Over the past few years, I've found that I tend to go through phases when it comes to the books I choose. For a while, I only wanted to read historical fiction set in Europe. Then I moved on to thrillers. After that, I was back to historical fiction, but this time set in Asia... Continue Reading →
Imogen Hermes Gowar's debut novel, The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock, is among the most unusual books I've read. It doesn't fit into the types of books I normally read; while I love historical fiction, it's only recently that my interest in fantasy and magical realism started growing. However, even here, The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock... Continue Reading →
They say you should never judge a book by its cover (or its title, for that matter), but thatโs exactly what I did when I stumbled across Vaddey Ratner's Music of the Ghosts at a book store one year ago. I first chose Music of the Ghosts precisely because of its intriguing title and cover.... 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 →
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 →
One year ago, Min Jin Lee released her sweeping novel, Pachinko, which quickly became a bestseller and earned accolades. It captured my interest, and I finally picked up the book a few weeks ago. After finishing the final chapters today, I can say it fully lived up to the hype. Pachinko is a beautiful epic,... Continue Reading →
Paula McLain's Circling the Sun has been on my radar for a couple of years now. I finally bought it recently, and was eager to dive in. While I've read a lot of historical fiction in the last few years, this is one of only a few that has taken me to Africa. Here, we... Continue Reading →
There's always something special about discovering a new book at the library or in the store, a book that instantly grabs your attention and demands to be read. This is what happened when I recently stumbled upon Yangsze Choo's debut novel, The Ghost Bride. On first glance, I assumed The Ghost Bride would be something... Continue Reading →
Full review to come! โ โ โ โ
One of my favorite things is when a book calls out to me from its shelf, beckoning me to pick it up and bring it home. This is how I discovered Melodie Winawer's The Scribe of Siena at my local bookstore, amongst the rows of fiction novels. Its cover caught my eye first: a medieval-looking... Continue Reading →
Dan Vyleta's Smokeย is a novel that first caught my eye with its beautiful cover - like an impressionist painting in rich shades of purple and orange. But it was my husband who really latched onto it and wanted me to buy it. He called it the "Smoke on the Water" book, and with its Deep... Continue Reading →
We're only three months into the year, but I'm already certain that The Time In Between by Marรญa Dueรฑas will be among my favorites of 2017. Originally published in Spanish in 2009, The Time In Between has since become an international bestseller, and for good reason. The novel spans a decade as Sira Quiroga grows... Continue Reading →
For a few months, I kept eyeing Emma Donoghue's novel The Wonder every time I went to a book store, and I finally bought it a couple weeks ago. I couldn't wait any longer, so I decided to start reading it this week. Luckily, a business trip gave me plenty of time to read during... Continue Reading →
Full review to come! โ โ โ
Review to come! The Girl From the Savoy by Hazel Gaynor. โ โ โ โ โ
One week ago, I stumbled across Alice Hoffman's young adult novel, Incantation, at a small book store. I'm currently living in Lima, Peru, and although I speak Spanish, I'm not proficient enough to read full novels in Spanish yet. I found Incantation in the English language section, and it instantly captured my interest. The title... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 