• book reviews, Book Reviews

Book Reviews

book reviews, Book ReviewsBeing a writer means being a reader, so why not share some book reviews? I have always enjoyed getting lost in fictional worlds and delight in beautiful and evocative language. It is this love of novels that has prodded me to write. As I began my writing journey, I remember asking myself, “Can I really do this?” Like all artists, I am inspired to emulate art I admire. And so I read—all the time. This is a page where you can keep track of what I’m reading for pleasure as well as for inspiration / research for my next novel. 

As I realized my dream of becoming a novelist, I began to appreciate even more how important it is to spread the word about great books. Writing book reviews helps me engage critically with the work I’m reading and join fellow readers worldwide in conversation. I will post book reviews here but make sure to follow me on Goodreads and BookBub to see my most recent reads! I am also a reviewer for the New York Journal of Books. You’ll find those (more extensive) commentaries below, but you can check them all out on my NYJB page.

If you’d like to learn more about how my reading is influencing my current writing process, or delve deeper into the inspirations behind my first two novels, Eden and The Nine, just click on Writing Inspiration to the right. I am also excited to share the works of fellow authors whose books I’ve been asked to blurb in the far right column.

Want to chat about a book I’ve reviewed? Have a recommendation for me? Drop me a line to start the conversation!

book reviews, Book Reviews
book reviews, Book Reviews
book reviews, Book Reviews
book reviews, Book Reviews
book reviews, Book Reviews

Recent Reads

book reviews, Book Reviews

Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi · NYJB Review

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Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi This review originally appeared in the New York Journal of Books. Burnt Sugar is an incredible novel with messages and characters that remain with its reader far beyond the final line. In this sometimes humorous, sometimes dark, always ephemeral piece…By jbadmin|
book reviews, Book Reviews

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

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Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam Maybe not the best audiobook choice for the day after a coup-attempt and the height of a global pandemic, but Leave the World Behind's end-of-the-world omniscient narrator thoughtfully contemplates what matters, who we are, and, even as…By jbadmin|
book reviews, Book Reviews

The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson

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The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson The seventeen hour Splendid and the Vile audio book was the perfect companion on a cross country drive. Churchill's bravery, determination, and leadership rang through as did…By jbadmin|
book reviews, Book Reviews

Dreamland by Sam Quinones

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Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones I picked up Dreamland at the suggestion of a person I admire. It details the convergence of our national Opioid crisis and heroine addiction, fueled by criminal drug marketing techniques, an anti-pain…By jbadmin|
book reviews, Book Reviews

Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth

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Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth Okay, so a haunted girls boarding school set in Little Compton, Rhode Island... Plain Bad Heroines had me at hello. Emily Danforth has such a punchy and quick-witted use of language that there were always several layers of entertainment…By jbadmin|
book reviews, Book Reviews

White Ivy by Susie Yang · NYJB Review

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White Ivy by Susie Yang This review originally appeared in the New York Journal of Books. White Ivy is a suspenseful novel with a protagonist who is intentionally portrayed as an anti-heroine. It begins “Ivy Lin was a thief but you would never know it to look at her.” In…By jbadmin|
book reviews, Book Reviews

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

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Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson To write a memoir in prose, to distill each experience into just the right words, to leave enough white space on the page for a reader to jump in and participate with the language, that is the work of a master. Reader, you already know…By jbadmin|
book reviews, Book Reviews

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

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Anxious People by Fredrik Backman With an equal measure of humor and philosophy, Backman's latest work examines the intricacies of family and home and the anxiety we feel over getting it right. The novel's structure engaged me from the very beginning with its omniscient voice moving…By jbadmin|
book reviews, Book Reviews

The Book of V by Anna Solomon

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The Book of V by Anna Solomon I loved this book's ambition. Any modern retelling of a biblical character has me hooked as well. The braiding of the three point-of-view characters' stories in The Book of V was masterful and the reveal about two-thirds of the way through around…By jbadmin|
book reviews, Book Reviews

Jacobo’s Rainbow by David Hirshberg

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Jacobo's Rainbow by David Hirshberg May 2021 Although set in the nineteen sixties, David Hirshberg’s Jacobo’s Rainbow is infused with prescient relevance today. This hero’s journey shines a light on activism and protest on a college campus as well as the idea of patriotism…By jbadmin|
book reviews, Book Reviews

Cassandra Speaks by Elizabeth Lesser

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Cassandra Speaks is Lesser's musing on how it might be different if women told our civilization's earliest stories, how it might be different if our society valued attributes found predominantly in women as opposed to those found predominantly in men. Layers and layers of patriarchy…By jbadmin|
book reviews, Book Reviews

The Ten-Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer

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The Ten-Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer So I'm late to the party on this one but The Ten-Year Nap belongs on the shelf of important feminist novels, addressing issues around motherhood and women spend their time. I am a big fan of Meg Wolitzer and picked this one up after really enjoying…By jbadmin|

Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase through one of these links, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you), which I will donate to literary organizations in Boston. Thanks!

book reviews, Book Reviews

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book reviews, Book Reviews

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