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YA Fantasy Review: The Forest Grimm

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

The Forest Grimm
By Kathryn Purdie
🎧 Narrated by: Sarah Ovens 
The Forest Grimm, Book 1 
Book 163 of 2023

YA is such an interesting age range. Some books feel like they are written for 13 year olds, some for 16 year olds, and some for actual young adults. This one felt like “true” YA to me – the characters and stakes felt like it was written for teenagers. There wasn’t a lot of moral gray area, but characters did have to make big choices and show a lot of courage. 

All images shown were taken by me, featuring the Fairyloot edition of The Forest Grimm.

The Forest Grimm itself is filled with fairytale characters that you might find in the original Grimm’s versions – creepy but less moralistic. It was a fun play on the stories I was so familiar with. If you are a ‘fraidy cat like me, the creep factor was pretty mild, think a Disney original Halloween movie, not something truly frightening that will give you nightmares. (If I was a kid it might though – just wait until you meet Hansel and Gretel.) 

I read this as a buddy read with a friend over on the clock app, which was really fun. I had a prediction that I was ABSOLUTELY convinced I was right about – and I usually am when it comes to YA Fantasy. But Purdie surprised me! The reveal was logical but more surprising, and I really enjoyed that aspect. 

Overall, I’m on the fence about continuing this series. It’s good, but it’s definitely YA, and I’m not sure how much of that age range I will continue to read as I get so far removed from that target age group!

What’s a genre that you are hoping to read more (or less!) of in 2024?

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2024 Diverse Reading Challenge

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See all of the resources on my Instagram highlights “Read Diverse”.

It’s that time of year where Bookstagram starts thinking of our 2024 reading goals. I’ve really enjoyed taking part in the 23 for ‘23 challenge this year, and wanted to make a similar challenge for myself in 2024! If this sounds like something that you would find helpful, I would love to have you join me!

Four themes:

💖Read Diverse: Set your own goal for what reading diversely will mean for you

💖BIPOC Authors: Books written by authors who identify as Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color

💖LGBTQIA+: Books written by authors who identify as part of the LGBT spectrum. Read about several identities in the spectrum or choose one to focus in on!

💖Diversity of Mind, Body, and Spirit: Books that explore a range of diversities. This can include but is not limited to, neurodivergence, physical disabilities, chronic illness, size diversity, and religious diversity.

✨Own Voices: Books written by members of a community about that community. While not all authors are open about their many identities, I encourage reading own-voice books as much as possible for this challenge!

Pick your challenge size:
✨ 12 books: 1 book per month
✨ 24 books: 2 books per month
✨ 52 books: 1 book per week

See all of the resources on my Instagram highlights “Read Diverse”.

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January 9th: New Releases

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Red String Theory by Lauren Kung Jessen
Contemporary romance | Rom Com

From the publisher: In this charming rom-com about two star-crossed lovers, a woman whose life is guided by her belief in the red-string of fate finds her perfect match—but his skepticism about true love puts a knot in their chances.

Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend* by Emma R. Alban
Historical romance | Young Adult

From the publisher: A swoon-worthy debut queer Victorian romance in which two debutantes distract themselves from having to seek husbands by setting up their widowed parents, and instead find their perfect match in each other—the lesbian Bridgerton/Parent Trap you never knew you needed!

The Heiress* by Rachel Hawkins
Mystery | Thriller

From the publisher: THERE’S NOTHING AS GOOD AS THE RICH GONE BAD.

When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she’s not only North Carolina’s richest woman, she’s also its most notorious. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a child and a widow four times over, Ruby ruled the tiny town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family’s estate high in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Recipe for a Charmed Life* by Rachel Linden
Heartwarming romance | Magical realism

From the publisher: After a day of unrivaled disappointments, a promising young chef finds every bite of food suddenly tastes bitter. To save her career, she travels to the Pacific Northwest to reconnect with her estranged mom, and discovers a family legacy she never suspected in this delicious novel from the bestselling author of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie.

Do you have any of these on your TBR?

