People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry. Photo: Barnes & Noble
People We Meet On Vacation: From Beloved Novel to Netflix Movie
The New York Times bestselling romance novel People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry has officially made its leap from page to screen. The long-awaited Netflix adaptation stars Emily Bader, Tom Blyth, and Sarah Catherine Hook, and is now available to stream.
For fans of the book, and for anyone who loves a slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance, this adaptation brings one of Emily Henry’s most cherished stories to life.
About the Book: People We Meet On Vacation
Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One last chance to fall in love.
Poppy and Alex couldn’t be more different.
She’s a wild child with insatiable wanderlust. He wears khakis and prefers staying home with a good book.
After a chance car share home from college, the two form an unlikely friendship that becomes the most important relationship in their lives. For a decade, despite living far apart, Poppy in New York City and Alex in their small Ohio hometown, they spend one glorious week each summer traveling together.
Until two years ago, when everything fell apart.
They haven’t spoken since.
The Story at Its Heart
On the surface, Poppy has everything she’s supposed to want. But she’s stuck in a rut. When she’s asked when she was last truly happy, the answer comes easily: that final, ill-fated vacation with Alex. (Barnes & Noble, 2026)
Determined to fix what they broke, Poppy convinces Alex to take one last trip together—to lay everything on the table and make things right. Miraculously, he agrees.
Now she has one week to fix everything… if she can finally face the truth that has always hovered between them.
What could possibly go wrong?
The Netflix Adaptation
Directed by Brett Haley, People We Meet On Vacation was released this month and has received generally positive reviews. The film captures the charm of Emily Henry’s original story, following Poppy and Alex’s decade-long tradition of shared summer vacations and the deeper connection that slowly unfolds between them.
At its core, the movie remains a story about timing, vulnerability, and the quiet, life-changing power of friendship turning into love.
Have you watched the Netflix adaptation yet, or are you still loyal to the book? 📚🎬
‘Akikos’ Quiet Happiness’ is a moving new Japan trilogy novel. Photo: Other Press
Akiko’s Quiet Happiness
The Japan Trilogy, Vol. 1 by Jan-Philipp Sendker Translated by Daniel Bowles
The first book in a new series by the beloved author of The Art of Hearing Heartbeats trilogy is now out. Jan-Philipp Sendkerreturns withAkiko’s Quiet Happiness, the opening novel in The Japan Trilogy, a tender, introspective story about grief, identity, and the courage it takes to love. (Other Press, 2025)
About the Novel
Still grieving the death of her mother, 29-year-old Akiko lives alone in Tokyo, withdrawn and emotionally isolated. Her quiet, carefully contained life is interrupted one evening when she unexpectedly runs into Kento, her first love from school.
Kento now lives as a hikikomori, leading a reclusive life and only venturing outside at night. As the two former classmates reconnect, their fragile bond begins to open doors neither of them expected.
At the same time, Akiko uncovers unsettling evidence that her mother had been lying to her about their family. The discovery shakes her sense of self and forces her to confront a painful truth: she doesn’t really know who she is.
With Kento’s support, Akiko embarks on a journey into her own past, one that leads her in surprising directions and toward questions she has never dared to ask before:
How do I want to live?
And do I have the courage to love?
Perfect for fans of Satoshi Yagisawa’s Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, Akiko’s Quiet Happiness is a poignant story of family, identity, and belonging.
About the Author
Jan-Philipp Sendker, born in Hamburg in 1960, was the American correspondent for Stern from 1990 to 1995 and its Asian correspondent from 1995 to 1999. In 2000, he published Cracks in the Wall, a nonfiction book about China.
His first novel, The Art of Hearing Heartbeats, became an international bestseller. Sendker now lives in Potsdam with his family.
About the Translator
Daniel Bowles is Associate Professor of German Studies at Boston College. His translation of Imperium won the Goethe-Institut’s Helen & Kurt Wolff Translator’s Prize in 2016.
Whispers of Mayhem is Aurora Ramsden’s latest romantasy novel. Photo: Amazon
Whispers of Mayhem (Guardians of Death)
by Aurora Ramsden
Overview
Whispers of Mayhem is a dark romantasy packed with savage creatures, deadly magic, unhinged humor, and a heroine who absolutely will take your head.
Nyx Blackwood has always suspected she isn’t human. She’s immune to fire and plagued by visions ripped straight from a horror movie. Loud, unapologetic, and fiercely independent, Nyx is done pretending to be normal and she has no intention of softening herself for anyone.
