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Books

5 Reread-able Books

September 14, 2015May 26, 2019 Crystal // Dreams, etc. 13 comments
5 Reread-able Books

Hello, everyone! Happy Monday! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend!

Today’s prompt for the blogtember challenge is five books that have impacted my life, but I think I’m going to do a slightly different twist on this. These books haven’t changed my life in a grand way, but they’re books that I return to. I have read all but one of these books multiple times and the one that I’ve only read once I think about often and will definitely reread in the future. These are books that inspire me and that I can just soak up. They’re filled with characters and plot points that stay with me.

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The Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe
is about Cara, who has a tense relationship with her mother. Because of this, it seems strange when her mom asks her to return to her childhood home in the Lowcountry for the summer, but with her life spiraling out of control, she goes back. While there, she repairs her family beach house, spends time with the Turtle Ladies, and settles into beach life.

I love books that explore relationships, so I really loved this look at a mother/daughter relationship that was a bit shaky. The first time I read this was over Thanksgiving and I carried it to the table with me and kept it on my chair, because dinner was ready right at the end of this book. I know! It seems unreasonable to me, too, that my family wouldn’t push back our Thanksgiving meal so that I could finish my book. I even pulled it out while everyone was chatting at the table after the meal was over. This book introduced me to the life of the sea turtles and they have captured my attention and my heart ever since. Cara is a character that I really loved from the start. She’s not a perfect character–my favorite kind–but I was able to identify her and see things in her life from her point-of-view. The great thing about this book is that I was able to see things from her mom’s point-of-view too, even when it came to the rifts between them. The fact that I connected to Cara so well when I first read this book kind of surprises me when I think back… I was in high school and Cara is forty. But that’s just a testament to Monroe, her writing and this story. This is now the first in a series. I’ve read the sequel (Swimming Lessons) and loved it, too. There’s also a prequel (Beach House Memories), but I haven’t read it yet. My copy of this book is pretty battered now… but that just means I should be able to buy a copy of the book with an updated cover, right? (While keeping the old one, of course.) šŸ˜‰

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen is about Annabel, a teenage model and the girl who seemingly has it all. But she doesn’t have her best friend, who “friend dumped” her and home isn’t always the most comfortable thing to be. So when the girl who’s life is all about appearances meets music-obsessed Owen, who is obsessed with telling the truth, it’s the beginning of an interesting relationship.

I think what I love most about this book is it’s focus on appearances and making an assumption on someone’s life based on what you see. What their life appears to be like, may not be how it actually is. Growing up as a PK (pastor’s kid), this is something that I identified with, because people have an image of what the pastor’s family is like. I remember multiple occasions where someone heard stories about my family and said, “Oh, that sounds like my family. You’re like us!” I also loved all of the details in this novel, like the description of the house that Annabel lives in and all the details about her sister. There are so many details and scenes that always stand out to me, and I love it when I have a chance to get back into this book.

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson is about about a man who is badly burned while swerving to avoid what he thinks is a flight of flaming arrows and drives off a cliff. While in the hospital, he meets Marianne Engel, a sculptress of gargoyles who proclaims that he’s been burned again, and begins to visit him so that she can tell him about their life together in medieval Germany, along with the love stories of different couples from all over the world and in different periods of time.

I don’t even know where to start with this book, other than to say that I love everything about it. I love the different stories that Marianne tells and how they weave in and out of the story of the narrator and Marianne. I love the narrator and how well the reader gets to know him, even though we never learn his name. And Marianne… she’s a character that has stayed with me ever since I first read the book. This probably isn’t a book for everyone and I always want to give the warning for anyone who is interested in reading it that the first few chapters can be a bit uncomfortable (due to discussion of the narrator’s occupation, as well as detailed information about debridement) but I also don’t want that to scare anyone away. This is a really beautiful book and everyone who I know who has read it has loved it. This is a fantastic book to read, but it’s also a great one to listen to. The narrator of the audiobook was perfect!

After Dark by Haruki Murakami follows Eri, her sister Mari and the people that Mari meets late one night. It takes place in Tokyo between midnight and dawn.

What captivates me most about this novel is that it takes place in the middle of the night. The world appears different at night and I liked this focus on the people who inhabit that world. I don’t know what else to say about this one, other than I read it every few years and I love it each time.

Night Film by Marisha Pessl is about Scott McGrath, an investigative journalist who ruined his marriage and his career while investigating the cult horror filmmaker, Cordova. When Cordova’s daughter is found dead in an apparent suicide, McGrath believes there’s more to the story and starts his investigation again.

