Which Books Are You Grateful For?

Despite all the negativity surrounding Thanksgiving, the holiday endears itself to me more each year. Why? At its essence, the American tradition of Thanksgiving is about coming together with family, sharing a special meal, and taking just one day to express gratitude. 

Thanks to Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), Thanksgiving has started to be overshadowed by Christmas shopping, But, as Americans have become desensitized to the “amazing” deals, and Black Friday sales have pushed themselves into Thanksgiving night, there’s been a quiet call to reclaim the good parts of Thanksgiving. The family time, the gratitude, the restfulness. Yes, please.

For the second year in a row (and in my entire life), I’ll be spending Thanksgiving away from my family (and, almost as regrettably, my Uncle Dave’s famous smoked turkey). Now, I know you might not be an American or a meat eater, but I have a strong feeling you’re probably a reader. So, fellow bookworm, would you indulge me in a little bookish gratitude?

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and our insatiable craving for book recommendations, drop the title of a book you’re thankful for in the comments. It could be a book that brought you joy, helped you through a difficult time in your life, or even one you wrote yourself!

What book am I grateful for? I’ll give you a simple answer and a serious answer. I’m thankful for Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn for getting me through the bulk of a 14-hour plane flight from Australia to the U.S. No matter what I do, I cannot sleep on planes for more than a few minutes at time, so having that novel engross me to the point where I lost track of time was a huge relief.

On a more serious note, I recently found myself grateful for one of my own novels. A reader shared that reading The Courtesan’s Avenger had served as an escape from her depression and that the themes of the novel resonated with and inspired her. That is exactly why I write, and it meant so much to me that something I imagined could do that for her. I was also thankful to “pay it forward,” as several books have helped me through tough times or made me feel less alone.

Now, before you scurry off for turkey or holiday shopping (no judgments), share your own bookish gratitudes in the comments. Feel free to add non-book gratitudes too – mine include my husband and our feline son, the friends who invited us to share Thanksgiving with them this year, and the internet for connecting me with you!

How Books Connect the World

How lucky are we as bookworms today?

At any given moment, we can jump on Amazon (or another website), buy a book, and read it seconds later. Or, if you’re a paperback purist, all you have to do is wait a couple days for shipping or take a quick trip to your local bookstore or library.

That’s all it takes. In a few seconds or a few days, you can dive into a novel’s world. You can learn about a historical event or philosophical theory. You can have a connection with an author and readers whom you may never meet, from nearly every corner of the world.

As the great Stephen King wrote: “Books are a uniquely portable form of magic.”

While perusing books on Goodreads and browsing through #bookstagram accounts, I’ve found myself in awe of these communities. Readers from all around the globe have joined together to celebrate the books they love. It’s so cool to hear other people’s thoughts on books I love, or to discover a beautiful photo of a book in an exotic location.

So, you can imagine my surprise (and delight!) when my friend sent me this photo of The Cogsmith’s Daughter. Unbeknown to me, she had taken a copy on vacation to the Cayman Islands. While reading on the beach, she found this grungy old machine and snapped a photo. Awesome, right?

It got my author brain thinking: I wonder how far the Desertera series has traveled?

A quick email to my Reader List, and I now have a decent idea. The map below shows the countries where I know readers have enjoyed The Cogsmith’s Daughter and/or The Courtesan’s Avenger. (If you don’t see your home represented, let me know in the comments – I’d love to add it!)

For a little-known (read: almost invisible) independent author with only two novels to my name, this map makes me really proud. My greatest joy (outside of writing, of course!) is connecting with other book lovers. To know that I’ve done exactly that on five out of seven continents stuns and humbles me.

I’ll definitely be referring back to this map as I continue writing the third book in the Desertera series. Writing is a solitary process, and sometimes I feel like I’m sending my words out into a void. But this map proves my inner critic wrong. My words are flying around the world – offering escape and entertainment to people everywhere (okay, a lot of places!).

If that isn’t a dream come true,  I don’t know what is.

