I used to be a huge keeper of everything I've ever read, but have found books take up way too much space; space I nolonger have to spare. So now I have trained myself to keep only those books which are part of a series. As for re-reading, haven't ever done that unless it was by accident. I find that once I know the how's and why's of a story it takes all the fun out of reading it again because I have that information. See, for me, getting to those points of a story are it for me. I truly get into the stories that I am reading that I find myself laughing...getting mad or even crying, so ya no re-reading for me. I like the surprises the ups and downs bring when reading a story.
It's not so much that my faves have retired or looking for new publishers. I have found that now they are all switching from paper back to hard cover which makes purchasing my faves pushing the monthly book budget. I have also found that the books are coming longer in between now, where we'd have to wait three to six months for a new book it's now nine months to a year.
As much as I'd like to blame the economy for my lack of purchases, I think the changes our faves have taken (most likely due to publishers say so)in changing book format and releases contribute a great deal.
I am such a book wh**e that I am always on the look out for new authors to read that even if my faves all decided to up and quit at once I'm sure I could find others to fill in the empty space my faves have left in my heart.