Books: Perfect Picks For Science Fiction and Fantasy Readers

They say that romance books are the bestselling genre. But sci-fi and fantasy books don't seem to do too bad when it comes to sales. If I were to choose, I would go with fantasy over sci-fi. But I'm not the one choosing. You are! So here are a few picks recommended by a professional reviewer and moi! Maybe you'll see something that interests you.

10 Children's Books Everyone Should Read

Meet Shaloo Walia, vlogger and book enthusiast. I am subscribed to her channel and you should be too. She shares her reviews and recommendations for books to add to your reading list.  I personally enjoy her videos about children's books, but she shares suggestions for a wide range of books, for children and adults.

Here are her 10 Children's Books EVERYONE Should Read

Check to see if Shaloo's suggestions are audio books available at Audible, an Amazon Company:  Books for Children

Book Suggestions for Those Who Love to Read Ghost Stories

Do you love to read ghost stories?  

If so you might appreciate these suggestions.

PETER ACKROYD

Peter Ackroyd is an award-winning writer. He’s a poet, a biographer, a historian, and a mystery writer. He is prolific.  He even writes ghost stories!  The English Ghost: Spectres Through Time is one of his most popular writings.

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CHARLES DICKENS

Almost everyone knows "A Christmas Carol" is the most famous ghost story written by Charles Dickens. But did you know he wrote lots of other ghost stories?

"Throughout his literary career, he wrote more than two dozen ghost stories, many of which appearing as smaller tales tucked into larger novels, including The Pickwick Papers, Bleak House, and Nicholas Nickleby."  (Source)

The publishers of Oldstyle Tales Press describe their blog as "The Classic Horror Blog".  They published a list of "7 Best Ghost Stories by Charles Dickens (Not Including 'A Christmas Carol')".  But none on this list were buried inside another story.  There is one Dickens' tale that is credited with inspiring Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart.

• Charles Dickens Was a 'Fascinated Skeptic' of the Supernatural | Smart News| Smithsonian Magazine
• Complete Ghost Stories of Charles Dickens (Wordsworth Classics)

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SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is beloved for his the fictional sleuth he crested, Sherlock Holmes. But he also published ghost stories. Much like Dickens he had a fascination with the paranormal or supernatural.  Unlike Dickens he is recognized by many as "the writer of one of English literature's best ghost stories".  He has even written "true" ghost stories, i.e. "supernatural non-fiction by Arthur Conan Doyle: "The Ghost of The Moat" & "A London Ghost".

The Midnight Reading: Two (Tru - Fireside Mystery Theatre - Apple Podcasts

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Read these ghost stories any time/ Don't wait for Halloween.

Books: "The Man Who Planted Trees" by Jean Giono

Searching for inspiration?  "The Man Who Planted Trees" by Jean Giono is a beautiful and inspiring tale about a man who single-handedly transforms a barren landscape through his dedication to planting trees.  It is a "timeless eco-fable about what one person can do to restore the earth."

Story Summary:

Set in the early 20th century in the desolate and barren region of the French Alps. The narrator, who is on a walking tour, meets a shepherd named Elzéard Bouffier in a remote and lifeless valley.

Elzéard Bouffier is an elderly man who lives alone with his sheep and his dog. Despite the challenging and isolated life, he is determined to bring life back to the land. He starts by planting acorns, and over the years, he tirelessly plants thousands of trees. He tends to them with care and devotion, and as a result, a lush forest begins to grow.

The transformation of the landscape is nothing short of miraculous. The once-barren valley becomes a haven of greenery, wildlife returns, and the water sources flow again. The forest that Elzéard Bouffier has created is not just a symbol of nature's resilience, but a testament to the power of one person's dedication and commitment to a cause.

The narrator, deeply moved by Elzéard Bouffier's selfless work, visits him again several times over the years. He realizes that the shepherd's actions are not driven by any environmental movement or ideology but by a simple desire to make the land more beautiful for future generations.

The story ends with the narrator visiting the valley again many years later, during World War II. He is amazed to find the forest untouched and thriving, despite the destruction of the war. Elzéard Bouffier's legacy lives on through the forest he planted, a testament to the idea that individual actions can have a profound and lasting impact on the environment.