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Where do you call home? How have your favorite books connected you to new friends and fellow readers? Share in the comments!

Indie Book Review: Winter of the Wolf by Christina Ochs

Winter of the Wolf by Christina Ochs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Winter of the Wolf is the fourth book in Christina Ochs’ Desolate Empire series. To be blunt, I have a lot of wonderful things to say about this book — only I can’t say any of them, for risk of spoiling the novel (and the entire series) for you.

What I can reveal is that it falls beautifully in line with the rest of the series. Winter of the Wolf is full of action, political drama, and jaw-dropping twists that literally made me shriek (and sometimes cry). Despite being a long novel (595 pages), it read incredibly quickly and left me wanting more.

And that’s all I will risk telling you.

That being said, I’m going to break from my usual, detailed review style and simply list the top five reasons you should be reading the entire Desolate Empire series.

1. It’s “clean” Game of Thrones. An epic fantasy world, inspired by a real-world war. Multiple kingdoms fighting for control of one empire. Political intrigue, bloody battles, dark magic, and a little romance. All in a family friendly, no cursing, fade-to-black package.
2. There’s a character for everyone. From the beautiful and savvy Princess Gwynneth to the brooding warrior Braedon Terris to the evil and manipulative Empress Teodora, you’ll find characters to love and love-to-hate. (Psst — sound familiar?)
3. You won’t be able to breathe. Between the tense political situations and the life-or-death action, the Desolate Empire series will leave you on the edge of your seat. Just when you think you can breathe again, Ochs will give you another unexpected twist or a gripping cliffhanger. (For that reason, you’ll love to hate her, too. But mostly love!)
4. Each book gets better. Thus far, this is not one of those series with a weak link or two hiding in the middle. Every single book has been better than the last.
5. You can’t tell it’s self-published. As an independent author myself, I loathe to even make this point because it shouldn’t matter. However, for some readers it does. So, trust me — the writing is great, the plots are solid, and it far surpasses many traditionally published books I’ve read.

If this all sounds too good to be true, it isn’t. Do yourself a favor and buy these books today.

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As always, the links throughout this review are Amazon Associate links. This means, if you buy the book, I receive a small percentage of the sale. However, you pay no more and the author receives no less. The author has not paid or incentivized me for this review — I do so purely to spread the word about a book I love.

Indie Book Review: A Thousand Rooms by Helen Jones

A Thousand Rooms by Helen Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Katie didn’t wake up expecting to die. And yet, that’s exactly how A Thousand Rooms begins. As Katie stands on the street, watching emergency responders attend to her body, she waits for whatever comes next. Nothing comes, and Katie is forced to drift about the earth alone in search of her individual heaven, the meaning of her life, and any other souls who can help her.

I’ve long been a fan of Helen Jones’s Ambeth series, and I really enjoyed seeing her take on a different genre and world in A Thousand Rooms. The novel reads like contemporary fiction but has a lovely touch of fantasy and a good helping of romance (which came as a pleasant surprise after all of Katie’s struggles!). As usual, Jones’s writing is descriptive and detailed, and she beautifully brings to life the various settings (real and imagined) throughout the novel.

As a protagonist, Katie is a strong character. She has a deep love for her family, a clever set of problem-solving skills, and a bit of a potty mouth (which I really love, but some may find offensive). I appreciated how Katie remained headstrong and steadfast in her search for heaven, even after several obstacles sent her crashing (sometimes literally) back down to Earth. At times, she did get a little whiney for me … but hey, if I were dead and left to wander Earth alone, I know I’d bitch, too.

The novel has a steady pace, with a good balance of action and introspection. Personally, I would have liked to have seen a little less reflection on Katie’s life and more of the various heavens, but I understand why Jones chose to portion the novel as she did, and it works well. If I had to describe A Thousand Rooms in one word, it would be bittersweet. Katie’s emotions are raw and realistic, and as someone who deeply empathizes with others (and is a bit homesick herself), I found myself tearing up at several points throughout the novel. Sometimes, I grieved with Katie for her lost life, while at other times, I happy-cried for her moments of joy. Maybe I’m just a sucker … or maybe Jones has written a fantastic, emotionally resonant novel. (You can let me know after you read it!)

