For the past few weeks I've been working my way through the Cemetery of Forgotten Books series by the late Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Following The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel’s Game, the third novel is The Prisoner of Heaven. In contrast to the other books in the series, this one is fairly short, at only 278... Continue Reading →
I'm currently in the midst of reading Carlos Ruiz Zafón's Cemetery of Forgotten Books series. Following my reread of his beloved The Shadow of the Wind, I've now just finished the second book in the series, The Angel's Game. While it has much in common with the first book, The Angel's Game is also wholly... Continue Reading →
I first read Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Shadow of the Wind four years ago. At the time, it felt like one of the most magical, immersive stories I'd ever read. It wasn't until a couple of years later that I found out it was the first in a series, and my mom was kind enough... Continue Reading →
I've devoted the past couple of weeks to reading Asian fantasies. Following Song of the Crimson Flower and The Night Tiger, my trilogy ends with The Library of Legends by Janie Chang. Published earlier this year, I discovered it when it was announced as a Book of the Month selection in April. Its magical description... Continue Reading →
A few years ago, I read Yangsze Choo's first novel, The Ghost Bride, and adored it. So when her second book, The Night Tiger, came out, I was excited to get my hands on it. It ended up being one of my first purchases from Book of the Month after I joined in January 2019,... 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 →
Six years ago, I was living in Lima, Peru with my fiancé (now husband). He's Peruvian, and in addition to spending nearly a year living in his country, getting to know his family, I also wanted to learn more about Peru through books. One of the newest novels I'd found online was Chasing the Sun... Continue Reading →
A couple of years ago, I picked up Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton. She's released two more books in this series since then, and has already announced another due next spring, and I knew it was time to finally settle in and give this novel my attention. That this month (from September 15... 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 →
Some books hit you differently. That's absolutely true of Akwaeke Emezi's latest novel, The Death of Vivek Oji. Their third novel overall - and second for adults - it examines a complex character before and after their death, before and after loved ones really knew who they were. Queer, gender-nonconforming people in 1990s Nigeria take... Continue Reading →
I'm a sucker for a good haunted house story. While I'm a fan of horror movies in general, my favorites are always set in spooky old mansions that may or may not be inhabited by ghosts. So when I found out Riley Sager's new book would be a haunted house story, I was thrilled. I... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books this year was Alex North's second novel, The Shadows. I loved his first book, The Whisper Man - which I just read in May - and had high hopes for the followup. I'm happy to report that he did not disappoint! Summary The Shadows follows two closely connected timelines.... Continue Reading →
I was introduced to Silvia Moreno-Garcia through her 2019 novel, Gods of Jade and Shadow. I loved that book, and was thrilled to learn of her upcoming 2020 books, Untamed Shore and Mexican Gothic. The former came out in February, and now Mexican Gothic is available and already charting high on bestseller lists. My Book... 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 →
It was almost exactly one year ago that I picked up the Book of the Month edition of The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams. I'd been wanting to read something by Beatriz Williams for a few months - all of her books look intriguing - and when it was a June pick on BOTM, I... Continue Reading →
Amy Harmon's What the Wind Knows gently fluttered into my awareness last year when I saw it featured in some bookish email newsletters. But while the title and cover caught my eye, the summary catapulted it to the top of my to-buy list. There are three reasons... First: It's set in Ireland, and I have... Continue Reading →
I have a long and ever-growing list of books I want, but, like many readers, I must admit that I tend to be drawn to the same three or four genres. So sometimes, it's nice - and important - to get a fresh perspective thrust into your TBR. For my birthday last May, my sister... Continue Reading →
I signed up for Book of the Month in January this year, getting two 2018 books and excitedly awaiting the months of books ahead of me. In February, I picked my first *real* Book of the Month: A Woman is No Man, the debut novel by Etuf Rum. (I also got two other new books... Continue Reading →
I discovered Dominicana by Angie Cruz thanks to Book of the Month featuring it as one of their August 2019 picks. Although I hadn't heard of it before, reading its description made it an instant impulse buy, and I was eager to read it. Fast forward a few months, and after finishing Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Gods... Continue Reading →
Last spring, I learned about an upcoming novel called Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I think I was on Goodreads or looking at some article somewhere, but as soon as I saw its gorgeous cover and intriguing title and read the description, I was hooked. So when Book of the Month announced... Continue Reading →
Jessica Shattuck's The Women in the Castle is a book I've been holding onto for about two years. Published in 2017, I'd been waiting for the right time to read it. After finishing Craig Russell's The Devil Aspect, set just before the start of WWII, it felt like the perfect time to dive into this... Continue Reading →
A few weeks ago, I stumbled across The Devil Aspect by Craig Russell on a display shelf at a book store. It's one of those books that instantly grabs your attention, with its intriguing title and unsettling cover art. I knew I wouldn't be able to wait long to read it. The Devil Aspect is... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 