Let's Discuss: Remembering Books

 

So I was trying to think of a post idea as I feel like my February wasn't as active as it should've been. I blame an amazing January (in terms of posts!), lol! But then I had an idea that I thought I would pose as a question for a discussion!

How Do You Remember Books?

Okay, so this is more for series and trying to remember details from the past book before picking up the newest book! This is of course if you read them spontaneously or right as they release. Binge reading, while preferred doesn't always happen with ongoing series!

So basically I want to know, do you have like the perfect memory? My memory is pretty shoddy these days! If you asked me what happened in a book I read last year, I might be able to give you some details and whatnot. I could probably do better to remember if I read over my review real quick and even pull up a spoiler or two. If you asked me about a book I read 5 years ago...whoo boy, that might be more difficult!

When it comes to series and whatnot, I've been trying to take notes on the plot, basically bullet points on what happened, spoilers and all and set them aside for when the sequel comes out! I basically have 2 notebooks now, one for "ongoing" series and one that's not! Like right now I'm reading a duology that I've been meaning to start so I will just jot down enough notes for my review in the "toss it" notebook. Now when I pick up a book that is apart of a series that's ongoing, I will write out (very small so I can try to fit it on one page!) all the details of what happened in the book and its ending so I can read over my notes before I pick up the next book!

I found while it's not the best kind of recap, it does well enough to jog my memory of things, or to the point that when I pick up the new book and they mention "event X" I will have enough reference to remember what that event was in the smallest of detail.

I was wondering though what do other readers do? Do you have time to reread books in a series before diving into the latest addition? Do you have an insanely good memory that I just need to be envious of, of were you like me before my exact note-taking and just had to roll with the memory gaps? I still have a few series I need to finish where I will be in a pickle where I will either have to start all over or just roll with it. Not sure what I will do at this point with those series...so yeah. I used to have time to reread the books before the newest one! Those were the days...but I also remember those were days where I went weeks or months without a "new" read. I also look for other bookish recaps online but I think most of those blogs have dispersed since the blogging community is slowly withering away.

So back around to my question...how do you remember the books you read for ongoing series? Do you take notes? Do you just reread the books? What's your method?