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Books I’m Pretty Sure Everyone on the Planet Has Read Except for Me

July 11, 2017/42 Comments/by Suzanne

 

On Tuesdays I usually participate in the popular Top Ten Tuesday meme, which is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  However, they are officially on hiatus until August, so I decided to take the opportunity to go back through their archives to see if any of the topics they had covered prior to my joining were of interest.  I saw this topic and found it incredibly relatable because I almost always feel like I’m the last person on the planet to read some popular books.

Basically I’m thinking of this as a wall of shame because I really have no excuse for why I haven’t read these books yet.  I see people talking about them everywhere, have read countless reviews that make them sound fantastic, and yet there they all still sit.

Scrolling back through my old blog posts and anticipated reading lists, I see so many of these titles on them.  If I wanted to read them so badly,  why months — in some cases even years — later, are they still sitting on my TBR unread?  I’m looking at you, Caraval and Heartless.  Heck, I was so excited about Heartless coming out that I even did a giveaway for it to that my fellow readers could win a copy.  And yet I still haven’t touched it.  What is wrong with me? LOL!

I’ve loved every other book I’ve read by Rainbow Rowell so what’s the hold up on Carry On?  Fear that it won’t be anywhere near as good as Fangirl or Eleanor and Park?  I honestly don’t know.

And clearly I have some kind of anti-butterfly issue that’s keeping me from touching Replica and The Diabolic.

I see my fellow bloggers and even non-bloggers talking about the books all the time and they sound so amazing.  I swear I’m going to get to them some day, but when that day will be…your guess is as good as mine.  I’m going to blame some of this on a weird quirk of mine — if I own a book, I don’t feel the same pressure to read it as I do if it’s a borrowed book or an ARC that has a specific deadline.  It sounds crazy to say but if I had borrowed these same books from the library or from a friend, I probably would have read them months ago.

I think the only two books on this list that I kind of have legit reasons for being a holdout when it come to reading them are the J.K.  Rowling book and the Neil Gaiman.  The Casual Vacancy is all about the hype?  Can it live up to it?  I’d almost rather not find out.  And Gaiman,  I’m just so hit or miss with his books.  I didn’t care for American Gods at all but I adored The Ocean at the End of the Lane.  People keep telling me The Graveyard Book is incredible, so I know I’m going to give it a try eventually but always manage to find a reason to shove it off the top of my TBR.

Thankfully I am doing a TBR clean-out challenge this summer that should take care of a few of these titles, but I still have a long way to go and I have a feeling, based on my history, that as fast as I knock a few titles off this list, I’ll be adding just as many more. It’s madness, lol!

Question: Are you in the same boat as me?  Are we the last two people on the planet not to have read some of these?  What books do you feel like you’re the only one who hasn’t read them?

 

Books I’m Pretty Sure Everyone on the Planet Has Read Except for Me

 

1. CARRY ON by Rainbow Rowell

* * * * *

2. WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart

 

* * * * *

3.  CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber

 

* * * * *

4. HEARTLESS by Marissa Meyer

 

 

* * * * *

5. REPLICA by Lauren Oliver

 

* * * * *

6. THE DIABOLIC by S. J. Kincaid

 

* * * * *

7. DARK MATTER by Blake Crouch

 

* * * * *

8. THE CASUAL VACANCY by J.K. Rowling

 

* * * * *

9. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman

 

 

* * * * *

10. NEVERNIGHT by Jay Kristoff

 

* * * * *

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https://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/featured.jpg 580 809 Suzanne http://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/trimmed-Copy-of-Bookish-Logo-copy.png Suzanne2017-07-11 06:26:302017-07-11 06:26:30Books I’m Pretty Sure Everyone on the Planet Has Read Except for Me
42 replies
  1. Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog
    Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog says:
    July 11, 2017 at 6:44 am

    Oh I am the same way as you. I I own the book there is no urgency to read it. If I borrow or have an ARC I am all sorts of crazy trying to get to it! I still haven’t read Heartless or Caraval either. Carry On is so good!! Starts slow so stick with it but so worth it. Dark Matter was amazing and the audio was really good if you do audio at all. I might be the outlier here but I wasn’t such a fan of Replica. Hope you get to these!!!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 11, 2017 at 10:19 pm

      I’m glad I’m not the only one who still hasn’t read Heartless and Caraval yet. I’m determined to read both of those this summer though.

      Thanks for the head’s up on Carry On. I could see myself getting discouraged and giving up otherwise.

      I occasionally do audio so I will definitely keep that in mind for Dark Matter. I don’t think I’ve read a single negative review on that one so I know I’ll be in for a treat if I stop procrastinating my reading of it, lol.

