DEAL ALERT: The Ones Who Got Away is $1.99 for a limited time!

Want to start a new series for your summer reading or know someone else who does? The Ones Who Got Away is on sale for $1.99 for a limited time!

An Entertainment Weekly Best Romance of 2018

A Kirkus Reviews Best Romance of 2018

An Amazon Best Romance of 2018

"Unforgettable." --KIRKUS Starred Review

Order the book:  Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Indiebound | Books-A-Million | Google Play

Also available in audiobook: Recorded Books  | Audible

About the book:

Twelve years ago, tragedy struck the senior class of Long Acre High School. Only a small number of students survived, a group the media dubbed as The Ones Who Got Away. 

Now, web designer Liv Arias, along with the rest of the survivors, have returned to the small Texas town to tell their stories for a documentary. Which means Liv seeing former star-athlete and old flame Finn Dorsey. A lot happened between them that night and Liv is ready to end their decade-long riff and move on. But when her attempt at closure turns into a steamy kiss, moving on proves much more difficult than either of them thought...

Liv's words cut off as Finn got closer. The man approaching was nothing like the boy she'd known. The bulky football muscles had streamlined into a harder, leaner package. The smooth face was now dusted with scruff, and the look in his deep green eyes held no trace of boyish innocence. A thousand things were in those eyes. A thousand things welled up in Liv.

How to Read More Books This Summer: 15 Tips and Tricks

This weekend I came across a short documentary by Max Joseph (of Catfish fame) called Bookstores: How to Read More Books in the Golden Age of Content. First of all, it’s worth watching for the bookstores alone—so many beautiful bookstores are featured. *heart eyes* However, Max is trying to figure out how he can learn to read more because currently, he’s reading about one book a year. He goes on a quest to get advice, including tips on speed reading. But what I was struck by was that the book he wants to tackle first is Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. That book is a giant 1000+ page tome of literary fiction. And all I could think was, dude, you’re never going to become a regular reader that way.

If you haven’t developed a reading habit and aren’t a regular reader, jumping in to something so big and literary is just going to frustrate you. I think a lot of people go into the “I want to read more” project with this homework mentality or like you’re trying to fit more greens into your mental diet. Like reading is not worth doing unless you’re going to read something super difficult and “high-brow.” But for people who read all the time, reading is FUN. It’s not homework. We’re not doing it because it’s “good for us.” It’s what we do to get away from our work and enjoy ourselves. That doesn’t mean we can’t read literary books or difficult books or sad books. But just like with getting kids to read, if you want to read as an adult, you have to find things that HOOK you and won’t let go. Books that entertain you and make you want to turn the page and stay up too late.

Once kids develop a reading habit with books that are entertaining and fast-moving, then they eventually can develop the muscle to tackle harder books or classics later on. But if you just throw slow-moving literary classics at them first, then they think reading is a slog because they don’t have those reading muscles built up yet. The same goes for adults.

So if you’re looking to read more, stop dismissing genre fiction like suspense, mysteries, horror, fantasy, romance, and young adult books. You don’t have to seek out “important” books. I think all books can be important. If a book makes you think about what it means to be human, or stirs up emotions, or makes you think about love or fear or family, if a book can make you laugh or cry or feel that rush of satisfaction that comes with a happy ending, all those are valuable experiences. And if a book simply sweeps you away from your daily stress for a few hours, that can sometimes be more important than anything because it’s an act of self-care. So stop putting pressure on yourself to read the “right” kind of books and just read whatever sparks your interest and makes you turn the pages.

But if you’re not hung up on the type of books you read and are still having trouble finding ways to fit reading into your life or you want to up your reading game this summer, I’ve gathered fifteen tips to help you out.

15 Ways to Read More Books This Summer

1. Quit books you don’t like.

   Seriously, life is too short to read bad books and summer vacation is DEFINITELY too short to read bad books. If a book hasn’t captured you in the first couple of chapters, you have permission to move on. Otherwise, your reading will come to a halt because you’re not finishing the book and don’t want to move on until you do, creating a vicious cycle that will make you dread reading.

2. Keep a list of what you want to read.

   You can do this on paper or on an app like Goodreads or on an Amazon wish list, but it helps when you have a list to go to when you finish a book and know where you want to go next. This also provides a place to capture books from random recommendations from friends, websites, or podcasts.

3. Put your ebook app in the spot on your phone where you favorite social media app usually resides.

   We think we don’t have time to read, but that’s often because we squander our reading time by mindlessly scrolling through our phones. I’ve taken the social media apps off my phone (except for instagram which I put on the last page) and I have my kindle app on my main screen. That way, when I’m stuck in the grocery line or in a waiting room, I can read instead.

