The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George is an ode to the power of books and letting go of the past — Monsieur Perdu owns and runs a literary apothecary, where he proscribes books for whatever ails his customers. However, he is unable to proscribe a book for his own pain, so that he too can move on from the past and what is holding him down. When he finally opens the…

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb is an immersive fantasy story that leaves you rooting for the protagonist Fitz is a royal bastard of Prince Chivalry, who was foisted on the royal family when he was five years old. With no one else willing to take him, he’s given to the…

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss is every bit as good as people say (mostly) — Kvothe is a pub owner in a small town, which means he rarely has that much to do. And it’s beginning to wear on him. When a chronicler arrives and identifies him as a legend in the world, what follows is Kvothe’s story told in his own voice. This book…

Identify Your Why For Stronger Nonfiction Writing (Part 3) — Step One on this journey of writing a book is to figure out what you want to write about. Step Two is writing and editing the book. Step Three is sharing it with readers and the world. This article series is all about Step One, but it will also get…

The Wizard’s Butler by Nathan Lowell is a charming story about belonging and belief Roger Mulligan is hired by the niece of an older gentleman troubled by dementia to be his butler. But what starts out as a simple assignment to keep Joseph Perry Shackleford alive long enough for his…

Identifying your why for stronger nonfiction writing (Part 2) — We all want to write a book people will read. For fiction authors, the goal is to entertain, enthrall, and occasionally educate. For nonfiction authors, the goal is (usually) to impart some wisdom, help a reader who may be in a similar situation, help the reader improve themselves, or educate. …

Just like your favorite cupcake, Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire is light, fun, and enjoyable to consume — Jenna has a debt, a life debt, that she has to pay off by being a ghost among the living. It’s not all bad, except she refuses to do what she could do and take her time from the living. Instead, she assists at a suicide hotline to honor her…

Identifying Your Why for Stronger Nonfiction Writing (Part 1) — I have random piles of books scattered throughout my house that I’m planning on donating. Some were gifts, some impulse buys, but most (unfortunately) are nonfiction. I’m a re-reader, whether that is fiction, mystery, or nonfiction. I’ve got nonfiction books on my shelf that, when I first read them, I…

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen is as magical as the Waverly’s garden — Sisters Sydney and Claire Waverly haven’t ever been close, but when Sydney arrives on Claire’s doorstep with her daughter, Bay, they get the chance to start again. They also have to face their past, open their hearts to the future, and finally find that safe space called home. I was…