Book Reviews Archives - Page 9 of 17

Reckoning by John Grisham

Introduction

Reckoning by John Grisham is a combination of a family saga and a courtroom drama novel. Pete Banning is a World War II war hero and the owner of a large plantation in Mississippi in 1946. He has been planning a deadly crime. One morning he wakes up and knows he must commit this crime despite the dire consequences. Can his family learn why he committed his crime and save the plantation from those who will take it from them?

Summary

The Reckoning by John Grisham has three parts.

Part One, The Killing describes the deadly crime that Pete Banning committed. He tells no one why he did it. The section ends with a courtroom drama.

Part Two, The Boneyard tells the story of Pete Banning’s history. He meets and marries his wife Liza Sweeney. It tells the backstory about how Pete’s family bought their plantation in Mississippi. Since Pete was an army reservist, the army calls him up in 1941 and the army assigns him to the Philippines. Pete is one of the prisoners who suffered the Bataan Death March. The Army calls Pete missing in action and presumed dead to his family. He survives, becomes a war hero, and returns home, wounded but alive.

Part Three, The Betrayal follows the events immediately after Part One. Florry, Pete’s sister, lives next door and owns half of the acreage of their father’s original plantation. Joel is Pete’s son is Joel and Stella is his daughter. Liza, Pete’s wife, is committed to the insane asylum. His family must learn why he committed his crimes and save the plantation in a second courtroom drama.

Recommendation

I enjoyed this novel. It had aspects of a family drama, a war story, a courtroom drama, and a mystery. It was ambitious to put all these elements into a novel that wasn’t very long. The central mystery for The Reckoning was why did Pete do what he did. This question concerns every character in every part of the novel from the beginning to the end. So, it is extremely important that the reason was logical and unavoidable to make the novel the best it could be. My issue with the novel is that I don’t believe that Pete would do what he did considering what he knew at the time he committed his crime.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of The Reckoning by John Grisham.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47173384-the-reckoning

I reviewed Camino Island also by John Grisham.

Camino Island by John Grisham

I reviewed the Rooster Bar also by John Grisham

Rooster Bar by John Grisham

Blood of Cayn by Jason McDonald

Blood of Cayn by Jason McDonald, Alan Isom, and Stormy McDonald, Book #3 of the Cayn Trilogy

Introduction

Blood of Cayn by Jason McDonald, Alan Isom, and Stormy McDonald is the thrilling conclusion of the Cayn Trilogy. The plague has returned. It almost killed everyone in the known world thirty years ago and it is threatening to do it again. Xandor, a ranger for the Kral’s secret service, and his crew investigate the source of the plague. They search the orc city of Cherigov for the legendary Tear of Havel which is rumored to have the power to cure the plague. Will they find it before their loved ones die from the plague or will everyone die?

Summary

In the previous two novels, Xandor and his crew have tracked the source of the plague to shipments of soap going to the orc city of Cherigov. Windrider Yana surveys the orc fortifications at Cherigov with her glider. She reports her findings to Lord Commander Geoffrey Ferguson of the Iron Tower. Ferguson plans to attack the keep outside the city and send a rescue force to recover Sabe’s men who are looking for the Tear of Havel in Cherigov. Sehraine the elf is Yana’s friend and knows more about the plague than what she has told Xandor.

Xandor’s crew are in Cherigov looking for Sabe and the Tear of Havel. Xandor crew are Grendel, the half-orc, Chert, the dwarf healer, Sacha, the princess of the enemy country of the Kral, and Skyld, Sasha’s bodyguard. They are opposed by Bregu Kraagor, The Orc King of Cherigov. His helpers are Marko the prince, Sasha’s brother, Kourash, a dragon kin, and Gregori, a powerful mage.

Sacha’s plan is to have Grendel take the Rite of Passage, defeat King Kraagor in single combat and have Grendel take over as the Orc King to open the city to the allies. Sacha’s plans, Xandor’s plans, and Ferguson’s plans do not go as planned. There are many reversals of fortune in Cherigov. The key to stopping the plague is found at Sabe’s estate and at Sehraine’s elf village. It will take all our heroes might to defeat the power behind all the events that have happened so far. This is the conclusion of the Cayn trilogy.