4. Always have a book with you.

   This is sort of related to #3 because if you have an ebook app, you always have access to books. However, our phones can be such a black hole of distraction, that I’ve come to prefer paper books over the last few years because I can’t click out of those. So, I’ve made a point to buy a big enough purse to fit a book. I also bought a Book Beau sleeve to keep in my purse so that my book is protected. It’s become a habit to slip a book in there before I go out because I never know when I’m going to get stuck waiting somewhere. Easy access makes all the difference. And if you’re going on a summer vacation, pack a few books because you may not like one or you may like one so much you finish it super quickly. Have a back up. (My husband teases me because I’ll bring like 3 books plus my Kindle on a 3-day weekend trip and he’s like, “I know you read fast but…” I like to be prepared for all scenarios.)

5. Audiobooks count as reading and are awesome for commutes, chores, and summer road trips.

   I’m relatively knew to the audiobook world, and I will say that I’m still not big on fiction audiobooks. However, I ADORE non-fiction audiobooks. I always have one going so that I can listen to a book in the car while I’m driving. I also listen a lot when I’m washing dishes or cooking dinner. It’s like listening to a really long, in depth podcast. And don’t let anyone tell you audiobooks don’t count as reading.

6. Book review blogs and bookish podcasts can keep your list growing and your excitement about books stoked.

   There are a ton of book bloggers, book review sites, and bookish podcasts out there to keep you busy. Find the ones you like and you will have a steady influx of “ooh, I want to read that” which keeps you excited about reading. These are great to listen to on road trips too.

7. Turn off phone notifications

   I know I’m always preaching about how to tame digital distractions. But if you’re trying to read and Facebook and Twitter notifications keep dinging, you’re never going to sink into the story. Don’t let your phone dictate your attention.

8. Do a summer reading challenge (or a yearly challenge)

   Some of us love to check off a box on a To Do list. I am wholeheartedly one of those people. So reading challenges work for me. That’s why I create my own each year (this year it’s the Read Wide challenge.) But if you don’t want to create your own, just google reading challenges and you’ll find all kinds of fun ones you can join. Modern Mrs. Darcy does a great summer reading challenge/guide each year as well.

9. Review books yourself

   You can do this publicly on sites like Goodreads or you can keep a private reading journal like I do, but I find that recording my reading makes me more likely to read. I enjoy writing down that I completed a book and then scribbling down my opinion about it. It can enrich the experience. Plus you can jot down fun memories like “read this on the beach in Florida.” (I have a free romance reading journal download if you don’t want to make your own.)

10. Read whatever the hell you want and not what you feel you “should”

    I already talked at length about this above, but I’m including it here for those of you who skip the blog content and go straight to the lists. I see you, skimmers. ;) Read what you want without shame. Read what you enjoy, what sweeps you away, what makes you turn the pages.

11. Start your day with reading

    Instead of scrolling through your phone first thing, keep a book on your bedside table and read for fifteen minutes after waking up. It’s a much calmer way to start the day—whether at home or on vacation.

12. Develop a daily time/habit for reading.

    We don’t do what we don’t make space for. Look for the pockets of time where you can read. Do you get a few minutes to yourself after dinner? Or after the kids go to bed? Is the morning your only quiet time? Maybe during your lunch break at work or on your commute? Find a slice of time that you protect for reading and then work on creating a habit of using that time just for that.

13. Create a distraction-free reading nook.

    This may mean you simply leave your phone in another room and keep the TV off. But if you can find some little space where you aren’t going to be fighting distractions while you read, it can make the reading time feel extra special and renewing. And if you’re going on a summer vacation, create a reading nook wherever you’re going—on the beach lounge chair, by the pool, on the hotel balcony.

14. Figure out your reader preferences

    If you’re new to this or just getting back to reading after a long break, you may not know what you like yet (or anymore.) Be willing to explore and see what catches your attention (including the middle grade and young adult sections if the spirit moves you.) Go wander the library and pull books off the shelves to see what catches your eye. If you’re on vacation, wander a local bookshop. There will be trial and error involved but that process can be fun. Make no apologies for liking what you like or disliking what some other people may love.

15. Branch out if you’ve gotten in a rut.

    Sometimes we may be avid readers but we get in a rut. For me, this usually means I need to shake up what I’m reading. That’s one reason why I love the Read Wide Challenge. It forces me not to stay too long in one lane. So don’t be afraid to pick up something out of your normal reading zone and change it up. You may discover a whole new area you like. Or maybe you read heavier books during the year and want something lighter for summer (or vice versa.)

