Elena Armas, the author who charmed readers with The Spanish Love Deception, returns with a slow-burn, heartfelt, and deeply introspective second installment in her Love Deception series: The American Roommate Experiment. This novel focuses on Rosie Graham and Lucas Martín—Catalina’s best friend and cousin, respectively—as they navigate proximity, emotional vulnerability, and the creative paralysis of […]
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Summer in the City by Alex Aster
In her adult debut novel, Summer in the City, Alex Aster—best known for her #1 New York Times bestselling YA fantasy series Lightlark—demonstrates her versatility by crafting a witty, emotional, and deliciously satisfying contemporary romance. Set against the backdrop of a sweltering New York summer, this story delivers all the trappings of a great rom-com […]
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Book Review: Same Place, Same Stars
Same Place, Same Stars by Katey Taylor Genre: Literary & General Fiction / Psychological ISBN: 9781732750449 Print Length: 333 pages Amazon Reviewed by Joelene Pynnonen This ultimately hopeful psychological drama digs into the complexities of mental health treatment and the stigma surrounding it. When Natalia Sokolov is admitted to Awana, a mental health treatment facility, […]
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Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley
Alexandra Kiley’s sophomore novel “Scot and Bothered” delivers a heartfelt second-chance romance against the breathtaking backdrop of Scotland’s Isle of Skye. Following her charming debut “Kilt Trip,” Kiley returns to the Scottish landscape she clearly adores, this time taking readers on an emotional and physical journey along the challenging Skye Trail. The novel artfully braids […]
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Monthly Features – March 2025
Black Cliff Chronicles by Steve Sterling I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. Synopsis: Three intertwined time travel rescue missions reveal how ordinary people rise to extraordinary acts of valor, driven by selflessness and a willingness to sacrifice for others. The thriving university town of New […]
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Solange by Alexandre Dumas
When thousands are being executed, would you risk your life to save a stranger? That’s the choice faced by Dr. Ledru in Solange by Alexandre Dumas. This post may contain affiliate links that earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Solange by Alexandre Dumas Solange by Alexandre Dumas DR. LEDRU’S STORY OF […]
Monica Heisey’s debut novel “Really Good, Actually” is a triumph of comedic timing wrapped in a blanket of millennial existential dread. Following 29-year-old Maggie through the aftermath of her 608-day marriage, Heisey delivers a story that feels both painfully specific and universally relatable. With sharp dialogue, cringe-worthy moments, and unexpected tenderness, this novel offers an […]
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Faith by W. Somerset Maugham
Faith by W. Somerset Maugham was written in 1899. It is part of his Orientations Short Story Collection. This post may contain affiliate links that earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Faith by W. Somerset Maugham Faith by W. Somerset Maugham I The moon shone fitfully through the clouds on to […]
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Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
“I live in Brooklyn. By choice.” – begins Jenny Jackson’s debut novel, Pineapple Street, with this Truman Capote quote, setting the perfect tone for what unfolds as a sharply observed tale of money, class, and familial bonds in Brooklyn Heights. In Pineapple Street, Jackson delivers a wickedly funny yet emotionally nuanced portrait of the Stockton […]
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Nowhere by Allison Gunn
In her striking debut novel, Nowhere, Allison Gunn guides readers down a rabbit hole of grief, guilt, and supernatural horror set against the isolated backdrop of small-town Appalachia. Nowhere is a masterful blend of family drama and cosmic terror that subverts expectations at every turn, offering a fresh perspective on familiar horror tropes while diving […]