2/27/2018

Welcome to The Writers’ Dozen Top 5 Reads Blog Hop. I’ve been a member of this fabulous writing group for 14 years. We’re an eclectic bunch of writers penning novels across a diverse range of genres including crime, women’s fiction, rural romance, romantic comedy, chic lit, historical fiction, literary fiction and short stories. This year we’ve decided to join forces and do some blog hops so readers can see what we’re all about, starting with our Top 5 Reads (so far) for 2018.

When we were on a writing retreat in January my writers group and I decided to share your favourite books for 2018 so far, we’ll be doing a quarterly blog post so make sure you come back to see what else.

We’d love to hear about what books you’ve been enjoying so don’t forget to leave your comments and recommendations.

My five favourite reads

1. Two Minute Exercises
​I am aware this is not fiction but this book has been amazing for me. I sit at my day job, I sit to write and I have a bad neck so I need to move but I’m time poor. I’ve been doing these at work, between writing sessions and before and after work. I don’t look like a super-model but I feel better for doing them. There is even a set of 2 minute exercises you can do while reading in bed. What’s not to love?

I’ve done quite a few of the exercises and if I do two or three sets a day I definitely do feel better. I haven’t tried any of the recipes or meditations yet but I will I promise.

2. Diamonds and Dirt Roads by Erin Nicholas
I’m a big Erin Nicholas fan, I especially love her Sapphire Falls series and I think at this point I’ve read most of her romance books. This is the first book in a new series and so naturally I had to give it a go. I really enjoyed it while I was reading it and I will definitely read the next book in the series. It’s not a book that stayed with me, I haven’t thought a lot about it or the characters – three billionaire sisters who must all move to a small-town and fulfill the terms of their father’s will in order for any or them to inherit – but I read it in one sitting staying up until well after midnight to do so which makes it a good book in my eyes.

3. Complicated, Kristin Ashley
The first thing I loved about this book was the cover. I hadn’t read anything by this author before. I was heading off for a few days on a boat and I needed to load my kindle. I like to read romantic comedy but now every romance adds this tag, whether its funny or not, and they range from inspirational to erotica so its hard to find what you want as a reader (and get found as an author). So a cover that didn’t have a bare chested man drew my attention. (Side not these covers seem to be a new direction for the author – I would never have even glanced at her old ones so that’s always interesting to me) Now there bits of this book I didn’t love (there’s a lot of sex and I’s not behind closed doors so be warned) but I really liked the characters and I liked it enough to download another of her books.

4. 5 Ingredient Meals Jamie Oliver
I’m not going to lie I watch cooking shows to relax. I’m a pretty good cook and I find cooking to be both meditative and creative. (Not every night by the way, I am also very happy when my husband makes dinner). We also made a decision about five years ago that we wouldn’t eat take-out so I like to have a few quick and easy meals up my sleeve. My daughter gave me this book for Christmas because she knew I wanted it. I’ve made a few things already and I don’t always stick to the recipe because sometimes you just want something extra but the few things we’ve made have been tasty and with the day job and the writing fast food is good food.

5. Mastering Amazon Ads by Brian D Meeks
I’ve been in this writing business for a while now and if anything tips me over the edge it won’t be the deadlines or the story ideas of writers block, it will be all the technology I need to master to promote my books. Amazon advertising is the latest thing I’m working to get my mind around and this book is not for creative types like me. At work I joke with my colleagues that I’d rather we put our plans in mind maps and Venn diagrams not excel spreadsheets and this book is very data driven so we’re not in my comfort zone here. However, at the half way point I’m finding it super helpful so I will persist because everyone who has read it says it is a game changer.

Want to see what the other members of the Writer’s Dozen have been reading? Stop by their blogs.

Laura Boon
Rae Cairns
Pamela Cook
​Terri Green
​Angella Whtton

Let me know what your favourite reads are?