Ever since summer 2005, when I first heard "Sugar, We're Goin Down," I've been a devoted fan of Fall Out Boy. When their founding member and guitarist Joe Trohman announced that he was releasing a memoir, I pre-ordered a signed hardcover immediately. Then on release day I got the audiobook, too! None of This Rocks... Continue Reading →
I've become a big fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia in the past few years. By now, I've read most of her novels, but before I catch up on the three still on my TBR, I wanted to dive into her shorter fiction, too. Earlier this year I enjoyed her short story, The Tiger Came to the Mountains, and... Continue Reading →
Two years ago, Suzanne Allain released her novel Mr. Malcolm's List. I've been planning to read it since then, but now that the movie adaptation is out, I knew I couldn't wait any longer. I opted for the audiobook version, narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden, before immediately watching the film. While fairly different, both versions were... Continue Reading →
One book that's been getting a lot of buzz lately is The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi. Her debut novel, this is the first in her Ending Fire trilogy. This fantasy novel is inspired by Ghanaian folklore and Arabian mythology, where people are divided based on the color of their blood and where secrets about... Continue Reading →
This month, my reading challenge is to read books set in Africa. The first one I finished is Lightseekers by Femi Kayode. It's a mystery set in Nigeria, and while I've read several books set in this country before, this is my first Nigerian thriller. Summary Dr. Philip Taiwo is an investigative psychologist who has... Continue Reading →
A book I've been hearing about a lot lately is The Guncle by Steven Rowley. The audiobook, in particular, has been recommended, in part because the author himself narrates it. He does a fabulous job! With Pride in full swing, as well as my June reading challenge of books about family, this was the perfect... Continue Reading →
This year I've been aiming to honor the different heritage celebrations by reading relevant books. May is AAPI month (Asian American and Pacific Islander), and this made Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos a perfect fit. It highlights a Bangladeshi family living in the United States and working towards updating their immigrant status, despite... Continue Reading →
Two years ago, Natalie Jenner released her debut novel, The Jane Austen Society. It became a bestseller, and now readers can enjoy her latest novel: Bloomsbury Girls. While it features some characters first seen in The Jane Austen Society - and references some events therein - it also works as a standalone. It's an inspiring... Continue Reading →
My April reading challenge is to read books set in Paris, France. Following The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley, the second book I finished was Paris Is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay. I'd picked up the audiobook of it last year, so I was eager to listen to it. This charming, romantic, emotional... Continue Reading →
One month ago, a new historical romance book was released into the world. Her Country Gentleman, the first in the Timeless Georgian Collection series, comprises three short stories by Sian Ann Bessey, Sarah M. Eden, and Rebecca Connolly. Kim Bretton narrates the audiobook version. It's an endearing book that is perfect for anyone who enjoys... Continue Reading →
Recently, Silvia Moreno-Garcia announced that she would have a short story in a new Amazon Original Stories collection called Trespass. I decided to get the whole collection - not only would I get to enjoy one of my favorite authors, I would also get to discover some new ones. I opted for the audiobook version,... Continue Reading →
Two years ago, I loved Ibram X. Kendi's book, How to Be an Antiracist, and I've been eager to read more from him. Along with Keisha N. Blain, he co-edited the 2021 book, Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019. Divided into 80 chapters, each focusing on a five-year span of history... Continue Reading →
This month's reading challenge has been to read books in translation. High on my list was At Night All Blood Is Black by David Diop, translated from French by Anna Moschovakis. It's set during World War I, and although I usually avoid war fiction, this drew me for its focus on a Senegalese man's descent... Continue Reading →
For my 2022 Reading Challenge, my theme for January is books in translation. The first audiobook I chose for that challenge is The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa, originally written in Japanese. The English translation for it arrived in the U.S. in October 2018, though I picked it up more recently. As a lifelong... Continue Reading →
It's been more than five years since I read my first Hazel Gaynor book. In summer 2016, I loved The Girl From the Savoy, and I've collected a few of her books since then and added the rest to my "to buy" list. One of her publications since then was The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter. I... Continue Reading →
A couple of years ago, I was in a book store and came across A Bend in the Stars, the debut novel by Rachel Barenbaum. It captured my interest, and although I didn't buy it right away, it stayed in my mental list. I finally got the audiobook version of it recently, and now felt... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books of May was A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark. Although this is the first full-length novel in the Dead Djinn Universe series, it was preceded by three novellas. (I haven't read them yet, but they're on my list now.) In the end, I picked up the audiobook... Continue Reading →
Thanks to a local independent book store, Silent Winds, Dry Seas - the debut novel by Vinod Busjeet - was on my radar among books being published in August. Once it was out, I decided that the audiobook version might be the most satisfying format, and I'm glad I chose to read it that way.... Continue Reading →
Maybe it's the season, but lately I've been wanting to read books set in other countries, particularly places I'd like to travel to. Add in a cute summer fling and I'm sold. This led me to Meet Me in Paradise, the debut novel by Libby Hubscher. I got the audiobook and it fully delivered on... Continue Reading →
About one year ago, Meryl Wilsner released their first book, Something to Talk About. This Hollywood-set workplace romance, featuring two women and an age gap, instantly captured my interest. In honor of Pride Month, I decided now was the perfect time to read it. I opted for the audiobook version, narrated by Jorjeana Marie and Xe... Continue Reading →
Although the Black Lives Matter movement has been around for nearly a decade, it's garnered a lot more attention in the past year. I've been reading about racism and racial history recently, and I wanted to learn more about #BlackLivesMatter specifically. What better place than person who started it all? Alicia Garza wrote The Purpose... Continue Reading →
I'm something of a language nerd, and I often wish I could go back to college to study linguistics. (In reality, I double majored in English and Communication, so not entirely far off.) Thankfully I've found an incredible alternative: The Great Courses' audiobooks on Linguistics. I just listened to Language A to Z by John... Continue Reading →
I've been reading more nonfiction about immigrants in the past year or so, and one book that's been high on my list was The Ungrateful Refugee: What Immigrants Never Tell You by Dina Nayeri. At eight years old, she and her family fled Iran and became refugees, ultimately finding a home in Oklahoma in the... Continue Reading →
In November 2018, I was thrilled when progressives like Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. I've continued to follow them over the last few years, and when Ilhan Omar published her book This is What America Looks Like: My Journey From Refugee to Congresswoman, I was eager to... Continue Reading →