Alongside her sisters, triplets Opal and Rue, Nyx owns The Triad, a tattoo and piercing studio. Opal serves as the rational backbone of the business, balancing Nyx’s explosive temper and Rue’s take-it-or-leave-it attitude. Together, the Blackwood sisters take life by the horns, and heaven help anyone who gets in their way.
Everything changes when a mysterious stranger named Ryker walks into the shop, tosses Nyx a gold coin, and promises he’ll see them soon.
Not long after, the sisters are transported to another realm and enrolled in Death University. Surrounded by chaos and danger, they learn they are powerful creatures who need intense training, because the world’s evil isn’t waiting for them to catch up.
Review
Whispers of Mayhem is a fast-paced plunge into dark romantasy that revels in chaos, blood, and biting humor. Aurora Ramsden introduces Nyx as a vision-seeing tattoo artist whose sharp wit is matched only by her sharper instincts. Alongside her sisters, she is violently ripped from everything familiar and thrown into a brutal new world crawling with savage creatures, deadly magic, and truths that refuse to stay buried.
The tone is unapologetic and the humor delightfully unhinged. Fight scenes are vivid and immersive, pulling the reader straight into the action:
“I pull the vine tighter around his throat, standing to the side of him, reveling in his rising panic…”
Told in first person through both Nyx and Ryker’s perspectives, the danger feels constant and deeply personal.
Nyx is not a passive heroine waiting to be saved, she is rage, survival, and teeth. Ramsden writes her with an itchy trigger finger and zero hesitation to turn violent when pushed, making it impossible not to root for her. The bond between the sisters adds emotional weight, grounding the carnage in loyalty and love. Together, they are an unstoppable trio.
As they uncover who and what they truly are, the tension escalates toward a chilling truth: self-discovery isn’t optional, and time is not on their side.
Dark, violent, and wickedly entertaining, Whispers of Mayhem is a must-read for fans of gritty fantasy with heart and humor buried beneath the bloodshed. This being the first book in the Guardians of Death series, prepare yourself for the Blackwood sisters, they’re just getting warmed up. If you love strong female leads, this book is for you.
“The shadow figure-faceless and void-moves with predatory grace, slicing at her with a malevolent glee, leaving trails of darkness swirling in the aftermath of each cruel blow.”
Content Warning
Intended for mature audiences. Contains:
Violence and gore
Dark humor
Strong language
Explicit sex scenes
About the Author
Aurora Ramsden’s love for fantasy romance is rooted in memories of her mother and strengthened by the bond she shares with her closest girlfriends, trading smutty recommendations, laughing over morally gray men, and celebrating heroines who bite back.
Her stories are messy, blunt, sexy, a little unhinged, and unapologetically raw, packed with chaos, sarcasm, and enough spice to keep your Kindle sweating.
Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (4.5 out of 5)
Whispers of Mayhem delivers a ferocious blend of dark fantasy, sisterhood, violence, and unhinged humor. The worldbuilding is immersive, the pacing relentless, and Nyx Blackwood is the kind of heroine who refuses to be forgotten. The sister dynamic adds emotional depth, while the action and spice keep the pages turning.
A few moments feel intentionally chaotic, which largely works in the book’s favor, but readers who prefer slower worldbuilding or softer fantasy tones may find the intensity overwhelming. For fans of gritty romantasy with spice, morally gray characters, and heroines who choose violence every time, this book hits hard.
Perfect for readers who want their fantasy dark, bloody, funny, and unapologetically wild.
*Thank you to Aurora Ramsden for the gifted copy for review consideration. I haven’t been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
My Mother Cursed My Name is the debut novel by Anamely Salgado Reyes. Photo: Barnes & Noble
My Mother Cursed My Name Book Review: A Magical Realism Novel About Generational Trauma
My Mother Cursed My Name by Anamely Salgado Reyes is a debut novel that explores three generations of strong Mexican American women: Olvido, Angustias, and Felicitas. Blending magical realism, women’s fiction, and family drama, the novel examines generational trauma, grief, identity, and the power of names. Set near the U.S.–Mexico border, the story follows a grandmother’s ghost who meddles in her living family’s life from beyond the grave.
Book Overview: What My Mother Cursed My Name Is About
The novel opens with the history of the Olivares women, dating back to 1917, when Justa Olivares named her daughter Calamidades. Justa believed hardship built character and if she suffered, her daughter should too.
