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 →
The Love Wager
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 →
The Ingenue
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 →
Better Than Fiction
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 →
Send Her Back and Other Stories
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 →
A Thousand Miles
Summer is here, school is out, and we're all ready for a fun getaway. The perfect book to kick off the season is Bridget Morrissey's A Thousand Miles, a story of two ex-best friends taking a road trip from Illinois to Colorado. It's been a decade since they last saw each other, but a few... Continue Reading →
The Wedding Setup
Sonali Dev is an author I've been wanting to read for the past few years. Her Jane Austen retellings - featuring Indian characters and contemporary settings - have all caught my eye, and it's just a matter of time before I buy them all and finally give them my full attention. Though I haven't done... Continue Reading →
Woman of Light
Only a couple of weeks ago I was perusing NetGalley when I saw a new book that wasn't yet available: Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine. It immediately captured my interest, so I indicated my hope that it would be made available soon. Shortly after, I was surprised and elated when NetGalley had not only... Continue Reading →
LaRose
For the past four years, I've been "babysitting" some of my sister's books while she pursues her PhD. One of those books is LaRose by Louise Erdrich. Since November is Native American Heritage Month, I was planning to read a few novels by Indigenous authors, and my sister recommended LaRose. She'd read it as part... Continue Reading →
Firekeeper’s Daughter
As soon as I saw the breathtaking cover for Firekeeper's Daughter, the debut novel by Angeline Boulley, I was sold. It was one of my most anticipated books of March, then I was thrilled when Book of the Month featured it as an April add-on. Although I bought Firekeeper's Daughter right away, I decided to... Continue Reading →
Never Saw You Coming (ARC)
A few weeks ago, I was thrilled to learn I had won an ARC of Erin Hahn's Never Saw You Coming, the sequel to her 2020 book, More Than Maybe. I just read - and loved - More Than Maybe, so the characters were fresh in my mind when Never Saw You Coming arrived. It's... Continue Reading →
More Than Maybe
A year ago, More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn was one of my most anticipated books of the summer. I've been excited to read it ever since, and though it's been on my shelf for months now, I don't know why I've been putting it off. But no more: I just found out that I... Continue Reading →
People We Meet on Vacation
Last year, one of my favorite books was Beach Read by Emily Henry, and since then, I've been counting down the days until her second adult novel, People We Meet on Vacation, would be released. Although it's not due out until May 11th, Book of the Month spoiled their subscribers by offering the new book... Continue Reading →
The Lost Book of Adana Moreau
About one year ago, The Lost Book of Adana Moreau by Michael Zapata was just about to come out when I discovered it. I was immediately interested in reading this debut, especially when I saw comparisons to Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s The Shadow of the Wind. I do love books about books! Although I did buy The... Continue Reading →
This is What America Looks Like: My Journey From Refugee to Congresswoman
In November 2018, I was thrilled when progressives like Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. I've continued to follow them over the last few years, and when Ilhan Omar published her book This is What America Looks Like: My Journey From Refugee to Congresswoman, I was eager to... Continue Reading →
Winter Counts
It wasn't until late last summer that I first heard of Winter Counts, the debut novel by David Heska Wanbli Widen. It was one of the main picks for Book of the Month in September, and it instantly intrigued me. I finally bought it in January, and since it's winter now, it felt like the... Continue Reading →
Beach Read
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 →