Side Quest: The Psychology of Character Development

The Psychology of Character Development

Introduction

Humans are not social by accident. We have literally been wired that way. This is not just an idea, this is a well-established fact across the evolutionary, biological, and psychological fields. Isolation feels painful for a reason! It once signaled danger because we needed to be in groups to increase our chances of survival. When readers connect to characters, it’s because the characters reflect something that is deeply human. It makes them real. The psychology of how humans work is the entire basis for building what is often referred by readers as “characters who feel 3D.” Writers often try to make characters “unique” but what makes them truly believable is their universal humanity!

Every resource I mention is linked at the bottom of this post.

The Tribal Brain: Why Humans Are Social

Did you know there are scientific studies that show that there is an optimal number of friends to maximize your well being? Interesting that most typical books central group of characters is never far from this number. (Resources #s 1 and 2.)

Humans are born literally only surviving because of depending on another human. While not every species on the planet goes through this, a large enough portion of them do that enough people questioned and studied it extensively. (Reference #5.) Even if you stay home and think you are independent, you still rely on others. Do you get things delivered? Do you go online? Chat in comment sections? Like videos? Repost videos? Do you go shopping at stores run and maintained by other humans? Make posts on social media and get excited when you get likes on it? That is being social. That is driven by the need to connect with other people. Did you read a blog like this to learn something? Watch a video to understand a topic better? That’s from other people, you realize that right? Again. Being social does not just mean “talking someone’s ear off” or “clinging desperately to their arms” just as needing human companionship does not make one “needy.” Being social means living in groups and allowing knowledge to be passed down through generations. That is how we have survived and expanded as we have today.

The typical “loner” characters are not interesting for readers because they are alone and that need does not exist. They are interesting because they still have that need, but are driven by their fears, trauma, mistrust, or rejection. Loner characters do not instantly somehow magically mean that need for social connections is nonexistent. (Unless, of course, they are cursed to be so. That’s different though, that’s removing the natural human need in order to remove resistance.) Typically in these situations, there is always some supporting character in some way that “cures their isolation.” Note something interesting there? Even in those situations, people will end up in groups. Gee. I wonder why.

That’s because, again to emphasize, the human need to be social is as basic a need as food and water.

Belonging and Identity: The Power of Role

In early societies (funny the society word is here again) every person had a role to fill. They had a job. Something to do that not only ensured that they survived, but that the group as a whole survived. For these societies, being isolated meant death in most cases.

One thing a lot of readers want to see are character arcs. They want to see how the characters develop and change from the beginning to the end of the story. If a character does not change, the readers notice. Change for characters…. Is psychology….. (Reference #9).

Example. As characters navigate through their roles in the group, their need for belonging drives growth, conflict, and eventual change. Just as it would in real life. This idea that characters are not allowed to show basic human needs in terms of social needs and motivations, goes against the very process of creating a story.

Character growth within books can be divided into two terms any writer will know. Intrinsic factors versus extrinsic factors. If intrinsic and extrinsic factors are the key to compelling character growth, how could a character’s need for social connection ever make them ‘needy?’

Needy, though by definition simply means being in want, or marked by want of affection, attention, or emotional support, the societal definition varies GREATLY. Organizations come together to help the needy families. Religious texts often mention caring for “the poor and the needy.” In social context, needy is a negative word. We often call people needy who want to cling to others because they lack independence. These facts change the entire perception and use of the word. A character simply having the humanistic trait of wanting social connection does not make a character needy. A character who wants connection is simply human, not needy.

If anything, it shows that a character has that 3D feeling. Writers who are not afraid to build characters who are bluntly human, are writers who understand that this builds a readers connection with a character.

Conclusion

Psychology is already in every fictional book. Detailing how characters feel, or what drives them into action is psychology. Psychology is by Britannica’s definition, the “scientific discipline that studies mental states and processes and behavior in humans and other animals.” (Resource #10.) In order to know how your character will react in a given situation, you have to know everything about them. You. Have. To. Be. A. Mini. Psychologist. You have to read. You have to research. You have to understand how people work in general to be able to write a character that readers will respond to. You cannot just dismiss a section of psychology when it comes to creating stories.

References

This is not an English paper. I’m giving you links.

(1) On M-Polynomials of Dunbar Graphs in Social Networks: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/12/6/932

(2) Why friendship and loneliness affect our health: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11918532/#nyas15309-bib-0052

(3) Self-determination theory: A quarter century of human motivation research: https://www.apa.org/research-practice/conduct-research/self-determination-theory

(4) Self-Determination Theory (an overview): https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/theory/

(5) ASU on Why are humans social creatures: https://news.asu.edu/b/20250421-why-are-humans-social-creatures#:~:text=%E2%80%9CHumans%20are%20wired%20for%20social,the%20benefits%20of%20being%20social?%E2%80%9D

(6) Social Connection can transform our whole health and well-being: https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/connection/index.html?utm_source=osg_redirect&utm_medium=osg_redirect&utm_campaign=osg_sg_gov_connection

(7) Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf

(8) The Science of Being Social: https://omnia.sas.upenn.edu/story/science-being-social#:~:text=%E2%80%9COur%20brains%20are%20wired%20to,model%20for%20understanding%20human%20behavior.

(9) How to Use Psychology to Create Compelling Characters: https://thewritepractice.com/psychology-and-writing-characters/#:~:text=Let%20Your%20Character%20Arc,it%20in%20the%20comments%20section.

(10) Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/science/psychology

Book Review: Prince of Wolves by Quinn Loftis

 

Book Review: Prince of Wolves by Quinn Loftis

Details:

• Book Title: Prince of Wolves

• Author Quinn Loftis

• Series The Grey Wolves Series

• Genre YA, Paranormal Werewolves & Shifters Romance, Romantasy

• Publication Date

• Page Count / Format (physical, ebook, audiobook)

• Rating A Well-Marked Way

Opening Reflection / Summary (Spoiler-Free)

This book pulls you in immediately with descriptions of the main character sneakily watching out her window to spy on the neighbors incoming foreign exchange student. Then bam. She’s hearing voices in her head, and she’s calling for backup: the most wonderful two besties a girl could ever ask for. Everything that happens from there is rather quick, but the author does it amazingly. There’s plenty of thoughts and feelings from the characters that you don’t realize just how far you’ve read. If you’re looking for spicy werewolf type books, this does not have spice. This is a fade to black. But wait! Hear me out! You’ll definitely want to add this to your list.

The main characters of this book are Jacquelyn and Fane. However, this book focuses on a whole party of people from Jacque’s parents, to Fane’s parents, to Jacque’s iconic and snarky besties Sally and Jen. Oh Jen. She is the definition of a trouble child, and I absolutely adore her. The tone is a mix of suspense, humor, friendships are bonds that cannot be broken, and nothing is too far for love to go. Heads up. You will have all the feelings. Sometimes multiple feelings at once. You will cry, you will laugh, you will crash out. Every book adds onto the plot.

Themes & Atmosphere

This book discusses emotional depth in a way that makes you relate to every single character you discover. It’s deeper than it appears at first glance. There are themes of longing, loneliness, love, heart break, destruction, trauma, bonding, friendship, having the strength to keep going. I could keep going. The atmosphere of this book was oddly grounding even while being thrown curve balls. Curve balls are this author’s specialty. I swear they have a degree in it. It was nice to have the dramatic moments not be so sudden. There’s lead up to everything, it builds suspense and then drags it out. It’s a good read.

Characters

Having to pick out which characters stuck out to me the most in this book is not just difficult, but it’s practically impossible! There is so much emotional depth to all of her characters, that it makes it hard not to love each and every one of them. Was it just me that felt everything they felt? Is it me? Am I the emotional problem? Either way, I guess if I absolutely had to pick one favorite character from ONLY book one, it would be Jacque herself. She’s definitely unique and stands out quickly within the first few lines. The author does a fantastic job of displaying character’s weaknesses, and sometimes using them against her characters. This is the type of book that when you meet the characters, you can instantly tell how much time and thought and work was put into them. When you can see the time the author put into their work polishing it, it just gives you a filling of amazement, wonder, and love. I think they had character development progress steadily throughout the series. These characters feel alive. They change, they react and think and plan differently. They huddle close when things get rough. They process through their emotions, each in a different and unique way.

