Who doesn’t love eavesdropping on interesting conversations? With Melissa Mongollon’s incredible novel, Oye, you can immerse yourself in some scandalous family history (and present), without fear of being caught. In Oye, Melissa Mongollon has created a vivid, fascinating, and emotional world through several one-sided phone conversations between Luciana and her older sister, Mari. Mari has … Continue reading Review: Oye, by Melissa Mogollon (Hogarth)
Review: The Woman in the Sable Coat, by Elizabeth Brooks (Tin House)
Elizabeth Brooks is one of my favorite authors of “normal” books. As someone who reads a lot of genre books, it takes a special writer to make me take a break from the weird. So I’m thrilled to report I thoroughly enjoyed Brooks’ latest novel, The Woman in the Sable Coat. The titular woman in … Continue reading Review: The Woman in the Sable Coat, by Elizabeth Brooks (Tin House)
Review: The Road from Belhaven, by Margot Livesey (Knopf)
Feminist period drama with a hint of the supernatural? Sign me up! Orphan Lizzie is growing up on a farm in Scotland with her grandparents. Her life is relatively normal, except for the fact that she occasionally gets premonitions. She never sees herself, only those around her, and the visions are seldom joyful. As if … Continue reading Review: The Road from Belhaven, by Margot Livesey (Knopf)
Review: Hazardous Spirits, by Anbara Salam (Tin House)
Another cracking “something’s not quite right” novel for 2023. Set in 1920s Edinburgh, Evelyn’s husband, Robert, has decided he can talk to the dead, and pivots from a career in accountancy to become a spiritualist medium. Evelyn and Robert become society darlings, but Evelyn is shunned by her family due to them being embarrassed by … Continue reading Review: Hazardous Spirits, by Anbara Salam (Tin House)
Review: Lone Women, by Victor LaValle (One World)
Which Victor LaValle book did you read first? Mine was The Changeling. Brutal, devastating, ambitious, and incredibly weird. It made me reassess what a literary horror novel could be. I'm excited for the TV adaptation. So of course, as soon as I had the opportunity to read LaValle’s latest book, Lone Women, I dived right … Continue reading Review: Lone Women, by Victor LaValle (One World)
Review: Maddalena and The Dark, by Julia Fine (Flatiron)
Lovers of dark historical fiction - drop everything now and pick up Maddalena and The Dark. Julia Fine has captured the decadence of 18th century Venice, and created two irresistible teen characters, Maddalena and Luisa, whose friendship almost makes you forget the stink coming from the canals. Maddalena’s life is complicated. She is part of … Continue reading Review: Maddalena and The Dark, by Julia Fine (Flatiron)
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