"The Man Who Planted Trees" is a heartwarming and inspirational novella with two (2) clear takeaways:

1. the importance of conservation, perseverance, and saving planet earth; and 
2. the positive impact one person can have on the world, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges.

(Content written with the help of the ChatGPT AI tool.)

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LINKS OF INTEREST:

• The Olive Tree has been highly regarded since ancient times ...
• Home and Garden: Sharing My Fascination With Bonsai Trees
• Mother Africa : Trees of Africa : Baobab Tree

Books: Sidney Sheldon, American Writer ~ Master of Suspense

Sidney Sheldon (1917 – 2007) is an American novelist who earned a reputation as a master of suspense. Crime fiction thrillers were his specialty.

If you enjoy binge-reading, you should set a goal to read several Sidney Sheldon novels. Check out these recommendations by vlogger, Shaloo Walia: Top 7 Sidney Sheldon Books. 

If you would like my recommendation on where to begin, start with his novel Master of the Game (published 1982) and follow it with If Tomorrow Comes (published 1985).

“The future was clay, to be moulded day by day, but the past was bedrock, immutable.” ― Master of the Game

“My ancestors survived famine and plagues and floods, and I’m going to survive this.” ― If Tomorrow Comes

The books will either whet your appetite or disappoint you. If you enjoyed reading them, then go anywhere from there. Choose from 18 novels.

• Link of Interest: Books by Sidney Sheldon and Complete Book Reviews | Publishers Weekly

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About Sidney Sheldon

At age 10, Sidney Sheldon wrote a poem and sold it for $10. He sold a screenplay called "South of Panama" to Universal Pictures for $250 in 1941. He lived through the Depression working various jobs while attending Northwestern University. He served in the US military during World War II. No matter what life's circumstances he was always writing. Mr. Sheldon was in the writing game for decades. His first novel was published in 1969/1970(?). But before and after that, he also wrote Broadway plays, books for children, scripts for films and television shows, and more. He was the recipient of several writing awards and is internationally known. Believe it or not, he even has a few English-speaking readers in North Korea. Several of his books were adapted to film.

Mr. Sheldon passed away at age 89 in 2007 (complications from pneumonia). If you want to know a little more about his character or personality you will probably enjoy this intereview published via Digital Journal ~ 'I find women more fascinating than men' - Sidney Sheldon Interview.; and this interesting bio snapshot published via IMDb ~ Sidney Sheldon Biography.

For Your Reading List: The Acacia Trilogy

American novelist, David Anthony Durham is the author of a trilogy, which is an epic fantasy; and the name he chose for the empire in this mythical land built on conquest, slaves, and the drug trade is called Acacia. Even though the name of this writer did not have a familiar ring for me, it so happens his novels have been translated into eight foreign languages, he is the recipient of ALA awards (American Library Association), and has had his books recognized as New York Times Notable Books.

• In Acacia: The Acacia Trilogy, Book One – Leodan Akaran, ruler of the Known World, dies, but not before ensuring the safety of his beloved children, in order that they might pursue their own destinies. Against their will, the siblings become separated and must learn to survive on their own, forging their own paths.
• And of course, The Other Lands: The Acacia Trilogy, Book Two, is a tale of their travels to other lands, which are tantamount to eye-opening and amazing discoveries of new worlds, even though it was never their plan to set out on a mission of exploration. Yes, yes, yes! There is an evil wicked Queen.
• Finally, the fate of the siblings is known.  The Sacred Band: The Acacia Trilogy, Book Three is _________. THE END.

Hey!  I’m not gonna give away the ending!  LOL.

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Content has been republished from Virily.com.

The Acacia Trilogy by David Anthony Durham
* Acacia, Book 1 ~ https://t.co/5WlyCAxAiI
* The Other Lands, Book 2 ~ https://t.co/jgx3GFXh1l
* The Sacred Band, Book Three ~ https://t.co/RelqyakYAE#trilogy #books #booklovers pic.twitter.com/dr0TCRtWbc

— My Shopping Channel (@goshoppingbees) November 19, 2018

Four (4) Authors of Books Recommended for Juvenile and Young Adults

At one time I wanted to write children's books. But that aspiration was never achieved. In the process of trying to learn how to write books for children, I developed a guilty pleasure. I started reading books for children. There are four (4) authors who writes books for juvenile and young adults. There is no reason why old adults can't enjoy reading their books too.

