Why am I passionate about this?

Each book has its own story to tell, so there is not one particular book I love. Reading books that aren't my usual reads is something I enjoy doing. You may enjoy the following books, which I have listed. It made me think differently than I usually do, and as with most books I read, it will enhance your writing. Throughout my childhood, I always enjoyed reading to escape reality and get lost in a world of fantasy. As a result, I began writing science fiction that resembles me that is getting away.


I wrote

The Question: Do Some Things Just Happen?

By Greg Siofer,

Book cover of The Question: Do Some Things Just Happen?

What is my book about?

Greg Siofer, award-winning author of the autobiographical Getting Out: My Story Plus The Exercises And Experience I Learned That Can…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Dune

Greg Siofer Why did I love this book?

This type of book is not usually my go-to, but I am always up for expanding my horizons.

For this type of genre, I worry about getting lost in all the different worlds and species. My interest was not lost too much in this book. The pages of this book flew by despite the intimidating thickness. 

It would have been nice if the planet of Dune had been described a bit more thoroughly so that I could get a better sense of what this world is like.

Initially, Paul was dull, but as his coming-of-age story developed, he became more interesting and likable. It’s clear that his mother has a lot of strength and cleverness. 

The fight scenes in this novel were thrilling and action-packed. Even the story contained some humour, which I liked.

I found this book to be multifaceted and teeming with meaning. I am glad I didn’t get disappointed.

By Frank Herbert,

Why should I read it?

61 authors picked Dune as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Before The Matrix, before Star Wars, before Ender's Game and Neuromancer, there was Dune: winner of the prestigious Hugo and Nebula awards, and widely considered one of the greatest science fiction novels ever written.

Melange, or 'spice', is the most valuable - and rarest - element in the universe; a drug that does everything from increasing a person's lifespan to making interstellar travel possible. And it can only be found on a single planet: the inhospitable desert world of Arrakis.

Whoever controls Arrakis controls the spice. And whoever controls the spice controls the universe.

When the Emperor transfers stewardship of…


Book cover of Wild Seed

Greg Siofer Why did I love this book?

A recommendation led me to buy this book. Although the concept didn't interest me, I decided to read it on its technical merits.

I'm glad I read it because the book kept me engaged from beginning to end. The author delves into the central idea that certain individuals are born with exceptional abilities. The interest remains throughout. The story was engaging, featuring two main characters attempting to outsmart each other and engaging in frequent verbal sparring.

The fantasy genre doesn't appeal to me because the hero usually wins by having more strength than the enemy. The story's progression didn't leave me feeling sulky.

I'm not capable of assessing the technical qualities of writing since I'm just learning, and I didn't realize I was reading to learn. This book maintains tension throughout, as I can attest to as a reader. The straightforward writing highlights the story rather than the writer's technical brilliance. I did a sample read of it first.

Book cover of The Book of Three

Greg Siofer Why did I love this book?

My favorite cozy reads often take me back to my childhood. The Chronicles of Prydain was one of my favorites Lloyd Alexander series.

The series begins with The Book of the Three, about Taran, a pig keeper who is embroiled in a series of adventures. As he faces off against Arawn, he acquires a motley group of friends, which includes the brave Princess Eilonwy, all against the backdrop of Welsh mythology.

By Lloyd Alexander,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Book of Three as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

Since The Book of Three was first published in 1964, young readers have been enthralled by the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-keeper and his quest to become a hero. Taran is joined by an engaging cast of characters that includes Eilonwy, the strong-willed and sharp-tongued princess; Fflewddur Fflam, the hyperbole-prone bard; the ever-faithful Gurgi; and the curmudgeonly Doli--all of whom become involved in an epic struggle between good and evil that shapes the fate of the legendary land of Prydain.

Released over a period of five years, Lloyd Alexander's beautifully written tales not only captured children's imaginations but also…


Book cover of The Echo Wife

Greg Siofer Why did I love this book?

It's all about the unlikely alliance between a woman and her clone in this gripping revenge thriller.

Evelyn Caldwell learns that her husband Nathan is cheating on her when she discovers that he has stolen her cloning technology and replaced her with a more docile substitute. They work together to conceal Nathan's murder and preserve Evelyn's scientific reputation.