“For generations, the women in the Olivares family attempted to change the course of destiny through the power of names.”
Fast forward to Oakville, Arkansas, where Angustias abruptly pulls her ten-year-old daughter Felicitas out of school to leave town once again. On the road, Felicitas speaks with a mysterious intruder as they head to Grace, Texas, Angustias’ hometown, where her mother Olvido has just died.
The intruder is Olvido herself. Felicitas has the ability to see ghosts, allowing Olvido to linger. Convinced she cannot cross over without resolving unfinished business, Olvido insists on “fixing” Angustias’ life, including her family, career, faith, and future, by working through Felicitas.
Felicitas, who never knew her grandmother, agrees to help in hopes of understanding her. Meanwhile, Angustias, grieving and eager to leave Texas behind, is baffled when the town suddenly rallies around her offering jobs, matchmaking, and church invitations.
Each woman possesses a unique gift: Felicitas sees ghosts, Angustias sees people’s auras, and Olvido draws confessions from others through her cooking. Ultimately, they must learn how to truly listen to one another.
Review: Themes of Generational Trauma, Identity, and Motherhood
My Mother Cursed My Name is a haunting and intimate novel about inherited trauma, unresolved love, and the weight of family expectations. It asks a central question: how much of our destiny is decided before we are born?
The story alternates between Olvido, her daughter Angustias, and her granddaughter Felicitas, revealing how control, often disguised as protection, damages relationships. Olvido’s belief that names determine fate casts a long shadow across generations.
When Angustias becomes pregnant as a teenager, her choice to leave home feels both reckless and necessary, a desperate act of self-preservation. Years later, Felicitas’ attempt to connect with her grandmother delivers a darkly ironic truth: although Olvido is dead, her influence remains powerful.
Reyes’s prose is restrained, vivid, and poetic:
“Between the humidity and the running, her hair has tangled in multiple places as if various birds fought to make a nest on her head.”
Blending emotional realism with a subtle gothic tone, the novel uses death as a metaphor for estrangement and healing. My Mother Cursed My Name is ultimately a poignant exploration of motherhood, resentment, cultural inheritance, and the difficult work of breaking cycles we inherit without consent.
Readers who enjoy Latina literature, magical realism novels, and women’s fiction about family and identity will find this story heartwarming and thought-provoking.
“If only mistakes could anchor Angustias without drowning her, she wouldn’t be so determined on sailing the unknown sea.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
About the Author: Anamely Salgado Reyes
Anamely Salgado Reyes grew up on both sides of the Mexico–Texas border. Now based in the Rio Grande Valley, she writes stories rooted in family, friendship, culture, and the quiet magic found in everyday life.
Leyla’s House is Zülfü Livaneli’s, one of Turkey’s great modern writers, musicians and activists, new novel. Photo: Other Press
Leyla’s House: A Novel by Zülfü Livaneli
Release Date: Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Publisher: Other Press
Tradition, modernity, displacement, and human connection collide in internationally bestselling author Zülfü Livaneli’s latest novel, Leyla’s House. Richly layered and emotionally resonant, the book explores old and new money, the legacy of the Ottoman Empire, and the complexities of modern Turkey. It’s available for pre-order now. (Other Press, 2026)
A Story of Loss, Survival, and Unexpected Friendship
Evicted from her Istanbul mansion, an elderly aristocrat forms surprising new connections across class and culture in this colorful, nuanced novel.
The last living member of a great Ottoman family, the refined yet sheltered Leyla finds herself homeless and vulnerable when her house is sold by the bank to a business tycoon and his ambitious wife. Forced out of her historic mansion on the banks of the Bosphorus, Leyla is rescued by Yusuf, the son of her family’s former gardener, now a journalist, and taken into his care.
Leyla follows Yusuf to a modern, cosmopolitan district of Istanbul, where she encounters a vibrant world of artists and outcasts, including Yusuf’s partner Roxy (real name Rukiye), a hip-hop singer. Despite initial hostility, a genuine friendship slowly develops between these two women from radically different worlds.
A Hidden History Comes to Light
When Leyla’s former home is emptied of its furniture, a startling family secret emerges. A discovered photograph reveals the old woman’s uncanny resemblance to a British officer, raising an unsettling question: could Leyla be the product of an illegitimate union between an Ottoman woman and an Englishman?
