These last couple of years, I've been loving Virginia Heath's Merriwell Sisters series. Following Never Fall for Your Fiancée and Never Rescue a Rogue, the trilogy now ends with the youngest sister in Never Wager with a Wallflower. With just as much wit and heart as the first two, this final installment is equally fun and... Continue Reading →
I’m officially in my paranormal romance era! And my pirates era, too? For months, I’ve been intrigued about Hunt on Dark Waters, the first in Katee Robert’s Crimson Sails series. Equal parts romance and fantasy, it’s set in the magical sea realm of Threshold, connecting many other realms, including one just like our own. It... Continue Reading →
Some months ago, I was on NetGalley when my eyes were drawn to a stunning yellow and red cover. The Sun Sets in Singapore was an equally captivating title. The debut novel by Kehinde Fadipe, it’s about three Nigerian women living in Singapore and the distinct ways their lives are upended when a newcomer, Lani,... Continue Reading →
We’ve all heard the Plain White T’s hit “Hey There Delilah” countless times since its release in 2006. I’ve 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 author’s new collection of short stories, The Goodbye Cat. Two of the... Continue Reading →
Since discovering a love of historical romance four years ago, I’ve dived deep into this delightful genre. However, I’m reaching the point where I now veer towards stories with something a little different to offer, whether it’s diversity in characters or a less conventional plot. This is what drew me to Jane Dunn’s recent novel,... Continue Reading →
I’m not alone in saying that Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite classic novels, and I’m always happy to see new retellings of it. One that I’ve 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. Harrow’s debut novel, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, and I’ve 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. I’m always a sucker for novels about music, and that’s 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 →
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, it’s 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 Hare’s Canary Club Mystery series. Now the series continues with Harlem After Midnight, set immediately after the previous book’s 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. Can this romance between... Continue Reading →
Two years ago, I enjoyed reading The Spanish Daughter by Lorena Hughes. This week, that historical mystery gets a sequel in The Queen of the Valley. The new story takes places in Colombia as Puri tracks down a missing man—not only a man she does business with, but the father of her child. Special thanks to Kensington... Continue Reading →
Last year I enjoyed T. Kingfisher’s novella, What Moves the Dead. It was my first time reading her, and I’ve been eager to explore more of her writing. Her newest novella is Thornhedge, a take on a classic fairy tale, but flipped on its head. I liked this book even more, and it is definitely... Continue Reading →
Have you ever wanted to read a gender-flipped, Jewish retelling of Cinderella? Now is your chance. Felicia Grossman has just released her new historical romance, Marry Me by Midnight, the first in her Once Upon the East End series. Set in London in 1832, it spotlights a Jewish heiress, an overlooked custodian, and their path... Continue Reading →
Last year, I absolutely loved Nisha Sharma’s Dating Dr. Dil, the first installment in her If Shakespeare Was an Auntie trilogy. Now the second book of the series is here: Tastes Like Shakkar is a modern retelling of Much Ado About Nothing. It stars Bobbi, a wedding planner, and her friend group nemesis, a chef... Continue Reading →
Two years ago, I loved Tracey Lange’s debut novel, We Are the Brennans. When I learned that she had a new book coming out, I could hardly wait. The Connellys of County Down follows another complicated Irish-American family working through tough circumstances, and it's equally as impactful as its predecessor. Special thanks to NetGalley... Continue Reading →
I love books and France, so reading about either of those is usually a joy. This drew me to the new Nina George novel, The Little Village of Book Lovers, a companion piece to her bestseller, The Little Paris Bookshop. I haven’t read that earlier book, but this new publication works as a standalone. Special... Continue Reading →
A few months ago, I was thrilled when an author I like invited me to read her new historical romance, written under the pen name of Delphine Ross. Ironically, The Poetics of Passion, the first in her Muses of Scandal series, is about a woman in 1870s England who secretly publishes love poetry under a... Continue Reading →
From the moment I first heard about The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James, I knew I had to read it. Set in a small village outside of Rome, it follows a struggling actress who may just have her big break in a horror film... but she's also dealing with a real-life horror of... Continue Reading →
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is among my favorite authors, and I'm always ready for more from her. Today, she releases her latest novel, Silver Nitrate, a horror set in 1990s Mexico City with themes of dangerous magic and sorcery. It's a slow burn, but with its intricate details and exciting climax, this is another hit in the... Continue Reading →
When I learned of The Madwomen of Paris by Jennifer Cody Epstein, I was excited to dive into the subject of Paris’s Salpêtrière asylum. It would be my second time reading about it in fiction, and I find the whole subject fascinating. This novel just came out last week (sorry for my late review; it... Continue Reading →
This week, Jodie Slaughter releases her newest romance, Play to Win. Set in the same world as her 2022 book, Bet on It, this novel is a second chance at love between two estranged spouses, all thanks to a winning lottery ticket. But will that ticket bring them back together... or at long last finalize... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 