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  2. Alexandra
    Alexandra says:
    July 11, 2017 at 8:11 am

    Great post! The only book I read from this list is «Carry On» by Rainbow Rowell. I’ve been trying to keep myself up to date with the new releases but sometimes it can be quite challenging.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 11, 2017 at 10:20 pm

      It really is a challenge to keep up. If only there were more hours in a day to do everything I need to do and then still have tons of reading time… 🙂

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  3. Angela
    Angela says:
    July 11, 2017 at 8:56 am

    Haha, I’m usually the last person to read a book, especially if it has a lot of hype, so now I don’t feel so bad! Although, I have read a few of these. But I only just read Caraval last week!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 11, 2017 at 10:22 pm

      I’m glad I’m not the only one who does this! I am determined to read Caraval this summer and get it off my TBR once and for all. I have blog posts going back a year where I was flailing about how excited I was to read that book and yet here it still sits. I feel so lame every time I look at it still sitting on my shelf, haha.

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  4. Sydney
    Sydney says:
    July 11, 2017 at 8:57 am

    I’ve read literally one of these. And that one I hated. lol. But then again I only have interest in read The Graveyard and Dark Matter.Oh and maybe Carry On. But yeah. You aren’t the last one in the community to get to these books.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 12, 2017 at 7:26 pm

      Haha! I’m so glad to hear I’m not alone. 🙂

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  5. Susan Dyer
    Susan Dyer says:
    July 11, 2017 at 9:02 am

    I haven’t read any of these either! Lol just never enough time right?

    Awesome post!!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 12, 2017 at 7:30 pm

      Right? I definitely need more hours in my day to get everything I need to do taken care of and then still have a few hours left over for reading. That would be heavenly!

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  6. Julia @ Vivacious Reads
    Julia @ Vivacious Reads says:
    July 11, 2017 at 9:02 am

    Dark Matter was such a thrill!! I’m right there with you, though. I’ve only read a single book from my shelves this year! I should definitely go back to my rule of only buying books I’ve already read and loved… but then I see a new mystery I just have to have. Lol. Good luck on your challenge!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 12, 2017 at 7:36 pm

      I’m right there with you. I think I’ve only read maybe 4 or 5 books that I already owned but still can’t seem to stop myself from buying more.

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  7. Jasmine
    Jasmine says:
    July 11, 2017 at 9:24 am

    I haven’t read any of these titles yet! Heartless & Caraval are on my nightstand ready to read though, just have to wait until I finished my current read 😊 Great list and you are not alone!! Haha

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 12, 2017 at 7:43 pm

      Yay for not being alone! I’m planning to read both Caraval and Heartless before the end of the summer too 🙂

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      • Jasmine
        Jasmine says:
        July 13, 2017 at 10:00 am

        I hope you will enjoy them!

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        • Suzanne
          Suzanne says:
          July 16, 2017 at 11:29 am

          Thank you!

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  8. ShootingStarsMag
    ShootingStarsMag says:
    July 11, 2017 at 10:47 am

    Oh, I feel you. If I own a book, it gets pushed down on my TBR because I spend so much time reading review books. I want to mix it up – and I’m doing better with that. I have some read of these though like We Were Liars – I really enjoyed it and The Casual Vacancy – loved it too but it’s very much literary fiction, so it can be a slower read.

    So many of these books I NEED to read though like Carry On and Heartless, because I own them, and then others because I want to read like The Graveyard Book, Nevernight, and Dark Matter.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 12, 2017 at 7:46 pm

      I’m glad I’m not the only one who does that with owned books. I’m really planning to push myself to read more of what I already own, if I can get myself to stop requesting so many ARCs on Netgalley, that is, lol.

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  9. Jovita
    Jovita says:
    July 11, 2017 at 1:09 pm

    I only read one book you have listed and four of the books listed I have sitting on my shelves, Im not sure why I haven’t read them. It maybe because they are part of a series, and I dislike waiting for the next book to be released. I rather binge read a series. I also noticed going through older posts on my blog, if I borrowed a book from the library, I read as soon as it was borrowed… and why am I borrowing when I have plenty of unread books?

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 12, 2017 at 7:50 pm

      Right? I’m exactly the same way. I’ve lost count of how many books I own and still need to read, but yet I have 4 library books sitting on my desk right now to read. I can’t explain it, haha.

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  10. Jordan Rose
    Jordan Rose says:
    July 11, 2017 at 2:38 pm

    I’ve actually only read four of these, so you’re not alone! I’m pretty bad at keeping with all the books I want to read, so I completely understand. I also want to add on my recommendation for The Graveyard Book! Neil Gaiman is an extremely interesting author in that his works vary so much that I think it’s common for people to completely hate/dislike one thing, but love another, so I certainly recommend you give it a try if you want. 🙂 I hope you get to read some of these!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 12, 2017 at 7:58 pm

      So glad to have your recommendation on The Graveyard Book. I’ve had a few people tell me that even with my mixed experience with reading Gaiman, I should still like that one. Hope you’re having a great week!

