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Top Ten Tuesday – 10 New-to-Me Authors I Plan to Read in 2021

January 26, 2021/54 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 actually meant to be New-to-Me Authors I Read in 2020, but I felt like looking ahead instead of behind this week so I’m sharing new-to-me authors I’m hoping to read this year.  It’s part of my goal to read more of the books I own and I have books from all of these authors sitting on my shelves (or hiding on my Kindle) and I haven’t read them yet.

I’m actually excited to say that since I drafted this post, I’ve actually already read two of these authors, Alisha Rai and Camilla Bruce, both of whom I enjoyed immensely. 🙂

 

* * * * *

10 New-to-Me Authors I Plan to Read in 2021

 

1. ELIZABETH ACEVEDO

 

 

2. BRIT BENNETT

 

3. CAMILLA BRUCE

 

4. S.A. CHAKRABORTY

 

5. ALYSSA COLE

 

6. JANE HARPER

7. COLLEEN HOOVER

 

8. TIFFANY JACKSON

 

9. ALISHA RAI

 

10. KAREN WHITE

 

* * * * *

Have you read any of these authors?

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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 Suzanne2021-01-26 05:45:562021-01-25 20:09:45Top Ten Tuesday – 10 New-to-Me Authors I Plan to Read in 2021
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54 replies
  1. Hasini @ Bibliosini
    Hasini @ Bibliosini says:
    January 26, 2021 at 7:24 am

    I just read a CoHo book to start off this year: Verity! I am hoping to get through a lot more of her books during this year! Also, I’ve heard great things about Elizabeth Acevedo, Brit Bennett, and S.A. Chakraborty! Good luck and happy reading!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 9:28 pm

      Thank you! 🙂

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  2. Angela
    Angela says:
    January 26, 2021 at 7:29 am

    I started reading Colleen Hoover just last year – she has a pretty big backlist! My sister is obsessed with Jane Harper!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 9:30 pm

      I don’t know if I’ll ever make it through Hoover’s backlist but hopefully I’ll at least get to the ones already sitting on my kindle, haha.

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  3. Deb Nance at Readerbuzz
    Deb Nance at Readerbuzz says:
    January 26, 2021 at 8:27 am

    I discovered Elizabeth Acevedo and Brit Bennett last year, too.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 9:30 pm

      I’m very excited to try both of those authors this year. 🙂

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  4. Missy
    Missy says:
    January 26, 2021 at 8:40 am

    I’ve read Elizabeth Acevedo, Brit Bennett and Tiffany D. Jackson and loved them all immensely! I hope you enjoy them all too! On your list, I hope to read City of Brass this year myself too!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 9:32 pm

      I’ve seen so many glowing reviews for City of Brass so hopefully it will be a great read for both of us. 🙂

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  5. Lydia
    Lydia says:
    January 26, 2021 at 8:43 am

    I still need to read The Poet X. Hope you like it!

    My post.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 9:19 pm

      Thanks, me too! I’ve heard good things about it so I’m pretty excited to finally get to it.

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  6. Tammy @ Books, Bones & Buffy
    Tammy @ Books, Bones & Buffy says:
    January 26, 2021 at 8:56 am

    Somehow I missed this topic this week, oh well, I might have to do it another week! I’d like to try Jane Harper too😁

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 9:20 pm

      I don’t know why but I just keep accumulating Harper’s books but never get around to reading them. I’m determined to finally get them all read this year.

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  7. Sam@wlabb
    Sam@wlabb says:
    January 26, 2021 at 9:05 am

    Wait! You’ve never been CoHoed? Have the tissues ready. She was my go-to for tears. Jackson’s books are all so good, same with Acevedo. I really enjoyed Cole’s royal books too. Hope they are all hits for you

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 9:22 pm

      I’m ashamed to say that I have purchased several of CoHo’s books but have yet to make time for them. It’s going to happen this year though, I’m determined, lol.

