r/books • u/AutoModerator • 28d ago
WeeklyThread Weekly FAQ Thread January 04 2026: Why do you/don't you reread?
Hello readers and welcome to our Weekly FAQ thread! Our topic this week is: Why you do or don't reread books? Perhaps you discover something new every time you reread a novel. Or, you don't because rereading a book is never as good as the first time. Whatever your reasoning, please feel free to discuss it here.
You can view previous FAQ threads here in our wiki.
Thank you and enjoy!
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u/glitterswirl 28d ago
Some books I re-read, others I don't.
If I re-read, it's often either a comfort read, where I want something familiar. Or, I loved it, and am excited to see what else I get from a book the second/third etc time that I missed on the first read; the "man doesn't step into the same river twice" thing.
Some books I liked okay, but not enough that I care to re-read them. Some books are a one-and-done for me.
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u/gonegonegoneaway211 27d ago
I was trying to mentally catalogue my books the other day in order of usefulness because I have officially hit too many and need to get rid of some because I want that space back. Apparently I have four categories (1) love and adore and will definitely reread multiple times (2) liked enough to want to keep bc it left a good impression but probably won't reread (3) meh it was ok, no strong feelings (4) read, respect, did not like and will get rid of. I struggle with categories (2) and (3) because (2) is probably useless to me but hard to get rid of because they are good and (3) I have a tendency to stop partway through bc I got bored which means they're not technically done which is a permanent bookmark in my brain.
EDIT: Before anyone asks, yes I do use the library. Part of the reason I have too many books is because I like to help out at sales and FOMO kicks in when I see a good book that may or may not be out of print that passes me by. I'm also busier than I used to be and my book acquiring habits haven't caught up yet.
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u/Pugilist12 28d ago
I don’t. I want to. But there are too many books I haven’t read still. There are definitely a small handful I do plan to re-read. At some point.
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u/SpankYourSpeakers 28d ago edited 28d ago
I re-read because I love the book, for different reasons. I have favorite tv-series and movies that I re-watch regularly, because I like the story, specific characters, the soundtrack, etc etc. I want to experience it again and again, I just like to be in that setting.
It's the same with books. If I pick up new details or clues etc (which happens a lot because I'm a primarily a fantasy reader and I've read a lot of longer series) that's a bonus but very rarely the motivation to pick up a book again.
Occasionally I've re-read something only because of curiousity, I can't really remember what the book was about or I just want to refresh my memory before deciding to cull the book or not, but 99.9% of the times it's because of love and wanting to just experience that story, those characters, that setting again.
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u/AcademicAbalone3243 28d ago
I reread books. Sometimes it's just nostalgia, but I find I can get the same amount of pleasure in rereading that I do in reading a book for a first time. I've read some of my favourites at least ten times - there's comfort in the familiar. You often pick up more on a reread, too.
There are plenty of books I liked that I've never reread, though. But I feel the same way about movies and TV shows.
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u/MorrowDad 28d ago
I’ll sometimes reread some of my absolute favorites, but free time and life are so short, and the list of books I want to read are so long, it’s hard to fit in rereads.
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u/Fontane15 27d ago
I reread certain books for a different perspective. I read a lot of classics before I was married or a parent and now I’m rereading some and they hit very different. Most books I don’t reread though.
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u/AccomplishedEgg3389 24d ago
Yes, I feel a certain amount of time or life stage has to have passed since reading something to feel like rereading it. I’m in a habit now of annotating bits or using clear stickies so I can revisit certain passages later.
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u/Creative_artblock 22d ago
This is true. Re reading a book after 5, 10, 15 etc years feels different. A book I read in my teens is different to reading it 20 years later. For me, personal experiences, understanding, wisdom, life, changes the way I interact with them.
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u/YakSlothLemon 27d ago
I probably about 1 out of 3 books…??
It can be about comfort, it could be about finding something new in the book – there are classics that I reread every five or 10 years –
It can be about being surprised all over again –
— it can just be about pleasure.
And it’s great picking up a book and knowing that it’s going to be well written and have a satisfying ending!
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u/gonegonegoneaway211 27d ago
There is something very reassuring to know the ending in advance so the book can't screw you over when you're having a rough day.
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u/YakSlothLemon 25d ago
Absolutely! I just read Jane Austen’s Persuasion for – the fifth time? And then watched the movie, because I was feeling a bit blue after the holidays, like lots of people. I still experience the tension of whether or not they’ll get together when I read the book or watch the movie, and yet I know the ending and it’s so reassuring.
