What makes you re-read?

2024 and 2025 were the year of re-reads for me, in part because of sleep deprivation. It can be incredibly hard to focus on new work when your brain is made of mush. All you want is comfortable, familiar things. In the two years after my son was born, I spent most of my time returning to old texts, helped along by new editions and adaptations.

The sheer volume of re-reading got me to theorizing, as it usually does when I am in one of these cycles. What is it that makes me come back to certain stories? What makes me abandon stories I have read over and over? Is there any shared characteristic?

For me, there are a few influencing factors that characterize a book I read again and again. The first is the characters. If I love a main character, I’m more likely to read a book a second time through. Some characters just really stick with you. Moon in the Raksura series; Kate in the Kate Daniels novels; they become like old friends. You want to read them again and again.

The second factor is definitely new releases in a series. I am far more likely to read an early book in a series if it has been a while since it came out and in fantasy sometimes there are big gaps. When A Dance with Dragons came out, I re-read the ASOIAF oeuvre. Should the following books ever get released, I will probably at least attempt to read the series again.

New editions or adaptations have a similar effect. Part of the reason that I re-read so much in 2024 and 2025 is that several Ilona Andrews books received Graphic Audio adaptations. I love Graphic Audio and the Kate Daniels cast is excellent. It made the books come alive in new ways for me. I’ve had similar experiences with manga adaptations, graphic novels, and other mediums.

Why do you re-read?