October is a great time for spooky and Gothic books, and I was excited for Hazardous Spirits by Anbara Salam. Set during the 1920s spiritualist movement in Scotland, it has the right atmosphere... but does it live up to its potential? Eh, somewhat. Special thanks to Tin House and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of... Continue Reading →
Since discovering a love of historical romance four years ago, I’ve dived deep into this delightful genre. However, I’m reaching the point where I now veer towards stories with something a little different to offer, whether it’s diversity in characters or a less conventional plot. This is what drew me to Jane Dunn’s recent novel,... Continue Reading →
I’m not alone in saying that Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite classic novels, and I’m always happy to see new retellings of it. One that I’ve greatly been looking forward to is The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melinda Taub. As the title suggests, this novel focuses on the wild,... Continue Reading →
Several years ago, I absolutely loved The Time in Between by Spanish author María Dueñas. Her debut novel, it was engrossing and exciting, about a naive young woman, Sira Quiroga, becoming an undercover spy for the English during World War II. So I was excited to learn that, at long last, this stellar novel would... Continue Reading →
If you’re looking for a new historical romance series to dive into, look no further than The Duke Gets Desperate by Diana Quincy. The first in her Sirens in Silk series, it’s about an Arab American woman who unexpectedly inherits a castle in Yorkshire… much to the chagrin of the duke who was supposed to... Continue Reading →
Today marks the release of Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch. This is my first time reading this author, and it was a thoroughly pleasant experience! This historical romance almost reads like a cozy mystery when a duke and a viscount’s daughter both end up victims of a dognapper. Their black poodles, nearly... Continue Reading →
Lately, I’ve been wanting to read more classics. Despite having a bachelor’s degree in English, there are still so many well-known novels that I haven’t read (and so many I’d like to reread)! I decided to get a head start on Spooky SeasonTM by diving into one of the horror classics, Dracula by Bram Stoker.... Continue Reading →
After reading two excellent books by Emma Donoghue, I was excited to get into her newest novel, Learned by Heart. Set in the early 1800s, it shines a light on a small York boarding school for girls and the relationship that develops between two students over the course of one school year. Can this romance between... Continue Reading →
Do you have a favorite author, one whom you like to emulate in real life? This is the concept behind What Would Jane Austen Do? by Linda Corbett. It's a charming novel of romance, community, and a bit of family mystery, and Jane Austen's quotes consistently prove helpful no matter how trying the situation. This... Continue Reading →
Last year I enjoyed T. Kingfisher’s novella, What Moves the Dead. It was my first time reading her, and I’ve been eager to explore more of her writing. Her newest novella is Thornhedge, a take on a classic fairy tale, but flipped on its head. I liked this book even more, and it is definitely... Continue Reading →
Have you ever wanted to read a gender-flipped, Jewish retelling of Cinderella? Now is your chance. Felicia Grossman has just released her new historical romance, Marry Me by Midnight, the first in her Once Upon the East End series. Set in London in 1832, it spotlights a Jewish heiress, an overlooked custodian, and their path... Continue Reading →
I love books and France, so reading about either of those is usually a joy. This drew me to the new Nina George novel, The Little Village of Book Lovers, a companion piece to her bestseller, The Little Paris Bookshop. I haven’t read that earlier book, but this new publication works as a standalone. Special... Continue Reading →
A few months ago, I was thrilled when an author I like invited me to read her new historical romance, written under the pen name of Delphine Ross. Ironically, The Poetics of Passion, the first in her Muses of Scandal series, is about a woman in 1870s England who secretly publishes love poetry under a... Continue Reading →
When I learned of The Madwomen of Paris by Jennifer Cody Epstein, I was excited to dive into the subject of Paris’s Salpêtrière asylum. It would be my second time reading about it in fiction, and I find the whole subject fascinating. This novel just came out last week (sorry for my late review; it... Continue Reading →
A debut romance I could hardly wait for this year was Wanderlust by Elle Everhart. When two virtual strangers win a trip around the world, they're stuck in close quarters and butt heads a lot... before slowly developing deeper feelings. But one of them is keeping secrets that could prevent a romance from fully blooming... Continue Reading →
Last year, Zoe Sivak released her debut novel, Mademoiselle Revolution. I've been excited to read it, and now felt like the perfect time: June is both Pride Month and Read Caribbean Month, and this books fits both quite well! Set in the 1790s, it starts in Haiti and the dawn of the Haitian Revolution, then... Continue Reading →
By now I have several books by Amalie Howard on my TBR, but this summer I decided to start with Always Be My Duchess, the first in her Taming of the Dukes series. Set in 1865, it features a feisty, out-of-work ballet dancer, a neurodiverse duke, and a fake fiancée scheme that both can benefit... Continue Reading →
Today, one of my favorite recent reads hits shelves: The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue. Set in Cork, Ireland between 2009 and 2010, it follows a young woman named Rachel as she finishes college, moves out for the first time, and finds herself in the middle of a messy romantic entanglement. It is a quick... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated debut novels this year has been Where Ivy Dares to Grow by Marielle Thompson. With comparisons to Mexican Gothic and Outlander, it follows a woman struggling with her mental health and her cruel soon-to-be in-laws, the eerie presence she feels in their mansion, and an unexpected timeslip to the past.... Continue Reading →
Ruth Ware is my favorite thriller author, and I've read every novel she's published so far. She's the kind of author where I'll finish her latest book, feel elated by the whole reading journey it took me on, and then immediately feel sad that I now have to wait another year for her next novel.... Continue Reading →
In the past few months, I kept hearing about a new book called Orchid Child by Victoria Costello. The setting in Ireland caught my interest, but so did its unique premise of intergenerational trauma, epigenetics, and schizophrenia. I was intrigued to see where these interconnecting themes would go! Special thanks to NetGalley and Between the... Continue Reading →
I’ve had a book by Kris Waldherr on my shelf for a couple of years, and though I haven’t read that, I was excited when she released her second novel last summer. Unnatural Creatures: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women reimagines the world of Victor Frankenstein and his monster, shifting the focus from him and... Continue Reading →
Ever since I read the first chapter preview for The Duchess Takes a Husband a whole year ago, I've been desperate to read it. This is the fourth and final book in Harper St. George's Gilded Age Heiresses series, following The Heiress Gets a Duke, The Devil and the Heiress, and The Lady Tempts an Heir. It... Continue Reading →
I'm a sucker for a good cover, and The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis certainly has it. France is also a country I'm eternally drawn to, so it's no wonder this thriller, set in Provence, captured my interest. It follows Darcy and her three friends as they return to her grandmother's titular chateau. But when her... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 