“It was strange, the idea that this book wasn’t just for him, it was for everyone. All these people who had taken it out before him, people who would take it out after him. They might have read it on a beach, on the train, on the bus, in the park, in their living room. On the toilet? He hoped not! Every reader, unknowingly connected in some small way. He was about to be a part of this too.”—Sara Nisha Adams, The Reading List. Aleisha, a teenager working as a library clerk in Wembley, North London, stumbles upon a life-changing discovery—a list of eight classic novels titled “Just in […]
Read more...Tag Archives: metafiction
The Echo of Old Books
Bookbinder and rare-book dealer Ashlyn Greer’s affinity for books extends beyond the intoxicating scent of old paper, ink, and leather. She has a unique gift for sensing the emotions of a book’s previous owners. She is intrigued when a man named Ethan Hillard donates a pair of books to the store. Both are bound in a similar fashion, but there is no author information or publisher data. Her gift becomes an obsession. As Ashlyn researches the mystery of these books, she uncovers a decades-old romance between two authors. Hemi and Belle’s conflicting accounts reveal a tragic love story shaped by political agendas and social dynamics. (I couldn’t help thinking how […]
Read more...No Two Persons
The heart of No Two Persons beats with Alice Wein, an aspiring writer who weaves her pain into a striking debut, Theo, inspired by her brother’s tragic overdose. The book, told through loosely intertwined short stories, explores how one novel can affect people from all walks of life. We follow characters like Alice, a lonely bookseller, a homeless teenager, a free diver pushing limits, an outraged artist, and a grieving widower. Each person connects with something unique in Alice’s creation, changing their viewpoints unexpectedly. As a fellow author, I connected with the dream of wanting to create a story that not only gets read but passionately shared. Yet, No Two […]
Read more...Amy’s Reads: June 2022
Uff, another delayed book post. This has been an eventful summer with vacations, family visits, writing and pitching a book proposal for one client and pitching a historical novel of my own. I still read, though, just not as much! In June, I enjoyed thrillers, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, Christian fiction, self-help, memoir, relationship fiction, and mystery. So here they are, my June 2022 reads and reviews. There’s something here for everyone! Lights Out by Natalie Walters “Choose fear or choose faith, but only one choice will bring peace.” — Natalie Walter, Lights Out As a CIA analyst, Brynn Taylor developed a new program to combat terrorism, and invited members of […]
Read more...The Woman in the Library Book Review
“I am a bricklayer without drawings, laying words in sentences, sentences into paragraphs, allowing my walls to twist and turn on whim…no framework…just bricks interlocked…no idea what I’m building or if it will stand…no symmetry, no plan, just the chaotic unplotted bustle of human life.” — Sulari Gentill, The Woman in the Library. The ornate reading room at the Boston Public Library is quiet until the tranquility is shattered by a woman’s terrified scream. Security guards take charge, instructing everyone inside to stay put until the threat is identified and contained. While they wait for the all-clear, four strangers, who are sitting at the same table, pass the time in […]
Read more...