Category: Books

Six Scary Good Books and Why They Still Haunt Me

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With all the reading I do (roughly 30 books per year), I occasionally come across titles that give me the chills and haunt me long after I finish reading them. I’m not talking about horror stories either, which I don’t read anyway as a rule. I get scared easily. It doesn’t take much for me to go from being a chilled-out baby boomer to an anxious insomniac. The smallest gruesome details, even in the most literary of published words, can leave an indelible mark on my imagination.

While I try to avoid reading those types of stories with some element of horror, every now and then, I do read one with a difficult-to-read scene (The Book of Ruth) or I challenge myself to read out of my comfort zone (In Cold Blood). Other times, a book I’m reading has kept me awake at night, the suspense so great I was afraid to sleep.

I’ve scoured my reading lists from the past few years to curate a list of the best, most haunting reads, just in time for Halloween season. These books haunted me in ways I didn’t expect and left a lasting impression.

Why did these titles make my “scary” list?

  • They might have contained a gruesome scene of brutal violence that I could not unsee in my imagination. 
  • Some scenes only hinted at violence, just enough to feed my own fears and prod my imagination to fill in the blanks.
  • Some stories contained scenes that kept playing over and over in my head, preventing me from falling asleep at night.
  • The story presented a sad, dark view of our future that felt real and viable.

Here is my short list of books that have haunted me over the years. Your own list of scary or haunting books may be different. What is the same is the way these stories make you feel and the lasting impressions they make on your psyche.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
I don’t usually read true crime, but I had heard so much about ICB that I challenged myself to read it. This is considered the premiere example of true crime, and Capote does it with tremendous empathy for the villains. The story doesn’t feel exploitative or flashy either, and the facts are presented in a way that helps you understand the mindset of the murderers and the events that led up to their crime. That is what made this book so haunting, helping readers understand that there’s more to a crime than meets the eye.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Morena-Garcia
This title is the closest thing to horror that I’ve ever read. I had heard a lot about it and I was curious about what the story was about. Morena-Garcia gives a Mexican spin on traditional gothic horror. Well-written with a likeable main character who behaved with greater maturity than her 21 years. The story was packed with a lot of gruesome and paranormal details that were both fascinating and horrifying at the same time.

The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton
I still cannot stop thinking about The Book of Ruth, which I read about five years ago.
Though this book is a work of fiction and not horror or true crime, it could easily have been one of them because of the way Hamilton presented the sequence of events. She also included back stories for the two people the main character Ruth was closest to – her mother and her husband. As the story progressed, the reader could see the growing tension and animosity between those two characters up until their final confrontation. This book haunted me in two ways: the brutal violence Ruth witnesses and her capacity to forgive in the end.

A Deadly Game of Magic by Joan Lowery Nixon
Nixon was a popular young adult novelist of the 1970s and 1980s, and I remember reading a few of her stories when I was younger. While the set-up for A Deadly Game wasn’t original – four teens seek shelter in an apparent abandoned house during a storm – Nixon turned their experience into a gripping, spine-tingling page turner around an evil magician who may or may not still be alive. There was no clear sign of violence, no actual blood and gore. But Nixon leaves enough clues, including a guillotine set that the magician had used for his tricks, to make readers use their imagination to fill in the  blanks. Sometimes that can be more scary than seeing the horror on the page. This one gave me a few sleepless nights.

One By One by Ruth Ware
This was the first of Ware’s psychological thrillers I read, and what an introduction it was. The story centers around a group of work colleagues who are trapped in an isolated chalet in the Swiss Alps, and one by one, they keep disappearing. The pacing and multiple points of view kept me guessing about what would happen next. The tension was so fraught that I had difficulty sleeping at night. Casual readers of suspense or Ware fans might say that I’m overreacting, that this was not one of her best works. But for me, there was something about the way she weaved in the story elements and tension that kept me looking over my shoulder.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
I shake my head every time I see this title described as magic realism. Sure there is a “special school,” but the specialness has nothing to do with magic. I would describe this story as dystopian much like the Handmaid’s Tale. The story centers around an imagined society that raises orphaned children for a very dark purpose – to be sacrificed to help other people live. As readers see these children grow up and knowing what their future holds, leaves me feeling haunted in ways traditional crime novels do not. 

What do you think? Are there any books that have haunted you? What types of stories scare you?  

What Writers Should Know about Book Bans and Censorship

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This week is Banned Books Week, an initiative devoted to creating greater awareness about censorship and book banning initiatives and to remind the reading public to fight for the freedom to read. 

As an avid reader and aspiring novelist, this issue is personal. I hate the thought that someone I don’t know can dictate what is not available for me to read. No author wants their books banned or restricted from access.

“It’s not a badge of honor to have books banned,” says author Jodi Picoult in an interview with the BBC. Picoult has had several of her books banned, most notably Nineteen Minutes, a story about a school shooting. Although it’s not the content of that story that was behind the ban, she says. It was a single word that appeared on one single page in the book. You can read more about her experience here. 

