April 2016 Recommended Reads #best fantasy books #best motivational books #sweet romance books

Here are the books I’ve read and enjoyed lately! I sometimes feel a little self-conscious about how eclectic my reading tastes are, but that’s not going to change, so I should just get over that, right?

The Name of the Wind, Patrick Rothfuss.

 

I saw Mr. Rothfuss talk at a nerdy convention a couple of years ago, and from the moment when he introduced himself as Joss Wheon, I really liked him.

Mr. Donovan and a couple of my friends already loved his book. It’s one of the best fantasy books I’ve read in a while, with particularly realistic and convincing magic. There are hilarious and heartbreaking moments, and I particularly loved the main character’s relationship with his protege. The element of romance is a bit weak, with the couple’s most important conversation being summed up rather than fully dramatized, but it’s a terrific book.

Sweet Haven, Shirlee McCoy.

 

This is “sweet” in every sense of the word — a romance with no sex, depicted or implied. Although I like explicit scenes in romance, not everybody does, which is why Amazon opened up their “Clean and Wholesome” category last year.

I don’t have to have sex scenes. I thought this small-town romance, about a woman struggling to run the family chocolate shop and a man trying to help his sort of messed-up brother, was absolutely adorable. If you love Hallmark movies, you’d love this.

The Success Principles, Jack Canfield.

 

No matter what you think of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books (I have not read them, myself), any author would have to be impressed at the effort Mr. Canfield made to get it published (144 rejections, friends) and all the things he did to get them onto the NYT bestseller list.

The Success Principles employs a little law of attraction thinking, but has a whole lot more about responsibility, focus, and hard work. I didn’t agree with everything, but I found it really inspiring and will return to it again.

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I know I’ve said this before, but I don’t think I’m reading enough, and I really want to change that! So hopefully I’ll have a much longer post for you in May.

What have you been reading lately? Let us know in the comments if you feel so inclined. Happy reading!

 

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