I’ve always had an extraordinarily bad memory. I think??? I’m not sure.
At least I’m extraordinary at something, ok. Look for the positives. NO ONE is as good at being bad as me! #SlytherinPositivity Although I’m fully aware this backfires when it comes to books, because not remembering what you read is super awkward.
But I don’t understand why people get so judgy about it?!? People say “Oooh if you can’t remember what you read THEN YOU’RE POINTLESS.” Well, no. I don’t remember what I ate in 2002 and yet it kept me alive.
Take that, fiend.
Plus look we just compressed a couple hundred UNIVERSES into our head and you get a bit full up there after a while and things start rattling and screaming in the attic. I think this is super admirable even if none of us remember why.
Love the bookworm life! Love it!
But before we go on, let’s just make a quick list about why forgetting everything you read is still pretty awkward. I like lists. I’m addicted.
- People say “Oh I’m reading that book you recommended 3 years ago!” and then you die quietly. Mostly because who remembers what they recommended 3 years ago?!?! NO ONE!! (Okay maybe someone? But we’re not here to talk about functional people.)
- When someone says “hey did you read this book?” To which you reply “Of course I loved it!” And then they try to discuss it with you and like…maaaate. Back up. Unless I read it in the last fortnight this conversation is not sustainable. I’m just going to say yes and use a lot of emojis because I’ve got nothing.
- Sometimes you accidentally get books by authors you forgot you didn’t like. Raise thine hand if you have done this and wept.
- You can have such FIERCE love for a book!…with no idea why. Which actually is frustrating because who has time to do all the rereads that life requires?!?
Today I’m listing 10 books I keep saying “I LOVE !! SO MUCH !!” but I have really no freaking clue why anymore.
This is absolutely as awkward as you think it probably sounds. In a well-ordered universe I’d definitely reread these favourites immediately. But unfortunately the universe is NOT well-ordered and I can tell because (A) publishers are still printing stickers on covers and ruining life, and (B) I tried to flip my scrambled eggs into my bowl but gravity interfered and they ended up everywhere except my bowl.
The world has fallen.
Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Really Liked But Can’t Remember Anything/Much About
Oh and total disclaimer…I’m listing more recent books I’ve read since I started blogging. Because if we dive back into my childhood, it’s like one big blank space. WAS I EVEN A CHILD??? I DON’T REMEMBER.
1. LAMENT / BALLAD BY MAGGIE STIEFVATER
WHEN DID I READ IT: the year of childhood, 2013
WHAT DO I REMEMBER: Faeries? James’ sass. Actually James dressing exactly like Maggie Stiefvater so I SEE THAT AUTHOR SELF-INSERTION THERE. Dee played the harp. Someone’s car broke down (?! seems a theme in Stiefvater books). They ate chips. (I’m doing my best but oh wow send help.)
HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL: (This is SUCH a nice question. Go me for caring about my feelings.) Maggie Stiefvater is my #1 favourite author and I genuinely can’t even with myself for the fact that I haven’t reread these recently!?? These are also her first two ever books, so not as good as The Raven Cycle. Alsooooo. The 3rd book never came out. Haha. Yes let me cry.
2. THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN BY HOLLY BLACK
WHEN DID I READ IT: the year of ancientness, 2014
WHAT DO I REMEMBER: That this was the first vampire book I actaully liked! And….aaaaaand??? Yeah that’s it. I’m 99% sure there was like a “party” where teens got drunk and vampires ate them but they never knew? Also there was Gavriel who I liked but CAN’T REMEMBER WHY. I think he was super out of his mind the whole time. My people.
HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL: Oh wow very bad. I love Holly Black…am in total adoration but I just??!?? I gOT NOTHING.
3. THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME BY MARK HADDON
WHEN DID I READ IT: wow I was such a tiny grape but 2013
WHAT DO I REMEMBER: That it was one of my first experiences reading about autism and I really loved it and related…with no idea why at the time. AH, CAIT, YOU’RE SO CUTE. (I had no idea I was on the spectrum too until like 3 years later.) Also there was a dead dog and Christopher (holy heck I remembered his name) hated the colour brown and I got nothing else.
HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL: Okay so I’ve actually heard this book is NOT good autism rep. Which is confusing because it resonated with me, an autistic individual?! Buuuut that was back in 2013. So I really really want to reread it and see how I feel now! I do not own it, however, so this is a slight puncture in my plans.
4. TAKEDOWN BY ALLISON VAN DIEPAN
WHEN DID I READ IT: when I was so smol in 2013
WHAT DO I REMEMBER: That it was like about street gangs?? And…and…well nope. That’s all I got.
HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL: I ACTUALLY GENUINELY REMEMBER NOTHING. This book is on my 5-star Goodreads shelf. And yet I remember nothing. And I tried to re-borrow it from my library before I moved but apparently I was the only one who read it in the last 5 years and they GOT RID OF IT. Rude.
5. THE ARCHIVED BY VE SCHWAB
WHEN DID I READ IT: only in 2016!
WHAT DO I REMEMBER: Okay here me out, 2016 was a very stressful year. I’m not sure why (???) but definitely going to blame my lack of memory on that because it seems plausible. (I make every year stressful, it is my talent.) But holy heck I just remember the narrator (WHAT WAS HER NAME?!) giving people muffins and also rounding up the dead bodies and there was an Owen and I liked him.
HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL: Sooooo bad. I mean think of bad and then multiply it by AT LEAST 4. This is my favourite author!! This wasn’t even that long ago!! My brain is Swiss Cheese!!
6. MORNING STAR BY PIERCE BROWN
WHEN DID I READ IT: again in 2016 (look I tell you, that year was hopeless for memories apparently)
WHAT DO I REMEMBER: SO MUCH OF NOTHING. Basically my #1 memory is Sevro threatening to go to war for chocolate and Darrow being very tired. But in my defence (which is a defence made up solely of crayons and crying and croutons…because of the alliteration mostly and also because 2016 was a stressful year) I don’t actually absorb sci-fi very well.
HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL: Not surprised at all, actually. Which is why (SURPRISE!) I’m rereading this as we speak before Iron Gold comes out to hit me in the face with more awesome complex plots I love but also do not heckin’ understand. (Audiobooks save lives!! Mine at least!!)
7. THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS BY CASSANDRA CLARE
WHEN DID I READ IT: I devoured all 6 in 2014 and wow I’m proud of myself in retrospect
WHAT DO I REMEMBER: I remember it as like one big bowl of congealed Shadowhunter sass and demon blood and thaaaat’s about it. Like I’m so confused about who Jace is. Doesn’t he have 4 identities and names?? Did I hate Sebastian? Did Magnus have a torrid affair with a vampire once? DID SIMON DIE AND COME BACK A FEW TIMES OR IS THAT ANOTHER SERIES???
HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL: You know how when you try to drink a glass of water and miss your mouth and suddenly you are having a spontaneous shower? Yes. Look I love this series! SO MUCH. It’s one of my all-time favourites and Lady Midnight just wrapped my heart in loving barbed wire and pulled it out of my chest (this is a good thing??? I think??) but the books are all merged together for me. I really want to reread this year!!
8. THE WRATH AND THE DAWN BY RENEE AHDIEH
WHEN DID I READ IT: the year of our pineapple, 2015
WHAT DO I REMEMBER: That I liked it! That I wanted Tariq to eat a horseshoe and die. That Shazi was epic and there was a reason Khalid was awful. Magic? Demons? Hey wasn’t there a magic carpet?! Also how did it end: I HAVE NO IDEA.
HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL: Like this is totally the reason I never read the sequel…which I will do!! I loved the first book, five-stars all the way, but I cannot pick up the sequel without rereading this first. Send me 8 more hours per day and 12 MORE EYEBALLS.
9. PRINCE OF THORNS BY MARK LAWRENCE
WHEN DID I READ IT: oh surprise! 2016!
WHAT DO I REMEMBER: Just that Jorg was a little piece of unpalatable compost and like the actual WORST SLITHERING CREATURE and somehow that was really interesting to read about. I have no idea what the plot was except they went into a mine or something at one point. I think Jorg got scared so he killed someone to help himself chill out. In retrospect: what the fork.
HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL: Well I want to finish the trilogy and I can nary do that while I have no idea what went down in the first. So it makes me feel like a reread AND also like questioning my life choices, because this was like the most evil 14 year old kid ever?!???
10. ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES BY JENNIFER NIVEN
WHEN DID I READ IT: waaay back in 2014, and you might know it was actually published in 2015. Yes, you little detective marshmallow. I read it 6 months early as an ARC because apparently I don’t understand release dates.
WHAT DO I REMEMBER: I mean, lots! But also fragments. Like I just know this book sTOLE MY HEART (and then smashed it, but okay then) and it was about depression and bipolar and I pretty much cried and I NEVER CRY. So this is a big deal. But not…much…else. I hear people talk about it and my usual response was: “I loved it too! But what even happened I don’t know!”
HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL: It’s my “favourite”. IT IS. I keep saying this! I have literally no clue how the story went down! I’m going to reread it this year or bust my left eyeball with furiously intense staring at it sitting on my shelf instead. This seems productive.
Ooh I really love the idea of this post! I’ve never measured it, but I’d say a few months is more than enough for me to forget things. When a sequel comes out, I definitely avoid it for awhile, even though I know I “loved” the book before, I remember nothing (however, this fact only seems to hit me when I start reading and there are all these references to past events which I just don’t get).
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It’s so so hard with sequels!! I’ll end up not enjoying the next one because I’ll be so confused.😂😂
It happened to me the other day… my friend said “oh, that book I gave you…” and i had a sudden moment of panic because i had no idea what she was talking about… 😀
I haven’t read any of the books you have mentioned… or maybe they were just wiped from my memory too 😀
I’m so glad I’m not along though ahh hahaha. *buries self under a mountain of forgotten books* 😂😂
I just read Cress, but had almostly (an actual word. I made it up just then and it is well known that I am a dictionary) forgotten what happened in Scarlet, except that it was set in France and there were evil wolf/people things.
I remember being smol and reading a book about rats and Antarctica, which proved insanely boring but also fascinating in a morbid kind of way and I’m so confused about it now. What was it called? What was it about? These answers I don’t know. They’ll haunt me until I forget about them.
Almostly should be a word. It’s totally an amazing word. And honestly I have no freaking clue what happened in any of the Lunar Chronicles.😂 I haven’t read Stars Above yet for this exact reason. Like someone just write up really detailed recaps for us, that’d be great. 😂
Also the Antartica book sounds suitably terrifying. LOVELY CHILDHOOD.
Oh man I read this post nodding my head like a freaking bobble-headed Hawaii you-thing. This is the most accurate Top Ten Tuesday I have ever read.
I kinda wanna steal it (I MEAN COPY) tbh.
Also, I’m no expert as I’m reading the Shadowhunter Chronicles for the first time as we speak, but you seem to have TMI muddled with every other Shadowhuntwr series ever 😂
It’s a top ten tuesday prompt, so totally feel free to do your version! haha. And omg I’m really glad I’m not alone with confusing all the Shadowhunter books. I love that series so FREAKING MUCH and I feel like a horrible fan for mixing everything up.😂
I agree with so many of your choices. I put The Darkest Part of the Forest on my list, but I can hardly remember The Coldest Girl in Coldtown either (and I read that in 2016, which was a terrible year for my memory too. Was there some kind of book blogger brain virus?!).
Instead of being sensible and rereading Morning Star before starting Iron Gold, I decided to just jump in because I thought I could remember everything – now I’m surrounded by names I don’t recognise and I’m getting myself so confused, but at least I’m enjoying it!
I’m like definitely going to blame 2016 as the year we forgot everything. Honestly it was a pretty sucky year (I think lmao) so maybe our brains are just protecting us by wiping it? Seems legit. (OR ELSE THERE WAS AN ALIEN INVASION AND WE’RE SLOWLY BEING MADE TO FORGET.)
I’m glad you’re still enjoying Iron Gold without the reread!! I’d be SO lost. I’ve only just started rereading Morning Star but my top thought is: I do not remember that happening.😂😂😂
I’ve read none of these book! I don’t think!
Wait, I’ve maybe read some of The Mortal Instruments. And maybe the first one in the Lament series? I don’t remember…
This post may have a valid point.
*slams fist on the table* I am spot on here then. All my points are valid.😂 ahahhah *shares cake with you*
…so agreeing with you gets me cake?
hey did you know you’re right ALL THE TIME CAKE I MEAN CAIT?
*grabs cake and runs*
YES THAT IS THE WAY TO GET CAKE. I CONTROL EVERYONE’S MINDS WITH FOOD.
I actually have a decent book memory. You might even call it a great book-memory when I’m really trying (especially for university stuff because it’s nice to read a book once and be able to properly discuss it for different purposes for multiple semesters before feeling like a re-read is due) but then there are also times where I read sooo many books at once that they all kind of blur together, some of which I’m very ashamed to admit to (like “Crocked Kingdom”, it was one of my absolute favorites last year but … what exactly happened again and in what order? Or anything by Megan Abbott – she’s one of my fave authors but her style is so weird that I only remember how I felt reading and never any detail about the actual books).
But I do definitely feel you 100% in terms of rereading. I never want to do it (unless I’ve already read it a couple of times) if it’s been more than a year, which it usually is considering my memory more often than not not failing me because I’m always soo sure that I will be disappointed and will neVER BE ABLE TO LOVE AGAIN.
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CONSIDER ME VERY JEALOUS AND ALSO I WOULD LIKE THIS SKILL.😂 I mean, I reread the Raven Cycle a TON and still manage to forget everything between times.😂
Honestly the fear of not loving an old favourite after a reread!??!? IT’S TOO TERRIFYING. Especially if it’s like 5+ years later and you realise the book is seriously problematic. *howls*
I actually have this tendency to not know about a book until someone actually says the title? Like “Stung” by I-don’t-even-remember-their-name was a book a read 3+ years ago and only read the sequel “Cured” a year ago and somehow remembered everything? And like…. I honestly don’t know how I do it. I think my brain has a special bookshelf section with the plots to every book I’ve ever read and then some.
When it comes to sequels, unless I read the book literally the day before (You’d be surprised, I did this with the Legend Trilogy. I bought and read the entire series within days of each other. I have a problem) and/or remember every detail, I tend to reread the books that came before, especially if I loved the book to no end. That way I can remember all of the little things and put my brain on overdrive by trying to figure things out.
