About Me

The story behind A Book A Week, and the reader behind the reviews.

It started with a New Year's resolution:
1 book a week, 52 books in a year.
I kept reading, and it grew into something much more.

Back in 2011, I was an avid reader who had somehow lost my way with reading. Between working and being a full-time student, reading for pleasure had slowly fallen by the wayside.

I wanted to change that. So I gave myself a New Year's resolution to read one book every week for a year. I started A Book A Week on January 1, 2012 as a way to hold myself accountable and share what I was reading along the way.

I didn't quite reach my goal that first year, but I kept reading. I kept reviewing. And all these years later, I'm still here, looking forward to whatever book comes next. Some years I crush my goals, some years I don't, but my love for a good book has never wavered.

Line drawing portrait of Ethan

Hi, I'm Ethan

Reader. Blogger.
Book lover.

I'm a lifelong reader with a particular soft spot for mysteries and thrillers. I've always loved the genre, and I credit those stories—the twists, suspense, and need to know what happens next—with keeping me a reader as an adult. My reading has taken me in all kinds of directions since then, but I'll always come back to a good mystery.

I love creepy horror novels. A fascinating work of nonfiction can completely pull me in, too. And I've found plenty of favorites in science fiction, literary fiction, romance, and other genres I might never have picked up when I first started the blog. That's part of the fun. I never quite know what kind of story is going to grab me next.

When I'm not reading or writing reviews, you'll usually find me at home with my husband and our pets. I'm a classically trained musician and composer, an enthusiastic home cook, and a backyard gardener. There's usually a trip to look forward to or some new project that has caught my interest, too.

At the end of the day, I just really love books. There's nothing quite like discovering a story I can't put down or finding an author I can't wait to read again. Even when a book doesn't quite work for me, I still enjoy thinking about why and putting those thoughts into words. That's what keeps me reading, reviewing, and sharing it all here on A Book A Week.

Loose hand-drawn fountain pen illustration

Review Disclaimer

Honest reviews, always.

Some of the books I review are ones I've purchased myself. Others are provided by publishers or authors in exchange for an honest review. Either way, what I write here is always what I really think.

Not every book is going to work for every reader, and that's part of the fun of talking about books. I'll tell you what worked for me, what didn't, and hopefully give you enough to decide whether a book might be right for you.

Good, bad, or somewhere in between, you'll always get my honest take.

Contact

Have a question about the blog, a book you think I should read, or just want to say hello? I'd love to hear from you.

Drop me a note using the form below.

Let's Connect

I'm always happy to hear from readers, publishers, authors, and fellow book lovers.

Review Copies

I'm always open to considering books for review. I read across a pretty wide range of genres, though mysteries and thrillers tend to be particular favorites. If you'd like me to consider a book, send along a little information about it and why you think it might be a good fit for A Book A Week.

Publishers & Authors

Review requests, interviews, features, or something else you have in mind? Send me a note. I'm always happy to hear about new books and opportunities that might be a good fit for the blog.

General Inquiries

Have a question, a recommendation, or just want to talk books? Those messages are welcome, too.

Find Me Elsewhere

Send a Message

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Archive for 2017

The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines

Saturday, December 30, 2017

The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines

"Are you ready to see your fixer upper?" The husband and wife duo of Chip and Joanna Gaines have captured the imagination of DIY...

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Noelle by Greg Kincaid

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Noelle by Greg Kincaid

"Dogs aren't takers, they're givers." The last couple weeks have been a real whirlwind. I took a vacation the week befor...

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What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton

Regardless of which side of the aisle you tend to support, there is no denying that the 2016 presidential election was one for the history b...

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Friday Flicks: Murder on the Orient Express

Friday, December 8, 2017

Friday Flicks: Murder on the Orient Express

Earlier this year, I read Agatha Christie's famed Murder on the Orient Express . It was easy to see why Christie's novel has been a ...

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Artemis by Andy Weir

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Artemis by Andy Weir

Confession: I have yet to read Andy Weir's The Martian . I know what you're thinking, "How could he have missed reading that on...

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Broken Harbor by Tana French

Monday, December 4, 2017

Broken Harbor by Tana French

"If you're any good at this job, and I am, then every step in a murder case moves you in one direction: towards order." Scor...

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Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perrotta

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perrotta

"There's so much to read, but all I do is end up watching Netflix and play Candy Crush. I feel like I'm wasting my life." ...

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The Marsh King's Daughter by Karen Dionne

Monday, November 13, 2017

The Marsh King's Daughter by Karen Dionne

Helena had a very unique childhood. Her beginning was dark, born from the forced relationship between her mother and her mother's captor...

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Dunbar by Edward St. Aubyn

Saturday, November 4, 2017

Dunbar by Edward St. Aubyn

Ever since I read Margaret Atwood's retelling of Shakespeare's Tempest in Hag-Seed , I've been eagerly reading the other books i...

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Deep Freeze by John Sandford

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Deep Freeze by John Sandford

"Same old Flowers shit. You gotta ride with it." For years, my favorite literary crime hero was James Patterson's Alex Cross...

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Imagine Me Gone by Adam Haslett

Friday, October 13, 2017

Imagine Me Gone by Adam Haslett

Mental illness can be a difficult topic to discuss. In his novel Imagine Me Gone , Adam Haslett attempts to grapple with the subject. He tel...

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Friday Flicks: American Assassin

Friday, October 6, 2017

Friday Flicks: American Assassin

"You go down out there, you're a ghost. There's nobody, nobody coming back for you." A couple months ago, I read America...

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The Late Show by Michael Connelly

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

The Late Show by Michael Connelly

As a lover of crime fiction and mysteries, it pains me to admit that I've never read a novel by acclaimed author Michael Connelly. My bo...

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The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta

Ruth Ramsey is the Sex Ed teacher at a local high school. She firmly believes that providing kids with a strong knowledge of safe sex practi...

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