ReviewsByErin

There are some really great books scheduled to come out in the next six months. Here are the eight that I am most looking forward to.

We can all talk about books that have been made into movies or TV shows, but what about the reverse? Can you think of any TV shows or movies that would have made good books? Here are some that sprang to mind.

1. LOST
Okay, LOST had a terrible ending, can we agree? But during its run, I was very invested in the mystery and the lore. It would have made an interesting book or series, especially if someone could have wrapped it up in a way that would have satisfied readers.

2. Timeless
I loved this historical time travel show! The heroes and their goal to not change the past in order to preserve the present was a pleasantly different twist, and I liked the interesting characters. I would definitely read this in novel form!

3. Covert Affairs
Spy drama! Once again, this show had interesting characters and all the action would have been great to explore in written form. So many places and plot lines to delve into!

4. Gilmore Girls
I'm a sucker for small town stories, and Lorelai, Rory, and gang brought to life a really fun one. Can't you imagine the quick banter jumping off the page? This is one you'd alternately love and want to throw across the room.

5. Full House
Danny, Jesse, and Joey would have made great book heroes, and DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle would have won the hearts of readers. I feel like their adventures would translate well to a page-turning, feel-good series.

Find more Top Ten Tuesday posts at That Artsy Reader Girl.

What a fun topic! Bookish super powers would be nice, wouldn't they? Here are three that I wish I could claim.

1. The Ability to Speed Read
Over the past week, my 3-year-old niece has been riding her scooter up and down our hallway, calling out, "I have super speed powers!" She is absolutely adorable, even though in reality she's only going normal speeds. 😉 Likewise, I am not a fast reader, though like my niece I am generally enthusiastic about this activity. If only I was faster! I could read a lot more titles then.

2. The Ability to Enjoy All Genres Equally
There are so many wonderful genres out there. I try to be adventurous in my reading when I have time, but there's no doubt that I have my favorite genres and those make up most of what I read. My personal favorites are inspirational historical romance and contemporary romance with deep themes, but there are so many other good ones out there, like suspense and fantasy.

3. The Ability to Burn Calories Through Reading
I've burned a fair amount of calories while reading my Kindle or listening to audiobooks while on the treadmill or doing other light exercises, but wouldn't it be nice if reading in bed was a workout in itself? That would be a dream come true! Reading is truly a mental and emotional and sometimes spiritual workout, stretching us and helping us become better people. If only that alone helped us stay in better shape. 😉

Find more Top Ten Tuesday posts at That Artsy Reader Girl.

It's hard to believe how fast the end of the year is approaching! With getting ready to move, my reading time has been limited. I'd love to finish more than these three titles, but that might already be a stretch with both the holiday and moving responsibilities. We shall see!

"Why the Mountains Stand" by Ashlyn McKayla Ohm
A perk of having writer friends is that sometimes you get to read early copies of their stories! I've loved the other books in Ashlyn's Climbing Higher series, and I was thrilled when she asked me to beta read Book 3. Be watching for its release in April!

"Calling on the Matchmaker" by Jody Hedlund
Jody has a brand new series set in St. Louis in 1849. I'm eager to see how she brought the town and the era to life with fresh characters and her trademark romantic storylines.

"The Seamstress of Acadie" by Laura Frantz
Here's another book that technically doesn't release until 2024, but as part of Laura's launch team, I'm trying to stay ahead of her January release date so I can promote the book as much as possible. I love Laura's immersive historical romance!

Find more Top Ten Tuesday posts at That Artsy Reader Girl.

I absolutely love helping Christian fiction authors and promoting their work. Christian fiction can impact and change lives with the light of the Gospel and the hope of Jesus—I really believe that. Here are some things I've done as I try to love Christian authors well.

1. Review Books
This goes further than you might think! You can share reviews with your friends, but they might also reach people you'll never meet. Reviews don't have to be long. Just be kind and share what you liked (or didn't like) about a book, or why you'd recommend it to someone else.

2. Give All the Bookish Recommendations
I love that my friends know they can come to me with their book questions. If you love a book, tell others! Once they know you're an avid reader, they'll come to you the next time they're looking for a great read.

3. Send Thank You Cards to Authors
Have you ever served on an author's launch team? Whenever I do, I make sure to drop a thank you card in the mail to them. Or if I can't find their mailing address, I send them an email. I'm thankful for the chance to serve and I want them to know I don't take it for granted.

4. Send Christmas Cards to Authors
Along the same vein, if there's an author you love, why not let them know by sending them a little bit of holiday cheer in the form of a holiday greeting?

5. Promote Books in my Newsletter
Did you know I have a newsletter? Once a month I send out updates about my own writing journey, as well as book recommendations, recipes, and more! If you'd like to subscribe, you can do so here.

6. Beta Read for Authors
If you get to know authors well enough, you might find one who is looking for a beta reader for their next release. I've been delighted to do this a few times, and it's a real honor to be given a look at a story in its early form.

7. Organize Meetings With Authors
There's nothing like meeting authors in real life! Whether you invite one to your book club meeting through Zoom or can arrange an in-person get together if they live near you or are visiting your city, this is a great way to show your appreciation and cheer an author—and give you a chance to fangirl (or fanboy?) over them.

8. Critique for Author Friends
As a pre-published author myself, it's a joy to critique for others. Some of the books I've critiqued (either the whole manuscript or just a few chapters) are now in print, and I love being able to say that I was one of the first readers. Critiques are so valuable in knowing what works and what needs more clarity or finesse.

9. Run a Launch Team
I'm just wrapping up running a launch team for one of my author friends! After serving on launch teams for close to 100 books, it was great to experience it from the other side. Making graphics, coming up with promotional ideas, managing the team... it's been a good time.

10. Pray for Authors
If there's only one thing on this list that you pick to do for your favorite author, please pick this one! Christian authors need your prayer support. Pray for their time, their creativity, their health, their work/writing/family balance. Pray for their relationship with the Lord to be strong and flourishing. Writing is hard and time-consuming, and authors do it because they love it and are called by God to share Him through story. They love you as readers. Your prayer support will make more difference than you will ever know, and it will make your reading experience all the more personal, knowing you had a part in getting that story onto the page.

Find more Top Ten Tuesday posts at That Artsy Reader Girl.

Today we're talking about the dreaded DNF: Did Not Finish. It's rare that I take a DNF, but it does happen. My time is valuable, and if I am really not into a book, it's okay to set it aside. Here are three reasons I might choose to DNF:

1) The characters haven't endeared themselves to me. If I've given a novel a good try and have not come to care about the characters, I will lay a book aside. I remember very clearly last year reading a novel and struggling to reach the halfway point. Then I held the book in my hands and asked, "Do I really want to know what happens to these characters?" When the answer was no, I didn't give it another look.

2) If the characters aren't communicating with each other. Oh, this drives me crazy. How many problems in a novel might be solved by a conversation? They come off as very superficial and frustrating to this reader. 

3) Location, location, location. This one has taken me by surprise! If the setting of a story is a major character on its own, but I don't care about it, I can't stay interested. The author has to make me love the location. It didn't used to be this way, but again, if I have to work too hard to be invested, I just nope right out.

I think I took a DNF on 2 books last year and zero books so far in 2023, so it's a rare occurrence, and I'm glad about that! 🙂

Find more Top Ten Tuesday posts at That Artsy Reader Girl.

Happy July 4th for my fellow United States readers! This week we're sharing books with colors relating to national flags, and here in the USA our colors are red, white, and blue. I chose the actual words red, white, and blue to form the list below. Enjoy!