Last month, Marina Scott released her historical horror novel, The Night Guests. (It was also an Amazon First Reads selection in October.) Set in Omaha, Nebraska in 1903, it follows Nina Wilson in the wake of losing her father. Her twin brother is absent and her mother lives in a delusion that she can communicate... Continue Reading →
Happy book birthday to Sasha Laurens's adult debut, When I Picture You! I've been eagerly reading every music-related romance that has come out this year, so when I heard about this one, I couldn't wait to read it, too. Lola Gray is a wildly successful pop star known for her songwriting. But after a breakup,... Continue Reading →
Jenna Levine's My Vampires series has been one of my favorite things to happen in the last couple of years. After loving the first two books, I was excited for the third installment in the trilogy, Road Trip with a Vampire. This one introduces new characters (though Zelda was mentioned in the previous book). Zelda... Continue Reading →
Books and music: two of my favorite things to read about in a novel! This drew me to With Stars in Her Eyes by Andie Burke. It starts with Courtney Starling, stage name Kestrel, at a live event to launch her solo career and debut album. But it goes horribly wrong due to a bad... Continue Reading →
Mia Sosa is an author I've been wanting to read for a while now, especially since I enjoyed a short story she wrote for a holiday anthology a few years ago. Her newest novel is When Javi Dumped Mari, a friends-to-lovers romance that takes 12 years and a rapidly approaching wedding (to the wrong man!)... Continue Reading →
This week saw the release of Meryl Wilsner's fourth novel, My Best Friend's Honeymoon. When Elsie ends her engagement to Derrick, he encourages her to go on the the non-refundable honeymoon to Santa Lupita that he'd booked. Elsie takes her best friend, Ginny, who makes her promise to speak up for what she wants the... Continue Reading →
One of the best books out this month is When the Harvest Comes by Denne Michele Norris. Unfolding like a tapestry, this novel starts with two men on their wedding day, a day that also ends with the death of one of their fathers. Weaving in themes of grief, gender identity, family, and the importance... Continue Reading →
Happy book birthday to Just Our Luck by Denise Williams! Donuts, a winning lottery ticket, and fake dating make for a sweet and escapist romance between two total opposites. Although I picked up her first book, How to Fail at Flirting, a couple years ago, this is my first time reading Denise Williams, but not... Continue Reading →
In 2014, Harper St. George published a novella called Her Forbidden Gunslinger, the prequel to a trilogy of novels set in 1880s Montana Territory. Now, those books have all been updated and republished with new titles. The prequel novella is now titled The Runaway Heiress, and it introduces readers to a world of wealth amidst... Continue Reading →
As a kid, I absolutely loved horses. From my numerous Breyer horses to the book series I read (The Black Stallion; Phantom Stallion; Pony Pals; many more!), I was a horse girl through and through (minus the budget for riding lessons, sadly). To this day, I love horses and am drawn to anything involving them.... Continue Reading →
I always love a book that weaves in music somehow, and that's what first drew me to Showmance by Chad Beguelin. Noah Adams has just had his Broadway debut... but his musical, Stage of Fools, is an immediate flop. He goes back to his small hometown in Illinois to be with his parents after his... Continue Reading →
Last year I absolutely loved My Roommate Is a Vampire, and I couldn't wait to continue the My Vampires series. Now Jenna Levine is back with My Vampire Plus-One, this time starring Reginald Cleaves (introduced in the first book) and a new character, Amelia Collins (Cassie's best friend Sam's sister). Amelia is tired of her... Continue Reading →
Taleen Voskuni is an author I've been wanting to read since she released her debut novel, Sorry, Bro, early last year. While that one still awaits me, I was happy to get a chance to read her latest book, Lavash at First Sight. A romance between two Armenian Lebanese women whose families hate each other,... 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 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 →
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 →
I love music, so I’m always on the lookout for books about musicians or music lovers. A debut novel that particularly caught my interest was All the Right Notes by Dominic Lim. This dual timeline romance stars two Asian American men, from their time in high school in the 1990s to the present day when... Continue Reading →
I've always loved mysteries and anything with gothic vibes, so I was excited to read The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright. This novel follows a few different timelines, spanning the 1800s to present day, as two women work through a decades-old mystery surrounding a Wisconsin castle. With both suspense and romance, this... Continue Reading →
Are you ever compelled to read a book simply by its name alone? That was the case for me when I came across White Cat, Black Dog by Kelly Link. This collection of seven short stories reimagines French lore, Scottish ballads, and the Brothers Grimm, making each classic tale fresh and utterly original. Special thanks... Continue Reading →
Lately I've been wanting to read some works by Victor LaValle, in particular his novel The Changeling. Instead, I started with his latest novel, Lone Women. Indeed, I was quite pleased when I was offered an advanced copy of it, and though I wasn't sure what to expect, I was excited to dive in. Special... Continue Reading →
Last year, Lynn Painter's Mr. Wrong Number was a popular contemporary romance, and rightfully so. This week, the series continues with her new novel, The Love Wager. This friends-to-lovers romance follows Jack and Hallie as they navigate dating app dates and wedding parties, all while denying their obvious feelings for each other. It's a cute... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books this year has been The Ingenue by Rachel Kapelke-Dale. Though I haven't yet read her first novel, The Ballerinas, this one falls into a similar genre of drama thriller. Also like her first book, this one features a dual timeline and a protagonist gifted in the arts. Instead of... Continue Reading →
One of the romances I've most been looking forward to this year has been Better Than Fiction by Alexa Martin. Although I haven't read her previous novels, this one looked adorable: A book-hater falling in love with a literal author? It doesn't get better than that! I was thrilled to get an early copy of... Continue Reading →
A couple of months ago, a NetGalley email alerted me to some exciting "Read Now" books that were available. One in particular caught my eye: Send Her Back and Other Stories by Munashe Kaseke. This collection of short stories offers myriad accounts of what it's like to be a Zimbabwean immigrant living in the United... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 