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  8. Jess @ Jessticulates
    Jess @ Jessticulates says:
    January 26, 2021 at 9:21 am

    S.A Chakraborty and Tiffany D. Jackson are fantastic! I really want to try Elizabeth Acevedo’s work this year, too, and I’d like to read The Vanishing Half.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 9:41 pm

      Glad to hear you enjoyed both S.A Chakraborty and Tiffany D. Jackson. I’m really looking forward to reading their books. 🙂

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  9. Jo
    Jo says:
    January 26, 2021 at 10:36 am

    I read SA Chakraborty for the first time last year and I really enjoyed her books, I hope you do too!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 9:44 pm

      Thank you!

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  10. Colletta
    Colletta says:
    January 26, 2021 at 10:48 am

    The Karen White and Jane Harper books look interesting! I hope you can stop by;

    https://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/2021/01/top-ten-tuesday-2020-new-to-me-authors.html

    Colletta

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 9:45 pm

      Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

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  11. Deanna @ A Novel Glimpse
    Deanna @ A Novel Glimpse says:
    January 26, 2021 at 12:41 pm

    I’m going backwards on your list and starting with Karen White. She’s one of my all time favorite authors. I have that new one waiting to be read and will be picking it up at the beginning of next month. Dreams of Falling is good, too. My all time favorites of hers are The Beach Trees and Falling Home. All of them are good, though!!! Colleen Hoover is another favorite. I’ve enjoyed all of hers with the exception of Without Merit.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 9:46 pm

      I’m so glad to hear this about Karen White. Her books always sound incredible and I don’t even know why I haven’t tried one yet.

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  12. Susan (Bloggin' 'bout Books)
    Susan (Bloggin' 'bout Books) says:
    January 26, 2021 at 5:16 pm

    Nice list! I love Jane Harper and Karen White. I’ve read WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH, but that’s it from Acevedo. I need to read her others because I find her writing really beautiful. Camila Bruce is an author I also want to try out this year. I’ll be interested to see what you think of these authors when you try them.

    Happy TTT!

    Susan
    http://www.blogginboutbooks.com

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 10:12 pm

      I’ve heard wonderful things about Acevedo’s writing so I’m very excited to finally experience it for myself. 🙂

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  13. Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
    Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard says:
    January 26, 2021 at 5:21 pm

    I have really liked the Alyssa Cole books I’ve read so far (though I haven’t finished any of her series yet.) Elizabeth Acevedo is on my list of authors to read, as is S.A. Chakraborty.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 9:47 pm

      I’ve heard good things about Alyssa Cole’s books so I’m excited to try them this year. 🙂

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  14. Lark
    Lark says:
    January 26, 2021 at 5:29 pm

    I did this exact same thing with my TTT list this week; I listed 7 authors I hope to read in 2021. Because I read a lot of new authors last year and just didn’t want to try and pick out ten. Love your list! 😀

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 9:48 pm

      Thank you! 🙂

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  15. Anne - Books of My Heart
    Anne - Books of My Heart says:
    January 26, 2021 at 5:54 pm

    I’ve read some Alyssa Cole and Colleen Hoover. And I’m reading one of the Jane Harper ones now.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 9:33 pm

      Oh cool. I’ll look forward to your review of the Jane Harper book. 🙂

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  16. Greg
    Greg says:
    January 26, 2021 at 8:22 pm

    In the Garden of Spite looks good. I see lots of good things about Harper too. Always nice discovering new authors. I hope to try more in 2021…

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 9:49 pm

      I always see good things about Harper too. I really need to make a point to read her books this year since I feel like I’m missing out.

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  17. Michele
    Michele says:
    January 26, 2021 at 9:26 pm

    Jane Harper is amazing and I hope you get to read her soon! Colleen Hoover is also becoming one of my favorites.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 10:01 pm

      I’m glad to hear that about both Harper and Hoover. I had purchased a couple of Hoover’s books but had actually forgotten about them until I read Angela’s reviews this year. I’m excited to get to them soon. 🙂

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  18. Christopher @ Plucked from the Stacks
    Christopher @ Plucked from the Stacks says:
    January 26, 2021 at 9:35 pm

    I love that you’ve already started digging into your list! A could of Jane Harper books have been sitting on my bookshelf for way too long. Really looking forward to finally getting around to her work this year, too.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 26, 2021 at 10:05 pm

      I’m very excited to finally try her books this year. I’ve heard nothing but good things about all of these.