I’m am totally not afraid of rereading especially because it’s like going back and rewatching a TV show and watching how all the little foreshadowing moments line up AND YOU NEVER EVEN NOTICED BEFORE? I love that feeling! I’m a plotter, my brain likes to see things line up even before they do. But then… there’s the stuff I read ages ago that I loved as a kiddo and now I’m just kind of like “Okay, I was happy with how my brain looked at this, I’m not gonna wreck it.”
So yes I gave you absolutely no straight answers. HAVE FUN.
I thoroughly admire your superpower YOU MAGICAL CREATURE YOU. CAN I HAVE SOME OF THIS TALENT.😂
Oh but when I like binge-read a series all the books totally blur for me and it’s a complete problem.😂
I love rereading The Raven Cycle for the reason of picking up all the hints and foreshadowing eeep. But then there’s some (usually childhood) books I don’t want to reread in case I missed some like bad aspects about it?! So awkward ah hahah. *buries self*
Yeah the binge-reading thing was a problem for Legend. Especially when I hyped a friend up to it and may or may not have spoiled a little something from the second book. XD
I’ve actually got a really good memory – sorry! For books, anyway. Ask me the name of my child’s teacher or the friend from school who’s just cornered me in a coffee shop and I’ve got nothing. But then there’s ridiculously long and complicated series like Game of Thrones and Wheel of Time where I know there’s no way I’m going to be able to carry on without a reread and who has time for that, those books are about a thousand pages each and there’s so many of them. But I definitely relate to that last thing about rereads, especially when it’s a book I adored as a child or a young teenager and I come to reread it and I’m like…. Yeah. I have this huge problem with passing books down to my daughter because I remember loving it, then I read it with her and I realise they’re full of racism and sexism and classism and statements like “she couldn’t help being stupid because she was fat” (I’ve paraphrased, but OMG it actually said that). So yeah.
Okay but at least you’re using your good memory for the right purposes there. 😉 And amazingly I actually remember Game of Thrones better than I usually do because I listened it on audio and I tend to forget things less when I do audiobooks.😂
Ugh I HATE that moment of realising a childhood favourite was extremely sexist/racist/awful undertones. 😭😭 It makes me not want to reread so I can just keep the fond memories.
This is why I love Goodreads and my blog, because my tiny brain cannot keep all the information in and after a while I just don’t even remember books I’ve read which sounds awful because some of them I’ve actually loved? Once it took me half the book to look it up on GR and realize that indeed I had read that before just didn’t remeber it but it sounded familiar. None of these would make sense to non bookish people, one more reason to love this community LOL!
Honestly without Goodreads I wouldn’t even know I was a bookworm BECAUSE I REMEMBER NOTHING AH HHAAH. *distant weeping* It’s really awkward to KNOW you love a book but then can’t remember why!!
I totally made a goof and did next week’s post, so that means next week I will be doing this post! Still can’t believe I did that! Not sure what I was thinking! Lol!
Seeing a few I’ve read here and some I didn’t. It’s hard to remember why we loved every book that we read once we’ve read so many!
Here’s my Tuesday Post
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower 🙂
Ah haha I’ve done that before! I actually once combined two weeks on accident?! How on earth. We are talented. *hi fives* 😂😂
I RELATE TO THIS ON A SPIRITUAL LEVEL I JUST CAN’T. The third book in the Charlotte Holmes series comes out this year and I can’t even remember half of book one and a quarter of book two. I just know something really bad happened at the end of book two and I was so shattered but I don’t actually remember why. Then there were the Magnus Chase and the Trials of Apollo series. I wait for a year for the sequels to come and when they do, I find myself perusing the previous books because I can’t get the references in the latest books. I mean, how terrible can my memory get? EVERY UNCLE RICK BOOK IS MY FAVORITE AND I STILL FORGET ABOUT IT IN JUST THE COURSE OF A YEAR. Also, last year, I recommended the Percy Jackson series to my friend and she said something about the books that I totally don’t remember and I just nodded and smiled, pretending that I haven’t really forgotten all about it. I JUST WANTED TO CRY YOU KNOW. I LOVE PERCY and I’ve read the series TWICE already and my silly brain still decided to forget it. The same works for the HP series as well, which is why I’m rereading it now.
I don’t always re-read because I don’t have a huge amount of time. That is why I just wait for some series to be complete before I read because I don’t want to wait for the sequel and forget about the previous book before it comes (though I can’t always do that. The temptation to read a good ongoing series is just so strong it sucks).
If you’re worrying about your poor memory, just remember that I’m probably worse than you. I can’t even remember what food I ate yesterday. I know, I’m such a forgetful slob. Let’s cry together.
-R
YAY WE CAN BE DYSFUNCTIONAL TOGETHER. *hi fives for our life failings* 😂😂😂 OmgI have no idea what happened in Magnus Chase. Thanks for reminding me that I’d forgotten (I CAN’T BELIEVE I TYPED THAT SENTENCE. MY LIFE IS AT AN ALL NEW LOW.) 😂 Also I totally have no idea what happened in the first PJ series. I just assume they’re all smooshed together. I have no idea what happened in which book ah ahah.
I’ve actually started enjoying a lot of rereads which is good! But I hate it when I notice something bad in the reread…like Red Rising for instance? SO sexist in the first book and I never noticed it before. 😭
*cries with you even though we both can’t remember why*
I just finished the first Mortal Instruments book last night and it’s FOR SURE one of my favorite series of all time. And I’ve only read book one. SO MANY FEELINGS. <3 The characters are so amazing, and I adore the female protagonist and here lately all my book have featured boring female protagonists so i'm overjoyed. And I love your blog and your list!!!! 🙂
FADJKSFALD I LOVE IT SO MUCH. It’s so clever and complex, right?! And the CHARACTERS. I need to reread and just get all saturated in the Shadowhunter world again!! (Also thank you so much for reading my blog!)
First of all, I just have to say: “Sometimes you accidentally get books by authors you forgot you didn’t like.” This is why I created a DNF shelf on my Goodreads, because I have actually BOUGHT A BOOK I HATED AND ALREADY DNF’D ONCE. I didn’t want it marked as to-read, currently reading, or read (because I’d only read the first 10 pages before literally throwing it at a wall) so I’d forgotten I hated it and accidentally purchased it for a second time. (Because purchasing it once didn’t kill my soul enough, apparently.)
I read The Coldest Girl in Coldtown in the later half of 2017 (so less than a year ago… Probably less than 6 months ago….) and all I remember is Gavriel is secretly [spoiler[, the main chick (did she have a name?) really doesn’t want to be a vampire, and if you get bit and don’t eat people but {spoiler spoiler spoiler].
I read the first … 3? 4? hmm… books of Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series, and now the last book (or 2?) is out, but I can’t read it because – despite totally loving and devouring all the books that were out at the time I started the series – I can’t remember a DANG THING. Something about the MC’s sister dies in Ireland, so she goes trying to figure out what happened, and maybe like a bondage magician guy? Something about keeping her captive and out of her head (or was that a different series?) and faeries, I think? Ugh.
Anyway, you are not alone! And it’s not just books. People will be like “Remember that time we did this super crazy thing?” and I will stare blankly and say “Are you certain that was me? Was I there for that? I don’t remember ever being on a train, let alone jumping out of one…” Oh boy. Sometimes there are even pictures proving I was involved in whatever crazy thing. …I think I might be a changeling.
Omggg that would be SO frustrating to even spend money on a book you hated!!