And remember to have fun! Reading can be a great joy in our lives. I know it is in mine. But if we turn it into homework or a self-improvement exercise, we’re just going to run away and scroll through Instagram or binge watch Netflix instead. Find what you love to read. Don’t apologize for it. And give yourself the gift of getting lost in a story.

Happy summer reading!

Roni Recommends: No Exit by Taylor Adams

I haven’t been doing a lot of book recommendations lately because it’s RiTA award judging season. That means I have seven books to read and judge in the span of about six weeks, and I’m not allowed to share what they are. So, I’ve been reading, but I haven’t been able to talk about what I’m reading, which is hard! : )

However, I took a break from RITA books this week and picked up one of my recent Book of the Month Club books. I chose No Exit by Taylor Adams because it’s winter, and a thriller set in a snowed in rest stop seemed to be the perfect pick.

This book is billed as a thriller because I think “horror” is not as marketable a word for books these days unless you’re Stephen King. However, I feel like this book is solidly horror. There is no supernatural evil, but if this were made into a movie, it would be a horror movie. It has a lot of the tropes I love in horror. The tough, resourceful, pissed off heroine. The relentless villain. The over the top clashing of the two. The claustrophobic, trapped feeling.

So, before I get to far along in this review, here’s the official description:

A kidnapped little girl locked in a stranger’s van. No help for miles. What would you do?

On her way to Utah to see her dying mother, college student Darby Thorne gets caught in a fierce blizzard in the mountains of Colorado. With the roads impassable, she’s forced to wait out the storm at a remote highway rest stop. Inside are some vending machines, a coffee maker, and four complete strangers. 

Desperate to find a signal to call home, Darby goes back out into the storm . . . and makes a horrifying discovery. In the back of the van parked next to her car, a little girl is locked in an animal crate. 

Who is the child? Why has she been taken? And how can Darby save her?

There is no cell phone reception, no telephone, and no way out. One of her fellow travelers is a kidnapper. But which one? 

Trapped in an increasingly dangerous situation, with a child’s life and her own on the line, Darby must find a way to break the girl out of the van and escape. 

But who can she trust? 

With exquisitely controlled pacing, Taylor Adams diabolically ratchets up the tension with every page. Full of terrifying twists and hairpin turns, No Exit will have you on the edge of your seat and leave you breathless.

There are twists and misdirection in this story, some I saw coming, some I didn’t. But if you’re expecting a super-layered, multiple subplot type thriller, this is not it. It’s not supposed to be. The entire book takes place over the course of about ten hours, and it has a relentless pace. That’s why I think the horror movie analogy is more apt.

I looked at some of the negative reviews on Amazon, and the people who didn’t like it seemed to be people who were looking for a more traditional thriller. Lucky for me, I tend to prefer horror to thriller. The best way I can describe this book is take the claustrophobic, trapped feeling of The Shining (minus the supernatural) and mix it with a villain who just won’t stop like Michael Myers in the Halloween movies, and this is what you get. It requires some suspension of disbelief because it’s over the top. I also laughed a few times because there were moments of dark humor, which I love in this kind of story. And if you’re easily grossed out, maybe pass on this one because it has some brutal parts. But, if you’re a horror movie fan, give this one a try!

Buy the book: Amazon | B&N | Apple | Kobo

The One You Fight For is out today!

Happy New Year!

I’m celebrating a new year and a new book! The One You Fight For, book 3 in my The Ones Who Got Away series, is out today!

I’m really excited to share this one with you. It was the hardest book I’ve ever had to write, but I’m really proud of this story. You don’t have to have read the previous two books to jump in here but reading them in order can enhance the experience.

I wrote this one because I really wanted to explore the school shooting tragedy from an angle I (and I think a lot of other people) don’t often think about. What happens to the people in the perpetrators family? How do they go on with their lives after their loved one did something so horrible and so public?

The hero, Shaw Miller, is the older brother of one of the shooters. Taryn, the heroine, survived the shooting but lost her sister in the tragedy. Bringing the two of these two people together was an emotional journey, but I hope you’ll go along with them and see them through to their happy ending.

Here are the official details about the book:

How hard would you fight for the one you love?

Taryn Landry was there that awful night fourteen years ago when Long Acre changed from the name of a town to the title of a national tragedy. Everyone knows she lost her younger sister. No one knows it was her fault. Since then, psychology professor Taryn has dedicated her life’s work to preventing something like that from ever happening again. Falling in love was never part of the plan…

 Shaw Miller has spent more than a decade dealing with the fallout of his brother’s horrific actions. After losing everything—his chance at Olympic gold, his family, almost his sanity—he’s changed his name, his look, and he’s finally starting a new life. As long as he keeps a low profile and his identity secret, everything will be okay, right? 

