’t mind. Unlike, for example, J.K Rowling, Clare knows her stories and doesn’t try to change and manipulate the world into working for her new plot lines.

I’ve already started my re-read of The Infernal Devices – I’m currently on book two, Clockwork Prince. This is probably my favourite of the chronicles. It’s set in Victorian London, it has Will Herondale (the best character ever written) and it constantly references Victorian literature – it was made for me. I’ll be moving onto The Mortal Instruments next, which holds *a lot* of nostalgia for me, before moving onto The Dark Artifices.

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HARRY POTTER:

I’ve wanted to re-read the Harry Potter series for a while now, but I kept putting it off. However, since buying the Ravenclaw editions, I desperately want to pick them up again. I actually want to annotate these editions, which I’ve been inspired to do by both Chloe and Ashleigh.

The annoying thing is: not all the Ravenclaw editions are out yet. So I’ll only be able to annotate two, or three depending on when I actually get to them, and then will have to switch to my old editions for some plain reading.

After the disaster of both The Cursed Child and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (yes, the first was decent, but the second movie was bad), I want to remember why this series means so much to me and why I support and follow it in the first place.

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PRIDE AND PREJUDICE:

Pride and Prejudice was not only my first Jane Austen read, but it was the first classic I voluntarily read. It’s what got me into classics, which is a pretty huge deal, considering classics take up 80% of my reading. I kinda of owe it all to Darcy and Elizabeth, if you think about it.

I think the title sums the book up perfectly; both people’s pride and prejudices get in the way of a lot of stuff in this novel, and the characters really have to overcome it in order to move forward and, ultimately, find happiness. The original title, First Impressions, is also a really good indicator of the story’s plot.

Anyway, I’m super excited to revisit this. It’s been five years. I miss it.

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I know it doesn’t look like a lot, but in reality that’s 27 books to read (I’m not including the spin-offs of the Shadowhunter Chronicles because one read was enough)! I’ve still got all year to read them, though, so I think it’s manageable, don’t you agree? (Agree with me, even if you don’t believe in me, I need it, k thnx x).

Are you wanting to re-read any books this year? or have you re-read something already? I’d love to discuss it with you!

Thanks for reading, Lauren X

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