And, even more shockingly, I actually enjoyed them. HARD TO BELIEVE, I KNOW! (Ok, I will explain this outburst shortly).
Now, I know I wrote about my NeverEnding Reread TBR, but I have so many books/audiobooks/ebooks fighting for my attention, I didn’t truly think I would have gone hard on my rereads over the past few weeks since I wrote that post. SURPRISE!
The first reread shouldn’t come as a huge surprise as I have been banging on about reading the whole series for goodness knows how long: The Diviners by Libba Bray. I originally thought I would do the whole four book series by Halloween at the earliest/Winter Solstice at the latest, but I think I’m going to give myself a little more flexiblity and breathing room. But I weirdly enjoyed this visit to 1920s New York where a creepy serial killer ghost was on the prowl. Now, I have audiobooked this twice and, both times, I did enjoy but they were a slog for me. But on this, my third reading: I went into this with a different mindset: “This is a four book series therefore, this is set up. Pay attention”. And that’s what I found weirdly enjoyable. Yes, Naughty John and that storyline was creepy as heck (how has this book/series not been turned into a TV series for Apple TV+ or a streaming service?) but there were elements in this with characters and the ideas from that time that made me go “Now that I can see playing out in a later book”, so am intrigued to see where the series go. Plus, with current events happening in the UK, Europe and US politics, this felt very relevant/ahead of its time and I want to get book two in the series, Lair of Dreams, done by end of the year at the latest.
The other reread that I am shocked I actually reread is Mortal Engines by Phillip Reeves. Ok, I read this twice before (the first nearly 20 years ago [end of 2006/start of 2027] and again in 2018, and while I liked the weirdness of the world (cities on wheels eating each other. I mean, THAT’S NUTS!), I found the writing a tad dry for my taste. However, on impulse, I got the audiobook of this out on my library audiobook app and I whizzed through it. I think the narrator of the audiobook helped turn some of the drones into humour.
Anyway, I have decided to audiobook the series of the series via my library and, from what I gather, we follow our lead characters - Tom and Hester - over the course of several years so it will be nice to watch them grow. Now, I am only going to do the main four books in this world/series (or, as some people call this series:Mortal Engines Quartet, the Hungry City Chronicles and/or Predator Cities), which as Mortal Engines, Predator’s Gold, Infernal Devices and A Darkling Plain. I’m don’t know yet if I am going to read the other books set in this world (Fever Crumb trilogy and the later books - Thunder City, Bridge of Storms or the short story collection Night Flights). But I feel happy to do the four over the next few months and make a plan of action once done or close to the end.
And the reread don’t stop there. At time of writing, I have started to reread We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. I have no idea why the urge to reread this came about (not planning to watch the TV adaption yet which might have been the nudge), but I’m surprised that I’ve started. At the moment, I am at the start, before the Event happens so going to pay attention for clues (yes, I have read this twice, I know the twist, but want to see if the author plays fair with their readers).
Like I said earlier, am a little shocked am rereading as much as I have in the past few months (last year, I apparently reread 4 titles and the year before that, I didn’t reread anything). But I’m having a good time with these so hoping to do more (though I do have one or two titles I want to read over the next few months so will slip the rereads in as and when).
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