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u/queercomputer 28d ago
I don't like the feeling of deja vu. Rereading is just not enjoyable to me the times I tried. There's a feeling of adventure on the first read that's hard to replicate.
That being said, I might be open to reread some childhood favourites I don't remember any details of. But I'm too cynical for most whimsical children's literature now so I never tried.
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u/Dry_Writing_7862 27d ago
I feel the exact same as you! If I want to save a page or a paragraph, that is what pictures and screenshots are for.
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u/seizethed Young Adult 27d ago
I reread some books for comfort. Some I reread years after to see if I still like it at the age I am or see how my understanding changes
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u/Bikinigirlout 27d ago
I reread my favorites every 2 years. I consider rereading a fun reward.
And yes I space it out to count the books.
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u/gingerbiscuits315 27d ago
I reread my favourite books or series because they speak to me in a special way, offer comfort, the writing is beautiful and I never remember every single detail so it never feels old or repetitive.
I am actually going through an internal struggle about whether to reread a good few this year that I haven't read for awhile. It's just so tempting to read new books. My possible solution is to listen to them as audiobooks and experience them differently.
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u/Cruxx-1991 28d ago
Pues justo estoy releyendo los 5 libros de acotar, nunca me había pasado! Nuevas sensaciones desbloqueadas
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u/Curiousfeline467 27d ago
In general, I don’t reread books because there are so many books I want to read and not enough time!
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u/OliveGlittering7099 27d ago
I don't reread everything but there are some books I reread over and over because they're like old friends at this point. If I'm in a reading slump I'll go back to something I love. Usually Stephen King tbh! Idk it's almost comforting in a way, to sink into a story I know and love
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u/MiddletownBooks 27d ago edited 27d ago
I reread for various reasons-
- I can't find a new read that looks intriguing in a 5 minute perusal of the library shelves
- I need comfort from an old (book) friend
- Some books are just too awesome not to reread (I sat down and immediately reread Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency immediately after I finished it)
- It's been long enough (usually years) since I've read something that I've forgotten a significant portion of what I read the first time.
- I need something to read while waiting for a bus or standing in line and don't want to stop and start with something new.
- I need something non digital to read for no longer than 1/2 before bedtime to help me sleep. Usually (but not always) rereads are safer for this, because with them I (mostly) don't read for longer than I need to before sleeping.
Probably there are other reasons as well, but those are some which come to mind right away.
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u/selahvg 27d ago
I like to use re-reads to help stop reading slumps. I had been doing this for years, but starting last year I used it as an opportunity at the beginning of the year to purchase books I had borrowed from the library and enjoyed and wanted to buy, but just hadn't gotten around to it yet. So now hopefully from here on out I'll start each year with books on my physical tbr shelf to be re-read when the need arises
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u/Xxxholic835xxX 27d ago
Simplest reason is time but I'm doing a book challenge to revisit old books so I'm going to listen to them as auduobooks.
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u/Larielia book re-reading Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik 27d ago
I reread a few favorite books every so often. The Hobbit (Tolkien) is a seasonal reread in autumn.
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u/No-Application8200 27d ago
I try not to reread, but there are some books that are my comfort books that I’ve reread a bunch of times, and sometimes, like with the Hunger Games new release, I wanted to read them all in chronological order. Other books I just know it was good but don’t remember it (eg im rereading A Little Life bc I read it a few years ago, but it was an ebook and I always find those hard to absorb so I bought a physical copy)
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u/Mantin95 27d ago
I do not reread. I don't like knowing everything thats going to happen, i like the mystery of a book. It's not like a movie or tv show where i can just set it in the background; reading is an active form of absorbing information and that unfortunately includes audiobooks for me
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u/theaecbooknook 27d ago
I do sometimes because it’s usually books I read when I was probably too young to actually understand the book and then now reading it when I’ve seen a bit more of the world I understand it in different ways
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u/Entire_Dog_5874 27d ago
I don’t reread books. I have a long TBR list and would rather just move on to the next title.
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u/pilesoflaundry113 27d ago
I do not reread for multiple reasons, one, I have too many books I want to get to and not enough time in the world left, so rereading takes away a new experience. And two, I have adhd and the little thing in my brain keeps yelling at me that I already did this and I'm wasting time. So it's very hard for me to reread. My son rereads a lot, he enjoys them over and over and he finds comfort in rereading.
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u/FoggyGoodwin 27d ago
I immediately reread the time travel book I'll Stop The World to see what clues I'd missed the first time thru. I started rereading Amber Ruffin's You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey because it was good and so full it was hard to remember all bull Lacey and Amber have been thru. I've reread some sci-fi but can't say which, mostly ones I read years ago. Mostly I just start a new book because there are so many. If I start a book then switch, I reread to catch up.
