I loved Diana Quincy's historical romance The Duke Gets Desperate, and I've been excited to continue the series. The second Sirens in Silk book is The Earl That Got Away, a retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion. It turns out that Raya's sister and Strick's close friend knew each other years ago, and they've both been... Continue Reading →
Olesya Salnikova Gilmore is an author I've been wanting to read since her debut, The Witch and the Tsar. Now her third novel is out: The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru takes place in 1924 Paris, where a Russian immigrant family is haunted (literally!) by the past. With a decades-old murder mystery or two, out-of-control... Continue Reading →
CG Drews recently released their adult debut novel, You Did Nothing Wrong. This psychological horror follows Elodie, the 22-year-old mother to her six-year-old son, Jude. She spent years with her neglectful parents in Australia, but upon meeting Bren, she packed up her life to live with him in the United States. Bren has a large... Continue Reading →
For a couple of years, I've been anticipating Ana Holguin's novel, Second Chance Duet. So much so that, while I was waiting for it, I read her first book, Up Close & Personal! At long last it is here, and what a treat it is. Celia García is a composer whose goal is to score... Continue Reading →
I loved Saara El-Arifi's debut novel, The Final Strife, and have been eager to read more from her. Her newest release is Cleopatra, a retelling of the famous last Pharaoh of Egypt. From her difficult political leadership and motherhood to her medical work and her undying love for her country, this work of historical fiction... Continue Reading →
The Encore by Juliet Izon wasn't initially on my radar, but when I saw it on NetGalley, I was instantly intrigued. It starts with Anna Buckley and Will Pendleton in 2003, when they're both students at a prestigious school studying music. They're friends, not lovers, but one hookup before they part ways leaves Anna pregnant.... Continue Reading →
Happy release week to Maria J. Morillo's debut novel, The Ex-Perimento! This romance has been on my radar for many months, and I was so excited to get my hands on it. Set in Caracas, Venezuela, it follows Maria Antonieta (Marianto), a lifestyle columnist with her whole life planned out down to the letter. But... Continue Reading →
Last May, Nisha J. Tuli released her first contemporary romance, Not Safe for Work. I had never read her before, but was excited for this workplace romance set at a resort in Hawaii. Trishara and Rafe have been rivals for the past five years that they've worked at his dad's company in Chicago. Now they're... Continue Reading →
I love books that shine a light on historical figures, perhaps especially so when it's someone I know little about. This led me to ReShonda Tate's new novel, With Love from Harlem, about the jazz and classical pianist, Hazel Scott. Between 1943 and 1960, we get to see the ups and downs in Hazel's music... Continue Reading →
This year, I find myself increasingly drawn to medieval stories, and this is what piqued my interest in Ryan Collett's new novel, George Falls Through Time. George is going through a rough time: recently broken up with, unemployed, and stressed about life's mundanities. Then a heightened moment of stress literally sends George falling through time,... Continue Reading →
Earlier this week, Brenda Navarro's novel Eating Ashes was made available in English for the first time. It was translated from Spanish by Megan McDowell. It follows a Mexican family to Spain, where they experience xenophobia and a worsening sense of belonging. The unnamed narrator's younger brother, Diego, ultimately takes his own life, further fracturing... Continue Reading →
I loved Jessica James's first Glitter Bats romance, For One Night Only, and I've been so excited to continue the series. Now the second installment is here: For Our Next Song, starring drummer Keeley Cunningham and keyboardist Jane Mercer. Now that the band is back together and they've released a new album, they're finally free... Continue Reading →
A thriller I've been looking forward to for months is finally out this week: Darkrooms by Rebecca Hannigan. This dual timeline thriller moves between summer 1999 and December 2019. In the former timeline, Caitlin and Roisin are children and, though not exactly friends, spend their summer playing together in the haunting Hanging Woods. But then... Continue Reading →
Over the last few years I've been enjoying Scotland-based romances. This made The Odds of You by Kate Dramis stand out among this week's new releases. Sage Collins quit her job to become an author, and though her first book was a bestseller, she has intense writer's block as she starts working on her sequel.... Continue Reading →
Happy book birthday to The Storm by Rachel Hawkins! I read her first thriller, The Wife Upstairs, three years ago, and I'm excited to be getting back into her books. The Storm is set between 1984 and 2025 at a seaside town in Alabama. A hurricane in 1984 claimed the life of the rising politician,... Continue Reading →
My first read of the new year is A Steep and Savage Path by JJA Harwood. I slowly read this over the holidays, getting absorbed into the Transylvania and underworld settings. After a bad fall, Irina's seven-year-old sister Catalina is alive physically, but her soul is trapped in the underworld. Irina is sure that, if... Continue Reading →
Years ago I loved The Broken Girls by Simone St. James, and I've been wanting to read more from her ever since. The Sun Down Motel has been on my list the longest, and now that a new book set in the same universe is about to come out, it was high time I finally... Continue Reading →
For me December is always a month of reflection, making it the perfect time to read The Ferryman and His Wife by Frode Grytten. The English edition came out last month; it was translated from Norwegian by Alison McCullough. This short book follows Nils on the last day of his life. As he boards his... Continue Reading →
There has been such an increase in cat fiction being published lately! I'm on a mission to read it all, and I'm ending this year with Yuta Takahashi's The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen, the first in his Meals to Remember at the Chibineko Kitchen series. This short book was translated from Japanese by... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated romances this year was Her Time Traveling Duke by Bryn Donovan. It's actually a sequel to Her Knight at the Museum, which I haven't yet read, but it still works on its own, too. Rose is just a regular woman who works at a Chicago art museum and dabbles in... Continue Reading →
When I saw the cover for Falon Ballard's Something Wicked—first in her Idle Reputations series—I was instantly intrigued. And that it's inspired by Macbeth and Moulin Rouge? An interesting combination; sold! Something Wicked is set in a country called Avon, divided into four territories, plus a capital city. There's been political unrest for years, and... Continue Reading →
Happy release day to Sparks Fly by Zakiya N. Jamal! Her adult debut, this contemporary romance has been on my radar for months. It starts with Stella, a 27-year-old who's never had sex and never had a real romantic relationship. She wants to just get the whole thing over with, so she goes to a... Continue Reading →
Gothic tales always catch my eye, and I've been especially interested in ones set in different countries. This drew me to The Villa, Once Beloved by Victor Manibo, set in the Philippines. Filipina-American Sophie travels to the Philippines for the first time with her boyfriend, Adrian Sepulveda, when his grandfather passes away. The Sepulveda villa... Continue Reading →
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 →
Amanda's Book Corner 