*Received as a free gift from the publisher

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Lore Olympus

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Do you enjoy reading graphic novels? Have you ever read an online comic or graphic novel? Lore Olympus is, so far, the only one I’ve gotten sucked into, but I love it so much!

Lore Olympus Volume 2 & 3
By Rachel Smythe
Book 168 & 169 of 2023

This is the last of my 2023 reviews! Unless I post out of order from my current plan, which could honestly happen.

I read Lore Olympus like 6 years ago on Webtoons. There were probably 100 episodes at the time? 50? I don’t know, there were a lot and I binged them all in one or two days. I *think* I ended up around Volume 2. For me, I couldn’t keep up with it once I had to read it on a weekly basis instead of a huge binge. I had a hard time keep track of the plot from week to week, and it seemed like such a small taste of the story to read just one episode!! I was so happy when I found out they were being published and I could go back to bingeing them 25 episodes at a time. Or in this case, 50, since I read Volumes 2 & 3 back to back. 

I do feel spoiled by all the romances I read – so this will they won’t they that I’m used to seeing on TV doesn’t do it for me quite the way it used to. But I cannot put these down! The artwork is so rich and gorgeous, and I love how Smythe characterizes all of the Greek gods and goddesses and plays with their traditional stories. 

If you haven’t read these yet, I highly recommend giving them a try! 

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Holiday Romance Mini Reviews

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The week of Christmas I read 5 amazing Christmas books, putting my total Christmasy reads for this year at 7, which I think is a record! Do you like to read Christmas books or other holiday reads? Will you only read them during the holiday season, or will you read them anytime? Did you have a favorite you want to recommend to me? 

If you’re like me and only read Christmas books in December, Save this post for your next holiday season!

(Two not mentioned: Kiss Her Once For Me & Wreck the Halls, which I have longer reviews of on Goodreads!)

Amor Actually
By Adriana Herrera, Alexis Daria, Diana Munoz Stewart, Mia Sosa, Priscilla Oliveras, Sabrina Sol, Zoey Castile
🎧 Narrated by: full cast
Book 166 of 2023

A reimagining of “Love Actually” with a diverse Latinx cast! I don’t know if I could pick a favorite, but I think I especially loved the stories based on plot lines that I didn’t like in Love Actually. I don’t usually gravitate towards novellas because I don’t feel like the book is going somewhere specific. These novellas are loosely tied together by a party they are all attending at the end, and since I’ve seen Love Actually a million times, it felt more tied together than other novella collections I have read. This is the spiciest of the Christmas books that I read. Highly recommend the audiobook! 

A Merry Little Meet Cute 
By Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone
🎧 Narrated by:  Joy Nash & Sebastian York 
Book  165 of 2023

Funny, sweet, spicy, and surprisingly heartfelt.  An adult film star and an ex-boyband member are cast together in a Hallmark-esque Christmas movie. Bianca is trying to keep her less wholesome identity a secret, Nolan is one of her biggest fans, and she used to have his poster on her wall. The two try to keep it professional but are absolutely smitten with each other. I devoured this book and loved the entire cast of characters. Also highly recommend on audiobook!

A Wallflower Christmas
By Lisa Kleypas 
🎧 Narrated by: Mary Jane Wells
Book 170 of 2024

I loved hanging out with the Wallflowers for a Christmas novella. The plot revolves around Rafe Bowman, brother to two of the wallflowers, whose parents are arranging a marriage to Natalie Blanford. 

Read if: you have already read The Wallflower series (which I loved except for the first book)

Skip if: you can’t handle a man kissing a woman with dubious consent. Which is reasonable and I question myself for being able to side eye it and still enjoy the book.

The Captain’s Midwinter Bride
By Liana De la Rosa 
Book 173 of 2023

All of the lovely historical romance vibes of The Wallflowers, none of the dubious consent! I loved The Captain’s Midwinter Bride so much I read it WITH MY EYES! 

The Daltons have been married for over two decades, but barely know each other. Captain Philip Dalton is now retired, and has decided to get to know the woman he married so long ago, and the mother of his children. I loved watching the two of them get to know each other. They are also preparing for the marriage of their daughter, and I loved watching Philip explore his relationship with his children as well. I’m excited to continue this series. 

Same Time Next Year
By Tessa Bailey 
🎧 Narrated by: William LeRoy and Carmen Vine 
Book 175 of 2023

Ok, this is a New Year’s romance, not a Christmas romance, but I’m including it anyway. This is a delightful green card marriage romance if you like Tessa Bailey’s writing. She’s kind of kooky, but I love how absolutely head over heels her men are for her women on like page one. And after TWO books in a week where no meant yes (ew), I love that enthusiastic consent is also part of her romantic scenes. I loved the narrators.

Did you read any of these? Have any I need to add to my next Christmas TBR?

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A New Series From a Favorite Author

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Second Duke’s the Charm
By Kate Bateman 
Her Majesty’s Rebels Book 1 
Book 167 of 2023

Thank you to SMP Romance for the gifted ARC! 

This is my second Kate Bateman series, and I just love her historical romances! The men are always so swoony (and smitten) and the women tend to get a life outside of the home, which is my personal favorite.

We meet Tess Townsend on her wedding night to a much older man that she has been forced to marry. Nothing happens between the two of them though, because he passes away…leaving Tess as the 19 year old widowed Dowager Duchess of Wansford. The real story begins two years later, as lawyers search for the heir to the Dukedom and Tess and her friends have established themselves as a private detective agency. 

Her love interest, Justin Thornton, is a wealthy businessman returning from making his fortune in the fur trade in Canada who is – surprise – the next Duke of Wansford! 

The two of them have delicious chemistry, and he fully respects the way she has run the properties for the past couple of years. I love a man who respects his partner’s brain as much as her beauty! 

I also love when a romance series fully introduces all of the main characters that we’ll see throughout the series, so you’re already invested in them before you get to their love story, so I hope that the series will continue with Tess’s friends and their detective agency! 

There are a few aspects of the book that some readers may not love, which I will add to my goodreads under a spoiler tag. (Very mild spoilers.) Neither bothered me, but they might annoy you! 

While I overall really enjoyed the book, I do think it lost a bit of momentum in the last third. I find that to often be the case with romance novels, since I trust the author to give me an HEA and if they have done their job well, I understand what the characters need to overcome in order to reach that place! 

QotD: What series are you hoping to read next? (Can just be one book that is in a series!) Not a series reader? What’s your last, now, or next read?

Order Second Duke’s the Charm now!

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Publishing Today! January 2nd, 2024

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It’s the first pub day of 2024, and here are two books that are high on my 2024 TBR! Thank you to the publishers for my digital ARCs for both of these books.

(This post contains affiliate links, using them may earn me a small commission. )

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft is a YA Fantasy romance set in a Regency England inspired world. Niamh O Conchobhair is a magical dressmaker who is commissioned to make garments for the royal wedding…only to find herself drawn to the groom.

Here in Avalon by Tara Isabella Burton is an Adult Fantasy book featuring two sisters. Rose has fought to build a stable life in New York City after a chaotic childhood. But when her sister gets involved with a mysterious cabaret troupe and disappears, Rose finds herself involved in a magical underworld.

What’s the first book you picked up in 2024?

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December Reading Wrap Up

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Happy New Year! I had a great time reading in December but am now desperately in need of a 5 star, can’t-put-it-down book! I’m hoping this month’s reread of Crescent City 2 does the trick!

❄️ Long Covid Update❄️

In December I started working with a physical therapy program that specializes in chronic fatigue and other Long Covid issues. Exercise with LC is extremely difficult because most people with fatigue symptoms get Post-Exercise Malaise (PEM) – basically you feel worse and can’t do anything else for some time after exercising. And by time, it could be days. So, definitely needed some professional help! It’s going really well overall – some days I feel amazing after PT and others I feel drained – but overall I am learning how to manage my symptoms more so I don’t have extreme energy crashes. I’ve regained a lot of mental clarity and have started to actually make plans and follow through with them! I cannot tell you how much I’ve missed feeling like an adult who can handle adult responsibilities. 

