30 Phenomenal Books People Said They'd Sell Their Soul To Read Again For The First Time

There's nothing like finishing a life-changing book for the first time.

We asked the BuzzFeed Community what book they would sell their soul to read again for the very first time, and here are some of their glowing recommendations.

1. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

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"The first time I read it, it completely knocked the wind out of me. Books have made me teary-eyed in the past, but not like this; I full-on sobbed my way through the last six pages."

—fairlyoddkitten

2. Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman

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"I wish I could read it again for the first time. I came out later in life (I had known for a long time before I admitted to myself or anyone else that I was gay) and it was that book, especially Mr. Perlman's speech at the end, that had me sobbing at 2 a.m., finally realizing that I needed to speak my truth no matter the consequences. It's hard to put that feeling into words and to experience it again for the first time would be beautiful."

—beckstickles

3. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

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"I first read it when I was ten and have reread it every couple of years since. It's an old friend, but I would love to discover it for the first time again. What I remember most is how the main character resonated with me. I'd finally found someone just like me: the misfit outsider with an active mind and a thirst for books."

—caircair

4. Arc of a Scythe series by Neal Shusterman

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"Best series I’ve read in some time!"

—katelynv4d8ed523f

5. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini

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"All other books literally dulled for me after I finished reading this one."

—laynilife

6. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

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"Damn, I would trade anything to have that reading-for-the-first-time experience. I remember finishing the series for the first time, shutting the book, and staring at the wall for 20 straight minutes. I felt like I had lost an old friend."

—sohakhismatrao

7. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

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"Without a doubt, I would give back six years worth of college to reread The Silent Patient for the first time! I was at the edge of my seat reading this book. I could not put it down! I honestly called out of work just to finish the book. The best read of my life; hands down."

—michellec4ff95a7ac

8. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

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"I think it's the best book ever. I remember being completely immersed while reading it. The plot is perfect and just brilliant. I'm still amazed, I think about this book almost everyday."

—pam05

9. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

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"Also known as Love, Simon. I spent the whole book trying to figure out who Blue was. While I still adore the book, the mystery is gone."

—bbbrose

10. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

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"I'm not a fan of fables but I had heard that this book was life-changing, so I decided to give it a try. It was the first time I read a book by Paulo Coelho so I did not know what to expect. I am a slow reader but I finished the book in one sitting. And by the time I finished the book, I was changed. I read a lot and I honestly cannot remember when one book had given me so much perspective about my life. It's beautiful, wise without being preachy, and touches the soul. If I can, I will go back to read it once again for the deep soul-changing effect it had on me."

—maitrauma

11. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

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"I read that last year and it was so good!"

—abby_isawesome

12. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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"I loved it so much the first time that I named my dog Gatsby. The 1920s is my history concentration and I love how it’s represented; not entirely nonfiction — but it takes you to another world and, especially these days, it’s a nice break from reality."

—allyelizabethf

13. Crazy Rich Asians series by Kevin Kwan

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"As an Indonesian guy who went to Singapore, I felt close to the story. And yes, lots of rich asians have these weirdly sophisticated lives, so the book itself was superb in pulling out the ‘secrets.’"

—ikbalsutannasution

14. The Stranger by Albert Camus

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"Everything Meursault says and does is so shockingly absurd, and reading it for the first time is such a wild ride."

—allisonk4a8a5cdd6

15. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

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"Such a classic and so beautifully written. I just want to clear my thoughts and go in blind again so I can fall in love with the characters again and cry over them again."

—districtrue

16. We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

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"Bleak and masterful, you're breathless as you read and hoping you aren't making the same mistakes with your own children — then you turn that one page that shatters you."

—perenti

17. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

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"I read it for the first time when I was 10 and absolutely LOVED it. It was immediately one of my favorite books. The plot was genius, and one of the things I love most is that the protagonist isn't the *CHOSEN ONE* or a completely perfect person inside and out. She was faced with a TERRIBLE world, and even though she wasn't the kindest person in the world, Katniss Everdeen wanted to make it a better place, like most people. She made herself the savior of her world."