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  11. Kelly
    Kelly says:
    July 11, 2017 at 4:52 pm

    Don’t worry – I own most of these and haven’t read any except for Caraval and We Were Liars! I’m not really one for reading super hyped up books because I never really enjoy them all that much when I do. Most of these are on my list to read, but I’m just not in a hurry. And then I keep buying more and adding them to my shelves instead of reading the ones I already have. Good luck on your challenge, though! I hope it works better for you than it would for me, lol.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 12, 2017 at 8:02 pm

      I often struggle with the hyped books too. I think I build them up in my own mind so much that it’s nearly impossible for them to actually live up to such high expectations.

      Thanks, I really hope the challenge works out for me too. Otherwise I might end up drowning in a pile of unread books since I can’t seem to stop myself from buying them either, lol.

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  12. Elise @ Roaming Reader
    Elise @ Roaming Reader says:
    July 11, 2017 at 9:51 pm

    THIS IS ME! I’ve been eyeing Caraval and Heartless for a while now and I just started hearing about The Diabolic! We Were Liars is seriously a great book (I’ve read it twice now) AND it’s a good summer read so you should get on that one!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 14, 2017 at 6:24 pm

      I’m pretty determined to get to Caraval, Heartless, and We Were Liars before the end of the summer, so we’ll see how it goes. 🙂

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  13. Greg Hill
    Greg Hill says:
    July 11, 2017 at 10:19 pm

    I definitely feel less urgency to read a book once I have it. 🙂

    We Were Liars was good but the twist in that one is the thing. I liked Replica too but the one on your list I would say is REALLY good is Dark Matter. The rest of em I haven’t read either.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 12, 2017 at 9:40 pm

      I’m glad I’m not the only one who tends to set aside books they own in favor of others. Thanks for the rec on Dark Matter. I’ve read several great reviews of it so that’s one I refuse to put off for too much longer.

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  14. sydneyeditor1
    sydneyeditor1 says:
    July 12, 2017 at 8:14 am

    *hands up* I htink heartless might be the only book on that list I’ve read. Nods. Hyped books tend to send me going the other way, and tbh if a book sounds good I will get distracted by it and lose track of other goodness, when I really should be better about keeping lists of books I want to read (I’m so not, I figure if the universe wants me to read it, I will get there. Eventually)

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 12, 2017 at 9:30 pm

      Getting there eventually seems to be my way as well. I do want to try to get some of these off my reading list mainly just because they’re all piled up in a corner in my office and threatening to topple over and squash me, haha.

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  15. Wendy @ Birdie Bookworm
    Wendy @ Birdie Bookworm says:
    July 12, 2017 at 10:32 am

    The only one on your list that I’ve read is Carry On. Though I do own Caraval and it’s on my planner, in a couple months.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 12, 2017 at 8:11 pm

      I’m glad I’m not alone in not having read most of these. Caraval is on my list for the summer as well. I hope to get to it in late July/early August.

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  16. The Lovely Pages Reviews
    The Lovely Pages Reviews says:
    July 13, 2017 at 9:49 am

    I haven’t read any of these so you’re not alone and I have a lot more on my TBR that I know everyone else has read already!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 14, 2017 at 6:20 pm

      So glad I’m not alone on these!

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  17. Jessica @ Strung out on Books
    Jessica @ Strung out on Books says:
    July 13, 2017 at 2:09 pm

    I feel this way SO OFTEN. I don’t have nearly enough time to read lately, so I’m definitely feeling left behind when I see EVERYONE talking about books that I want to read so badly. A lot of the books on your list are books I’ve been wanting to read but haven’t yet either. Great post! I don’t often do TTT, but now that it’s on break I miss having the opportunity. Gonna have to come up with my own topics for awhile I guess lol

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 18, 2017 at 7:25 pm

      I’m glad I’m not the only one who feel like this sometimes. Yeah, I miss the TTT topics as well but I have enjoyed using the time to go back through a do a few of the ones I hadn’t done before.

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  18. Molly @ Molly's Book Nook
    Molly @ Molly's Book Nook says:
    July 13, 2017 at 5:08 pm

    The only book I’ve read on this list is We Were Liars and according to the comments above, you are DEFINITELY NOT ALONE. I haven’t read so many of the really popular books out there…I’m so behind >.<

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 14, 2017 at 5:25 pm

      I have to say I’m glad I’m not the only one way behind on the popular books. Oh well, that’s just means they’ll get a second wave of enthusiastic reviews once folks like us get to them, right? 🙂

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  19. Paige
    Paige says:
    July 15, 2017 at 11:58 pm

    The Graveyard Book is such a lovely one to share with kids, since each chapter can be read as a self-contained adventure before bedtime! We Were Liars sat on my to-read list for ages because so many people I knew loved it, and yet it was totally underwhelming when I finally got around it it. Same as The Casual Vacancy – the hype detracts from the book, which never had any hope of living up to people’s extremely high expectations 🙁

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 18, 2017 at 6:54 pm

      That’s great to know about The Graveyard Book. I do love to read to my son at night so maybe we can tackle it together. 🙂

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  20. Di @ Book Reviews by Di
    Di @ Book Reviews by Di says:
    July 21, 2017 at 6:37 am

    Oops. I’ve only read three of these! SO not everyone has read them 🙂

    Caraval, Heartless and Replica.