Recommendation

The Cayn trilogy combined fantasy, mystery, and military action well. I liked all the heroes and despised the villains. The action never lets up. I understood who each of the characters was, though it would have helped to have a written cast of the many characters for the series since I did not read the novels back to back. My only issue was the ending. I feel like I missed something or the last mystery remaining will lead to a sequel. It didn’t feel complete to me.

Links

The Goodreads page for Blood of Cayn by Jason McDonald is through this link.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47145155-blood-of-cayn

My review of Son of Cayn Book #1 of the Cayn Trilogy. Xandor the ranger’s mission is to infiltrate a caravan that is smuggling soap. Soap? Yes, soap. Xandor’s crew must determine where and why the soap is being smuggled.

Son of Cayn by Jason McDonald, Alan Isom, and Stormy McDonald

My review of City of Cayn Book #2 of the Cayn Trilogy. It’s a suspenseful adventure. The plague story begun in the first book takes our heroes to Cherigov, a human city overrun by orcs. They must defeat the orc king, or the plague will devastate the land.

City of Cayn by Jason McDonald, Alan Isom, and Stormy McDonald

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold, Book #4 of the Vorkosigan series

Introduction

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold is book four of Vorkosigan series. They published the book fourth in the series but the events happen two hundred years before the earlier books, so it is possible to read this book first. GalacTech assigns Engineer Leo Graf to the Cay Habitat at the farthest edge of inhabited space. He came to the habitat to teach space workers but becomes involved in his students’ struggles with the company supervisors of GalacTech. Leo must decide between retiring or risking his life protecting his students.

Summary

In Falling Free, space engineer Leo Graf arrives at the Cay Habitat to teach his short course on advanced welding and non-destructive testing. His students are called quaddies. Quaddies are genetically engineered humans designed to work in free-fall. They were created by the recently deceased Chief of the Project, Dr. Cay. Leo meets his new boss, Bruce Van Atta, the current Chief of the Project and Leo’s former student. Leo’s best quaddies student is Tony. Tony has a quaddie girlfriend Claire and their infant son, Andy. After talking to GalacTech psychologist Dr. Sondra Yei and to Bruce, Leo realizes that GalacTech is using the quaddies as slaves in a high-tech disguise.

When Bruce changes assignments in the habitat which mains that Tony and Claire will be separated, Tony and Claire plan to escape the habitat. They get Silver, another quaddie, to help them stowaway on a shuttle to the surface. Bruce is preoccupied with the inspection tour of GalacTech Operations VP Apmad. Leo and Sondra find out Tony and Claire are missing and try to get to them before Bruce finds out. Bruce and Apmad consider terminating the Cay Habitat project, but Leo realizes that the solution is an engineering problem. He plans a daring escape for the quaddies and the experience changes him.

Recommendation

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold is a fun self-contained space opera romp. Leo Graff and his quaddie friends are easy to like and to root for. The science is believable, and it’s interesting that the solution was an engineering problem. The biggest issue in the story is the villains. Bruce and Dr. Curry are to one dimensional. Their focus is to defeat Leo and the quaddies at all costs, logic not applied. I will continue to read the Vorkosigan series. The first three books are about Miles Vorkosigan’s parents and the rest of the series is about him. They published this novel in Analog magazine in four parts; December 1987, mid-December 1987, January 1988, and February 1988. I kept the magazines for 31 years unread. I’m glad I read the story now but wish I had read it back then.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1234847.Falling_Free

A similar book in the space opera category is Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie. This is the link to my review.

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

A similar book I have read in the Hard Science Fiction category is All Systems Red by Martha Wells. This is a link to my review.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

Black Book by James Patterson and David Ellis

Introduction

In the Black Book by James Patterson and David Ellis, Billy Harney has a problem. Someone shot him in the head and doesn’t remember what happened in the two weeks before the incident. He is a detective for the Chicago PD. His father, Daniel, is the chief of detectives and his sister, Patti, is also a detective for the Chicago PD. Billy doesn’t know who to trust. His detective partner is Katherine (Kate) Fenton. They are investigating a case involving a high dollar madam, her influential clients, and a missing black book. Billy gets romantically involved with his partner and the assistant state’s attorney, Amy Lentini, prosecuting the brothel case. Who’s telling the truth. Who has Billy back? He needs to know; He needs to remember, or he’s going down for murder. What will happen to Billy?

