Twelve years ago, in my last months before graduating with my English degree, I finally read Jane Austen for the first time. Somehow I had never read any of her books in high school nor in my earlier English major classes, but in my penultimate quarter, my introduction to her work was with Persuasion. I... Continue Reading →
C. J. Cooke is an author I've been wanting to read for a few years now, so I've started with The Lighthouse Witches. Scotland, dual timelines, a theme of witches... it has all the makings of a great work of Gothic fiction. Summary In the 1990s, Liv has few options as a single mother of... Continue Reading →
In the past couple of years, I've been loving getting into Mimi Matthews's books. While she normally writes historical romances, her one work of Gothic fiction also appealed to me: John Eyre, a gender-flipped retelling of Jane Eyre and another creepy classic. Summary In 1843, schoolmaster John Eyre is hired to tutor two strange boys... Continue Reading →
It was this time last year when Erika T. Wurth's debut novel, White Horse, was released. I got a hardcover of it through Book of the Month, but this month, I decided to finally read it as an audiobook. In part, I always try to celebrate Native American Heritage Month with at least one book... Continue Reading →
This month I've been all about reading books involving vampires. My final vampiric novel is one I've had on my shelf for a couple of years: The Lights of Prague by Nicole Jarvis. I picked this up when it first came out, in part because of its eye-catching cover, and partly because I'm interested in... Continue Reading →
Though I don’t read much YA anymore, one author I’ve enjoyed is Isabel Ibañez. Her third novel, Together We Burn, came out last year, and I’ve been eager to get to it. Set in a Spain-inspired world, it follows a flamenco dancer who must learn to fight dragons in order to save her family home. ... Continue Reading →
A few years ago, I loved Alix E. Harrow’s debut novel, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, and I’ve been eager to read more from her since. Now she has an incredible new novel out: Starling House. A gothic tale of creepy houses, its wardens, and the desperation of those in the area, this is... Continue Reading →
Today marks the release of Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch. This is my first time reading this author, and it was a thoroughly pleasant experience! This historical romance almost reads like a cozy mystery when a duke and a viscount’s daughter both end up victims of a dognapper. Their black poodles, nearly... Continue Reading →
Last year I picked up On a Night of a Thousand Stars, the debut novel by Andrea Yaryura Clark. Set between the 1970s and 1990s, it shines a light on the people affected by Argentina’s Dirty War and the repercussions that followed. I listened to the audiobook version of it, narrated by Paula Christensen. Summary... Continue Reading →
Lately, I’ve been wanting to read more classics. Despite having a bachelor’s degree in English, there are still so many well-known novels that I haven’t read (and so many I’d like to reread)! I decided to get a head start on Spooky SeasonTM by diving into one of the horror classics, Dracula by Bram Stoker.... Continue Reading →
Last year I enjoyed T. Kingfisher’s novella, What Moves the Dead. It was my first time reading her, and I’ve been eager to explore more of her writing. Her newest novella is Thornhedge, a take on a classic fairy tale, but flipped on its head. I liked this book even more, and it is definitely... Continue Reading →
Two years ago, I loved Tracey Lange’s debut novel, We Are the Brennans. When I learned that she had a new book coming out, I could hardly wait. The Connellys of County Down follows another complicated Irish-American family working through tough circumstances, and it's equally as impactful as its predecessor. Special thanks to NetGalley... Continue Reading →
For the last couple of years, one of the books that's been highest up on my TBR has been The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec. With her second novel, The Weaver and the Witch Queen, coming out imminently (July 25th, to be exact!), I decided that it was officially time to read her debut. Though... Continue Reading →
Last year, Zoe Sivak released her debut novel, Mademoiselle Revolution. I've been excited to read it, and now felt like the perfect time: June is both Pride Month and Read Caribbean Month, and this books fits both quite well! Set in the 1790s, it starts in Haiti and the dawn of the Haitian Revolution, then... Continue Reading →
I’ve had a book by Kris Waldherr on my shelf for a couple of years, and though I haven’t read that, I was excited when she released her second novel last summer. Unnatural Creatures: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women reimagines the world of Victor Frankenstein and his monster, shifting the focus from him and... Continue Reading →
For the past two years, I've been itching to read She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. Finally, I decided to listen to the audiobook version a few weeks ago, partially in honor of AAPI Month. Set in 1345, it fictionalizes the rise of Emperor Zhu Chongba and the start of the Ming Dynasty.... Continue Reading →
After enjoying a couple of romance novellas in February, I was in the mood for another quick and cute love story. I picked out For Love or Music by Julie Lipson, in part because of my deep love for music. It's such a different romance than I'm used to reading, and I really enjoyed the... Continue Reading →
In the past four years, Silvia Moreno-Garcia has become one of my favorite authors. She has quite a few books already, and I'm still working my through her catalogue. One of the three novels left on my list was Untamed Shore, her noir thriller from early 2020. Set against a 1970s summer in Mexico, a... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated nonfiction books this year was The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar by Robin R. Means Coleman, PhD and Mark H. Harris. I have long been a big fan of horror movies, and race studies are undeniably of great importance. This work of nonfiction offers... Continue Reading →
Three years ago, I loved Kiran Millwood Hargrave's historical novel The Mercies, and I've looked forward to reading more from her since. This week, she releases her second adult novel, The Dance Tree. This one goes back even farther in time than its predecessor, taking readers to Strasbourg in 1518, amidst the dancing plague that... Continue Reading →
For the week of Valentine's Day, I enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Crimes of Passion, a novella by Jack Harbon. This enemies-to-lovers story stars two true crime podcasters with very different approaches to their shows. When they're pushed to collaborate on a project, though, they start to realize that opposites can attract. Summary Calvin... Continue Reading →
This February, I'm planning to mostly read romances. The first audiobook I picked out is A Walk in the Park by Rebekah Weatherspoon, a novella about two people being brought together by a rescue dog. It's a short and sweet love story that weaves in deeper issues and, of course, an adoration of dogs. Summary... Continue Reading →
Last summer, I picked up Big Chicas Don't Cry by Annette Chavez Macias. It's her first book published under this name (she also writes romances as Sabrina Sol), and her first within the Women's Fiction genre. Naturally, the title makes me think of Fergie's 2006 song, "Big Girls Don't Cry," and I'm always happy for... Continue Reading →
The first classic novel I profoundly connected with when I was young was Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. I was a high school junior then, still 16 years old, and I absolutely loved it. So much so, in fact, that I watched and rewatched the 2006 BBC series adaptation and forced my younger sister to... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 