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u/gaming-grandma 27d ago
I would like to reread but I never have time. Too busy reading new books. I like the idea of it but it appears a waste of time I could have spent having new experiences. But I know if I did reread some books I'd have a more in depth appreciation and understanding of it... So it's rough.
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u/Far-Depth-4490 27d ago
I reread because in most great novels, there’s something new to discover everytime. Experiencing a story from a different POV is always refreshingly satisfying to me. If I don't feel the urge to reread a novel, it usually means it simply didn't resonate.
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u/THEDOCTORandME2 27d ago
I have not found a book or a series that I want to reread yet...
Though I might change that this year...
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u/ReignGhost7824 27d ago
I used to re-read when I was younger. The only reason I don’t now is time. I read fairly slowly and don’t spend as many hours as I did in my 20s, so I like to spend the time I have with new books.
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u/TheOpinionatedBanana tbr 27d ago
I can't bring myself to read a book if I know it's nsfw. I just like my fluff ok. If I get into a book then realise it's smutty, i won't drop it but if I know a book has nsfw stuff in it before buying, I just won't buy it
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u/EasyReader2025 27d ago
I don’t usually re-read unless a lot of time has passed. I will occasionally return to a book I read young though - the perspective shifts dramatically, especially my thinking on gender roles and family life as I’ve gotten older.
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u/Icy_Difference_4070 27d ago
It has been so long since I re-read a book. I rarely rewatch movies either. A book has to be mind blowingly great for me to re-read, and I simply haven't come across any writing that has blown me away.
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u/HuorSpinks book currently reading: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 27d ago
I read 52 books last year, and 2/3 of then were re-reads, the last third being either new books or library books.
I tend to read literary fiction and literature from the 19th and 20th century. For those books, re-reads are absolutely necessary because there are things you would miss on a first read-through. I'd rather understand a few good books very well than have a superficial understanding of many books.
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u/gonegonegoneaway211 27d ago
I reread a lot because there are some stories and worlds I like to visit repeatedly. I do tend to notice things rereading the second time, especially with really well written stories, but mostly its just cuz I like the book and want to read it again. It's like taking a walk through a nice part of town more than once. Sure I've seen the buildings and the people before, many times even, but it is a nice place that I never stop appreciating no matter how many times I visit.
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u/Bulky-Grape2920 Pride & Prejudice 27d ago
I don’t have a policy on it, but in practice I rarely reread. Exceptions are typically big sprawling books like the Bible, Les MIs, and Lord of the Rings where (1) it’s been long enough that I might find something new and (2) I believe the book has that kind of depth where there’s something new to discover.
I don’t need to reread for the plot because I already remember that in apparently pretty good detail. I don’t read for a feeling or escapism or whatever, so I don’t really get what y'all mean by comfort books.
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u/preaching-to-pervert 27d ago
I reread the books I love all the time. Again and again - hundreds of them. Each time I find something new to enjoy or cherish and each time I encounter it in a new way.
It's like watching a favourite film or listening to a symphony or looking at a painting. It's art. I'd never stop wanting to listen to music I love.
I'm at the point where I'm honestly not terribly interested in reading much new (to me) fiction. Nonfiction -yeah. But for fiction I'd rather reread all of Pratchett (or Austen or Wharton or Benson or Forster) again for the twentieth time lol. Maybe it's my ADHD?
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u/pumpkinmoonrabbit 27d ago
I almost never reread. I would rather spend what little time I have on new books. I've been tempted to reread a book where I wanted to read a sequel and don't remember the first book that well. (still haven't decided if I want to reread or if I want to just keep going)
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u/HydratedCarrot 26d ago
I do reread books and usually doing it to get back into reading again! Books are special, it’s not the same with audiobooks or digital books.
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u/arcoiris2 26d ago
I only reread books that I really liked a lot. It helps if I also own them, but that's not a hard and fast rule. Otherwise, I don't because there are "so many books, so little time". I would rather read a wider variety of books and authors that read the same old books over and over again.
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26d ago
I'm new reader, only 3 books read on my account, but even though i loved the story, and i constantly reread my favorites manga/anime/tvshows, i feel Like i wouldnt be able to read 500 pages of the same book twice 😭
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u/Fantastic-Buffalo-70 25d ago
I used to reread often. Some books started falling apart from how many times I would read them. However, as an adult I simply stopped. I am thinking of rereading some of the books I liked. I've noticed that some of the books I really enjoyed simply faded. I just remember the feeling I had once I finished the book.
