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 July 2025

Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft

We’re taught to fear what waits in the dark. We flip on porch lights, clutch our keys a little tighter in empty parking lots, and leave a la...

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Stop Me If You've Heard This One by Kristen Arnett

Friday, July 25, 2025

Stop Me If You've Heard This One by Kristen Arnett

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” When I was four, I remember proudly answering that question with what I thought was a perfectly r...

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Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger

What would you do if your entire world crumbled around you? Adele never expected her husband to vanish without a word. Only after he disappe...

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The Lake Escape by Jaime Day

Friday, July 18, 2025

The Lake Escape by Jaime Day

Summer is in full swing, and no summer day is complete without spending some time by your favorite body of water and reading a good book. Oc...

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The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline

I first discovered Lisa Scottoline’s writing with her 2019 novel Someone Knows , a suburban thriller rich with emotion and deeply drawn char...

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Girl in the Creek by Wendy N. Wagner

Monday, July 14, 2025

Girl in the Creek by Wendy N. Wagner

Summer is in full swing, and this is the time of year when I find myself craving fast-paced page-turners—books that hook me from the very fi...

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The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir

Friday, July 11, 2025

The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir

There's something wrong with Iðunn. At least, that’s what she thinks. How else can she explain the way she sleeps soundly every night, o...

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Rage by Linda Castillo

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Rage by Linda Castillo

I’ve heard my reading friends rave about Linda Castillo’s books for years. She’s been on my TBR list for just as long, but I’d never gotten ...

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The Housemaid's Wedding by Freida McFadden

Friday, July 4, 2025

The Housemaid's Wedding by Freida McFadden

I just finished reading The Housemaid Is Watching , the third book in Freida McFadden's addictive, page-turning series, and I was genuin...

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The Housemaid is Watching by Freida McFadden

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

The Housemaid is Watching by Freida McFadden

The blistering heat of a Texas summer is officially upon us, and the only way I’ve learned to cope, short of staying inside, is to escape to...

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