Reading This Week

Here’s What We’re Reading This Week – and Why You Should Care

As a writer, it’s important to also be a reader, which is why I try to read 1 to 3 books each week (I’m a fast reader, though).

I usually read a mix of fiction and nonfiction.

The nonfiction might be a how-to book or an inspirational true story.

The fiction can be in any genre, although I love cozy mysteries, women’s fiction, children’s books, and anything written by my favorite authors.

Let’s take a look at what I’m reading this week:

• Title: The People We Meet on Vacation
• Author: Emily Henry
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (May 11, 2021)
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1984806750
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1984806758

 

I enjoyed this book because of the two main characters, Poppy and Alex, who are best friends and always go on trips together even though they seem to have absolutely nothing in common.

As a writer, I found it interesting how the book was structured.

Chapters went back and forth between the present and various times in the past.

The reader gets to know the characters (and their relationship) better and better this way, without the author having to “tell” a lot of boring backstory.

It’s a fast read and somewhat predictable, but definitely a fun beach read!

 

 

• Title: The Love Season
• Author: Elin Hilderbrand
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin’s Griffin; First edition (April 17, 2007)
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 294 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0312369697
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0312369699

 

I read this book years ago when it first came out.

But I love Hilderbrand’s style of storytelling so much that I thoroughly enjoyed this second reading.

Nantucket is the setting for much of the story (as it is for most of Hilderbrand’s books), but food plays a large role in the story, too, since the main character is a chef and a former restaurant owner.

After reading a book like this, I always gravitate to my own kitchen and start cooking or baking something.

Hmmm….wish I’d start writing something instead.

Oh, well…

Another great beach read, although the storyline is a bit more complex than that of The People We Meet on Vacation.

 

Title: Inspired: The Secrets of Bob Proctor
Author: Linda Proctor
Publisher ‏ : ‎ BurmanBooks Media Corp (December 15, 2009)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 141 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1897404220
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1897404225

A friend who is also one of my coaching clients loaned me this book because we are both fans of Bob Proctor.

Proctor’s wife, Linda, had various family members write little stories about Bob and how he views the world and guides people to find their own solutions to problems or challenges.

It was nice to see how he really walks the talk in his own life.

I would suggest you read this book but also learn more about Bob Proctor if you aren’t familiar with him.

Learn more about him here.

Okay, so now that you know what I’m reading, why should you care?

Well, because you might want to read some of these books, too.

As a writer, you can study them, not only for content, but for how they are structured, for the “voice” in each book, and for the techniques the author used to create the book.

Sometimes, when I’m reading a novel, I will even deconstruct it using the novel deconstruct template found in our private free resource library for writers (for access to this private library, simply get your free subscription to The Morning Nudge).

Please share what you are reading this week — as a comment.

Happy reading!

Suzanne Lieurance