    I do however have a few on my TBR so we’ll have to catch up together! 🙂

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      July 21, 2017 at 7:41 pm

      Yay, I’m not alone! I’m planning to read Heartless and Caraval before the end of the summer at least I’ll get a few of these finally knocked off my list. 🙂

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About Me

me

Hi, I'm Suzanne. Proofreader by day, book blogger by night, devourer of books 24/7. My reading tastes: Basically you name it, I probably like it. I read a lot of contemporary and historical, both adult and YA, and I've also been enjoying more and more fantasy lately. Hobbies include: buying and hoarding of books, rambling about books to anyone who will listen, and trying to recommend books to my family and friends whether they are readers or not - because seriously, how can you not love to read books?

BOOKSTAGRAM

Thanks to @dellromance @ballantinebooks #partner f Thanks to @dellromance @ballantinebooks #partner for the gifted review e-copy. 

✨REVIEW - COUNTING DOWN TO YOU ✨

Author - Emily Stone

Pub Date - 10/6/2026

Emily Stone is my go-to when I want a holiday read that’s going to make me feel ALL the feels and Counting Down to You did exactly that!

Ali works for a recruiting firm and while she usually enjoys her work, she is feeling out of sorts because she is grieving the death of her best friend, Robyn. 

Ali’s boss forces her to take a sabbatical through the holiday season and Ali decides to spend it in the French Alps, taking a temporary job at a ski resort there. While she’s there, Ali will also be completing an advent calendar full of challenges designed by Robyn. This was a yearly tradition between the two friends, and this is the last one Robyn designed before she passed away.

I thought this was such a beautiful story, especially as soon as it became clear that Robyn had designed these challenges in a way to help Ali process grief and loss.  What a wonderful act of friendship.  I also loved that some of the challenges were fun ones so it added some levity to the story, especially when one challenge leads her new coworkers to think she is dating Leo, the handsome resort manager, and he decides to play along. 

I was so invested in Ali’s healing journey and loved watching her complete each challenge prompt as they led her to build new friendships, learn so much about herself, and take chances both in terms of her career and in her personal life as she and Leo develop real feelings for one another.

I thought the romance was handled really well in this story but have to admit that the beautiful friendship between Ali and Robyn was what really stole my heart and had me feeling all of those feels.

Highly recommend this one if you enjoy holiday romances with heavier, emotional themes. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

❓QOTD - If someone were to curate an advent calendar for you, what would be your ideal theme?

AOTD - If it’s not bookish, I think I’d love one that allowed me to try different kinds of coffee each day.
Thanks to @librofm #partner for the gifted audiobo Thanks to @librofm #partner for the gifted audiobook!

🎄Review - IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE MURDER 🎄

Author - Ally Carter

Pub Date - 10/13/2026

 It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder is the second book in Ally Carter’s Kiss, Merry, Kill series, a Christmas-themed cozy mystery that is the perfect transition from spooky season over to holiday reads. 

Ella has spent most of her life cleaning for a billionaire’s family.  When the family patriarch dies unexpectedly, he leaves his entire fortune to his grandson, Liam, the boy Ella says ruined her life 10 years ago. 

Liam learns pretty quickly that not everyone is happy about him inheriting billions, and when someone tries to kill him, he suspects someone may also have killed his grandfather, and so he decides to lay low.  Meanwhile, he is presumed dead and Ella is accused of killing him. 

Even though Ella is furious with Liam, she agrees to team up with him to try to find the truth about his grandfather’s death and to figure out who wants Liam dead.

This book is such a good time! The banter between Ella and Liam is hilarious, and the chemistry between them is undeniable.  I thought the mystery element was very well done, so that both it and the romance held my attention equally, and I thought there was just the right amount of holiday cheer to keep things cozy. 

The audiobook is a quick, entertaining listen, narrated by Brittany Pressley and Will Damron.  I loved how they brought these characters to life, and I especially enjoyed the snippets from Ella’s police interview that are sprinkled throughout. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - What’s your favorite holiday treat or drink? 

AOTD - I love gingerbread lattes and frosted sugar cookies.
Thanks for the free e-arc @berkleyromance #Berkley Thanks for the free e-arc @berkleyromance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley 

🌻Review - SUNFLOWER SEASON 🌻

Author - Danica Nava

Pub Date - 11/3/2026

(physical copy purchased by me)

June has a successful career in tech but has lost her passion for the industry. When she learns that her family’s old abandoned farmland is up for auction, June decides it’s a sign that it’s time for a change.  She buys the farm back and returns home to rural Oklahoma, where she immediately runs into Noah, her former childhood sweetheart, who is now a firefighter in town. 

