Emma Rosenblum’s debut novel “Bad Summer People” delivers exactly what its title promises – a scathing portrait of wealthy vacationers whose moral compasses go missing along with their city shoes when they arrive at their exclusive Fire Island getaway. With sharp dialogue and a deliciously twisted plot, Rosenblum crafts a murder mystery that feels like […]
In her debut novel “The Vietri Project,” Nicola DeRobertis-Theye crafts a contemplative, meandering exploration of identity, memory, and historical trauma that unfolds with the unhurried rhythm of an afternoon stroll through Rome’s ancient streets. The narrative follows Gabriele, a young woman working at a Berkeley bookstore who becomes fascinated with an enigmatic Italian customer named […]
The House of Shi by Amaia S. Li Genre: Fantasy / Myth ISBN: 9798327414655 Print Length: 151 pages Amazon Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell A complex journey through history, magic, and the mythical destiny of a 12-year old boy When David is sent to the United States for his own safety, he isn’t exactly thrilled about […]
Every Runner, Every Day by Jamik Ligon Genre: Memoir / Running ISBN: 9798303018747 Print Length: 308 pages Amazon Bookshop Reviewed by Elizabeth Reiser A touching and inspirational memoir of everyday perseverance It’s easy to think that runners are born, not made—that it’s an inherent genetic ability that propels runners forward. But Jamik Ligon says differently […]
Quizlit’s Book of the Month April 2025 is Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami. Just longlisted for the International Booker Prize, this is a speculative fiction masterpiece that envisions an Earth where humans are nearing extinction, and rewrites our understanding of the future of humanity Book of the Month April 2025 […]
North Sun: Or, The Voyage of the Whaleship Esther by Ethan Rutherford Genre: Historical Fiction / Speculative ISBN: 9781646053582 Print Length: 386 pages Publisher: A Strange Object Amazon Bookshop Reviewed by Erica Ball A feverish historical novel on the hubris of the exploitation of the natural world Told through the doomed expedition of a fictional […]
In her second Martini Club mystery, Tess Gerritsen plunges readers into a deceptively serene Maine summer that quickly turns sinister when a teenage girl goes missing and secrets from the past rise to the surface like bodies in a pond. The Summer Guests serves as a worthy follow-up to The Spy Coast, returning us to […]
Emma Donoghue’s “The Paris Express” is a breathtaking achievement that pulls readers into the beating heart of Belle Époque France. This meticulously researched historical novel transforms the infamous 1895 Montparnasse train derailment—captured in a series of haunting photographs—into a kaleidoscopic portrait of humanity facing the precipice of fate. With clocklike precision, Donoghue weaves together the […]
The Hymn to Dionysus by Natasha Pulley is a beautifully written, psychologically astute, and mythologically rich novel that breathes new life into the god of madness, revelry, and revolution. Pulley, known for her mastery of the fantastical and philosophical (The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, The Kingdoms), reimagines ancient myth through a deeply human lens, delivering […]
How Birds Fly by Peter Cavanagh Genre: Nonfiction / Birds ISBN: 9780228104865 Print Length: 336 pages Publisher: Firefly Books Amazon Bookshop Reviewed by Toni Woodruff An abundance of knowledge & discoveryâa full-color, action-shot book unraveling the mystery of bird flight Peter Cavanagh might be an expert on aircraft flight aerodynamics, anatomy, and biomechanics, but he’s […]