A few years ago, I watched a movie about Nellie Bly and her famous undercover commitment to a women's asylum. Up until then, I had never heard of her, but it was a fascinating and eye-opening account. Earlier this year, I was excited to learn of an upcoming book based on her: The Mad Girls... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books of this spring is out today: The No-Show by Beth O'Leary. This is her fourth novel, though my first time reading her work. Sitting somewhere between mystery, romance, and women's fiction, it's a surprising novel that will work your mind and, in the end, your heart. Review Special thanks... Continue Reading →
One month ago, a new historical romance book was released into the world. Her Country Gentleman, the first in the Timeless Georgian Collection series, comprises three short stories by Sian Ann Bessey, Sarah M. Eden, and Rebecca Connolly. Kim Bretton narrates the audiobook version. It's an endearing book that is perfect for anyone who enjoys... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated romances this spring has been Business Not As Usual by Sharon C. Cooper. I hadn't read her before, but this one's cover and plot both drew me in. I was so happy when I was contacted for an ARC of it - this book went to the top of my... Continue Reading →
Over the past several months, I've connected with a new author known as I, Anonymous. I was honored when he offered me an ARC of his new book, Gurzil, the first in the Wars of Wrath series. Gurzil just came out two weeks ago, and it's a book I wholly recommend, whether you're an avid... Continue Reading →
Last summer, I read and lovedย Libby Hubscher's debut novel, Meet Me in Paradise.ย It was at once a story of romantic love and familial love, a novel that balanced laugh-out-loud hilarity and heart-wrenching drama. Libby Hubscher's second novel, If You Ask Me, offers a similar blend of humor, drama, and romance. It's out now and is... Continue Reading →
Two years ago, I loved Ibram X. Kendi's book, How to Be an Antiracist, and I've been eager to read more from him. Along with Keisha N. Blain, he co-edited the 2021 book, Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019. Divided into 80 chapters, each focusing on a five-year span of history... Continue Reading →
Late last year is when I first heard about The Violin Conspiracy, the debut novel by Brendan Slocumb. As soon as I read the summary, I was sold; I pre-ordered it immediately. While I awaited its release day, The Violin Conspiracy became the inspiration for my February reading challenge: books about Black musicians. Needless to... Continue Reading →
For several months, I've been eagerly anticipating the release of The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews. The first in her new Belles of London series, I was drawn to several things that make it stand out compared to other historical romances: It stars a half-Indian protagonist, features an interracial and interclass relationship, and highlights... Continue Reading →
Fall is here and I am so happy! Early fall is my favorite time of year - just when the weather turns crisp and we start wearing jackets and drinking hot chocolate. As a bookworm, I also love curling up with a book by the fire. If you're in need of new reads to keep... Continue Reading →
Despite another busy and speedy month, September was great for reading this year. I finished ten books, three of which I'd started in August. You may notice that I was on a bit of a romance kick. Nine of the ten books I read can be labeled as romances, though they did range in types.... Continue Reading →
Latinx Heritage Month is near and dear to my heart: My husband is Latino (Peruvian, specifically), and I love getting to know his culture through books. Though I've read some Peruvian authors and characters, I'm always on the hunt for more! However, I also love reading about other Latinx cultures across South America, Central America... Continue Reading →
September is officially here, and I'm so excited for autumn to begin! I love the cooler weather, the falling leaves, and the feeling of new beginnings as another school year starts (even though I haven't been in school for years). It's the perfect season for reading, and happily, there are numerous amazing new books coming... Continue Reading →
I don't know about you, but August flew by for me! It was a busy month, especially since we had family visiting us for two weeks, but I still found time to read. In fact, I somehow got through eight entire books! Five of the books I read are by just two authors. First was... Continue Reading →
Welcome to my first reading wrap-up! This will be a monthly thing going forward, but I'm glad I'm starting now, because July was an excellent reading month for me. I really enjoyed all the books I read, and gave them all between four and five stars. Half of the books I read were set, at... Continue Reading →
I don't know about you, but this summer has been super busy for me. It's mostly because of how little we did last summer - we all know why - and we're making up for all we missed out on during lockdown. But despite all that's been going on in my life, I always make... Continue Reading →
We're only a couple weeks into this summer, and we've already broken temperature records where I live in the Pacific Northwest! I've been avoiding the sweltering heat, so naturally, that means plenty of time curled up with a cool drink and a good book. New books may be part of my plans this month, and... Continue Reading →
Late last year, I was excited to learn about Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen. I know at least two people who identify as asexual, and although I'm happily married, I've long known that I'm not quite allosexual. This book offers answers about what it means... Continue Reading →
Ace of Spades, the debut novel by Faridah รbรญkรฉ-รyรญmรญdรฉ, was one of my most anticipated books of June 2021, and I picked it up as soon as it came out. This YA thriller has been compared to Get Outโan excellent movie!โand combines themes of racism with a dark academia backdrop. Ace of Spades by Faridah... Continue Reading →
About one year ago, Meryl Wilsner released their first book, Something to Talk About. This Hollywood-set workplace romance, featuring two women and an age gap, instantly captured my interest. In honor of Pride Month, I decided now was the perfect time to read it. I opted for the audiobook version, narrated by Jorjeana Marie and Xe... Continue Reading →
Last fall, I loved Casey McQuiston's debut novel, Red, White, & Royal Blue. I was excited to learn about their second novel, One Last Stop, and counted down the days to its release. It just came out on June 1st, and being Pride Month, too, I read it as soon as my Book of the... Continue Reading →
Although the Black Lives Matter movement has been around for nearly a decade, it's garnered a lot more attention in the past year. I've been reading about racism and racial history recently, and I wanted to learn more about #BlackLivesMatter specifically. What better place than person who started it all? Alicia Garza wrote The Purpose... Continue Reading →
A book that's totally out of my comfort zone but sparked my interest is The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson. Science fiction isn't normally my thing, but I just had to have this. I read it as soon as myย Book of the Monthย edition arrived at the beginning of June, and wow, what a great... Continue Reading →
I just celebrated my birthday at the end of May, and I got a few books as gifts from my sister. One of them was The Music of the Deep by Elizabeth Hall. It's primarily set in Washington's San Juan Islands (which I know very well), though on a made up island with a haunting... Continue Reading →