With a strong sense of romance and social insight, Leyla’s House captures a society in flux, where former Ottoman aristocrats, the nouveau riche, and Turks returning from Europe all coexist, collide, and redefine what belonging means.
About the Author
Zülfü Livaneli is Turkey’s best-selling author and a prominent political activist. Widely regarded as one of the most important Turkish cultural figures of our time, he is known for novels that interweave diverse social and historical perspectives. His acclaimed works include Bliss, Serenade for Nadia, Disquiet, The Last Island, The Fisherman and His Son, On the Back of the Tiger, and My Brother’s Story.
His books have been translated into thirty-seven languages, won numerous international literary prizes, and adapted into films, stage plays, and operas.
About the Translators
Brendan Freely
Born in Princeton in 1959, Brendan Freely studied psychology at Yale University. His translations include Two Girls by Perihan Mağden, The Gaze by Elif Şafak, and—co-translated with Yelda Türedi—Like a Sword Wound by Ahmet Altan.
Yelda Türedi
Born in Mersin, Turkey, in 1970, Yelda Türedi studied chemical engineering at Boğaziçi University. She has co-translated Ahmet Altan’s Like a Sword Wound and Love in the Days of Rebellion.
The Jinja of Blood: Of Shadows and Lost Souls is the exciting new fantasy novel by Vivian Bell. Photo: Amazon
The Jinja of Blood: Of Shadows and Lost Souls (Book 1)
By Vivian Bell
An ancient jinja is home to the Wind and Ice clans, vampires who spend eternity fighting loneliness and boredom. In modern-day Japan, the New Bloodline must navigate everyday life, love, and increasingly ferocious yokai.
Shun Holynorth, a vampire, lives in the frost of eternity, while Haruki Akayama, a mortal, exists within the fragility of human time. Their meeting becomes the crack through which both light and darkness seep.
Story Overview
The novel opens with Shun admiring the sun’s final rays at sunset. Even after centuries, sunsets still mesmerize him, though they stir an ancient unrest within his soul. Shun belongs to the New Bloodline, children born of vampires and immortals. As the youngest, he’s seen as delicate, earning him the nickname the Cub. Adam and Ryuu are assigned to protect him as he begins university at Aizawa Academy, where vampires and humans study side by side.
Haruki Akayama and Yoshi Yamamoto are among the human students attending Aizawa Academy. Haruki is a 20-year-old billionaire with no immediate direction in life, aside from his determination to find his mother, who disappeared during his childhood. He’s dating Sam, unaware that Sam is a vampire.
As the group begins school, friendships form and secrets surface. Shared struggles and personal drama draw them closer together, revealing unexpected similarities. Beneath their everyday lives, however, a lurking danger emerges, only briefly introduced here, as this is the first book in the series.
Review
The Jinja of Blood: Of Shadows and Lost Souls blends ancient myth with modern unease. Set within an ancient shrine, it explores what happens when immortality collides with change. The New Bloodline must balance mundane university life with the growing threat of increasingly dangerous yokai, creating a compelling tension between the ordinary and the supernatural.
Shun and Haruki’s connection acts as a bridge, allowing light, darkness, longing, and fear to seep into each other’s worlds. Bell writes their relationship with emotional sensitivity, making it feel earned rather than merely symbolic.
As the opening volume of The Jinja of Blood, the novel sets the tone for a saga focused less on spectacle and more on belonging, friendship, and love in all its complexities. While the central romance between two young men places the book firmly within queer fantasy, the broader cast adds depth and diversity.
The vampires and immortals are portrayed as beings seeking normalcy rather than reveling in blood and gore. Their longing for ordinary lives makes them relatable, despite their centuries-long existence.
The narrative flows smoothly, supported by vivid, poetic language:
“The leaves, no longer resisting, surrendered to the wind’s invitation and danced over gardens and rooftops, skimming aerials and skyscrapers.”
Because the story is set in Japan, Japanese terms appear throughout. While this occasionally slows the pacing, the included glossary is helpful. The incorporation of Japanese folklore, such as the story of Hachiko, the faithful dog who waited for his long dead owner at Shibuya Station for ten years, adds cultural richness.
Final Thoughts
Overall, The Jinja of Blood: Of Shadows and Lost Souls is a strong and atmospheric beginning to a dark urban fantasy saga. It explores themes of friendship, identity, coming of age, and love. Though categorized as LGBTQ+ fiction due to its central romance, the story’s emotional core and diverse cast give it broad appeal.