Stephen Chbosky, who wrote The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which frequently lands on the banned books list, describes it this way: “Banning books gives us silence when we need speech. It closes our ears when we need to listen. It makes us blind when we need sight.”

Books are banned for several reasons:

  • Representation of LGBTQ+
  • Racial diversity
  • Religious views
  • Violence
  • Sexual content

The American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) publishes data about book censorship efforts in the U.S. In 2025, OIF documented the second highest level of book censorship attempts. It also noted that most attempts are “organized efforts to systematically suppress voices and ideas.”

Here are a few other things they’ve documented:

* There were 4,235 unique titles that were challenged in 2025, of which 39% were titles that represented LGBTQ+ and people of color.

* 92% of censorship campaigns were initiated by pressure groups and the decision makers and board administrators that were swayed by their efforts. That’s a 20% increase over 2024.

* Less than 3% of censorship attempts were initiated by parents or individuals.

* OIF tracked 713 censorship incidents targeting library materials and services in 2025. Roughly 68% were books and graphic novels.

* Most book challenges occurred  at public libraries (51%) followed by school libraries (37%) and school curricula (8%).

* During the 2024-2025 school year, PEN America, which advocates against book bans, documented bans in 87 public school districts and 23 states.

* Florida, Texas and Tennessee led all states with instances of book challenges. Florida had 2,304 instances in 33 districts; Texas had 1,781 instances in 7 districts, and Tennessee had
1,622 cases in 8 districts.

However, a more recent report by PEN America cites an increase of book bans in Texas from under 2,000 last year to 8,193 in 2026. I suspect much of that increase is due to the use of AI in generating a list of terms to search for.

Why should we be concerned? Because attempts at censorship and book bans have been increasing at an alarming rate over the past five years. While 4,235 unique titles had been challenged by pressure groups in 2025, the annual average of challenges was only 273 between 2001 and 2020. The number of challenges has grown exponentially since then.

So what can you do to stem the tide? Here are a few suggestions from OIF and PEN America:

* Read a banned book or add it to your TBR list. I recently read Looking for Alaska by John Green (which I recommend) and a couple others are on my TBR shelf, including Picoult’s Nineteen Minutes and Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

* Share a banned book with a friend or fellow reader, or contribute it to a local Little Free Library so neighbors have access to it.

* Join organizations whose mission is to fight censorship and book bans, such as Unite Against Book Bans, Freedom to Read Foundation and PEN America.

* Support authors whose works have been banned. Attend their author readings, or buy or borrow their books. Even better, follow them on social media or send them a thank you note to support their work.

* Vote in local school board elections. Attend school board meetings and town halls, and ask candidates if they will defend the freedom to read.

* Report a book ban to either PEN America or ALA OIF. They track these challenges and can advise on what to do next.

* Share your story on social media about how a banned book changed your perspective.

You’ll find plenty more suggestions on PEN America’s website. I also recommend watching the film “The Librarians” if it comes to your town or if you find it on the PBS website. It recounts the efforts of several librarians to fight censorship campaigns in their communities.

Book bans and challenges affect all of us. Whether you write a thank you note to your local librarian, read a banned book, or get involved with your school board, there’s something we can all do to protect the freedom to read.

Creating a Seasonal Writing Practice

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I can’t believe that summer is already winding to a close. Kids are back at school, and soon the weather will turn cooler and the leaves on the trees will change into more festive autumn colors.

This summer has been especially difficult. Heat waves with high humidity, intense storms and smoke from wildfires have forced me to stay inside my apartment for much of the summer. You’d think that would motivate me to write more, but it didn’t. During the summer months, my mind turned to mush. If it hadn’t been for my writer’s group and weekly sprints, I probably would not have written a single word!

That got me thinking about the impact of the seasons on our writing routines. I’ve noticed that my routine and motivation slows down during the summer months, while my writing kicks into high gear in January when it’s bitterly cold outside. During those long, cold days, it’s easier for me to focus on creative pursuits to pass the time. 

Likewise, spring seems ideal for cleaning, decluttering and redecorating. I feel more energized then. I’m in the frame of mind to revise my work in progress and cut out unnecessary scenes and characters that slow down the story. Meanwhile fall is the time for reflection and education. Attending a conference, learning more about the writing craft or simply dreaming of your next story idea might be on the agenda.

Just as nature goes through periods of growth, rest, renewal, and abundance, so can our creativity, writes Marianne Jennings on her Substack, Weekly Writers Check In. “Your writing can have seasons too. That’s not a weakness; it’s wisdom.”

By paying attention to your own patterns, you might notice a rhythm to your writing behavior.  The key is to observe those patterns without judgment or criticism, says Jennings. Then take advantage of those seasonal patterns by creating a routine that taps into your most productive energies. 

Depending on your situation, your seasonal writing practice might look like this:

Winter – With less daylight at our disposal, you might feel inclined to have shorter writing sessions. Or if you’re like me and hibernate when it gets cold, you immerse yourself into your writing projects. Much like curling up with a good book, why not write one during the winter to keep your heart warm and keep your creativity flowing?