Omg haha Gavriel was mad wasn’t he? I can’t even remember WHY except I love his name so much. And I don’t even remember the girl’s name.😂 This is making me feel terrible omg…maybe I should reread it right away.😂
Blank stares are the bookworms’ legacy now.😂
Oh my goodness I totally relate to this post!
There are so many series I just haven’t finished because…what even happened in book one? (Side eyes blackhearts and the study of Charlotte)
I really need to reread but…all the new books are coming out and I just haven’t yet. 😂😰
Agjgkgh forgetting is like the bookworm legacy, right?! And I didn’t even realise the Study in Charlotte books were…ya know…a series.😂 I wouldn’t have a clue what happened in the first one.😂 (How do we even get enough time to do all the rereading we need to do!? *screaming*)
I’m kind of with you on The Archived. There are certainly aspects of that one that have gone a bit fuzzy.
Annemieke recently posted…TTT #126 – Books I Liked but Can’t Remember in Detail
I’m so embarrassed because I didn’t even read it that long ago! BUT I GOT NOTHING.
I have to confess, I think I remember everything about books. I have a semi-photographic memory when it comes to books, and remember lots of things.
At least I thought. 🤦🏼♀️ Because I was reading a Torch Against the Night, and realized I didn’t remember all the important stuff from An Ember in the Ashes..
What were the trials again? Who’s this person? WHAT??? I don’t remember any of this?
So apparently my memory’s not as great as I thought. 😂 Still works REALLY great for getting me through midterms and finals.
DUDE. THIS IS SUPER UNFAIR AND I DEMAND YOU SHARE YOUR MAGICAL POWERS.😂 And I mean, maybe there are some smol moth holes in your memory there, but you’re still doing WAY better than me.😂
The moth holes are called college 😂
Also pretty sure the memory magic is a ginger secret. I mean, there’s a reason redheads are always witches, right? 😂
DUDE. Very much unfair you have witching powers. I demand you share.
Some of these I haven’t read yet, but plan to. But a year ago The Mortal Instruments (at least the first three) would have easily been on my list until I re-read them. I still haven’t gone passed the third because I had planned reading them in Cassandra Clare’s order and I can’t seem to get into Clockwork Angel.
Awesome list Cait! Happy reading!
I actually didn’t love the Clockwork series as much as TMI!!😂 But I want to reread EVERYTHING because the Lady Midnight trilogy is my absolutely freaking favourite ahhhhh and we don’t get the next book for a whole year!
I’ve heard the Lady Midnight series is AMAZING. My dad’s a huge fan of all the shadowhunter books and I’m so behind. The Lady Midnight Series is what motivated me to re-read them! I just need to somehow push past the Clockwork trilogy!
IT’S SO GOOD. IT’S BASICALLY MY FAVOURITE SERIES OF ALL. *screams softly in the background*
Ooo I have this problem a lot. I either remember EVERY SINGLE DETAIL Of a book and can therefor have a lengthy conversation about it, or someone asks and I’m like uh…I think there’s a character named James?? Maybe???
And yes, the scared to rereading in case I don’t love it as much. I’ve been really wanting to reread Radio Silence but I look at it and I loved it SO MUCH the first time and I’m scared I won’t love it as much the second. Or, like, it wouldn’t be as good as I remember it being.
Rereading is so terrifying.😂 Especially of books I loved YEARS ago and now like I’m a much more analytical reader and also will pick up problematic undertones much faster now…so it sort of scares me all the books I “loved” before and might’ve been bad. aGH.
CONFESSION: I almost ALWAYS have to go back and read book one before gobbling up the sequel. I HAVE THE MEMORY OF A GOLDFISH xD.
(and I’m always running from rereads in case I ruin the book for myself just because I’m not in the mood for it. I AM A STRANGE ODDBALL, but hey, at least my love for all my books is still going strong. I haven’t ruined any yet xD)
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*goldfish memory hi five* WAIT WHAT WERE WE TALKING ABOUT.😂
(Also it’s so hard with rereading!? I hate having my opinion change and maybe not loving it like I should buuut also I want to read the sequels. heLP.)
I avoid ALL the sequels because I never remember the first book. I don’t remember The Mortal Instruments, either. I know I didn’t finish the series because I didn’t like it. *Ducks rotting vegetables for having unpopular opinion.*
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Noooo I loved TMI so much!!😂 But I will not through rotten vegetables, do not fear. Mostly because I don’t believe in vegetables.😂
Pinterest helps me remember books sometimes because then I’ll see a meme or something about the book and I’m forced to remember whichever aspect the meme was about, but that means if I read something unknown and there’s no memes about it I’m super upset. Usually though if I really liked the book I can remember it but if I don’t and I’m reading it at a snails speed then I’ll legit forget things that were introduced the chapter before (which was read one week before cause I’m procrastinating) such as major characters, but hey it can also be the authors fault for not making them memorable.
Ahh yes memes are great! I remember most of Divergent since the internet went wild with the hype when the movies first came out.😂 Otherwise that’d be another one I’d have zero clue about. (And YES. Reading too slow makes me forget just the same as reading too fast…we can’t win.😂)
Why is this so relatable?
“I loved this book!”
“Yes, especially so-and-so part!”
“………………..I don’t remember that.”
“What?! How could you NOT?”
“IT’S BEEN A WHILE OKAY.”
😂
100% YES
YES EXACTLY. WE’RE ALL SUFFERING TOGETHER AND WE DON’T EVEN REMEMBER WHY.😂
I completely forgot what happened in Coldest Girl in Cold town as well, I think it was because I listened to it on audio while I was working. I’m not that great at multi-tasking I guess!
That’s funny because if I do listen to something via audio there’s like a 500% chance I’ll remember it better ah ahhah.😂😂 We’re like opposites!
LOLLOLLOL I’m so bad with remembering books it’s kind of funny really. Unless I read it three times in a row (which I do sometimes, to keep me from forgetting it the next day). Sometimes I forget the names of the characters while I’m reading the book. Maybe it’s just because I read too quickly? Who knows. When sequels come out I never read it until months later because I need to carve out a block of time to reread the previous books in the series first. 😅😅
Duuude, I do the same with the characters. And if it’s in 1st person, then we stand no chance. But to be fair I also forget my OWN characters names.😂I just realised I had a Sonny and a Sammy in two different books I’ve written. *laughs and throws self into the fire*
The Curious Incident of the Dog in Nighttime was such a good read. I would recommend giving it another try.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
I know!! I did love it so much.😂I’ll put it on the to-buy list I think.
One of my first disappointments as a reader was exactly that 3rd book after Lament and Ballad that never saw the Sun. ;( There should be a scene with a car somewhere in them for sure. And don’t forget the iron keys, or how many times something with iron was mentioned. 😀
I’ve finished TMI last month, and already I don’t remember what happened in that fourth book. So you’re not alone with that memory. Mine likes to go on vacation pretty much every time I need to recall what happened in a previous book in a series that it needs 1 year for the next novel to comes out.
Yulia @ My Unprofessional Blog recently posted…Top 5 Wednesday: Forgettable Books/ Yeah, sometimes my memory decides to go on vacation
I KNOOOOW. WE ARE TORTURED OMG AND DESERVED THAT LAST FAERIE BOOK!! I mean I know it was the publishers and not Stiefvater who ended it, but like?!? Can’t they just pls give it to us so we’re not hanging. *cries*
I feel like with series it’s also hard to keep the story lines straight?! All the books end up blurring together.😂
All of #7 had me laughing.