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  19. verushka
    verushka says:
    January 27, 2021 at 5:18 am

    Can I also vote for The Lost Man by Jane Harper? In fact, go to that standalone first — it’s hands down the best thing she’s done IMO.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 28, 2021 at 7:03 am

      I will definitely keep that one in mind. I want to at least read The Dry and Forces of Nature first since they’ve been on my kindle for what seems like forever, lol.

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  20. Tanya @ Girl Plus Books
    Tanya @ Girl Plus Books says:
    January 27, 2021 at 2:49 pm

    Hooray for already getting a start on reading some of these authors! I’ve read both of the Colleen Hoover books you shared and It Ends With Us is easily one of my favorite CoHo books ever. It was so powerful.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 28, 2021 at 7:02 am

      I’m pretty sure it was your review for those CoHo books that made me purchase them. 🙂

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  21. Davida Chazan
    Davida Chazan says:
    January 28, 2021 at 8:02 am

    Karen White is good. I got to know her from a short story she wrote and some of the books she collaborated on with Willig and Williams (aka Team-W).

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 28, 2021 at 10:07 pm

      I’m very excited to finally try her books this year. I’ve heard so many great things about her writing.

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  22. Sophie
    Sophie says:
    January 28, 2021 at 3:51 pm

    I am so happy when I see SA Chakraborti’s books here!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 28, 2021 at 10:01 pm

      I’m so excited to finally start that series. I’ve seen so many great reviews for it.

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  23. Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café
    Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café says:
    January 28, 2021 at 6:08 pm

    Wow! With one exception (Chakraborty), all those authors are on my list, too.

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 28, 2021 at 10:00 pm

      Hopefully we’ll both enjoy them all!

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  24. Ashley S.
    Ashley S. says:
    January 29, 2021 at 1:17 am

    It looks like you have an awesome year of reading ahead of you! Hope you love them all. 😀

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 30, 2021 at 9:04 am

      Thank you! 🙂

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  25. RS
    RS says:
    January 29, 2021 at 6:20 pm

    Lots of good choices; I like the twist on the theme. I’ve never thought about anticipating new-to-me authors, specifically, because I often secretly have multiple books I’m interested in from them but will only add the first book by them that catches my eye to my actual TBR. I might actually borrow this for a future week!

    From yours, I’m gonna extra-push Karen White because she made my Top 10 list the first year I read one of hers (The Lost Hours).

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 30, 2021 at 9:12 am

      Glad to hear you’re a fan of Karen White’s books. I’m looking forward to trying them. I also just tried to visit and comment on your site, but I’m getting an error message about a RECAPTCHA form and I don’t see a RECAPTCHA form to fill out. I disabled my ad blocker and still couldn’t find it.

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  26. Lindsey @ Lindsey Reads
    Lindsey @ Lindsey Reads says:
    January 30, 2021 at 5:54 am

    I’ve only read one Colleen Hoover before and remember not really loving that book, but I definitely need to still give her other books a chance as I did hear great things. Elizabeth Acevedo, SA Chakraborty and Alisha Rai are all authors I hope to read in 2021 as well 🙂 Hope you’ll enjoy all of these!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      January 30, 2021 at 8:58 am

      I’ve only seen great reviews for the Hoover books I have on hand so I’m hoping they’ll be winners for me. We’ll see how it goes. 🙂

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  27. Jade @ Reading with Jade
    Jade @ Reading with Jade says:
    February 8, 2021 at 3:47 pm

    A great selection of authors featured – I hope you’re able to enjoy all of these, and many more, wonderful authors in 2021!

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    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:
      February 10, 2021 at 7:16 pm

      Thank you!

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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 so much to @hambright_pr, @read_bloom, and Thanks so much to @hambright_pr, @read_bloom, and @scorelucy for the gifted copy!

🎅🏻 REVIEW - THE HEIST BEFORE CHRISTMAS 🎅🏻

Author - Lucy Score

Pub Date - 11/10/26

If you enjoy holiday romances with a dash of crime, you’re definitely going to want to check out The Heist Before Christmas, the fifth book in the Riley Thorn romantic cozy mystery series. 

Riley and her fiancé Nick go undercover at the local mall to try to bring down a theft ring, and if you’ve ever been to the mall at Christmas time, you know that chaos reigns. Nobody brings the laughs quite like Lucy Score, and she delivers delightful chaos, hilarious shenanigans, and witty banter all wrapped up with some holiday cheer! I pretty much laughed my way through this book and loved every page of it. 

I’ve always enjoyed the grumpy-sunshine dynamic of Riley and Nick and it was especially entertaining here because Riley is going through some things that have her behaving a little Scrooge-like in sharp contrast to our golden retriever, Nick, who loves everything about Christmas, owns a giant inflatable Santa, and who might also happen to have a secret Mrs. Claus kink!  I actually think Lucy Score struck the perfect balance here between the humor and the more emotional moments as Riley is struggling with her psychic gift and trying to find her path forward.

While this book will definitely work great as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the other books in the series as well. Riley, Nick, and all of their eccentric elderly roommates and neighbors have endeared themselves to me so much throughout the series, and I think that connection makes this holiday read all the more special.

I did this as an immersive read and highly recommend going this route. Natalie Duke does a phenomenal job bringing Riley, Nick and all of their hilarious neighbors to life with distinctive voices. She perfectly captures the humor and the emotion of Score’s writing, as well as chemistry between Riley and Nick. It’s a delightful read and listen!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

❓QOTD - What’s your favorite holiday movie?

AOTD - Christmas Vacation and Home Alone are my favorites.
Thanks for the free book @acebookspub @berkleyroma Thanks for the free book @acebookspub @berkleyromance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley 

✨ Review - WITCHES OF QUESTIONABLE INTENT ✨

Author - Jenn McKinlay

Pub Date - 11/10/26

I’m obsessed with the Books of Dubious Origin series and if you like witches, books, magic, and libraries, I think you’re going to be as well!

It was so fun being back in this whimsical world where a team of witchy librarians at the Books of Dubious Origin (BODO) department at the Museum of Literature are tasked with keeping magical books safe. 

In book 1, Zoe Ziakis was new to the BODO and unsure of how to use her magic, but now Zoe is coming into her own and learning more about her powers. 

Zoe and the BODO team are really put to the test in this book when someone manages to sneak in and steal the Book of Shadows, a book that could be particularly dangerous in the wrong hands. It’s up to them to get the book back!

I fell in love with this quirky team of characters in the first book and was thrilled to see them in action again. If you enjoy found family vibes, you’re going to love them too. One of my absolute favorite characters this time around was Diego, a new addition to their little family, and you just have to meet him for yourself. 

The world building in this series is fantastic too! I love the magic that is present in the BODO itself, where hidden rooms reveal themselves to those who need them and where magical bookcats are also present. The magical system is easy to understand and vividly described, and I was especially intrigued by Zoe’s grimoire and how it worked. 

As much as I loved all of the magic and whimsy, I also loved how action-packed this story is. There are lots of twists and turns and just the right amount of tension and suspense as the team frantically works to figure out who stole the book and who else might be involved. 

Oh and there’s even hint of a delicious, slow burn romance brewing between Zoe and Jasper, one of her fellow teammates. This pair is well suited & I eagerly cheered them on and look forward to seeing their relationship grow in future installments.

Witchy bookish perfection!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

❓QOTD - Any new releases on your radar this week? Or CR?
✨LOVELIGHT FARMS Series Collector’s Editions ✨ Lo ✨LOVELIGHT FARMS Series Collector’s Editions ✨

Lovelight Farms by @authorbkborison is one of my favorite romance series and now all four books are being reimagined into stunning collector’s editions, thanks to @theinkfluenceagency.

