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Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Loved But Never Reviewed

August 11, 2020/45 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 Books I Loved But Never Reviewed. There was a time, back when I first started blogging, that I thought I would go back and review all of my favorite pre-blogging reads.  And then I discovered ARCs and that idea went straight out the window, lol.  If I were ever to revisit that idea, most of the titles on my list this week, especially books like The Night Circus and The Nightingale, would be beloved reads I would finally write a proper review for.  Other titles on my list, like Crazy Rich Asians, Little Fires Everywhere, and Beartown, are books I’ve read and loved since I started blogging but just didn’t feel like I had enough to say about them to warrant reviewing them on the blog.

 

* * * * *

Books I Loved But Never Reviewed

 

(in no particular order)

 

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN by Garth Stein

THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini

THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah

THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morganstern

CRAZY RICH ASIANS by Kevin Kwan

BEARTOWN by Fredrik Backman

LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng

KINDRED by Octavia Butler

THE LIFE OF PI by Yann Martel

GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn

 

* * * * *

 

Have you read any of these?

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https://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/loved-but-never-reviewed.png 802 800 Suzanne http://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/trimmed-Copy-of-Bookish-Logo-copy.png Suzanne2020-08-11 05:45:082020-08-10 22:36:37Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Loved But Never Reviewed
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45 replies
  1. verushka
    verushka says:
    August 11, 2020 at 7:01 am

    I agree, ARCs do make us forget about anything else! This is really such a diverse list, Suzanne — great choices for this week’s TTT!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 12, 2020 at 10:23 pm

      Thanks!

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  2. Angela
    Angela says:
    August 11, 2020 at 7:08 am

    I agree, there are lots of books I’ve loved but I just wouldn’t have enough to say about them. I don’t think I could do The Night Circus justice in a review – it’s too beautiful a book.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 12, 2020 at 10:24 pm

      I feel the same way about The Night Circus. I’m sure there’s no way I could convey just how amazing a book it is.

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  3. Lydia
    Lydia says:
    August 11, 2020 at 8:07 am

    Kindred was such a good story, too.

    My TTT .

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 12, 2020 at 10:33 pm

      It really is. I need to read more of her books.

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  4. Lindsey @ Lindsey Reads
    Lindsey @ Lindsey Reads says:
    August 11, 2020 at 8:53 am

    I also have a lot of books I love but feel like i don’t have enough to say to review. I loved The Night Circus and Crazy Rich Asians as well!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 12, 2020 at 10:34 pm

      The Night Circus is so great. It’s one that I haven’t reviewed because I just know there’s no way I can put into words why I love it so much and do justice to it.

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  5. Nick @ The Infinite Limits of Love
    Nick @ The Infinite Limits of Love says:
    August 11, 2020 at 9:18 am

    I haven’t read any of these books but I own a copy of The Kite Runner on my shelf. I did try Crazy Rich Asians before the movie came out but had to return the book to the library. I enjoyed the movie a lot!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 12, 2020 at 10:40 pm

      That really is a fun movie!

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  6. Sam@wlabb
    Sam@wlabb says:
    August 11, 2020 at 9:28 am

    I am going to give you a gold star for even considering going back to write reviews for pre-blog books. That’s dedication. I like to save a few thoughts for each book, but I cannot bring myself to write a full on review for every book. I spend like an hour writing a review for just one book. I read too much to do that for every book. BUT, like I was just saying to Nick, it’s posts like TTT that let us showcase those great books we have read, but maybe not featured a review for.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 12, 2020 at 10:42 pm

      I agree. I always enjoy reading about books my fellow bloggers love anyway, so it has been great to see all of the lists this week.

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  7. Tammy @ Books, Bones & Buffy
    Tammy @ Books, Bones & Buffy says:
    August 11, 2020 at 9:36 am

    I’m thrilled to see a few of my favorites on your list, especially The Life of Pi, Kite Runner and Gone Girl. I read all of them before I started blogging, when there was no Goodreads, so I didn’t even think of reviewing them!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 12, 2020 at 10:43 pm

      Right? Same here. I really do want to re-read The Life of Pi and The Kite Runner some day. They really are amazing reads.

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  8. Jess @ Jessticulates
    Jess @ Jessticulates says:
    August 11, 2020 at 9:44 am

    Great list! I loved Everything I Never Told You and yet somehow I still haven’t read Little Fires Everywhere.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 12, 2020 at 10:43 pm

      I really enjoyed both of those books.

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  9. Mareli @ Elza Reads
    Mareli @ Elza Reads says:
    August 11, 2020 at 9:56 am

    Hi there!