This novel is a bit on the long side, but I love it. If you’re interested in this book and you read books on an eReader, I highly recommend picking up a physical copy for this one. Night Film is an experience, that includes photos, newspaper articles and website pages in addition to the text. I was really drawn into the world of Cordova and all the extras that Pessl includes made his world even more realistic. And if you’re looking for something to add to your reading list soon, fall is the perfect time of year to dig into a mystery like this one!

WHAT BOOKS DO YOU RETURN TO?

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Hi! I'm Crystal, a millennial learning how to live slowly and sustainably, while still seeking adventure and following my dreams, etc.

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13 comments

  1. chelsea jacobs says:
    September 14, 2015 at 10:17 am

    I’ve read Just Listen many many times for the same reasons. Sarah Dessen foreverrrrr.

    Reply
  2. Erica says:
    September 14, 2015 at 12:23 pm

    I am already looking forward to returning to the Harry Potter Series!! šŸ™‚
    Also, I will definitely be returning to The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman.
    Thirdly, I think I will be rereading The Cell by Stephen King šŸ™‚
    This was a fun post! šŸ™‚
    I want to check out After Dark by Haruki Murakami

    Reply
  3. Sara Strand says:
    September 14, 2015 at 3:04 pm

    Okey doke, adding all of these to my list. I actually haven’t read any of them! But my absolute favorites are:
    1. The Leisure Seeker by Michael Zadoorian- a really great look at aging and makes you think about your own parents aging and their final wishes differently.
    2. Cry No More by Linda Howard- it’s a romance novel, YES, but the story is so, so good. It focuses around a woman who had her baby stolen from her arms in Mexico and her life long fight to find lost children. I can’t even remember how many times I’ve read that book, certainly more than 10.
    3. Stiltsville by Susanna Daniel (also her other book, Sea Creatures)- an author who just writes so incredible well. There is a line at the end of Stiltsville that gave me chills when I read it and still does, but it’s the wife speaking to her husband and she says, “Thank you. Thank you for my life.” and she really means her family, just the entire life they built together, no matter how strained their marriage ever got. And Sea Creatures was just as good.
    4. Come Away with Me- Karma Brown- it’s a new book but what a gut punch. I have now read it 3 times and still, there is a line in the book by the husband where he says, “I never even got to be a father” and it makes me tear up EVERY time I read it.
    5. Televenge by Pamela King Cable- it’s LONG. It is and it’s super religiously themed (though I usually turn away from this, I’m so glad I stuck with it) and it is just ALL OF THE FEELS. All of them. The poor woman, what an amazing story about pulling yourself through awful things even as people kick you down time and time again.

    Reply
  4. Karin Rambo says:
    September 14, 2015 at 5:12 pm

    Thanks for the recommendations! I have soooo many books to read!! But I’m okay with that problem.

    Reply
  5. Danielle says:
    September 14, 2015 at 6:41 pm

    I think I’m gonna see if they have The Gargoyle at my library. That book sounds so interesting. Thank you for sharing this list!

    Reply
  6. claire says:
    September 14, 2015 at 6:44 pm

    I have never ever read a book twice. I just don’t get it, even when I’ve loved a book and kept the copy on my book shelf, I’ve never had the urge to read it again, but I know loads of people do. Hmm. Maybe I’m missing out x

    Reply
  7. Krysten says:
    September 14, 2015 at 9:22 pm

    Oh man I have some books that I’ve reread so often that I could probably recite them to you! Why Girls Are Weird by Pamela Ribon is one of them šŸ˜‰ Little Women is another!

    Reply
  8. T Austin says:
    September 15, 2015 at 12:18 am

    Always looking for great book recommendations! I haven’t tried any of these! Thanks!

    Reply
  9. Penny Struebig says:
    September 15, 2015 at 12:45 am

    I really don’t reread many books. As a matter of fact, I can’t remember the last time I’ve reread a book. But now I’m going over all the books I’ve read that I would like to read again. I think I might start with The Help.

    Reply
  10. Susannah says:
    September 15, 2015 at 4:05 am

    These sound like some great books! I need to read them!!! <3

    Reply
  11. Charlotte | The Midnight Blog says:
    September 15, 2015 at 12:36 pm

    Harry Potter, always. I don’t know how many times I’ve re-read the series. I just can’t help it. šŸ™‚

    Reply
  12. Becki S says:
    September 15, 2015 at 6:20 pm

    I can always pick up Harry Potter and enjoy it. I’ll have to add these to my reading list for the year, thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  13. Esther of Local Adventurer says:
    September 17, 2015 at 4:16 am

    out of all these, I’ve only read after dark. i need to read more. šŸ˜›

    I actually don’t know if I’ve ever reread a single book before though. I feel like there are too many new books I want to check out to read ones I have in the past.. although I will outline things and refer back to quotes or anything I find thought provoking. šŸ˜€

    Reply

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hi!

