ReReading Old Favorites and Being Disappointed

To start off - I like rereading books, every time I read harry potter I get something new out of it.
But is that the case in all of those old favourites?

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So there was this one book released 3 years ago that I really enjoyed and gave a 4 stars to. Well the sequel came out this summer and I was excited to pick it up. Then I of course realized I don't remember a single thing about the first book and decided to reread that first. We've all been there...

So my problem, and frankly the point of this whole post, is what occurred to me on the very first page of this book I used to like - I don't anymore and was extremely disappointed.
And that's a sad thing to realize, because you hold favorites high up in your thoughts and now it's below everything else. So what happened?

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Let's break this down and start at what happened in that first page:
"his hair is not his best quality" Wait what? Exactly, I know I had a different taste but really?

And then I find out why I remember liking this book: "I felt like I had princess leia buns at a star trek convention"

I still found lots of these to be amusing - like I still do want that shirt that says "may the mass times acceleration be with you", but calling someone yummy just isn't my cup of tea.


And for some reason I'd always think: "well this makes up for it, the good parts make the bad go away".
Sure it makes "the feels" the main character has sound better if she compares them to demonstrating newtons law of inertia, but we shouldn't accept some things because other parts were better.

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So conclusion I have changed, has the author?

So I moved on to the second book, my mindset being along the lines of "this is an experiment I have to finish" - so not a good place. But I cleared my mind and started.

Well did I end up even finishing that book?
Um, I maybe read a third and skimmed the rest...

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Final thoughts: can I drop the star rating? The thing is, what I felt was valid - at that time. So can I actually do it? Or should I compromise? I have yet to come to a conclusion...

Read on lovelies,

S

John Green Read-Along & Unboxing

*Books kindly provided by the publisher, Penguin Random House, in exchange for honest reviews!*

To prepare for #TurtlesAlltheWayDown, @penguinrandomhouse has a countdown read along, with giveaways each week on Goodreads!

Looking for Alaska giveaway link here

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Timeline:
🌼 Looking for Alaska Sept. 4-10
👧 Abundance of Katherines 11-17
📌 Paper Towns 18-24
👥 Will Grayson, Will Grayson 25-Oct.1
☁ The Fault in Our Stars 2-8
🐢 Turtles All the Way Down 10-17

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So join us this weekend with Looking for Alaska and starting next week with An Abundance of Katherines!

Read on lovelies,

S

What Makes a Book Good

Feelings, statistics, both or neither

When rating a book I try to make an effort to distance myself from looking at purely the ending and my feelings right after finishing it. Looking back at books it's easier to see things that you really liked and what were unique and stayed with you.

So what makes a book good?
The feelings, the memorableness, the characters, the plot or something else entirely?

When I review a book I try to look at the book as a whole and work from there. But when rounding half stars on Goodreads - I just go with my feelings.

My STAR SYSTEM:
* Nope, maybe even DNF
** Decent? but wouldn't recommend
*** Good & Promising
**** Great & Entertaining
***** Unique & Loved it

Questions to ponder:
-Sensation after (is the book still good if the ending and only the ending was bad?)
-What do you remember (characters or feelings etc.)
-Which do you have rather lived? (like regret more what you did or didn't do)
-I love suprises and twists, isn't that just playing with your head & feelings?
-Should the book be a world that you are submerged in? - and you don't have a "wait a minute why is..." moment
-The importance of the writing, characters, plot, world and the development. If one is lacking are the others also affected?

The fact of the matter is - it's your opinion, and yours alone.

Read on lovelies,

Sally

Rereads

Time and Series

I've been on a journey regarding my TBR (To Be Read: books you own and haven't read). As you might know if you've been following my blog - I made an arrangement with myself, that I would read all the books I'd bought and not read before that year. (You can read more about that and how it worked here: link)

Other than not bying that many books, part of being able to reduce my TBR was not rereading that many books.
I LOVE rereading books because:
a) you know you'll love it
b) It's like reconnecting with an old friend
c) You get the perfect book for your mood, and sometimes you just really don't wanna get dissapointed
& d) it doesn't take as long as reading a new book

So not rereading books really made me appreciate how much I truly love doing it - and now that I've gotten my TBR down I'm loving rereading!

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The problem I usually have with reading series is that I don't remember what happened in the last book, and I don't have time really want to get to the next one, and won't reread it.

So if you have this issue here is a solution that I really like:
A website like Shmoop, SparkNotes, Cliffsnotes have detailed everything for a classics book. From characters to the plot and themes you can find it there to refresh your memory.
(Also it might be a good idea to have one of these open to understand a book better)

But for YA books and books that aren't on those, there are similar websites:
Recaptains
BookSeriesRecaps

If the book is not there you can also always check if someone has made a spoiler review on it.

Read on lovelies,

Sally

Rereads

(This won't be updated)

I find that the best way to get out of a reading slump is by rereading old favourites, so here is a list of those that I've reread and the amount of times I have done so.

I also have a long list for ones I really want to read again...

Babe (7)

Harry Potter (3, some individuals more than that)

Goose Girl (3)

Statistical Prob. (3)

Ella ja Kaverit 1-7 (3)

Gallagher Girls 1-6 (3)

And all the rest I have read twice:

Alice in Zombieland 1-2

Alice in Wonderland

The Little Prince

Miss Per.

How to be an alien

Heist Society 1-3

Anna and the french kiss

Ruby red

Divergent

Ella Enchanted

Dear John

Half Magic

Holes

Multiple Roald Dahl books (Witches, BFG, Twits, Charlie and the Chocolate...)

Serenity: graphic novels

Clockwork

The Naturals

The Worst Wich

Top 5 Wednesday

December 10
re-reads

1. Harry Potter!
2. Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight/Anna and the French Kiss/Isla and the Happily Ever After/If I Stay (any of these when I feel like reading a cheesy book in between series)
3. Gallagher Girls
4. Heist Society
5. Goose Girl