As a sufferer of anxiety and OCD for 25+ years, I FINALLY took the step this year to attend therapy, and this was the book that my therapist recommended I study before each of our sessions. I have to say that, despite my apprehension of even seeing a counsellor, I was happy as a readerContinue reading “Book Review: Daring Greatly by Brené Brown, Ph.D., LMSW”
Category Archives: Book Recommendations
Book Review: Gallant by V.E. Schwab
Summary This YA horror novel follows a young mute girl named Olivia who can see ghouls. Her only clue to her family remains in a strange journal left to her by her birth mother. After finally being taken away from her oppressive boarding school to the residence of her ancestral home, Gallant, she realizes thatContinue reading “Book Review: Gallant by V.E. Schwab”
Book Review: The List of Unspeakable Fears by J. Kasper Kramer
“Floorboards creak. Shadows stretch. Shapes in the dark bend and sway. But I don’t let any of that stop me. It’s not because I’m not afraid. I am. I just keep moving forward despite it.” — Page 217 Summary This is my new favorite MG novel! It takes place during the Irish immigration to AmericaContinue reading “Book Review: The List of Unspeakable Fears by J. Kasper Kramer”
Book Review: Tangled in Time (Book 1): The Portal by Kathryn Lasky
Summary This middle grade novel follows a middle school fashion blogger named Rose whose mother just passed away and she is sent to live with her grandmother. However, amidst making friends and avoiding school bullies, she finds herself traveling back and forth in time to the Elizabethan court. Stranger occurrences then ensue that lead herContinue reading “Book Review: Tangled in Time (Book 1): The Portal by Kathryn Lasky”
Book Review: Love Unseen by Rachel Kelley Stones
I was so excited when this came out because I rarely have the opportunity to read novels written by people I have actually met. But favoritism aside, this book had an original plot with unique character arcs that you don’t tend to see in common regency romances. Let’s dive in! Summary This proper regency romanceContinue reading “Book Review: Love Unseen by Rachel Kelley Stones”
Book Review: The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane by Julia Nobel
I will be posting quite a few MG novel reviews for the next few weeks (each one published within the last 5 years) since it is a requirement for one of my classes: “Writing for the Middle Grade/YA Reader.” Since my own MG novel I’m working on is about a ghost mystery, I thought I’dContinue reading “Book Review: The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane by Julia Nobel”
Book Review: The Portrait by Emilia Kelly
“There was a story in that painting, though I did not fully understand it. I merely knew that it was there.” — Thomas James, The Portrait, 136-137 This is one of the self-published books I’ve had on my TBR shelf since I attended Storymakers conference this year and it did not disappoint (this review doesContinue reading “Book Review: The Portrait by Emilia Kelly”
Book Review: Writing Picture Books Revised and Expanded Edition: A Hands-On Guide from Story Creation to Publication by Ann Whitford Paul
This was another required text for my grad certificate class “Writing Children’s Picture Books” and I learned a lot more than I expected from it regarding the picture book drafting process, such as the inclusion of figures of speech, format, book dummying, dialogue, and POV. Summary Paul takes her readers through the writing process pertainingContinue reading “Book Review: Writing Picture Books Revised and Expanded Edition: A Hands-On Guide from Story Creation to Publication by Ann Whitford Paul”
Book Review: Secret of the Sonnets by Samantha Hastings
…“When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st:So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.” — William Shakespeare , excerpt from Sonnet 18 Summary This regency mystery centers around a woman named Miranda’s quest to find the lost manuscript of William Shakespeare. With theContinue reading “Book Review: Secret of the Sonnets by Samantha Hastings”
Storymakers Conference 2023: TBR’s
What a blessing it was to attend the 20th Anniversary of Storymakers Conference this month! I took advantage of opportunities to network with writers from Latter-day Saints who write in my genre, received instruction from experts in their writing field, and obtained feedback for my novel chapters. I also was pleased to learn the importanceContinue reading “Storymakers Conference 2023: TBR’s”
