As someone who's struggled with pacing in my own writing, Mike Klaassen's 'Scenes and Sequels' felt like finding a hidden instruction manual for storytelling. The way he breaks down Dan Brown's rapid-fire chapters in 'The Da Vinci Code' made me finally understand why some books are impossible to put down.

The real game-changer for me was the sequel concept - those crucial moments between action scenes where characters process events. Before reading this, I'd just rush from one dramatic moment to another. Now I see how those quieter sequel sections actually make the big scenes hit harder.

My only gripe? The textbook-style delivery can feel dry at times. I found myself taking breaks between chapters to let concepts sink in. But the included worksheets are worth their weight in gold - I've already used them to diagnose why my last manuscript's middle section felt saggy.

What surprised me most was realizing I'd been writing sequels all along without knowing it! Klaassen gives names and structure to techniques many writers use intuitively. If you've ever finished reading a book thinking 'I couldn't stop turning pages but I don't know why,' this book reveals the machinery behind that magic.