One of my most anticipated books this year was Alex North's second novel, The Shadows. I loved his first book, The Whisper Man - which I just read in May - and had high hopes for the followup. I'm happy to report that he did not disappoint! Summary The Shadows follows two closely connected timelines.... Continue Reading →
A few weeks ago, I fell into a vortex of finding books to recommend to my younger sister. One of those was Felix Ever After, a YA book by Kacen Callender. But though I originally wanted to get the novel for my sister, the story looked too good for me to pass up. I ordered... Continue Reading →
One of my selections from June's Book of the Month options was the debut novel from Megha Majumdar, A Burning. Set in India, this work of literary fiction tackles difficult themes that are all too relevant today. Political and social commentary collide when an act of terrorism leads to an innocent woman's arrest, and readers... Continue Reading →
The Girl with the Louding Voice - the debut novel from Abi Darรฉ - was one of my most anticipated books of winter 2020, and I was thrilled when it was a pick for Book of the Month in February. I just spent the last few days with it, and I can say it more... Continue Reading →
Late last year, I picked up Candice Carty-Williams's debut novel, Queenie, from Book of the Month. I held off on reading it, waiting for the right time, and with all that's been happening these last few weeks, that time officially arrived. Queenie was more relevant than I'd even anticipated, and I encourage all of you... Continue Reading →
The first I ever head of Alex North's debut novel, The Whisper Man, was when it was a Book of the Month selection last August. Instantly, I knew I needed to read it - the cover and synopsis both alighted my imagination, and I love anything scary, especially if it might be supernatural. So I... Continue Reading →
It was 2013 when I first learned about the infamous Elizabeth Bรกthory. My boyfriend (now husband) had introduced me to a Swedish metal band called Ghost, and their first album featured a song called "Elizabeth." I had no idea who the titular Elizabeth was, but then my boyfriend explained about the serial killer countess who... Continue Reading →
I first came across Christine Fรฉret-Fleury's The Girl Who Reads on the Mรฉtro while exploring a nearby Barnes & Noble. It instantly captured my imagination and drew up memories: I was once a girl on the mรฉtro (or rather, subway), reading during my morning and afternoon commutes between Queens and Brooklyn. Though I've never been... Continue Reading →
Amy Harmon's What the Wind Knows gently fluttered into my awareness last year when I saw it featured in some bookish email newsletters. But while the title and cover caught my eye, the summary catapulted it to the top of my to-buy list. There are three reasons... First: It's set in Ireland, and I have... Continue Reading →
I remember when I first saw Zeyn Joukhadar's The Map of Salt and Stars at stores in 2018: I was instantly drawn to its title and cover, and even more intrigued by the summary on the back. It wasn't on my list long before I rushed back and bought it. However, it wasn't until recently... Continue Reading →
I signed up for Book of the Month in January this year, getting two 2018 books and excitedly awaiting the months of books ahead of me. In February, I picked my first *real* Book of the Month: A Woman is No Man, the debut novel by Etuf Rum. (I also got two other new books... Continue Reading →
I, Amanda Whitbeck, am a book nerd. That should come as no surprise, given that I decided to start a whole website dedicated to book reviews and blog posts about reading. And as an admitted book nerd, I get pretty excited when I find novels that are, in some way, about books and a love... Continue Reading →
For my birthday earlier this year, my sister Rachel got me a book that I'd been wanting: Everything Here is Beautiful by Mira T. Lee. While the title and gorgeous cover art are what initially drew me to the book, it was the summary that hooked me. Much of it sounded so relevant to my... Continue Reading →
I've always wanted to visit Paris, but so far I've had to rely on books to experience its magic. One such novel that captured my interest was Paris by the Book by Liam Callanan. The setting and the literary premise were certainly up my alley. I was also intrigued by its mysterious plot: A husband... Continue Reading →
A couple of weeks ago, I was perusing the Barnes & Noble bookshelves when I happened across Eve Chase's debut novel, Black Rabbit Hall. Something about the title and cover invoked childlike magic and mystery, so I was excited to dive into it right away. Black Rabbit Hall follows two timelines, each focusing on a... Continue Reading →
Following Crazy Rich Asians and China Rich Girlfriend, Kevin Kwan's hilarious trilogy comes to an end with Rich People Problems. As someone who's never been remotely rich, this title is the funniest of the three. Yet surprisingly, Rich People Problems ended up being the most serious of the three books... and it actually benefitted from... Continue Reading →
Earlier this month, I finished reading Kevin Kwan's debut novel, Crazy Rich Asians, and I loved it. So I immediately dove into the second book of the trilogy, China Rich Girlfriend. Up front I can tell you, it captures all of the humor, wit, and fun of the fist book. And while it largely features... Continue Reading →
I've been eyeing Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians for several months. Book addict that I am, I go to book stores pretty regularly, and Crazy Rich Asians has been featured on Barnes & Nobles' display shelves at least all of this year so far. A few weeks ago, I finally decided I couldn't wait any... Continue Reading →
I just picked up a new book last week, The Broken Girls by Simone St. James, and I flew through it. Set in Vermont, it describes a boarding school for unwanted girls called Idlewild Hall. But it may be haunted, and more than one girl meets a terrible fate there. It's a dual timeline novel,... Continue Reading →
If youโve spent as much time with cats as I have, you may often wonder how cats see the world. How much of our human world do they understand? How do they perceive big changes, like moving or gaining a new family member? Sandi Ward offers some charming insight into a catโs mind in her... Continue Reading →
Full review to come! โ โ โ โ
This is the excerpt for a placeholder post.
Earlier this month I read Love, in English by Karina Halle and loved it. So I immediately had to read the sequel, Love, in Spanish. After all that Vera and Mateo went through, they still have a long journey to be together. Vera is back in Madrid, and Mateo is now divorced and still a... Continue Reading →
I lived in Spain for over a year, where I met the man who is now my husband. Since I've gotten back into reading lately, I've been looking for books set in Spain, which led me to Love, in English by Karina Halle. In this novel, Vera is a 23-year-old astronomy student from Canada who... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 