About Book Marks
Recent Reviews
Clare Chambers
Positive BookPage Tenderly told, with just the right balance of melancholy and hope to keep the pages turning.
M T Anderson
Positive BookPage A thrilling and fast-moving international adventure narrated with wit and humor ... Nicked delivers an entertaining and grown-up adventure rooted in religion, humanity and friendship.
Emily Dunlay
Positive BookPage Dunlay does an exceptional job of keeping the reader guessing about Teddy’s true intentions ... While this well-executed and cleverly plotted story is a win in itself, there are also overarching explorations of patriarchy, privilege and freedom that will resonate long after the end. Teddy is an instantly arresting and electrifying read that’s not to be missed.
Amitava Kumar
Rave BookPage A moving collection of memories and experiences entangled with world history ... In the skillful blending of individual experience with extraordinary world events, Kumar’s journalistic background shines through, often making one forget that this is a work of fiction.
Leo Vardiashvili
Positive BookPage At its simplest, Hard by a Great Forest appeals as a thrilling story of good guys trying to beat the bad ones. It is a great read full of history, mystery and chance reunions that asks the reader to examine how we can move forward when we’re followed by the ghosts of the past.
Meg Shaffer
Positive BookPage It has emotional plot twists, heartbroken but resilient characters and a feel-good ending that may not be what you had expected ... Shaffer balances the darkness of emotional backstories with plenty of hopefulness, humor, plot twists and just a bit of romance.
Gabrielle Zevin
Rave BookPage It\'s impossible to predict how, exactly, you\'ll fall in love with Gabrielle Zevin\'s novel Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, but it\'s an eventuality you can\'t escape ... spellbinding and layered with details. Her artistic, inclusive world is filled with characters so genuine and endearing that you may start caring for them as if they were real. Above all, her development of Sam and Sadie\'s relationship is pure wizardry; it\'s deep and complex, transcending anything we might call a love story ... Whether you care about video games or not is beside the point. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is the novel you\'ve been waiting to read.
Blair Fell
Rave BookPage Passages that depict how Arlo experiences touch, smell and ASL are especially well done; his sections unfold in the second-person singular, so his lessons and revelations feel all the more intimate, revealing a layer of emotional intelligence and humor that would be lost if the story were told only from Cyril’s first-person perspective ... Debut novelist Blair Fell has worked as an ASL interpreter for more than 25 years, and also has been an actor, producer and director. The Sign for Home draws on all these experiences to tell a story that is tender, hilarious and decidedly uplifting.
Vaishnavi Patel
Rave BookPage ... [a] bold reimagining ... For better or worse, the events of Ramayana unfold no differently with the reinvention of Kaikeyi’s character, but Patel’s changes certainly make the story much more engaging. Even readers unfamiliar with the ancient Indian epic will find a lot to love in Patel’s spellbinding details of mythological characters and ancient times.
Allegra Hyde
Positive BookPage Fast-paced and dramatic, Eleutheria is a love story that plays out against the backdrop of a planet in trouble. Hyde, author of the award-winning story collection Of This New World, offers many twists and shocks throughout her first novel, delivering an eerie prophecy of a not-so-distant future if we continue our inaction toward climate change.
Jessamine Chan
Rave Book Page There is no shortage of parenting books about how to be a good mother. Jessamine Chan’s first novel, The School for Good Mothers, will make you want to throw them all out the window ... Throughout Frida’s story, Chan intertwines supporting characters who are just as interesting, thrilling and desperate as she is. You will catch yourself laughing one minute and shaking your fist the next, demanding that we change the narrative of contemporary motherhood ... If good writing, gripping plot and provocative questions about the world we live in are your priorities, then The School for Good Mothers needs to be on your reading list, whether or not you are a parent, or someday want to be.
Karl Ove Knausgaard, tr. Martin Aitken
Positive BookPage At almost 700 pages, it’s a book that takes up considerable real estate not just on the nightstand or in a bag but also within the mind, demanding a particular kind of mental stamina ... There isn’t just one story to follow in The Morning Star but several, as the narrative bounces from one captivating, relatable, likable character to another ... dark, eerie, mesmerizing and, yes, totally worth its size.
Louise Nealon
Rave BookPage ... one of the most heartwarming, honest and brilliant coming-of-age novels you will read this year ... This novel is a true gift from Nealon, who has embraced wholeheartedly the writer’s credo to write what you know ... Reading it is to lose yourself in reveries about the imperfections of life, the people we love and care for, self-doubt and the pursuit of joy.
Eleanor Ray
Positive BookPage ... heartwarming and tender as it pokes fun at the absurdities and tragedies of life with quintessential British humor. Supporting characters add to the charm and mystery in Amy’s quest for a better future, one that’s unencumbered by junk ... This is an ideal read for anyone looking for a good-humored and uplifting story.
