Two years ago, I picked up The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee from Book of the Month. In honor of AAPI month, I decided to end May with this novel about a Chinese American girl living in the Reconstruction era South. I haven't read much set during this time in American history, and certainly not... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books of last year was The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai. I was happy to get it as a gift last Christmas (special thanks to my mom!), and since May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, now felt like the perfect time to read it. This... Continue Reading →
One year ago, The Marriage Game by Sara Desai was a book on my radar. Alas, I never did read the book, but did that stop me from reading its sequel, The Dating Plan? No, no it did not. Technically, they each work as standalones, despite featuring characters in the same universe (or, in this... Continue Reading →
Last fall, one of my most anticipated books for October 2020 was The Girl in the Mirror by Rose Carlyle. Right away, I picked up a copy from Book of the Month.This debut thriller takes place aboard a yacht in the Indian Ocean as twin sisters sail from Thailand to the Seychelles. But when Summer... Continue Reading →
Last year, one of my favorite books was Beach Read by Emily Henry, and since then, I've been counting down the days until her second adult novel, People We Meet on Vacation, would be released. Although it's not due out until May 11th, Book of the Month spoiled their subscribers by offering the new book... Continue Reading →
Sometimes a book's title is enough to capture your attention and make you need to read it. Good covers can work the same magic. In the case of Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa, it was both that enraptured me before I'd even read its summary. It was one of my most anticipated new... Continue Reading →
This book needs no introduction. Surely all of you have heard of The Kite Runner, the debut novel by Khaled Hosseini. I was still in middle school when it first came out, and though I've heard about it for many years now, I never owned or read the book. In the past couple of years,... Continue Reading →
I've been eagerly waiting for Conditional Citizens: On Belonging in America by Laila Lalami for over a year. Since I first heard about it early in 2020, I couldn't wait for it to be published. But although it was originally scheduled for spring 2020, it was delayed to an autumn release. I finally got it... Continue Reading →
In the past couple of years, I've had a growing interest in reading more nonfiction about identity, especially related to racial diversity and immigration. This may be partially because of the obvious tensions present in the United States and around the world. It's also inspired by my husband, a Peruvian immigrant who just recently earned... Continue Reading →
Last summer is when I first heard about Cantoras by Carolina De Robertis. The paperback had just been published, though the hardcover had come out in September 2019. I was immediately interested in reading it. Not only am I constantly on the hunt for books set in South America (partially because my husband is from... Continue Reading →
One book I was looking forward to in January was the debut novel by Daniel Loedel, called Hades, Argentina. I've been drawn to books set in South America lately (partially because my husband is Peruvian), and the title of this novel instantly piqued my interest. I picked it up a few weeks ago, and since... Continue Reading →
After I signed up for Book of the Month in early 2019, I started looking into their back catalogue of offerings, adding many books to my TBR. One novel that particularly caught my eye was The Air Your Breathe by Frances de Pontes Peebles. Brazil and music in the 1930s? Yes please! First offered in... Continue Reading →
About one year ago, The Lost Book of Adana Moreau by Michael Zapata was just about to come out when I discovered it. I was immediately interested in reading this debut, especially when I saw comparisons to Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s The Shadow of the Wind. I do love books about books! Although I did buy The... Continue Reading →
At the beginning of this year, I admitted to a blind spot I'd noticed in my reading habits: I hadn't read any books by or about Native American people in several years. I decided that needed to change, so I began searching for novels to start with. One of top-rated books I found was There... Continue Reading →
I've been a member of Book of the Month for about two years now. Though I generally buy their new offerings, I do like to look at what books they picked for months in the past; sometimes I'll add one of those to a box. One book I discovered and definitely want to read is... Continue Reading →
One of the books that was on my radar for February 2021 was Honey Girl, the debut novel by Morgan Rogers. It seemed like it would be a cute story with depth, and I was thrilled when it was a pick on Book of the Month. But did Honey Girl live up to the hype?... Continue Reading →
I've been listening to Alicia Keys since I first heard "Fallin'" on the radio, and have collected all of her albums over the years. Her music is incredible, but I've also always admired her as a person. When she announced her memoir, More Myself: A Journey, in early 2019, I was thrilled. It's now been... 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 →
Ever since it came out and I started seeing it in book stores, I knew I wanted to read Behold the Dreamers, the debut novel by Imbolo Mbue. But for whatever reason, it never felt like the right time, so it stayed on my to-buy list. Last fall, I discovered it was offered by Book... Continue Reading →
There's been a lot of buzz about a new book that just came out in early January, Black Buck, the the debut novel by Mateo Askaripour. I wasn't surprised to see it was a pick on Book of the Month, but I was excited to add it to my box. I'm not sure why I... Continue Reading →
I've been a huge fan of Sara Bareilles since "Love Song" came out back in 2007. After following her for nearly a decade, I was thrilled when she announced her first book, a collection of eight essays called Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Song. The book came out in October 2015, and,... Continue Reading →
Last fall, one of the books I was most looking forward to was Ties That Tether, the debut novel by Jane Igharo. So when it became one of the Book of the Month picks in October, I was thrilled. It's taken me a few months to finally sit down and read it, but once I... Continue Reading →
It wasn't until late last summer that I first heard of Winter Counts, the debut novel by David Heska Wanbli Widen. It was one of the main picks for Book of the Month in September, and it instantly intrigued me. I finally bought it in January, and since it's winter now, it felt like the... Continue Reading →
In the last couple of years, I've discovered that I actually really enjoy romance novels, including historical romance. One of my favorite authors in the genre is Evie Dunmore, who's writing the League of Extraordinary Women series. Since I love her books so much, I also respect her opinion and recommendations. One new book she... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 