When the world and everyone you know defines you by one catastrophic tragedy…

How do you find your happy ending?

Buy the book:  Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Indiebound | Books-A-Million | Google Play

Also available in audiobook: Recorded Books | Audible

I hope you enjoy this one and have a fantastic 2019 full of happy reading!

The Read Wide Challenge 2019

Hi there! You know what time of the year it is?

Reading challenge time!

In reader land, this is the time of the year where those of us who set a challenge back in January are scrambling to finish up. This is when the posts like “Ten Short Novels You Can Finish in a Day” and “Short Stories Count for Your Reading Challenge” start popping up.

From what I can tell, most reading challenges are of the simple number variety. People choose the number of books they hope to read for the year (usually via Goodreads) and then work on that. I always do the Goodreads challenge. (This year I set a goal of 50 and I’m at 77 right now, so yay!) However, over the past few years, I’ve wanted to do something more detailed than just a number.

I’ve found that I can get in reading ruts, and I tend to stick to my comfort zone in book selection when I don’t pay attention. There’s nothing wrong with reading what you know you like and sticking with it. However, for me, especially as a writer, it can limit my creativity if I don’t branch out and step away from my comfort zone at times. So years ago, I created the Push Your Boundaries reading challenge to get myself reading more widely. Last year, I changed up the format a little bit and renamed the challenge the Read Wide Challenge.

I didn’t share my challenge officially last year, but I’ve been posting photos of my completed challenge all year. Isn’t it pretty all filled in? And a number of you have reached out wanting to know about the challenge. So here are some details if you want to do the Read Wide Reading Challenge for yourself in 2019!

Why Read Wide?

So first, before we get into the nitty gritty of the challenge, why should you give it a try?

1. You will discover new genres to love or re-discover old favorites you used to love.

   For instance, years ago I burned out on paranormal books because I read them nonstop. They were my favorite, but when you read in the same zone for too long, books start sounding the same. So for years I haven’t read paranormal. But it was on my list this year. I picked up Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series, book one, and wham, I was hooked. I realized I had missed sexy paranormal romance! Love rediscovered.

2. You will read things that will confirm that a genre is not for you, and you can stop worrying about missing out on those books.

   This doesn’t sound like a positive thing, but it really is. I buy books I think sound interesting but then never quite get to them. This challenge forced me to face a few genres that I thought I liked but…really don’t. For instance, the comedic celebrity essay collection/memoir. I have impulse bought so many of these on sale because, hey, I love that comedienne! But then I never read them. This year, I had a Humor/Essay box to mark off. So I read in that genre. I quickly realized (after reading two of them) that these just aren’t for me. I like memoirs with a lot of emotional resonance. Ones focused on humor just don’t do it for me. I can now save my money and stop buying them.

3. You will give new authors a chance.

   It’s easy to stick with the authors we know (and as an author, I highly encourage that! lol) but there are a lot of authors out there that we can add to our list. But we’re never going to discover them if we don’t step outside our normal reading zone.

4. You will diversify your reading.

   I always strive to read more diversely, but that focus can slip through the cracks if I’m not paying attention. So my column focused on diversity has helped me be more deliberate about seeking out POC authors and books that feature main characters who are POC, LGTBQ, and/or neurodiverse.

5. If you’re a writer, it will feed your creativity.

   This is a big one for me. The reason why my books are often a little outside the norm in the romance genre like The Ones Who Got Away series is because I read from all different areas. I pull ideas and inspiration from all these different genres, which I think keeps things fresh (for me and hopefully also for my readers.) If I’m only reading in my own genre, my books will start to sound like everyone else’s. I got the idea for The Ones Who Got Away because I read This Is Where It Ends (YA thriller) and Columbine (true crime/non-fiction) and wondered: what happens to the people who survive a school shooting? How do they move on as adults? That was the birth of the idea.

6. It’s fun

   If you’re a person who loves to check off a to do list or complete a challenge, this is just straight up fun. It feels like a game, and there’s so much satisfaction when you get to color in those boxes. : )
   

My 2019 Challenge

How to Set Up Your Challenge

1. Pick your comfort zone columns

   First, you need to know that this is a personalized challenge. What my version of reading wide is may be different from yours. So first, make sure you’re giving yourself your favorites. For instance, romance is my primary reading genre, and I also read a lot of YA and non-fiction, so I have three entire columns dedicated to those things and their subgenres. If you’re a big mystery reader, you may dedicate a column to that and beneath list: cozy mystery, noir, historical mystery, etc. This is about reading wide but not to the exclusion of reading the things you love most.