Fans of fantasy, vampire lore, and Japanese culture will find this an engaging and promising start to what is sure to be an exciting series.
“Yoshi was the only anchor that allowed him to maintain a connection to reality. Without him, he would have capsized in the tidal waves of his own soul.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
About the Author
Vivian Bell is a shadow behind shrine doors, writing queer gothic tales of vampires, jinja, and cursed bloodlines. The Jinja of Blood is her debut dark fantasy, set between university corridors and yokai-haunted districts in modern-day Tokyo.
*Thank you to Vivian Bell for the gifted copy for review consideration. I haven’t been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
The Emotions is the new novel by Jean-Philippe Toussaint. Photo: Other Press
New Book Spotlight: The Emotions by Jean-Philippe Toussaint
Do we want to know what the next few days or weeks have in store for us? Do we want to know if a new romantic or sexual encounter lies just ahead, or how close death really is? (Other Press, 2025)
The Emotions by Jean-Philippe Toussaint, one of Europe’s most celebrated contemporary writers, is a quiet yet unsettling novel that explores these questions through grief, memory, and uncertainty. Translated from the French by Mark Polizzotti, this introspective work examines how the future is imagined, misread, and often undone by the past.
Overview: What Is The Emotions About?
Set against the bureaucratic machinery of the European Union, The Emotions follows Jean Deprez, a European civil servant specializing in strategic foresight. After the death of his father, Jean begins to revisit his past while obsessively anticipating what lies ahead. He is professionally trained to predict outcomes, yet increasingly incapable of doing so in his personal life.
As political and personal upheavals unfold, including Brexit, the election of Trump, the dissolution of a relationship, and a night spent with a stranger, Jean confronts the limits of prediction and the instability of memory.
Fiction That Disrupts Reality
Toussaint’s novel functions as an experiment in how fiction destabilizes our sense of reality. Jean foresees events that never occur, fails to imagine those that will devastate him, and often does not fully grasp what he is experiencing in the present moment. Even his recollections of the past remain unreliable, filtered through grief and self-doubt.
This deliberate uncertainty transforms The Emotions into a meditation on time, both the time that has passed and the time we imagine is still to come.
Themes: Love, Politics, Masculinity, and Memory
The Emotions is an intimate exploration of mourning and emotional disorientation. Toussaint weaves together:
Personal grief and the death of a parent
The fragility of romantic relationships
Political instability in contemporary Europe
Masculinity and emotional restraint
The failure of rational systems to account for human feeling
The result is a subtle, contemporary novel that lingers long after the final page.
Why You Should Read The Emotions
Fans of European literary fiction in translation will find much to admire here. Readers who enjoyed Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck or Grey Bees by Andrey Kurkov will appreciate Toussaint’s restrained prose, philosophical depth, and emotional precision.
The Emotions is ideal for readers drawn to introspective novels that examine grief, memory, and the illusion of control in modern life.
About the Author: Jean-Philippe Toussaint
Jean-Philippe Toussaint is a Belgian novelist, photographer, and filmmaker. He is the author of eighteen books, translated into more than twenty languages, and has received numerous literary awards, including the Prix Médicis (2005) for Fuir (Running Away) and the Prix Décembre (2009) for La Vérité sur Marie (The Truth About Marie).
In 2012, Toussaint created a multimedia exhibition at the Louvre Museum combining photography, video, installation art, and performance to convey literary works without written text.
About the Translator: Mark Polizzotti
Mark Polizzotti is an award-winning translator of more than fifty books from French, including works by Gustave Flaubert, Patrick Modiano, Marguerite Duras, André Breton, and Raymond Roussel. His translation of Kibogo by Scholastique Mukasonga was shortlisted for the National Book Award (2022), and his translation of Éric Vuillard’s The War of the Poor was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize (2021).
Polizzotti is also the author of eleven books, including Revolution of the Mind: The Life of André Breton and Sympathy for the Traitor: A Translation Manifesto.
‘The Dream of the Jaguar’ by Miguel Bonnefoy. Photo: Other Press
New Book Spotlight: The Dream of the Jaguar by Miguel Bonnefoy
Miguel Bonnefoy’s prize-winning novel The Dream of the Jaguar is a sweeping and enchanting family saga. Echoing the lush storytelling of One Hundred Years of Solitude and the emotional depth of Isabel Allende’s work, this novel explores colonialism, cultural identity, and the enduring ties of heritage. Through unforgettable characters, Bonnefoy illuminates the vibrant, complicated history of Venezuela. (Other Press, 2025)
A Story Born on the Steps of a Church
The novel opens when a beggar in Maracaibo, Venezuela, discovers a newborn on the steps of a church. She cannot foresee the extraordinary destiny awaiting the child she takes in.
