I dug through my TBR list this month and found some keepers. I also purchased a few new ones this summer. One of which is Lisa Carter’s Carolina Reckoning. I gobbled it up this past week. 🙂

Carolina Reckoning

Alison wanted her husband gone, not dead . . . When Alison Monaghan discovers proof of her husband’s infidelity, she plans to confront him. But she never gets that chance. Frank never makes it home. Soon his body is found on a lonely back-country road in antebellum Weathersby Historic Park where Frank served on the board of directors and where Alison is a volunteer garden docent. Homicide detective Mike Barefoot, a Cherokee native from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, immediately puts Alison at the top of his suspect list. He also finds himself drawn to her—and not just because she had motive for the crime. Mike usually keeps his emotional walls high, and as a detective, he knows not to get involved with murder suspects. So why is he so attracted to Alison? Can he fight his feelings for her—and find the killer before Alison becomes the next target? Purchase Here.

Fire

I’m currently reading an advanced copy of Linda Rodante’s new novella Fire.

When a violent gang re-organizes, an undercover cop could lose everything…including the woman he loves.

Following a gang war, the undercover cop known as Patriot is forced to flee his hometown and assume a new identity. When the gang re-organizes and threatens a friend, Patriot—now a firefighter—returns to face them.

Chloe Swearingen confines herself to the fast pace of the ER and away from interpersonal relationships—for a reason she keeps to herself. But when she helps save a gangster’s life, she’s thrown into a cauldron of relationships from which she can’t escape.

Then a series of fires target Chloe, her church and her friends, and she and Patriot must risk their lives to bring an end to the forces of darkness arraigned against them. Preorder Here.

Story Trumps Structure: How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking The Rules

I’ve also added Steven James’ nonfiction book to the pile.

All too often, following the “rules” of writing can constrict rather than inspire you. With Story Trumps Structure, you can shed those rules – about three-act structure, rising action, outlining, and more – to craft your most powerful, emotional, and gripping stories.

Award-winning novelist Steven James explains how to trust the narrative process to make your story believable, compelling, and engaging, and debunks the common myths that hold writers back from creating their best work.

   • Ditch your outline and learn to write organically.
   • Set up promises for readers – and deliver on them.
   • Discover how to craft a satisfying climax.
   • Master the subtleties of characterization.
   • Add mind-blowing twists to your fiction.

When you focus on what lies at the heart of story – tension, desire, crisis, escalation, struggle, discovery – rather than plot templates and formulas, you’ll begin to break out of the box and write fiction that resonates with your readers. Story Trumps Structure will transform the way you think about stories and the way you write them, forever. Purchase Here.

Shelter in God, Your Refuge in Times of Trouble

I’m currently reading Shelter in God. Dr. Jeremiah offers an in-depth look at Psalms and how we can apply David’s prayers to our current circumstances. Recommended reading.

Shelter-in-place orders around the world have people questioning, “Does God see us? Can he help us through this nerve-racking time? Dr. David Jeremiah shares through psalms that God is always walking beside us. Now is the time to Shelter in God.

Renowned pastor and teacher Dr. David Jeremiah believes comfort can be found in the Psalms, both now during the coronavirus pandemic and during all of life’s greatest challenges. This newly collected volume will show how finding refuge in God is always our safest place. Shelter in God offers hope in a time of uncertainty and relief to people who are experiencing real troubles and fear.

• Find ways to worship in times of trouble,
• experience prayer in pressure,
• show grace when you are at your wits’ end, and
• with God’s help, triumph over trouble. 

Shelter in God is an invaluable source of help and encouragement for people facing major obstacles during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. 

Portions of Shelter in God were previously included in Dr. Jeremiah’s classic When Your World Falls Apart. Purchase Link

There you have it. What are you reading? Do you read more than one book at a time?