Spring – It’s a time of fresh starts, deep cleaning and planting seeds for the future. Spring might be the ideal time to take out a manuscript you had buried in a desk drawer, dust it off and tackle a revision. LIke cleaning out closets, you might cut unnecessary scenes and characters. Maybe you prefer to plant the seeds of new story ideas, then water and care for them so they grow into mature projects. 

Summer – There’s plenty of daylight to work by, so some writers might enjoy longer writing sessions or sitting out in the garden surrounded by nature and warmed by the sun. Or perhaps you move those creative writing sessions to the early morning to take advantage of early sunlight and stay out of the heat. For others, summer is too busy to write, packed with outdoor activities, fun times with family and friends. Writing might take a back seat then because you feel less focused. Instead, you might use the time for observing the world around you, people watching and taking notes for possible new stories.

Fall – With the school year starting, fall can feel like a fresh start in a different way than spring. As kids return to school, you might decide to do the same by attending a conference, reading up on craft or joining a writer’s group to get feedback on your work. Fall is about changes too. You might decide to experiment with a different genre or rethink your writing process. Other writers find the fall time to be a period of reflection, so they might daydream plots and characters. 

Every writing season is different, and no two people will experience them the same way. Be aware of how the seasons affect you then adapt your practice to their ebbs and flows. You may find a more productive way to arrive at “The End.”


My Biggest Pet Peeves about Books

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Book pet peeves have been on my mind a lot lately. So I’ve decided to revise and repost the following story from 2023.

For all the joy I get out of reading, I also have a few pet peeves. I’m not alone. Recently, a contributor at Book Riot published a list of annoyances about books and the book world, gleaned from their readers’ comments. Complaints ranged from poorly designed book covers to the competitiveness of reading challenges and the lack of a synopsis on the back cover.

Inspired by Book Riot’s list, I’ve compiled my own list of petty annoyances. But while the Book Riot list focused primarily on the marketing of books, my list relates more to the story telling aspect. Because one seemingly minor miscue can ruin an otherwise good book.  

Do you agree or disagree with this list? Or do you have other pet peeves about books and/or the book publishing process? I’d love to hear your opinions.

  • Unnecessary prologues – The purpose of a prologue is to provide some backstory, usually written from a different point of view character than the main narrator. More often than not, prologues don’t live up to that purpose. They meander or get stuck in world-building and backstory, which could just as easily been sprinkled throughout the main part of the novel. The only exceptions might be a mystery or thriller that sets up the crime or science fiction/fantasy to establish world-building that requires some detailed explanation. If the prologue can be read as a first chapter or if the information could be weaved into the main story, you probably don’t need the prologue. I rarely, if ever, have read a prologue that added anything of value to the story.

  • No summary on the back cover. I’m inclined to agree with the Book Riot reader who suggested the back cover was often wasted on meaningless quotes from celebrities. That back page is prime real estate for book summaries. When used well, those summaries can grab more readers’ attention than any celebrity quotes. 

  • Books that don’t live up to its premise. The premise is meant to hook the reader with an intriguing plot and conflict. But when that premise doesn’t pan out, it can be disappointing. Maybe the story meandered or ran off in a tangent to some obscure subplot, the ending didn’t make sense, or the author left some loose ends at the end. For whatever reason, when a book doesn’t live up to its promise, I feel cheated as a reader. And when I feel cheated, I’m less likely to pick up another book by that author.

  • Novels that are too long. Is it my imagination, or are current novels running longer than they used to? I think the sweet spot for most novels is 300-350 pages. That’s long enough to develop a strong plot, characters, and suspense to keep readers interested. There are exceptions, of course, such as Harry Potter series and science fiction/fantasy sagas. Others, especially in women’s fiction, have gone for nearly 500 pages—too long by my standard. Maybe it’s my advancing age or diminishing attention span, but by page 350, I tend to lose interest. To push me past that point, authors better have a really good, compelling story line to keep me reading.

  • Slow, meandering middles. Ugh! The book might have gotten off to a roaring good start, but by the midpoint, the story drags or heads off in a different direction. Maybe the author filled in with too much backstory or there wasn’t a surprise plot twist to push the story forward. If you’re struggling to get through that middle section, chances are, the author struggled to write it. A slow, meandering middle can kill a reader’s attention in a heartbeat.

  • Unsatisfactory endings. The best endings are the ones that wrap up loose ends and conflicts in a way that makes sense for the story while also making me feel good. When I’ve spent countless hours reading a 400-page novel, I want to know that my time was well spent and that there’s a big pay off in the end. When a story ends without all conflicts resolved, or it ends differently than I expected or worse, made me cringe, it leaves a lasting impression, and not in a good way. I can think of two books that DID resolve the story satisfactorily and made me feel good: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick.