    I got all excited when I say your post! We have so many books in common! I’ve actually only haven’t read one on your list.

    The Nightingale was my first review when I started blogging a few years ago. It’s ridiculously simple, but I’m still proud of it! I’ve reviewed BearTown just a couple of weeks ago.

    The rest I also didn’t review, but loved it! Will do a short post on quotes from The art of racing in the rain tomorrow. Will send you a link!

    Here’s my TTT

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 12, 2020 at 10:52 pm

      Beartown was such a great read. I really need to get a copy of the sequel soon.

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  10. Dini @ dinipandareads
    Dini @ dinipandareads says:
    August 11, 2020 at 10:13 am

    Great list! The Kite Runner is a popular one on today’s lists actually and I almost had it on mine too! I feel like that’s one book I’m not sure I’d be able to write a coherent review for actually 😂 I absolutely loved The Nightingale and I’m surprised I was able to write a review for it (although it’s just me gushing incoherently LOL)

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 17, 2020 at 9:28 pm

      Thank you!

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  11. Wendy
    Wendy says:
    August 11, 2020 at 10:45 am

    Everyone seems to love The Night Circus. I bought it recently with the intention of finally reading it. Hopefully soon.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 12, 2020 at 11:35 pm

      I hope you love it!

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  12. Tanya @ Girl Plus Books
    Tanya @ Girl Plus Books says:
    August 11, 2020 at 11:34 am

    I did write a review for The Nightingale back when I read it. It was a tough review to write but I also felt quite a feeling of accomplishment writing that one. 🙂

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 12, 2020 at 11:36 pm

      Oh wow, I bet. I know I don’t even have the words to do it justice. It’s definitely one of my favorite books of all time.

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  13. Jo
    Jo says:
    August 11, 2020 at 11:39 am

    I did review both Gone Girl and The Night Circus when I read them, in fact Gone Girl was one of the earliest books I reviewed when I started my blog.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 17, 2020 at 9:14 pm

      I read both of those before I started blogging.

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  14. Steph@paigesofbooks
    Steph@paigesofbooks says:
    August 11, 2020 at 12:12 pm

    I loved Crazy Rich Asians!!!!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 17, 2020 at 9:15 pm

      It’s such a fun book and movie!

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  15. Heather @ RandomRedheadedRamblings
    Heather @ RandomRedheadedRamblings says:
    August 11, 2020 at 4:55 pm

    Ah I wish I’d put Crazy Rich Asians on my list now! I love all the book in that series!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 17, 2020 at 9:18 pm

      I still need to read the other books but I thought the first one was hilarious.

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  16. Deanna @ A Novel Glimpse
    Deanna @ A Novel Glimpse says:
    August 11, 2020 at 5:15 pm

    I can understand how many of these would make your loved it but didn’t review it list. They were so emotional!!! I couldn’t review The Kite Runner I don’t think. It was such a hard read, even if it was good.

    My TTT.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 17, 2020 at 9:19 pm

      Yeah, I’m not sure I could have written a proper review for The Kite Runner. Even all these years later, I still get choked up just thinking about it.

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  17. Gabby
    Gabby says:
    August 11, 2020 at 8:28 pm

    I loved both The Kite Runner and The Life of Pi!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 17, 2020 at 9:24 pm

      They’re both such amazing reads.

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  18. Laurie C
    Laurie C says:
    August 12, 2020 at 7:34 am

    I’ve read your whole list except Beartown! Same thing, I also loved all of them, except The Kite Runner and The Nightingale, and don’t think I reviewed any of them on the blog. I used to be much better at reviews; I’ve really slacked off the last few years or more!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 17, 2020 at 9:27 pm

      I struggle to keep up with my reviews too, which is definitely a reason why I’ve never gone back and reviewed any of these.

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  19. Mareli @ Elza Reads
    Mareli @ Elza Reads says:
    August 12, 2020 at 9:58 am

    Hi there! I’ve promised to sent the link through on my post of The Art of racing in the rain. Here it is! Wednesday Wisdom

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  20. Greg
    Greg says:
    August 13, 2020 at 2:05 am

    I kinda wanted to read Little Fires Everywhere- that looked good. And Gone Girl! I forgot about that one, but that’s one that I read but never reviewed too…

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 17, 2020 at 9:21 pm

      LIttle Fires Everywhere is pretty good. I really want to watch the Hulu series.

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  21. lisa thomson
    lisa thomson says:
    August 13, 2020 at 12:36 pm

    I’ve read three of these. My favorite is The Night Circus. I read it every autumn. I didn’t really care for Gone Girl although it was a page turner. Some of these other titles look interesting, too. The Kite Runner was amazing. It’s been many, many years since I read that one. Thanks for the share, Suzanne.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 17, 2020 at 9:27 pm

      You’re welcome!