Overall, A Thousand Rooms is a beautiful journey that reminds the reader to appreciate every moment and focus on the “blessed” things in their life. While at times sad and introspective, it is also unfailingly hopeful and full of joy and love. Jones has crafted an endearing heroine, an uplifting love story, and a captivating vision of the afterlife (I wouldn’t mind if this novel were right!). Highly recommended for those who like strong female characters, coming-of-age narratives, and true love — just keep the tissues nearby!

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If you are interested in reading A Thousand Rooms and would like to help sponsor my writing and research, you can purchase it through my Amazon Associates Store. By doing this, you will not pay a cent extra, nor will the author receive a cent less, but I will receive a small commission on the sale. Simply click the book’s title or the book’s image.

Book Review: The Art of Breathing by Kate Evans

The Art of Breathing (Scarborough Mysteries #3) by Kate Evans
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Art of Breathing by Kate Evans is a crime fiction novel and the third installment in the Scarborough Mysteries series. It follows the lives of Hannah Poole, Detective Sargent Theo Akande, and Aurora Harris as they navigate mental health and family issues, as well as investigate crimes in their small town. Because this is the third book in a series, I’ll keep some aspects of my review vague to avoid spoiling details from the first two novels. You can read my review of The Art of the Imperfect (Scarborough Mysteries #1) here.

When I read The Art of the Imperfect, I remember thinking that the novel read more like literary fiction (or even an extended prose poem) than a typical crime novel. While I enjoyed the gorgeous language, I found it difficult to keep track of the details at times. In The Art of Breathing, Evans has struck the perfect balance between poetic language and crime fiction. The novel includes the time-honored tropes of the crime genre, but the writing itself retains that beautiful, lilting character that sets Evans’s work apart. As someone who doesn’t always like the gritty/punchy feel of crime novels, Evans’ style is perfect for me.

Without spoiling anything, I’ll say that the plot is complete, intriguing, and comes with a few little twists (one of them is just … brilliant). However, even with a strong plot, I believe that the characters are the true jewel of The Art of Breathing. They are well-crafted and complex, and (as I’ll discuss below) serve as fantastic vehicles for Evans to explore important social themes. Where Evans’ character creation is particularly strong is their versatility – at times, they can be difficult to like (especially Hannah, with her self-destructive thoughts and behaviors), but they also elicit waves of empathy from the reader. A difficult task for a writer to accomplish.

In my own writing, I place a great deal of importance on examining social issues, so I really enjoy novels with strong thematic weight. The Art of Breathing, Evans manages to display both sides of several dark themes (sexual assault, adultery, murder, etc.) in a way that makes the reader question previously held assumptions. Her characters provide riveting case studies of mental health and social concerns (depression, PTSD, homophobia, racism, etc.), and after spending the novel with them, I truly felt like I came away with a better understanding of how people facing these issues live. That’s the power of great fiction – it deepens your perspective on reality and allows you to live other lives.

The Art of Breathing (and the rest of the Scarborough Mysteries series) isn’t your cookie-cutter crime fiction. It’s a study of human character, an examination of Western society, and a beautiful tribute to language … all wrapped up in a murder mystery. Strongly recommended for literary fiction readers who want a gentle entrance into crime fiction, and crime readers who are looking for a refreshing take on the genre.

Want to know more? Kate Evans was kind enough to drop by my website to describe how she uses her crime fiction to search for truth and delve into dark themes. You can read her insightful guest post here.

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If you are interested in reading The Art of Breathing and would like to help sponsor my writing and research, you can purchase it through my Amazon Associates Store. By doing this, you will not pay a cent extra, nor will the author receive a cent less, but I will receive a small commission on the sale. Simply click the book’s title or the book’s image.