Writing Style

The prose was relatively straight forward. It was consistent, precise, and added just enough flavor to the work. This pacing was quick though. While there are pausing moments to give the characters and the reader a relaxing moment, don’t mistake this book for not being full of conspiracies, people who want to disrupt the natural order, and a certain magical influence. The writing style fit the story nicely.

Some of my favorite lines from the book:

• I can’t say that I have ever gotten bored. Humans are too interesting to ever get bored by them. – Sorin

• I’m going to be conveniently occupied with something that would normally be unimportant but for some reason at that exact moment needs my undivided attention – Jacque

• Oh, by all means, don’t mind us, the non-voodoo freaks; we’ll just hang out while ya’ll make out mentally- Jen

• Well, seeing as how you seem to think you deserve something from me, I thought I would indulge you just a little, but I assure you my intentions were completely rude! – Jacque

• You do realize who you are asking right? ‘Cause I just asked you who spit in your pizza and you knew exactly what I meant. So, I’m just saying, I might not be the best judge of any oddities you have. -Jen

• Had Fane done some Romanian voodoo on her? ‘Cause she would so do some voodoo up on his ass if he did. - Jacque

World building / Setting

This book is mostly set in the real world. It gives you a general area to go off of, but doesn’t over complicate what readers already expect to find in the real world. For the sections not focused on the real world, there are enough descriptions so that the readers know what’s important, or specifically noticed by the characters. I would definitely say this world was immersive because it was so relatable. It felt lived in. Daily routines were mentioned, real life problems were mentioned. It was far from just a backdrop.

Personal Reflection

This book, and every book in the series that follows it, are immersive, emotional, and powerfully driven by the characters wants. While I do wish I had a more 18+ type story like this for the gutter within my brain, I am still reading it. This is a fully fleshed out and realized dream come to life type of book. If you’re into werewolf romance types, you’ll enjoy this slightly less spicy story.

Critiques & Considerations

I honestly cannot think of any points where it lacked. Each book has added more details to the plot, revealing a larger issue to the characters. These stories are linked together by more than just the main characters. If you do not enjoy books that will make you feel a large range of emotions from disgust to joy to uncontrollable sobbing, then you will not enjoy this book. This is a highly emotional, immersive story. You will fall in love with all the quirky characters. If you like strong female MCs who are not perfect, inappropriately sassy at times, and loyal till the end…. Well you just found your next addiction. Don’t forget to eat. Drink water in between coffee and tea splurges. Eat more than chips. This is a long ride buttercup.

Closing Thoughts / Recommendation

This book feels like a good intro into werewolf romance type stories. It has it’s own unique twist to the mate bond that will both touch your heart and break it at the same time. The world building is on point. The characters are hilariously flawed and add comedy to attempt to ease the tension from the troubles they have to fight through.

Optional Extras

• Favorite Quote “Where are you love and what mischief have you and your side kicks gotten in to?” Fane asked her.

• Mood Board Words Quirky, Heart-felt, Emotional

• Who This Book Is For Werewolf romance, fade to black romances

• Reading Experience Fast paced, not instant love, but quick acceptance.

Pacts of Life 2

 

Title: Pacts of Life Part 2

Author: Nyx Seshat

    Xyra ran through places she couldn’t remember. Hallways she felt as if she should know. Polished black stone seemed to stretch forever. Tapestries barely registered in her vision, streaks of golds, reds, and blues as she rushed past. Ancient battles, she vaguely thought as her brain tried to piece information together. There was a fog, inside this world physically, and filling her mind. This fog, she knew by now, was the reason the dream would end. It would press more and more as the dream progressed. She could feel the damp sensation it was leaving on her existence. Even here, in this dream world, she knew the secrets lie buried. She just had to beat the fog to get to them. That, however, was a battle it seemed fate would not allow her to win.

    She could feel their magics clashing stronger than they had before as she closed in on where she knew they would be. She dreaded going, knowing how the fight always ended regardless of how the dream formed it each time. She approached the too familiar intersection in the hallway. One direction led to a beautifully carved glass door. Beyond this door, she could see brightly colored plants shining through the frosting on the glass. Some leaves, larger than her entire torso, pressed defiantly against the glass, screaming to be seen and noticed in their own way. She had a vague memory of fighting that plant specifically. She remembered its large, dark purple leaves. The specs of blue variegation scattered across its leaves and stems, giving the plant a slight shimmer in the right angles of light. She had vague memories of a light, bright purple colored seedling when she had planted it. She had first explored that direction when she realized she had a bit of freedom here. Most of the things she came across were unfortunately distorted, their appearances blocked from her view. She focused on the visible objects, most of the time, desperate for something understandable to cling to in this dream world of confusion, depression, and buried secrets.

    The other direction led down a significantly shorter hallway to a second, larger doorway. This one was less decorative. Made of steel, wood, and magic itself, the door was opposing and rippled with dark magic in deep purple clouds of rolling smoke. She felt insignificant next to it, a feeling that she somehow knew had always persisted from childhood till now. She knew this door well, and could find no clues to why. She had seen it countless times in many of the dreams of this dream world. She felt more than heard the clash of their magics against each other. The shock waves vibrated through the floor, up her feet, and into her very skull. She heard the glass doors rattling from the vibrations as she pulled the large doors open. Maybe this time, the dream would let her see one of their faces. She knew, as soon as the hope crossed her mind, that that the dream world would crush that in an instant.

    Two figures came into view. Indistinguishable images flashing in front of her so quickly she couldn’t focus on them. She only saw them as streaks of colors in the shapes of their bodies. One was a deep, blood red, the other was the shade a blue she had only seen in bodies of water. Bodies of water so deep, light could not penetrate. An almost black blue it was so dark. She could see the magical weapons they wielded as they dodged each others attacks. Both had chosen swords for this particular display of the battle. A battle she did not understand why she was forced to watch every night for the past five years.

    Her eyes drifted to the flecks of the colors scattering along the ground, watching them join into large, blended puddles. The blues and reds mixed together en masse, painting the ground beneath their feet. It splashed up as they ran through it, covering their legs and feet in specks of the opposite body’s color. She felt the fog growing denser, a faint pressure that seemed to build all around her. She could feel the pressure focusing on her neck. She watched as one of the colors materialized in front of her, mere inches away. She felt his hand grabbing her skull as the opposite color rushed over. His large hands covered her eyes, blocking out the sights of the dream world. She could feel the fog pushing into her mind. She registered a distant noise. Someone laughing, maybe? It was distorted, jumbled up with the sound of wind rushing in her ears, seeming to fill her head.

    She could hear a faintly familiar voice screaming her name as something darkened around her memories. She struggled to breathe, the pressure in her skull stopping her from inhaling. The burning feeling of that things hand on her face lingered through the darkness that began to swallow the world she visited.

    She woke with a gasp, sweat rolling down her face into her hair. The campfire was almost out she noted, trying to distract herself. She didn’t notice Morvigar watching her from higher up in the trees, keeping a lookout while she slept. She looked around, noting his absence, but thinking nothing of it as she crawled towards the fire, poking it with some of the spare sticks as she layered them in. She curled her legs to her chest, feeling bereft as she always did after her dreams. They weren’t all the exact same, but she knew they were all related somehow. She couldn’t remember how the voices sounded every time she woke, but she could always remember the stabbing, gut wrenching loss, she felt. She knew in her gut, it was related to her lost memories. But the dream had never revealed anything definitive. Sometimes, she couldn’t help but wonder if she was only putting reasoning into her dreams as a way to deal with her own internal struggles. She chased the doubt down as easily as she would drop a torch into a bucket of water. She knew the dreams were real memories. She knew it deep within her bones.

    She looked up at the sky, wondering if she would ever figure out what they meant. Something horrible must have happened to her five years ago for it to still be plaguing her dreams and blocking her memories. Maybe traveling north, leaving this land, would make them stop. Maybe she just needed distance. Or, could it be she just needed to be closer to her home to understand? Was there some kind of key thing she needed to see to jog her memory? She noticed movement from the corner of her eye, but turned to find nothing there. Maybe, she hoped, resting her chin again on her knees. Maybe she could find something along the way to trigger something. Something that would give her even the smallest piece of a clue. Something that told her she wasn’t crazy for having these dreams. Something that could lead her home. Something that would finally fill that black hole she felt inside. Something that could stop that swirling darkness from consuming every ounce of her being.

