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Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2017

January 2, 2018/54 Comments/by Suzanne

Designed at canva.com

 

Welcome to the first Top Ten Tuesday of 2018, everyone!  Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  This week’s topic is Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2017.  This was an easy topic for me because I read so many amazing authors for the first time this year.  I’m probably the last person on the planet to have read a few of these, but late to the party or not, I thoroughly enjoyed their works in 2017 and look forward to reading more from them in the coming year.

 

* * * * *

Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2017

 

LEIGH BARDUGO

LAINI TAYLOR

MARIE LU

EMERY LORD

PATRICK NESS

TAYLOR JENKINS REID

CLAUDIA GRAY

MINDY MCGINNIS

CATH CROWLEY

JANE GREEN

 

* * * * *

 

Question:  Who are some of your favorite new-to-you authors from 2017?

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https://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/new-to-me-authors.jpg 770 770 Suzanne http://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/trimmed-Copy-of-Bookish-Logo-copy.png Suzanne2018-01-02 06:00:302018-01-01 18:53:06Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2017
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54 replies
  1. charlotte
    charlotte says:
    January 2, 2018 at 6:14 am

    Laini Taylor and Patrick Ness are two of my absolute favourites

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 2, 2018 at 10:46 pm

      I can’t wait to read more from both of them.

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  2. Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog
    Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog says:
    January 2, 2018 at 7:24 am

    Emery Lord was a new to me author this year and I loved the books I read from her. TJR is a favorite of mine and glad to see you got to her this year.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 2, 2018 at 10:44 pm

      I really want to read more of TJR’s books. I keep hearing great things about The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo so that might be my next read from her.

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  3. BiteIntoBooks
    BiteIntoBooks says:
    January 2, 2018 at 7:26 am

    A Monster Calls was heartbreaking. I ordered it right away! Did you see the movie?

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 2, 2018 at 10:48 pm

      The book was incredible. I haven’t seen the movie yet though. It’s definitely on my to-watch list!

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  4. Angela
    Angela says:
    January 2, 2018 at 7:39 am

    Yay to TJR! I’m so glad I discovered her through the blogging community!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 2, 2018 at 10:58 pm

      Same here and I can’t wait to read more from her. I think my next read will be The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

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  5. Amber Elise @ Du Livre
    Amber Elise @ Du Livre says:
    January 2, 2018 at 7:48 am

    I highly recommrnd Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone series!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 2, 2018 at 10:57 pm

      I just bought the first 2 books in that series at the last book fair I went to and can’t wait to start them!

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  6. ShootingStarsMag
    ShootingStarsMag says:
    January 2, 2018 at 8:11 am

    I still need to read Taylor Jenkins Reid and Mindy McGinnis. I love Laini Taylor though – I still need to read Strange the Dreamer, and I want to read more by Patrick Ness as well. 🙂 And seriously – there are so many top authors I’ve never read, so no worries about being late to the party. hah

    -Lauren

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 2, 2018 at 10:59 pm

      I just purchased the first two books in Laini’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone series and can’t wait to start them.

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  7. Natasha Anne
    Natasha Anne says:
    January 2, 2018 at 8:21 am

    I’ve been seeing lots of Marie Lu’s work today and also heard lots of great things about her books! I’m definitely picking up a copy in my next trip to the bookstore :p I have SoC sitting on my shelf for months too *eek*

    New follower via BL 🙂

    Happy new year!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 2, 2018 at 10:50 pm

      Six of Crows is fantastic!

      Thanks for following. Just followed you back on BL 🙂

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  8. Sara @ Forever 17 Books
    Sara @ Forever 17 Books says:
    January 2, 2018 at 9:44 am

    I don’t even know where to start because these are some of my favorite authors! I love everything Marie Lu writes and I loved Warcross. Emery Lord is amazing. Patrick Ness is amazing. Leigh Bardugo is amazing. So glad you enjoyed them as well!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 2, 2018 at 10:51 pm

      I can’t wait to read more from all of them!

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  9. Angie @ Ba_BAMB
    Angie @ Ba_BAMB says:
    January 2, 2018 at 10:03 am

    So glad to see you found some new to you authors you loved! Santino Hassell was my favorite 2017 discovery.

    I have The Names They Gave Us, Words in Deep Blue, and Six of Crows all on my to be read list, so I’m glad to see you enjoyed them!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 2, 2018 at 10:53 pm

      I hope you love all of those titles when you get to them!

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  10. Greg Hill
    Greg Hill says:
    January 2, 2018 at 10:08 am

    Marie Lu was new to me too this year, I really liked Warcross. Taylor- Jenkins Reid I also enjoyed although I think it was 2016 when I read her, not last year. Claudia Gray I like too, and I want to try Mindy McGinnis.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 3, 2018 at 7:20 pm

      I’m looking forward to reading more books from all of them.

