Chapter #20: In My Re-Reading Era

Plus, some recent non-book favorites.

Feeling My Shelf is a bi-weekly newsletter about books, life, and well, life with books. Grab your favorite caffeinated beverage and get comfy. 

People often ask me what I do with books after I finish reading. Do I donate them? Loan them to friends? Depending on the book (and whether or not I hated it), maybe.

But quite often, I keep and reread my books.

That’s been the case lately, which is why there’s no recent reads at the top of this newsletter. And why I’m three books behind on my yearly reading goal. Technically, rereads can count towards a reading goal because there are no actual rules, but I personally don’t count them.

Why Rereads?

For starters, I’ve found that revisiting old favorites can bring a warm sense of comfort and invoke the same happy feeling one gets when eating their favorite food or wearing their favorite shirt.

Maybe I want to understand the book more. On a first read, I'm breezing through pages trying to figure out how the story will unfold. But on a reread, I can sit back and digest. Take in the author’s writing and decipher the characters’ motivations.

Rereading can also help measure how much I’ve grown. Putting a book down and coming back to it with a fresh set of eyes—maybe even years later—helps me see it in a new light. Gain a new perspective. Our experiences often color what we’re reading, and I find myself relating to characters differently as I age.

Books I’ve Recently Reread

And yes, they’re both romances. For research purposes.

Seven Days In June by Tia Williams, a slow burn following two writers who unexpectedly reunite 15 years after spending a whirlwind “seven days” together.

Intercepted by Alexa Martin, a second-chance sports romance following a recently-dumped girlfriend of professional football player who vows never to date an athlete again. Of course, that doesn’t last.

I’m finishing up The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco, set on a cursed island oasis. Next up on my list is The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer, a debut novel about a modern-day death doula.

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