Ah hahah I’m so glad it made you laugh!😂
I did this prompt too! I love the format you’ve used though (when you read, what you remember, how you felt). Also, you’re hilarious as always and A++ gif usage.
I actually remember the books I read in 2016 better than those I read in early 2017. Maybe I stole your memory prowess that year. We’ll never know.
I am really afraid to read War Storm because I binge read the first three book and they were so slow. I fell asleep in the middle and don’t really remember much. Reading War Storm will be amazing!! ….Kill me now.
N’aww, ALICE. You lovely bean. And I only remember the year I read them in because of goodreads.😂 Honestly without Goodreads I probably would have no idea if I was a bookworm or not.
Right. *slams fist on the table* So you’re the memory thief. Because I swear whatever happened in 2016 just got blotted out from my mind.😂
You’re going to reread All the Bright Places???? You brave soul. I CAN BARELY LOOK AT THE COVER. I say you take your dementia as a gift and forget that All the Bright Places ever existed.
*sob*
AH HAHHAH NO I WANT TO RELIEVE THE PAIN. SO MUCH.
I actually have a pretty good memory for books, I won’t always remember specific details, but I can remember overarching plots and characters and everything for years after I read the book, I still remember books that I read when I was a kid and I’m in my twenties now! I do have minor “OMG CAN’T REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED IN BOOK ONE” with sequels, but usually after a few pages, the events of the first book come back to me, or else I just go and find the book and flick through to the end for a quick refresher. I do get scared that if i reread, I won’t love the book as much as the first time, but thankfully that has yet to be the case!
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Ahhh I envy your memory then.😂😂 I’m glad you can just flick through the end to remember first books before reading sequels too! I try to do that but then end up even more confused ah hahah. But at least I’ll never run out of books to read because everything is new after a few weeks?!😂
Yes. Yes…. Yes… Yes!
I have the same problem. It’s embarrassing but mostly frustratingly hard to convince someone that they should read a book that they will love because it’s super fantastic when you can’t remember anything about it … at. all.
IT’S SO AWKWARD AGH. Especially when we’re claiming it’s a “favourite” (AND IT IS!!) and then someone asks why and just…*awkward silence*
hELP.😂
Remembering books is just so hard, at times. I can’t remember the characters’ names in a book I read two weeks ago sometimes and have to look them up to write my review, it is the worst feeling ever, haha. I tend to remember the feelings attached to a book, but not the book itself in details. Plot and characters, no no no. Tears, laughs, angry-throwing-the-book-out-the-window kind of feeling? THAT I do remember most of the time, hahaha 🙂
Great post, Cait 😀
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Oh I get that too!! Like I remember how I felt about a book a lot but never why.😂 And then when people start talking about the characters, my #1 thought is: “who.”😂
Oh yeah, there’s ALWAYS a car in a Stiefvater novel.
I’ve got a pretty good memory for books, although I admit I was confused by the sudden emphasis on Alexei’s mother in Take the Key and Lock Her up. There’s no way that came out of nowhere (is there?) so I guess I’ve either forgotten something or missed some pretty important foreshadowing…
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There totally is always a car in a Stiefvater novel.😂 If she writes one without it, we’ll know it’s not her writing.😂
Honestly I was really lost with the characters in that Ally Carter series….but *waves vaguely at self* I’m not a good or reliable reader apparently.
I’m very curious to see if your opinion on All the Bright Places changes when you reread it. I found it to be a deeply problematic book, and from what I’ve seen, a lot of people have changed their opinions on it over time.
Emily @ Mixed Margins recently posted…10 books I liked but have no memory of.
I’ve heard that and it’s SUCH a worry to me!! I absolutely loved it and it really meant a lot to me when it came out…so like?! I’m really confused by all the angry reviews afterwards. Gah. NEED to reread but also scared I’ll not like it. 😭😭
What a great post–I feel the same way you do about All the Bright Places with choosing Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere. How can I claim that she “changed my life” with her writing wheN I DON’T EVEN REMEMBER, right??? And you’re telling me I’d have to re-read a book for me to remember what happened? I mean yeah I like to re-read things but you know who’s not living till 103? Me. And you know who keeps releasing new books for me to read just to forget? Frickin everyone.
Aghghghg it’s so hard when it’s one of the “it changed my life!” stories and then 2 seconds later we can’t even explain why.😂 I just basically need to reread the same books ever year I’m guessing because I GOT NOTHING.
Hi! I can’t remember certain aspects of The Curious Incident of the Dog. Maybe because I just read it, I do remember All the Bright Places. Yay for me lol.
My TTT
Leslie
You’re doing great.😂😂😂
OH MY GOD SAME on all the bright places??? i loved it when i read it but i don’t remember it AT ALL and some people have called it problematic since which is concerning to say the least
I know! I’m really confused because I’e heard people say it has terrible “love cures” undertones and I’m like I DO NOT REMEMBER THAT AT ALL. I want to reread badly…but I also don’t want to stop loving it. *buries self*
I feel like a horrible reader because I always forget the specifics of books after I’ve read them. xD Some I remember better than others, especially if I really enjoyed it, but most of the time, all of the details whoosh right out of my head. I barely remember anything from All the Bright Places, too, and I rated it five stars! I remember vague details about post-it notes and scavenger hunts, but don’t ask me to quote anything from it.
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I’m glad I’m not alone with All the Bright Places ah hahaha. I saw someone talking about it and saying how mad they were at the salvation through love plotline and I’m like “WHAT?!? WHEN WAS THAT?!?” So either I remember nothing or I read it cluelessly. (Although I swear the book didn’t have that at all.😂I need to reread haha.)
It seems that a long series is my kryptonite when it comes to remembering or forgetting books. If it’s a standalone or a trilogy I have a chance but a contemporary romance or cozy mystery series that is on book 12? I’ll never remember book 6. There are a lot of books in here that I’ve really been wanting to read – especially Pierce Brown. I’ve heard raves!
Oh yes long series are pure doom!! Especially if they just come out 1 a year…like how are we supposed to hold onto a book’s memory that long?!? (Red Rising is INCREDIBLE. Total recommend!!)
I know EXACTLY what you mean about the Red Rising series. I JUST read Golden Son….and I’m already confused about who all the people are in Morning Star. I’m having to recap myself for a book I just put down. I think it’s because those books are so intense and complex that my brain turns to sludge while reading them and runs out of my ear. I have to gather it back up again fully before I can carry on.
Just me?
My TTT: http://laurencarrollreadsandwrites.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/books-i-cant-remember-much-about.html
It’s so hard to keep all the characters straight! THERE ARE SO MANY. I literally finished Golden Son and picked up Morning Star and for one character I was like: am I supposed to know you.😂😂 I feel like sci-fi is hard though?!
I’ve wanted to read the Red Rising trilogy for a while now. I haven’t gotten around to it yet, but I’m hoping that I can get it pretty soon. Good post, as usual, Cait!
IT’S SO GOOD I HOPE YOU READ IT!! And so intense.😂
I re-read The Curious Dog in the Night-time because I remembered liking it but it had faded. Then I saw the play, which was very good. Now it is seared in my brain. My TTT Books I Don’t Remember well
Oh I vaguely remembered there was a play!! I think that’d be interesting to see too.