    Morvigar watched silently as Xyra slept beneath the trees below his current perch. His tail was wrapped around the trunk of the tree, holding on so he would not fall. It wasn’t the pain of the fall he was concerned with. It would be an embarrassment for one in his position to simply fall from a tree. He pushed thoughts of the fight with his rival from his mind. Their recent near encounter with his harvesting spell had him revisiting his past unwillingly. He shoved the thoughts deeper into the cage within himself, noticing Xyra was having another nightmare. He watched as she twisted, knowing from trying before that trying to wake her was no use. It was the magic. Ever since he had found her under the oak tree, she had radiated with the curse. Their pact had been a way to help her discover the truth. Observing, he watched as she opened her eyes with a gasp, her breathing frantic. He held firm as she gathered herself and crawled to the fire. He followed her gaze up, letting his eyes soak in the night sky. Memories of another night sky flashed across his eye, the haunting memories that would never leave him alone. He felt his eyes sting and forced himself to check their surroundings.

    The next morning, Morvigar was woken by a rock landing directly on his forehead, knocking him off balance so he ended up hanging upside down like an opossum, his tail being his only salvation. Xyra stood below him, tossing another rock in her dominant hand, grinning like a mad woman. A face he unfortunately had to see quite often aimed at him. “Mornin’ sunshine!” She called from below, her voice having a sickly human ring to it. Yet, she was the only human thus-far who he did not truly mind being around. He sighed, knowing if she ever knew this she would use it against him. So, he kept it to himself. He didn’t need fuel added to her wildfire.

“What?” he responded, keeping his voice cold, distant as he folded his arms across his chest.

“You could at least say morning back, ya know.” She sighed, pouting a bit, still holding onto the rock as she put her hands on her hips, “You don’t have to be so grumpy all the time. We’re on another adventure!”

    He uncurled his tail from the tree, letting himself fall. Flipping in mid air, he gracefully landed on his feet. Returning her stare, he met her eyes, keeping his own as blank as a sky covered in storm clouds. Her smile only widened, as if she could somehow see through his facade, “This is why I call you a cat. You land on your feet and you act like royalty, but you’re really just a little bit of a goofball.” He ignored her comment, noting instead that she had already cleaned up the camp before waking him. The fire lay smokeless, covered in dirt. He could see the lines in the sand where she had drug sand onto it. Her satchel hung from her shoulder. He noted briefly as he looked over in his observations, that she was sliding the spare rocks into her bag. Mentally, he sighed. Outwardly, he gave no impression he had seen her. She hadn’t missed anything for once, he found himself proud of her and immediately shoved that horrible feeling deeper into the box, slamming the lid down quickly.

    “Ready then?” She shrugged, heading back towards the road they were taking before he could respond. Morvigar quietly fell behind her, his eyes lingering on their campsite to double check. As he turned his eyes away, a shadow rippled through the clearing, darting from the shadows of the trees on one side. It rushed through, quickly melting into the shadow from the other trees. It lingered there momentarily, judging the distance, before rushing forward to rejoin Xyra’s shadow.

    They had only been walking for two hours when they first noticed the smoke in the distance. Billowing up above the distant tree line in large, dark clouds. Not pausing in their momentum, both of their eyes traced the trail of the smoke up. “It’s probably the next town,” Morvigar mentioned casually as he noticed it had gained her attention as well.

“Should we check it out, or pass it by?” Xyra responded, sounding indifferent on the matter though her hand subconsciously moved to cling onto her amulet for comfort.

Morvigar looked away and shrugged, “May as well. If there is trouble at more than one town, knowing what’s going on could be beneficial. Want me to go check it out first?”

    Xyra stopped walking then, pressing her finger to her upper lip as she stared at the smoke in concentration. Finally, she nodded, and Morvigar’s body disappeared as he left. She stared quietly at the space where he had been, suddenly feeling exposed. She sometimes forgot how heavily she relied on him being there. Even when he was back in the demon realm, she found herself feeling vulnerable when traveling alone. This typically caused self-irritation as she wrangled with the knowledge that even alone she was capable of defending herself. Sure, she may not be as powerful as a demon, but she wasn’t useless either! She was fairly good with her daggers up close. Though, her best skill was throwing them.

    Sighing, she told herself to shut up. She hummed quietly as she continued on, shielding her eyes from the sun as she looked up at the sky. She took in a deep breath, noting the lack of smell of smoke. It might hours for humans to travel the distance to the fire. Morvigar, though? Even in his bipedal form he was faster than any human. If he switched to his true form, a human stood no chance. Her thoughts drifted back to her dream. The fog she found herself surrounded by in her dreams, persisted through to her awakened state. Less empowered when she was awake, it felt more like a distant haze of fuzz in the back of her brain.

    She had never confessed the true depth of how the curse caused her to feel in her head to Morvigar. There was nothing he could do, and thus no point. He had already said as much on their first meeting, that he was incapable of curing curses. Curses, he said, were below him. All he needed was a blade in his hand, or his claws and teeth. She really was beginning to feel like there would never be a solution to her loss of memory. Sure, she had new memories now. But she simply could not get rid of the nagging feeling that something important had been left behind with her memories. There was an empty hole inside her she could not fill. No amount of meditation, herbs, or hobbies had filled it. She had tried. Besides, he still complained about being in a pact with a human. There was no way she was about to try to vent to him. She once again focused on a single thought that floated through her mind: What if I really do need to go North for answers? She wasn’t sure why North was the only direction that would pop into her head, but here she was. It had just … felt right. She shrugged, maybe she really was from the North. Maybe that was why it was the only direction that she could think of. Maybe that was part of her subconscious mind trying to guide her home. She had always heard stories from various other travelers of the North. Those who had gone further than she always mentioned how the air was ‘just different’ in the north. If nothing else, going there might at least make her understand what they were talking about. She smiled, a feeling of hopeful curiosity bubbling to life deep in her gut. Maybe, just maybe, she would finally find the answers she sought. She closed her eyes, imagining finding family who welcomed her home as they rejoiced over her return. She never saw her shadow tremble, splitting into two. She never saw it rush to join the other shadows within the trees.

    Morvigar finally returned well over an hour later in his beast form. She saw the manticore casually walking down the path toward her. His dense black mane bounced with each step. The stinger tail he so loved in his more bipedal form was relaxed, casually hanging low behind him. He stalked towards her, and she finally noticed the blood dying his muzzle a dark brown-red. He must have run into something, she thought, wondering what he had discovered at the burning city. Or maybe he had encountered an extra large mouse, she thought hopefully as she waved at him.

Side Quest: My Writing Journey: From Doubt to Discovery

 

My Writing Journey: From Doubt to Discovery

I may or may not have been obsessed with reading and writing since literally the fifth grade. I wish I could remember the teacher’s name that I had. That woman, is who encouraged my love and passion for writing. I think of her every time I think about writing. As many writers (both published and non published like myself) will be able to relate to this: I have started and tossed hundreds of story ideas.

Until recently, I was in an “avoid writing” stage. I quit writing for years because of several things: self doubt, writers block from anxiety of writing itself, thinking nothing I wrote was good enough, thinking no one would ever even want to read anything I wrote.

As I began to get back into writing a few weeks ago, I noticed/learned something. Every writer goes through this. Some come back to writing, and some don’t. But everyone experiences struggles with writing in some way. No one is a perfect writer, no one is a perfect author, and there will always be readers who either love your book, or hate your book. There are always two sides to a story, right?

How My Sources of Inspiration Have Changed

Ever since I got back into writing, I’ve discovered my personal sources of inspiration have slightly changed over time. While I find that some things do still give me inspiration, sometimes the inspiration I get from them feels muted, so to say. Let me explain. I still get inspiration from things like being outside, listening to nature, and observing it. But, I’ve noticed that now, instead of things in nature inspiring whole worlds at once, things in nature now inspire only specific spots or scenes.

That was a frustrating experience. I thought I just had writers block for a hot minute, till I realized this. Suddenly music was inspiriting me more than it use to. Where before, music was more focused on the quiet, non-mentally-visual aspects such as emotions of the scenes, now music plays through entire videos in my head, showing me world overviews or never ending forests, or entire fight scenes.