June and Noah’s reunion is awkward because years ago, June and her brother abruptly moved away after their last living relative passed away and June hasn’t spoken to Noah since they left.  The old feelings are definitely still there though, so I really enjoyed watching the two of them reconnect and eventually rekindle their romance.  Noah is sweet, funny, and so overwhelmingly supportive of what June is trying to do on her farm. Green flags everywhere with that man!

As much as I adored the romance, what I loved even more was June’s journey.  She really comes into her own as a farmer throughout the story, and I was just so impressed by her strength, determination, and her resilience whenever there were setbacks. 

June was such an easy character to root for, and I also loved how pretty much the whole town welcomed her back with open arms. The found family vibes in that little town were everything!

Sunflower Season is perfect for fans of:

Small town romance
Farmer FMC (former tech girl)
Firefighter MMC
Found Family
Childhood Sweethearts
Indigenous Representation that is really well done

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

❓QOTD - Since June grows sunflowers on her farm, what’s your favorite kind of flower?

AOTD - Peonies and lilacs
🎧 AUDIOBOOK REVIEW 🎧 Thanks to @simon.audio #part 🎧 AUDIOBOOK REVIEW 🎧

Thanks to @simon.audio #partner for the gifted ALC!

Review - THE WITCHES OF CAMBRIDGE

Author - Alice Hoffman

Pub Date -  9/8/2026

I’m a huge fan of Alice Hoffman’s books and especially of her lyrical prose.  The Practical Magic series is a favorite of mine, so I’m excited that Hoffman is starting another witchy series, The Witches of Cambridge. 

The first book in the series, also titled The Witches of Cambridge, is equal parts dark academia and historical fiction with some magical realism and witchy vibes sprinkled throughout.  It follows two young women, Ava and Lauren, who have both just gotten into the elite Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, an area known for witch trials in its earliest history.  Ava and Lauren are opposites in pretty much every way still become friends and both are recruited to join the Lilith Society, a secret society of witches. 

I enjoyed this story both because of the themes of friendship, sisterhood, and empowerment that are present, but also because of the magic, mystery, and historical elements.  I was especially intrigued by the mystery element when members of the Lilith Society start to go missing and with the story being set in the 1950s under the shadow of McCarthysim, it starts to fill like a literal witchhunt. 

Mena Suvari narrates and does a wonderful job bringing both Ava and Lauren to life and capturing their distinct personalities. She also perfectly captures the atmospheric vibes of the story. Highly recommend this one on audio!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - Mid week check in?  How’s your week going so far?

AOTD - I’m doing great overall, with the exception of getting my flu shot, which has knocked me on my butt all day today. 

#witchyreads #darkacademia #audiobook
Thanks to @youhadmeathea #partner and @macmillian. Thanks to @youhadmeathea #partner and @macmillian.audio #macaudio2026 for the gifted ARC and ALC.

🔮 REVIEW - TO VEX & TO HEX 🔮

Author - Neena Noon

Pub Date - 11/3/2026

Witches, books, romance, and banter. What more could you ask for in a cozy, spicy paranormal romcom?

Lucy is a witch and a bookseller who loves using her magic to help readers find the perfect book. The bookshop feels like home to Lucy, and its owner, fellow witch Charles, feels more like family to Lucy than her own actual family.  When Charles is injured and put on bedrest, his estranged and nonmagical grandson, Grayson, shows up to help.

Lucy finds Grayson useless and annoying, and she starts hexing him in hopes that he’ll get annoyed and leave.  Unfortunately for Lucy, Grayson is determined to repair his relationship with his grandfather so he’s not going anywhere no matter how many hexes Lucy puts on him. He soon starts to retaliate with shenanigans of his own. Nothing like a little forced proximity to create some incredible chemistry and turn enemies into lovers! 

I enjoyed all of the cozy, magical vibes this story had to offer, and I enjoyed the enemies to lovers romance and the found family element.  I read this as an immersive read and thought the audiobook was the perfect compliment to the print version. It was narrated by Maya Dhawan and John Hartley and they both did a tremendous job bringing these characters, their banter, and their hilarious shenanigans to life.

❓QOTD - What book are you starting the week reading?
📚 EVERYTHING I READ IN OCTOBER 📚 OCTOBER WRAP-UP 📚 EVERYTHING I READ IN OCTOBER 📚

OCTOBER WRAP-UP 

Hey book friends! I hope your November is off to a great start. 

I had an excellent reading month and finished 26 books. Two of those were books I started in September but didn’t finish by month’s end, but I was also able to get all of my October ARCs read and managed to finish a few on my physical TBR, including another of my final 26 in 2026 reads.  My photo features all of the physical copies I read, but I also read a few e-arcs and listened to several audiobooks as well. 

