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 WWII. Show all posts

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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The Lion's Run by Sara Pennypacker

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

The Lion's Run by Sara Pennypacker

There are good secrets, and there are bad secrets. But one thing is certain: everyone has secrets—especially in the Nazi-occupied French vil...

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Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino

Thursday, August 28, 2025

Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino

On August 6, 1945, the American military dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, and the world was forever changed. It’s difficult to comprehen...

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Strangers in Time by David Baldacci

Friday, April 25, 2025

Strangers in Time by David Baldacci

The sheer volume of WWII fiction lining bookstore shelves often leaves me hesitant to dive in. For every standout that offers a fresh perspe...

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The Little Liar by Mitch Albom

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

The Little Liar by Mitch Albom

In 2017, I had the privilege of embarking on a backpacking trip across Europe. I was overwhelmed by the sheer scope of history that unfolded...

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Good Night, Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea

Monday, June 26, 2023

Good Night, Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea

Peruse any local bookstore, and you'll find shelves lined with historical fiction novels set during WWII. Recreations of famous battles,...

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Atonement by Ian McEwan

Sunday, April 17, 2022

Atonement by Ian McEwan

“How guilt refined the methods of self-torture, threading the beads of detail into an eternal loop, a rosary to be fingered for a lifetime.”...

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The Baker's Secret by Stephen P. Kiernan

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

The Baker's Secret by Stephen P. Kiernan

"If you see God, ask him why he stopped loving us." I've been enamored with the works of author Stephen P. Keirnan since rea...

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The One Man by Andrew Gross

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

The One Man by Andrew Gross

"And saving that one life now is akin to saving the world." How do we reconcile the horrors of the Holocaust? Countless men, wom...

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Friday Flicks: Unbroken

Friday, January 9, 2015

Friday Flicks: Unbroken

A review of a book to film adaptation. Angelina Jolie follows up her directorial debut, In the Land of Blood and Honey, with Unbroken, a...

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The Second World War by Antony Beevor

Saturday, December 22, 2012

The Second World War by Antony Beevor

I have always been fascinated with any and all things to do with World War II. From the rise of Hitler, to the bombing of Hiroshima, this ...

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Wyatt's Revenge by H. Terrell Griffin

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Wyatt's Revenge by H. Terrell Griffin

H. Terrell Griffin begins the fourth installment in his Matt Royal Mystery Series with a bang. Literally. Laurence Wyatt is enjoying the c...

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The Sleepwalkers by Paul Grossman

Sunday, February 5, 2012

The Sleepwalkers by Paul Grossman

I have a soft spot for anything that has to do with World War II. Ever since first learning about the events that took place during that t...

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A Bitter Truth: A Bess Crawford Mystery by Charles Todd

Sunday, January 22, 2012

A Bitter Truth: A Bess Crawford Mystery by Charles Todd

As she heads home, on leave from the ongoing First World War, battlefield nurse Bess Crawford finds a troubled young woman huddled in her ...

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Operation Napoleon by Arnaldur Indriðason

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Operation Napoleon by Arnaldur Indriðason

As the end of the second world war draws near, an American plane crashes into an Icelandic glacier. The U.S. Army sends a team of soldier...

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