I just recently realized how little I remembered from The Mortal Instruments when I started watching the show and had to always go back and check to see if the events taking place were accurate or not. Lol I literally had to look up the entire plot of City of Heavenly Fire because I remembered about 2% of it…. and most of that 2% was just Simon’s storyline…
Oh and I also feel SO BAD that I don’t remember more of the Archived bc it’s one of the books that made me love Victoria Schwab and now I don’t really remember any of it… but I do own both books so I can always go back and reread them one day.
Omg I only remember Simon’s story line in COHF too!😂 And also they went to the demon realms didn’t they?! My biggest problem is that all the plots have merged so I have no idea which book had what happening in it.😂
Yeah the demon realms was COHF (I feel the need to mention that when I originally wrote that comment I meant it about COFA… I just appear to have typed the wrong name… yeah these books are interchangeable in my mind 😂) But I also have no idea what happened in COHF…. honestly the only books I kinda remember are TID and TDA but I seem to have erased TMI from my mind
Honestly, I started City of Ashes last summer and only got halfway through (can’t remember for the life of me why I stopped) but now that I actually want to continue on with the book, I have NO recollection of the events that happened so far. Sounds like it’s time for a reread even though I really just want to not waste time and keep reading… aghhh why can’t I have a better memory???!
Here’s my TTT if you want to give it a look: https://taytalksbooks.wordpress.com/2018/01/23/top-ten-tuesdays-books-i-liked-but-cant-remember-much-about/
Omggg it’s so hard right?! I truly LOVE the Shadowhunter books but they’re such a huge blur now.😂 (Definitely stopping by your TTT!)
AS SOON AS I SAW THIS TOPIC, I THOUGHT OF YOU. KJFBKDBAFSLJDB And omg, I forgot that I had read The Coldest Girl in Coldtown until seeing it on this last — suffice it to say, I definitely don’t remember much about it.
Christina @ Happy Writer recently posted…Yes, I’ve Read That Book … And, No, I Couldn’t Tell You A Thing About It
This topic was basically A HUGE ATTACK AGAINST ME. I SEE WHAT THE TTT PEOPLE ARE DOING.😭😂 Juuust kidding haha, it’s such a fun topic to highlight my failings.😂
Hmm maybe a few months, I usually remember books if I liked them but I read a lot every year so they get pushed out if they are okay pretty fast. Totally have forgotten first books plenty of times and had to re-read books. I don’t blame you for forgetting The Wrath and Dawn was okay , Tariq was precious though
I reeeally like TW&TD though so I’m kicking myself for not remembering it!😭😂
JACE
LIGHTWOOD
HERONDALE
WAYLAND
MORGENSTERN
Goodness, I had the hugest crush on him. When the movie came out, I kept replaying the portion where he said, “Did you want me to take my clothes off?”, in his british accent and giggling hysterically.
PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT MY LITTLE 11 YEAR OLD SELF!! *waddles away embarrassed*
I mean I’m only a little worried about 11 year old you too now.😂 JUST KIDDING. YOU’RE ADORABLE.
I have the same problem! I’ve got a shocking memory because of a chronic illness. I tend to read whole series one after the other so I don’t forget everything in between but then the series turns into one giant book and I can’t tell what you what happened in each of them. This made it very confusing when I got my mum to read all the Shadowhunters book after I had read them all in one go. She only finished last month whilst I had finished mid 2016. She also has the same illness so has a shit memory as well and is really bad at remembering names so whenever we talked about where she was up to I had no idea who she was talking about or even what was happening. It was all very confusing for the both of us. Now she’s reading the Shades of Magic series which thankfully I reread early last year, but who knows how long it’ll stay in my memory for even though it’s my favourite series.
My best friend sometimes asks me to give a quick synopsis of a series she’s thinking of getting into and its either dead on or it’s a mess and nothing like what it’s actually about.
I might have to give this post a go for myself ahah, could be very interesting!
Agh that’s totally frustrating, I hear you! I’m glad it doesn’t stop you from reading though. I mean, it sucks to forget, but at least we enjoy ourselves at the time, right?! (I love those blogs that do series recaps too. They’re SO helpful.)
Loved this! I can totally relate to forgetting about books and I don’t even remember half of what happened in my fav series of all time A court of thorns and rose and A court of Mist and Fury was all a bit of a blur (a beautiful one at that but nevertheless I don’t remember squat) Great post!
It’s so hard when you REALLY love the series and yet…*memory deletes everything* 😭😂
Ahh I can’t even remember what books I don’t remember because I can’t remember what I’ve forgotten! There were so many good books last year and by the time their sequels come out, I’ll have forgotten them all.
This is part of why I like reviewing – it’s nice to have a record of how I felt about a book – even if I can’t remember the plot!
That is…an unfortunate and relatable downside I admit. 😂😂 And sequels, omg they’re sO HARD to organise. I try to do rereads but there’s not enough time?!
I usually have a pretty decent book memory, but every now and then I’ll come across a book I absolutely know I read but cannot remember. I can’t think of many right now (ironically), but the most embarrasing one is The Book Thief. I plan on rereading it this year, but seriously, WHO FORGETS THE FLIPPING BOOK THIEF????
Ah haha they irony of that one is great.😂I feel like I remember it a *little* better than usual because of the movie? But I honestly don’t know if I’m remember book-scenes or movie-scenes AND THAT SEEMS BAD.
Honestly, I know this going to sound super bad, but I barely remember the events in each book of The Lord of the Rings. Like with the first book, I have stronger feelings about it because it took AGES for Frodo to actually leave the Shire (Frodo left the Shire ten years after Bilbo Baggins Birthday Party – and I was like, “Come on! Get Going!”), but with the other two books? The details are a little sketchy. My Dad’s side of the family are Super Tolkien nerds, the type who have all the books and have read ALL the appendices (yes, I mean all of them), Personally, I don’t have the attention span for that.
Pfft, you’re fine. I remember NOTHING.😂 I mean, I remember the movies but there were some huge deviations right? So I should probably go sit in the corner now.😂
Nah, you’ll be fine, at the very least we can sit in the corner together, I shall bring corn chips
I generally remember book that I love and I hate. I have quite good memory. but I often forget 3 star book XD
I totally understand that! I feel like those “meh” and middle-ground books are easiest to forget!
Great post, Cait :D!
I read The Curious Incident with the Dog in the Night-Time in 2013 and I can’t remember much either (I also didn’t remember when I read it, so I looked it up). At the time I also really related to the main character (and as you know I’m also on the autism spectrum), but recently I found out that the rep isn’t great. Since then, like you I’ve been meaning to re-read the book at some point to see how I feel, but I haven’t done that yet, I am amazed you remembered his name and him not liking the colour brown. All I really remember is a dog, a mystery to do with Christopher’s parents, but my most distinct memory is that the chapters were numbered but not in an ordinary 1, 2, 3… way (I think they went like 2, 5, and then I can’t remember more).
