About Book Marks
Recent Reviews
Kat Chow
Rave Booklist The ghosts Chow writes about in her elegiac memoir are both literal and metaphorical. In lyrical and probing vignettes, she explores the spaces left behind when someone dies and how the loss reverberates through generations ... Readers familiar with Chow’s reporting on NPR will not be surprised at her storytelling skills, which shine even more brightly here. This haunting, deeply moving, and beautifully written chronicle of the immense grief that once tore Chow’s family apart and now binds them will resonate with every reader.
Chongda Cai
Positive Booklist Through [Cai\'s] journalistic eye, he makes astute and penetrating observations about human behavior and motivations. Though his essays grow shorter and lose steam towards the end, overall his pieces are deeply moving ... Cai’s deep respect and love for the people who are important to him shine through in his beautiful and poignant profiles.
Denise Williams
Positive Library Journal Naya’s painfully realistic and palatable fear over her ex and the damage he still manages to inflict on her rings throughout her first-person narration in this debut rom-com from Williams featuring two fully realized, emotionally mature characters who support and respect each other. Jake does not cause Naya’s personal growth but rather reminds her of joy in a life with the volume turned up, inspiring her to take necessary steps on her own ... With a deeper emotional punch than expected, Williams’s banter-filled romance makes her an author to watch.
Grace Burrowes
Rave Library Journal Burrowes delightfully twists many of historical romance’s traditional beats ... Burrowes beautifully conveys the couple’s growth as they come to believe they are worthy of happiness ... A refreshing, remarkably crafted Regency that will garner the multi-award-winning Burrowes legions of new fans.
Jonathan Kaufman
Positive Booklist Within this historical context, Kaufman focuses on family history and portrays some of the more interesting women, such as Rachel Sassoon Beer, owner and editor of two major British newspapers. He does not shy away from less savory endeavors; for example, the Sassoons sold opium. Especially compelling is Kaufman’s at assimilation and how, despite their wealth and power, both families struggled to overcome the anti-Semitism of the British elite to gain true acceptance. A fascinating look at two powerful dynasties as well as a sharp lens through which to view Shanghai’s ups and downs.
Frank Langfitt
Rave Booklist Langfitt deftly captures the nature of a rapidly changing China, the effects this has on society on a personal level, and how people attempt to navigate a system whose rules are constantly changing. Drawing on years of reporting, he provides context and a broader picture to anchor the narrative’s kaleidoscope of characters, experiences, and opinions, making for a heartfelt, engaging, and informative read.
Helen Zia
Positive Booklist \"Background research is seamlessly woven into the narratives, resulting in an illuminating and highly readable volume that will appeal to a wide range of readers.\
May-Lee Chai
Rave Booklist With her masterful short story collection, Chai proves with exquisite craftsmanship that less can be so much more ... Chai shines a light on the deeper truths without needing to spell them out ... The concise tales in this literary gem linger in the mind long after the pages are turned.
Astrid Holleeder, Trans. by Welmoed Smith and Caspar Wijers
Rave Booklist In her compulsively readable memoir, a best-seller in the Netherlands, Holleeder tells the story of how she became a witness against her criminal brother ... This is not only a fascinating examination of a criminal many American readers will be unfamiliar with, but also a moving and heartbreaking tale of the toll exerted on the families of headline criminals. Especially recommended for fans of such TV shows as The Sopranos and Breaking Bad.