Reading Goals:

❄️ 23 for ‘23: 6 of 4 planned
❄️ PopSugar: 3 of 3 planned (finished the 2023 challenge!)
❄️ ARCs: 6 read, 2 December ARCs missed
❄️ Physical TBR backlist: 6 of 4 
❄️ BOTM: 1 of 1 (finished the 2023 challenge!) (Ok I DNFed it but that counts.)

Key:
😍 Reread
📖 physical/ebook
🎧 Audiobook
📖🎧 = mix of both
📓 ARC / ALC 
🖋 Reviewed on instagram, goodreads, TikTok
📚 Series
If it doesn’t have a 🖋, the review will be coming next month!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖🎧📓🖋📚 Undercover Bromance
📖📓🖋📚 Wreck the Halls
📖🎧📓🖋📚 A Lady’s Rules for Ruin 
😍📖🎧📚 House of Earth and Blood
🎧 Long Way Down

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
📖🎧📓🖋 The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed
🎧 Amor Actually 
😍📖📚 Lore Olympus Vol. 2
📖📚 Lore Olympus Vol. 3

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖🎧📚 The Forest Grimm
📖🎧📚 A Lot Like Adios
📖🎧📓📚 A Merry Little Meet Cute
📖📓📚 Second Duke’s the Charm
🎧📚 A Wallflower Christmas
📖📚 The Captain’s Midwinter Bride 
🎧📚 Tastes Like Shakkar 
🎧 Same Time Next Year 

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
📖🎧📓🖋📚 Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎧📚 Playing the Odds (I read this just to finish the PopSugar Challenge) 

What was your favorite read in December? Do we have any books in common? Do you have any goals for January?

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2024 Reading Goals

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Since I have just now finished the PopSugar 2023 challenge, let’s talk 2023 Reflection & 2024 goals!

2023 Reflection

I had 5 goals for my reading in 2023, and I am really proud of how well I did! Now, let’s make sure we mention the huge caveat that I was home all year with Long Covid so these became kind of my main goals since I wasn’t working and I can’t actually control my health and make goals for that. 

1. Read 100 books – I read 175!

2. ARCs – prioritize reading new ARCs on time. I forgot about this one but I did try. I do have a bit of a backlist for 2023, but percentage wise I did better than in previous years! My big goal was to get to 50% on Netgalley in 2023 which I met in July! My peak was 54%! 

3. Read Physical TBR -my goal was to read as many books this year as I buy and add to my physical shelves – I read almost twice as much as I purchased (physical books). But if the problem is having room for the physical books, I did not take into account this year would be the year that publishers would start sending me physical books…

4. Read diverse authors – focus on Latinx (Goal 6, read 10). This was easier when I started prioritizing reading one BIPOC Romance per week. 

5. Finish PopSugar Challenge – I finished! Something that helped this year was that I did a better job prioritizing the harder prompts!

2024 Goals

1. Read 100 books – I don’t like to focus on the number, since I know I will read less if I finally make it back to work. I also don’t want to feel like I can’t take my time with a longer fantasy book if that’s what I want to read!

2. Physical TBR – I personally get stressed out by the number of unread books on my shelves. 

📕Get new shelves – ordered and my husband is going to help me get them put up as my Christmas + birthday present 💖💖

📕 Books in = books finished. However many books I bring into my house, I want to equal the number that I read!

📕 Read at least 50% of the books I acquire  

3. Diversity – I’m hosting a challenge to help keep me accountable this year, and would love for you to join me! This challenge is extremely open ended, and can be combined with PopSugar, A-Z, or any other challenge that you like to do!

📕 At least 1 BIPOC author each week, at least 1 of those each month should be a new release

📕 At least 2 LGBTQ+ authors each month

📕 At least 1 “Mind, Body, Spirit” diverse author each month 

4. ARCs – end the year at 60% on Netgalley.

5. Challenges – 

📕 My Diversity Challenge on Instagram

📕 Review Challenge on Instagram

📕 Reading Rivalry on Facebook

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Over 50 Fall 2023 New Releases I’m Excited About

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We all have different skills. I’m envious of people who can find you the perfectly curated 5 cozy fantasies or fall romcoms for your shelves. I, however, have more of a dragon hoarding jewels approach to my TBR. So welcome to my giant list of all the books that have caught my attention so far!