As always, I’m behind on reviews so expect to see a few of these books reviewed this week.

❓QOTD:  How was your reading month? What were some of your favorite October reads? What book will be your first read of November? 

AOTD - I started November with Witches of Questionable Intent and so far I’m loving it!

❤️ 5 STARS ❤️

Entities to Lovers by Mallory Marlowe

🧡 4.5 STARS 🧡

Never Been Tamed by Corinne Michaels
Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson
Bonfire & Bliss Bookstore by Brittanee Nicole
Sunflower Season by Danica Nava (review coming soon)
Eight Ways to Say I Love You by Amanda Elliot (review coming soon)
With All My Haunted Heart by Isabel Sterling
Undone by Peyton Corinne
Counting Down to You by Emily Stone 
Love You to Death by Jenna Levine
Love Beyond the Diamond by Laura Langa
Make Me Hate You by Kandi Steiner

💛 4 STARS 💛

Bound & Unbound by Ali Hazelwood
Meet Cute Magic by Morgan Elizabeth 
Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh
A Witch in Nottingham Hill by Alexandra Paige
Trigger Happy by Meredith Trapp
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder by Ally Carter (review coming soon)
The Irish Goodbye by Heather Aimee O’Neill (10 Before the End)
The Favorites by Layne Fargo (10 Before the End)
The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman (review coming soon)
Cowboy Casual by Holly Renee (Review coming soon)
Things We Swore We’d Never Do by Jillian Dodd (Review coming soon)
Phantasma by Kaylie Smith (26 in 2026)
Home for the Homicides by Elle Cosimano & Hannah Morrissey

💚 3.5 STARS 💚

To Vex and to Hex by Neena Noon
Look What the Cat Dragged In by Jason Rekulak

💙 3 STARS 💙

NONE

1 or 2 STARS 

NONE

DNF 

NONE
👻 Me on October 31st vs Me on November 1st 🎅🏻 Hap 👻 Me on October 31st vs Me on November 1st 🎅🏻

Happy Halloween to all of my bookish friends! 

Today I’ll reading my last spooky season book of the year and then it will be on to all of the holiday romances! 

Who else is ready for all of the holiday reads? 

#happyhalloween #merrychristmas #readerlife #seasonalreader #bookstagram

Bookish meme holiday reads Happy Halloween Merry Christmas reader life
🎃👻 CANDY CORN BOOKSTACK 👻🎃 Happy Halloween Eve, b 🎃👻 CANDY CORN BOOKSTACK 👻🎃

Happy Halloween Eve, book friends! I couldn’t let the holiday pass without making a fun candy corn stack, and this year I decided to feature a few of my favorite @berkleyromance books! 

Books Featured: 

👻Addicted to You by Krista and Becca Ritchie
🎃Ricochet by Krista and Becca Ritchie 
👻Happily Never After by Lynn Painter
🎃If Only You by Chloe Liese
👻No Ordinary Love by Myah Ariel
🎃Book Lovers by Emily Henry
👻Embrace by Bal Khabra
🎃Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen
👻The Love Wager by Lynn Painter
🎃Happy Place by Emily Henry 

❓QOTD - Have you read any of these? Are you Team Candy Corn Yay or Candy Corn No Way? 😂
🎧 AUDIOBOOK MINI REVIEWS 🎧 Thanks to @macmillan.a 🎧 AUDIOBOOK MINI REVIEWS 🎧

Thanks to @macmillan.audio #macaudio2026 for the gifted ALCs.

BAD WORDS by Rioghnach Robinson (Pub Date - 10/6/26) - Loved this one! I was drawn to it because I love enemies to lovers, but this book is so much more than that. I really enjoyed the meaningul exploration about publishing and especially literary criticism.  I loved how the romance sparked from an author verbally sparring online with a literary critic who panned both of his books.  It’s a delicious slow burn as online passionate banter eventually gives way to real feelings as Selina and Parker really get to know one another.  Beautifully narrated by Katherine Chin & Major Curda. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

UNAPOLOGETIC LOVE STORY by Elle McNicoll (Pub Date - 10/13/26) - Delightful! Raina is an autistic podcasater whose popular podcast highlights autistic women. She is somewhat famous and catches the attention of Tom, an investigative reporter who loves to expose frauds and get them “cancelled.” Tom finds Raina refreshing but Raina doesn’t trust him (neither did I), so it was a nice surprise to realize that he is actually top notch book boyfriend material and perfect for Raina. My favorite part, aside from the opposites attract romance, was watching Raina stand up for her autistic community and make them feel seen and understood.  Fantastic on audio, courtesty of Jessie Mei Li’s incredible narration. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

