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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Showing posts with label Satire. Show all posts

Fruit Fly by Josh Silver

Monday, September 7, 2026

Fruit Fly by Josh Silver

It's hard to predict what the next big "it" book will be. In all my years blogging and reviewing books, I've seen just abo...

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Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel

At the ripe age of seventy-seven, Pepper Mills is facing what’s supposed to be her final move. After a minor car accident—one that ends with...

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Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Friday, April 17, 2026

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

With as many books as I read each year, I try to strike a balance between new releases, backlist titles on my shelves, and literary classics...

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Fever Beach by Carl Hiaasen

Monday, May 19, 2025

Fever Beach by Carl Hiaasen

Carl Hiaasen has built a career out of sharp, satirical novels set in his native Florida—books that blend tightly woven plots, eccentric cha...

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Friday Flicks: American Fiction

Friday, June 7, 2024

Friday Flicks: American Fiction

Author Percival Everett has built a career on writing sharp, satirical novels that delve into the complexities of race and identity without ...

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Let's Not Do That Again by Grant Ginder

Thursday, May 5, 2022

Let's Not Do That Again by Grant Ginder

With each passing day, Americans seem to grow more politically divided than ever. Gone are the days of reaching across the aisle. Coming tog...

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Nature Girl by Carl Hiaasen

Thursday, September 10, 2020

Nature Girl by Carl Hiaasen

Over the long holiday weekend, I decided to get as much of my last-minute summer reading in as I possibly could. By the time I sat down to w...

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Less by Andrew Sean Greer

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Less by Andrew Sean Greer

My quarantine reading continues today with Andrew Sean Greer's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Less . This is one of those books that I fel...

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Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

“Just because it's complicated, just because you think you can't ever know everything about another person, it doesn't mean you ...

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Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen

Florida based author Carl Hiaasen is known for his clever and intricate novels. Prior to reading his latest novel, Bad Monkey , my only enco...

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