  • Stories that end long before the book does. Another pet peeve is a novel with a compelling conflict that ends too soon, leaving readers with another 40 pages of narrative without anything truly interesting happening on the page. (Example: Memoirs of a Geisha.) It’s as if the author had fallen in love with their story and their characters and was reluctant to let them go. (Another example: The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman, the fourth and final book in the Practical Magic series.) So the book dragged on for an extra 40 pages before the author figured out how to end it.

  • No surprising plot twists. Some of the best novels I’ve read had a major plot twist that was unexpected and surprising. Without that surprise element, there’s no momentum forward, and there’s nothing to keep the reader interested in the story until the very end. The story meanders aimlessly, and you wonder if there’s anything new or interesting up ahead to make you keep reading. Sure, there are plot twists, but they don’t come off as surprising or unexpected, and that can dampen your reading experience. For examples of novels with successful surprising plot twists, check out Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult or In Five Years by Rebecca Serle (and the aforementioned The Nightingale.)

Even with these petty annoyances, books are still the most wonderful creations on earth. I’m willing to put up with a few clunkers in the books I read to find the best gems.

The Most Memorable Books of 2025

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Looking back over the past year, 2025 was a banner year for reading. Not only had I finally gotten around to reading several authors I’ve wanted to read, but several books were true surprises.

My choices cover a range of genres from historical fiction to contemporary romance, from literary fiction to mystery and magical realism. I selected these books based on the following criteria:

* A compelling premise. Did the story hook me from the start?
* Strong main character (and not necessarily likeable either)
* Engaging storytelling that kept me turning the pages
* A satisfying conclusion that actually made sense for the story

Below are my top seven picks of the year followed by honorable mentions. How many of these stories have you read and enjoyed?

The Best:

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

This book had been on my Want-to-Read list for ages, and it did not disappoint. Based on a true event and set during the Depression era, the story highlights a group of women who volunteer to deliver books to poor residents in rural Kentucky as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s traveling library. According to the marketing blurb on the back cover, it’s a “captivating tale of friendship, true love and reaching for what’s possible.” I’m looking forward to reading more of Moyes’ books.

The Sentence by Louise Erdich

Here’s another author I’ve wanted to read for a while. The Sentence takes place in Minneapolis over the course of one year from November 2019 to November 2020, taking readers through the narrator’s experience during the Covid pandemic and the George Floyd murder and ensuing riots. All the while, she deals with a capricious ghost haunting the book shop  where she works as well as her conflicted feelings about her marriage and her efforts to reconcile her own dark past. An intriguing character study of one woman’s life in turbulent times, and Erdich’s Native-American heritage brings an added narrative layer. I’m sure I’ll be reading more of her works.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Evelyn Hugo, a retired film star of the 1950s and 1960s, hires a novice magazine writer to help her draft her memoir. Over several ensuing weeks, the actress shares her life story, though she does so at her own pace and is determined to control the narrative. The hired writer wonders why she was chosen for the job because the two women have nothing in common. Hugo, by her own admission, is not the kindest person in the world and her relationships are fraught with tension. This was another fascinating character study, and the story stayed with me longer have I closed the book.

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

Fans of magic realism will enjoy this novel by Woods, set in Dublin where a vanishing bookshop casts its spell over three unsuspecting characters who have played minor side roles in their own lives. Told through two timelines and three characters’ point of views, readers follow them on their journey to self-discovery and self-empowerment. What I enjoyed most is the way Woods weaved and intertwined the characters’ lives despite the different timelines and how she created a magical bookshop that only a few could see.

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict

In her novels, Benedict often features bright, talented young women whose career achievements are suppressed by the strong, dominating men in their lives. This story is no exception. Most people knew Hedy Lamarr as a stunningly beautiful Hollywood film star of the 1950s. What they don’t know is that she was also a scientist. She grew up in an aristocratic family in Austria, and through her marriage to an Austrian arms dealer, she often overheard conversations detailing the Third Reich’s  plans. After escaping to the United States and becoming a screen star, she used her scientific knowledge to design a communications system that would help the U.S. fight the Nazis. Except as a woman, no one would listen to her idea.

Murder Under the Tuscan Sun by Rachel Rhys

File this one under gothic romantic suspense. In some ways, the tone and storytelling of this novel reminds me of Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca. When a recently widowed woman responds to an ad for a companion to an ill aristocrat at his estate in rural Italy, she has no idea what to expect. While there is no actual murder, there is plenty of suspense as the widow experiences strange dreams, ghost sightings while she cares for her charge who doesn’t seem to want her help. Over time, the two grow closer even as he seems close to death. This was a surprising read that kept me turning the page.

The Day I Died by Lori Rader-Day

After reading two earlier works by Rader-Day (Little Pretty Things and The Black Hour), I fully expected another stellar novel. I was not disappointed.  From the opening pages, I was taken on a wild journey through the eyes of the story’s protagonist Anna, who has a unique talent of analyzing people’s handwriting. The local sheriff isn’t convinced of Anna’s abilities, but hires her anyway to help in his search for a missing boy. But to solve this mystery, Anna has to face her own fears about her past and her relationship with her own teenaged son.