However, Evelyn discovers her clone standing over Nathan's body and crying, "It was self-defense." Its juicy premise raises eerie questions about love, justice, and the nature of identity.

By Sarah Gailey,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Echo Wife as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A dark and suspenseful novel of lies, betrayal, and identity - perfect for fans of Big Little Lies and Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror.

It was meant to be an evening to honour and celebrate Evelyn Caldwell's award-winning, career-making scientific research - but Evelyn has things on her mind.

Things like Nathan, her husband, who has left her for a younger, better, newer woman. A woman who is now pregnant - but shouldn't be - and is strikingly familiar. Too familiar to be a coincidence.

A woman who shouldn't exist.

The Echo Wife is a propulsive new novel from an international…


Book cover of The Book of Phoenix

Greg Siofer Why did I love this book?

We meet Phoenix, a woman grown in New York's Tower 7.

Even though she's only two years old, she has the mind and body of an adult, along with superhuman abilities. The death of her lover under dubious circumstances proves that Tower 7 is less of a home and more of a prison for Phoenix. She escapes to Ghana, where she learns brutal truths about colonialism and vows to fight back. Phoenix's fight for justice is electrifying.

By Nnedi Okorafor,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Book of Phoenix as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A fiery spirit dances from the pages of the Great Book. She brings the aroma of scorched sand and ozone. She has a story to tell....

The Book of Phoenix is a unique work of magical futurism. A prequel to the highly acclaimed, World Fantasy Award-winning novel, Who Fears Death, it features the rise of another of Nnedi Okorafor's powerful, memorable, superhuman women.

Phoenix was grown and raised among other genetic experiments in New York's Tower 7. She is an "accelerated woman"-only two years old but with the body and mind of an adult, Phoenix's abilities far exceed those of…


Explore my book 😀

The Question: Do Some Things Just Happen?

By Greg Siofer,

Book cover of The Question: Do Some Things Just Happen?

What is my book about?

Greg Siofer, award-winning author of the autobiographical Getting Out: My Story Plus The Exercises And Experience I Learned That Can Help You Get Out From The Wheelchair, has now written a fictional book.

One morning, Nairb awakens to the sound of his coworker honking his horn as he arrives to pick him up for work. As he goes about his workday, he encounters mysterious situations. A bit confused, he later told his wife Grace about his experiences. He discovered he can heal, start fires, short-circuit electronic devices that emit thick smoke, heat objects, and melt metal. Throughout the story, Nairb heals people, burns down his house, melts a car, and hides from the police with Jim’s help.

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What Walks This Way: Discovering the Wildlife Around Us Through Their Tracks and Signs

By Sharman Apt Russell,

Book cover of What Walks This Way: Discovering the Wildlife Around Us Through Their Tracks and Signs

Sharman Apt Russell Author Of What Walks This Way: Discovering the Wildlife Around Us Through Their Tracks and Signs

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Explorer Runner Mother

Sharman's 3 favorite reads in 2024

What is my book about?

Nature writer Sharman Apt Russell tells stories of her experiences tracking wildlife—mostly mammals, from mountain lions to pocket mice—near her home in New Mexico, with lessons that hold true across North America. She guides readers through the basics of identifying tracks and signs, revealing a landscape filled with the marks left by browsing deer, predatory weasels, and inquisitive bears, skunks, and raccoons. Master tracker Kim A Cabrera provides photos and illustrations.

Winner of the prestigious John Burroughs Medal, Russell also writes about community, a sense of place, and a renewed connection with the nonhuman world. She explores the health of…

What Walks This Way: Discovering the Wildlife Around Us Through Their Tracks and Signs

By Sharman Apt Russell,

What is this book about?

Did a red fox pass this way? Could that be a bobcat print there in the dirt? Do those tracks belong to a domestic dog or a coyote? Combining lyrical memoir with an introduction to wildlife tracking, What Walks This Way explores the joys of learning to recognize the traces of the creatures with whom we share our world.

The nature writer Sharman Apt Russell tells stories of her experiences tracking wildlife-mostly mammals, from mountain lions to pocket mice-near her home in New Mexico, with lessons that hold true across North America. With wit and compassion, she guides readers through…


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