—damhamiltonfangirl

18. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

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"I’ve read this book so many times but nothing will ever match what I felt when I first read it. Definitely my favorite book of all time, but the rush of that first read was to die for!"

—kgb13

19. The Giver by Lois Lowry

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"I was so moved by Jonas's journey in discovering the importance of memory and emotion, especially love. I sobbed when he whispered to the baby his family was looking after that there could again be love in the world."

—saraa4a00f7b8f

20. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

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"The plot twist blew me away and made me cry for days. I’ve tried to read it again but I feel like I know too much now to really enjoy it."

—bethanymeyer89

21. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

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"I loved this book so much. I have read it so many times and I LOVE recommending it to other people and seeing how much they fall in love with it too. I wish I could experience it again, but I love when I can share my books with others for the first time and see their reactions. Best feeling in the world."

—ktee

22. The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

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"So many twists and turns! It's such a great mystery that also tackles topics that most YA authors are afraid to."

—camerasapprentice

23. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

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"I was in middle school when my older sister recommended this book to read. I looked at the paperback and thought to myself, this looks like a dumb book. I started reading it and immediately couldn’t put it down. I loved it. And it was after that I became an avid reader. Thanks J.D. Salinger."

—lindac473bae5a6

24. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

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"I’d love to go through the emotional roller coaster of it again and experience the thrill of discovering the twist for the first time."

—f495c3e620

25. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

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"Even though it’s a children’s book, I didn’t read it until my French Lit class in high school. Reading it for the first time as an (almost) adult let me appreciate the subtle beauty of its message, some of which hit me hard. I would love to be able to feel that again."

—elcie27

26. Red, White, and Royal Blue Casey McQuiston

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"I used to completely hate on romance novels. This was the first and only romance novel that I've thoroughly enjoyed. I like it so much that it's become my 'happy book.' Whenever I'm sad, I go back and reread it. I think I've read the book a total of 24 times, and it only came out last year!"

—angelfromrent

27. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

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"I picked this up in Boston, needing a book for the long trip home to Arizona. Everything about this book is brilliant — from the complex characters struggling with real world issues like anxiety and depression, to the masterful world-building, to the intricate plot. I still remember finding out a key plot twist on the plane home. My heart started pounding in anticipation and I couldn’t read fast enough. I would give anything to read this book again for the first time and experience it fresh all over again!"

—steffim4477411e6

28. Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

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"The first book irritated me so strongly in a way I couldn't explain other than knowing I HAD to read the next, and sure enough the next book addressed all the reasons I was so annoyed with the main character's decisions in the first and I became absolutely obsessed with the series! I now reread the books all the time (as does my friend). Yet there's a part of me that would love to relive that 'I HATE THIS BUT I CAN'T STOP' feeling tied with the 'OMG YES, FINALLY!' moments of vindication I had in the first read of the series."

—jennap44b1a2873

29. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

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"The subtle celebration of Southern heritage juxtaposed with the rising racial tension because of the trial. The childlike innocence of Scout and her willingness to accept people exactly as they are. The mystery of the existence of Boo Radley and the display of how our prejudices start early and aren’t limited to race but expand to anything that we don’t understand enough to not be scared of it. Atticus and his gentle stoicism, his straightforward and humble nature, his refusal to treat his children like children but instead, grow them into the capable young adults he knows they will one day be. There are so, so many good lines in that book, but no line in any book is as gently, softly, and anti-climactically climactic as Scout saying 'Hey, Boo' with no introduction to him whatsoever. I read it multiple times a year and am swept away every time."

—kristalm4e1ffbc6d

30. The Bell Jar by Slyvia Plath

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"It was the first time I ever read about mental illness in a way that I connected with. I finally felt like there was a voice out there that went through the same struggles and I have."

—meganstarshine

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Note: Submissions have been edited for clarity and length.