Summary

The novel starts with Patti coming to a call where Billy, Amy, and Kate are found shot and presumed dead. Billy was shot in the head, has surgery, and goes into rehab. When he gets out he doesn’t remember the two weeks before the shooting. He talks to police department psychologist, Dr. Jill Jagoda, to access his memories. The plot goes back and forth between the present and the past as Billy remembers. The POV’s bounce between Patti, Billy, and Kate. In the past, Billy investigates a suspected murderer who frequents a brothel. When Billy and Kate bust the brothel it causes many complications that lead to Billy getting shot in the head. There are many suspects in this novel, but Billy must figure out who pulled the trigger. Read the novel to find out.

Recommendation

The Black Book by James Patterson and David Ellis is a great novel with a mix of mystery, thriller, and police procedural. I was worried that the amnesia plotline would go a predictable way, but I was pleased with its handling and conclusion. Billy is not a likable character, but he has enough redeeming qualities to make him a great conflicted protagonist. He’s a jokester, he loves his sister, and has a rewarding relationship with a cancer patient. There were many twists in this tale. The final twist hit perfectly. If you were expecting a happy ending, you weren’t paying attention. David Ellis is a Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court. He brings a knowledge of the setting to this novel. This is his fifth collaboration with James Patterson, I plan to read more of their novels. I highly recommend this novel.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of The Black Book by James Patterson and David Ellis

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34220449-the-black-book

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Invisible by James Patterson and David Ellis

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34231676-invisible

This is the link to my review of The Black Echo by Michael Connelly, a similar book; combining mystery, thriller, and police procedure.

The Black Echo by Michael Connelly

Unclaimed Victim by D.M. Pulley

Unclaimed Victim by DM Pulley

Introduction

Unclaimed Victim by DM Pulley is a story about two women, separated by time, but connected by the Torso Killer of Cleveland, Ohio. In April 1999, the police call Kris Wiley back to her hometown to identify the butchered remains of her father, Alfred. The clues she finds at her father’s house leads her back to Cleveland following the legacy of the Torso Killer. In March 1938, Ethel Harding finds herself in the middle of the Torso Killer’s rampage against the destitute brought down by the depression. She is a prostitute who loses her home and is desperate to find shelter. Kris and Ethel must solve the mystery of the Torso Killer or face their deaths.

Summary

In March 1938, Ethel Harding, a prostitute, finds herself homeless. It scares her. The Torso Killer has been killing destitute people from the hobo village at Kingsbury Run in Cleveland since 1935. Some victims are people she knows; Edward Andrassy, Flo Polillo, and Rose Wallace. Ethel is worried that she could be the killer’s next target. She finds sanctuary with the Harmony Mission. They run the Harmony Mission Press, a printing press that makes Bibles, but they are not what they seem. The Tremont Place Lofts inspired the Harmony Mission Press Building on West 7^th Street. Sister Mary Alice Eberly and a mysterious girl help Ethel. Ethel suspects Brother Milton. She also becomes the target of the Silver Shirt Legion, a Nazi-sympathizing group organized to overthrow the government. Ethel pretends to be someone else to uncover the truth.

In April 1999, Kris Wiley goes to the Auglaize County Sherriff’s Office in Wapakoneta, Ohio to identify the remains of her father. They found a headless body along the river with her father’s identification. She doesn’t want to believe the body is her father’s. Her father was a medically discharged police officer. Ben was his partner with the police and best friend. Ben tries to console Kris and takes her to her hometown of Cridersville. Kris searches the house and finds her father had information about the Torso Killer and had been in contact with someone in Cleveland. She lives in Cleveland and goes back to investigate what her father knew. The clues lead to the abandoned Harmony Mission taken over by the homeless. Jimmy, who is living at the mission, helps Kris. As they get closer to the truth, their lives get in more danger.

