Top Ten Tuesday - Books I Want to Re-read

Today I'm going for another Top Ten Tuesday, as always hosted by the lovely ladies at The Broke and the Bookish.

Today's topic is:

Top Ten Books I Want to Re-read

Some people never re-read books. I am not one of those people. I have books that I re-read quite regularly (though not so much now I'm a blogger) and, to me, the sign of a great book is that I want to re-read it.

So without further ado, here are the books that I would most like to re-read:

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

This is obviously Charlotte Bronte's most famous work, and although I didn't read it that long ago, it was before I began reviewing books in a meaningful way, and I find it hard to remember what exactly my thoughts were about it. I feel like writing reviews of books solidifies my thoughts on them, as well as making me think about them in a more focussed way while I'm reading them, so it's sometimes hard to compare my reading pre-blog with my reading now.

2. A Room With a View by E.M. Forster

This is a very similar reason to the one before. I read A Passage to India this summer and fell in love with Forster's writing all over again. Like Jane Eyre, I remember absolutely loving it, but the specifics escape me. I definitely want to reread it in a more focussed way and document my thoughts about it so I can remember them more clearly.

3. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

I've seen this book all around BookTube, and it seems to be the only Christie book that people have actually read (or at least the only one they ever talk about) which is a shame as she's written so many great books. Having said that, this might be my favourite of her books as it's so ambitious and unique. I would love to reread it in a reviewing frame of mind and pick out exactly why I fell in love with it.

4. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngosi Adichie

This book, unlike the others on this list so far, was one that I read when I was much younger and don't really remember anything about. I still have it on my bookshelf and was considering getting rid of it, but having recently read Americanah and come to appreciate how subtly special Adichie's writing is, I would love to reread this as an adult and assess it properly.

5. The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett

This was one of my absolute favourite books as a child, and probably still makes the list of my most-loved books. Part of the reason it makes this list is because I lent out the book to a friend and am doubtful about ever getting it back... And they say absence makes the heart grow fonder! Basically, not only does this book mean a lot to me for sentimental and nostalgic reasons, but it also stands up to scrutiny as a brilliant novel that merits ALL the rereads!

6. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

This book probably shouldn't make the list because I never really read it properly in the first place, but hey ho. This was one that I studied briefly in school for my GCSEs, but we didn't have time to read it properly. I remember vaguely appreciating that it would be an important book for me to read properly, since obviously it's been so influential and has held up so well over time, but I just never got round to it. So many books, so little time!

7. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Another Bronte! I read this one just after Jane Eyre and at the time didn't enjoy it anywhere near as much. I'd gone into it with certain expectations, namely that it was going to be this amazing gothic romance, but anyone who's read it will know that it's not actually all that romantic. In fact, it's kind of twisted. I don't actually have a problem with that, but since it wasn't at all what I was expecting, I was completely thrown by it and this probably influenced my opinion at the time (I think I was also confused by the way it's narrated). Since then, though, the story has stuck with me in such a powerful way, which has made me want to reread it and re-judge what I really think of it.

8. The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton

This book was my first Chesterton (who is now one of my absolute favourite authors), and at the time I had no clue what on earth this book was about. I remember being thoroughly confused the whole way through, especially since I had just finished reading The 39 Steps, which is quite a straight-forward read. Basically, I completely missed all the symbolism and just couldn't get my head around it. So I'd love to read it again with a clearer head and with my reviewer brain in action to see what more I can get out of it.

9. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome

Basically, this book is hilarious. And I can always do with something on hand to lift my spirits!

10. Persuasion by Jane Austen

This book was my first Jane Austen (I think I picked it because it's the smallest...) and is a bit of an unconventional choice as a way of getting into her writing. I don't think it is a particularly good place to start with her, as it's actually quite different to her other novels. It's quite subdued and less lively, and it's a little sadder and more thoughtful. There is none of Austen's trademark wit, and the fact that this book was her last really shows through. Now I've read much more of her books, I would love to reread this one with a fuller knowledge of her style so I can compare it more thoroughly.

So I'm going to be cheeky and add in a sneaky number 11, because I just thought of another book that definitely needs to be on this list!

11. The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne

Not many people know that the author of Winnie the Pooh wrote a murder mystery novel. I certainly didn't until I randomly spotted it in a charity shop and just had to snap it up! I read it a couple of years ago and remember absolutely loving it. But I'd love to re-read it with my new-found reviewer's brain and see what I make of it.

I found it in this beautiful vintage classics edition too!

Phew! I hope you enjoyed my list! What are some of the books you want to re-read? I'd love it if you let me know in the comments, or linked me your post if you did one too.