Writing prompts have also changed for me in a major way. It use to be I would sit and follow a writing prompt and just discovery write. Now I’ve found that sitting down and planning the world out makes it way easier to keep going. This is not to say that somehow magically I don’t get stuck on planning out the plot, because I am currently fighting my plot in general. However, I have noticed that having an outline helps me stay focused and has made my writing actually better. I feel like I write with a purpose now instead of waiting for it to come to me. Even if said outline is not in a ‘traditional’ outline format, because I just type, hit enter, and keep typing. Some parts are in brackets. Some parts are highlighted so I can easily scroll through and see the sections I had ideas for, but couldn’t sit and write them at the time because I didn’t have the whole picture yet. So I moved on, wrote what I could think of in several sections, moving through my document like a fish battling the waves during a hurricane. I’m just sitting there scrolling through writing in the weirdest order I have ever written in. And you know what? I have never felt more free and connected with my writing. I’m not fighting my internal systems anymore. I’m flowing with them, letting them help me discover the story and world that’s somehow magically being told to me from some magical seventeenth weird dimension space. I say that because it feels like the story is truly alive, and I haven’t loved a story I’ve worked on for many, many years.

My biggest struggle was myself. I was my own writer’s block, and I didn’t even know it for my entire life until now. Talk about a mind blowing moment.

Facing Writer’s Block

With all these changes to my writing style/method of the years, you’d think I never deal with blocks anymore. Nope. 210% not the case. I still do get writers block. Sometimes even my favorite ways to get inspiration don’t do it for me. These are the moments were I just take a day and say, “You know what? You’ve been stressing yourself out. Take a day.” I find when I don’t write, my brain suddenly starts to process through everything. Sometimes it takes a few hours for that processing to finish before it gives me the results. Usually, it’s at the worst time. Typical, right? Still annoying no matter how many times it happens. On these days, I jot these notes down (if there are any) and just move on. When I take the pressure of myself, invest in the author in me, it comes back with startling force. Suddenly once those ideas are back it’s like a flood.

Now, to clarify, I am using the most literal terms I can. When I say I take A day, I mean A day. I don’t let myself get out of the habit of writing. Literally treat it like a job. Because it is, even if you’re not getting paid for it in the beginning, it is your job as an author to tell these stories. These stories come from somewhere. People can debate the source of them all day everyday but in the end, who cares where they come from? Point is they are here for a reason. Everything has a reason. The entire purpose of a story is to be told. So if you’re keeping it to yourself, do you really even love it?

How I Overcome Creative Blocks

All writers start as readers. Well…. Hopefully, but that’s not a topic for right now. Anyway. What if you’re on a deadline (personal or official)? What if you’re having writers block and you don’t have time to step outside and touch grass like it’ll magically ‘make your brain work’ again? The solution to that is not an answer you’re going to like. Put something there to fill the space. Make it a bullet point, a bit of text in brackets with however many words you come up with to jog your memory. I don’t really care what you put. Put something, and move on. Ignore that part now. Get what else you can down, down. I promise you, once you get into the flow of a scene you’re more aligned with, so to say, at that moment, you will be able to go back and fill in the blanks. The solution to this whole problem is editing.

How Reading and Media Fuel My Writing

Again: All writers start as readers. Well…. Hopefully, but that’s not a topic for right now. Anyway.

As a reader, I find reading can either work against me, or work with me. Sometimes, I have to read something in the same genre as what I’m writing. Sometimes I have to read something entirely different to get my brain to process it behind closed doors. My brain will do it’s job. It will work through it. That’s it’s whole purpose. Think of it like a computer. Software has to be downloaded and installed in order to work, yes? (Tech people don’t come for me, this is not a tech blog and I am only sorta techy as if that’s not obvious by now.) Same thing with your story. Your brain has to download it and install it before it can open it. Sometimes updates have to be installed, and then it takes a minute to re-learn how to use it. This is normal. Let yourself escape to other worlds, ignore your book for at least an hour or something, I don’t know. If timers are your jam, set timers. Let your brain do the work it needs. No human on earth is a robot.

Besides, maybe you’ll read a single sentence in another book and suddenly your brain will start blaring alarms and flashing lights because it all of a sudden just said “WAIT A MINUTE THATS IT.” And why did it do that? Because you allowed it to process behind closed doors and just existed and waited.

What I’ve Learned About Writing & Struggles

No one has the same inspiration methods. While some are more common, common does not mean all encompassing it just means “the most often.” While all writers will share in some struggles, not all struggles are the same. The most important thing about being a writer, is getting over those struggles. It’s you, clearing your own new path. It’s building your empires, and worlds, and characters who become friends. As a reader, you are more aware than anyone of this: Some books literally have the ability to change you. If those writer’s had just given up, you never would have had the book that changed you.

Book Review Unbound by Penelope Bloom

Book Review Unbound by Penelope Bloom 

• Book Title Unbound

• Author Penelope Bloom

• Series Confluence Academy Book 1

• Genre Romantasy, Fantasy Romance

• Publication Date May 27, 2025

• Page Count / Format (physical, e book, audio book)

• Rating A Well-Marked Way

There are not any plot and main story spoilers here, but there are sneak peaks into the characters deranged little minds. 

Opening Reflection

I devoured this book. There were happy moments, suspenseful moments, some damn good character dialogue and inner monologues, and some *almost* sad moments. This book really shows off the authors ability to build and then drag out suspense.

Summary

OK. So. It starts off with the main character just declaring that they’re going to die. Then we’re drug into a surprise school that even the main character can’t believe is real. What is this school? Oh, its Hogwarts, but BETTER. Yup. Why? Because instead of just having a pet cause “yay pets are cute,” its “omg these aren’t just casual mentions of something no one really cares about,” these pets are the key to learning magic. As we move through the story we learn about various other students, and start to get the real picture about this school. This place. Is chaos. There’s unease from the events happening around the school, the school events specifically, the deaths of several students, and some characters you really can’t be sure to trust. I’m still feeling distrust in general at most of these characters. And the ending? Let’s just say that I’m already dying for the next one. This book is now an emotional need. I am invested, and I need to know what is going to happen next.

Themes & Atmosphere

Nailing down the theme and atmosphere for this book is easy: when push comes to shove you do what you must to survive. Trying to hold onto the good within your self is important, but don’t let that overshadow what you have to do. The line to walk here is thin and fragile, but if you can manage to stay on your toes then you just might mostly make it. Don’t fear change, it always comes. Change does not give a damn about you, it has one goal and blindly runs into it. Be like change. Be the bull running through the pane of glass that is your goal. Don’t just reach it, shatter it and claim it. Announce to the world “I’m here.”

Characters

If I were to try to separate out characters from this story who have flaws, I’d have no one in the “unflawed” section. Beck and Brunhild are unhinged. Mireen is obsessed with collecting rats. You read that right. Mireen is collecting (and distributing) rats. Nessa gates her self. Raith hates himself. Ambrose is too focused on learning everything, which is hard to label as a flaw considering knowledge really is powerful. Throughout the story, some relationships are heavily tested. The detail of how other characters appear versus what they say was done wonderfully. It really put the spotlight on how alive this world was. I feel like Bastion could have developed a little further, but as of right now I firmly feel like that is also part of the lead up to book 2 and have high hopes of seeing more of his development as the story develops. Hopefully he takes more of a front row role in the second book instead of only working in the shadows during the first book. I am also interested how the tensions build between him and Raith. Also, as a little side note to the author if they ever read this. Bartemus should be protected at all costs.

Writing Style

The writing style read and felt like romantasy. The language and descriptions flowed beautifully, giving the readers everything they needed in little bits at a time. The pacing alternated like a good book should. It hooked me in with curiosity immediately, and then seriously drug it out. If you pay attention as you read, there are plenty of foreshadowing moments. I think they’re sprinkled about nicely, providing suspense, weaving distrust, and pulling you in further. It becomes a mystery you want to fully solve and watch unravel.

World building / Setting

The world we are transported into for this book is a little confusing. There are vague, bare hints/details dropped through the story in the form of the main character’s inner thoughts. Some details are told from the brainy one of the group. While I do enjoy being told about the story through the characters when it comes to history, I do wish she had done a little more explaining not in the form of dialogue or monologues. The scenes described give you enough to get a glimpse of it, but maybe its just the crazy reading in me craving more. There was no way for the world to feel as merely a backdrop. Outside forces beyond what individual scenes had happening slipped back in through character mention or thought. It’s always kept at the back of your mind.