Recommendation

Unclaimed Victim by Pulley connects two stories in this historical mystery. Ethel and Kris overcome their fears and face human demons. There are many theories about the identity of the Torso Killer and the author presents an interesting one here. I liked the author’s use of real newspaper articles from the 1930s to show the feelings of the people of that time. Of the six books referenced in the Author Notes, I have copies of three. I plan to find copies of the other three books.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of The Unclaimed Victim by DM Pulley

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35169492-the-unclaimed-victim

This is the link to my review of The Dead Key by DM Pulley.

The Dead Key by D. M. Pulley

Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham

Introduction

Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham is the first book in the Long Price Quartet. Saraykehy is the capital of the cities of Khaiem. The cities were part of a great Empire possessing great magic. Their Empire and their magic have receded, so the Empire of Galt plots to overthrow them. The cotton trade is their greatest asset. Their hopes rely on the poet (their name for magician) Heshai maintaining control of a magical creature called an andat and nicknamed Seedless. Liat and Itani are important in helping Heshai succeed. If Heshai’s magic fails, then the Empire of Galt will destroy all the cities of Khaiem.

Summary

In the Prolog, Otah is an apprentice called a black robe, at the teaching compound of the monks at the stone towers of Machi. The monks search for poets who are rare. They also keep the knowledge of the people. Otah is conflicted with the brutal conditions at the monastery and makes a decision for his future. Chapter One starts in the city of Saraykeht. Amat Kyaanis is the senior overseer of the Galtic House Wilson. She is a native of Saraykeht but works for the foreign house. House Wilson is involved with the cotton trade. Her superior is Marchat Wilson. He tells her about a pregnant woman from the islands who is arriving soon. He calls why they brought her to their house, the sad trade. Maati is assigned by the monks of Machi to become the apprentice of Heshai. Heshai is the last remaining poet of Khaiem. Heshai controls Seedless who helps them with the cotton trade. If Hashai does not control Seedless, then inexperienced Maati would get the duty of trying to control Seedless. Amat Kyaan teaches Liat Chokavi the duties of an overseer. She is young, and she is in love with the lower class laborer, Itani Noyga. Amat wants Itani to be Marchat’s bodyguard for an important meeting. This meeting sets the plot into motion. Marchat wants his house to succeed, Seedless wants to be free, Liat wants to do a good job, and Itani wants to stay anonymous. None of them gets exactly what they want.

Recommendation

Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham is a great first book in a series of a different kind of fantasy. The plot is slow, there’s not much action, and characters maneuver through political and business maneuvering. There is an Asian/formal feel through the characters use of poses and their choice of honorifics. There were many characters, and it took time for the reader to distinguish them apart. Paying close attention to reading the book was rewarding to the reader. The secrets revealed at the end make the second book intriguing. I got this book through the Tor eBook of the month club on July 14, 2018. Tor.com releases a free book to club members almost every month at this website.

https://ebookclub.tor.com/

Each month’s book is only available for that month to the members through an e-mail. I enjoyed The Expanse series and wanted to see what Daniel Abraham would do with a fantasy novel and I was not disappointed. I plan to read the other three books of the series within the next year and then read his The Dagger and the Coin series.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6586403-a-shadow-in-summer

This is the link to my review of Persepolis Rising by James S.A. Corey. (Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck write together as James S. A. Corey in this Science Fiction series called The Expanse.)

Persepolis Rising by James S.A. Corey

Persepolis Rising by James S.A. Corey

Introduction

Persepolis Rising by James S.A. Corey is the seventh book of The Expanse series. This novel happens 30 years after the events described in Babylon’s Ashes, the sixth book in the series. Winston Duarte and his band of former members of the MRCN are back from Laconia after thirty years of studying the protomolecule. They have the advantage of the Earth-Mars Coalition, take Medina Station. They plan to take over the solar system creating an Empire with Duarte as the leader. Can James Holden and his crew from the Rocinante defeat the Empire threatening to take over the 1300 worlds of man?

Summary

Transport Union President Camina Drummer heads the group that supplies all the 1300 worlds. She is usually at Medina Station, but she is near Earth at the transfer L-5 station to dedicate the station’s completion. The Rocinante heads to Medina Station after completing a mission for the Transport Union. The Rocinante crew are James, Naomi, Alex, Amos, Bobby, and Clarisa. They have been together for thirty years on the aging gunship. Holden and Naomi are ready to retire and make Bobbie the captain. After Winston Duarte’s forces capture Medina Station, they appoint Captain Santiago Jilie Singh governor of Medina station. The Rocinante is stranded on Medina Station. Duarte’s forces plan to take over the solar system. The Rocinante’s crew plan to escape Medina Station with the help of former OPA fighters. They want to free as many friendly forces they can.

