Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is one of the most beloved books of all time, and it's no wonder it continues to inspire so many retellings. Just last week, a particularly special retelling came out: Pride and Preston Lin by Christina Hwang Dudley. A contemporary romance set in the San Francisco Bay Area, this adaptation... Continue Reading →
Like Happiness is the debut novel by Ursula Villarreal-Moura, and what an impactful debut it is. Told in dual timelines between the early 2000s in the United States in 2015 in Chile, it examines a Chicana woman's young adulthood with a famous author friend and the complicated relationship they had until it all fell apart.... Continue Reading →
Several months ago, before the cover had even been unveiled, I was intrigued about The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang. Spanning three disparate timelines, spotlighting gay Chinese men, and infusing it all with a theme of rebirth and fate, this is a fantasy debut I knew could not be missed. Special thanks... Continue Reading →
I was perusing NetGalley a few months ago when I came across Manila Takes Manhattan by Carla de Guzman. It combines so many elements that excite me as a reader: a strong theme of music, a romantic plot, and diverse characters, in this case, Filipino celebrities. I was excited to read about two people torn... Continue Reading →
Last week, Cristina Henríquez released her new novel, The Great Divide. Set in 1907 in Panama, it highlights the various working class people who were part of the building of the Panama Canal and those who were affected by it. Special thanks to Harper Audio, Ecco, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!... Continue Reading →
Early last year, I absolutely loved Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan. The first in her Skyland trilogy, I was left eager to continue the series (and to read more from this author in general!). This week, the Skyland series continues with This Could Be Us, offering a hard-earned happily ever after for Soledad.... Continue Reading →
For many months, I've been excited for the release of Lindsay Hameroff's debut novel, Till There Was You. I'll admit, that delicious cover is what first caught my attention (who doesn't love blueberry pancakes?), but I was also intrigued by the music industry aspect of it, too. This is a charming and heartwarming contemporary romance... Continue Reading →
In late 2022, I enjoyed Rachel Kapelke-Dale’s sophomore novel, The Ingenue. This week, she published her third book, The Fortune Seller, about the clash of classes at Yale and in New York City finance. With dark academia vibes, horses, tarot cards, and complicated friendships, this book is part drama, part thriller. Special thanks to St.... Continue Reading →
Three years ago, I adored The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes by Xio Axelrod. The first in her Lillys series, it introduced an all-girl rock band starting to gain traction before releasing their first album. It was an incredible work of music fiction as well as contemporary romance, and I was eager to continue... Continue Reading →
Like so many romance readers out there, I've become a fan of Ali Hazelwood ever since her debut novel, The Love Hypothesis. Up until recently, she'd focused on adult STEMinist romances, but now she's branching out a bit more. Following her first young adult novel last November, she is now offering up her first taste... Continue Reading →
Over the past several years, I've collected a few books by Jennifer McMahon, and there are so many more on my 'wanted' list! Now felt like the right time to finally dive into some of her books, and I decided to start with the novel I've had the longest: The Winter People. It's also perfect... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books this year was The Writing Retreat, the debut novel by Julia Bartz. A psychological thriller combining an isolated setting with a theme about books, and I'm sold. Though I got this book back when it came out, I didn't get a chance to read it. But I couldn't let... Continue Reading →
Though I don't read many holiday romances, I had to read Amor Actually, a short-story collection centering Latina characters. So many of my favorite authors contributed to this anthology, with all their stories interconnecting by the end. Leading up to one Nochebuena party among friends, nine different partnerships (couples and throuples alike!) will get their... Continue Reading →
Months ago, I saw Melissa Rivero’s Flores and Miss Paula on NetGalley and was instantly intrigued. About an immigrant mother and her adult daughter, it describes their difficult relationship in the aftermath of a family loss, honoring their Peruvian culture while living in New York City, and navigating their future together. My husband is Peruvian,... Continue Reading →
It was thanks to some lovely authors I follow on Instagram that I first heard about Raiders of the Lost Heart, the debut novel by Jo Segura. Set in the Mexican jungle, it follows a team of archaeologists as they search for the long-lost remains of an Aztec warrior. However, the two leading this dig... Continue Reading →
The Fairytale Life of Dorothy Gale by Virginia Kantra wasn’t on my radar, but when I was invited to review it, its synopsis captured my heart. It’s set in Ireland at Trinity College Dublin, where the main character is pursuing a master’s degree. Well, my sister earned her master’s from Trinity and is still living... Continue Reading →
It was this time last year when Erika T. Wurth's debut novel, White Horse, was released. I got a hardcover of it through Book of the Month, but this month, I decided to finally read it as an audiobook. In part, I always try to celebrate Native American Heritage Month with at least one book... Continue Reading →
A few years ago, I absolutely loved Constance Sayers’s debut novel, A Witch in Time. Now she’s back with her third release, The Star and the Strange Moon. Like her previous work, this one combines fantasy and horror seamlessly. It’s about a 1960s actress who goes missing, the cult horror film left behind and the... Continue Reading →
A few months ago, I read a sampler of 14 romance novels due between summer 2023 and next spring. One of the books highlighted was My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine, a debut paranormal romance. Up until now, I’d read basically no paranormal romances; I didn’t think it would be my thing. But... Continue Reading →
We’ve all heard the Plain White T’s hit “Hey There Delilah” countless times since its release in 2006. I’ve loved the song all these years, and the lyrics have always made it easy for me to envision the story like a movie. Now, that story has been reimagined into a whole novel: What You Do... Continue Reading →
A few years ago, I loved Alix E. Harrow’s debut novel, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, and I’ve been eager to read more from her since. Now she has an incredible new novel out: Starling House. A gothic tale of creepy houses, its wardens, and the desperation of those in the area, this is... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books this fall is Maybe Once, Maybe Twice by Alison Rose Greenberg. I’m always a sucker for novels about music, and that’s what first drew me to this one. It follows a singer-songwriter on the verge of success at 35. But in her past, she asked two different men to... Continue Reading →
Every month I check the Amazon First Reads selections on offer, happy to get a free book a month before its wider publication. For September, my pick was A Night at the Tropicana, a short story by Chanel Cleeton. I'd read one novel of hers before, Next Year in Havana, and was curious to read... Continue Reading →
All of this year I’ve been looking forward to Thank You for Sharing, the debut novel by Rachel Runya Katz, and this week it’s finally here! This second-chance romance stars two Jewish people of color as they work together, rebuild their friendship, and develop a deeper connection along the way. It’s light and fun, but... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 