In book world, we like to say that buying books and reading books are two separate hobbies. I like to think that overfilling my TBR is also a separate hobby, and probably my favorite of the three. On occasion, I’ve been asked where I find all of these books, and I honestly wish I could tell you. Banner ads? Friends? Publisher catalogs? It is an ever expanding list and I’ll probably update it several times (or make a new post?).

Fall is my favorite season for reading. Is there anything better than sitting inside reading, under a blanket, with candles burning, while it rains outside? While I know that fall officially starts on September 23rd, I like to include the fall months of September – November. What can I say, I’m a rebel! I’ve organized them by the main genres I read: Rom coms, Historial romance, Fantasy, & everything else. If you’re looking for a lot of thriller and horror books for spooky season, I do have 1 or 2 YA thrillers, but not much else. But if you like your spooky season a little cozier, filled with romance, with a few slightly creepy fantasy books, and a sprinkle of nonfiction, then this is the list for you!


* Asterix indicates that I have received an ARC or finished copy of the book.
Links may be affiliate links and may lead to me receiving a small comission if you purchase a book!
Most book synopsis are from the publisher.

Contemporary Romance

The Long Game* | Sports Romance | Sept 5th
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
A disgraced soccer exec reluctantly enlists the help of a retired soccer star in coaching a children’s team in this smalltown love story in the vein of Ted Lasso and It Happened One Summer —from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spanish Love Deception.

Fly with Me* | LGBTQ+ Romance | Sept 5th
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
A sparkling and steamy opposites-attract romance, Fly with Me by Andie Burke is filled with sharp banter and that sweet, swooping feeling of finding “the one” when and where you least expect it.

Thank You for Sharing | Contemporary romance | Sept 12
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
A chemistry-filled childhood friends to enemies to lovers debut romance about two people forced to confront their pasts to save both their relationship and careers.

Cleat Cute* | LGBTQ+ Sports Romance | Sept 19
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
A sapphic rivals to lovers rom com for fans of Ted Lasso and A League of Their Own, where two soccer teammates are at odds before falling in love as their team gears up for the World Cup.

Trading Places* | Contemporary romance | Sept 26
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
A socialite and a blue collar mechanic have to trade lives for two months in this delightful romcom from debut author Emily Duvall.

The Takedown* | Contemporary Romance / Suspense | Oct 3
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
An undercover CIA agent is sent home to investigate her sister’s criminal fiancé but the last thing she expects is to fall in love with his bodyguard along the way in this sexy romantic comedy.

The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed* | Contemporary Romance | Oct 10
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
Perfect for fans of Sonali Dev and Uzma Jalaluddin, Noreen Mughees’s sparkling debut novel reunites star-crossed childhood sweethearts against all odds, only for their second chance to clash with their parents’ strict beliefs.

Stars in Your Eyes* | LGBTQ+ Contemporary Romance | Oct 10
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
The National Book Award-winning author of  Felix Ever After  delivers a beautifully tender story of two grumpy/sunshine, fake-dating actors navigating their love story both on and offscreen—perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Alexis Hall.

Better Hate than Never* | Contemporary romance | Oct 10
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
Childhood enemies discover the fine line between love and loathing in this heartfelt reimagining of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.

Friends Don’t Fall in Love* | Contemporary romance | Oct 17
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm (no audio links yet!)
When the two reunite to rebuild her career and finally scratch that itch that’s been building between them for years, Lorelai realizes a lot about what friends don’t do. For one, friends don’t have scratch-that-itch sex. They also don’t almost-kiss on street corners, publish secret erotic poetry about each other, have counter-top sex, write songs for each other, have no-strings motorcycle sex, or go on dates. And they sure as heck don’t fall in love… right?

