Hi friends! Happy Saturday. 🙂 I’ve been loving all of the questions you guys have been sending me for this series, and since I got a handful of questions centered around books, I thought I would answer those today! As a reminder, you can fill out my form with your question (or questions!) or just comment on this post.
Jen asks:
Hi! I love this idea (and your blog!). Here’s my question: what are some of your favorite comfort re-reads? I definitely choose books based on my emotions and I love re-reading old favorites when I’m feeling low. Thanks for a fabulous blog that I absolutely think of as a comfort read! <3
First of all, thank you for such a sweet, lovely comment! It does my heart so good knowing my blog is a source of comfort for people!
I am not a mood reader, which I know is crazy to some people. It definitely feels like most people read based on their moods, and I stick to a very rigid TBR list. There’s just something about that rigid list that brings me comfort, more than just picking books willy-nilly based on how I’m feeling. I mean, of course, I try to make sure I’m not reading too many heavy books in a row and I give myself the flexibility to change up what I want to read, but for the most part, I follow that list to a tee.
But that wasn’t the question, haha. Do you see how easily I can go off on a tangent? Let’s discuss some of my favorite comfort rereads:
- The Harry Potter series – Problems with JK Rowling aside, the Harry Potter series brings me such comfort and happiness. I reread the series a few years ago, starting the first book after a particularly awful heartbreak and it was truly the only thing that broke me out of my sadness. There’s just something about Harry and Hermione and Ron and Hogwarts and all of the magical elements that just bring me to the best, most cozy place.
- Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery – I recently reread Anne of Green Gables and I can picture me coming back to this story again and again when I need something super comforting to read. Anne is such a beloved fictional character!
- The Hating Game by Sally Thorne – I’ve reread this contemporary romance multiple times because it is still, by far, the best romance I have ever read. The characters are fantastic and the plot is so engaging. I reread this book at the beginning of the pandemic when I was feeling really low and it was everything I needed. (And the movie depiction releases in December! I am so excited!!)
- Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooters series – I found this military suspense series during my first semester of college. I was living on campus, depressed and lonely, and spending all of my time in the campus bookstore. During a perusal of the books, I found one of the books in this series, bought it, and fell completely in love with Suzanne Brockmann’s writing style and these characters. I’ve reread the entire series once and I may be due for another reread soon!
Christa asks…
Do you have an absolute favorite book?
There is not one book that I can definitively claim as my absolute favorite book. I have a lot of books that I consider part of my all-time faves, however, like:
- Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed, an advice book that will break your heart, inspire you, and make you want to shove this book into the hands of everyone you know
- The Martian by Andy Weir, a book that just delighted me in every single way possible
- The Hating Game by Sally Rooney, which is my go-to romance recommendation
- This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel, which is probably my go-to fiction recommendation these days
- A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini, just an incredible book about two women living in Afghanistan that has stuck with me since I read it in 2013
Do you have an all-time favorite book?
I’ve put a lot of thought into my favorite book. It’s impossible to pick just one BUT if I reframe it to “I’m going to live the rest of my life on a desert island and can only have one book” then it would be The Far Country by Nevil Shute. It’s a novel that I read for the first time in junior high and have reread many times.
My comfort reread is the Dover series by Joyce Porter. It’s a spoof of the great British detectives.
My all-time favorite book was Outlander. I have refused to watch the series (although I’ve been told that it was well done), but I just cannot get my own “Jamie and Claire” (in my head) reconciled with the actors that were chosen.
Ooooh, I am here for the book talk. I also loved Anne, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and The Martian. I have many favourites but in the interest in time and space my all-time favourites are: The Blind Assassin, Diary of a Provincial Lady, and Lives of Girls and Women.
I mostly read the books that I have requested at the library and that have come in, but sometimes I’ll pause all my holds and just comfort read. Oh! And Calypso by David Sedaris is my fave of his.
The Martian is a really great book! My favorite of all time is definitely A Tree Grows in Brooklyn – every time I read it, I get something new out of it.
Well, I’m still stuck after re-reading the Harry Potter books. I just can’t get started on another book! It’s crazy. I’ve been reading magazines and blog posts. I have to get a grip. There are so many good suggestions in your post and in the comments- I have to choose one and start reading.
I do not re-read books in general but one book I have re-read is ‘Tuesdays with Morrie.’ I feel like it always helps with my perspective on life. I am probably due for a re-read of that! I am looking forward to re-reading books with my kids as they old enough for chapter books – especially the HP books (although I have complicated feelings about reading her books after things she has said…)
It’s so hard to pick an all-time favorite book. I don’t really have one which feels weird as a passionate reader? But it’s just too hard to choose!
Thank you so much for answering my question! This gave me a lovely little boost when I saw it!
I also re-read Harry Potter for comfort! Plus the Austin Family series by Madeline L’Engle and the Betsy Tracy series. My new favorite comfort retreads are the Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers. Actually, anything by Becky Chambers!
I’m LOLing over here because some of our preferred rereads are so similar! HP, Anne of Green Gables… I haven’t yet made it through The Hating Game but I DID read all the troubleshooters books when they came out and would consider rereading those, too. I also reread Madeleine L’Engle (Wrinkle in Time series), and the Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper. I love that one.
Favorite book? Hm. I don’t know if I could pick just one! I would actually put the Dark is Rising series on there, and probably the Anne series as well (can I do series??). Recent books… hm. I have to ponder that more. There have been some I’ve LOVED. They’re just not coming to mind!
Great post – thanks for doing it!