Books

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam is not your typical suspense novel. The best way to describe Leave the World Behind is that it is somehow both subtle and specific. Human nature + the unknown + what we do when we are put to the test are themes throughout. I will not lie –…

March 19, 2021March 19, 2021

Happiness Week + Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies

Over the course of multiple weeks, I read Tara Schuster’s Buy Yourself the F*cking Lillies while working out on my treadmill. It took some adjusting, I assure you. I’ve read on a stationary bike before but the treadmill was a new ballgame. I would definitely recommend that you do not read this book while on…

March 7, 2021March 7, 2021

Author Q+A with Alma Gray

Alma Gray is the pseudonym of Serenity Brame and the author behind Lucid Lies, a self-described collection of dark and passionate poetry. Released in 2020, Lucid Lies was a work years in the making and explores the rawest parts of ourselves. Poetry can be used to both escape and explore reality. I like to think…

January 30, 2021

Discussion: Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall

Mikki Kendall’s “Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot” is FULL of important information. Feminism is not just for women and is not just about women – but so much of it is about women using their voices to help. Mikki Kendall’s essays will inspire you to think twice about your actions…

January 24, 2021January 29, 2021

Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman

Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman tells the story of Maria Owens – a young witch, afraid to fall in love, afraid to let anyone have power over her being. I remember watching Practical Magic with my mom and my sister, thinking – obviously – how cool it would be to be able to do magic.…

January 22, 2021January 20, 2021

Vicious by V. E. Schwab

Vicious tells the story of Victor and Eli: college buddies, roommates, handsome and intelligent, and striving for excellence. And it presents an ultimate question – What will you do to be a hero? Victor and Eli are ambitious. Their experiments in near-death experiences lead them down a path of no return. Will they go beyond…

January 8, 2021December 28, 2020

The Binding by Bridget Collins

Happy 2021 to friends old and new! Oak + River Books’ first post of 2021 features historical fiction-meets-low fantasy novel The Binding. The author, Bridget Collins, has over a decade of published writing under her belt. Exploring more of her work is on my 2021 list of to-dos (note: not resolutions 🙂 ). I purchased…

January 1, 2021December 26, 2020

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

Two romance reviews back-to-back? Who even am I?? In a Holidaze by the duo known as Christina Lauren was part of my December Book of the Month box. I chose it to be my Christmas day read for obvious reasons. (The holiday theme? The need for romance in 2020? You get it.) And wow! I…

December 26, 2020December 25, 2020

The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai

Are you a fan of dating apps? Has internet dating become your bff during covid? The Right Swipe might restore your faith in the dating app scene. The Right Swipe was in a stack of pink books I picked up at Target. Pink and I were a vibe that day. My love life has been…

December 19, 2020December 16, 2020

My first audiobook! Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

I first heard of Matthew McConaughey’s memoir a few months ago and mentioned it in my post of anticipated releases of late 2020/early 2021. Looking for something different to listen to on my morning commute, I recently downloaded Audible. Greenlights was my first audiobook choice. Audiobooks have quickly become a godsend, and Greenlights was a…

December 13, 2020

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace

“One more hour until I prove to Visidia that I’m meant to be their heir… Two more hours until I’m engaged to a man I’ll never love… Three more hours until I give the command to ready a ship to set sail tomorrow, and demand to know every secret about this kingdom that’s ever been…

October 12, 2020

Review: The Enchanted Sonata by Heather Dixon Wallwork

Winter is approaching quickly! The last part of 2020 seems to be flying by and the holiday season is almost upon us. The Enchanted Sonata by Heather Dixon Wallwork is a perfect addition to this winter’s TBR. It’s a music-laden and intriguing twist on the nutcracker story. I was going to wait until December to…

October 3, 2020

Where Light Enters & Q+A with Author Noel Silvia

Where Light Enters is a powerful and moving debut by emerging author Noel Silvia. Read on for my review and a mini Q+A with the author where he shares his inspiration for the novel and his favorite authors! After a lifeless body is discovered by the river, readers are led back in time to meet…

September 19, 2020September 17, 2020

The Maiden of the Storm – My First Adult Romance Review

The Maiden of the Storm by Michelle Deerwester-Dalrymple My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Maiden of the Storm by Michelle Deerwester-Dalrymple is a fast read full of depth, developed characters, and researched content. Historical fiction is my favorite genre and this story really delivers with the historical details, such as clothing, vocabulary, and scenery.…

September 18, 2020

Book Review: Where the Crawdads Sing

Kya lives alone in a shack by the marsh, cared for from a distance by a handful of people, all the while earning the title of Marsh Girl – although not earning the harsh treatment that comes with it. Her path crosses with Tate, her first love, and Chase, former high school athlete. They feel…

September 17, 2020

Book Review: The Last Story of Mina Lee

“What would the world look like if she made it her own, even temporarily, for a moment, fleeting, so that she could experience again the throb, the hunger of being alive, eyes wide, teeth showing?” The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim is a gripping tale. It’s addictive, edgy, and so full…

September 11, 2020September 10, 2020

Book Review: The Space Between Worlds

Cara is a traverser – jumping between worlds by both the mercy of Goddess Nyame and the intentional hands of science. She spends every day with a woman she loves from afar while trying to reconcile the present with the past… That is, until a powerful announcement is made and Cara begins to believe that…

August 29, 2020September 10, 2020

Book Review: THICK and Other Essays

THICK and Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom, PhD, was one of my August Book of the Month Club selections. It is eye-opening, descriptive, and academic (the 20 pages of notes and references rocked my world). THICK is not a history book. While McMillan Cottom draws on personal experiences, it is not specifically autobiographical enough…

August 19, 2020September 10, 2020

Book Review: The Death of Vivek Oji

How would you live if you carried a secret that someone would hurt you for? More, how would you die? What would you do if you lost your only child? How would you weep? Resigned and silent… Loud and unforgiving… In The Death of Vivek Oji, author Akwaeke Emezi shares sections of Vivek’s life and…

August 12, 2020August 11, 2020

Nature in the Novel: Mexican Gothic

*ATTENTION* This is not a book review. It is a post about ecocritical topics within the novel. Do not read any further if you want to read Mexican Gothic with fresh eyes! Save this post to come back and delve a little deeper. 😊 To see a spoiler-free review, click here. Thanks! Synopsis reminder: Noemí Taboada travels to a mansion in…

August 4, 2020

Break Out Your Dustiest Earl Grey: A Review of Mexican Gothic

GREETINGS: Already read Mexican Gothic? Check out Oak + River Books’ first Nature in the Novel post, exploring ecocriticism within Mexican Gothic. Noemí Taboada travels to a mansion in the misty woods to keep tabs on her questionably ill and confused cousin who was recently married to the son of an old-wealth family. After some…

August 2, 2020August 4, 2020

The Young Reader

Anthropomorphism in Children’s Books

July 22, 2020July 29, 2020