Personal Reflection

This book was definitely a much needed read. It had steady pacing, constantly made me question pieces I was trying to put together as the story progressed, and found myself quickly immersed. Lingering thoughts from reading. This book left me with questions and the need for more, even from the first page. I found myself questioning everything and pausing to just stare and blink at the wall. (I’m specifically referring to Mireen’s obsession with rats. Don’t get me wrong, I think some rats are cute. But I definitely don’t look at them as Mireen did.) In a way, I think this little quirk of hers showcases how desperately Mireen’s internal struggle is, there is a little snippet during some of these scenes where Mireen sorta reveals that reason. It’s kinda heartbreaking if you sit and think on it long enough. I just wanna hug her, even if it means rats will flood out of her pockets and swarm me. This book makes you connect with the characters on almost a psychological level. The way the author writes the interactions and observations of the main character has a very psychological feel to it. That honestly might have been my biggest pull to it. She really does well in terms of character development and display through the book.

Closing Thoughts

The magic system is amazing, the plot is grows thicker with every page, but if you don’t vibe with slow-burn romance stories, then this might get you a little heated. If you have read the Harley Merlin series by Bella Forrest, or the Chronicles of Kerrigan by W.J. May, or the Grey Wolves series by Quinn

Loftis, or the Flame and the Arrow by Emigh Cannaday then you’ll definitely 100% enjoy this series. There are a few erotic scenes in the book if you’re curious. But this is plot with porn, not porn without plot. Not a fade to black type of romance story either. All in all, this book was a good read. I got through it quickly-ish (life be doing its thing). It wasn’t horribly difficult to follow.

Quotes:

• Better to turn yourself into a key piece instead of an expendable pawn, isn’t it?

• But surrendering isn’t in my nature, even when logic screams that I should. Maybe I’m still hopeless in a fight, but I can at least prove I have the grit to keep trying. To keep fighting even when victory is impossible.

• Beck looks like a loyal dog trying to decide if it should bit the much larger animal potentially threatening its friend.

• Then they had better hope one of those blades never decides to turn on its master.

• Transparent as a fucking brick

• Trust is a luxury of the powerful.

• It is the simplest explanation, and humans love simple explanations for complex truths.

• I am effective. There’s a difference. If morals or ethics got in the way of what I needed to do, I would simply eat them.

• I see truth in people. Is why I trust sexy bear.

• Brunhild has no control over where oil spills.

• So don’t run from your past. Use it. Grow from it.

• Rest? Sexy bear asked me to do thing he likes with tongue and dagger. I even brought the rope.

ARC Edition Book Review Twin Roses by Dorian Sumpter

 ARC Book Review: Twin Roses by Dorian Sumpter (ARC edition)

Details

• Book Title: Twin Roses

• Author: Dorian Sumpter

• Genre: Smut? Dark romance?

• Publication Date: Will be published on Sept 14 2025

• Page Count / Format I got the ARC Edition as a PDF from the author himself, I believe it will be sold on amazon on release date

• Rating: Lost in the Thickets

ARC provided free in exchange for an honest review. This review is not paid for, or produced by the author of the book.

I want to be upfront. This review is not in my usual format. When I agreed to read this ARC I promised to be honest, and honesty means saying that I don’t believe this book is ready for publication in it’s current form. Unfortunately, it ended up on my DNF shelf. By the end of the prologue, I knew this wasn’t going to be the right read for me, and not because of the story line, but because of the writing, formatting, and execution.

The most immediate hurdle was the formatting. Paragraphs weren’t indented, dialogue wasn’t spaced apart, and POV shifts happened without warning. This made the book unnecessarily difficult to read, often making me stop to reread passages for clarity. A book should pull readers in, not make them stumble over its structure. The prose itself often felt rushed and skeletal, like bones without any flesh to hold them together. Scenes lacked depth, descriptions were thin, and transitions between scenes were non-existent. It read more like an early draft than a manuscript approaching publication.

The prologue, which should have set the stage and captivated the reader, felt disjointed. It read more like a series of expanded bullet points rather than a flowing narrative. By the time I had reached the end, I was more confused than intrigued. And I don’t mean the good kind of confused that I get from mystery thrillers like Along Came a Spider or something else along those lines. The scenes were very brief, and while I can appreciate leaving details out for story and plot development, this did not feel like the case. It felt rushed and just quickly jotted down. Like when I’m working on my first draft of novel and I just write snippets that I go back to when I can flesh them out more or remove them. It’s like these snippets were left in.

Chapter One didn’t improve matters. An art show is introduced briefly, but instead of developing the scene of characters, the narrative is disrupted abruptly. Interrupting a scene in the middle of it can be effective. But this just felt like it was just something thrown in with the sole purpose of being an interrupter? Does that makes sense? It was explained very briefly, had one sentence of dialogue, and it somehow caused the whole event to end and slip into a smut scene? Without setup or emotional weight, it came across as “porn without plot” instead of what it was going for. (Which I think they might have been going for dark, suspenseful, and edgy?)

I understand ARCs are not the finished product. Typos and small errors are expected. But this goes far beyond that. With a scheduled publication date of September 14, 2025, this book desperately needs a full editorial pass, rewrites to flesh out scenes, and stronger world building. The potential for a great story is there, but right now it just feels incomplete.

Indie authors already face unfair stereotypes, and unfortunately, this book reinforces them. Readers deserve a polished, immersive experience be it from someone who published as an indie author or a traditionally published author. This book, in its current form, simply isn’t ready.

I won’t be finishing it past chapter three, and while that makes me feel guilty as an ARC reader, I’d rather be honest than offer false praise. My hope is that the author revisits this manuscript, invests in editing, and gives the story the care it deserves because the spark of something good IS there, hidden under the rough draft.

Pacts of Life Part 1

 

Here's a little something I'm working on for fun (unrelated to my debut novel). I'm mostly using this to get myself "in the right head space" to work on my novel.  Lemme know what you think! <3  Criticism should be helpful, not hurtful. <3

Title: Pacts of Life (Part 1)

Author: Nyx Seshat

    

    The moment she woke up, Xyra knew something was wrong. Pushing thoughts of her dreams to the back of her mind, she tried to focus. It wasn’t the smell of smoke, that was typical by now. Burning cedar, pine, rosemary, lavender, and basil was not a fool-proof method. Some tainted flee from the combined scents, while some are pushed into a rage. That is why settlements are fenced in. If a tainted does become enraged, which in and of itself is rare, there is a line of defense against them. It didn’t seem like the fire had gone out or needed more herbs. The compound still smelled comforting. No, it wasn’t the smoke giving her goosebumps. It was the silence. She sat up, carefully inspecting the room before getting to her feet. It was too quiet. She couldn’t hear the chickens, or the goats bleating incessantly. Had all of the kids suddenly gone mute? The tavern owner’s little hellions were usually sprinting around like goblins. She pulled her silver hair into a tight ponytail and checked for her knives and satchel. Old Frank was always shouting at the tavern’s bar maids for something, yet she could not hear the usual bickering. Only the silence. The emptiness gnawed at her gut, an unease she couldn’t shake off.

    She made her way through the now-familiar tavern, winding through the hallways as silent as her surroundings. With each step, her anxiety tightened like a coil in her chest. She had visited this tavern many times on her various jobs. Laundry baskets were dropped in the middle of the halls, their contents spilling across the floor with a faint, musty scent. A platter lay on the floor, partially covering broken teacups. If there had been any liquid in them when they dropped, enough time had passed for it to dry away. Various toys were scattered near the nursery, some were further down the hallway in the direction of the main hall. The sound of running water could be heard as she passed the bathrooms, its rhythm jarring against the oppressive stillness. She moved through the discarded things, wondering where everyone had gone in such a rush. Had there been a breach? Had something gotten through? How the fuck had she slept through this? Was it because of that damn dream? She reached the front entrance, noticing it had been left ajar. The door creaked as the wind nudged it open. The breeze against her face made her realize just how clammy she had become. Maybe she should summon Morvigar before she explored more. No, she told herself, if I summon him now and it’s clear, he’s gonna be pissy.

    The amulet around her neck began to gently pulse, a soft ripple of magic emitting from it, slowly moving over her skin. Her heart rate quickened as the amulet’s magic glided across her skin. Her chest began to warm as the amulet’s magic spread. It wasn’t the magic or the amulet she was afraid of. The amulet only ever responded to protect her, what made her fearful was that it was responding to something. She scanned her surroundings for the source, the logical part of her brain honing in on the cause. Unsure of where or what it was, only knowing it was near, she made her way outside.