Timothy Schaffert
Rave BookPage Timothy Schaffert’s sixth novel has so much going for it that it’s hard to pinpoint only a few reasons why you will love it, but let us try nonetheless ... It’s a thrill to be in Clem’s mind, to follow along as she sinks deeper and deeper into this mystery, as she worries about how to keep her loved ones safe ... With a healthy dose of romance, fashion and espionage and a glimpse of the lives of openly queer artists under Nazi occupation, The Perfume Thief is a reminder that Paris, even in the pages of a book, always makes for a great escape.
Amy Mason Doan
Positive BookPage ... refreshing ... unfolds with an artful combination of lyrical writing and twisting plot.
Molly Greeley
Rave BookPage ... an entertaining elaboration to satisfy generations of readers who have wondered and theorized about Anne. In perfectly Austenesque style, Greeley reveals the backstory of the Rosings Park heiress and just what made her so sickly, so interesting and so complicated ... Keen observations about society and strong supporting characters make The Heiress a perfectly joyful read.
Janet Skeslien Charles
Rave Bookpage Janet Skeslien Charles reminds us of the city’s evergreen appeal and unbounded potential for stories with The Paris Library , which tells of the very real, very beloved American Library in Paris and the role it played during World War II ... What makes The Paris Library such a tender read is Charles’ firsthand experience at the American Library, where she was the programs manager. This is where she first discovered the stories of the brave librarians who fought the Germans with nothing more than books. Her meticulous research brings these figures to life with Odile as their narrator. Furthermore, Charles’ Montana roots help shine light on the small-town life that Lily can’t wait to escape. Together the two storylines provide wonderful insight into relationships and friendships that transcend time and place.
Leesa Cross-Smith
Positive Bookpage Cross-Smith places mental health at the heart of this story, bringing attention to the importance of asking for help when navigating the complicated twists and turns of life. This Close to Okay is a fast-moving, drama-filled roller coaster that will keep you guessing about how things will turn out for these two lost souls.
Jane Johnson
Rave BookPage [Johnson\'s] latest novel, The Sea Gate, is a beautiful story of love, loss and pain, bouncing between wartime memories of the 1940s and present day ... dives into history, a mind-blowing landscape and even a love story—make The Sea Gate a pleasant read.
Max Gross
Rave BookPage First-time novelist Max Gross is funny, insightful and mysterious in sharing what is essentially a coming-of-age story ... The Lost Shtetl is a fascinating combination of adventure, laughs and heartache, perfect for fans of Michael Chabon.
Annie Lyons
Positive BookPage British humor is so darn good at bringing to light the absurdities of everyday life without being oppressive or depressing. Annie Lyons’ new novel, The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett, is no exception ... These flashbacks give the reader something deeper to mull over concerning their own wins and losses, and how our perceptions change during different stages of life ... Even with death and loneliness at its core, The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett is filled with personable characters, witty dialogue and relatable moments. It’s a vibrant and humorous celebration of being alive and learning to say goodbye.
Kathleen Jennings
Positive BookPage Part ghost story, part murder mystery and part fairy tale, Flyaway feels like a perfect combination of all Jennings’ experiences and imagination.
Leah Franqui
Positive BookPage ...Franqui resurrects the age-old struggle between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law—and topples it with a spot-on exploration of what it means to stand up against other people’s expectations ... Mother Land is unexpected. It’s funny and relatable even if your mother-in-law isn’t anything like Swati. It’s a tender tale of two women who are lost and alone, but who eventually become allies and each other’s biggest champions.
Ariel Lawhon
Rave BookPage Ariel Lawhon’s Code Name Hélène is a spellbinding work of historical fiction ... one of the most sensual romance novels you’ve ever read ... let the story sink in, and Nancy and Henri’s enduring love will indeed rise to the surface.
Megan Angelo
Rave BookPage Is it too early to declare Megan Angelo’s debut one of the best novels of 2020? Maybe. Even so, it’s probably one of the funniest and most hopeful dystopian stories you’ll come across this year ... Even if you aren’t a fan of science fiction or reality TV, Followers delivers a shrewd look at human relationships, habits and obsessions. Of all the doomsday scenarios out there, perhaps it won’t be too bad if this one comes true after all.
Christopher Bollen
Rave BookPage ... a thrilling story of passion and deception ... an incessant, fearsome tension, like holding your breath underwater. Bollen’s portrayal of the men’s relationship with the art world adds to the story’s persistent intrigue ... Daydreaming about Venice is an inevitable side effect of reading this book. Like the city itself, A Beautiful Crime is worth losing yourself in.