‘Tis the Damn Season* | Contemporary romance / Christmas | Oct 24
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm (no audio links yet!)
A Hollywood starlet caught in a scandal. The boy she never got over. A Christmas season they’ll never forget…

Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date | LGBTQ+ Contemporary romance / Bright Falls Book 3 | Oct 24
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
When Stevie desperately asks Iris to play along as her girlfriend, Iris is shocked, but goes along with it because maybe this fake relationship will actually get her creative juices flowing and she can get her book written. As the two women play the part of a couple, they turn into a constant state of hot-and-bothered and soon it just comes down to who will make the real first move…

Guy’s Girl* | Contemporary romance | Oct 24
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
The boy who couldn’t love and the girl who wouldn’t.
Heartfelt and evocative, Guy’s Girl is a powerful story about true love, self-love, and growing up.

Check & Mate* | YA Contemporary romance | Nov 7
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
In this clever and swoonworthy YA debut from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis, life’s moving pieces bring rival chess players together in a match for the heart.

Next-Door Nemesis* | Contemporary romance / Romcom | Nov 14
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
Two rival candidates for a homeowner’s association presidency are about to find out how dirty suburbanites fight in this steamy new romantic comedy from Alexa Martin.

Witchy / Paranormal Romance

Witches Get Stuff Done* | Paranormal Romcom | Sept 5th
Bookshop | Amazon (Audible exclusive)
Juggling newfound witchy powers, a house full of ghosts, and verbal battles with the handsome local librarian is almost too much for a new witch to manage. A new witch with a coven, however, can get so much more done…

Ghosted* | Paranormal romance | Sept 26
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
Jillian Nejat is the only dating and relationship expert on the planet who is incapable of speaking to men. If they’re living, if they’re breathing, it’s game over. With her bank account at zero, her career a dumpster fire, and her dating life in a ten-year slump, she moves into a tiny, dirt-cheap NYC apartment. Unfortunately, the apartment is already occupied. Daniel (no-last-name) is a sexy, shirtless, six-pack wielding heartthrob who is also…dead. He isn’t living. He isn’t breathing. He’s a ghost. He’s also the only man on the planet who Jillian can talk to.

Hell of an Angel* | Paranormal romance | Oct 24
Bookshop (unavailable) | Amazon (KU) | Libro.fm
Good and evil are—temporarily—working together. And might even be having steamy fun…if it wasn’t for a rather inconvenient threat trying to unleash the apocalypse, once and for all.

Do Your Worst* | Paranormal romance | Nov 14
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
Sparks fly when an occult expert and a disgraced archeologist become enemies-with-benefits in this steamy romance.

Historical Romance

The Duke and the Dressmaker* | Historical Romance / Fairytale Retelling | Sept 4th
Bookshop (unavailable) | Amazon (KU) | Libro.fm
Dressmaker Miss Lily Martin knows too well the sordid dealings of London’s corrupt underbelly. She should have known borrowing from one of the city’s most reviled moneylenders was risky. Horribly so. Now the loan has come due—and there’s nothing standing between Miss Lily and her darling sister’s ruin. Until a dashing American with flashing, defiant eyes intervenes…

The Duke’s Best Friend* | 5th in a series | Sept 5th
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
Henry Deeping and Kate Meacham seem to clash every time they meet. Kate is frustrated by the change in her status following the death of her grandfather, a legendary figure in diplomatic circles. As a lone single woman, she is now effectively nobody, even though she knows everyone and has made important contributions to diplomacy in the past. Henry, just joining the Foreign Office, is wondering how to make his mark. They agree to an exchange—Henry will serve as Kate’s escort to important events to which she is no longer invited, and Kate will introduce him to the important people she knows so well. But when they spot a foreign agent they thought had been apprehended, they decide to investigate on their own, enlisting a motley group of friends and relying on each other to uncover the truth…

The Duchess and the Wolf* | Historical romance | Sept 18th
Bookshop unavailable | Amazon (KU) | Libro.fm
Susannah Fletcher has everything a young lady could want, the attentions of well-to-do duke, and a reputation as spotless as an angel’s petticoats. Yet, she would throw it all away for one opportunity to perform her music on stage–scandalous as that may be. Which is precisely when the rich and menacing “Wolf of Mayfair” makes her an offer she couldn’t possibly refuse…

Every Duke Has His Day* | Historical Romcom | Sept 19
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
When the two dogs and their “people” meet in the park, chaos ensues and unknowingly results in a dog swap. Which means Lancelot is kidnapped instead of Galahad! But when both dogs go missing in an ever thickening dognapping plot, Michael and Elizabeth end up coming together to scour London, recover Lancelot and Galahad all while falling in love.