    Outside was just as silent. Even the wind seemed unable to make noise as it blew through. The amulet still rolled against her skin, her constant reminder and partial source of unease. Hand carts sat in the middle of the main paths as if dropped mid-stroll. The sample trey little Trent carried around to show off his papa’s cheese of the day lay in the dirt, cheese bites scattered across the ground.
She wasn’t incapable of empathy, entirely. Her heart was hurting, these people may not have held a place in her heart as her own family once did, but she had visited here often enough she knew everyone.

    The gray sky moved silently overhead as she took in her surroundings. The wall, though far away, appeared to be untouched from what she could see. She noted the missing patrols, letting her eyes linger on the doors in hopes of seeing someone come outside. Her hope was for nothing. None ever came from any the guard doors.

    She let her attention shift towards the market stalls. The stalls also stood unattended, yet still full of the various products offered. The more she moved her eyes about the market, the more unsettled she became. This was one of the major outposts. It was like everyone had simply vanished mid-task. Bags of coin lay spilled throughout the square, baskets of goods littered about. It was similar to what she had seen inside the tavern. Everything was a mess. Everyone was gone.

    The livestock pens were all emptied, save for the blood and leftovers. Parts of the fencing were ripped apart. Pieces and splinters were scattered around. She knew then, that one of the tainted must have crawled over the wall in the absence of the guards. That could be the only reason she found no human remains. She knew she had to summon Morvigar. She could see bloody tracks from one of the tainted leading towards the back of the compound.

    She raised her hands, the blade on her left finger unfolding with precision as she pressed it into her thumb, letting the blood drip onto the ground. “Come back to reality, bitch,” she smirked as the smoke began to curl from the drops of blood. She pressed her thumb against her pants as she backed up a step or two. The smoke curled upward, the smell of sulfur burning her nose as it billowed defiantly towards the heavens. Xyra curled her nose, stepping back further from the summoning spell. Watching the smoke, she saw the ripples as he stepped through with a scowl. His shaggy black hair seemed to bounce as he walked through the smoke. The red and brown leather pauldrons contrasted against the V-neck tunic he wore. As usual, when he was relaxed, he leaned his glaive against his chest. His scorpion tail swayed absently as he entered the human realm. His electric-yellow eyes scanned the surroundings before landing on Xyra.

“What could you possibly need now? Another back scratch?”

She shrugged, “I wouldn’t turn it down.”

    His face, blank, merely faced her. Sighing, she explained the situation as he sat cross-legged on the ground, resting his chin on his hand as his scorpion tail swishing back and forth like an agitated cat. The sight of this sent her into laughter mid-explanation.

“What now?” He sighed, unsure if he wanted the answer. He had gathered enough from the fact that the usually bustling compound was deserted minus the bloody mess in the chicken coop beside them. He was glad she hadn’t summoned him in that mess.

She wiped the tears from her eyes, holding her ribs, “I can’t take you seriously with the agitated cat tail. What’s the matter kitty, are you upset?”

He stiffened, “I am not a damned cat and you know it. Now what is it you need?”

She shrugged, “Not my fault you’re acting like a cat. Everyone’s gone. I think a tainted got inside. My necklace has been going off since I woke up.”

“Wait just a minute now. You mean to tell me I was this close,” he held his index finger and thumb up, just barely apart for emphasis, “To being free of your inane personality?”

“Did I stutter?”

    He closed his eyes tightly, pinching the bridge of his nose as he took deep breaths. Being bound by pact to this human meant he could not just drop her into a volcano and be done with it. Though the thought of dropping her and letting her fall for a few seconds did sound appealing, he looked around trying to sense what he could. Although he could detect the tainted, it was faint. He could also detect faint traces of an ancient spell. One he shouldn’t ever have been able to detect again.

    She poked the tip of her blade against his exposed chest, the tip of the blade she always wore bringing forth a trickle of black blood, “Wanna share the thoughts zooming around up there or are you going for the brooding manticore demon beauty pageant?” He glared down at her bright violet eyes, noting the excitement she got over seeing him bleed. Some parts of the pact could be a good thing. Before his mind could wander, she pulled back, shaking off the demon blood from the blade.

“Seriously, I can’t go into this blind. What’s going on Morvigar?”

“I’m detecting a spell I haven’t seen in a very long time. The tainted is nearby, but I cannot pin down where. It might be that spell I detected interfering with my detection ability, or it’s another mutation of the tainted creatures. You haven’t found any other survivors?”

Xyra looked around, “Does it look like I’ve found anyone?”

    Morvigar kept quiet, knowing that if he kept bickering with her he would lose focus. The traces he could detect of the spell used should have been impossible. That man was dead with no one to inherit his knowledge. That spell had died with him. Had someone recreated it? How were they able to get so close to it? Something had to be different about it but what?

    He reached out, not physically, but with his ability to detect magics. He observed how the traces of the spell floated gently. Though invisible to the eye, his ability allowed him to feel how the particles left behind moved. He could sense no difference in how the spell was done comparatively. He did not understand. It had to be someone else, he himself had watched as the man who created this spell took his last breath. He was the one who had shoved his blade through his rib-cage. He was the one watching over the only relation, and this did not have their magic attached to it.

“You always get the same expression on your face when you use your detecting magic,” Xyra laughed, trying to hold herself together, but when his face dropped like that and he turned to look at her she couldn’t hold in the laughter anymore. “Let’s just get what we need to know and dip, this is not my problem. I was just passing through.”

“It might end up being all our problem in the end,” he said, “I’ve seen this spell before.”

“From where?”

“I can’t remember,” he shrugged.

    She narrowed her eyes, studying his obvious “there’s nothing here” face. He was just being an ass. Neither of them noticed the shimmering of her shadow. She waited as patiently as she could, considering that she had little to no patience in general. Mere seconds passed before she opened her mouth, “Well?”

He shrugged, “It’s from another demon, a rival so to say, that I killed a few years ago. Someone must have found some way to recreate it. I just don’t know how yet.”

“That’s odd, so is that how everyone just vanished or something?”

“Yes. It’s a harvesting spell. It absorbs the bodies and souls of people within range.”

“It’s a what?”

“A harvesting spell.”

“I’m sorry. Wait a minute. You’re telling me, that some psycho came in and was like ‘kerchow! You’re my snack now?”

“I guess that’s one way to put it.”

“Gross.”

“If you dislike eating souls, then I guess it would be gross.”

“Again. Gross.”

    She walked off, shaking her head. Demons were gross and that was that. “Let’s get out of here then,” she stated heading toward the front gate. Sometimes not having a specific place for a home worked to her benefit. While it was sad, what had happened to these people didn’t weigh on her as it might have others. She had no real emotional attachments to these buildings or the land. She had frequented the tavern enough to know those who existed in this space consistently, but she had no actual connections to this outpost. Seeing it all again, the dropped belongings, the scattered coins, she felt a kind of sorrow for the loss of it all.

    As they passed the tavern, the pulsing from her amulet momentarily increased though she could see no danger, or anything for that matter. She wondered if her amulet could have been what protected her from that spell Morvigar had mentioned detecting? She wanted, now, more than she had yesterday, to keep going north. She was tired of traveling this kingdom anyway, and if things like this were starting, then she felt it was time to move on before she got dragged into it.

    While Morvigar pushed the gates open for her, she took one last look at the outpost. How long would it take for a visitor to come along and find the destruction? Would any of the human mages be able to solve what had happened better than Morvigar had? She doubted that. Their detection spells were child’s play comparatively. No, they would probably just sell the buildings as quickly as they could. And if they couldn’t be sold? They’d probably just rot. She was glad she wouldn’t be coming back here. Seeing new people here would not sit right with her.

Noticing her thoughts were dragging her too far inward she looped her arm under and around Morvigar’s, “So, North then?”

“If that’s what you want,” He nodded, adjusting his arm so she could loop hers through more comfortably (for the both of them). 

As they walked away, the amulet began to settle down, though the unease in the pit of her gut lingered. What had it been protecting her from?

Side Quest: MyShelf Top 8

 

MyShelf Top 8

Introduction

I am not one of those people who will say they have a hard time picking their favorite books. Yes, I have read a lot over the years and I loved *almost* every single book I’ve put my hands on. But, there are eight books I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt are the best books in my personal library. Why 8? Two reasons. (1) Two of my other favorites I have not read in long enough I cannot fully remember every single detail, so this main list is focused on my favorites that I basically have memorized. (2) MySpace Top 8 vibes. I have read them multiple times. Any book friends I have will testify that they’ve heard me mention all of these titles no less than about 5 times. Hell, if you interacted with me online I’ve prob mentioned these books. There are just some books that stick with you.

