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

Your information will only be used to respond to your message.

Showing posts with label 2025. Show all posts

The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose

Sunday, December 28, 2025

The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose

I’m ending my reading year with a book that’s been on my radar since it was released earlier this year. Jeneva Rose's  The Perfect Marri...

Read the review →
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

Friday, December 26, 2025

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

When Charlie and Eve stumble upon an old house full of character in a perfectly picturesque neighborhood—at a reasonable price, no less—they...

Read the review →
One Day in December by Josie Silver

Tuesday, December 23, 2025

One Day in December by Josie Silver

It’s a misty December day when Laurie squeezes into the seat of a double-decker bus. Christmas is nearly here, and her mind is cluttered wit...

Read the review →
The Kill Clause by Lisa Unger

Sunday, December 21, 2025

The Kill Clause by Lisa Unger

Lisa Unger is no stranger to holiday-themed thrillers. Her 2023 release, Christmas Presents , successfully blended a compelling mystery with...

Read the review →
Head Cases by John McMahon

Friday, December 19, 2025

Head Cases by John McMahon

I’m a sucker for a good murder mystery. There’s something about the thrill of peeling back the layers of a well-crafted whodunit that grips ...

Read the review →
A Christmas Home by Greg Kincaid

Wednesday, December 17, 2025

A Christmas Home by Greg Kincaid

This time of year is busy for most of us. The holidays bring a flurry of decorating, shopping, gatherings, and travel. For me, that usually ...

Read the review →
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

Monday, December 15, 2025

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

It’s always good to read outside your usual genres. How else would we discover new authors and stories? And while I like to think of myself ...

Read the review →
The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans

Thursday, December 11, 2025

The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans

It’s officially feeling like Christmas around my house this week. The weather has cooled, the tree is up and glowing, the lights are strung ...

Read the review →
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Monday, December 8, 2025

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Such a Fun Age opens with an all-too-familiar and uncomfortable scene. A young Black woman walking through an upscale grocery store with a ...

Read the review →
A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kincaid

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kincaid

December is here, and with it has come some very welcome colder weather in South Texas. My house is fully decorated for the holidays, and I’...

Read the review →
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Friday, November 28, 2025

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

There are some books on my shelves that have sat unread for so long I’ve forgotten they were even there. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides is ...

Read the review →
Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

In the early part of 2020, my husband and I decided it was finally time to start looking for a house. We’d been saving for years, and althou...

Read the review →
The Man in My Basement by Walter Mosley

Thursday, November 20, 2025

The Man in My Basement by Walter Mosley

In the never-ending list of great authors I keep meaning to read, Walter Mosley has been near the top for years. I’m a crime-fiction lover a...

Read the review →
Return of the Spider by James Patterson

Monday, November 17, 2025

Return of the Spider by James Patterson

There’s a certain sense of nostalgia I get every time I pick up a new Alex Cross book. I was first introduced to James Patterson’s bestselli...

Read the review →
Future Boy by Michael J. Fox

Friday, November 14, 2025

Future Boy by Michael J. Fox

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." In the summer of 1985, a little movie called Back to the Future hit thea...

Read the review →
False Witness by Phillip Margolin

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

False Witness by Phillip Margolin

I was first introduced to Phillip Margolin’s legal thrillers with last year’s An Insignificant Case . That novel—about an unlikely duo, a qu...

Read the review →
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Thursday, November 6, 2025

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

It’s hard to believe I’ve never read a book by Taylor Jenkins Reid. She’s one of today’s most celebrated authors, a fixture on bestseller li...

Read the review →
Simultaneous by Eric Heisserer

Monday, November 3, 2025

Simultaneous by Eric Heisserer

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 se...

Read the review →
Ghosts of Grayhaven by Amy Newbold and Lark Wright

Friday, October 31, 2025

Ghosts of Grayhaven by Amy Newbold and Lark Wright

As October draws to a close (seriously, how is the month already over?), I’m wrapping up my annual attempt to cram in as many spooky reads a...

Read the review →
King Sorrow by Joe Hill

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

King Sorrow by Joe Hill

Some authors are born to tell stories. Joe Hill practically had no choice. As the son of Stephen King, he could’ve coasted on a famous name,...

Read the review →
Powered by Blogger.