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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Book Review

Simultaneous by Eric Heisserer

Monday, November 3, 2025

A Book A Week
Review / archive

Have you ever had a premonition? That strange feeling that something is about to happen—a ripple in the fabric of the day that only makes sense once the moment arrives. For most of us, it’s fleeting, a quiet echo we don’t fully understand until much later. But for a small handful, it can be something much more profound. Federal agent Grant Lukather knows this better than most. As part of Homeland Security’s secretive Predictive Analytics branch, he’s spent his career tracking subtle patterns and statistical anomalies to prevent the unthinkable before it happens. But when a call comes in about a possible explosion in New Mexico, Grant finds himself caught in an event that will shatter everything he thought he knew about premonitions, and about fate itself.

That investigation leads him to Sarah Newcomb, a therapist who practices past-life hypnosis and has recently stumbled onto something that defies logic. Soon, Grant finds himself drawn into a web of murders spanning multiple states and timelines, where memory, identity, and consciousness begin to blur. With Sarah and one of her patients by his side, Grant races against time to stop a threat unlike anything he’s ever encountered. 

When I heard that Eric Heisserer, screenwriter of the hit film Arrival, had written a novel, I knew I was in for a treat. Simultaneous proves that instinct was correct. Heisserer blends high-concept science fiction with deeply human characters, delivering a tightly paced thriller that hooked me from start to finish. In Grant Lukather, Heisserer creates a skeptic whose doubts mirror our own. We experience discovery alongside him, watching disbelief shift into wonder. It’s a smart, cinematic read that delivers both heart and high stakes without ever overstaying its welcome. For fans of grounded sci-fi with big ideas and emotional depth, this one’s not to be missed.

For more information, visit Amazon and Goodreads

(2025, 87)

Posted by Ethan EmailComments

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18 Comments

Comments

  1. Now this I know I would enjoy. Fantastic review!

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  2. This book was nowhere on my radar, but it sounds really interesting! I might have to check it out.

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  3. The premise sounds up my alley...I'm not really a thriller gal, but past/simultaneous lives?!?

    "watching disbelief shift into wonder"
    I live for these sentences of yours 😁👍.

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  4. I like the sound of this one. I've had a couple of premonitions, and they turned out to be true.

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    Replies
    1. Some people truly have the gift. Hope they were good ones at least

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  5. I did not know about this one.
    Spooky with premonitions, I like that

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    Replies
    1. Less spooky, more suspenseful, but yes, a good read nonetheless.

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  6. Love the uniqueness of this book's premise! It sounds like a fun read.

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  7. Yesss, this looks so good!
    Wishing you cozy chaos and untamed joy — Ash

    Check out my October Recap: https://essentiallyash.blogspot.com/2025/11/october-recap-november-plans-tbr.html

    Ash @ Essentially Ash
    Want to follow me on Bookstagram, booktok, add my snapchat or check out my photography?

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  8. I am not surprised a screenwriter wrote a great novel. I think they understand the way people like to consume certain things. The blend of sci-fi and humanity is intriguing to me.

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    Replies
    1. I think it really helped both ground the fiction in reality and pace it.

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  9. This sounds like a fascinating read. I'm adding it to my list. Great review!

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