Tuesday 23 January 2018

Books I Want to Refresh My Memory Of

I am not a big re-reader, so there are a lot of books I loved that I haven't touched in years. I have a relatively strong memory of what happens in books, so reading sequels a year later isn't too much of a struggle for me. But there are some books that I would like to revisit, just so I can remind myself of what it was I loved about them. This post isn't just about books I want to re-read (that post is coming in a Top 10 Tuesday next month), but is instead about books I read 3 or more years ago that I want to remind myself of, and possibly rediscover my love for them.



The Mortal Instruments / The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare
These were the books that got me into YA. I read my first Cassandra Clare book, Clockwork Angel, in my early teens, and I was addicted to it. But that was around 2011, and TMI ended in 2014, so I feel like I need to refresh my memory of my teenage bookish love, especially if I am to read The Dark Artifices, which I hear is incredible.

Percy Jackson / Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan
I read Rick Riordan's books a little while after they were published, between 2014 and  2015. But that still feels like a lifetime ago, and with more of his books being released all the time, I would like to re-live these light and witty stories of myths and adventure before continuing.



His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
I doubt that many children read His Dark Materials at age 9 or 10. I think I was the exception. In hindsight I maybe shouldn't have? I don't think I understood a lot of it and they were quite dark. But I do remember loving these books so much and that they made me cry like anything. This was my first introduction into proper fantasy books, and I must re-read them to rediscover my love and Philip Pullman's amazing writing.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
I read the first three potter books when I was in my early teens, but then I forgot to read the rest. (Book 4 is big, okay!) I then read the whole series when I was 16 and finally understood why everyone loved them so much. I started re-reading them a couple of years ago, but again stopped after book 3. Now that I've discovered Overdrive, I'm hoping I can take my re-reading more seriously with the help of an audiobook alongside.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
All of the reading aimed at children, I did in my teens. I loved the magic of the Narnia books and loved how the books in the series were connected in a way I hadn't seen before, with different eras and different characters. I need to rediscover the magic of these books again.

The Midnighters by Scott Westerfeld
This series was dark and kept me up at night, but I don't remember much other than it being about teenagers in a town who are the only people who are awake at a secret midnight hour, whilst everyone else was frozen. I remember the midnight hour having horrifying demons and that the number 13 was important, but I'd like to revisit this series at some point.



The Shapeshifter by Ali Sparks
This list is mostly series', as you can tell. This series was like a young version of X-Men and was awesome and stressful and scary and fun. Also read in my early teens (what on this list isn't?) and I still own all 5 books, so a re-read is in order at some point.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
I planned to re-read Artemis Fowl for the longest time to prepare myself for the 8th book, but I just never did. I own the whole series and underwent a tragic mid-series cover change as well as an unhealthy obsession with the books even though nobody else I knew had read them. So this is another childhood love I need to go back to.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This was such a good book to study, and an even better book to read. I was 16 when I had to read To Kill a Mockingbird, and the over-anlysis in class didn't ruin it for me but somehow made it even more important to me. As one of my favourite books and such a classic, I know I'll be reading it again.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Despite this possibly being the book I read most recently that is on this list, I think it is the book that I remember least about. I don't think 20 re-reads will make me remember all the intricate details of this complex novel. But I did love it a lot, and I'd like to see how much more I will get out of it when I reread it to refresh my memory.


What books did you love but now don't remember much about? Are you planning to re-read them this year? 

This post was inspired by the prompt 'Books I Really Liked but Can’t Remember Anything/Much About' on Top 10 Tuesday, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

14 comments:

  1. You have some really great choices on this list!
    I included City of Bones on my list - I never even finished the series, because I'd forgotten what had happened in the earlier books. I also read the first three Harry Potter books and then stopped, but unlike you I've been unable to find the time to get through the other four (despite the fact that I've read the first three lots of time). I've already pretty much forgotten what happened in those books, so I'm going to have to read them AGAIN before I dive into the rest of the series!

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    1. Thanks! I forget what happens in earlier books in the series all the time and it's so annoying! I wish there was a book recap database so I wouldn't need to re-read a long series just to understand the 100th book.

      I found the fourth book and beyond of Harry Potter much more difficult to read just because of their size. I would recommend the audiobooks if you haven't tried them already. I find it a lot easier than reading. Even though I've wanted to re-read the Harry Potter books lots of times I never had because it's a long series, so I'm glad I discovered the audiobooks on my library's Overdrive!

      I hope you get to re-read all the books you want to Alyce!

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  2. I have only read the first HP book and To Kill a Mockingbird from your list. I am hoping to finish the HP series this year for sure. :D
    I guess we have limited brain storage to remember all the bookish information :P

    I hope you get to re-read a few of them soon :P

    My TTT :http://flippingthruthepages.com/2018/01/ten-bookish-websites-apps/

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    1. I hope you get to finish the Harry Potter books this year! It took me a while to read them but I was glad I did! Also To Kill a Mockinbird is fantastic.

      It's so true! I wish there was a book series recap like there is with some TV shows! Thank you, I hope you get to re-read your books too :D

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  3. I have so many books that I'm fuzzy on, lol, and should re- read. That applies to most of the Narnia books, since I read them as a kid and with one or two exceptions, I hardly remember anything about them!

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    1. Same here - it's difficult to remember books, even when they were once our favourites! I hardly remember anything about Narnia either other than the basics (and by basics I mean I remember a few character names, a lion, and how it ended). I hope you manage to get back to them Greg!

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  4. I'd love to reread Harry Potter and Percy Jackson too, two of my favourite series! And yes, I loved Artemis Fowl, the movie is coming out next year, I think, so will have to get my hands on a copy to refresh my memory of it soon!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2018/01/23/top-ten-tuesday-143/

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    1. I love both series' too - I wish I read them when I was younger because I know I would have loved them even more. I hadn't realised Artemis Fowl was having a movie so soon! I hope it goes through - there were plans for it since 2001 but it was stuck in development for ages then changed directors and then changed screenplay writers and then film companies. I'd come to accept it just wasn't happening, but I'm thrilled it is! That has me a lot more motivated to re-read the series :D

      I hope you get to re-read it soon too!

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  5. I recently re-read To Kill a Mockingbird because my younger daughter was reading it in school. I'm glad I did, still a good book.

    Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thanks!

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    1. It truly is an excellent book and I'm glad it is still being taught in schools. I hope that one day it no longer continues to be relevant to the time we live in, but regardless the story is something I hope stays with us throughout history.

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  6. I'm perpetually rereading Harry Potter. Currently struggling to get through Order of the Phoenix. (It's huge!)

    Good luck with all of these!

    Here's my TTT.

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    1. It really is! The size of the books is what always puts me off from re-reading them, but I hear its speedier sigh audiobook. Good luck to you too!

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  7. I did a lot of rereading last year so its not for me this year. I read Percy Jackson too recently to reread them! I'm still reading through the Artemis Fowl and Narnia series for the first time as well ^.^ Hope you can get around to rereading all of these :)

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    1. That's good - you have more time for new books this year! I love all of those series and I do hope I get to them. I hope you're enjoying Artemis Fowl and Narnia! Thanks Olivia :)

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