Complicated families and letting go: a review of Sarah Haywood’s “The Cactus”
Book Reviews / British / The Latest

Complicated families and letting go: a review of Sarah Haywood’s “The Cactus”


The Cactus is the debut novel from Sarah Haywood which is about letting go of who people want you to be and who you have made yourself become because of your past experiences. It is about family conflict, death, grief, secrets, and forgiveness. It is not your typical contemporary fiction novel for all the right … Continue reading

Stepping outside your comfort zone with “Britt-Marie Was Here”: a review of Fredrik Backman’s novel
Book Reviews / swedish / The Latest

Stepping outside your comfort zone with “Britt-Marie Was Here”: a review of Fredrik Backman’s novel


Swedish author Fredrik Backman has become quite the buzz-worthy author of late with his books appearing all over my bookish social media feeds. His first novel, A Man Called Ove became extremely popular and soon after that his books have become a worldwide hit. The novel is set in a place called Borg, a small … Continue reading

“Pride & Prejudice & Passports”: a review of Corrie Garrett’s immigrant retelling of Jane Austen’s classic
American / The Latest / YA

“Pride & Prejudice & Passports”: a review of Corrie Garrett’s immigrant retelling of Jane Austen’s classic


I’ve read some modern re-tellings of classics that have just fallen flat. Sometimes classics are named classics because they are indeed just that: stories that transcend time. They shape our culture and understanding of the past. They also help us shape our future and in particular the way authors and readers write and engage with … Continue reading

Review: J.D. Horn’s “The Final Days of Magic”
American / Book Reviews / fantasy / The Latest

Review: J.D. Horn’s “The Final Days of Magic”


NOTE: This novel was was accessed through Netgalley and 47 NORTH for review purposes. The Final Days of Magic is the third book in J.D. Horn’s series “Witches of New Orleans”. It mixes Western Christian notions of witchcraft with a Voodoo/Creole that feels very specific to New Orleans culture. This is the final novel in … Continue reading

“When All Is Said”: a review of Anne Griffin’s knockout debut novel
Book Reviews / Irish / Opinion Pieces / reading / The Latest / Travel

“When All Is Said”: a review of Anne Griffin’s knockout debut novel


Note: plot spoilers and discussions of death by suicide. Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. Clicking through for additional information or to make a purchase may result in a small commission. In February this year, I had the chance to go to Ireland for a long weekend. I’ve been threatening to visit Ireland for … Continue reading

A review of “The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom”: loving outside your faith
Book Reviews / British / Jewish / The Latest

A review of “The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom”: loving outside your faith


Beth Miller’s novel posits the question: What happens when you love someone outside of your faith? There are thousands of answers to this question, and arguably loving the ‘wrong’ person is something humans seem pretty good at since we have been doing it for centuries. The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom is in many ways … Continue reading