A couple of years ago, I picked up Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton. She's released two more books in this series since then, and has already announced another due next spring, and I knew it was time to finally settle in and give this novel my attention. That this month (from September 15... Continue Reading →
This summer, I started hearing great things about a new contemporary romance, You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria. I was instantly interested, in part because it highlights Latinx characters. My husband is Latino - Peruvian, specifically - and while it wasn't quite love at first sight, we at least became friends at "hola."... Continue Reading →
A new book has been on my radar for the past few months: Transcendent Kingdom by Yaaa Gyasi. This upcoming release led me to want the author's first book, Homegoing, which was first published in 2016. While I thought about adding it to my bookshelves soon, fate stepped in to speed up the process: The... Continue Reading →
For many years, I've watched in horror at how Black people are mistreated in America, especially in encounters with police and incarceration. I'm appalled that these injustices continue, but I'm happy there is at least a silver lining now as support for Black Lives Matter has grown over the past few months. It's also encouraging... Continue Reading →
I have a confession: In the first few years after I finished college, I thought I was too old for YA books. I thought I could only read about characters who were my age or older, and that reading YA books would make me look immature. This nonsense went on for several years before I... Continue Reading →
Some books hit you differently. That's absolutely true of Akwaeke Emezi's latest novel, The Death of Vivek Oji. Their third novel overall - and second for adults - it examines a complex character before and after their death, before and after loved ones really knew who they were. Queer, gender-nonconforming people in 1990s Nigeria take... Continue Reading →
Now more than ever, in this closed off world the pandemic has forced us to become, I'm constantly looking for ways to escape and learn. Movies, music, and books have become my refuge, especially those that take me somewhere I've never gone - realistic or fantastical. This month, I was happy to discover Star Daughter... Continue Reading →
I love it when a book not only meets your excited expectations, but actually exceeds them. That's what happened with Emily Henry's Beach Read, a sweet romance about two rival authors trading genres for a summer. Although this novel wasn't on my radar, as soon as it appeared as a pick for Book of the... Continue Reading →
Like so many people around the world, I adored Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians trilogy and the movie adaptation of the first book. (The second movie should be filmed in 2021, and I can't wait to see it, too!) Naturally, I was super excited when Kevin's new book, Sex and Vanity, was announced, and I... Continue Reading →
I'm a sucker for a good haunted house story. While I'm a fan of horror movies in general, my favorites are always set in spooky old mansions that may or may not be inhabited by ghosts. So when I found out Riley Sager's new book would be a haunted house story, I was thrilled. I... Continue Reading →
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 →
One of my most anticipated books for Spring 2020 was The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. I was thrilled when it was a Book of the Month pick in June, and with the attention on #BlackLivesMatter and the need for antiracism gaining traction recently, now felt like the ideal time to read it. Summary The... 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 have a long and ever-growing list of books I want, but, like many readers, I must admit that I tend to be drawn to the same three or four genres. So sometimes, it's nice - and important - to get a fresh perspective thrust into your TBR. For my birthday last May, my sister... 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 →
Amanda's Book Corner 