Though I donโt read much YA anymore, one author Iโve enjoyed is Isabel Ibaรฑez. Her third novel, Together We Burn, came out last year, and Iโve been eager to get to it. Set in a Spain-inspired world, it follows a flamenco dancer who must learn to fight dragons in order to save her family home.ย ... Continue Reading →
A few months ago, I read a sampler of 14 romance novels due between summer 2023 and next spring. One of the books highlighted was My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine, a debut paranormal romance. Up until now, Iโd read basically no paranormal romances; I didnโt think it would be my thing. But... Continue Reading →
It was only last spring when Katie Shepard released her debut novel, Bear with Me Now. Today, she's back with her second romance, Sweeten the Deal, about a rich but lonely young woman playing "sugar daddy" to a broke artist over ten years her senior. They have a mutually beneficial arrangement: He helps her gain... Continue Reading →
Weโve all heard the Plain White Tโs hit โHey There Delilahโ countless times since its release in 2006. Iโve loved the song all these years, and the lyrics have always made it easy for me to envision the story like a movie. Now, that story has been reimagined into a whole novel: What You Do... Continue Reading →
October is a great time for spooky and Gothic books, and I was excited for Hazardous Spirits by Anbara Salam. Set during the 1920s spiritualist movement in Scotland, it has the right atmosphere... but does it live up to its potential? Eh, somewhat. Special thanks to Tin House and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of... Continue Reading →
Early last year, I enjoyed Hiro Arikawa's novel, The Travelling Cat Chronicles, about a snarky cat whose loving owner is trying to find a new home for him. It was a beautiful and heartrending book, so I was excited to learn about the authorโs new collection of short stories, The Goodbye Cat. Two of the... Continue Reading →
By now, Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an author I fully trust, no matter the genre or subject matter. Her latest release is a short story called The Lover, part of the Amazon Original Stories collection. It comes out on November 1st, but I was able to get it as part of the Amazon First Reads program... Continue Reading →
Since discovering a love of historical romance four years ago, Iโve dived deep into this delightful genre. However, Iโm reaching the point where I now veer towards stories with something a little different to offer, whether itโs diversity in characters or a less conventional plot. This is what drew me to Jane Dunnโs recent novel,... Continue Reading →
Iโm not alone in saying that Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite classic novels, and Iโm always happy to see new retellings of it. One that Iโve greatly been looking forward to is The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melinda Taub. As the title suggests, this novel focuses on the wild,... Continue Reading →
A few years ago, I loved Alix E. Harrowโs debut novel, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, and Iโve been eager to read more from her since. Now she has an incredible new novel out: Starling House. A gothic tale of creepy houses, its wardens, and the desperation of those in the area, this is... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books this fall is Maybe Once, Maybe Twice by Alison Rose Greenberg. Iโm always a sucker for novels about music, and thatโs what first drew me to this one. It follows a singer-songwriter on the verge of success at 35. But in her past, she asked two different men to... Continue Reading →
Last year I loved Beth O'Leary's novel, The No-Show. And though I haven't read any of her other books (yet!), I also really enjoyed the mini-series adaptation of her debut, The Flatshare. Now Beth O'Leary is back with a brand new novel, The Wake-Up Call. This enemies-to-lovers romance follows two hotel receptionists trying to return... Continue Reading →
Several years ago, I absolutely loved The Time in Between by Spanish author Marรญa Dueรฑas. Her debut novel, it was engrossing and exciting, about a naive young woman, Sira Quiroga, becoming an undercover spy for the English during World War II. So I was excited to learn that, at long last, this stellar novel would... Continue Reading →
If youโre looking for a new historical romance series to dive into, look no further than The Duke Gets Desperate by Diana Quincy. The first in her Sirens in Silk series, itโs about an Arab American woman who unexpectedly inherits a castle in Yorkshireโฆ much to the chagrin of the duke who was supposed to... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books this fall has been The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan, the first in her Mirror Realm Cycle trilogy. Set during the Spanish Inquisition, it exists in a realistic world not unlike the one we knowโฆ plus a fantasy world that mirrors it. Itโs inspired by Jewish folklore and combines... Continue Reading →
Every month I check the Amazon First Reads selections on offer, happy to get a free book a month before its wider publication. For September, my pick was A Night at the Tropicana, a short story by Chanel Cleeton. I'd read one novel of hers before, Next Year in Havana, and was curious to read... Continue Reading →
Today marks the release of Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch. This is my first time reading this author, and it was a thoroughly pleasant experience! This historical romance almost reads like a cozy mystery when a duke and a viscountโs daughter both end up victims of a dognapper. Their black poodles, nearly... Continue Reading →
Last year, I loved Natalie Jenner's novel, Bloomsbury Girls. Set in post-war London, it highlighted three women making their own paths while working at a prominent, if fading, book store. My favorite character was Vivien Lowry, a woman with fire, ambition, and hidden melancholy. I'm excited that Vivien is back in the upcoming book, Every... Continue Reading →
Last year I picked up On a Night of a Thousand Stars, the debut novel by Andrea Yaryura Clark. Set between the 1970s and 1990s, it shines a light on the people affected by Argentinaโs Dirty War and the repercussions that followed. I listened to the audiobook version of it, narrated by Paula Christensen.ย Summary... Continue Reading →
All of this year Iโve been looking forward to Thank You for Sharing, the debut novel by Rachel Runya Katz, and this week itโs finally here! This second-chance romance stars two Jewish people of color as they work together, rebuild their friendship, and develop a deeper connection along the way. Itโs light and fun, but... Continue Reading →
Lately, Iโve been wanting to read more classics. Despite having a bachelorโs degree in English, there are still so many well-known novels that I havenโt read (and so many Iโd like to reread)! I decided to get a head start on Spooky SeasonTM by diving into one of the horror classics, Dracula by Bram Stoker.... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books this month is A Shot in the Dark, the adult romance debut by Victoria Lee. Set during one summer in New York City, itโs a love story between two recovering addicts. The story highlights a character who was raised in an Orthodox Jewish community and a character who is... Continue Reading →
One year ago, I enjoyed reading Miss Aldridge Regrets, the first in Louise Hareโs Canary Club Mystery series. Now the series continues with Harlem After Midnight, set immediately after the previous bookโs events. Told in three timelines, it combines two different mysteries, both set in New York City in the first half of the 20th... Continue Reading →
After reading two excellent books by Emma Donoghue, I was excited to get into her newest novel, Learned by Heart. Set in the early 1800s, it shines a light on a small York boarding school for girls and the relationship that develops between two students over the course of one school year.ย Can this romance between... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 