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  22. Tânia @MyLovelySecret
    Tânia @MyLovelySecret says:
    August 15, 2020 at 12:36 pm

    With all the ARCs and e-ARCs one has to read and review, sometimes books we love are not reviewed on the blog. And I think that’s okay. I really want to read Little Fires Everywhere – isn’t there a TV series adaptation coming out?

    Happy readings!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 17, 2020 at 11:04 pm

      Yes, there’s one on Hulu and it’s supposed to be really good. I haven’t watched it yet, but it’s on my list.

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  23. Flora Gatehouse
    Flora Gatehouse says:
    August 19, 2020 at 2:35 pm

    When I first started blogging, it was more of a lifestyle blog than a book blog. I decided to go back to those great books I read BB (before blog), read them and post reviews. For example, Elizabeth Hunter’s Elemental Mysteries and K.F. Breene’s Darkness series. It’s a slow process, especially as ARCs take priority. But I’ll get there eventually.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      August 20, 2020 at 9:25 pm

      One of these days I hope to do it, even if it’s just mini reviews.

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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

👻 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
🎅🏻 FESTIVE FRIDAY 🎅🏻 Thanks so much to @atriabook 🎅🏻 FESTIVE FRIDAY 🎅🏻

Thanks so much to @atriabooks for the gifted e-arc and to @simonmaverickbooks @simon.audio for the ALC.

Review - MISTLETOE ALL THE WAY

Author - Lauren Blakely

Pub Date - 10/6/2026

I still have several spooky season reads to get to, but I couldn’t resisting diving into Mistletoe All the Way, the new spicy holiday romance from Lauren Blakely. It’s a grumpy-sunshine, small town romance that is full of holiday cheer, and it was such a fun way to kick off my holiday romance reading. 

Noah is a grumpy veterinarian who is not a fan of Christmas. He’s basically a sexy, broody Grinch who is trying to prove to his grandfather that he is the best person to take over the family horse farm now that his grandfather is retiring. 

Eloise is a ray of sunshine - a little sweet, a little sassy, and passionate about making her PR business a success by securing work from the town mayor. She thinks she can achieve this by helping Noah win the town’s holiday competition and be crowned Mr. Holiday.  Even though he can’t stand Christmas, Noah wants to take part in the contest to prove to his grandfather that he’s invested in the community.  Eloise thinks she can change his mind when it comes to Christmas.

This was such a fun read! Eloise and Noah have great chemistry and I loved their opposites-attract dynamic and the hilarious banter between them. The Mr. Holiday competition was so entertaining and had me laughing out loud on several occasions. Poor Noah! 🤣

I was also invested in Noah & Eloise teaming up to save the horse farm from Noah’s scheming, shady cousin.  The two of them make a great team, in every way.

I paired the e-arc with the audiobook & recommend this route.  There’s a full cast narration lead by Erin Mallon and Teddy Hamilton, and they do a wonderful job capturing the fun and festive nature of the story, as well as the attraction between Eloise and Noah. 

If you’re looking for a fun Christmas romance to add to your holiday TBR, you can’t go wrong with thiis book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - Any fun weekend plans?

AOTD - My birthday is next week & I’m celebrating early, hopefully with a trip to the bookstore!
Thanks to @minotaur_books for the #gifted book and Thanks to @minotaur_books for the #gifted book and fun PR package and to @macmillan.audio for the ALC #macaudio2026 #partner

❄️ Review - HOME FOR THE HOMICIDES ❄️

Author - Elle Cosimano and Hannah Morrissey

Pub Date - 10/13/2026

I didn’t think I was read to start reading holiday books until I dove into Home for the Homicides. It’s a hilarious holiday-themed murder mystery that kept me chuckling to myself from start to finish, and that also features a healthy dose of spicy romance between the two rival detectives who are assigned to investigate the murder. 

I had such a fun time with this clever story! It’s set in the town of Christmas, a cozy, charming town that looks straight out of a Hallmark holiday movie, right down to the all of the characters having holiday-themed names, including rival detectives Holly Frost and Mark Shepherd, although they might be better known by the unfortunate nicknames they’ve recently earned, Betty Crocker and Pole Licker, respectively. 

Holly and Mark have been sent to Christmas not only to solve this murder, but also to hopefully redeem themselves.  As they are forced to work together, we are treated to major unresolved sexual tension between them, so much yearning, and endless witty banter. 

I’d consider this a cozy mystery.  The murder victim came to town looking for love and ends up murdered with an icicle. While there are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing and interested, the stakes are still fairly low and the humor abounds. 

I loved the balance between mystery and romance, and one of the other highlights for me was the narrator who a running, funny & sarcastic commentary.  I also loved that the story takes place over 12 days, which immediately made me think of the 12 Days of Christmas.

The audiobook features a multi-cast narration with Angela Dawe, who does a brilliant job creating distinctive voices for all of the characters, as well as Colin Donnell, & Patti Murin.  They were all so entertaining!

If you’re don’t think you’re ready for Christmas in October, this book will change your mind!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

❓QOTD - Favorite holiday movie?

AOTD - Home Alone & Christmas Vacation
Thanks for the free book @berkleyromance #BerkleyP Thanks for the free book @berkleyromance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley 

🪦 Review - LOVE YOU TO DEATH 🪦

Author - Jenna Levine

Pub Date - 10/13/2026

I think I’m becoming obsessed with grim reaper romances! I’m a huge fan of Jenna Levine’s paranormal romances and she has really outdone herself with her latest, Love You to Death. It features Daniel, a jaded grim reaper who falls hard for Lucy, a recently deceased woman whose soul he has been sent to collect.

In spite of him being a reaper, I found Daniel to be very relatable. I think we’ve all probably experienced some job that we’ve done for so long that we just don’t want to do it anymore and with his being death over and over again, it’s easy to see why he is so jaded. 

My heart broke for Lucy as soon as I realized Daniel had come for her.  Her night was already such a mess and all she wants to do is go be with her sister and help her plan her wedding, and instead she gets hit by a bus.  Talk about bad luck!  I admired her pluck and determination to bargain with the reapers for more time so she can be there for her sister’s wedding, and I loved that she made such an impression on Daniel that he’s willing to break the rules and help her strike a deal with his bosses, a deal that leads to him having to closely monitor her for the extra time she has been granted. 

I loved the connection that forms between Lucy and Daniel and especially that being around Lucy reminds Daniel of what it was like to be human.  Lucy’s second chance at life is a second chance for him as well, and it was so great to watch him help her live what time she has left to the fullest. 

I also loved that this was both a fun and swoony, slow burn romance and a very moving story about second chances and about being good enough just as you are.  It made me laugh but it also just gave me such a full heart.

Highly recommend this book for fans of:

Paranormal romance
Grumpy Sunshine
Forced Proximity
Forbidden Romance
Balance of fun banter and poignant moments
Spicy Romance

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

❓QOTD - Midweek check in - how’s your week going?  Reading or watching anything good?

AOTD - I have a huge work deadline tomorrow so I am exhausted.
Thanks for the gifted audiobook, @hachetteaudio #p Thanks for the gifted audiobook, @hachetteaudio #partner

🧹 Review - MEET CUTE MAGIC 🧹

Author - Morgan Elizabeth

Pub Date - 9/8/2026

Meet Cute Magic is the first book in the Heartwood Hollow series and it is just as cute and cozy as the name makes it sound!

Rosie is such an easy character to love and to root for. She runs a bookstore in Heartwood Hollow, and she and her sisters are witches.  They also happen to be under a curse that doesn’t allow them to find love.  Rosie isn’t having it though because she wants to her her one true love, so she decides she’s going to figure out how to break the curse.

I admired Rosie’s strength and determination as she sets out to conjure up the ghost who cursed them and make him tell her how to break it. Once she has her answer, she teams up with her neighbor Jack, who actually cannot stand her because she’s too bubbly and over the top for him, to go on a magical quest to round up all of the ingredients she needs.  Why does Jack agree to help? Because the ghost who cursed Rosie is Jack’s grandfather!

I had such a good time following Rosie and Jack on this quest through the paranormal community. The banter between these two was hilarious and even though they’ve clearly been annoying each other for years, there’s also some major chemistry there.  When they have to pretend to be a couple to get into a paranormal club to retrieve an ingredient, I just knew we were well on our way to finding out how Rosie and Jack really feel about one another, and I was so here for it!

Rosie and Jack are such endearing characters and they aren’t the only ones either. I loved Rosie’s sisters, Percy the cat, and Phillip the ghost, all of whom are quite meddlesome in the best way.

If you’re in the mood for a cozy fantasy with a dash of spice this spooky season, Meet Cute Magic is the book for you.

The audiobook was narrated by Lilly Drake and Michael Gallagher, who do a wonderful job of capturing the story’s lighthearted tone, as well as the chemistry and the pining between Rosie and Jack.  They were a delight to listen to!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - Favorite candy? 

AOTD - Snickers & Reese’s Cups. Love chocolate & peanut butter!
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