Welcome to Amanda’s Book Corner – or ABC, as I usually refer to it. Though the seeds of this website date back to spring 2017, I didn’t really begin ABC until two years later, in early 2019. Last summer 2021, I added a YouTube channel to the mix. I publish about two or three book reviews every week (both written and video formats) and put out additional vlogs and listicles on YouTube once or twice a week.
For as along as anyone’s known me, I’ve always had my nose in a book. I guess you could say it runs in my family, since we all seem to be bookworms. While in college and in my master’s program, I admittedly fell out of the habit of reading for fun. I was an English major as an undergrad, so I certainly got my fair share of reading in! But I wasn’t picking the books I read, and in those five years, I lost a sense of my personal reading identity.
After graduating in 2013, I starting dipping my toes back into the world of books, but it took me a few years to find my footing. I went through different phases: Thrillers! Historical fiction! Stories set in Europe! Over time, my tastes evolved, and I found myself moving further and further into a passion for diversity. I want to read books set in every country of every continent. I want to read books by and about people of all races and ethnicities, all sexualities, all gender identities. I want to read books that are translated. I want to read every genre.
Today, a commitment to diversity is at the core of my goals with ABC. My aim is to lift up authors of diverse identities and the books they publish, because their books deserve to be read, and because we can all benefit from reading more diversely. It leads to deeper understanding and empathy – something the world could use more of in general.
Most of what I read and review on Amanda’s Book Corner is fiction, especially new fiction, but sometimes I also read and review older books, classics, biographies, nonfiction, graphic novels, and more.
If you’re like me and you don’t read just one type of book, then you’re in the right place! I hope you’ll get value out of my reviews and other content, and I hope you’ll discover diverse new books to read and love.
Amanda's Book Corner 