Madeleine L'Engle ( 1918-2007)

The late Madeleine L'Engle (born in New York City) established herself as a young adult writer. Her last book, The Joys of Love, was published in 2008, posthumously. But I will always remember her for her book A Wrinkle in Time, published 1962. Like Ms. Paterson's book, Ms. L'Engle's book was also turned into a movie . Per Anita Silvey's Children's Book-A-Day Almanac: "On March 12, 1963, the New York Times wrote 'A housewife and an artist today won the nation's top awards for the most distinguished children's book published in 1962.' This statement doesn't even hint at the truth-that the most courageous committee in the history of the Newbery and Caldecott Awards had just announced its results. [...]" There is only one thing that puzzled me about this book. Why wasn't this book listed as "required reading" in my school curriculum? That was then. Perhaps it's different now, as my teenage daughter has Ms. L'Engle's book on her desk, along with other books that were required reading during my school days. Books like: Harper Lee's, To Kill a Mockingbird; George Orwell's, Animal Farm; Charles Dickens', Great Expectations, and Nathaniel Hawthorne's, The Scarlet Letter. Madeleine L'Engle's, A Wrinkle in Time has earned a place among them.

Katherine Paterson (1932 -)

Katherine Paterson (born in Huai'an, China) is another writer of books for young readers who may now be well known because of the movie Bridge to Terabithia , which was based on her book by the same name. I know Ms. Paterson because of her book "Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom", a tale about a secret God-worshipping group and the Taiping Rebellion,set in 1851 in China. Ms. Paterson was born in 1932 in China to missionary parents and was a teacher and a missionary in Japan. No doubt this background was integral to the writing of this piece of historical fiction. Oprah recommends her!

Laurence Yep (1948 -)

Laurence Yep (born in San Francisco, California) holds the reputation as the premier Chinese-American writer. He is best known for his book Dragonwings . Dragonwings is the first in a series of nine books collectively called the Golden Mountain Chronicles . It is a fictional work that combines the historical event of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the experience of Chinese immigrants in California and a flying machine. I'm sure that unique mix sounds intriguing and you want to know more.

JaneYolen (1939 - )

I stumbled upon Jane Yolen (born in New York City), in the juvenile section of the library, when I was trying to get ideas for subjects to write about. To date, Ms. Yolen has authored 300 children's and fantasy/sci-fi books. In addition, she has written thousands of poems and short stories. Ms. Yolen has been called, "the Hans Christian Andersen of America" by Newsweek; and the "modern equivalent of Aesop" by The New York Times. It is very difficult to pick a favorite from her writings, because every time I read one of her works, it easily makes it to the list of "Favorites". I love reading Ms. Yolen's fantasy writing. According to Fantastic Fiction Limited, a UK based website, which provides bibliographies for over 30,000 authors of fiction, "Jane Yolen is one of the acknowledged masters of fantasy today."

Books written for young adults are often a very quick read (less than 300 pages). You should try it. Select any of the books by the authors profiled above. If you would like more suggestions, check Al's Book Club for Kids or the Kids' Reading List published by Oprah Winfrey. Or, if you have an opportunity to go to your local public library, consult the librarian for advice. Go ahead and indulge your inner child.

“A book, too, can be a star, “explosive material, capable of stirring up fresh life endlessly,” a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe.”

~ Madeleine L'Engle, "A Wrinkle in Time"

“Houses don’t mean much. It’s the people inside them that are important, ...”

~ Laurence Yep, "Dragonwings"

“Under Heaven all men are brothers....”

~ Katherine Paterson, "Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom"

“The thing I want to know is, if you tell your brain not to do stuff... and it keeps doing it anyway, does that mean your mind has a mind of its own? And if it does, then who's in charge here, anyway?”

