Top 5: Books I Want To Re-Read in 2021

In my February wrap-up, I mentioned how I have not been able to read anything by arcs for the last month. As much as I love reading and reviewing arcs I still want to be able to read some of the books I’ve actually purchased.

I’m now taking that idea further and have decided on five books that I want to re-read this year. Now I used to re-read books a lot when I was younger, but that was mostly because I didn’t have my own money to buy any new ones. Now I do have money of my own I find that I have so many books that re-reading is simply not an option.

Well, I’ve decided that it is an option. I think right now I am craving a sense of nostalgia and these books will definitely do that for me. I can vividly remember reading all of these for the first time and I’m interested to see if and how my opinions of them have changed. So keep an eye out for reviews of these in the future (maybe).

There’s no time limit set on these as I don’t want to put pressure on myself, however, I would like to read them again this year.

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

I read this so long ago, however, it still remains one of my favourite series. I’m pretty certain that I left a huge gap between the first two books and the last two, so I actually finished reading the series in 2016. Which I didn’t think was that long ago, but no that was five years ago now.

The events of the first book are a little fuzzy to me now so I’m excited that it will almost feel like reading it for the first time again.

Goodreads synopsis: “Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, ruthless Lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg.

She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the centre of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.”

Dead Beautiful (Dead Beautiful #1) by Yvonne Woon

I remember this being one of my favourite books when I was younger. It was most likely down to the fact that it was the most mature book I had read up until that point. Everything about this was darkly seductive and I’m interested to find out if I will still find it to be that way.

I also really want to re-read this as at the time of my first reading I had no idea that this was a trilogy. A couple of years ago I brought the other two books and they’ve been sitting on my shelves collecting dust. I know I could just jump straight into them, however, I can’t remember the specifics of the story and I don’t want to be completely lost.

Goodreads synopsis: “After Renee Winters discovers her parents lying dead in California’s Redwood Forest in what appears to be a strange double murder, her grandfather sends her off to Gottfried Academy in Maine, a remote and mysterious high school dedicated to philosophy, “crude sciences,” and Latin: the Language of the Dead. It’s here she meets Dante, a dark and elusive student to whom she feels inexplicably drawn.

As they get to know each other better, Dante can’t seem to control his attraction either, and their desires gradually deepen into a complex and dangerous romance. Dangerous because Dante is hiding a frightening secret. A secret so terrible, it has him fearing for Renee’s life.

Dante’s not the only one with secrets, though. Turns out Gottfried Academy has a few of its own… Like, how come students keep disappearing? Why are the prefect-like Monitors creeping around campus during the night? And what exactly are the Headmistress and Professors really up to? Renee is determined to find out why.

Dead Beautiful is both a compelling romance and thought-provoking listen, bringing shocking new meaning to life, death, love, and the nature of the soul.”

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I spoke about this book quite recently and actually mentioned wanting to re-read it. As with most of these books, I read this back in 2014, so I was around 15 years old. Which honestly has surprised me as I thought I was a lot younger. Well I could have been and my Goodreads is wrong, but who knows.

This was the first non-linear book that I had ever read and whilst I really enjoyed it I did find it quite hard to follow. Now I think I will have a much easier time with it.

I remember this being so magical and all-consuming and I really think I need something like that right now.

Goodreads synopsis: “The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.”

Starcrossed (Starcrossed #1) by Josephine Angelini

This series was my entire life for a while. I love Greek mythology so this series seemed like a no brainer. I can’t remember the specifics or how accurate the mythology side was, but I’m excited to pick this up again.

I do remember them quite quick reads and as I’m currently in a bit of a slump I think the first book might do the trick in making me want to read again. I’ll get back to you on that.

Goodreads synopsis: “How do you defy DESTINY?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is – no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it’s getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she’s haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood… and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they’re destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together – and trying to tear them apart.”

Northern Lights (His Dark Materials #1) by Phillip Pullman

I was extremely late to the party with this one. Usually, when a series becomes quite old I don’t bother with them. However, the first copy I got of this (I own the entire series in newer versions) was a special edition and also discounted because of a bit of wear and tear. You know I can’t deny a beautiful cover.

I have no idea why I didn’t continue with the rest of the series, probably to do with money as usual. However, last year I brought the new special edition covers and in order to finish the series, I feel like I need to re-read the first book.

Goodreads synopsis: “”Without this child, we shall all die.”

Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half-wild and carefree among scholars of Jordan College, Oxford. The destiny that awaits her will take her to the frozen lands of the Arctic, where witch-clans reign and ice-bears fight. Her extraordinary journey will have immeasurable consequences far beyond her own world…”