Honorable Mentions:

The following didn’t make my best list but are all worthy of your time.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
I don’t usually read horror novels–I get too easily creeped out–but Garcia’s writing helped create a dark and suspenseful story. I just didn’t buy into the romantic relationship.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry
After hearing so much about Emily Henry, I had to check out one of her books. This was a solid, engaging story, but the more compelling story line was the relationship between the two sisters.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
I was fascinated by the premise of this novel. Imagine what your life would be like if you made different choices.

The Memory of Lemon by Judith Fertig
A mix of magical realism and contemporary romance, this story is about a young baker who has a knack for tasting people’s emotions and has the ability to sense which ingredients will touch her customers’ hearts.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix Harrow
A young woman unwittingly uncovers a network of secret doorways to other worlds and explores many of them to find her father who had disappeared long ago. I don’t read many fantasy novels, but this was a surprising and entertaining read.

What about you? What books did you read this past year that impressed you most? Which books would you recommend?

Design Your Own Reading Challenge for 2026

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Mention the term reading challenge and some people will roll their eyes. Not me. I’m a big fan of them, so much so that I’ve created my own challenge the past few years.

For those not familiar with them, reading challenges are a test of sorts to coax you to read different types of books, explore new genres or new authors. It can be done either alone or as a small group, and for any length of time, whether it’s for three months or one year.. Reading challenges can spice up your reading life and even help you tackle those books in your TBR pile. It’s one of the reasons I look forward to the start of the new year, so I can begin a new challenge.

If you decide to participate in a challenge, or want to create your own, here are a few things to keep in mind:

* It’s not about how many books you read, but the quality and nature of those books. Some people aim to read as many books as they can, but do you really want to rush through the reading experience? Books are meant to be consumed at a slow, steady pace to absorb the plot, characters, theme and emotions.

* Set a goal for yourself. What do you want to accomplish during the challenge? Is there a certain genre you want to explore that you haven’t read before? Perhaps you want to return to the classics? Or an author you’d like to read more of, say Stephen King or Agatha Christie.

* Set a time allotment. Most challenges I know usually take place over the course of one year. But maybe you prefer a shorter challenge, like three or six months where you can focus on a particular genre or author.

* Have fun with the challenge. Be imaginative. Come up with unique categories, such as a book you found in the garbage or dumpster. (Hey, you never know what you might find there.) Check your TBR shelf for inspiration.

With these tips in mind, you’re ready to start 2026 with a brand new approach to reading. If you’re not sure where to start, I’ve come up with several challenge options that you can adapt for your own use.

Reading Challenge #1: By Prompt

Challenge #1 is the traditional version you’ve likely heard of with a never-ending list of prompts. Do a search online and you can find all sorts of challenges of this nature. There are roughly 40 prompts in the list below, but you don’t have to follow all of them. You can add or alter the list as you see fit. Most importantly, have fun.

1. A favorite author
2. An author from your hometown
3. An author you’ve never read
4. A book you read when you were in high school
5. A genre you don’t normally read
6. A book that’s been sitting on your TBR shelf for more than 2 years.
7. A book with more than 400 pages
8. A book with less than 200 pages
9. A book published in the year you were born
10. A book with a one-word title
11. A book you bought second-hand or at a discount store
12. A book you bought new
13. A book you borrowed from the library
14. A book recommended to you by a fellow reader
15. A book set in a foreign country, not Paris or London
16. A book with a color in the title
17. A book with a number in the title
18. A book with a place in the title
19. A book made into a movie or TV series
20. A book by a debut author
21. A banned book
22. A fairytale retelling
23. A workplace romance
24. A memoir by a non-celebrity
25. A book with an job/occupation in the title
26. A book published in the past year (2025)
27. A book published more than 100 years ago.
28. A book published by a small or indie publisher
29. A book with a lengthy subtitle
30. A book written by two authors or one author with a pseudonym
31. A book with a character with a unique name
32. A book you found in the garbage or dumpster
33. A book with a picture of food on the cover
34. A book with a body of water on the cover
35. A book you heard about on social media
36. A book by a minority author
37. A current bestseller
38. A book with a person’s name in the title
39. A book set in Hawaii or Alaska
40. A young adult mystery or romance

Reading Challenge #2: By genre

Each month is dedicated to a different genre. For example, January might be ideal for curling up by the fire with a lengthy fantasy or science fiction series. Another month might be dedicated to current bestsellers or indulging in one of the classics. I always find October to be the perfect time for a good mystery or horror novel, while February is always reserved for romance because of Valentine’s Day.

I’ve listed the most common genres below. How you want to assign one to each month is up to you.

Mystery/suspense
Romance
True crime
Science Fiction
Fantasy/Romantasy
Memoir or Biography
Non-fiction
Literary fiction
Young adult
Classic literature
Current bestseller
Horror
Spy thriller
Paranormal
Historical fiction

Reading Challenge #3: By theme or topic

If genre is too basic and you wish to take your reading challenge to the next level, try making reading choices based on theme. You probably notice from your TBR collection that you’ve acquired books with similar themes. For example, I tend to read books about libraries, bookshops and struggling writers. Perhaps you read stories set on a university campus or feature students as the main characters. Or your favorite memoir is about sports celebrities. You get the idea.