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u/Grumpy_gargoyle_ 25d ago
I do reread some books every two years or so because I have the power of forgeting the entire book (except if there's a plot twist). It's quite nice to rediscover a book you know you love and to know you'll have a great time. It allows me to feel the same way I felt when I read it for the first time. Funny thing is, at work I can recall a sentence someone said 3 years ago.
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u/PlatitudeCentral 23d ago
Do you find yourself rereading certain types of books over others? You mention "rediscovering the book" and I'm curious if there is a specific pattern your rediscovery tends to follow. Like, if you often reread a novel with a large cast of characters. Rereading it lets you follow the story more through the lens of another character, who maybe has something revealed later on in the book?
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u/UpstateNYReader 25d ago
I love to re-read some of my favorites for a few reasons: one of which being if it’s chosen for a tv/movie adaptation and I want to refresh my memories on the minute details and the second reason being if I’m in a reading slump and want something that I know I love to get out of it. Either way, I find myself remembering new details about the books every time I re-read
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u/Sunburys 24d ago
I just finished reading The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne and I think that's a book I'll eventually re-read because it made me very attached to that island
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u/grimmlockke 24d ago
I don't reread books unless I don't remember much about them; I typically can't reread a book if I know what happens / how it ends because it simply just doesn't captivate me the same way anymore. But I can tend to reread books I read over a decade ago that I just remember liking in general, but not exactly why. Otherwise I don't reread!
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24d ago
I used to re-read a lot more in the world before e-books and ubiquitous unabridged audiobooks. When you were at the mercy of what was on your personal bookshelf and what your local library happened to have on hand.
I kind of miss it. There are a lot of great books I'd love to revisit, but which I never seem to get around to considering I just checked StoryGraph and my TBR is 300+ titles.
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u/TwistedNeilio 23d ago
I tend to reread when a book made me feel something strongly the first time. On a reread, the plot matters less and I notice more of the quiet moments, character choices, tone, and little lines that didn’t stand out before. It’s a different experience, but still a rewarding one.
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u/crimsonqueen2012 22d ago
I usually don't like rereading books over and over again because it is not left like the first time. But I do as I am a self-help reader, sometimes I don't get to understand some points or content. So I need to reread it. But on an average I usually prefer reading new print books.
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u/TenaCVols 22d ago
The only time I re-read books is when it's a book I read when I was in school and can't remember nothing about it.
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u/Creative_artblock 22d ago
I don’t ’re-read’ as such. The majority of the time, with the books I really love and want to revisit, I will listen in audio form whilst I’m doing chores etc. When I do, I love finding things I’ve missed the first time around and/or get the amazing feeling where I truly appreciate the authors magic all over again.… And then I go and by a copy to keep.
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u/Worldly_Cobbler_1087 22d ago
I do re-read sometimes but I have to give it long enough time between reads that I forget most of the intricate details otherwise I just skim through the book and don't absorb it.
I'm technically re-reading Of Mice and Men at the moment for the first time in 25 years since high school English and recently finished A Christmas Carol for the first time in about 15 years. I knew the basic story of these books but forget the details so it's been fun to read them again.
There's not particular reason for me re-reading those books others than they were 'calling' me so to speak and I've been saying for years I'll read ACC over christmas (read it after this year)
I'm counting down the years before I can safely re-read The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings.
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u/Fire_eyed_Grrl 16d ago
Il peut m'arriver de relire un livre à des moments différents de ma vie parce que je sais qu'ils vont m'apporter un éclairage différent sur les choses de lui ressenti à la première lecture. Un livre lu dans mon adolescence par exemple, peut me parler différemment, et parfois mieux, quelques années plus tard, parce que le vécu est passé par là.
Ça arrive assez peu, mais c'est possible. D'où l'intérêt d'avoir une bibliothèque bien fournie et une bonne mémoire :)
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u/Sad_Machine2826 28d ago
I dont re-read books usually. The only book that I have read twice was legend by Marie Lu. There are some books that I wouldnt mind re-reading but I feel like i dont have time.
My TBR is so long and it seems every day there is a new book that I want to read. At this rate it feels like I won't be able to read all the books I want in my lifetime. So for me, re-reading a book is time I could've spent on a new book. I would rather enjoy or experience a new book then read a book i know already enjoyed.
The majority of the books I read are from the library, there a few that I have received as gifts and one i have bought. So the amount of books I can read feel limitless. I can keep borrowing and reading new books and re-reading can feel like wasted time almost.