I loved Rachel Runya Katz's 2023 debut, Thank You for Sharing, and have been wanting to read her more recent books. Before I get to her newest release, I decided to catch up on last year's Whenever You're Ready. For years, Nia, Jade, and Michal were best friends. Later, Jade's twin brother Jonah was part... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated horror novels this year has been I'll Make a Spectacle of You, the debut from Beatrice Winifred Iker. Set at a Tennessee HBCU, it follows Zora, a grad student in Appalachian Studies who's researching religions, folklore, and hoodoo... and a beast that supposedly lurks the university woods at night. A... Continue Reading →
I've been all about vampire romances the past few years, so I was excited for Lucy Lehane's debut, Thirsty. This M/M vampire romance just came out earlier this week, and it's the perfect cozy read for this time of year. Charlie is a struggling advice columnist, and now that supernatural creatures are "out," most of... Continue Reading →
I've been wanting to read Nick Medina since his first novel came out a couple years ago. Now that his third novel has published, I decided to start there. The Whistler follows Henry Hotard, a man in his early 20s who's devoted to his growing YouTube channel about ghost hunting. But after going after a... Continue Reading →
Earlier this month, Adib Khorram released his second adult romance, It Had to Be Him. After getting dumped for being "boring," Ramin makes the exciting choice to take a vacation in Milan. There he coincidentally runs into Noah, once a friend back in high school, and they quickly resume their friendship. It's not long before... Continue Reading →
I have been absolutely loving all the music-themed romances coming out this year, and one of my most anticipated was Kate Golden's If Not for My Baby. It starts with the kind of unexpected opportunity we all dream of: Small-town waitress Clementine's best friend drops out of backup singing duties in a big star's tour... Continue Reading →
Today Danica Nava releases her second novel, Love Is a War Song, and I loved it! This romance follows Avery Fox, a new pop singer (and former child actress) after she's been canceled for maybe lying about being Native American and misrepresenting her culture. For damage control, she goes to stay with the Grandmother she's... Continue Reading →
Though I've always been a cat person, I loving seeing any pets take a central role in books, and that includes dogs! This led me to Pardon My Frenchie by Farrah Rochon. It stars a French Bulldog and—my personal dream dog—a Standard Poodle. Ashanti runs a successful doggie daycare, Barkingham Palace, as well as her... Continue Reading →
I've been wanting to read Paulette Kennedy since her first book came out a few years ago, and have finally started with her latest novel, The Artist of Blackberry Grange. Set in 1925, it follows Sadie Halloran just after her relationship with a married man ended badly. She ends up going to her great aunt... Continue Reading →
Two years ago, I enjoyed Jodie Slaughter's romance, Play to Win, so I was excited to read more from her. Her newest book is Ready to Score, a rivals-to-lovers romance between two women aiming for the same head coach position at the high school where they work. Though both books (and Bet on It) are... Continue Reading →
Who doesn't love a pop punk cruise? This is what caught my attention with Alicia Thompson's Never Been Shipped. I've already been wanting to read her books since With Love, from Cold World came out; the Paramore reference was like a siren call. That one is still on my TBR, but today, one of its... Continue Reading →
I'm a person who's obsessed with time and reality and the butterfly effect of everyday life decisions. This is what drew me to Paige Harbison's adult debut, The Other Side of Now. Over a decade after losing her best friend, Meg Bryan is a successful actress, but she's not happy. Nothing in her life is... Continue Reading →
Following Brendan Slocumb's first two books, he's become one of my favorite authors, especially for his unique blend of music, discussions of race, and crime fiction. His newest book, The Dark Maestro, came out earlier this week. While it has his trademarks—here, a Black cellist from a low class background—this one focuses more on the... Continue Reading →
The past few years I have been loving Kennedy Ryan's Skyland series. Now the trilogy ends with Can't Get Enough, Hendrix's story. Career-focused and confident, Hendrix isn't willing to sacrifice her goals for a man. But when she meets Maverick, a tech mogul, she needs to consider whether being with him is worth risking a... Continue Reading →
Asexual representation, Mexican American women falling in love, a viral TikTok scavenger hunt—all of this can be found in Gabriella Gamez's new novel, Kiss Me, Maybe. This is the second in her Librarians in Love series, and even if you haven't read the first book yet (I haven't), it works well as a standalone romance.... Continue Reading →
It may not be summer yet, but the weather is getting nice and it's the perfect time to get a preview of more to come with Ms. V's Hot Girl Summer by A.H. Cunningham. Single mom Trinidad Velasquez is looking to finally settle down with a man years after her divorce. She tries to ignore... Continue Reading →
This week saw the release of Lissette Decos's second novel, Takes One to Know One. Set primarily in Puerto Rico, this enemies-to-lovers romance follows up-and-coming reggaetonero Rene ‘El Rico’ Rodriguez... and Daniela, the reggaeton-hating record label executive working with him while he records his debut album. Why I Chose This Book: I never pass up... Continue Reading →
Alix E. Harrow just released a new short story this week: The Knight and the Butcherbird. Set in a post-apocalyptic Appalachian community hundreds of years in the future, it reads like a fairy tale with demons and knights. Why I Chose This Book: Though I've only read two of her books so far, I'm always... Continue Reading →
Yesterday, Jacqueline Friedland released her new novel, Counting Backwards. Divided between the 1910s/1920s and today, it uncovers a horrific story about eugenics, forced sterilizations, and women who have little power over their reproductive health and personal lives. It's inspired by the true cases of Carrie Buck in 1924 and what's continued to go on even... Continue Reading →
Happy book birthday to The Love Lyric by Kristina Forest! This is the final book in her Greene Sisters trilogy, in which eldest sister and single mom Iris finds an unlikely connection with a popular R&B singer, Angel. But with her past and carefully constructed life, can she pursue a future with a celebrity like... Continue Reading →
This week, Julian Winters makes his adult debut with I Think They Love You. A second chance romance, fake dating, career ambitions, complex family connections—this book offers a lot and is so richly drawn. This is my first time reading this author and I already look forward to more. Why I Chose This Book: I... 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 →
Every fall I'm on the lookout for some good horror and thrillers to feed my spooky season cravings. One book I had been eagerly awaiting was Del Sandeen's debut novel, This Cursed House. It's summer 1962 when Jemma has faced a series of difficulties at home in Chicago. From the death of her adoptive father... Continue Reading →
Today Raquel Vasquez Gilliland releases her second Wild Magic novel, Lightning in Her Hands. This book follows middle sister Teal, a volatile woman whose gift is changing the weather according to her moods. But she was four when her mother abandoned the family, taking a piece of Teal's magic with her; Teal has never had... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 