I don’t remember much of books a while after I read them, like a few months after. But usually at least a few years need to pass, before I’ll enjoy re-reading it, or things will seem too familiar when I’m re-reading the book. Like, I don’t remember things before re-reading the book, but they all come back when I re-read the book. After a few years, things are even vaguer in my memory and I can re-read the book more comfortably. At least, that’s how it used to be when I was younger. Nowadays.. sometimes I can’t really remember what happened in a book I read a few months ago. I do tend to remember books I absolutely loved, more than books I just liked a lot, and more than books I really didn’t like. I usually forget characters’ names a little while after finishing the book, unless the book is part of a series or if the names stand out to me in any way (I’ve already forgot what the names of some of the characters were that I read earlier in January). My memory used to be much better when I was a teenager and in my early twenties. Now, at 32, it’s not good at all anymore. And my ADD (attention deficit disorder, I have concentration issues but no hyperactivity) means my short term memory is pretty bad, I have to make a good concious effort to remember something in short term, or I’ll forget (like, I’ll go into the basement and forgot what I came there to do, or someone says remind me in later today to do this, and I’ll forget unless I endlessly repeat the thing to myself). Somehow though I can keep track of the book I’m currently reading. But once I finish it.. then some of the memories disappear, over time.
Because I tend to forget what happens in earlier books of a series, I try not to leave too long between books of a series. I hate cliffhangers, so that’s why I prefer to not start a series until it’s completed (in the meantime.. I do buy all the books in the series as they come out). But since I’m very much a mood reader, last year I started several series and I haven’t yet continued on with them, because I haven’t been in the mood. *shrug* you can’t force that, so.. Hopefully I won’t have forgot too much by the time I feel in the mood for the series again. 2 of them are re-reads, so maybe that will help. I was really stressing out over it in the first half of 2017, so I’m trying to do things without too much pressure this year. So, if I don’t feel in the mood for those series, then okay.. I won’t continue them just yet.
I am scared to re-read books, yes! Sometimes it turns out I love a book just as much, but other times, then, I can see the flaws of the book more clearly and it’s just not as enjoyable as it was when I read it the first time. It is not nice when the latter happens. Most of my reading are ‘new-to-me’ books, sometimes I re-read something. I have lots of favourites that I’ve only read once. When I was a child I re-read lots, because I didn’t have much money for new books (I loved my libraries!) and because I loved reading my favourites over and over again. So those books I’ve read lots of times. But as an adult and with my concentration issues as well, I find it harder to concentrate on re-reads sometimes and new books just appeal to me more. I am definitely also worried about falling out of love with books I really love.
We should totally both reread The Curious Incident and then tell each other what our revised opinions are, right?!? Because I’m SO curious (ah hah pun on the title😂) as to why people say it’s so problematic when it was one of the biggest “oh wow this is me” books I read. I mean, years ago. But still!! So let’s do that!
Omg I relate to the going somewhere and having no idea why. Every time I go to the fridge, I just stand there staring have NO idea what ingredient I’m trying to collect. Ugh. I have no short term memory at all, it’s pretty much terrifying. But at least for rereading it makes it a whole new book?! I should one day be able to save money from buying books because I’ll just keep rereading the same 5 and it be like a new experience each time.😂
It’s hard with series though and waiting a whole year between releases! Like a *smart* person (COUGH NOT ME) would wait for the whole series to be out before reading, but I haven’t that kind of patience.😂
I don’t know if it’s a good thing to have an extraordinarily good memory on that department because when you remember all too well what you read ( watch, play too ) you can’t have a second chance to reread it like it’s the first time. /cry/ 😭 I have a too good memory for stories, it’s only useful for writing books. I can’t remember what I had for breakfast yesterday, though. 😂 But even if I have a good memory, it’s still scary to pick up what was a favourite and see that you lost all love for it. 💔
Yes, it’s a good thing indeed when books I quote ”wrapped my heart in loving barbed wire and pulled it out of my chest”. 🤣
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That is kind of true!! I mean, rereading is basically reading a whole new book for me. 😂 So that is one good bonus ahh hahah. Ahem.
I’m reading IRON GOLD right now and uugggghhhhhh I don’t remember anything about the last book of the trilogy except for a few random things. I hate my memory! I’ve considered skimming MORNING STAR. I might have to.
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Honestly I’d be SO LOST without having reread the series.😂 I even just finished Golden Son and in Morning Star they’re like “and we have Orion” and I’m like: “WHO?????”
I LITERALLY FINISHED BOOK 2 AND THEN WENT STRAIGHT TO BOOK 3. HELP.😂
Lol I totally relate to this. 😂 I’ve just done a book tag on my blog and omg I struggled so much to remember what I thought about certain books 😂
I really want to re-read the Ruby Redfort series because I freaking love those books but I read the first three in 2013, when I was 11, and I can’t for the life of me remember what they were about, I read the last three books more recently in 2016-17 and I kept getting so confused because I couldn’t remember what had happened before 😂
I keep starting to read book 2 of a series really confidently, thinking that I remember everything that happened in book 1… And then I realise… I actually don’t remember what happened in book 1… Oops… Time to re-read… 😆
It’s so hard right?! We book bloggers suffer a lot.😂 And it’s so weird to know you LOVE a book but then later have no clue why really hahaha.
So this is unrelated (sorry) BUT OH MY IS THAT A COVER I SEE FOR YOUR NEW BOOK?? I saw it on goodreads and immediately proceeded to scream. It’s so pretty asdfg. Also I feel like I tend to remember books for pretty long, but of course quite a few are lost on me. And yeah, I havn’t read a couple of sequels because of the aforementioned forgetting problem, which I should probably re read but I usually end up procrastinating…
What a fun post, I hadn’t really thought about whether or not I remember much of my old favorite books but now I’m thinking about it. It’s funny you listed Prince of Thorns because I just picked the book up after reading and loving Red Sister, but your description of the book sounds like a blast, I’ll definitely need to push it higher up on my TBR. Thanks for the laughs. 🙂
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I FEEL THE EXACT SAME WAY ABOUT THE ARCHIVED. 🙁 I adoooooored it when I read it, but I can’t remember anything except the library of dead bodies thingy (??), so THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME THAT THE CUTE DUDE’S NAME IS OWEN. <3
I cannot, for the life of me, remember what happened in The Wrath and the Dawn, either, except for the heroine's name, which doesn't help the fact that I purchased the second book and have no idea how I'm going to read it. T_T
I do remember quite a bit about the characters in the Mortal Instruments books, probably because this is one of the very first series I fell in love with (b/c the characters are so fleshed-out and have such strong personalities), but I remember ZERO about the settings and all the actual magic-y stuff, which sucks. D:
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I’m also sitting here 90% sure that Owen was secretly evil.😂 BUT I LOVED HIM SO I’LL STICK WITH THAT. Also it was such a good book but I am so so lost. And TW&TD was one of my ultimate favourites and yet I remember zero?! I’m so bad.😂
You read all of these over 10 years ago, Cait, you’re excused. When I was in High School (around the same time as you read these books) I didn’t even remember what lessons I was in three hours earlier. That’s way more embarrassing, because they’d only just happened oo (I sucked at High Schooling, to be fair)
Ah hahah okay not 10 years! Most of these I read 2 years ago.😂
Oh wow, yeah, you’re right oo This is why I shouldn’t be allowed on the internet unless I’ve had AT LEAST two cups of tea :’D
I feel so much better about loving, yet forgetting, great books. It’s so random what books I remember and what I don’t. Some from 10 years ago, I do. Some from last yest, I don’t.
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It is interesting and weird what makes a lasting impact right?!😂
I totally wanted Tariq to eat a horseshoe!
Also, you’re not alone. My memory is abysmal, even of my favorite books… the only reason I remember anything is because I reread them when I’m in a slump or feeling anxious. I don’t know why some people are so judgy about it, it’s not like we can help it! We want to remember them!
