Selling my soul to read these books again for the first time may sound like hyperbole, but I’d give up a few toes at least.

Each book I’m sharing below represents either an important milestone in my life or is integral to my identity as a reader. So, here we go.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

This book resonates with me more now than when I first read it at 18 when I took a course in utopian societies. Not only is Atwood an amazing author, but The Handmaid’s Tale is poignant and raw.

The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy

I read this sweeping saga of mental health and generational trauma when I was in high school. Conroy was one of the first “adult” authors I loved because of his writing style, and The Prince of Tides quickly led me to read all his books. I most love the cadence of his prose and his descriptive style.

All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

The most recent read on this list, Cosby’s All the Sinners Bleed knocked me to the floor. I wouldn’t normally gravitate toward a Southern noir crime fiction novel, but the recommendations were so high, I had to try it. The writing is immensely impressive, authentic, and atmospheric. I will read anything Cosby writes.

The Woman Who Walked Into Doors by Roddy Doyle

The Woman Who Walker Into Doors is another book from my college days, and it’s one of the books that turned me into a lover of Irish literature. The exploration of a battered woman’s mindset resonated deeply, and the writing is sparsely perfect in a stream-of-consciousness way. I took this book and turned my love of Doyle into a Bachelor’s degree concentration in Irish literature!

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Márquez

Finishing One Hundred Years of Solitude gave me my first experience with a book hangover. It was also my first experience with magical realism. This was an example of a book I picked up several times and couldn’t get past Page 10, but then when I did, I devoured it. It’s a truly magical book that makes you feel as if you’re not sure you understand what’s happening but you still love it.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

A commonly recommended book in the Bookstagram world, The Nightingale is World War II fiction that brings every emotion to the surface. I base all my emotional reads on a scale of zero to The Nightingale. The two sisters’ stories are heartbreaking, and the book is one that rightfully deserves a place on my beloved list.

There are many other books I could include on this list, but these six are current standouts. What book would you love to read again for the first time?