BIRTH OF THE WITCH by Nora Roberts (Pub Date - 11/17/26 (A Coven of Three, Book 1) - An atmospheric witchy read filled with magic, found family, mystery, darkness, and a hint of romance.  I enjoyed how the story spans several centuries, starting with the Salem Witch Trials where three women are hanged as witches. The youngest, a 13 year old girl, was not a witch, but to save her, is transformed into one by the other women, with the help of Caden, a young man with magic of his own. The story follows these witches reincarnated  over and over until present day as they seek to defeat dark magic. The pacing is a little slow at times but builds to an intense cliffhanger that has me eager to get book 2.  Narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - Any plans for Halloween?
🍁THREE FOR TUESDAY - FALL ROMANCE MINI REVIEWS 🍁 🍁THREE FOR TUESDAY - FALL ROMANCE MINI REVIEWS 🍁

WITH ALL MY HAUNTED HEART by Isabel Sterling (Pub Date 9/8/26) - Pippa is a strong, independent witch who is struggling to keep her magical business going. She accepts a job where she is to use her magic to find friendly spirits who would be willing to haunt her best friend’s bed and breakfast. Along the way, she ends up falling for her bestie’s non-magical business partner. In addition to the romance, which I was totally into, this story is also filled with themes of grief, healing, and found family. The perfect cozy, magic, sapphic romance for spooky season! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

BONFIRE & BLISS BOOKSTORE by Brittanee Nicole (Pub Date 8/11/26) - Penny and Monty were high school besties. Now, Penny owns a bookshop and Monty is a thriller author.  Penny is off romance at the moment, but would love to get the meddling matchmakers in their town to leave her alone for a while. Monty is struggling to write because he needs to write romantic suspense and he’s no good at it. Penny and Monty strike up a deal - Monty will pretend to be Penny’s boyfriend through the town’s Maple Festival, and Penny will help Monty add the perfect romantic subplot to his book.  Fake dating, bookish elements, small town romance, and all of the cozy fall vibes make this a delightful read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A WITCH IN NOTTING HILL by Alexandra Paige (Pub Date 8/11/26) - Willow is an actress who also happens to be a witch, a witch who loses control of her magic everytime there’s romance involved.  When she accidentally turns her manager into a cat, Willow heads to a London occult bookshop in search of a cure. There she finds a sexy, grumpy bookshop owner who agrees to help her.  A chaotic magical adventure ensues, as does a slow burn romance. This was such a fun read, filled with hilarious banter, so much chemistry, and found family vibes. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - What’s a book you’re hoping to read before the end of the month?
🥳 MESSY MONDAY - BIRTHDAY BOOK HAUL 🥳 Happy Monda 🥳 MESSY MONDAY - BIRTHDAY BOOK HAUL 🥳

Happy Monday, book friends! I hope you all had a great weekend and that this week is off to a good start.  I had a really nice weekend, celebrating my birthday with a second book haul after receiving some giftcards.  I ended up with a few new additions, with a lot of my focus on starting to build my holiday romance TBR. 

BOOKS FEATURED:

Christmas Staycation by Meghan Quinn 
Now That We Don’t Talk by Rachel Pologe
The Christmas Competition by Zoe Allison
Goode Tidings by Jennifer Millikin
Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult
The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff
The Mash Up by Laura Marie Meyers
An Infinite Love Story By Chanel Cleeton

❓QOTD - How was your weekend? Have you read any of these? Which one should I read first?
👻 TRICK ‘OR TREAT YO’ SHELF TO A NEW BOOK 👻 Happy 👻 TRICK ‘OR TREAT YO’ SHELF TO A NEW BOOK 👻

Happy Halloween week, book friends! 

I don’t know about you, but for me, the dream scenario would be trick or treating but instead of candy, you come home with a treat bag full of new books! 

If you could treat yourself to a new book this week, which book would you get? 

I’ve been wanting to try the Emma Lion books, So I think I’d get the first book in that series.
🎄FESTIVE FRIDAY - BOOK SPOTLIGHT 🎄 ✨YOU FEEL LIKE 🎄FESTIVE FRIDAY - BOOK SPOTLIGHT 🎄

✨YOU FEEL LIKE CHRISTMAS✨

Author - Christine Drummond

Pub Date - 11/3/2026

Happy Friday, everyone!  I’ve been putting together my holiday TBR so I was thrilled to get book mail from @christinedrummondwrites . This holiday romance sounds perfect and I can’t wait to dive into it! 

SYNOPSIS:

She fixes everyone’s messes. Coming home means facing the one man who never needed fixing.

Charlotte “Charlie” Hayes has built a career out of fixing other people’s disasters. As a music publicist, she can spin a scandal, save a reputation, and make the messiest men look good—even the one she’s dating.

So when her famous boyfriend’s career implodes days before Christmas, Charlie throws herself into saving it—until Brent cancels their lease without a word and vanishes on tour. Homeless and single, Charlie is forced back to the small Connecticut hometown she thought she’d escaped, complete with holiday cheer, painful family memories, and Hunter Wells, the maddeningly good best friend she’s been avoiding.

Hunter has spent years loving Charlie quietly because he knew she wasn’t ready. But now she’s back, and he’s done waiting. With a thriving dog-walking business and a life rooted in Pinegrove, Hunter doesn’t need saving. He just needs Charlie to stop running long enough to imagine the life she never let herself want: one with him.

But as Charlie manages her ex’s high-pressure tour from afar, small-town Christmas starts to feel less like an escape and more like a beautiful mess—one she doesn’t have to clean up alone. Hunter will always belong to the town she spent years outrunning, and Charlie can’t build a future with him without facing the past that drove her away.

For their love to last beyond Christmas, can they make room for both their dreams—and a version of home Charlie is finally ready to trust?

Perfect for readers who love cozy holiday romance, friends-to-lovers yearning, small-town charm, he-falls-first heroes, black cat x golden retriever energy, fake dating moments, caretaking, and all the Christmas feels.

❓QOTD - What’s your favorite holiday tradition?
📫 BOOK MAIL 📫 There’s no better mail than book ma 📫 BOOK MAIL 📫

There’s no better mail than book mail and I’m over the moon to have received these beauties from @BerkleyRomance and @acebookspub this week. (Thank you! 🩷) These are all highly anticipated reads for me so I’m excited to dive into them. 

Books Received (swipe for the full synopsis of each): 

The Monster Hunter’s Librarian by Lauren Connolly, Pub Date 11/17/2026- Navigating the stacks of a sentient library, as well as their simmering attraction to each other, a librarian witch and a monster hunter team up to save a mystical world from destruction.

Witches of Questionable Intent by Jenn McKinlay, Pub Date 11/10/2026 - A librarian witch must use her bookish knowledge to track down a dangerous, magical tome, in this enchanting novel from New York Timesbestselling author Jenn McKinlay.

Two Can Play That Game by Zakiya N. Jamal, Pub Date 11/17/2026 - After a chance courtside encounter, a fake relationship between a rising influencer and a WNBA star gets a little too real in this swoony sapphic romance.

Eight Ways to Say I Love You by Amanda Elliot, Pub Date 10/27/2026 - A spark of attraction burns brighter each year between childhood friends in this sweeping Hanukkah romance by USA Today bestselling author Amanda Elliot.

❓QOTD - Are any of these books on your radar? What’s the last book mail you received? 

The Monster Hunter’s Librarian Synopsis: 

As the newest hire at the Endless Library, Bells Mortevue finally has access to magic again and a chance to prove that the daughter of criminal necromancers can be trusted with power—even if it’s solely used to seek and sort books upon infinite shelves.

Except a certain monster hunter refuses to let Bells do her job.

Rhett Waltham doesn’t want help. Not when revealing the truth of his research would be a death sentence for his ailing human father. Preparing to risk his own life in a dangerous competition to save his dad, Rhett does not have time for a curious, tantalizing librarian witch who asks too many questions.

It’s clear the Library disagrees, as the sentient space itself forces the two together. Bells warms to the grumpy hunter as she slowly earns his trust, though she starts to suspect
Thanks for the gifted review copies @atriabooks an Thanks for the gifted review copies @atriabooks and @simon.audio #partners

🤠 Review - TRIGGER HAPPY 🤠

Author - Meredith Trapp

Pub Date - 10/20/2026

Okay, I’m not going to lie - I came so close to DNFing this book almost as soon as I started it.  I hadn’t read the synopsis and was just going off the cover, which was giving cute cowboy romance vibes. When I started reading and it became clear the book was about rival contract k!llers and started with the clean up of some pretty gnarly crime scenes, I was hesitant to continue because I didn’t think it would be my thing.  That said, if you’re like me when you start it, keep going because this book is so much fun! 

The story follows Sabrina, who is a Manhattan socialte, and Lawton, a wild cowboy.  Both have been trained in their respective family businesses, which just happen to be rival murder-for-hire businesses. There’s bad blood between the families, so it’s very awkward when both Sabrina and Lawton get hired for the same job in Wyoming and have to pretend to be a happily married couple. 

I loved the undercover element and how it allowed these two to get to know one another in a new way. They were clearly attracted to one another, so it was fun to watch them try and fail to fight their new feelings for one another. 

This was such a great time and had so many laugh out loud moments!

I did an immersive read and thought the audiobook was especially hilarious. The narrators, Kelsey Navarro Foster and Jesus E. Martinez, did such a great job bringing these characters to life and capturing the overall lighthearted tone of the story. 

Perfect for fans of:

Rivals to Lovers
Feuding Families
Forced Proximity
Fake Relationship
City Girl meets Country Boy

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - Are any of today’s new releases on your radar?  Or what’s your favorite read so far this month?
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