Top Ten Books I Wish I Could Read Again For the First Time

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. There is a new subject each week and this week's topic is "Top Ten Books I Wish I Could Read Again For the First Time".


The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling


While Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the book I'd most like to read again for the first time, I would also love to read the rest of the series, especially the first book since I went into it with a negative attitude (which quickly changed!). The one bad thing would be that now that the books and films are all released, there would be a serious risk for spoilers so I'm glad that I got to find out what happens in 2007 instead of today!


The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien


I first started reading The Fellowship of the Ring in late 2001 because the movie was coming to theaters. I remember being at home curled up on the couch with the book while Enya played in the background. I will always associate Wild Child with hobbits!


Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen


I first read Pride and Prejudice when I was in college but for some reason I didn't become a true fan until I'd watched the 1995 miniseries and reread the book. I'd love to experience reading P&P again (and meeting Mr. Darcy) for the first time!


The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins


I remember hearing about The Hunger Games and sort of being interested in it but it wasn't until I read some glowing reviews that I decided to check it out from the library. I am so glad I did! I was able to read it before it became a popular sensation (and had hundreds of holds at the library). It was an intense reading experience similar to Deathly Hallows though I didn't yet care about Katniss the way I did with Harry and company. While I would have enjoyed reading it for the first time now (and not having to wait for Catching Fire and Mockingjay) I think again that the danger of spoilers and the hype would not make it as enjoyable as it was in 2008.


Outlander by Diana Gabaldon


I only read Outlander for the first time two years ago though I'd known of the series for quite awhile. It was available as a free e-book download (PDF) and I was stuck at home during bad weather so I thought, why not, I'll go ahead and try it. I ended up glued to my computer screen and it is a very long book. When I was able to go to the library again, I checked out the sequel right away though I never did finish it. I found Outlander to be excellent because of the romance and the historical setting (I've been a fan of historical fiction set in Scotland since I was a teen). I know this book isn't for everyone (it does have some violence and mature content) but it is one of my favorites.


And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie


And Then There Were None is my favorite Agatha Christie mystery. It is also the first book I remember reading where I had no idea who the killer was. I love that she stumped me. While it is a well crafted mystery I don't enjoy rereading mysteries because you already know "whodunit". That is why I'd love to read this again for the first time as an adult rather than a sixteen year old. 


Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte


I started reading this book when I was a kid but I gave up on it because I wasn't yet ready. The first part shows Jane as a girl and I remember sympathizing with her because of the mean treatment at the hands of her cousins and aunt. I just wasn't mature enough to have appreciated the book. I later read the whole book when I was in my 20s. I would like to reread it for the first time now because I think I would enjoy it even more. I also know more about Charlotte Bronte's own life that would add to my understanding of Jane and Mr. Rochester.


The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley


It has been so long since I read this that I barely remember it but I do know that I loved it as a teen. Now that I am an adult and I've read all these books with strong female heroines like Eowyn, Katsa, Katniss, and Eona, I'd like to go back and read The Hero and the Crown for the first time and see how Aerin would measure up in my mind. 


Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery


I did not read Anne of Green Gables until I was a teenager (though I'd read an excerpt in a children's treasury that my Canadian relatives gave me). I watched the movie with Meagan Followes first and then I rushed out to the library to get a copy. I still haven't read the entire series but Anne of Green Gables is my favorite. I'd love to read this for the first time as an adult though I wonder how much I'd connect with Anne as a kid. There is something about reading those stories in childhood. I also loved the Grandma's Attic stories as a kid and Mabel kind of reminded me of Anne.


Vienna Prelude by Bodie Thoene


This is one of my favorite historical fiction books and I first read it as a teen when I was going through my Christian fiction phase. What I loved about it was the historical detail and the suspense. It is set in Nazi occupied Germany and Austria as it is about to fall into Hitler's hands. This series helped me do really well in my high school history classes too. I think I surprised my history teacher by knowing all these historical facts, places, and events that we hadn't covered in class yet :) I'd love to read this book again for the first time, to go back to a time when Bodie Thoene was still my favorite author. Sadly, her newer books are just not as good as the ones she wrote in the 90s.