Themes can be fun to read because they’re broad enough to cover different genres and authors, so you don’t have to think about that aspect of the challenge. Here are some common themes, or come up with one of your own.

Money or finance
Love/romance
History
Family
Faith
Pets or animals
Books or libraries
Bodies of water
Sports
The arts (dancing, music, painting, etc.)
Sports
Food/Cooking
Earth/environment
Science or technology
Health or medical theme

Reading Challenge #4: By Setting or Location

If none of the aforementioned categories rocks your boat, there’s another option: by location. Whether you love to travel or prefer to stay close to home, reading a book set in a specific location can transport you to any place in the world. Think of these possible locations for your next reading challenge:

Parts of the U.S.:
Washington, D.C.
California
Texas
Florida
New York City
A farm in the Midwest
Pacific Northwest
Boston or Northeast
New Orleans
Southern states
Hawaii
Alaska
On a cruise ship

Outside the U.S.:
Mexico
Canada
Paris, France
London, England
Italy
Greece
India
Germany
The Caribbean
Japan
China
Russia

Reading Challenge #5: By Time Period or Decade

I came across this challenge by The Book Girls Guide and thought I would add it to our challenge options. The ladies at Book Girls Guide do a great job of compiling and summarizing books for their readers. Every year for the past six years, they’ve presented a reading challenge based on decades. If you love historical fiction, this might be the challenge for you. Sure, it’s one single genre, but with the focus on the time frame of history, no two stories are alike and you can learn so much about events and people who shaped history.

My challenge to you is to choose one challenge and have fun with it.

What Is a Hybrid Genre, and Should You Write One?

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In a recent issue of Novel Suspects, the weekly newsletter from Simon & Schuster featuring mystery and thriller releases, a contributor wrote about a unique hybrid genre: mystery and humor. 

Who doesn’t like a little humor with their murder and mayhem, right?

At first glance, combining mystery and humor wouldn’t seem to work well together. But they can and they do, judging from the list of titles the writer included as examples, such as Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano and Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack. (That title alone makes me laugh out loud.).

That got me thinking about all the other hybrid genres I’ve come across in my reading. I was practically weaned on romantic suspense which has been around for decades, popularized by Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney. Their books evolved from gothic romance novels of the early 20th century.

Other hybrids have become popular, such as paranormal romance, historical mystery and romantasy, combining romance and fantasy.

Genre blending works by combining key elements, tropes and conventions that you’d find in each genre. Hybrids act as a gateway to new reading experiences. Readers who might not pick up a book in the fantasy genre might be inclined to read one when it’s combined with a little bit of romance. 

It’s become popular because hybrids cater to different reading tastes. It allows authors to experiment and explore complex themes, characters and world-building. Hybrids, because of their combined genres, can be promoted to wider audiences too, create more buzz and attract media attention. Once readers learn about these titles, word of mouth through social media is also possible. Here’s a great piece about hybrids at the Dabble blog.

So what blended genres are hitting the bookshelves these days?

  • Science fiction and romance  (They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera)
  • Cozy fantasy  (Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree)
  • Historical horror (Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia)
  • Humor and mystery  (Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano)
  • Romantic fantasy (A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas)

I’m sure there are others I’ve missed. Do you have a favorite hybrid genre that you like to read? Is there one you’d like to see more of on bookstore shelves? Would you consider writing one?

Books to Read for Hispanic Heritage Month

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Every so often, I like to share a list of reading recommendations–books I’ve either read or would like to read. Usually, they’re focused on a specific genre or location.

For example, in August 2024, to go along with the Summer Olympics in Paris, I shared a list of books by French authors or stories that took place in France. Earlier that same year in March 2024, I posted a list of books by Irish authors or with settings in Ireland to go along with St. Patrick’s Day..

As Hispanic Heritage Month gets underway, I thought it would be fun to compile a list of books by Hispanic authors or set in Spanish-speaking countries. The list covers a range of genres from literary and historical fiction to magic realism and romance. What I appreciate most about these stories are the unique characters and colorful settings. The true magic is in the storytelling, which brings the Hispanic heritage to life on the page.

I’ve broken the list into two sections: books I’ve read and books I’d like to read. Perhaps you’ve read these books yourself or have your own favorites to share. I welcome them in your comments.

Books I’ve Read

Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya.  I first heard about this book when it landed on PBS’ The Great American Read list of must-read books several years ago. It’s a coming-of-age story about a young boy’s spiritual transformation, guided by his mentor, an elderly medicine woman. I found the story fascinating. As with many stories written by Latino authors, there’s plenty of magic and surrealism. The book has been banned in some locations because of its Spanish profanity and occult themes.

