Reading Recommendations for 2015

If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time (or tools) to write. Simple as that. — Stephen King

I think all good authors are devourers of books, after all, it’s difficult to be a successful candy-maker if you hate candy. As March comes to a close I thought I’d reflect on the books I’ve read so far in 2015 and share some of my favorite quotes from a few of them.

Here’s what I’ve been reading in 2015

(listed in the order in which I finished reading them):

1. The Fall by Guillermo Toro & Chuck Hogan

2. Pressure by Jeff Strand

1. Green by Ted Dekker

2. The Turtle Boy by Kealan Patrick Burke

3. Utopia by Thomas More

4. Snowblind by Michael McBride

5. The Hollows by Barry Napier

6. The Hides by Kealan Patrick Burke

7. The Picture Frame by Iain Robb Wright

8. Firefight by Brandon Sanderson

9. Wastelands edited by John Joseph Adams

10. Revival by Stephen King

11. Bound by Barry Napier

1. The Walk by Lee Goldberg

2. Wreckage by Emily Bleeker

3. Unpaved Surfaces by Joseph Souza

4. The Woods by Harlan Coben

5. Pitbulls vs Aliens by Neal Wooten

6. The Game Master by William Bernhardt

7. Cruel World by Joe Hart

A lot of new authors for me, in this group of books, some well known, others less so. I’m almost ashamed to admit this was my first book of Harlan Coben’s. I will definitely be reading more of his work. Lee Goldberg, Jeff Strand and Kealan Patrick Burke were also new and fantastic finds in my little world. Then there’s the authors I was introduced to through the KindleScout program: William Bernhardt, Neal Wooten and Joseph Souza, all three novels ones I highly recommend.

So what was my favorite novel so far of 2015?

No, not Stephen King (though he’s usually on that list).

Wastelands, a compilation of Apocalyptic Short Stories, redefined that genre for me. Included in this book were some of the best short stories I’ve read, and I’m a connoisseur of short stories.

Typically, in a compilation like this, there are a few good stories and a lot of bland pages you have to scan through. This was quite the opposite. I think in total there may have been two stories that weren’t extraordinary. Definitely worth the $6.99 price tag.

Below are a few quotes from this fantastic compilation and keep in mind the common theme of post-apocalyptic worlds:

“We were just so busy then. Very busy. I wish I could remember. But I can’t. What we were busy with.”“‘The turnings of history is never directed by crowds,’ he said. ‘Nor by the cautious. Always, it is the lone captain that sets the course.'”“Besides, the paper pushers refuse to let the world end until every form is turned in, timestamped and properly initialed. Apocalypse is the last gasp of bureaucracy.” “To do the wrong thing, she has decided, is better than to do nothing.”“‘What’s in these tacos?’ a customer asked Del. ‘Nobody you know, mister,’ Del said.”“We don’t need the destruction of entire cities to know what it’s like to survive a catastrophe. Whenever we lose someone we love deeply we experience the end of the world as we know it. The central idea of the story is not that the apocalypse is coming, but that it’s coming for you. And there’s nothing you can do about it.”“Thirty thousand people died. Every single one of them had a name.”

There are so many others that I could add to this list but needless to say it’s worth checking out. What has been your favorite novel of the year so far? What do I need to sink my teeth into?!? I’d love to hear any recommendations you might have.

And if you haven’t had a chance yet (WARNING: Self-promotion taking place), check out my novel, Housebroken, which is garnering some fantastic reviews.  Here’s to more good books in 2015!!

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