Anyway, great post as always!
Thanks for sharing,
~Brittany @ Brittany’s Book Rambles
Ugh Tariq was SO annoying right?! I can’t even with the levels of frustrating right there.😂 And people totally shouldn’t judge us for not remembering things….pfft. Who DOES remember every bit of media/literature they consume?! It’s a ridiculous expectation.
I laughed so hard at the ‘it wasn’t even that long ago!! M y brain is Swiss cheese!!’ part because hello, that’s me. And things like this ALWAYS happen to me with big fantasy series. Like The Name of the Wind for example. I really liked it, and I’ve been wanting to continue the series but I can’t remember anything about that book even though I only read it in 2015. But re-reading it?? Such a hassle, that book is almost a 1000 pages long! HELP.
Prince of Thorns has been on my to-read shelf at home for like, 3 or 4 years. Someone help me, I really need to read it. Just finished Red Sister by Mark Lawrence though, which I loved!
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Omg I’m so worried about reading the sequel to Name of the Wind already! IT’S ONLY BEEN A YEAR BUT HELP. Plus it annoys me no end that the 3rd book has no release date so even if I do get to the sequel soon, I’m still going to forget everything before I get to the third book. Agh. It’s a losing battle with fantasy.😂
I have soooooo much trouble with sequels because I don’t remember anything about the previous book!
*hi fives for our life failings* 😂 SAME THOUGH. I want to love sequels but it’s so so haaard to get around to reading them when I remember nothing.
It really depends. On what, I’m not sure. I do know that just yesterday I was watching a video about the Ender’s Game movie. I’d totally forgotten I’d even read the book until I read a comment that said, “the book is better,” and I was like, “OH, RIGHT, that was the one where (massive spoiler) happens!”
Ahhahah I totally get that! I loved the book and do remember it but it was so funny seeing the movie and being like “I genuinely have no idea if they’re following the book or not.”😂😂
Ooh, how I relate to this post! I am SO glad I’m not the only one who suffers from a bad memory when it comes to favourite releases. Honestly, I think it’s got to be normal but it also isn’t aided by the fact that we often consume amazing books so freaking quickly that it can be hard to digest or come back from them, which is both a blessing and curse. I think what matters though is that we remember how it made us feel, that it left an impression of greatness that was enough for us to either recommend it to someone else or for us re-read it another time. But gosh it’s so awkward when people finally get around to reading something you told them about ages ago and then want to discuss it with you and you suddenly seem like a fake fan, eek. Thanks for sharing!
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Exactly! It’s such a mixed blessing/curse.😂I mean it makes rereads great because we don’t remember anything to start with ah hahhaha. But it’s also frustrating because we can’t possibly reread all the things we need to in time! But explaining to someone why a book is good and it’s like been 3 years since you read it…nope and bye.😂
This post was 100% relatable and I loved it and I am just like you. Shanti remembers all these books she reads from decades back, and I’m just here, happy if I can remember the name of one main character. Or maybe a single plot event. Or, like, the author’s name.
Interestingly, though, I tend to remember audiobooks a lot better? Like, I listened to All the Bright Places as an audiobook, and I remember Finch and Violet and why violet was sad and that there were sticky notes and all sorts of things. As for City of Bones though… it was like 2013 maybe and there were monsters and Jace and Clary and maybe some daddy and mummy issues. I don’t know.
Other books I know I read, yet don’t remember at all: some lemony snicker book set on an island?? maybe? can’t remember the title. Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet, a whole bunch of Cathy Cassidy books, Jane Blonde series (it was about spies), Ms. Marvel (it had superheroes. This I know), and a whole lot that I’m forgetting because they clearly didn’t impact me enough. I totally agree that you don’t have to remember a book for the rest of your life for it to have affected you positively 🙂
shar@Virtually Read recently posted…YA books set after high school
I’ll just come stand with you then.😂And we can suspect Shanti of being a dark magician or something because that MUST be the answer to why she has such a good memory ah haahah. Ahem. I count myself successful if I remember one character name.😂 AND I’M THE SAME WITH AUDIOBOOKS. (Shar, perhaps, I am your long list other sister.) I remember all of Game of Thrones despite them being ridiculously long and I read them 2 years ago…but audiobooks. I remember. I’m so shocked.
I have this problem ALL THE FREAKING TIME. Especially since I work in a bookstore, and I simply recommend books saying “I love this book!” to which the customer, of course, asks follow-up questions about plots, characters, authors, etc. I definitely make things up and hope that it’s semi-true.
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It’s so awkward right?! 😂 And then people doubt we even read but NO WE TRULY DO READ.😂 IT’S JUST HARD TO REMEMBER THINGS.
Omg Cait, seeing as we’ve been blogging so long together I remember your reviews on some of these books like ATBP lol. But yes I have a pretty terrible memory about books too. Sometimes I look up a book on Goodreads and find my thoughts on them and I’m genuinely surprised!
Jeann @ Happy Indulgence recently posted…An Enchantment of Ravens Review: Your Next Fave Fantasy
YOU REMEMBER THAT?!??! Jeann!! I’m so freaking impressed.😂😂 (Also I feel like this makes us like the ancient blogging grannies because we’ve gone for so long.) 😂 And I guess at least this makes rereading still exciting for us ah ahhaha. *dies a little*
I read this post eating cake and was just like “gosh, yeah same!!” every 30 seconds through mouthfuls of cake.
I’m honestly the worst at remembering names and details from books (which is why I re-read books so much!!). Honestly, I think it’s genetic – my dad has been watching Coronation Street for like 20+ years and doesn’t know ANY names. He just calls them things like “big earrings girl” and “ugly jumper man”.
I think also, because I read like 85% fantasy, I’m kinda doomed from the start. I mean, the place and characters names are just ridiculous. How am I meant to remember names like Likaris, Athrin, Portane and Utrek (I mean, I just made those names up but they LEGIT look like names from a fantasy book don’t they?????)
Mattie @ Feed Me Books recently posted…A PERFECT guide to writing YA fantasy (is this post a joke? idk)
EXCELLENT. WE ARE OBVIOUSLY MIND TWINS. *hi fives and then eats more cake with you*
Also rereading is amazing, particularly for us hopeless-memory-people because it’s like reading a whole new book, right?!😂 And omg people and names are just WAY TOO HARD. I just say “hey you” for literally everyone in my life.😂
I actually freak myself out with how well I DO remember books? Like, for instance, at the end of last year the final book in a series that I read in 2014 was released. I was like: oh I will HAVE to reread the first two books to remember everything. And I did reread them… but I also remembered everything about them. I was 100% convinced I would remember NOTHING about books I read in 2014 because how many books have I read since then? SO MANY.
If I sit down and actively think about a book, I pretty much remember everything about it. Maybe this is my superpower.
As for being scared of rereads… yes! But mainly books I read as a teen because I know I have changed quite a bit since then, both in what I read and how I read. I remember a few years ago I picked up some books I loved as a child and that was an experiment gone hideously wrong.
Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity recently posted…Books I Never Want to See Adapted
LEND ME YOUR SUPER POWER THEN.😂 I’m really glad you can do that though, that must save you a lot of time?!😂 This year I have SO many first-books I need to reread in preparation for sequels and I’m just going to throw my TBR in my own face because it’s going to hate me so much. 😂😂