2. Pick your more challenging columns

   Even under your comfort columns, there may be some challenging subcategories, but pick at least two columns that are going to make you stretch. For me, that’s non-romance genre fiction and general fiction. You can get creative with the subcategories (suggestions below). They don’t have to be “official” subgenres that the library would list. Like in my General Fiction column, you’ll find book club fiction, magical elements, etc.

3. Don’t put things you know you hate

   This is not about torturing yourself. If you already know you don’t like a certain type of book, it’s okay not to put it on there. This shouldn’t feel like homework. For instance, I know classics and literary fiction are generally not my thing. It’s not to say I won’t ever try one of those again, but I don’t obligate myself to it on this challenge.

4. Make a bonus column for fun/silly categories

   I have suggestions below but get creative. You want some easy wins and categories that many different types of books could fit into so that it’s not too restrictive.

5. Add a diversity column

   I keep this simple. I list “Author” and “Main character” to mark books that were written by an author in an underrepresented category or that feature a main character who is.

6. Print out your list or draw your own into your reading journal like I do.

   You can use my template or you can just make your own with a simple square stencil, some colorful pens/pencils, and a notebook. If you want a printable reading journal, I have a free one with my newsletter sign up. I also have a post on how to make your own journal if that’s your jam.

7. Choose your own rules.

   Will you let one book count for more than one category? That’s up to you. I don’t but feel free. It’s your challenge!

Category Ideas

Here are some ideas for what to put in the columns. You can select subgenres, formats, fun made-up categories. Don’t limit yourself. This is your challenge and needs to be personal to your tastes. Have a good time with it!

Genres/Subgenres:

Romance

·      Contemporary

·      Erotic

·      Dark

·      Romantic suspense

·      Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

·      Historical

·      Romantic Comedy

·      Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Speculative

·      Dystopian

·      Mystery

·      Inspirational/Christian

·      LGBTQ

·      Old School/Retro (Romance from 70s-90s)

Young Adult

·      Romance

·      Contemporary

·      Suspense/Thriller

·      Horror

·      Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

·      Historical

·      Romantic Comedy

·      Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Speculative

·      Dystopian

·      Mystery

·      Inspirational/Christian

·      LGBTQ

·      Old School/Retro (YA from the 70s-90s)

Other Genre Fiction:

Contemporary

Women’s Fiction

Suspense

Mystery

Cozy Mystery

Hard-Boiled Detective/Noir

Horror

Gothic

Paranormal

Urban Fantasy

High Fantasy

Dystopian

Sci-Fi/Speculative

Graphic Novel/Comic

Steampunk

Historical fiction

Action/Adventure

Erotica

Time Travel

Middle Grade (and all its subgenres)

Picture Book

Inspirational/Religious

Non-Fiction: 

Memoir/Biography

True Crime

Humor

Travel

Self-Improvement

Business

Home

Health

Cookbook/Food

On Writing (or whatever your field is)

Entertainment (about music, movies, tv, celebrity memoirs, etc.)

Science

History

Politics

Essay Collections

Parenting

General Fiction: 

Literary Fiction

Classics

Book Club Fiction

Short Stories

Diversity: 

Book by POC Author

POC Main Character

Book by LGTBQ Author

LGTBQ Main Character

Book with characters whose religion is different from yours

Book in translation

Book by an author from another country

Book with a neurodiverse character

Format:

Short Story

Anthology

Doorstop (500+ pages)

Novella

Serial

Audiobook

Translated

Trilogy

Creative Categories: 

Made Into A Movie or TV Show

Award-Winning

Banned Book

Re-read From Childhood

Debut Author

First in Series 

Book From Your Birth Year

Loved By Others

Second Chance on a DNF (did not finish)

Road Trip Story

Set Outside of the U.S./UK/Canada 

Book That Intimidates You

Written By the Opposite Sex

Retro Read

Three in a Row of a Series

Book you should’ve read in school

Favorite Author You Haven’t Read Lately

Legendary Author I’ve Never Read

Book I’ve Owned for 3+ Years

Book Club Pick/Book of the Month Club selection

Podcast Recommendation

Recommendation from a Friend

Book I Bought for the Cover

Huge Bestseller

Book about Books

Book about Food

Beach Read

Book That Made Me Cry

Book That Made Me Laugh

Download Your Chart and Get Started!

Blank Read Wide grid (word format)

Also, as I mentioned above, if you need a printable reading journal, I offer one for free when you sign up for my newsletter. You can easily add the chart as a page. 

Let me know if you decide to join in. Happy reading!