Hello reader friends! And Happy Hanukkah to those celebrating this week! Can you believe it’s already the first weekend of December? I hope in all the busy-ness you find time to relax and curl up with a favorite beverage and book.

Here’s an interesting topic (at least for a bookworm) that goes around on social media every so often – the question of re-reading books you love. Do you or don’t you? It’s a fun conversation to have with fellow readers or book club members. Some people seem to have pretty strong opinions on the subject!

With so many books to read, why would anyone spend time reading something they’ve already read? You know the ending, so there’s no suspense, right? Well . . .There’s no right or wrong answer. To each his own, right?

For me, re-reading a favorite book is like curling up with an old friend. Even though my to-be-read (TBR) list seems miles long, sometimes I want to revisit characters I love, and a story I know I can count on to give me a satisfying plot and ending. Though there isn’t an element of surprise, I often find little nuances in the story that I missed or had forgotten about when I re-read. For me, there’s comfort and pleasure in re-visiting familiar characters. I kind of miss them! I’ve even had to buy a second copy of a couple of faves because I wore them out!

Of course, re-reading fiction is very different from re-reading non-fiction such as a textbook. If you’re trying to learn a concept, re-reading can help solidify the information in your brain.

I have several novels that I occasionally re-read. Here are ten of them (in no particular order).

1. The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells.
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
3. Plainsong by Kent Haruf
4. Lake News by Barbara Delinsky
5. Crow Lake by Mary Lawson
6. Montana Sky by Nora Roberts
7. Paradise by Judith McNaught
8. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
9. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
10. The Mitford series by Jan Karon

Occasionally, I’ll even go waaaay back and read an old favorite from childhood, for instance, These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder. And I always keep an oldie-but-goodie in my car for those periods of unexpected down time. Currently holding that spot is Montana Sky by Nora Roberts.

Top reasons to re-read:

1. Nostalgia – it’s like visiting an old friend.
2. More bang for your buck.
3. You can read quickly without worrying you’ll miss something important.
4. Pick up wherever and whenever you have a few minutes of down time.
5. You already know where the “good parts” are.
6. There’s a hurricane/tornado/blizzard and you can’t get to the library

Speaking of old friends, Mary, Claire and Dana, the main characters in my Women of Whitfield women’s fiction series, are longtime friends you’ll wish you knew in real life. Through life’s ups and downs, marriages, moves and raising kids, there’s a lot of love laughter and shared times. You’ll be drawn into their circle with relatable issues, emotions and situations, and you can start the series for just 99 cents with The Storm Within. If you were to pick up the books for a second or third time, I hope it feels like spending time with an old friend!

Here are a few of my favorite review quotes:

— For warm, heart melting, and completely enjoyable reads always rely on Darlene Deluca to provide the full package. She has families that are realistically based and stories that fill you with hope and happiness.

— You’ll cheer, cry, and enjoy this journey where you’ll be reunited with these great friends (you met them in the first two books of this trilogy) who remind you of the important role our gal pals play in our lives. Bravo!

— I’ve now read all three books in Darlene’s Women of Whitfield series, and I’m so sorry the series is ending. I absolutely love these books! The characters are so well developed that I feel like I actually KNOW them and that they are my friends. Mary, Claire and Dana are the kinds of friends every woman hopes she has. And I think Darlene saved the best story for last. I found myself laughing with them, crying with them and rooting for them. This book had my heart in my throat, but I’m so glad it ended happily.

Happy reading to all! Do you have some favorites you enjoy re-reading?

Darlene