We would like to dedicate this week’s Inspired By to the lovely, Dana Bate, author of A Second Bite of the Apple.

Here, Dana shares the five books that have inspired her this year.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A darkly funny and moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother, and an unexpected monstrous visitor.

The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty

A woman that has achieved it all in life – a successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother – finds that her life is about to completely change after finding a very interesting letter from her husband.

All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner

With a sparkling comedic twist and a cast of unforgettable characters, this is a remarkable story of a woman’s slide into addiction and her struggle to find her way back up again.

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

A story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith

After losing his leg to a land min in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator.  His life changes when he stumbles upon a case that plunges him into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers.