2026 Reading Challenge
Sarena Straus
137 ratings | 37 reviews | avg rating:4.52

Sarena’s Year In Books

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Sarena’s 2025 Year in Books
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Sarena’s Bookshelves

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Sarena Straus

Goodreads Author


Born
in The United States
Website

Twitter
sarenastraus

Genre
Science Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction

Influences
Ray Bradbury, Andy Weir, Brandon Sanderson, Gary Jennings, Blake Crouc ...more

Member Since
April 2009


Author of the multi-award-winning novel, "ReInception" (Winding Road Stories, 2022)

A corporation's immensely popular mind technology is eradicating socially unacceptable behavior in 2126 New York City. When a college student and a government-labeled terrorist discover the truth of what's happening inside people's heads, they fight for their free will and the future of society.

Writer, attorney, and child safety advocate, Sarena has appeared as a commentator on numerous TV and radio shows. She is also the author of "Bronx DA: True Stories from the Sex Crimes and Domestic Violence Unit." In 2010, Bronx DA was sold as a pilot to CBS/Paramount.

ReInception is the recipient of multiple awards including and American Writing Award, Literary Titan ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

What mystery in your own life could be a plot for a book?
Sarena Straus Five years of my life was the plot for my book, "Bronx DA." Reality is definitely often stranger than fiction. But I had many cases that came across m…moreFive years of my life was the plot for my book, "Bronx DA." Reality is definitely often stranger than fiction. But I had many cases that came across my desk over the years that I could not pursue for lack of evidence that I wish I could find out the truth about. (less)
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How do you deal with writer’s block?
Sarena Straus When faced with writer's block, I exercise - running especially helps my mind wander and come up with ideas. I also kick my reading and listening to a…moreWhen faced with writer's block, I exercise - running especially helps my mind wander and come up with ideas. I also kick my reading and listening to audiobooks into high gear. Depending on what I'm struggling with, I will target different books. For example, if I'm working on close 3rd person POV, I will turn to a Stephen King novel because he's such a master of close third. If I'm working on world-building, maybe I will pick up some Brandon Sanderson. Sometimes, I bounce ideas off a relevant muse - my 14 and 12-year-old kids are a particularly rich source of creative ideas and energy. Really, diving into other books always helps loosen a log jam! I do a lot of writing in my head before I put anything to paper, so sometimes, I just have to be a little patient with myself!(less)
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Combine Editions

Average rating: 4.19 · 319 ratings · 126 reviews · 6 distinct works • Similar authors
ReInception
4.20 avg rating — 217 ratings — 4 editions
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Bronx D.A.: True Stories fr...
4.04 avg rating — 70 ratings — published 2006 — 5 editions
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DeInception
4.39 avg rating — 23 ratings — 3 editions
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All Roads Lead to Hell: The...
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4.75 avg rating — 8 ratings — 2 editions
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Assimilation
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating
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Bronx D.A.: True Stories fr...
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Sarena Straus's Blog

What If Creators Turn Against Their Creations?

At the heart of ReInception is a creator who invents a technology to help people, but comes to regret his invention when it’s put to unintended use. In the way that life often imitates Science Fiction, Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, who built a neural net in 2012, recently quit his job with Google and now speaks…
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Published on July 19, 2023 08:04
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Sarena is Currently Reading

The Gate of the F...
Sarena Straus is currently reading
by Matt Dinniman (Goodreads Author)
bookshelves: currently-reading
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Jan 05, 2026 05:22PM
The Girl With All...
Sarena Straus is currently reading
by M.R. Carey (Goodreads Author)
bookshelves: currently-reading
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Jan 01, 2026 09:13PM
A Good Marriage
Sarena Straus is currently reading
by Kimberly McCreight (Goodreads Author)
bookshelves: currently-reading
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Sep 22, 2025 07:47PM

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Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
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Jan 05, 2026 05:27PM  ·   ·  preview book
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Upgrade by Blake Crouch
Upgrade
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The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
The Midnight Library (The Midnight World, #1)
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The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
The Midnight Library (The Midnight World, #1)
by Matt Haig (Goodreads Author)
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Still Life by Sarah Winman
Still Life
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Lucky Star by J.R. Luis
Lucky Star (A Hollywood Love Story)
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Jan 05, 2026 05:25PM  · 
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Lucky Star by J.R. Luis
Lucky Star (A Hollywood Love Story)
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Jan 05, 2026 05:24PM  · 
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Rook & Rebel by Kate Crew
Rook & Rebel: A Dark Revenge Romance of Obsession and High-Speed Thrills in the World of Bikers (The Mavericks Book 1)
by Kate Crew (Goodreads Author)
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Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
Dungeon Crawler Carl (Dungeon Crawler Carl, #1)
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Jan 05, 2026 05:23PM  ·   ·  preview book
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Rook & Rebel by Kate Crew
Rook & Rebel: A Dark Revenge Romance of Obsession and High-Speed Thrills in the World of Bikers (The Mavericks Book 1)
by Kate Crew (Goodreads Author)
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Sarena’s Quotes

Brandon Sanderson
“The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon.”
― Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
tags: storytelling
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Sarena’s Groups

220 Goodreads Librarians Group — 307045 members — last activity 1 minute ago
Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Libra ...more
83561 Bargain Basement — 8261 members — last activity Jan 02, 2026 05:48AM
Join the Bargain Basement club for Freebies, bargains, reviews, and giveaways.
154267 Brain to Books Cyber Convention (FAIRGROUNDS) — 829 members — last activity Dec 30, 2025 03:21AM
Welcome to CyCon! Find more at HTTP://WWW.B2BCYCON.COM We meet "LIVE at The McKinley" April 2019! ...more
1059 BOOK-A-HOLICS — 1845 members — last activity Jan 01, 2026 11:19AM
WHEN I GET A LITTLE MONEY, I BUY BOOKS; IF ANY IS LEFT I BUY FOOD AND CLOTHES. DESIDERIUS ERASMUS 1466-1536 This Group was founded in September 20 ...more
3364 Writerpedia — 1265 members — last activity Jul 28, 2022 08:20AM
This is a place to share knowledge. If you are writing and need to know something maybe someone here can give you an answer.
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Sarena’s Friend Comments

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message 1: by Gerad
Jan 26, 2014 02:39PM

Gerad Prueitt I'm so far behind on my reading that my last five books from the summer were The Redeemer by Jo Nesbo, Road Dogs by Elmore,The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana by Umberto Eco, Accordion Crimes by E. Annie Proulex, and Bad Monkey by Hiaasen - fortunately I liked them all for different reasons. But I tend to work on my own projects at full throttle, burn out and then veg out and read - sometimes two or three books in a week between drawing and painting. That generally recharges me for a couple more weeks of writing.


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