What to Read Next - May, 2015

I know! It's been way too long since I've done one of these posts. Since I've stepped up my writing output, though, I've been blogging less. In an attempt to make up for being a slacker, here are some fantastic books I've discovered this year. As always, a variety of genres, to please any literary palette.

Hello Love by Karen McQuestion

General/Women's Fiction

Looking for a heartwarming feel-good love story with a dog in it? This is it! McQuestion always delivers a story that anchors itself deep in your heart, touching upon topics that everyone can relate to. This one is about love lost and love found and how, when we open our hearts, anything is possible.

Andrea becomes an accidental first-time dog owner. Dan, recently widowed, has just lost his dog. What they don't know when they first cross paths is that it is the same dog.

Departureby A.G. Riddle

SciFi / Time Travel / Technothrillers

If you like fast-paced SciFi, grab this one fast! It's recently been picked up by Harper Collins and the price will increase soon. AND the movie rights have been bought by 20th Century Fox.

If that's not enough of a selling point, here are a few lines from the blurb:

"Flight 305 took off in 2014...
But it crashed in a world very different from our own...

With time running out, five strangers must unravel why they were taken...
And how to get home."

The Language of Hoofbeats by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Literary / Contemporary Fiction

If you read my What to Read Next posts at all, you'll know I'm a Hyde fan. This is her best book yet. Alternating view points between the curmudgeonly Clementine and her new neighbor Jackie, it centers around the fallout that occurs when Star steals Clementine's horse. As always, Hyde delivers complex characters in an easy-to-read manner and brings them full circle.

"New to a small town, Jackie and Paula envision a quiet life for their kids: a young adopted son and two teenage foster children, including the troubled Star. However, they quickly butt heads with their neighbor, Clementine, who disapproves of their lifestyle and is incensed when Star befriends her spirited horse, Comet... When Star disappears with Comet, the neighbors are thrown together—far too close together."


The Banks of Certain Riversby Jon Harrison

Contemporary / Family Life Fiction

As a runner and frequent visitor to Michigan, I found this book very enjoyable -- rich in description and sometimes heartrending.

Neil is a teacher and cross country coach raising his teenage son alone. Years prior, his wife suffered a debilitating brain injury that now requires full-time care in a nursing facility. Neil ends up falling in love with his mother-in-law's caregiver, but struggles with letting his son know about it. Meanwhile, he breaks up a fight on school grounds, but video surfaces that makes it look like he physically assaulted one of the students.

Just when you think Neil is going to survive the circumstances, something else happens to worsen his ordeal. Hang in there, though. This is definitely worth reading to its conclusion.

The Highly Sensitive Person (Urban Books)by Elaine Aron

Non-Fiction / Self-Help

This is one I'll be recommending for years. If you've ever had someone tell you you're being 'too sensitive' or know someone who is deeply emotional or creative, this self-help book will put it all in perspective. Aron explains that Highly Sensitive People aren't riddled with a fault, but actually possess a desirable trait which contributes to the empathy and ingenuity of society.

"Do you have a keen imagination and vivid dreams? Is time alone each day as essential to you as food and water? Are you "too shy" or "too sensitive" according to others? Do noise and confusion quickly overwhelm you? If your answers are yes, you may be a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)." 

Next installment -- Romance!

Happy reading,
Gemi