The Leaning Pile of Books is a feature in which I highlight books I got over the last week that sound interesting—old or new, bought or received in the mail for review consideration. Since I hope you will find new books you’re interested in reading in these posts, I try to be as informative as possible. If I can find them, links to excerpts, author’s websites, and places where you can find more information on the book are included, along […]

As a Bookshop affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami is a standalone literary science fiction novel set in a version of the not-too-distant future where the Risk Assessment Administration monitors data to evaluate the likelihood that an individual will commit a crime. It’s a chillingly plausible story that will likely make you wish to go off the grid completely, and I thought it was excellent at creating a future that seems possible based on […]

I’m thrilled to have a guest post by Deva Fagan to share with you today! Her novel House of Dusk, which is described as “a romantic epic fantasy featuring a fire-wielding nun grappling with her dark past and a young spy caught between her mission and a growing attraction to an enemy princess,” was just released in hardcover and ebook last week. I’m excited she’s here to discuss some books and resources she used as inspirations in “Real History for […]