Every fall I'm on the lookout for some good horror and thrillers to feed my spooky season cravings. One book I had been eagerly awaiting was Del Sandeen's debut novel, This Cursed House. It's summer 1962 when Jemma has faced a series of difficulties at home in Chicago. From the death of her adoptive father... Continue Reading →
Today Raquel Vasquez Gilliland releases her second Wild Magic novel, Lightning in Her Hands. This book follows middle sister Teal, a volatile woman whose gift is changing the weather according to her moods. But she was four when her mother abandoned the family, taking a piece of Teal's magic with her; Teal has never had... Continue Reading →
Tomorrow Raquel Vasquez Gilliland releases her second Wild Magic book, of which I have an ARC... but I hadn't yet read the first installment! Witch of Wild Things had been on my TBR since it came out last year, and I'm glad I read it first. In Witch of Wild Things, Sage is back home... Continue Reading →
Last year I loved Dominic Lim's debut novel, All the Right Notes, so I was excited to get an early copy of his new book, Karaoke Queen. As before, the romance here is between Filipino men and involves a ton of music. This time, though, instead of Broadway musicals and high school choirs, these characters... Continue Reading →
I didn't know what to expect going into A Song to Drown Rivers, the adult debut from Ann Liang. It's a retelling of the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, though I was not familiar with that legend. This book has also been labeled as fantasy, though I would... Continue Reading →
Matchmaking, fake dating, a grumpy/sunshine dynamic, and Desi culture: All that and more is in Sunshine and Spice, the debut novel by Aurora Palit. I was first drawn to this book for its cute cover and the title, but the joy only grew as I began reading it. Set in Kelowna, British Columbia, it's about... Continue Reading →
As a lifelong cat lover and cat owner, I'm always drawn to books about felines. As soon as I saw We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida, I had to read it. Already a bestseller in Japan and now available in English for the first time, this book takes the idea of cats as... Continue Reading →
Since 2019, Silvia Moreno-Garcia has become one of my favorite authors, and I've read nearly all of her books by now. However, I still hadn't read her first two novels. Now available in audiobook form, I've finally read her debut novel, Signal to Noise. It starts in Mexico City in 1988, when teenagers Meche, Sebastián,... Continue Reading →
I have been loving Nisha Sharma's If Shakespeare Was an Auntie series and was so excited to read the final installment, Marriage & Masti. This Twelfth Night retelling is about Deepak and Veera, two career-focused friends who fell out of touch when he got engaged to another woman... then accidentally got married after that engagement... Continue Reading →
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is one of my favorite authors, and despite how diversely she writes, she never misses. Her latest novel, The Seventh Veil of Salome, is one of her few works that isn't speculative fiction. Instead, this a historical fiction novel set in 1950s Hollywood, about two women vying for the same leading role in... Continue Reading →
A couple years ago I enjoyed Claire Kann's adult debut, The Romantic Agenda, and I was excited to read more from her. Instead of another contemporary romance, her second book is paranormal romance: Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places is about a woman named Lucky who is looking to jump-start her career in... Continue Reading →
In the past several years, I've been reading a ton of romances, but something I've never gotten to read yet? A romance starring Native American characters. Mysteries, thrillers, and literary fiction, sure, but no romances. So I was excited to learn of not one, but two new romances out this year by Indigenous authors and... Continue Reading →
A book I've been looking forward to this summer is Masquerade, the debut novel by O.O. Sangoyomi. Set in 15th-century West Africa, it takes the myth of Persephone and breathes new life into it, with its politics, Nigerian mythology, and morally gray characters. Special thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of... Continue Reading →
In the last few years, there have been a number of books by Sajni Patel that I've wanted to read. Her new novel, The Design of Us, is out today, and it seemed like a great place to start. Set in Hawaii, it follows two bickering co-workers who start fake dating for the sake of... Continue Reading →
Last year I adored Tehlor Kay Mejia's adult debut, Sammy Espinoza's Last Review, and I knew I wanted to read more from them. So I was excited to read their new romance, Cash Delgado Is Living the Dream. Set in the same world as the previous book, this one introduces us Cash, a single mom,... Continue Reading →
Last year, I adored Liana De La Rosa's historical romance, Ana María and The Fox, the first in her Luna Sisters trilogy. Today, the series continues with the shy middle sister in Isabel and The Rogue. Combining Mexican culture, international politics, and a steamy romance between two spies, this novel is just as stunning as... Continue Reading →
Two years ago, I really enjoyed Vaishnavi Patel's debut novel, Kaikeyi, so I was excited to read her newest release, Goddess of the River. Also inspired by Hindu mythology, this one reimagines the story of the goddess Ganga, specifically her role in the Mahabharata. Special thanks to Redhook and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books this year has been Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung. Set primarily during the Chinese Civil War, it follows a mother and her three daughters as they escape persecution by the Communists in northern China and their long migration to Taiwan. From the (lack of) value placed on... Continue Reading →
Nisha Sharma is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I've read two of her books—Dating Dr. Dil and Tastes Like Shakkar, the first two in her If Shakespeare Was an Auntie trilogy—and have many more on my TBR. Her latest release is her first New Adult romance: The Letters We Keep, about two rival... Continue Reading →
Last year, I enjoyed V. Castro's novel The Haunting of Alejandra, partially inspired by La Llorona. When I saw that she had a new novel coming out, I was intrigued. Immortal Pleasures offers a new side to the story of the woman known as La Malinche, who interpreted for conquistador Hernán Cortés and has a... Continue Reading →
Yesterday, A. H. Cunningham released her latest contemporary romance, Out of Office. Set between Panamá and Florida, it follows an ambitious, work-oriented woman during a months-long business trip to Central America, where she forms an intimate bond with a local man. But what starts off as a brief vacation fling develops into something deeper... if... Continue Reading →
Romance readers, listen up! Etta Easton is a new author to get into, starting with her debut novel, The Kiss Countdown. This fake dating romance puts a risk-averse event planner with a thrill-seeking astronaut, and the result is a love story that will leave you starry eyed. Special thanks to the publicists at Penguin Random... Continue Reading →
Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is one of the most beloved books of all time, and it's no wonder it continues to inspire so many retellings. Just last week, a particularly special retelling came out: Pride and Preston Lin by Christina Hwang Dudley. A contemporary romance set in the San Francisco Bay Area, this adaptation... Continue Reading →
Like Happiness is the debut novel by Ursula Villarreal-Moura, and what an impactful debut it is. Told in dual timelines between the early 2000s in the United States in 2015 in Chile, it examines a Chicana woman's young adulthood with a famous author friend and the complicated relationship they had until it all fell apart.... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 