Recommendation

Persepolis Rising reboots The Expanse by bringing back the Laconians. It appears to be the first book in a trilogy featuring the Laconians as the antagonists. It is a great novel. I liked the transition of the Rocinante’s crew, the conflicted anti-hero Santiago, and the horror of what Duarte is trying to do to himself. The only misstep is in aging the crew thirty years. It didn’t feel right that they hadn’t changed and stayed together all that time. A few jokes about aging didn’t solve that problem. I’m ready to read Tiamat’s Wrath (Book #8). https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28335698-tiamat-s-wrath

Book #9 remains untitled with an unspecified release date, but I believe that date is in 2020.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Persepolis Rising by James S.A. Corey.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33357930-persepolis-rising

This is the link to my review of Nemesis Games by James S.A. Corey.

Nemesis Games by James S. A. Corey

This is the link to my review of Babylon’s Ashes by James S.A. Corey.

Babylon’s Ashes by James S. A. Corey

Babylon’s Ashes by James S. A. Corey

Introduction

Babylon’s Ashes by James S. A. Corey is the sixth book of The Expanse series. This novel follows the exciting events detailed in Nemesis Games, the fifth book in the series. A group of belters led by Marco Inaros calls themselves the Free Navy. They have taken Medina Station and have gotten the upper hand on Earth, Mars, and the OPA. Can James Holden and his crew of the Rocinante regain Medina Station and defeat the Free Navy before the Free Navy can keep the 1300 worlds for themselves?

Summary

The Free Navy has taken over Medina Station. Marco Inaros has put Captain Michio Pa in charge of the station while he works on bigger plans. Marco’s son Filip is with Marco on Pallas Station. Filip hopes to prove himself to his father. James Holden’s crew is back together on the Rocinante. James’s crew are Naomi, Alex, Amos, Bobby, and Clarisa. The governments of Earth and Mars send them to Medina Station to stop the Free Navy. The Free Navy is trying to capture the colony ships and closing off the 1300 worlds from the Solar System. Naomi faces a difficult choice. What she decides will affect the fate of The Expanse.

Recommendation

I liked the novel overall and was happy that the author resolved the storylines for Nemesis Games in this novel. The character development of Pa and Filip was satisfying. Checking in with the crew of the Rocinante worked well. I liked how when some scenes were seen from one POV and then from another POV. Marco was a one-note villain, and he ended with a whimper and not a bang. Prax’s story should have been developed more. I’m not sure why there were chapters from the Medina station POV’s since their actions did not affect the plot. The space for chapters on Salis, Jakulski, Vandercaust, and Roberts could have been better used in developing the other plots further.

I received a copy of this novel from winning a Goodreads giveaway. When I read the novel in March 2018, I posted a review on Goodreads. I’m writing this review because I read Persepolis Rising (Book #7 of The Expanse) and wanted to give Book 6 a full review before I reviewed Book 7.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Babylon’s Ashes by James S. A. Corey.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25877663-babylon-s-ashes

This is the link to my review of Nemesis Games by James S. A. Corey.

Nemesis Games by James S. A. Corey

Rooster Bar by John Grisham

Introduction

Rooster Bar by John Grisham is a thriller about a group of four law students entering their last semester before graduation at Foggy Bottom Law School. Gordon discovers Foggy Bottom is a diploma mill making their hope to pass the bar exam and to get a job after graduation slight. They all have about $200,000 in debt. Gordon has followed the money to a ruthless hedge-fund operator behind the ruse. When Gordon dies, will Mark, Todd, and Zola expose the scandal or flee the country?

