Book Reviews

Esmeralda Santiago's "Las Madres" Is a Story of Memory, Love, and Puerto Rico

Sep 6, 2023

Esmeralda Santiago's "Las Madres" Is a Story of Memory, Love, and Puerto Rico

A thick air of melancholy drifts through the start of Esmeralda Santiago's new novel, "Las Madres."

Lynda Cohen Loigman's "The Matchmaker's Gift" Shines a Light on Jewish Matchmaking

Dec 30, 2022

Lynda Cohen Loigman's "The Matchmaker's Gift" Shines a Light on Jewish Matchmaking

Lynda Cohen Loigman believes in soulmates.

Tom Daley's Memoir Takes a Deep Dive Into Mental Health

May 18, 2022

Tom Daley's Memoir Takes a Deep Dive Into Mental Health

Tom Daley was standing on top of the diving platform in Tokyo when it hit him, in his words, how "bloody cool" it was to be there.

"Girls Can Kiss Now" Is a Love Letter to Lesbian Pop Culture History

May 12, 2022

"Girls Can Kiss Now" Is a Love Letter to Lesbian Pop Culture History

The title of Jill Gutowitz's debut book feels less like a title and more like an observation: "Girls Can Kiss Now."

Lilly Singh's New Book Will Convince You to "Be a Triangle"

Apr 5, 2022

Lilly Singh's New Book Will Convince You to "Be a Triangle"

At 92 pages long and sprinkled with comic-style illustrations, Lilly's Singh's "Be a Triangle" (out today) is deceptively short and simple.

Fall For the Dark '60s Dream World of Talitha Getty in "Sister Stardust"

Apr 5, 2022

Fall For the Dark '60s Dream World of Talitha Getty in "Sister Stardust"

There's something about the '60s that calls us back, again and again.

Susan Rigetti's Novel "Cover Story" Gives Off Major Anna Delvey Vibes

Mar 29, 2022

Susan Rigetti's Novel "Cover Story" Gives Off Major Anna Delvey Vibes

"Cover Story" ($28), Susan Rigetti's fiction debut, has a roller-coaster plot that gives off huge Anna Delvey vibes and an ending that will leave you with your jaw on the floor.

V.E. Schwab's New Book Is a Creepy, Gothic Dream With Illustrations to Match

Mar 4, 2022

V.E. Schwab's New Book Is a Creepy, Gothic Dream With Illustrations to Match

A fantasy book can have all the dazzling magic, intricate plotting, and gorgeous prose in the world, but it won't amount to much if there's not a solid main character in there driving things forward.

Monsters Steal Time (and Travel Through It) in This Debut YA Fantasy

Feb 25, 2022

Monsters Steal Time (and Travel Through It) in This Debut YA Fantasy

The life of 16-year-old Joan Chang-Hunt, the protagonist of Vanessa Len's young-adult fantasy "Only a Monster," isn't exactly normal, but it's really her family's fault.

Station Eleven Meets Black Mirror in This Pandemic Novel

Jan 18, 2022

Station Eleven Meets Black Mirror in This Pandemic Novel

The sickness at the heart of Sequoia Nagamatsu's dazzling debut novel, How High We Go in the Dark, causes the body to do the impossible.

Wahala Is Your First "Friendship Thriller" For 2022

Jan 14, 2022

Wahala Is Your First "Friendship Thriller" For 2022

There are foundational friendships, and then there's what Ronke, Simi, and Boo have.

Colleen Hoover's New Romance Will Rip You Apart and Put You Back Together Again

Jan 4, 2022

Colleen Hoover's New Romance Will Rip You Apart and Put You Back Together Again

Colleen Hoover is one of my favorite romance novelists, so when I learned she was releasing a new contemporary romance, adding it to the top of my TBR list was a no-brainer.