Elif Shafak
Rave BookPage These recollections, which begins from her birth in January 1947 to her death in November 1990, give glimpses of life as a woman in a country where personal, political and moral values are heavily dictated by religion and men. These glimpses are heartbreaking. They are unfair. And yet they also represent courage, beauty and hope, like a rag-tag team of misfits who are determined to stick it to the man against all odds ... Shafak grew up in a lonely and curious world suspended between her independent, forward-thinking mother and a more spiritual, uneducated, old-world grandmother. This remarkable coexistence has made her not only the most widely read female author in Turkey but also an award-winning international author and TED speaker.
Roselle Lim
Positive BookPage Summer beckons a reading list that is as light, fun and feel-good as the season itself. Roselle Lim’s Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune definitely fits that need ... Lim’s magical storytelling, excellent cast of supporting characters and mouth-watering recipes make this book a must for your summer reading list.
Pete Fromm
Positive BookPage A tender tale of loss and fatherhood, Pete Fromm’s A Job You Mostly Won’t Know How to Do is a beautiful story about what happens when your village comes to the rescue and gives you a second chance at happiness.
Candice Carty-Williams
Positive BookPage Queenie is funny, clever and curvaceous ... Queenie, in essence, is every modern black woman who has ever questioned her abilities and her place in this world. With resonant reflections on race, relationships, sex and friendships, Queenie is a terrific debut that’s delivered with a touch of British humor and plenty of feel-good moments.
Erin McGraw
Positive BookPage \"If you are in search of a story collection that feels as transformative and satisfying as a novel, then look no further than Erin McGraw’s Joy ... What makes Joy truly special is how easily McGraw gets in your head. The stories resonate long after they end, each time making the reader wonder, \'Would I have handled it differently?\' A terrific pick for a book club, Joy is bound to impress.\
Helen Oyeyemi
Rave BookPage You are about to love a story that you may or may not understand. It straddles the familiar and the world of make-believe so remarkably well that you may be left believing in that which doesn’t quite exist ... Thoroughly strange yet absolutely mesmerizing, the sixth novel from award-winning Oyeyemi is the perfect escape.
Sofia Lundberg
Positive BookPage With love and humor, Doris’ stories prove that the good old days are often filled with a lot of regret, pain and heartache. But what the heart chooses to remember is our perseverance through the most impossible of challenges ... Like a cozy conversation with your grandma, The Red Address Book warms your heart and soul.
Edward Carey
Rave BookPage \"It might not be so wrong to review Edward Carey’s new novel, Little, with the simple declaration that it is exceptionally good ... If [the book\'s premise] seems dark, it’s because it is. But Carey portrays Marie as one of the most ambitious characters you will ever meet ... An irresistible tale, Little will please all readers, especially those who love period adventures and old-fashioned stories of triumph over human folly.\
Katharine Weber
Rave BookPage Weber expertly weaves Duncan’s internal conflict throughout the novel, constantly making the reader wonder if he will find the strength to continue living in his new circumstances and carry on with a will to make new legacies. Most importantly, Still Life with Monkey begs the question, \'What would I do in this situation?\' It’s a question that lingers long after the book ends.
Elliot Ackerman
Positive BookPage \"Ackerman has given us a war story that is packed with love, pain and guilt, but above all, it is a meditation on the legacies we leave behind.\
Ottessa Moshfegh
Rave BookPage True to her style, Moshfegh’s dark sense of humor makes the reader laugh (perhaps guiltily) when it seems least appropriate. Melancholic, ominous and even uncomfortable, My Year of Rest and Relaxation traverses a labyrinth of emotions.
Paula McLain
Rave BookPage \"McLain’s ability to base a work of fiction on real people is nothing short of superb. Readers may pick up Love and Ruin because of their obsession with Ernest Hemingway, but they’ll fall in love with it because of Marty Gellhorn.\
Sue Halpern
Positive BookPage Told partly from Sunny’s perspective and partly from Kit’s, Summer Hours at the Robbers Library uses the differences in the two protagonists’ ages, experiences and upbringing to its advantage. With her new novel, Sue Halpern offers the perfect way to experience a small-town community filled with lovable characters, mysterious happenings, a little bit of romance and hopeful ending.
Paul Goldberg
Rave BookPage \"Full of dark humor, cheap vodka, Russian poems and political anecdotes, The Château somehow perfectly captures the political travesty that is all too real in this day and age.\
Jessica Keener
Rave BookPage Keener expertly weaves together a story that not only showcases an expat life, but also shares the tragedies, memories and grudges of strangers in a beautiful city who are more connected than they have come to believe.
Robin Sloan
Rave BookPage Sloan has imagined a funny and curious novel unlike anything else, a perfect combination of self-discovery through all sorts of weird passions. Like truly good sourdough, this namesake is the perfectly tangy, chewy and airy addition to anyone’s reading list—minus the gluten and calories, of course.