Everyone has a few books that they find themselves always coming back too. Whether because these books are amazing or just give them a sense of nostalgia, these are your favourite re-reads.
This week on Top Five Wednesday, Chelsey and Alexandra talk about their Top Five Favourite Re-Reads of all time. This list shouldn’t come as that much of a shock to you, especially if you’ve been watching this channel for a while. It’s probably the fastest list we have ever come up with. There is a reason we find ourselves talking about these books over and over. So strap in, put on your reading caps and enjoy!
Top Five Wednesday is a book tag started by GingerReadsLainey. Join the goodreads group to get each week’s topic and participate yourselves!
1. THE WAYWARD TIDE – ALISON MCLEAY
The Wayward Tide is one of Chelsey’s all time favourite books. She literally just finished re-reading it yesterday. Chelsey has loved this book since she was thirteen when she randomly found it in a library (understand she hates libraries). Wayward Tide is a contemporary take on Victorian literature and showcases aspects of Victorian culture that you normally never get to see. The novel follows a girl who grows up in Newfoundland Canada (REPRESENT) and her travel to England and then the American frontier. You are witness to her entire life and how she changes over time. Every time Chelsey reads it she finds something new. Sadly, this book is hard to get your hands on. Check out websites like Abe’s books if you want a copy.
Guess what? Chelsey made me read The Wayward Tide. Check out our review on it here.
2. THE LORD OF THE RINGS – J.R.R. TOLKIEN
I seriously re-read these books once a year. My record is finishing The Fellowship of the Ring in eight hours including a nap. BAM!
I don’t know why I love this trilogy so much. It might be the world building, it might be the characters, or it might be the universal quality of the story. The Lord of the Rings feels like a myth. You become invested in everything and ever time you read it you pick up on something new. For me The Lord of the Rings is the ultimate comfort series. I come back to it when I need it.
Chelsey on the other hand has really strong ties to The Hobbit. She loves the grand scale of the story even though when it comes down to it, it’s tiny in size.
Middle Earth has inspired so many writers and story tellers that it always feels like going home when you return to it.
3. LADY OF HORSES – JUDITH TARR
Lady of Horses is Chelsey’s other favourite book. This books is about a girl who is growing up in a prehistorical tribal society. The girl (her name is Sparrow) gets chosen by the horse goddess to be the priestess. The problem is that women are not allowed to go anywhere near the horses. The story is about her growing into her power and the people around her and how she has to destroy her society’s social constructs.
When I read this book, the one thing I found really interesting was the return to “scary” magic (by that I mean blood magic). Sparrow represents a return to the way things were, a trope that’s popular in fantasy novels but normally focuses around a nice friendly system and not one that uses blood or death magic. Chelsey on the other hand was fascinated by the gender dynamic and how it influenced society. There were some characters who were very traditional while others were ready to change the system.
If you want to understand Chelsey as a person, read The Wayward Tide and Lady of Horses. If you want to understand me read The Lord of the Rings and the next book on our list:
4. JOHANNES CABAL THE DETECTIVE – JONATHAN L. HOWARD
I talk about this book a lot.
Johannes Cabal is my favourite character in the whole world and he is an asshole. Johannes Cabal is the type of person you know is never going to change. You know he has a soul in there somewhere but you have to really want to find it. What makes him so interesting is that Cabal tries very hard not to be a nice person. Social graces get in the way of what he wants to accomplish, so he tries to stifle that part of him. Yet it always keeps creeping back.
Even though this series follows one character, each book has it’s own distinct style. Detective is my favourite with it’s steampunk-y Victorian locked room mystery style. The sarcastic, dry wit that is colours this series comes to the forefront in Detective.
Check out our review of Johannes Cabal The Detective here.
5. HARRY POTTER – J.K. ROWLING
This series is probably on everyone’s list.
When Chelsey and I were both kids we both reread these books a lot during recess. Chelsey reread the first and I tended to reread the third. During the two weeks before the seventh book was release I decided I was going to reread all six of them. Did I do it? Yes I did. On top of being a camp counsellor.
Don’t ask me how I did it, I don’t really remember.
There you have it, Chelsey and my top five favourite re-reads of all time. What are the books that you find yourself coming back to over the years? Tell us about them in the comments below.
Until next week and next Wednesday, Happy Reading!