Raised in poverty, Antonio’s life begins as a cigarette seller and porter, later a servant in a brothel, yet his relentless energy and charisma ultimately lead him to become one of the most celebrated surgeons in his country.
A Lineage Shaped by Love, Ambition, and Country
Antonio’s life intertwines with that of Ana Maria, who becomes the first female doctor in the region. Their daughter, named Venezuela, dreams not of her homeland but of Paris, yet the novel reminds us that no matter how far we travel, our roots remain.
It is through the notebook of Cristobal, the final link in this extraordinary lineage, that the family’s full, astonishing story unfolds.
A Lush, Multi-Generational Epic
Inspired by Bonnefoy’s own ancestry, The Dream of the Jaguar paints a vivid portrait of a family whose fate is inseparable from that of Venezuela itself, a vibrant, emotional saga of identity, ambition, and history.
About the Author
Miguel Bonnefoy, born in France in 1986 to a Venezuelan mother and Chilean father, is an acclaimed novelist whose previous works, Octavio’s Journey and Black Sugar, each sold more than thirty thousand copies in France and have been translated worldwide.
He received the Prix du Jeune Écrivain in 2013, and his novel Heritage earned widespread praise, becoming a finalist for the Prix Femina, the Grand Prix de l’Académie française, and the Goncourt Prize.
About the Translator
Ruth Diver holds a PhD in French and comparative literature from the University of Paris 8 and the University of Auckland. Her translation work has earned multiple honors, including two 2018 French Voices Awards and Asymptote’s Close Approximations fiction prize. She brings exceptional sensitivity and clarity to Bonnefoy’s text.
‘GRQ’ is the exciting new novel by Steven Bernstein. Photo: Partners in Crime Book Tours, used with permission.
Part of the Partners in Crime Tours Virtual Book Tours
Book Review: GRQ (Get Rich Quick) by Steven Bernstein
Motto:
Never trust someone who tells you he’s not a thief or a con artist.
Overview
GRQ (Get Rich Quick) follows Marlon, a man scrambling to save his family from financial collapse. Reeling from personal tragedy and facing eviction, he’s enticed by a mysterious financial advisor who promises a guaranteed path to wealth. As Marlon’s high-stakes gambles intensify, the line between salvation and destruction begins to blur. The story unfolds over a single, tension-filled day as Marlon confronts not only his financial ruin but also the dark secrets haunting his family.
Photo: PICT, used with permission
Review
Bernstein opens the novel with an unnamed narrator, a swaggering crypto investor who claims, “You should give me a call if you want to get rich.” Though he insists he merely tells Marlon’s story, he also claims he changed Marlon’s life. His unreliability seeps through immediately.
When Marlon nears eviction, this slick “advisor” offers him a surefire financial escape. With nowhere to turn, Marlon takes the bait, though every shortcut in Bernstein’s world carries a hidden cost.
The brief chapters alternate between Marlon’s unraveling day and the narrator’s self-aggrandizing commentary. Through this structure, Bernstein builds claustrophobia, tension, and a constant sense of impending doom. Marlon’s excuses to the mortgage company and his lies to his wife, Viola, grow increasingly frantic. A fractured Los Angeles mirrors the fractures within his family, amplifying the emotional stakes.
This short but tense novel centers around Marlon, a man pushed to the edge by financial desperation and personal grief. As his high-risk gambles escalate, the reader is pulled into his frantic attempts to outrun debt collectors and the ghosts of his past. He is deeply flawed yet painfully sympathetic and the novel’s emotional stakes feel as real as its financial ones.
Gritty, morally ambiguous, and uncomfortably plausible, GRQ by Steven Bernstein is a sharp cautionary tale about the seductive danger of easy money and the personal reckonings it can never truly erase. Fans of satire, dark humor, and psychological tension will find much to savor.
“Me, the maker of dreams. But some things I am not. I am not a charity. I am not a mental health professional. I am not a marriage counselor. I am not a lender of money.”
