This week, Davin Malasarn released his debut novel, The Outer Country. Two sisters leave their home in Phet Buri, Thailand to make a new life in Los Angeles, all the way in the "Outer Country," the United States. First Siripon arrives, developing her career as a nurse, marrying fellow Thai immigrant Kamron, and having a... Continue Reading →
I've read and enjoyed two historical romances by Diana Quincy. Now she is publishing suspenseful women's fiction as Diana Awad. Her first novel in this genre is As Far as She Knew, which came out at the beginning of April. Amira Abadi has been in a happy marriage with Ali for over twenty years, and... Continue Reading →
Last month, Fartumo Kusow released her novel, Winter of My Spring. I was instantly interested in it for its setting in Somalia and focus on three girls struggling to survive being kidnapped by terrorists. Being prisoners is horrific, but what will life after escaping look like for Rada and her friends? What I Liked: Showing... Continue Reading →
I've been looking forward to Gabrielle Sher's debut novel, Odessa. Set in 1905 during the pogroms in Russia, it focuses on a Jewish family fighting for their safety. Yetta is a teenager, engaged and ready to embark on her future. But then her Jewish community is attacked, and she's one of the many killed. Her... Continue Reading →
I loved Saara El-Arifi's debut novel, The Final Strife, and have been eager to read more from her. Her newest release is Cleopatra, a retelling of the famous last Pharaoh of Egypt. From her difficult political leadership and motherhood to her medical work and her undying love for her country, this work of historical fiction... Continue Reading →
Rachel Runya Katz recently released her third romance, Isn't It Obvious? And as before, this is a delightful blend of smart characters, emotional circumstances, and an unlikely love story. This book is a lot lighter than her previous novel, Whenever You're Ready, and more in line with her debut, Thank You for Sharing. Isn't It... Continue Reading →
Farah Heron is an author I've been wanting to read for a few years, and I've finally found my entry point with her recent Christmas romance, A Little Holiday Fling. Ruby has spent years moving around Canada working in different retail jobs, but now she's about to make her and her mom's lifelong dream come... Continue Reading →
I loved Rachel Runya Katz's 2023 debut, Thank You for Sharing, and have been wanting to read her more recent books. Before I get to her newest release, I decided to catch up on last year's Whenever You're Ready. For years, Nia, Jade, and Michal were best friends. Later, Jade's twin brother Jonah was part... Continue Reading →
Last week, Once We Are Safe by Alessandra Carati become available in English. Translated from Italian, it follows a Bosnian family fleeing the Bosnian War in 1992. They end up in Milan, Italy, where they must rebuild a life. Still tethered to Bosnia, still hoping to at some point return, they spend decades in their... 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 →
As a former and soon-to-be (again!) expat, I'm always drawn to books set in other countries. This is what caught my attention about Rachel Lynn Solomon's newest release, What Happens in Amsterdam. I've been wanting to read this author for a few years, and this novel looked like the perfect, wanderlust-inducing place to start. When... Continue Reading →
This week saw the release of Meryl Wilsner's fourth novel, My Best Friend's Honeymoon. When Elsie ends her engagement to Derrick, he encourages her to go on the the non-refundable honeymoon to Santa Lupita that he'd booked. Elsie takes her best friend, Ginny, who makes her promise to speak up for what she wants the... Continue Reading →
One year ago, Malayna Evans released her adult debut novel, Neferura: The Pharaoh's Daughter. Set during the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt (1550-1292 BCE), it draws a political power struggle between pharaohs, with plenty of dark secrets and subterfuge to keep our title character guessing... and then plotting her own schemes, too. Why I Chose This... Continue Reading →
Yesterday Amalie Howard released her adult romantasy debut, The Starlight Heir, the first in a new series. This is a change in genre for her, but one that works well with her fun and high-energy writing style. I'm already intrigued to see where the series takes us next. Why I Chose This Book: I've read... Continue Reading →
Last year I absolutely loved The Pomegranate Gate, the first in Ariel Kaplan's Mirror Realm Cycle trilogy. Set during the Spanish Inquisition but in a differently named world and a whole Mazik realm, it was a book that was a little bonkers and a ton of fun. Now, the second installment is here: The Republic... 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 →
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 →
Paranormal romances have been on the rise lately, and I've really been getting into them. One that just came out this month is A Werewolf's Guide to Seducing a Vampire by Sarah Hawley. It's the third in her Glimmer Falls series, but it works as a standalone (I still need to read the first two... 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 →
Last summer, I loved reading Marry Me by Midnight, the first in Felicia Grossman's Once Upon the East End series. Now she's back with the second installment, Wake Me Most Wickedly. This book is a gender-flipped retelling of Snow White, but set in 1830s London and starring an all-Jewish cast of characters. If you enjoyed... Continue Reading →
Last year, Natasha Siegel released her debut novel, Solomon's Crown. While I haven't yet gotten to read that, I was excited to dive into her newest book, The Phoenix Bride. Set in the seventeenth century amidst plague and fires, it follows two grieving people and their impossible fight for love. Special thanks to the publicists... Continue Reading →
For many months, I've been excited for the release of Lindsay Hameroff's debut novel, Till There Was You. I'll admit, that delicious cover is what first caught my attention (who doesn't love blueberry pancakes?), but I was also intrigued by the music industry aspect of it, too. This is a charming and heartwarming contemporary romance... Continue Reading →
The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years is Shubnum Khan's first novel available in the United States. This is one of those cases where the cover completely captured my attention; it is gorgeous and evocative. I also have a growing interest in djinn, so I was excited to read a new book in which they feature.... Continue Reading →
Since first reading Bringing Down the Duke in late 2019, Evie Dunmore has been one of my favorite authors. I've been loving her League of Extraordinary Women series, and now the fourth and final book has arrived: The Gentleman's Gambit, starring Catriona Campbell and a new character, Elias Khoury. I got my copy from Book... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 