The Duke Gets Desperate | Victorian Age / Historical romance | Sept 26
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
Diana Quincy returns with a steamy affair between an Arab-American woman who inherits a run-down castle in the English countryside and the duke who asserts the castle is his, in the first book in a brand-new Victorian historical romance series.

The Truth About Myths* | Historical romance / Portugal / Royalty | Sept 20
Bookshop unavailable | Amazon (KU) | Libro.fm (no audio yet!)
A prudish princess on a mission…
Princess Isabel de Orleans would do anything for Portugal. When her brother, the king, asks for her help, she agrees to travel to Spain to defuse a diplomatic crisis.
A beloved rake as a babysitter…
Henrique, Viscount Penafiel, has no roots. He prepares to sail to greener pastures when his best friend blackmails him into accompanying the princess to an aristocratic-filled seaside resort.

Dreaming of a Duke Like You | Historical romance | Oct 10
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
It’s “loathe at first sight” for this gaming hell owner and spinster, but if they play their cards right, they both may win in the end . . .

Never Met a Duke Like You | Historical romance / Taming of the Dukes book 2 | Nov 14
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm
But when an accident of fate traps the friends-turned-enemies in an attic together, the explosive attraction between them becomes impossible to ignore and even harder to resist. They are total opposites and their lives don’t align in the slightest, but fate, the ultimate matchmaker, appears to have other plans . . .

A Lady’s Rules for Ruin | Historical romance | Nov 28
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm (no audio links yet!)
A woman stages her own ruination, only to find herself at odds with a charming marquess in need of a wife in USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Haymore’s charming new regency romance.

Fantasy & Sci-fi

Galatea* | Short story / Mythology / Rerelease | Sept 5th
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An enchanting short story from Madeline Miller that boldly reimagines the myth of Galatea and Pygmalion, now in hardcover for the first time.

Assistant to the Villain* | Fantasy Rom Com | Sept 5th
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Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.

Witch of Wild Things | Fantasy Romance / Magical Realism | Sept 12
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Sage Flores has been running from her family—and their “gifts”—ever since her younger sister Sky died. Eight years later, Sage reluctantly returns to her hometown. Like slipping into an old, comforting sweater, Sage takes back her job at Cranberry Rose Company and uses her ability to communicate with plants to discover unusual heritage specimens in the surrounding lands.

Anna Dressed in Blood* | YA Paranormal / re-release | Sept 12
Bookshop (2012 edition) | Amazon (2023 edition) | Libro.fm
Searching for a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas expects the track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

Fall of Ruin and Wrath | Fantasy romance | Sept 12th
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Long ago, the world was destroyed by gods. Only nine cities were spared. Separated by vast wilderness teeming with monsters and unimaginable dangers, each city is now ruled by a guardian―royalty who feed on mortal pleasure.

Heart of Night and Fire* | Fantasy romance | Sept 15th
Bookshop | Amazon (KU)| Libro.fm (not available)
A city of magic. A passion born in dreams. A secret that will set their world aflame.
Packed with enemies-to-lovers tension, heart-pounding action and devastating twists, The Nightfire Quartet is an epic fantasy romance that begins with a slow burn and builds in intensity. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout and Carissa Broadbent.

The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic | Fantasy / Romance / Cozy Mystery | Sept 19
Bookshop | Amazon | Libro.fm (not available)
For fans of Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls, The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic is a debut novel that explores the shields we build around our hearts to retain our own magic.

If I Have to Be Haunted* | YA Fantasy / Ghosts / Urban fantasy | Sept 26
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Cemetery Boys meets Legendborn in this thrillingly romantic, irresistibly fun YA contemporary fantasy debut following a teenage Chinese American ghost speaker who (reluctantly) makes a deal to raise her nemesis from the dead.