Before we move on let’s talk about the honorable mentions that I still treasure even though I haven’t read them in a while. The first one was the first James Patterson book I ever read called Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas. My sister in law was awesome enough to get me a signed copy! It’s the only signed copy I have of any book ever. It’s a tragic love story. The second one is King Arthur inspired. It’s called Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell, and follows a young motherless girl. It’s formatted as if it’s an epic poem, and it’s beautifully put together and every little piece of it was put together with so much obvious love and detail.

I am not saying all other books are trash compared to the rest of my list. What I am saying is that each and every book on this list touched me in some way, shape or form. Not all of them are happy, some inspire deep thinking, and some spawn inspiration for my own writings. One of these books drives me as a writer. I have read it again and again, and loved it enough that I bought another copy on my kindle so I could carry it with me easier than my paperbacks. Let us know in the comments section or in the discord what ten books you would pick as your favorites. I’m talking books that stay with you, that you replay in your head at random moments during the day. These are the books I want to know about.

The List

[Book #8] - Breathless by Dean Koontz

• Quick Summary: Breathless is about new beginnings. The book is written as if its trying to almost gently let the story unfold. The way the mystery is presented fills you with curiosity instead of dread. It gives you wonder through animals with scenes that build the unknowing of the plot.

• Why It's on My List:

  • Grady, Merlin, and Camillia make an interesting trio. Henry Rouvroy is a madman, and I feel bad for Jim and his wife Nora. That’s a whole box of issues I don’t think we have time to unpack here. Ask about it in the discord or comments! Lamar Woolsey is an interesting side story. Tom Bigger. I’m unsure if he “received gods message” or if he’s just ‘different’. Marcus is a ghost.

  • Theme: I would say the biggest theme of Breathless is wonder at the unknown and not being afraid. There’s always some unseen part in every story, and I think Henry, Tom, and Lamar all hint at this.

  • The one thing that ticked me off about this book was the “lackluster” ending. The book just kind of comes to a stop. The threads between characters are left undisclosed. I have a love hate relationship with books that end like this. I enjoy making conspiracy theories about the story, it keeps us talking about the book in the long run. However. From a strictly reader POV: Dean Koontz. WRITE A SEQUEL. Still obsessed with the book though.

  • The writing style of Breathless is relaxed. It makes me feel confidence from the writer. He knows his story is unique, and let’s the words themselves do the talking. Words are powerful, after all. It was definitely a refreshing read. I was mentally engaged and curious without being on edge the whole time. Pacing wise the story just flows smoothly along without hitting any bumps.

• Who I Recommend It To: I’d recommend this book to people who love Eco-thrillers, but have high doses of anxiety over the world ending. This book is like dipping your toes into the topic/genre. It’s beautiful, intriguing, and curious. It’s also heavy on symbolism so anyone with a “loves literature” heart will soak this right up.

[Book #07] – Season of the Harvest by Michael R. Hicks

1. Quick Summary: Alien bugs, an FBI agent, and a clowder of cats walk into a bar. You can read that sentence again. Aliens, federal agents, and CATS. I love that cats get some love in this book in the most badass way possible. The trilogy is addictive, full of action, hints at romance, international conflicts, the risk of the entire planet literally depends on the main characters.

• Why It's on My List:

  • There are a lot of characters in this book so I’m just going to list the three personal favorites: Jack Dawson, Naomi Perrault, Agent Richards and Renee. Renee is my personal FAVORITE character in this book. She has brains, compassion, common sense, and unending sass. It’s beautiful. I love her. Girl crush.

  • The plot structure in regards to timing was put together well. It didn’t feel rushed, but you knew the stakes if they sat around doing nothing for days.

  • It was interesting reading about the seed banks in the book and then googling them. The book was well researched in my opinion, and you could see the time it took for them to piece every little plot point together. Honestly, the biggest theme that stands out to me for this book is being aware of what you eat, where it comes from, and how it’s grown. There’s also little hints of knowing who your politicians really are. There are many ways a nation can be brought down from the inside. This book will make you consider rethinking how you look into things in real life.

  • This book has snappy dialogue, intrigue, and a steady pace. It never feels rushed, every detail is intentional and purposeful. The twists are a mixture of “I called it” to “wait a ding dang minute now.” The characters don’t feel out of place, and they act consistently.

• Who I Recommend It To: If you’re into secret agents, spies, cover-ups and aliens. This book is literally made for you. If you like books with high stakes, steady action, and quirky one liners then read it.

[Book #06] – Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel

• Quick Summary: This book follows Ayla, a young orphan during ancient times when people were just evolving. There is a distinct difference in different species referred to as “The Clan” and the “Others.” Ayla is one of the others than the clan takes in, trying to teach their ways to her. This book is graphic and contains triggering moments. It discusses various topics from survival to rape. In total, its a story of a girl finding her place and her people in an unforgiving world of death.

• Why It's on My List:

  • I connected with so many characters throughout the book. The side characters are just as well done as the main characters. This series has a lot of depth. Ayla is a strong-willed woman who, slowly gains her confidence, finds herself, and survives (although sometimes it feels like she is just barely surviving for a while there). Brun, the leader of a tribe of clansmen who take Ayla in, is firm in tradition but finds himself veering away from “what he should be doing.” Iza is beautiful, caring, wise, and cunning woman. She gives Ayla the absolute best advantage she possibly could have. Creb is a complicated character, but is a good man. Broud? Fuck him. Enough said. If you don’t hate Broud after reading this book, then you’re not human. I will die on this hill, fight me. Broud is one of the WORST characters I have read about.

  • There are many overlapping themes in this series. It touches on survival, death, perseverance, love, heartbreak, endurance, and so much more. You will be on a roller coaster of emotions through every page, each installment of the series, and when you reach the last page? You’ll want to read it again. I know I did and have several times since.

  • Honestly, this was a book I picked up purely from suggestion (you know who you are, thank you, bless you, this was a wonderful read I have read countless times). What connected me to this book was Ayla. I was able to connect with her on so many levels. Her grief, her drive. Just, all of her. I love this character, there’s no way you won’t.

  • How do I explain this writing style? It’s like if Kristen Britain merged with James Patterson. Its art. The prose is on point. Emotions are pulled out of the reader with such force that the reader has no choice but to feel them. Rhythm is consistent throughout the book, the characters feel 3D so to say. The writing is purposeful and executed beautifully. Overall this book is very immersive.

• Who I Recommend It To:

  • If you love long stories that feel like an epic fantasy without magic complicating it, then you will love this book. There’s no goblins, no dragons, but there are people struggling against the very land they live on. They travel great distances, similar to a nomadic lifestyle. Its real. It’s compelling. It’s emotional. It’s deep. The threads that are woven into the overall story appear seamlessly.

[Book #05] – Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

• Quick Summary: I feel like everyone knows the general story of this book by now. If you don’t then you’ve been avoiding society in general for too long, how even did you get here? Are you OK? Crazy dude makes a crazy dinosaur experiment and chaos happens because humans can’t control dinosaurs. Tada, there’s the whole story. So why should you read it? The movie tells the story already, whats the point? First off, the movie tells a half-ass copy of the actual story. (I need to clarify that while I’m sitting here hating on the movies, I own every single one of them.) You know how you hear about books and movies being different, right? That’s more true than you realize. Read this book, and you’ll see what I mean. The movies changed everything. It really feels like the movie is more of a fan-fic of the book, than the story itself.

• Why It's on My List:

  • Everyone knows the characters. But what if I told you that the movie did a gender swap on two of the characters? Yup. You heard that right. Remember the kids Tim and Lex? They’re not the same in the book. Their experience on the island is not what the movies tell us.

  • The obvious (and semi-viral) thought on the theme of this book is this: don’t do what they did. Hammond in the movie looks like just an eccentric old man with crazy dreams he doesn’t think through fully. Hammond in the book is fucking nuts, delusional, and cruel without care or concern.