Like Water, For Chocolate by Laura Esquival. I remember seeing this as a movie so I wanted to read the novel too. It has romance, magic and tragedy featuring an all-female family. Youngest daughter Tita has fallen in love with Pedro, but cannot marry him because Mexican tradition requires that she must stay and care for her mother until she dies. To stay close to Tita, Pedro marries her older sister. Meanwhile, Tita pours all her unresolved emotions into her cooking, which makes for some interesting results. 

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It’s been a long time since I’ve read this book, which is considered a modern classic. It’s the story of a shepherd boy named Santiago who yearns to travel the world and the treasures he finds along the way. It’s a story about longing, the wisdom of listening to our hearts and learning to follow our dreams. I may have to re-read this one.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra (Esperanza) Cisneros. Written by Chicagoan Sandra Cisneros and structured as a series of vignettes, this novel appeared on The Great American Read list and is considered a modern classic. It follows 12-year-old Esperanza, a Chicano girl growing up in a Hispanic neighborhood of Chicago over the course of one year where she enters adolescence and faces the realities of living in a poor and patriarchal community.

In The Time of The Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. I loved this historical fiction novel about the four Mirabel sisters who fought back against the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. Written from their four different perspectives, their bond as sisters and family grew even as the world they once knew fell apart.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez. This Young Adult novel features a young girl Julia dealing with the loss of her older sister and the pressures and expectations of her family, particularly her overprotective mother. Instead, Julia has dreams of her own, including moving out of her neighborhood to explore the world.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I’ve had this book on my shelf for the past year, and I’m finally getting around to reading it. Though I’m only a couple of chapters in, I am enjoying it so far. The book is described as a blend of creepy horror and classic gothic tropes, set in a crumbling mansion in the mountains of Mexico in the 1950s. It’s earned high praise from critics and readers alike, so naturally I want to read what the excitement is about.

Books to Read on My TBR Shelf

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia-Marquez. This title lands at the top of almost every must-read list. It’s been sitting on my shelf for several years and I haven’t opened it yet because I find the size (more than 500 pages) is rather daunting.

In The Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia-Marquez. This one is also on my shelf. I tried to read it once, but it was at the start of the pandemic. The plot was too much like what we were all going through at the time.

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent by Julia Alvarez. The follow up to In The Time of the Butterflies, this story spans 30 years in the lives of four sisters, told from their different perspectives, as they begin their adult lives in the United States. The cool thing about this novel is that the story is told in reverse chronological order with the story concluding in their native Dominican Republic as children.

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas. For a change of pace from the somber tones and serious themes of previous works, here comes a rom-com I’m looking forward to reading. Besides, who wouldn’t want to be invited to a wedding in Spain?

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. This novel has been on my wish list for several years. Combining elements of romance and magic realism, this title appears on many must-read book lists and has received praise from readers and critics alike.

Of Love and Shadows by Isabel Allende. Of Allende’s many other published works, this is next in line to read behind The House of the Spirits.

Romance, mystery and magic are hallmarks of these stories, which makes them more fun to read.

Libraries: More Than Just a Place to Find Books

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This is National Library Week. In honor of this event, I’m reposting this story from several years ago. I’ll be back next week with a fresh story. Enjoy.

Several years ago, I wrote about how libraries have evolved since my childhood. For awhile, many people thought libraries were on the verge of extinction as Amazon dominated the book marketplace. But that may no longer be the case. Just as independent bookstores found ways to survive by offering products and services not offered by Amazon and national chains, the public library has extended its offerings beyond short-term book loans.

According to a recent article on Vox, the library’s main purpose is to help educate the community;  Amazon’s purpose is to simply sell books (and a million other things). The library still remains relevant today because it serves the public’s demand for information and resources, especially to underserved populations, at no cost.

With a focus on education and lifelong learning, the neighborhood public library has expanded its services beyond book loans. They’ve become multi-purpose destinations. And libraries are being re-designed to accommodate these expanded offerings.

If you haven’t visited a library lately, you may be surprised to find what’s available there. A Pew Internet survey from 2014 found that while many people think libraries continue to serve a useful purpose in their communities, a significant percentage did not realize the scope and depth of the services offered at libraries. For example, visitors can get income tax advice or job assistance. They can learn a new language, get literacy tutoring, participate in film discussions or research their family history.

Libraries house historic and genealogy records, map collections and other archival documents. For example, a library in Birmingham, Alabama, has preserved records and documents related to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, according the Project for Public Spaces.

Public libraries also have community rooms, ideal for having discussions and debates about zoning changes and new proposed developments, all with the intent to help residents understand their community better.

Today’s libraries are trying to reach younger generations of readers by offering more programs aimed at teens and children. Some offer 3D printing, community access TV and radio stations, language labs and recording studio so they can record their own stories in their own words. Others encourage visitors to relax and linger over their reading materials by providing private reading nooks, creative spaces and even a fireplace.

These types of amenities aim to reach younger adults in their 20s and 30s, who have been largely absent in recent years but are the key to the library’s future viability.

