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 →
One year ago, The Marriage Game by Sara Desai was a book on my radar. Alas, I never did read the book, but did that stop me from reading its sequel, The Dating Plan? No, no it did not. Technically, they each work as standalones, despite featuring characters in the same universe (or, in this... Continue Reading →
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 →
This book needs no introduction. Surely all of you have heard of The Kite Runner, the debut novel by Khaled Hosseini. I was still in middle school when it first came out, and though I've heard about it for many years now, I never owned or read the book. In the past couple of years,... Continue Reading →
After I signed up for Book of the Month in early 2019, I started looking into their back catalogue of offerings, adding many books to my TBR. One novel that particularly caught my eye was The Air Your Breathe by Frances de Pontes Peebles. Brazil and music in the 1930s? Yes please! First offered in... Continue Reading →
At the beginning of this year, I admitted to a blind spot I'd noticed in my reading habits: I hadn't read any books by or about Native American people in several years. I decided that needed to change, so I began searching for novels to start with. One of top-rated books I found was There... Continue Reading →
One of the books that was on my radar for February 2021 was Honey Girl, the debut novel by Morgan Rogers. It seemed like it would be a cute story with depth, and I was thrilled when it was a pick on Book of the Month. But did Honey Girl live up to the hype?... Continue Reading →
Let me preface this review with a confession: I was really excited when A Witch in Time, the debut novel by Constance Sayers, was about to be published in February 2020. Then I was ecstatic when I won it in a Goodreads giveaway! But the version I won was an ebook, and I've never been... Continue Reading →
At the end of last year, back when I still went into book stores without a mask or fears of Covid, I stumbled across an enchanting novel called Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw. Its intricate cover arrested my attention - with its web of branches and roots reaching for an ominous half moon. But beyond that,... Continue Reading →
I've said it before, and I'll probably keep saying it: My favorite thing about Book of the Month is how it introduces me to new books that weren't on my radar. Last month, one of their main September picks was The Last Story of Mina Lee, the debut novel by Nancy Jooyoun Kim. I didn't... Continue Reading →
I recently joined a book club with my sister, and I'm so glad I did. In my second month, it's already introduced me to an incredible novel that I hadn't heard of before: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. My sister picked this one, and I flew through it in... Continue Reading →
A new book has been on my radar for the past few months: Transcendent Kingdom by Yaaa Gyasi. This upcoming release led me to want the author's first book, Homegoing, which was first published in 2016. While I thought about adding it to my bookshelves soon, fate stepped in to speed up the process: The... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books for Spring 2020 was The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. I was thrilled when it was a Book of the Month pick in June, and with the attention on #BlackLivesMatter and the need for antiracism gaining traction recently, now felt like the ideal time to read it. Summary The... Continue Reading →
Just a few weeks ago, I found out that I won an Advanced Reader's Edition of Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams. This is the first physical book I've ever won from a giveaway on Goodreads - thank you, Goodreads, William Morrow, and HarperCollins! I finished Beatriz Williams's 2019 novel, The Golden Hour, right before beginning Her Last... Continue Reading →
I, Amanda Whitbeck, am a book nerd. That should come as no surprise, given that I decided to start a whole website dedicated to book reviews and blog posts about reading. And as an admitted book nerd, I get pretty excited when I find novels that are, in some way, about books and a love... Continue Reading →
After reading Helen Hoang's The Kiss Quotient, I knew I had to read its sequel, The Bride Test, next. Both books are part of a trilogy, with the third and final installment due next year. The trilogy centers on characters with autism navigating romantic and sexual relationships. While The Kiss Quotient followed an autistic, successful... Continue Reading →
Helen Hoang's debut novel, The Kiss Quotient, caught my eye every time I entered a book store for several months before I finally gave in and bought it. I don't normally read romance novels, but this one - with its clever title and unique plot - proved irresistible. The Kiss Quotient tells the story of... Continue Reading →
Earlier this month, I finished reading Kevin Kwan's debut novel, Crazy Rich Asians, and I loved it. So I immediately dove into the second book of the trilogy, China Rich Girlfriend. Up front I can tell you, it captures all of the humor, wit, and fun of the fist book. And while it largely features... Continue Reading →
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Amanda's Book Corner 