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 →
After reading - and loving - The Woman In Cabin 10, I knew I had to go back and read the rest of Ruth Ware's books. I decided the logical step was to go chronologically from now on, so first up was her debut, In a Dark, Dark Wood. The story starts when Nora -... 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 →
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 →
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 →
I love a provocative title, so when I first saw The Idiot by Elif Batuman in the bookstore, I was intrigued. Its summary - multicultural, set against a backdrop of coming of age during college and traveling on your own for the first time - sealed the deal. I bought it, went home, and started... 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 →
Since I was in middle school, I've been a big fan of horror and thriller movies. But, shockingly, I haven't read many books of those genres. I loved Nancy Drew mysteries as a kid, but my adult reading has been sadly lacking in all things horror and thriller. So with this new void to fill,... Continue Reading →
I love horror films. Horror may be my favorite genre, especially when it's psychological and involves ghosts and a haunted atmosphere. Perhaps surprisingly, though, I've never read any horror books. So when I stumbled across The Apartment by S. L. Grey, I was intrigued. It's published by Blumhouse Books, an offshoot of the film production... 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 →
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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
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 →
Iโm always drawn to books set in Europe, and when I saw Rome in Love by Anita Hughes, it instantly piqued my interest. It follows an actress named Amelia, who is in Rome to film a remake of Roman Holidayโฆ and sheโs playing Audrey Hebburnโs part! I havenโt seen Roman Holiday, but I loved Audrey... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 