Amazon Affiliate Disclosure

Pauline J. Grabia participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program, and earns from qualifying purchases from links in this post.

Please subscribe to my email newsletter for updates on my website and blog and exclusive access to the Prologue of my novel, Filling the Cracks, posted a chapter at a time each Wednesday on my blog. You can do so in the form found in the footer of this page. Thank you!

Oops! I Didn’t Get to Them All!

My list for June and July was extensive, and due to personal and health issues, I didn’t complete reading all the books I intended. I did, however, complete Written in Blood by Diane Fanning and The Letter Keeper by Charles Martin. The first book gave an informative view of the famous Michael Peterson trial that was less biased than what was presented through the Netflix documentary, The Staircase. If you are a true crime fan or have viewed the documentary, I highly recommend reading this book for a different perspective on the case. It is well-written and filled with evidence and facts from the trial not covered (on purpose?) by the more subjective Netflix limited series.

The second book, The Letter Keeper, is book two in the Murphy Shepherd trilogy by Charles Martin. It made me laugh and cry and grow very angry concerning the problem of the sex trafficking of people in our world. Charles Martin has easily become one of my all-time favorite authors, and I aspire to write as beautifully and meaningfully as he does.

My August/September 2023 Reading List:

My reading list for late summer of 2023 isn’t as long as the one I presented for June and July because I’m a little wiser and realize life might interfere with my successfully getting to a long list of books. Additionally, I am currently beta-reading for other authors, so that’s taking up some of my time. Still, I have a list of books I want to read before the summer ends. If you’re interested, you can purchase these books by clicking on the link (on the title).

1.     The Record Keeper by Charles Martin: The third book in the Murphy Shepherd Trilogy by this incredible author, I’ve started it early, but I’m reading it slowly because I love the series, and I don’t want it to end. I don’t want to say goodbye to characters that I’ve grown to love like family. Do yourself a favor and read this trilogy if you haven’t already, starting with the first book, The Water Keeper.

2.     Edge of Dusk by Colleen Coble: I want to get around to reading this book! I keep listing it and never get to it, so it will be number two in order of what I read coming up.

3.     Ultraprocessed People by Chris Van Tulleken:  A book about the scourge of large corporations ultra-processing out diet so that most of what Western society eats can no longer technically be called food. According to the author, this leads to various health issues, both present and future. I’m looking forward to analyzing and critically considering his arguments.

4.     Romancing the Beat—Story Structure for Romance Novels by Gwen Hayes: I write romantic suspense novels, so I figured, as part of my professional development, I should read up on the best ways to structure and plot my novels for the romance genre.

5.     Unselected fiction or true crime novel of my choosing: I haven’t decided on a book yet, but if I have time aside from my beta-reading, I’d like to try for another book toward the end of September, perhaps a good fictional thriller or true crime novel to get me ready for spooky October and Halloween! If you have a good suggestion for me, please place it in the comments section below!

Discipline Needed!

I need to show more discipline and set aside a designated time each day for reading. I have great intentions, but then use up all my time on other projects, especially writing. Reading is essential for my growth as a writer, however, so I’m working on improving in this area. Do you have difficulty sitting down and taking the time out of your busy schedule to read and relax? Or are you a voracious reader who can’t put a book down until you’ve finished every page? Let me know in the comments! Also, fill me in on what you’re reading right now—I’m always looking for great reads, no matter the genre.

Thank You!

Thanks again to those of you who faithfully read my blog each week. You keep me writing and hoping for my future, and I thank God for you. If this is your first time visiting my blog, welcome and make yourself at home! Please check out my other entries on various subjects and tell me a little about yourself in the comments. I appreciate all of you! Please share my blog with your family and friends.

Coming August 2, 2023: Filling the Cracks by Jenni Roman.

The first chapter of my new novel, Filling the Cracks, will be posted on August 2, 2023, at my blog on www.paulinejgrabia.com/my-blog. For the next twenty-six weeks, I’ll publish a chapter each Wednesday. I’m so excited to be sharing it with you. Please return each week for the next installment. See my landing page on my website for more information. Also, if you haven’t yet, sign up for my monthly newsletter below so you never miss out on what’s coming to my website and blog in the future. I regularly update my subscribers on future blog posts and other news.

I welcome you back next week, and don’t forget to subscribe and share this site with others! May God bless you richly!

Pauline

Related Posts: