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Top Ten Tuesday: Places Mentioned In Books That I’d Like to Visit

February 26, 2019/40 Comments/by Suzanne

 

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Places Mentioned In Books That I’d Like to Visit.  One of the things I love most about reading is that books almost always make me want to travel.  Maybe it’s to an actual destination like France or Italy or maybe it’s just my imagination running wild to visit fictional locales that I think would be incredible.  I know I’ve mentioned Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings in similar posts, but they’re automatically the first two worlds I think of when exploring this kind of topic.  I did try to mix it up a bit with those two though and pick different places.  I also tried to add in a few newer reads that I haven’t covered in similar posts.

 

* * * * *

 

Places Mentioned In Books That I’d Like to Visit

 

 

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCEROR’S STONE by J.K. Rowling

I’d love to go shopping in Diagon Alley with Hagrid.

 

 

 

HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN by J.K. Rowling

I’d love to visit Hogsmeade and have a butter beer with Harry, Ron, and Hermione

 

 

 

LOVE & GELATO by Jenna Evans Welch

I’ve been once, but I’d love to go back to Italy and try ALL the gelato!

 

 

 

READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline

Two words:  THE OASIS!

 

 

 

A DANCE WITH DRAGONS by George R.R. Martin

Westeros – – I want to see the dragons and then get out of there ASAP!

 

 

 

WARCROSS by Marie Lu

I’d love to visit Tokyo, try out the VR, and watch the Warcross Games.

 

 

 

THE HOBBIT by J.R.R. Tolkien

I want to see the Shire.

 

 

 

LORD OF THE RINGS by J.R.R. Tolkien

I would love to see Rivendell, the Elf refuge.

 

 

 

THE DA VINCI CODE by Dan Brown

I’d like to go back to Paris and visit the Louvre some day.)

 

 

JURASSIC PARK by Michael Crichton

I’d like to get a quick peek at the dinosaurs, especially the ones who aren’t carnivores, lol.

 

 

 

* * * * *

 

Question:  What places mentioned in books would you like to visit?

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https://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/TTT-Big2.png 203 500 Suzanne http://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/trimmed-Copy-of-Bookish-Logo-copy.png Suzanne2019-02-26 05:35:422019-02-25 20:28:40Top Ten Tuesday: Places Mentioned In Books That I’d Like to Visit
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40 replies
  1. verushka
    verushka says:
    February 26, 2019 at 6:16 am

    Diagon Alley was on my list too! And the Oasis! Oh yes! I find myself nodding to most of this list lol (I mean Paris! You are speaking my language!)

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      February 26, 2019 at 8:56 pm

      I thought about you when I put Paris on my list! 🙂

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  2. Sophie
    Sophie says:
    February 26, 2019 at 6:36 am

    Nope to Jurrassic Parc because…dino! But yes to love and gelato!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      February 26, 2019 at 8:57 pm

      LOL! I just want to take a quick peek at the dinos and get the heck out of there.

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  3. Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café
    Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café says:
    February 26, 2019 at 7:16 am

    Jurassic Park? You’re a braver woman than me!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      February 26, 2019 at 8:57 pm

      LOL!

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  4. Annemieke
    Annemieke says:
    February 26, 2019 at 7:30 am

    Oh yes Diagon Alley! Despite the problems Jurassic Park has it still holds it appeal.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      February 26, 2019 at 8:58 pm

      Diagon Alley would be so much fun!

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  5. Angela
    Angela says:
    February 26, 2019 at 8:17 am

    OMG, yes to the OASIS!! Jurassic Park, totally, before the dinosaurs go crazy. This sounds cheesy, but I feel like The Wizarding World at Universal does a really good job of bringing the Harry Potter locales to life!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      February 26, 2019 at 8:59 pm

      I really hope so because we’re supposed to go there this Christmas. 🙂

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  6. Lydia
    Lydia says:
    February 26, 2019 at 8:46 am

    I want to go to Hogsmeade, too!

    My Top Ten Tuesday post.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      February 26, 2019 at 8:59 pm

      It would be so much fun!

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  7. Sharlene
    Sharlene says:
    February 26, 2019 at 9:55 am

    Yes! The Oasis was on my list too. And now you’ve got me thinking of gelato!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      February 26, 2019 at 9:00 pm

      Gelato is so good! 🙂

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  8. Tanya @ Girl Plus Books
    Tanya @ Girl Plus Books says:
    February 26, 2019 at 10:58 am

    Paris for sure. That’s already a bucket list destination. And I’m with you on Westeros… I’d love to see it (hey look, dragons!) but I’d want to get out fast. I’d never last in Westeros. LOL

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      February 26, 2019 at 9:01 pm

      Right? I know I’d be one of the first to kick the bucket, lol.

