For 2024, I’m doing something different. Instead of telling you every story I’ve read each month, I will tell you my top five favorites for each month. So! While I have read fourteen books for March, here are my Top 5 favorites.
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
It’s been a long time since I was touched by a story. Every story was either sad, relatable, or both. There even have been a few times that I’ve found myself taking a moment to catch my breath. I had to read this book along with two others, but it’s this story that made me feel all the emotions. This is a must-read for many reasons: to understand perspective, mend bridges, and for a really good read.
Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child
I watched Reacher not realizing that there was a book series – an ongoing book series. So, while I was in Philly, I made a pit stop at Barnes and Noble and bought three of the Reacher books. I wanted to focus on the ones that were – or will – adapted into seasons. The second season was based on this book and I must say…I love Lee Child’s writing style and this series will be completed…eventually.
A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen
I was teaching Victorian-Era Literature to my tenth grader and this play was a requirement. This play was interesting. My students felt that it was too real, which is ironically why I like it. I LOVE those types of stories that are deeply rooted in reality. It was amazing to see a realistic reaction to a problem of their own making. This is a perfect example of “adding fuel to the problem”. I’m definitely keeping this for future reading.
The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster
Another story I had to teach to my students. It’s also another story that I ended up reading, again, on my own because – yes – it’s just that good. Hard Science Fiction isn’t something that I’m a huge fan of; soft science fiction is more of my thing. Alas, I must be a teacher and suck it up and I’m so glad that I did because this story was amazing. The lesson of over-reliance on technology was also ever so delicious.
The Star by H.G. Wells
Yet another story I used as a lesson for my tenth graders. I actually like this story because it’s the complete opposite of H.G. Wells’s approach to science fiction. Plus, I love science fiction with a passion and I especially love futurist science fiction. Plus, the obvious sequence of events only makes the story better for me because it’s a matter of ‘when”, not “if”.