Steven Bernstein, ASC, DGA, WGA, is an award-winning feature film director and screenwriter known for visually striking films spanning four decades. His work on the Academy Award–winning Monster and Like Water for Chocolate has earned him global acclaim, along with honors such as the American Film Institute Award, the Sloan Award, and the Cannes Golden Lion. He has contributed to over 50 feature films and worked with major talents including John Malkovich, Samantha Morton, and Helen Hunt. His podcast, Filmmakerandfans, explores the creative process in filmmaking and reaches millions of listeners.
Photo: PICT, used with permission
Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours is hosting a giveaway for a $25 Amazon card. Enter for a chance to win. Void where prohibited.
Photo: PICT, used with permission
*Thank you to Partners in Crime Tours and the author for my gifted copy for review as part of the tour. I haven’t been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
‘Maiden Voyage’ is the exciting new historical novel by Bradley Harper. Photo: Paste Creative Book Tours, used with permission.
Paste Creative Book Tours Participant
Book Review: Maiden Voyage by Bradley Harper
Three female thieves, a priceless painting, and a Pinkerton agent aboard the Titanic. What could go wrong?
Synopsis
Maiden Voyage by Bradley Harper follows an unlikely trio of thieves, Colette DuVall, Mary Carr, and Samantha “Sam” McMurphy, as they embark on a daring mission to steal a valuable painting by the French master Blondell. Their plan takes them aboard the RMS Titanic on its ill-fated maiden journey.
Colette, a young jewel thief from Canada, finds her resolve wavering when she meets Harry Worth, a young Pinkerton agent hired to safeguard the wealthy passengers. What she doesn’t know is that Harry is the son of infamous criminal Adam Worth. Torn between his sense of duty and his complicated family legacy, Harry begins questioning where he truly belongs, especially after falling for Colette.
As loyalties collide as fiercely as the ship meets the iceberg, all aboard must fight for survival. Amid disaster, they discover that love might be the greatest thief of all.
Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Review
Maiden Voyage is a brisk, character-driven historical adventure that blends romance, crime, and maritime tragedy into an undeniably compelling read.
A Vivid Criminal Underworld
The novel opens with Mary Carr and the notorious Forty Elephants gang, a real historical group of female thieves. This grounding in true criminal lore adds texture and authenticity, making the early chapters particularly immersive. When Harry discovers what the gang is planning aboard the Titanic, the tension begins to mount, soon followed by the ship’s own looming catastrophe.
A Strong Emotional Core
The narrative delves deeply into Harry’s personal conflict. As the son of a master criminal, he grapples with the weight of his heritage and the moral ambiguity of justice. His connection with Colette is one of the book’s strongest elements: tender without slowing the pace, layered without becoming overly sentimental.
Memorable Characters & Vivid Writing
Harper’s character development shines. One particularly striking description captures the lived-in dignity of a working woman:
“Her red, chapped hands declaring how she made her way in the world, the well-worn but clean clothes presented a defiant dignity the years and work had yet to take from her.”
These small touches make the characters feel real, and when tragedy strikes, you genuinely root for their survival.
History, Heart, and High Stakes
Harper integrates historical detail without overwhelming the story. The author’s notes at the end provide fascinating context on real figures like Mary Carr and the Forty Elephants, enriching the reading experience.
The Titanic disaster is woven into the plot with restraint and emotional weight. Rather than leaning into melodrama, the novel balances suspense with tenderness, exploring themes of identity, family, and survival.
A Fresh Take on Titanic Fiction
Fast-paced, atmospheric, and surprisingly heartfelt, Maiden Voyage offers a fresh twist on stories set aboard the Titanic. Readers who enjoy historical fiction with a blend of crime, adventure, and romance will find much to love.
Harper leaves readers with a haunting reminder of the ship’s legacy:
“Beneath the water, the ship plunged 12,000 feet to the ocean floor, full of the wealth of millionaires and the humble possessions of hopeful emigrants; it carried them all away into the frigid darkness. Into legend.”
Bradley Harper is a retired U.S. Army Colonel and pathologist who has conducted more than 200 autopsies and around 20 forensic investigations.
His debut novel, A Knife in the Fog (2018), was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel and winner of the 2019 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion for Best Mystery. His second novel, Queen’s Gambit, won the 2020 Silver Falchion for Best Suspense and Book of the Year. Maiden Voyage is his fourth book.
Author Bradley Harper. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Courtesy photo, used with permission.
*Thank you to Paste Creative Book Tours and the author for my gifted copy for review as part of the tour. I have not been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
SA Examiner 