― Jane Yolen & Bruce Coville, "Armageddon Summer"

♦ ♦ ♦ REFERENCES:

Paterson, Katherine. Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1983. Print.

L'Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1962. Print.

"Jane Yolen." Fantastic Fiction. Web. 27 Apr 2011.

"Al's Book Club for Kids.", TODAY.com: Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, Ann Curry, Al Roker, Natalie Morales, TODAY Show Video, News, Recipes, Health, Pets. Web. 27 Apr 2011.

"Kids' Reading List - Oprah.com." Oprah Winfrey's Official Website - Live Your Best Life - Oprah.com. Web. 27 Apr 2011.

"Author Katherine Paterson After Bridge to Terabithia - Oprah.com."Oprah Winfrey's Official Website - Live Your Best Life - Oprah.com. Web. 27 Apr. 2011.

"FIND A BOOK: L'ENGLE, MADELEINE." Anita Silvey's Children's Book-A-Day Almanac. Web. 27 Apr 2011.

Book Lovers ~ An Assortment of Books to Add to Your Reading List

Once stayed in a temporary residence when my family was being relocated from one state to another.  We stayed in this house for a few months until we found our permanent home.  What a memory! 

This house was right out a dream home magazine.  My favorite room in this house was the office/library.  Public libraries have always been one of my favorite places.  But I had never lived in a house that was big enough to have my own personal library where I could retreat to and shut off the rest of the world.  

If you had your personal library, what kinds of books would be on your bookshelves?  Here are some of the books you might find in my library.


♦ Picture Books for Children (or for grown-ups who never grow up)

• "The Eagles Are Back" : Jean Craighead George tells the story of how the American bald eagle was saved from extinction.
• "Annie and the Old One" : Written by Miska Miles.  It is an introduction to the customs and traditions of  the Navajo people and touches upon a very sensitive subject for children: explaining the death of a loved one.
• "The Emperor and the Kite":  Jane Yolen tells the tale of a young child who saved a kingdom all because she knew how to fly a kite.  So the next time someone says to you "Go fly a kite!", just imagine yourself on a secret mission saving an empire.

♦ Hot and exciting reads. Suspense Thrillers or Romance.

• FC Etier Writes Political Thrillers : "The Tourist Killer" was FC Etier's first novel; followed up by "The Presidents Club". Two novels written for those who enjoy a web of conspiracy and intrigue with lots of political overtones.
• Two Thrillers and One Romance : Just the titles of these books should tempt you. "Power Of Persuasion"; "Trusting Evil"; and "All the Beautiful Sinners".  Which one do you think is the romance?  :)
• Irresistible Historical Romance Novels : “A Rose in Winter” and “Shanna”  ~ Both books authored by the late Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, the lady who pioneered the historical romance genre and should be credited with it being one of the most popular book genres, based on book sales in the USA.

♦ History or Mystery.

• Dickens Junction Mystery Series : Love Charles Dickens and murder mysteries? Perfect!
• The Roman Mysteries by Caroline Lawrence : History and mystery set in the ancient Roman empire, written to encourage children to learn history but adults will equally be fascinated.
• Book Selections From the Vintage Series : Choose from reading about the American Civil War to life in 1930s Bombay.

♦ Science Fiction or Fantasy.

• Books by Kev Heritage, S. M. Reine and other popular authors in the sci-fi genre
• Gifts for the Tolkien Enthusiast - Can't say the word fantasy and not mention Tolkien.

♦ Inspiring Biographies.

♥ ♥ ♥ 

Now that you've picked your book (or books), 

settle down for some good reading!  :)

Also published at partner blog.

2 Books About God That Make You Think

Two books suggested for those who are seeking truth, who are philosophers, who are religious, who are atheists, or who just like to read good books.

BOOK  1: The Signature of God

This book tries to convince the reader that God is the author of the Bible. The author, Grant R. Jeffrey (1948 – 2012), did research and presented his findings.

BOOK  2: The Existence of God

Three decades earlier, before Jeffrey's book was published, two other men, John Hick (1922 - 2012) and Paul Edwards(1923 - 2004) , presented the results of their research regarding "The Existence of God".