  • I didn’t read this book until within the last like, I think two-ish years? Maybe three? I’m not a clock. Point is, I rode the train of fans from the movie until I got knocked off and found the book. (Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy the movies. Again, I own all of them. Park and World. And the Netflix show Camp Cretaceous is actually decent. I love the easter eggs in the Netflix show that reference the book, it just makes me unusually happy.)

  • The prose of this book is intentional. It builds anxiety, suspense, fear, and a general feeling of unease once it gets deeper into the plot. The plot forces you to look at the big picture and introduces an element of mystery/suspense with some parts.

• Who I Recommend It To: The movies have become so big, I would honestly just recommend it to anyone who loves the movies. If you have watched all of the movies and not read the book, you need to hop on it with a quickness. This book is absolutely gripping, and a much bigger plot than the movies say.

[Book #04] – Zoo by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

• Quick Summary: Another Eco-thriller (I might have a type). This one is the threat / actuality of an animal revolution where people are suddenly thrust to the bottom of the food chain. Set in the modern world, we become witnesses to its downfall and how the survivors are barely able to survive. Governments refuse to listen until its too late. Families are torn apart. The world becomes a blood bath.

• Why It's on My List:

  • Jackson Oz has everything a crackpot scientist needs: a threat no one believes, and nothing to support him in the beginning.

  • I would say the central theme of this entire story is how the general population refuses to believe scientific proof until its literally too late. Its just another guy “fear mongering” until what he says comes to light.

  • This book was a ride. It’s action packed, suspenseful, and intellectually stimulating. The science mentioned in the book is done beautifully and doesn’t seem to overload the readers with it just being scientific facts simply copied and pasted. The science is directly linked and explained in detail to give the readers an understanding while not giving them the full puzzle pieces.

  • The prose for this book is stimulating. From the dialogue between characters to the events that they must go through. Everything has a purpose. It emphasizes that even science doesn’t always have the answers, but it might just have the best approach.

• Who I Recommend It To:

  • Anyone who is as obsessed with Eco-thrillers as me will enjoy this book. It’s Jurassic park meets jaws on land.

[Book #03] – Dark Matter by Michelle Paver

• Quick Summary: Jack Miller’s journal is the only thing left to tell the story of what happened on an arctic expedition to Gruhuken. It uncovers what lurks in the endless night. This is a book that has the power to make you question life itself, and what comes after. It’s deep. It’s emotional. Its unsettling. And I love it.

• Why It's on My List:

  • Jack Miller is a deranged man searching for his brain, or he is a depressed man trapped at the bottom of life who didn’t ask for this to happen to him. It really could be read either way.

  • I would say the theme of this book is this: things that lie just under the surface are sometimes the most dangerous things. The supernatural world may or may not exist in reality, but in this book they are the representation of life itself and what comes after.

  • This book truly left it’s mark on my soul. It’s thought provoking and intense. (Even if it might give me a bit of anxiety when I start to think on what it’s implications could mean.)

  • The writing style for this book is in journal format. We read various entries from Jack Miller before, during, and after his expedition. We only see his viewpoint and are left to come up with explanations on our own. It’s consistently in Jack’s voice, varying in depth depending on the entry.

• Who I Recommend It To:

  • If you like ghost stories, the human psyche, and seeing how life can mark you even in the afterlife, then this book is written for you.

[Book #02] – Depravity by M.J. Haag

• Quick Summary: This book doesn’t seem like it fits with the rest of my list because this is a beauty and the beast retelling. It’s got curses, evil witches, riddles, and a love story that is neither slow burn or a whirlwind romance. It’s complicated, just like the bond between the beauty and the beast.

• Why It's on My List:

  • Benella is as stubborn and independent as a badger. She’s book smart, but life dumb. She learns, don’t worry. She’s not perfect. None of the characters in this book are! They all have flaws that get exploited or exposed. The beast? He’s moody, sexual, spoiled, and also stubborn. Both of them are stubborn. Do you know how frustrating it gets watching them interact? Sometimes I wanted to reach into the book and slap the both of them.

  • Themes in the book are very obviously directed at corruption. It even touches on the fact that people who just let corruption slide by are just as bad as the ones doing the immoral deeds. It touches on this topic through VARIOUS and MULTIPLE characters throughout the book. Hell the opening scene leads to the discovery of one of these instances.

  • This book is the best beauty and the best retelling I have personally read. It has depth. It lets us enjoy the world and the characters. There’s growth and development for most, but definitely not all, characters. Karma sorta exists. Some characters face the consequences of their actions. Some learn nothing.

  • This book has a very personal feel to it. Maybe its the first person narration from Benella. This book gets very personal with the main character. We have access to her thoughts and feelings as she learns and grows. Watching her develop throughout the book just warmed my heart.

• Who I Recommend It To:

  • This book is hands down for anyone who is head over heels with beauty and the beast. However, I think if you enjoy fairy-tale retelling stories in general then you should add this to you TBR. (She also wrote a Cinderella retelling if you’re curious about that one!) If you’ve ever read Chanda Hahn’s series An Unfortunate Fairy Tale then Depravity is the ideal book for you.

[Book #01] – Green Rider by Kristen Britain (1^st in the Green Rider Series)

• Quick Summary: This is an epic fantasy series about a young woman who is thrust into the middle of a magical conflict with absolutely zero magical knowledge. This starts off a chain of events that puts her beloved kingdom at risk. She is a patriot, she is independent, she is stubborn, she is committed. She started off her journey accidentally, and as she realized the stakes she was up against she locked in and went hard. Throughout the book Karigan not only discovers herself, she discovers what she was meant to do. She discovers love, she discovers compassion greater than what she knew. She discovers determination, never wavering on her path (even though mentally she struggles with it). This book embodies what an action adventure book should be. And it’s world building? Chef’s kiss. It’s glorious. It’s heartfelt and moving, you’ll find yourself quickly invested in the plot and the characters.

• Why It's on My List: This book did not make the number one spot without a reason. This is my favorite book of all time. This book is what inspires me to improve my writing. This book connected with me in a way that no other book has even come close to (and I feel very deeply about all of these books on this list).

  • Karigan is a stubborn asshat you can’t help but love because she feels everything so deeply. She’s loyal, and proves it on a multitude of occasions. She earns her place a lot quicker than she believes she does. She’s reliable and hard-working, always trying her best at everything she does. I have to be careful talking about this book, I would end up just rambling about every scene, every character, every setting, and every event.

  • The theme to this book is believing in yourself. Things are hard, but as long as you dig within yourself you can and will find the strength to keep fighting. That’s just human nature. This book emphasizes that.

  • I first read this book in high school. I have since bought it in both physical copies and e-books as well as in the process of buying audio books for each book. I cannot tell you how many times I have read and/or listened to this book. I need to write? It’s my inspiration. I want to read? There it is like a comforting hug to wrap around me. There has not been a single reading I have done of this book where I did not experience every emotion like it was the first time reading it. This book is magical. Am I biased? Maybe, but once you read it you’ll see why.

  • I get Tolkien or Robert Jordan vibes from this book. The narration of this book of a masterpiece. If I had the brain power to come up with an appropriate rating for this book I would in a heartbeat. Masterpiece doesn’t even do it justice. It gives us epic fantasy lovers all the scenic details we want but doesn’t become a never ending page after page drone about what color every leaf is. We are able to appreciate and love her kingdom just as much as she does. The character growth throughout the story, though? She makes mistakes, she learns, adapts, and overcomes because of her training. Her love and loyalty for her friends is heart-felt and true. There will never be a time I will not be head over heels in love with this book, it is truly eternal. If the author ever sees this I hope you are aware of how much this series means to its readers.

• Who I Recommend It To:

  • I recommend this book to a specific portion of humanity: all of it. Anyone. If you love reading you will see the beauty in the book within the first page, and on every page that follows.

Conclusion:

Every single one of these eight books have touched my very soul. Is that dramatic? Yup. Is it true? Yup. If you’re a reader (and I’m guessing you are since you’re reading this) then you get it. While I generally enjoy almost any book, there truly is a difference in how a book can feel like it changes some part of you. It’s almost like it becomes a part of you. If I were to ever loose any of these books, I would legitimately cry. (More so over green rider than any other here. But im a bit obsessed so don’t mind me.)

I hope this list helped you discover your next read, or maybe inspired you to pick up the book that’s marked your soul the most to read it again. Let us know either in the comments, or in discord what that book is for you! I’d love to know so I can read it! Thanks for sticking with me through all these books, I hope you enjoyed the post! See you on the next path. <3