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  11. Sim @ Flipping Through the Pages
    Sim @ Flipping Through the Pages says:
    January 2, 2018 at 10:10 am

    Ahh such a great list! I want to read all these authors and all these books 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

    My TTT: http://flippingthruthepages.com/2018/01/top-ten-tuesday-11-new-authors-read-2017/

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 3, 2018 at 7:24 pm

      You’re welcome! If you read any of them, I hope you enjoy them 🙂

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  12. iloveheartlandx
    iloveheartlandx says:
    January 2, 2018 at 11:09 am

    I read Leigh Bardugo and Laini Taylor for the first time in 2017 as well!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2018/01/02/top-ten-tuesday-140/

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 3, 2018 at 7:29 pm

      I can’t wait to read more from them in 2018. I just got the first two books in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series and the first Grishaverse book.

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  13. Dragonfly @ Our Familiarium
    Dragonfly @ Our Familiarium says:
    January 2, 2018 at 11:31 am

    Patrick Ness was also a new to me author last year! He broke my heart in million pieces!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 3, 2018 at 7:29 pm

      Mine too!

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  14. Suzanne
    Suzanne says:
    January 2, 2018 at 11:59 am

    I discovered Naomi Novik and V E Schwab, brilliant authors!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 3, 2018 at 7:25 pm

      I still need to read Naomi Novik.

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  15. Lisa @ Captivated Reader
    Lisa @ Captivated Reader says:
    January 2, 2018 at 1:08 pm

    All new to me authors to explore!!

    Here’s my TTT post for this week: https://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2018/01/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-new-to-me.html?showComment=1514915871093#c5665488240840941833

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 3, 2018 at 7:31 pm

      Hope you enjoy them!

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  16. Jenea's Book Obsession
    Jenea's Book Obsession says:
    January 2, 2018 at 2:07 pm

    These are really good ones! I just bought the hardcover of Strange the Dreamer! ☺

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 3, 2018 at 9:21 pm

      I want to buy that for my collection as well.

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  17. Literary Feline
    Literary Feline says:
    January 2, 2018 at 2:42 pm

    I tried Leigh Bardugo for the first time last year as well. I really need to read more Patrick Ness. I loved his Chaos Walking Trilogy. So many other authors here I want to try!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 3, 2018 at 9:33 pm

      I want to read more from Patrick Ness too. I keep hearing great things about his books.

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  18. Poinsettia
    Poinsettia says:
    January 2, 2018 at 3:56 pm

    I haven’t read any of these so I’ll have to check them out. I read the Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce this year. I’d never read any of Tamora Pierce’s books and really enjoyed that series. Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 3, 2018 at 9:38 pm

      I haven’t tried Tamora Pierce yet so I may have to give her books a try this year. Thanks for stopping by 🙂

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  19. Sam@WLABB
    Sam@WLABB says:
    January 2, 2018 at 6:40 pm

    Emery Lord made my list too. I am so glad I finally read some of her books. I have been a solid Marie Lu fan. The Legend Series is one of my all-time favorites!! I didn’t include Crowley in this list, but it was because she made my Best list at year end. I read Words and went on to read Graffiti Moon. She is just brilliant!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 3, 2018 at 9:40 pm

      I just ordered the first book in the Legend series so I’m glad to hear how much you like that series 🙂 I haven’t read Crowley’s Graffiti Moon yet but will definitely add it to my TBR.

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  20. Natasha Anne
    Natasha Anne says:
    January 3, 2018 at 12:29 am

    I spotted some familiar names on your list, I wanted to read Leigh Bardugo, Laini Taylor and Patrick Ness’ books this year!

    Thanks for commenting on my blog 🙂

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 3, 2018 at 10:13 pm

      They’re all fantastic so I hope you enjoy them if you read them this year.

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  21. Lauren
    Lauren says:
    January 3, 2018 at 8:35 am

    I’ve been meaning to read Lani Taylor’s books for years now but I’ve never gotten around to it. Hopefully in 2018 I can finally dive into them 🙂 I’m also happy to see that you discovered Marie Lu last year. Her books are fantastic.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 3, 2018 at 10:08 pm

      I can’t wait to read more of Marie Lu’s books. I just purchased the first book in the Legend series.

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  22. Lindsey @ Lindsey Reads
    Lindsey @ Lindsey Reads says:
    January 3, 2018 at 2:14 pm

    Yay for Six of Crows! 🙂 Warcross is on my TBR and I’m hoping to get to it really soon 🙂

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 3, 2018 at 10:07 pm

      I hope you enjoy Warcross!

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  23. Uma @Books.Bags.Burgers
    Uma @Books.Bags.Burgers says:
    January 3, 2018 at 10:40 pm

    I read Leigh Bardugo for the first time in 2017 too! I read the Grisha Trilogy as well as SoC and loved them all 🙂 I’m currently reading Laini Taylor for the first time with Daughter of Smoke and Bone 😀

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 4, 2018 at 6:39 am

      I just bought the Grisha Trilogy so I’m excited to get to that soon. I also plan to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone as part of the Beat the Backlist challenge this year. 🙂

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  24. Jade @ Reading With Jade
    Jade @ Reading With Jade says:
    January 4, 2018 at 5:04 am

    Great list! I read A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness quite some time ago now but have still yet to read any more of his books that I’ve heard so many wonderful things about.