These new editions will include:

✨Illustrated foil-stamped covers
✨Illustrated sprayed edges with hidden Easter eggs
✨Character artwork endpapers for every couple
✨Custom pop-up slipcase that brings Lovelight Farms to life

✨Every edition is hand-signed by the author, and every illustration was created by human artists (no AI). 

Swipe to see some close-ups of each cover as well as the endpapers and slipcase. 

If you’re interested in getting these beautiful editions, you can get them through the @inkfluenceragency and their Kickstarter campaign, which runs through November 13, 2026. 

Link to the Kickstarter is in my bio if you want to check it out and secure your copies of these beauties! 

Thanks so much to  @inkfluenceragency and @berkleyromance for inviting me to be a part of this campaign! 

#Lovelight #BKBorison #Inglewild #SpecialEditions #Kickstarter

❓QOTD - What’s your favorite season and why?
📚 NOVEMBER HOPEFULS 📚 Hey book friends! I’m late 📚 NOVEMBER HOPEFULS 📚

Hey book friends! I’m late but today I’m finally sharing the books I’m hoping to read in November.  It’s somewhat of an ambitious list but I’ve already finished a few so we’ll see how it goes and if my inner mood reader cooperates.  Several of these were gifted, so I’ve tagged those publishers and PR companies. Thank you! 🩷

Physical Books:

The Secrets of Clarence Manor by Devney Perry 
Duke by Jessica Peterson
The Monster Hunter Librarian by Lauren Connolly
Two Can Play That Game by Zakiya N. Jamal
Prudence Marsh is Not a Nobody Anymore by Emily Krempholtz (Currently reading)
Witches of Questionable Intent by Jenn McKinlay (Finished, review coming this week)
The Christmas Competition by Zoe Allison
You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria (26 in 2026 book)
You Feel Like Christmas by Christine Drummond (Currently reading)
Now That We Don’t Talk Anymore by Rachel Pologe
The Heist Before Christmas by Lucy Score (Finished, review coming this week)
Christmas Staycation by Meghan Quinn

E-ARCS/ALCs:

Hate and Other Acts of Fiction by Megan Oliver (Finished, review coming this week)
Beneath a Midnight Moon by Catherine Cowles
Crash into You by Simone Soltani
Alma Vampires by Elena Armas
The Soulmate by Lana Ferguson
The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson

❓QOTD: Have you read any of these or are you planning to?
Thanks to @dellromance @ballantinebooks #partner f Thanks to @dellromance @ballantinebooks #partner for the gifted review e-copy. 

✨REVIEW - COUNTING DOWN TO YOU ✨

Author - Emily Stone

Pub Date - 10/6/2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

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

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

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

Author - Ally Carter

Pub Date - 10/13/2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

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

🌻Review - SUNFLOWER SEASON 🌻

Author - Danica Nava

Pub Date - 11/3/2026

(physical copy purchased by me)

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

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

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

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

Sunflower Season is perfect for fans of:

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

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

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

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

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

Review - THE WITCHES OF CAMBRIDGE

Author - Alice Hoffman

Pub Date -  9/8/2026

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

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

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

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

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

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

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

🔮 REVIEW - TO VEX & TO HEX 🔮

Author - Neena Noon

Pub Date - 11/3/2026

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

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

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

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

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

OCTOBER WRAP-UP 

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

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

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

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

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

❤️ 5 STARS ❤️

Entities to Lovers by Mallory Marlowe

🧡 4.5 STARS 🧡

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

💛 4 STARS 💛

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

💚 3.5 STARS 💚

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

💙 3 STARS 💙

NONE

1 or 2 STARS 

NONE

DNF 

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

Happy Halloween to all of my bookish friends! 

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

Who else is ready for all of the holiday reads? 

#happyhalloween #merrychristmas #readerlife #seasonalreader #bookstagram

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

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

Books Featured: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BOOKS FEATURED:

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

❓QOTD - How was your weekend? Have you read any of these? Which one should I read first?
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