TBR: March 2024

I'm just realizing a flaw with posting my TBR each month:  If I don't get to a book, which almost always happens, then it gets tacked on to the next month, and the posts become a rolling file of the same books.  To keep my posts from becoming redundant, I think I'll try to shorten them to a realistic length, then keep the alternates to myself until the end of the month.  

For March I've got a book club pick, a Close Reads choice, a classic, three new bestsellers, and a book that won the Nobel Prize.  That's seven and who knows if I'll get through even those.  There are two more on my hopeful list but we'll wait to see if they actually happen this month.  A few of these seem heavy so I intentionally put a few lighter reads in to balance things out.  

Also in March I'm looking forward to the first day of spring, and just before that is my oldest daughter's 22nd birthday!  The girls in our family booked a quick trip to celebrate, but that isn't until the beginning of April.  

I was thinking about how fun it is, to dream up adventures with my adult children.  Now that they're older, my role is mostly in research and development. They come up with an idea and I figure out how to best make it happen. Helping them tackle life is both rewarding and difficult, but the orchestrating of things that they are most excited about is an absolutely joyful aspect of having adult children! I still can't believe that I'm the mother of a twenty-two year old adult woman, though.  Surreal stuff!

On to the list of books To Be Read this month...

The Women: Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite authors. Her books "The Great Alone," "Winter Garden," and "The Four Winds" are some of my all time favorites. This woman has my number!  She manages to write in a deeply immersive way while still keeping things easy to read.  I don't think that's easy to do but very much enjoy reading her stuff.  This is her most recent book, set during the Vietnam War.  

The Road:  This is a Pulitzer Prize winning modern classic that a few of the Close Reads hosts were adamant about getting on the 2024 reading schedule.  I was about to start this book but before I could, two of my book club friends saw it sitting on my end table and exclaimed how seriously they hated this book.  One said that she actually threw the book in the trash when she finished it!  So to recap everything that I know about this book:

a.) It's a Pulitzer Prize winner

b.) that the Close Reads hosts love

c.) and others hate passionately.

d.) It's also free to listen to, with an Audible membership.

Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club:  J. Ryan Stradal's book "Kitchens of the Great Midwest" so captivated me that I have to read this next book.  I've heard loads of great things about it but have also heard that the story is very heavy at times. Content warnings include child death, grief, and emotional abuse, so be aware of that if you're thinking about picking it up.  

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store:  One of 2023's bestsellers.  I don't know anything going into this one and I think that's the way I'll keep it. 

Gaudy Night:  I can't remember who recommended this book to me, but it has been on my TBR for a few years and is very well reviewed.  I feel like there are so many of these English classic series.  Every few years I hear about another!  

This is the twelfth book in the Lord Peter Wimsey series, but I have a note that says you don't need to have read the others to enjoy this one.

Never Let Me Go:  Another one that has been on my TBR list for years.  Despite the many good review on my bookish podcasts, I still haven't gotten to this one.  I'm hoping to do that this month!  

This book won the Nobel Prize.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis:  Our book club chose this as their next selection.  Based on the true love story of poet Joy Davidman and the famous C.S. Lewis, I'm eager to learn more about the muse behind many of Lewis' greatest works.