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Eliana Eisen

Top 5 MUST-Read Books for Honors Students

Updated: May 22, 2023

With exams and quizzes, we as Honors students are constantly studying and preparing for our classes. A great way to unwind is to sit down on a comfy chair, prop your feet up and dive into a good book. Below are the top 5 books (some of them series) that are a MUST read for all Honors students! If you're interested in reading anything related to fantasy, adventure, horror, or mystery check out the stories below!


One of the most popular book series of all time, having theme parks in both Hollywood and Orlando, the world of Harry Potter by JK Rowling has influenced many readers all across the globe. Allowing even the most stressed to escape to a world of fantasy and adventure! Harry Potter is about an eleven-year-old boy who finds he is the orphaned son of two renowned wizards and possesses unique magical abilities of his own. He is called from his lifestyle as an unwanted kid to become a student at Hogwarts, an English wizarding boarding school. There, he joins a group of people who become his closest pals and assist him in uncovering the truth about his parents' unexplained deaths. As the series progresses, it concerns Harry's battle against Lord Voldemort, an evil wizard with plans to become immortal, destroy the wizard governmental body known as the Ministry of Magic, and subjugate all wizards and Muggles (non-magical people).


Fans who love the series have visited these theme parks, while also taking online Hogwarts tests to discover their own house, making friends all across the globe with a connection of the love they share for Hogwarts. And there is never shame in reading the series multiple times, for readers of all ages can enjoy the love and pride of the story, relating to the characters and their problems, to have a deeper connection to the story than those who have never read the wonderful world of Harry Potter.


The second must-read book is The Song of Achilles by Madelaine Miller. The tale is presented from the viewpoint of Patroclus, who is banished by his father to reside in the palace of Peleus. He swiftly finds love with his host's son, the superlative Achilles. Achilles has demi-god status meaning he is quicker, more attractive, and more skillful than all his contemporaries, unlike Patroclus who possesses no abilities and is ordinary. Based on redemption, love, and violence The Song of Achilles is a love narrative that follows Achilles and Patroclus from childhood through maturity. While their relationship is an example of passionate love, many types of platonic love also play a role as the tale continues. Fans of the story understand and connect to Achilles’ and Patroclus’ connection to love passionately in the face of misfortune.


The third must read book is for all the Honors students out there that love horror! One of the scariest books of all time, Steven King’s The Shining is the most grueling of all. Published in 1977, the story follows Jack Torrance, a failing writer and recovering alcoholic who takes a job as the off-season keeper of the famous Overlook Hotel in the Colorado Rockies. His family joins him on this mission, notably his young son Danny Torrance, who possesses "the shining," a set of telepathic skills that enable Danny to glimpse the hotel's heinous history. Soon after their arrival, they are snowbound due to a winter blizzard. As the story progresses, the mysterious forces inhabiting the hotel impact Jack's psyche, putting his wife and son in grave peril.

The Shining became so popular that in 1980 a movie was produced. The move definitely left its mark with references in multiple other movies to this day. The most notable mention is in Ready Player One.

The Shining concentrated on the broad strokes of Stephen King's original narrative, but the images, mood, tone, and pure fear of the moments Stanley Kubrick captured on film were quite enough to frighten most people. Because of the persistent mystery it inspires, it has maintained a cultural impact throughout the years. Yes, The Shining is a horror film, but it is also about the strength of humanity, about terror and abuse, and about who the true villain is.


The fourth must read book is And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. This work, often recognized as the best mystery novel ever written, follows the story of 10 strangers brought to Indian Island in 1939 by an enigmatic host. Europe is on the edge of war. They've been cut off from the mainland, and their courteous guests, Mr. and Mrs. U.N. Owen, have mysteriously vanished. They are all accused of heinous crimes. When one of the party attendees dies unexpectedly, they discover they may have a serial murderer among them, but realize the killer is planning another attack…and another…making the island a survivor's game rather than a secure sanctuary.

And Then There Were None went on to have its 10 movie adaptations with 8 series forms throughout the years as the book became more and more popular. If you want to be on the edge of your seat, check out this book for a mysterious thriller.


The fifth and final must read book is Dune by Frank Herbert. To safeguard the security of his family and loved ones, Paul Atreides, a smart and gifted young man born into a grand fate beyond his comprehension, must journey to the most deadly planet in the cosmos. As sinister forces clash for the planet's sole supply of the most valuable substance in existence, only those who can overcome their fear will prevail. Dune is widely regarded as one of the finest books of all time, as well as a landmark work in the science fiction genre. Dune went on to become a series, having multiple show and movie adaptations, the most recent starring the beloved Timothy Chalamet and Zendaya in the 2021 version. The latest version has now 10 Oscar nominations, thrilling fans of the beloved story that they connect to. Dune is the first big sci-fi literary epic. In one bound, Herbert provided a space opera, the hero's journey, female characters as deep and strong as male ones, a fresh investigation of the roles of religion and theology, and a beautiful collection of symbolism and imagery, an achievement which has yet to be surpassed. Less straightforward was Herbert's historical chemistry, which showed the reader the entire range of sci-fi emphasis, reflection on the history, and conjecture about destiny all combined to teach people about the present. This specific aspect is extensively developed in the cycle's subsequent novels. Dune is also the pinnacle of multidisciplinary science, with the great bulk of Herbert's scientific understanding and conjecture still being relevant today, and is also one of the very first books to place ecology so prominently.


With winter soon changing into spring, take those last moments of the winter cold to cozy up with a book, whether that be horror, fantasy, adventure, and take an extra relaxing step to get through this semester.



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