Monday Motivation - Storytelling Questions and Book Reviews

“The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon.”

-Brandon Sanderson, fantasy and science fiction writer


What questions are you asking in your writing?

BOOK REVIEWS

After the Sky by Milo James Fowler is a thrilling, action-packed and thought-provoking adventure!

In a post-apocalyptic world, survivors who have been trapped in bunkers come up to meet the Earth and find themselves infected by something ... something that changes them, sometimes speaks to them, something that changes their course and destiny. While they may have been segregated into bunkers for specific purposes, those purposes change as they fight to survive in a world where the spirits speak and super-powers are real. 

Is Milton hearing voices? Are they in his head or are they real? He's haunted by the sins of his past, and at least one of the spirits seems intent on killing him.

Is Dainya only able to see in the dark or does her vision pierce time and distance to see the future?

And, Luther, is he strong enough to keep his men working towards survival or will he lose his leadership?

I loved this action-packed book filled with thought-provoking moments! Each character may be getting pushed in one direction or another, but they still have powerful choices to make and powerful abilities to use. Not everyone who has survived is on the same side. Not everyone wants abilities. Some will do anything to ensure the survival of a human race that is free from any change - but is that truly human and humane? 

This thrilling, post-apocalyptic novel had me on the edge of my seat through the twists, turns, and action-packed plot. 5 of 5 stars! 

READING AROUND THE WORLD

Deep in the Sahara by Kelly Cunnane and Hoda Hadadi is a beautiful story of a young girl in West Africa and her quest to understand the mulafa. 

Dog Driven by Terry Lynn Johnson is an exciting MG novel about a young woman dog sledder and her quest to win a dog sledding race in the Canadian wilderness while she's losing her vision.

I loved, loved, loved this novel!

And, my dad read it while dog-and-cat sitting and he loved it.

One of the best library reads of 2020 so far.

READING GRAPHIC NOVELS AND GRAPHIC-PROSE MASH-UPS

I am Princess X by Cherie Priest is my second favorite library read of 2020 so far.

It's a mix of graphic novel and prose novel and it's an excellent mystery set in Seattle.

Loved it!