I'm Crystal, the storyteller behind Dreams, etc. I'm all about learning how to live slowly & sustainably, while also seeking adventure as we follow our dreams, etc.

If only we always remembered to be in touch with o If only we always remembered to be in touch with our loved ones regularly; to tell them that we love them.

This thought has been on my mind the last few weeks as I’ve been in touch with one of my best friends almost daily. They’ve been navigating a scary situation.

But that’s what everyone says, isn’t it? Reach out to those you love. Tell them you love them. Don’t let a lot of time pass.

We all know that. We think about it sometimes. We hear about it when others are in crisis. We’re thankful that we aren’t the ones in crisis and we can remember this lesson through someone else.

But eventually we get caught up in life. Our daily ā€œI love you’sā€ are reserved for those we live with and sometimes we forget to text someone back… or it takes a few days to do so.

This week as I wondered why we don’t remember this more often I realized it’s probably a good thing. It’s a good thing that we can live life without worrying that tragedy is right around the corner. That would be an exhausting way to live.

It’s also good that we can get little reminders, sometimes not from our own life. So from someone who spent one week numb, another week weepy, and this week sad, remember to send your friends a text. Tell them you love them.
I took these in early January when the snow still I took these in early January when the snow still felt a bit magical, but right now I’m just ready to walk barefoot in grass.

When I was younger I used to imagine what it would be like if we got so much snow that it would be piled high above our doors. I wondered if we’d be able to create tunnels in the snow to move around in.

And this year might just be the year we find out. I’m kidding, of course, but at this point I feel like we’ve been buried in snow. We’re even on track to beat some snow records I think (the amount of snow and the number of consecutive days with snow on the ground.

So. What’s the weather like where you are?
February was here and gone in the blink of an eye February was here and gone in the blink of an eye but contained moments I’ll carry with me forever.
When it’s almost halfway through February and yo When it’s almost halfway through February and you still haven’t posted January’s recap. January was filled with lots of family time. šŸ’™
Hello, friends! šŸ‘‹šŸ¼ Swipe through for a few g Hello, friends! šŸ‘‹šŸ¼ Swipe through for a few glimpses from January. As 2022 came to an end I had this feeling that I was preparing to hibernate and I guess, in a way, I have. I’ve been slowly easing into the new year, focused on getting back into a few routines after Iceland and the holidays. And it’s been a great month. I can’t believe it’s almost over. What have your favorite moments of January been?
2022. Looking back on this year it was the year of 2022. Looking back on this year it was the year of so many dreams experiences. Whales. Cape Cod/Nantucket. Iceland. I saw musicals that have I’ve been dreaming of with Moulin Rouge, Wicked, and Six. 

It wasn’t without its stresses and rough moments but I’m grateful for the good that can be found, even when it’s hard.
Let’s journey back to November for the second we Let’s journey back to November for the second weekly dam walk of the month. My dad joined me for this one and we made it somewhat fast because it was a chilly day. ā€œThe water looks cold,ā€ I said when we back to the car.

Between Iceland and the below zero, windy, and snowy weather we had last week (which came with requests from my parents not to go) it’s been a few weeks since I’ve been to the dam and I miss it!
Years ago I celebrated Christmas and New Years in Years ago I celebrated Christmas and New Years in Vienna and it still lives in my memory today as such a special time. I know December in Reykjavik will be the same—and not just because I came home with a little over $100 worth of ornaments of all 13 Yule Lads AND their mom AND the Christmas cat. (There was a little bit of miscommunication between my mom and me on that shopping trip. šŸ˜‚)

It might have been cold (and when that wind hits you don’t want to be outside or by the harbour…I speak from windswept, breath-stolen experience and will forever be grateful for the library we eventually found respite in) and we only saw the sun a few hours each day, but seeing this already charming city decked out in Christmas lights with a skating rink and the prettiest tree secured it’s place in my heart.

Reykjavik, I hope to see you again one day. Soon. Probably not in December, but I’m glad I got to see you in December once.
Last year my niece and I visited New York at Chris Last year my niece and I visited New York at Christmastime and it was fun to see the city decked out in lights. I can also now say that I’ve seen the Rockefeller Christmas Tree and skating rink and the Saks Christmas lights, but I’ve also seen the crowds they draw.

It was completely different in Reykjavik this year. You actually had a chance to skate on the ice rink if you wanted (and I never did the conversation, but I think it’s cheaper) and you could actually walk up to the Christmas tree. Two very different Christmas in the city experiences.
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