4 Repeat Reads
“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” ~ C.S. Lewis
We have all been there before. We become so engrossed within a story, with characters, with their story, that we never want the book to end! And when it is over, we just sit back and cannot forget about it. If it is a love story...will they truly live a happily forever after with children, family, and an ever growing love? If it is a true story...do you start searching the person or family to find out more about their life after the events of what was written? We are definitely guilty of both of these!
And then of course, if a story is so meaningful to us or we just fell in love with it overall, we always want to find time to read it over again! And if it has a happy ending, whether it is a love story, nonfiction, or some type of mystery, we want the comfort of falling back into those characters and events. One, we are able to know how the story plays out, and two, we might find meaning or quotes that we might not have as readily picked up on during the first read through when we were trying to see how the storyline will play out!
As we mentioned, we are so guilty of when we fall in love with a book or series, all we want to do is read it over again! And since we are always adding more books to our TBR lists, we often feel like we have to choose between a new book we are dying to check out and re-reading a book that grabbed our heartstrings! Here are a couple books that we fell in love with and either read over again whenever we get the chance or just can't wait to read through again!
Chelsea's Picks
My first pick of a book that I love to reread is all thanks to Mrs. Cole - my 7th and 8th grade English teacher. I can't remember which year we read S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders (and watched the movie), but I remember not wanting to read it AT ALL, although I didn't have any problem watching a young Rob Lowe as Sodapop. I can't remember when I ended up finally reading the book in its entirety, but this book has stayed gold ever since (if you've read this book, you get that reference LOL).
If you haven't read The Outsiders, then here's a quick break down of this classic novel. Ponyboy Curtis knows that life can be rough, but he still thinks he's got everything figured out (what teenager doesn't?). He lives with his brothers, Darry and Sodapop, and knows he can count on them and their friends, especially Johnny, for anything. They might be "greasers," but they know how to take care of one another. One night, things go too far and suddenly Ponyboy's world is turned upside down.
Where The Heart Is by Billie Letts
I'm not sure if I read Where The Heart Is or watched the movie first, but I'm in love with both and love rereading or rewatching this story again and again.
Although I cannot identify with a lot of Novalee's story, I feel like there are just so many aspects that we can relate to. And there are just so many different emotions that this story hits and they hit them every time I reread Where The Heart Is. In case you don't know about Novalee and the Walmart Baby, here's a summary.
Novalee is a pregnant 17-year-old traveling to California with her boyfriend. When she makes him stop for a bathroom break, he leaves her at a random Walmart. (Yes, you read that right). Novalee knew nobody in this small town when she was abandoned, but comes to call it home through loving friends who turn into family. Grow with her as you learn about life, love, and being honest with yourself.
Kelli's Picks
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I remember exactly how I was first introduced to The Hunger Games. My husband (then boyfriend) and I used to love going to the movies for our date nights. We saw a trailer for The Hunger Games and decided to go see it. I fell absolutely in love with the movie, and when I realized it was a book series? I went out and bought them the very next day! I have to admit, the movies are very close to the book series, to the point that the small changes do not bother me at all. The series is just so good and there is something about it that I just love picking the book(s) back up at any time and reading through them. I don't even need to read all of them at the same time, or I will even just grab the second or third and only read that.
Though I feel like the majority of people are familiar with The Hunger Games, I will give just a quick overview of the story. In a nation called Panem, there is the Capitol surrounded by 12 districts. The Capitol is cruel to the districts, and every year forces them to send one boy and one girl to the Capitol to participate in the Hunger Games due to the rebellion that had cause the destruction of North America (which later became Panem). Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen immediately volunteers when her sister, Prim's, name is called to represent the girl from District 12. Without meaning to, Katniss becomes a strong contender within the Games, working hard to survive and find her way back to her sister. And with the acts that she plays out, she becomes a beacon of hope and rebellion for the districts who no longer want to bow down to the treatment and cruelty of the capitol.
Caged Wolf (Darkmore Penitentiary #1) by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
If you have been following along with us, then you know I am in love with the Zodiac Academy series by these two ladies. This series, the Darkmore Penitentiary series, takes place 5 years after the events of Zodiac Academy. Since I love Caroline and Susanne's writing style, I want to read all of the books that they have written. And since I was in Zodiac Academy withdrawal, I had to pick up this series even though the series isn't complete yet! First off, the Easter eggs in this book just have me on the edge of my seat because I cannot read between the lines of what they are saying, which is so frustrating! And then the story itself is so good! There is humor where you are just cheesing it through several pages, there are a few love stories taking place that I am so down with, and then there is drama and escape plans that have me on the edge of my seat! And since the series isn't complete, the cliffhanger left me reeling! I want to reread this series very badly, but I am waiting until they release the next book so I can reread the first 3 books to be caught up again before diving into the next one. And if the last Zodiac books comes out before this one, then when I reread the series, I will understand all the little hints and comments about Zodiac characters! *Sigh*
As I mentioned, the Darkmore Penitentiary series takes place 5 years after the events of the Zodiac Academy series, and follows Rosalie Oscura as she gets herself locked up in the most dangerous prison of Solaria. Why does she get sent to prison? It is the only way that she can help the man that she has loved since she was fourteen-years-old escape prison. He was sent there because he protected her. And though he may not love her back, as a champion cage fighter and an alpha werewolf, she will do anything she can to release him from prison. And to do so, she will need the help of the lion shifter who she is attempting to rescue, a crazy and sinful incubus who has been locked in isolation, the vampire guard who is holding a vendetta against Rosalie, and the black-hearted werewolf who turns out to be her mate. These four alpha males all hate each other, and possibly even hate Rosalie. Yet they can't help the attraction they feel for her. How hard will it be to make them see her as their leader? This is a reverse harem full of rejected mates, age gaps, enemies to lovers, steamy scenes, friendship, and ultimately love. The first book will suck you in, and then you just have to continue to see what will happen with all the characters as they each pull on your heartstrings.
What book are you dying to read again? Or do you have a book that you could pick up and read over and over again? If you’d like to see what we are reading now, check out our Goodreads profiles (Kelli and Chelsea) or follow 2 Girls Bookin' It on Instagram and Facebook! If you’re excited to see what other topics we’ll be covering in the coming months, make sure to subscribe. Thanks for reading with us!