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: 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: 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.
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.
Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake
Delilah Green Doesn't Care is a debut romance novel by Ashley Herring Blake, and the first in a series. It’s queer romantic comedy with a lovable protagonist, Delilah, who is returning to her hometown for the wedding of her estranged stepsister, Astrid.
The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings
The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings gave a view of womanhood and motherhood through the eyes of a dystopian and magical world, told from a character who is at critical juncture in her life.
Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan
Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan was my first read in her backlist and it won’t be my last. After reading an advanced copy of her upcoming novel, Before I Let Go, I knew her writing was for me
Jackal by Erin E. Adams
Jackal by Erin E. Adams is a book I have been eagerly awaiting. The cover is attention grabbing, the book description is tense, and I love a debut author – especially in thrillers.
Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi
Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi is an excellent choice for readers who love character-driven novels that center estranged sibling relationships. The plot is the supporting character in this one and the main story is told through the relationship between sisters Jayne and June.