Welcome to Margin Notes
A blog and newsletter from Ibrah Reads.
Below you’ll find all articles in chronological order.
If you prefer to browse by category or tag, please click on the icons to the right or in any post and it will filter the posts displayed below.
Book Review: Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen
Sarah Addison Allen continues to put out magical realism that feels ethereal and gently mysterious. Paper Ghosts is her most recent novel and has the same general feeling of her prior novel Other Birds, which I loved. The story centers on a family in North Carolina told through the lens of multi-generational women who have a mysterious pull to their home coupled with witchy reputations in their small town.
Book Review: Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson
Sadeqa Johnson has done it again with Keeper of Lost Children. I don’t typically gravitate towards historical fiction, but with this author I will always say yes. Her research is DEEP and I am always blown away at how many books she reads to prepare for writing her own. The way she finds lesser-known women who had a big impact on history and brings their story to life is a gift.
Book Review: Before You Were Anne by Emiko Jean (Chelsey Calhoun #2)
Emiko Jean has become such a reliable author for me and Before You Were Anne was no exception. It’s the sequel to The Return of Ellie Black and the second in the detective Chelsey Calhoun series. As she unfolds the case we get to see the story from three perspectives, giving voice to the main women in the novel.
Book Review: Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
This is a memoir that delves into the relationship between child and parent, daughter and mother, through life and death. Michelle’s mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer when Michelle was twenty-five, bringing their family to an incredibly hard period in their lives.
Book Review: Good People by Patmeena Sabit
I was thinking about Zorah Sharaf for a few days after I turned the last page. The publisher described it as a “literary game of ping pong” and that is exactly what it felt like.
Book Review: Fabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle
If you have ever read a Chuck Tingle book, then you know they could feasibly be their own genre. I love this author and his quirky, witty characters paired with absolutely weird plotlines.
New Book Releases - February 2024
A curated selection of books that are publishing in February 2024, from a diverse range of authors and genres. Happy Reading!
Book Review: House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen was a bingeable mystery from one of my auto-read authors; I devoured it in a weekend. If you enjoy a “who did it” mystery with questionable characters, this is a great choice.
Book Review: Fly with Me by Andie Burke
Fly with Me by Andie Burke was the perfect blend of sweet and spicy, and I absolutely loved reading it. In it we meet Olive and Stella who cross paths on a flight when a passenger experiences a medical emergency.
Book Review: Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering
Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering was a bingeable thriller I could not put down. In it we meet Cassie and Billie, two childhood friends who have drifted apart in adulthood. Billie longs to reconnect, but Cassie is in her own world of Instagram influencing, motherhood, and socialite life. One night something tragic happens with Cassie and it catapults these friends back together.
How to be first in line for new release books on Libby
Bring first in line for new book releases in digital and audio format from the library is a great way to save money. Libby is a free app available through the public library system in the U.S. and is very user-friendly.
Book Review: Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen
Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen is an adorable enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy that would be ideal for readers looking for a closed-door / non-spice story. In it we meet Olivia and Bennett, two CEOs of rival matchmaking companies using Chinese astrology to help pair couples for long-term happiness.
Book Review: Perfect Days by Raphael Montes
Perfect Days by Raphael Montes (translated from Portuguese to English by Alison Entrekin) was a messed up and disturbing book that I absolutely could not put down. If you like a wince-inducing thriller that borders on horror, this is one to pick up.
Book Review: Something Wild & Wonderful (Nashville Love #2) by Anita Kelly
Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly was a special read and I loved it so much. I read the first in the series, Love & Other Disasters, earlier in the year and fell completely in love with the author’s storytelling.
Book Review: The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith
I picked up The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith at a second-hand bookstore on a whim and sank into while I was off work for the new year. It was such a touching book, and I loved reading it. In it we meet Greta, an indie rockstar who is taking a break from touring to process the loss of her mother.
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez easily fits into my top 5 romance books of the year; it was so full of humor and heart. In it we get reacquainted with Brianna, the best friend from book one in the series (Part of Your World) and we meet Jacob, the new ER doctor who is working with Brianna. They have a disastrous first meeting and misunderstand each other, but eventually come to realize that they thoroughly enjoy each other’s company.
Book Review: The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth is a dual timeline, dual perspective mystery that kept the pages turning. In it we meet two women, Pippa and Amanda, and we alternate between their narratives. But did she jump? Did Pippa’s husband, Gabe, push her? Those are the questions the book is anchored on.
Book Review: Block Shot (Hoops #2) by Kennedy Ryan
Block Shot by Kennedy Ryan … what can I say, I finally understand all the love for Jared and Banner. This book is the second in the Hoops series and SHEW it is a hot one.
Book Review: Stolen Tongues by Felix Blackwell
Stolen Tongues by Felix Blackwell is complicated to review. I love Indie books and this one has the most intriguing start.