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  9. Jo
    Jo says:
    February 26, 2019 at 11:42 am

    I’d love to go to Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. I’d also like to go back to Paris and see the Louvre, we only got a picture with it the last time I went.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      February 26, 2019 at 9:02 pm

      Same here with the Louvre. We were only there for a couple of days and none of us wanted to spend time waiting in a long line. I’ll get back there some day though.

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  10. Marie @ Drizzle & Hurricane Books
    Marie @ Drizzle & Hurricane Books says:
    February 26, 2019 at 2:09 pm

    Great choices! I would love to go back to Italy and try all of the gelato just as well 🙂 and yes yes yeeeeees, THE SHIRE! 😀

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      February 26, 2019 at 9:03 pm

      Right? The Shire would be so cool.

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  11. Jordan Rose
    Jordan Rose says:
    February 26, 2019 at 2:32 pm

    I so badly want to see the Shire and Rivendell! They both sound incredible and I think I’d feel right at home at the Shire, haha. I’d also love to visit Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      February 26, 2019 at 9:04 pm

      I think the Shire and Rivendell would both be incredible. Just thinking about them makes me want to pull out my DVDs and watch the movies.

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  12. Julie
    Julie says:
    February 26, 2019 at 2:56 pm

    I actually skipped this TTT, could not think of any particular place. I like your choice of places, especially from HP.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      February 26, 2019 at 9:04 pm

      Thanks!

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  13. Sam@wlabb
    Sam@wlabb says:
    February 26, 2019 at 7:24 pm

    Japan and Italy are so high on my list of places to visit, but I am pretty sure both are out of reach for me. I did enjoy Paris, but would love to see more of the country.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      February 26, 2019 at 9:05 pm

      Japan is probably out of my reach too. If I ever win the lottery though…

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  14. Greg
    Greg says:
    February 26, 2019 at 7:43 pm

    All the gelato!! Agreed. And Westeros- same. Dragons? Check. Leaving now haha!

    Rivendell, the Shire, and Jurassic Park- yup!! 🙂

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      February 26, 2019 at 9:05 pm

      I just saw your list that we share a lot of the same places. 🙂

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  15. Brittany
    Brittany says:
    February 27, 2019 at 1:52 pm

    Yes! Great list 😀 especially the HP ones <3

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      March 2, 2019 at 10:26 pm

      Thanks! 🙂

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  16. Kelly
    Kelly says:
    February 28, 2019 at 2:34 pm

    Honestly, I think I’d just like Hagrid to carry me around while I sip tropical drinks and buy things. I loved The Oasis in Ready Player One, it was one of those books that I absolutely loved with so many eighties pop culture references. I was totally in my element. Jurassic Park would be amazing, before it all turned to shit. Great choices!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      March 2, 2019 at 10:16 pm

      “Jurassic Park would be amazing, before it all turned to shit.” LOL! Right? I want to go, see it really quickly, and then get the heck out while I still can.

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  17. Leah
    Leah says:
    March 1, 2019 at 12:19 am

    Yes to Middle-Earth! I put it on my list, too.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      March 2, 2019 at 10:34 pm

      Yay, glad I’m not the only one!

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  18. Daniela Ark
    Daniela Ark says:
    March 1, 2019 at 1:20 pm

    I totally agree with your choices Suzanne ! Especially HP and Ready Player one 🙂 I could definitely live inside a HP book! 🙂

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      March 2, 2019 at 10:15 pm

      Same on the HP, especially one of the first 3 in the series.

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  19. Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight
    Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight says:
    March 2, 2019 at 12:17 am

    I think I’ll pass on the dinos lol. But Hogsmeade seems like it’d be so interesting and fun! And dragons! I haven’t read Warcross, but any sort of futuristic, cyberpunk-ish world with all the glowing lights and stuff would be really cool to see.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      March 2, 2019 at 10:38 pm

      I think Hogsmeade would be a lot of fun too. One of these days I need to go to Harry Potter’s Wizarding World and experience Universal Studio’s version of it.

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  20. Erica Metcalf
    Erica Metcalf says:
    March 3, 2019 at 11:31 am

    YES!! My list would be VERY similar! 🙂

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      March 4, 2019 at 6:24 am

      Great minds think alike! 🙂

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Comments are closed.

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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 @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?
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?
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