Earlier this month, Adib Khorram released his second adult romance, It Had to Be Him. After getting dumped for being "boring," Ramin makes the exciting choice to take a vacation in Milan. There he coincidentally runs into Noah, once a friend back in high school, and they quickly resume their friendship. It's not long before... Continue Reading →
Since reading A Dash of Salt and Pepper a few years ago, I've been wanting to read more from Kosoko Jackson. My second foray into his work is The Macabre, his debut fantasy/horror novel for adults. Lewis is a struggling artist who suddenly gets tasked with entering magical paintings to put a stop to their... Continue Reading →
Alison Cochrun is an author I've been wanting to read for a few years, but I'm glad I started with her newest book, Every Step She Takes. Sadie is turning 35 and just realizing that she might be a lesbian, and in a panic, she goes on the Camino de Santiago trip her travel influencer... Continue Reading →
I love reading books that reimagine fairy tales, so I was instantly drawn to The Book of Heartbreak by Ova Ceren. Set mainly in Istanbul, it follows 17-year-old Sare in the countdown to the end of her curse of heartbreak. All she must do is survive until her 18th birthday without having her heart broken... Continue Reading →
I couldn't let this month end without reading Regina Black's new romance, August Lane. Set between the late 2000s and 2023, this second-chance romance takes one-hit-wonder Luke Randall back to his small hometown in Arkansas to perform a song with the new Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, JoJo Lane. But he knew JoJo's daughter,... Continue Reading →
For the past couple of years, I have been loving Liana de La Rosa‘s Luna Sisters series. Following Ana María and The Fox in 2023 and Isabel and The Rogue in 2024, the trilogy now comes to an end with the fiery youngest sister in Gabriela and His Grace. Gabriela Luna is no friend of Sebastian Brooks, Duke of Whitfield, and... Continue Reading →
I loved Chelsea Abdullah's debut novel, The Stardust Thief, the first in her Sandsea Trilogy. That one ended on quite the cliffhanger! This year book two came out: The Ashfire King. Here, Loulie and Mazen are navigating the realm of djinn underground, with a mission of breaking several bindings before the whole world crumbles. Meanwhile,... Continue Reading →
After loving The Hacienda a few years ago, I've been eager to read more from Isabel Cañas. This week she released her third novel, The Possession of Alba Díaz. Set in a mining town outside Zacatecas in 1765, it follows Alba Díaz as she gets to know the family of her new fiancé. It'll be... Continue Reading →
A book I've been anticipating for months is finally here: House of Monstrous Women by Daphne Fama. This horror debut, set in the Philippines, is a feast of creepy atmosphere, an unnatural mansion on a secluded island, and evil passed down between generations. When Josephine, her brother Alejandro, and his longtime girlfriend Gabriella get invited... Continue Reading →
Last week Rosália Rodrigo released her exciting historical fantasy, Beasts of Carnaval. Rooted in Caribbean (especially Puerto Rican) history and culture, this novel follows Sofía as she searches for her missing twin brother Sol in el Carnaval de Bestias. But there's something very disorienting about her travels, and soon she's not entirely sure what she's... Continue Reading →
Maggie North released her debut novel, Rules for Second Chances, just over a year ago, and I'm glad I've finally read it. Liz is a socially anxious introvert who is just so tired of blending into the background. She wants to be seen, not stay in her husband Tobin's shadow. She asks for a divorce,... Continue Reading →
Today Danica Nava releases her second novel, Love Is a War Song, and I loved it! This romance follows Avery Fox, a new pop singer (and former child actress) after she's been canceled for maybe lying about being Native American and misrepresenting her culture. For damage control, she goes to stay with the Grandmother she's... Continue Reading →
Though I've always been a cat person, I loving seeing any pets take a central role in books, and that includes dogs! This led me to Pardon My Frenchie by Farrah Rochon. It stars a French Bulldog and—my personal dream dog—a Standard Poodle. Ashanti runs a successful doggie daycare, Barkingham Palace, as well as her... Continue Reading →
Today Silvia Moreno-Garcia releases her eleventh novel, The Bewitching. By now I've read nearly everything she's released, and I know that, no matter the genre or setting, I'll be in for a mesmerizing tale. Here readers get three timelines: On a rural farm in Mexico in 1908, Alba faces a series of losses and increasing... Continue Reading →
I've been wanting to read Paulette Kennedy since her first book came out a few years ago, and have finally started with her latest novel, The Artist of Blackberry Grange. Set in 1925, it follows Sadie Halloran just after her relationship with a married man ended badly. She ends up going to her great aunt... Continue Reading →
It's been years since I worked out in a gym, but Up Close & Personal by Ana Holguin made me want to join a spin class asap. What an inspiring and heartfelt debut! Jo De La Cruz has spent the last decade as a semi-famous spin instructor, both in always-full classes at the gym and... Continue Reading →
For me, the best summer reads tend to be ones that transport me to other countries around the world. One of my favorite destinations is Italy. That led me to Jill Francis's debut, The Summer You Were Mine. Fourteen years after childhood friends almost became something more, they're back in Italy together for their respective... Continue Reading →
I said earlier this year that I'm in my mermaid era, so it's no surprise that Venessa Vida Kelley's debut novel, When the Tides Held the Moon, was high on my list of new releases. Set in 1911 on Coney Island, it showcases a cast of characters who perform in Morgan's Menagerie of Human Oddities.... Continue Reading →
Mia Sosa is an author I've been wanting to read for a while now, especially since I enjoyed a short story she wrote for a holiday anthology a few years ago. Her newest novel is When Javi Dumped Mari, a friends-to-lovers romance that takes 12 years and a rapidly approaching wedding (to the wrong man!)... Continue Reading →
I've been loving Claudia Gray's Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney Mystery series, so I could hardly wait for the fourth installment, The Rushworth Family Plot. Now that Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney have a reputation for solving murders, it's no wonder the London police immediately give them free rein to investigate the latest crime: Mr.... Continue Reading →
Pride and Prejudice is a popular book to reimagine, but The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Lindz McLeod is the first I've seen that draws a romance between Charlotte Lucas and Mary Bennet. To be honest, this actually seems like the perfect pairing! Here, Charlotte has become a widow after only four years of... Continue Reading →
When the Music Hits by Amber Oliver is the book I've needed for years! A young woman trying to work her way up in the music industry, in that sweet spot between musical creativity and the business side. That's exactly what I wanted to do with my career. This sense of harmony made it easy... Continue Reading →
For months I've been anticipating Clarence A. Haynes's adult debut, The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery. This is one of those books that plays like a movie, with high action and plenty of other-worldly intrigue to hold your interest from start to finish. Set in present-day New York City, it follows Gwendolyn, an overworked but effective... Continue Reading →
Two years ago, I enjoyed Jodie Slaughter's romance, Play to Win, so I was excited to read more from her. Her newest book is Ready to Score, a rivals-to-lovers romance between two women aiming for the same head coach position at the high school where they work. Though both books (and Bet on It) are... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 