Summary

The main characters and viewpoints for Rooster Bar are Mark, Todd, and Zola. Mark Frazier went to law school expecting to get rich as a lawyer. He works as an intern at a firm which says they will hire him after he passes the bar exam, but it is not in writing and Mark is skeptical that they are telling him the truth. Todd Lucero is a bartender at the Rooster Bar and has gone to law school through the advice of his bar patrons. Zola Maal is a US citizen, but her parents are undocumented workers from Senegal. Her parents and brother face deportation and she wants to use her knowledge of the law to free them. Zola is the girlfriend of Gordon Tanner who has a fiance back in his hometown but he doesn’t want to marry her.

Gordon goes off his meds, fights with his fiance, and returns to Washington. The four law students meet at the Rooster Bar and then go to Gordon’s apartment to see his research on the Great Law School Scam. After Gordon dies, the three must decide what to do with the information. They decide that their prospects of getting out of debt are slim so they create an unlicenced law office and start practicing law for cash from people on the fringe of society. They face loan collectors for their debts, the prospect of discovery of practicing law without a license, and the wrath of the hedge fund operator. Zola’s parents and brother are deported to Senegal. They must figure out a plan that will fix all their problems.

Recommendation

Rooster Bar by John Grisham was a frustrating book. The writing is clear and the plot moves quickly. The idea of the Great Law School Scam was interesting, especially how it affected the main characters. Zola’s dilemmas stemming from her parent’s deportation intrigued me. Mark and Todd are two knuckleheads who I wasn’t compelled to root for. Their solutions for their conflicts were increasingly terrible. If their motivations made sense, then I would have liked this book more.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Rooster Bar by John Grisham.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42415830-the-rooster-bar

I reviewed Camino Island also by John Grisham.

Camino Island by John Grisham

Two other recent thrillers I have read and reviewed are like Rooster Bar.

This is the link to my review of Bleak Harbor by Bryan Gruley.

Bleak Harbor by Bryan Gruley

This is the link to my review of The Speed of Sound by Eric Bernt.

The Speed of Sound by Eric Bernt

Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody

Introduction

Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody takes the books of Blake Snyder and applies his teachings to writing novels. Blake Snyder wrote three books in his Save the Cat series about screenwriting. Jessica Brody shows how she finds the act structure, beat sheets, and story genres in novels just like she finds them in movies. The book gives a clear plan for creating a novel that is complete.

Summary

Jessica Brody divides Save the Cat Writes a Novel into four sections. She explains the Blake Snyder Beat Sheet first. Every novel has 15 beats that fall at a specific page number in the novel. The 15 beats must be in the novel to satisfy the reader with the novel’s ending. Every novel also follows one of ten genres. These ten genres have three different components that make them work. The ten genres are Whydunit, Rites of Passage, Institutionalized, Superhero, Dude with A Problem, The Fool Triumphant, Buddy Love, Out of the Bottle. Golden Fleece, and Monster in the House. Next is a chapter on writing killer loglines and dazzling synopses. Describing your novel is important to selling it to editors and publishers. The book ends with a Q and A section which answers typical questions about the process.

Recommendation

Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody is a great book on writing. She takes Blake Snyder’s teachings on screenwriting and transposes the lessons to writing novels. The book is full of examples of current and past novels. She presents complete beat sheets and genre breakdowns. This book is a great resource for any point in the novel-writing process. Use it when you begin a project, in the middle to fix a problem, or at the end to refine a polished draft. I tried to use Blake Snyder’s teachings to write my stories. Jessica Brody presents the information in a clear and concise manner. I will use this book from now on for writing my stories.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39014796-save-the-cat-writes-a-novel

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Save the Cat by Blake Snyder

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49464.Save_the_Cat

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Save the Cat Strikes Back by Blake Snyder

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7235236-save-the-cat-strikes-back

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Save the Cat Goes to The Movies by Blake Snyder

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/551171.Save_the_Cat_Goes_to_the_Movies

A similar book on writing is Self-Publishing Boot Camp by Carla King. This is the link to my review. It has everything you want to know about Self-Publishing.

Self-Publishing Boot Camp by Carla King

Another similar book on writing is How to Write Best Selling Fiction by Dean Koontz. This is the link to my review. It’s from 1981, but the advice is still great.

How to Write Best Selling Fiction by Dean Koontz

Another similar book on writing is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. Self-Editing for Fiction Writers is a useful writing book. The exercises help pinpoint common problems of beginning writers.

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers