In under two years, Lyn Liao Butler has published two books that captured my interest. Though I haven't gotten to read either one yet, I was excited to dive into her newest release, Someone Else's Life. Her first thriller, this novel takes place during a Hawaiian storm when two strangers are locked inside together. But... Continue Reading →
Following her first book, The Taste of Ginger, Mansi Shah is back with her second novel, The Direction of the Wind. I admit that I went into this book blind (something I've been doing more frequently lately), but I was instantly absorbed into this beautiful and impactful story. Following a mother and daughter traveling from... Continue Reading →
For me, it's always fun to read a book related to the current season or an upcoming holiday. As the Lunar New Year approached, I decided to dive into Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen. Her debut novel, it just came out this month, and I got my copy from Book of the Month. It's... Continue Reading →
Today a sweet new book by Roselle Lim hits the shelves: Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club. It follows a matchmaker who's just starting her career, and her first clients happen to be a group of elderly bachelors called the Old Ducks. As Sophie Go helps these men find love, she also learns how to stand... Continue Reading →
In late 2020, I read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. It was part of a book club I was in, and all of us loved the novel. So I was excited to learn of his newest novel, The Many Daughters of Afong Moy, and even more thrilled when I was approved... 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 →
March was all about reading retellings of the classics - at least for me and my personal 2022 monthly reading challenge! After reading Ramón and Julieta, a reimagining of Romeo and Juliet, I was eager to continue the Shakespeare retellings with Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma. It's the first in a new trilogy called... 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 →
For several months, I've been eagerly anticipating the release of The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews. The first in her new Belles of London series, I was drawn to several things that make it stand out compared to other historical romances: It stars a half-Indian protagonist, features an interracial and interclass relationship, and highlights... Continue Reading →
Sonali Dev is an author I've been wanting to read for the past few years. Her Jane Austen retellings - featuring Indian characters and contemporary settings - have all caught my eye, and it's just a matter of time before I buy them all and finally give them my full attention. Though I haven't done... Continue Reading →
Last spring I found out a new novella that was coming, Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw. The horrifying cover and description both captured my attention, and I pre-ordered the ebook, excited for October to arrive. Today, while everyone is celebrating Halloween, felt like the perfect time to read the whole story. Nothing But... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books of 2020 was Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalola. Although it did come out in the U.K. last year, here in the U.S. we had to wait a bit longer, but my excitement never waned. So I was thrilled when Book of... 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 →
Two years ago, I fell in love with The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test, the first two books in Helen Hoang's Kiss Quotient trilogy. Ever since I read those two back-to-back, I've been desperate to read The Heart Principle, and it was well worth the wait: It's my favorite in the series. This is... 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 →
Last fall, I loved Casey McQuiston's debut novel, Red, White, & Royal Blue. I was excited to learn about their second novel, One Last Stop, and counted down the days to its release. It just came out on June 1st, and being Pride Month, too, I read it as soon as my Book of the... Continue Reading →
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 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 →
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 →
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 devoted the past couple of weeks to reading Asian fantasies. Following Song of the Crimson Flower and The Night Tiger, my trilogy ends with The Library of Legends by Janie Chang. Published earlier this year, I discovered it when it was announced as a Book of the Month selection in April. Its magical description... Continue Reading →
A few years ago, I read Yangsze Choo's first novel, The Ghost Bride, and adored it. So when her second book, The Night Tiger, came out, I was excited to get my hands on it. It ended up being one of my first purchases from Book of the Month after I joined in January 2019,... Continue Reading →
It's only in the past year or so that I've reintroduced YA novels back into my life, and I'm so glad I have. It's opened the doors to so many amazing books! One YA book I picked up early in my rediscovery process was Song of the Crimson Flower by Julie C. Dao, which I... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 