As long as people have the desire to explore the world at large and engage in lifelong learning, and as long as there are family-friendly programs for people of all ages, the public library will continue to serve as a vital resource in our communities.

Favorite Reads of 2024

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Before we get too far into 2025, I’d like to take one final look back at the year that was and the books I most enjoyed reading. Below were my favorite reads of 2024 as well as a list of honorable mentions.

Have you read any of the following books? What were your favorite reads from 2024?

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (magic realism). Imagine leaving behind the world you know  and making your home in the isolated wilderness of Alaska in the 1920s to explore new opportunities and make a fresh start. Jack and Mabel don’t know what awaits them when they make the move across country. Childless, they struggle as homesteaders. After making a snow child from freshly fallen snow, they awake the following morning to find the snowman gone, but a young girl running around their property. Faina is the child they wish they had, except when the winter snows end and it gets warm, she disappears into the woods. I thought I would be bored by the lengthy descriptions of snow and ice in the Alaskan wilderness, but Ivey does a great job keeping reader interest as the story unfolds and we’re brought into Jack and Mabel’s life.

The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen (YA romance). I think I found a new favorite author in Sarah Dessen. While this book is written for young adults, I didn’t find it juvenile in any way. Written in first person POV, I was immediately drawn into Macy’s world and the way she experiences the changes in her life. Macy’s internal dialogue is especially poignant at times, revealing a maturity far behind her teenage years. All the characters were drawn with depth and thoughtfulness. They were fun and interesting, especially when they interacted with each other as a group. I’m looking forward to reading more of Dessen’s books.

The Flight Girls by Noelle Salazar (historical fiction). This story is about a group of women pilots who became involved in the war effort during World War II. Known as the Flight Girls, their role was to support the U.S. military by delivering supplies and personnel across the U.S. One of the most intense scenes was the day that Pearl Harbor was attacked as our primary character gets caught in the middle of a mid-air battle with the Japanese fighter plane. It’s a fascinating look at a little known conclave of brave women who risked their lives with very little reward and recognition.

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn (historical fiction). While Quinn is better known for her earlier work The Alice Network, I thought The Diamond Eye was a more compelling story based on the real life of Mila Pavlichenko, a bookish history student from Kyiv turned deadly sniper in World War II. It’s well-written and well researched, providing a fascinating character study into the life, love and military career of a single mother who became Lady Death. The extensive author’s note provides some additional backstory that gives an added layer to the story.

Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult (women’s fiction). I can always count on Picoult to write a story that challenges my heart and soul. This one is no different about a mother who goes to great lengths to protect her youngest daughter who is diagnosed with a rare condition called osteogenesis imperfecta, sometimes known as brittle bone disease, in which the girl’s bones break easily. I always appreciate how Picoult looks at the conflict from multiple perspectives so readers see the complexity of the story.

Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid (upmarket fiction). I wasn’t a huge fan of Malibu Rising, an earlier work of Reid’s. But as a tennis fan, I was intrigued by this story. In an interview with Reid, she admitted that she knew nothing about tennis when she wrote this book about a self-absorbed fast-rising tennis star. But as a former amateur player, I think she did a fine job capturing the details of the game. Carrie Soto isn’t an easy character to like, but underneath her harsh, brittle exterior was a vulnerable human being who didn’t understand how to connect with others. That’s what makes this story so appealing to me. It’s a great character study.

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison-Allen (magic realism/YA)
I read Addison-Allen’s debut Garden Spells several years ago, and I was immediately captivated by her imagination and storytelling. The Sugar Queen is a charming tale about 27-year-old Josey who still lives at home with her mother and feels she’s destined to live a life of disappointment and limitation in her mother’s household. Josey compensates by hiding out in her closet to eat sweets and read paperback romances. Until she meets tough-talking Della Lee who takes over the closet and the secret stash of sweets. Della Lee acts as both nemesis and fairy godmother to guide Josey out of the closet and into the real world.

Almost Home by Joan Bauer (young adult). Like The Truth about Forever, this young adult story reveals an emotional depth far beyond the young protagonist’s years. In this story, after her grandfather dies and her gambling father takes off again, 12-year-old Sugar and her mother must abandon their home in Missouri. They make their way to Chicago to make a new life and make new friends. As she learns to navigate her new world, she still harbors hope that she and her mother will return to their home in Missouri.

The Secret Lives of Dresses, Erin McKean (literary fiction). This surprising read is a coming-of-age story about Dora who has a job she hates but sticks around because she’s in love with a man who barely notices her. When her grandmother has a stroke, Dora returns to the small town where she grew up and helps out in the family’s vintage clothing shop. There, she discovers notes written by her grandmother describing the legacy and history of some of the dresses. A fun and entertaining read with interesting characters.

Honorable Mentions:
Every Note Played, Lisa Genova
One Italian Summer, Rebecca Serle
Open House, Elizabeth Berg
The Library of Lost and Found, Phaedra Patrick 
Stealing Home, Sherryl Woods
The Beach at Painter’s Cove, Shelley Noble