The Alphabet Book Challenge "B"

                                                                   The B Books

This year, I have challenged myself to check out books instead of buying them. (We shall see how well that goes.) My goal is to pick out two authors with surnames that start alphabetically. Clearly, I am on the B Books.

Book One: Spill Simmer Falter Wither by Sara Baume

I picked this book because its cover features a dog, and I recently lost my beloved Afghan Hound, Misty, in December. The book started off well. It was beautifully written, and the author did a great job of painting the scenery with words. You can see, taste, smell, and feel the foliage. The main character was interesting. And then ... it started to drag. I found myself skipping pages because of the endless descriptions. I was trying to find the story. What was the book about? This quirky character adopts a dog with issues. They live in a house as recluses until the dog bites another dog, and the authorities are called. The man and dog flee. Blah, blah, blah. Eventually, they return to the house. I don't want to spoil the story (in case anyone wants to read it), and things happen. The man is penniless; he has no job. He doesn't care. He doesn't change or grow. Nothing happens. The end. 

I was disappointed, but I chose to take it as a lesson. Note to self: The characters in my stories need to grow, learn, and conquer whatever they are supposed to overcome. Do not let them be blah.

Book Two: Snap by Belinda Bauer

I liked the title. Like most people who pick up a book, I need to like the title, and the cover and blurb must be interesting. This one checked all three boxes. 

I could not put the book down. The characters were well written, intense, and layered. The mystery was like an onion; I kept peeling back rings until finally, I got to the center—bam! Unexpected! The pacing of the story was great, and the descriptions were just right. 

I would read this author again.

From these two books, I learned to paint the scenery but not overdo it. The story is about the characters, not the setting. Grow the characters. It is important to connect the reader to the story, the characters, and the setting through emotions.