    Emery Lord + Taylor Jenkins Reid are two authors I’ve heard such good things about but yet to read myself.

    I hope you discover some more new to you authors that you end up loving in 2018!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 7, 2018 at 11:14 am

      I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from Patrick Ness.

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  25. bookworm
    bookworm says:
    January 4, 2018 at 11:27 am

    I’ve read Jane Green before and I enjoyed her books. I definitely want to read A Monster Calls, I’ve heard good things. Two new authors whose book I really enjoyed in 2017 were Darcie Boleyn and Matthew Quick.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 7, 2018 at 11:16 am

      I haven’t read Darcie Boleyn or Matthew Quick yet, but I keep hearing good things about Quick’s books. Maybe 2018 will be the year I start reading them 🙂

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  26. sjhigbee
    sjhigbee says:
    January 5, 2018 at 7:34 pm

    Patrick Ness is a new author to me – and during this coming year I want to read Warcross by Marie Lu. Thank you for sharing your list of awesome books:).

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 7, 2018 at 11:17 am

      Warcross was a great read for me. I’m already anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. Hope you enjoy it as well 🙂

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  27. Darque Dreamer Reads
    Darque Dreamer Reads says:
    January 9, 2018 at 5:05 pm

    Leigh Bardugo for sure! <3

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 11, 2018 at 6:36 am

      Can’t wait to read more from her. I just bought The Language of Thorns and the Grishaverse trilogy with my Christmas money so 2018 will be filled with Bardugo 🙂

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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 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?
Thanks for the gifted review copies @atriabooks an Thanks for the gifted review copies @atriabooks and @simon.audio #partners

✨ Review - UNDONE ✨

Author - Peyton Corinne

Pub Date - 10/20/2026

I’m so sad to see the Undone series end, but what an incredible ride it has been! Every book has been so beautiful and has packed an emotional punch, but I think this final one hit me the hardest.  Lily and Toren have both been through so much and my heart just broke for them over and over again.  At the same time, I was rooting so hard for them to find the love and happiness together that they both deserved. 

Toren especially had my heart because he’s so misunderstood. I hated how he was so beaten down and felt so unworthy of love. I actually had tears in my eyes when Coach Harris and his wife were so kind to Toren just because Toren couldn’t believe that someone could actually care about him. 

My heart hurt for Lily as well. She’s a talented artist but is told time and again by her father that art is not a career, and he forces her down an academic path that she doesn’t want and isn’t suited for.  Between the emotional abuse and the being set up for academic failure, Lily begins to struggle with her mental health. 

I love a second chance romance, but this one almost broke me to hear what drove them apart in the first place.  It made me all the more glad they found their way back to one another. 

I did this as an immersive read and thought the audiobook narration was incredible.  Andre Bellido and Caitlin Elizabeth perfectly capture the angst, the yearning, and the deep emotional connection between Lily and Toren. 

The writing is beautiful and the emotion runs deep.  Highly recommend this one! 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

❓QOTD - Do you ever cry when you read?  If so, what’s a book that made you cry?  Or CR?
📚 MESSY MONDAY - 26 in 2026 CHALLENGE UPDATE 📚 He 📚 MESSY MONDAY - 26 in 2026 CHALLENGE UPDATE 📚

Hey book friends! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and that your Monday is off to a good start. 

I spent part of my weekend doing some bookstagram housekeeping, which meant getting caught up on my 26 in 2026 challenge reviews. 

I’ve been doing amazing on the challenge itself and only have 3 books left but was way behind on reviewing those books. I’ve never done a YES, NO, MAYBE style review before so I decided to go that route in my caption. 

If you swipe through my slides though, there’s also a mini review for each book.

BOOKS READ:

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang - YES

James by Percival Everett - YES/MAYBE (read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn first).

The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden - MAYBE

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent - YES

Crimson River by Devney Perry - YES

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon - YES

Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh - YES

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith - YES/MAYBE (depending on if you’re okay with gore).

❓QOTD - If you’re doing any reading challenges this year, how are you doing with them? Have you met your reading goal for the year yet? Have you read any of these books?

Review:  James is a beautifully written reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It’s told from the perspective of Jim, a runaway slave, and is a much darker tale but the harrowing parts are well balance with other more humorous moments. I appreciated that it fleshes out Jim’s character and gives him so much more depth than the original. He comes across as wise and brave here, almost philosophical. I definitely recommending reading Huck Finn first and then reading this one to fully appreciate the different perspective

Review: Crimson River is the fifth book in The Edens series. It definitely works as a standalone but I recommend reading at least some of the earlier books first to meet the other Edens.  Loved the heartfelt romance between Lyla and Vance, getting to learn more about the family, and I also loved the mystery and suspense elements, which made this such an addicting read.

Review:  I’m still fully invested in Jamie and Claire and eve
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