Starling House* | Fantasy / Gothic / Mystery / Romance | Oct 3
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A grim and gothic new tale from author Alix E. Harrow about a small town haunted by secrets that can’t stay buried and the sinister house that sits at the crossroads of it all.

The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch* | Pride and Prejudice reimagining / Fantasy / Historical fiction / Romance | Oct 3
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A sparkling, witchy reimagining of Pride and Prejudice, told from the perspective of the troublesome and—according to her—much-maligned youngest Bennet sister, Lydia.

The Hurricane Wars | YA Fantasy romance | Oct 3
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An exquisite fantasy brimming with unforgettable characters, sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance, and richly drawn worlds, The Hurricane Wars marks the breathtaking debut of an extraordinary new writer.

Shield Maiden* | Fantasy / Mythology / Historical fiction | Oct 3
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All her life, Fryda has longed to be a shield maiden, an honor reserved for Geatland’s mightiest warriors. When a childhood accident leaves her tragically injured and unfit for the battlefield, her dreams are dashed—or so she thinks. But a strange, unfathomable power is awakening within her, a power that will soon be put to the test.

Lilith* | Mythology Retelling / Historical fiction | Oct 17
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In the tradition of Madeline Miller and Claire North, Lilith is the story of the first woman, who was expelled from Paradise for disobedience. In this retelling of the Hebrew myth [NM1] that justified and explained woman’s subjection to man, Lilith will have her revenge – however long it takes.

Alone With You in the Ether | Fantasy / romance | Paperback edition | Oct 26
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From Olivie Blake, the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six, comes an intimate and contemporary study of time, space, and the nature of love. Alone with You in the Ether explores what it means to be unwell, and how to face the fractures of yourself and still love as if you’re not broken.

What the River Knows | YA Fantasy / Historical fiction / romance / mystery | Oct 31
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Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who frequently leave her behind.

Bookshops & Bonedust* | Cozy fantasy / prequel | Nov 7
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When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn’t always what we seek.

In Bookshops & Bonedust, a prequel to Legends & Lattes, New York Times bestselling author Travis Baldree takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and second-hand book

The Future* | Science fiction / dystopia / LGBTQ+ | Nov 7
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From the award-winning, bestselling author of The Power comes a white-knuckle tour de force and dazzling exploration of the world we have made and where we are going.

The Princess of Thornwood Drive | Fantasy | Nov 7
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Two sisters are trapped on opposite sides of reality in this entrancing and deeply moving debut novel that weaves together a contemporary narrative with a parallel fantasy world.  

Calamity* | Science fiction / romance | Nov 14
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Bramble’s inaugural debut is equal parts steamy interstellar romance and sci-fi adventure, perfect for fans of Firefly and Ilona Andrews.

She’s got a ramshackle spaceship, a misfit crew, and a big problem with its sexy newest member…

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love* | YA Fantasy / Romance / LGBTQ+ | Nov 28
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Heartstopper meets A Knight’s Tale in this queer medieval rom-com YA debut about love, friendship, and being brave enough to change the course of history.

Godly Heathens* | YA Fantasy / LGBTQ+ | Nov 28
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Infatuation. Reincarnation. Damnation.
Gem Echols is a nonbinary Seminole teen living in the tiny town of Gracie, Georgia. Known for being their peers’ queer awakening, Gem leans hard on charm to disguise the anxious mess they are beneath. The only person privy to their authentic self is another trans kid, Enzo, who’s a thousand long, painful miles away in Brooklyn.

Everything else

Suddenly a Murder | YA Thriller | Sept 5th
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Seven friends throw a 1920s-themed party, where it’s all pretend–until one of them is murdered. One of Us Is Lying meets Knives Out in this killer locked-room mystery.

Cities of Women* | Historical fiction | Sept 5th
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Cities of Women is a work of historical literary fiction inspired by a decade of research on the medieval life and times of the proto-feminist, Christine de Pizan, the first European woman of letters to support herself as a writer. Like A.S. Byatt’s Possession, the story moves between present and past in a dual narrative, evoking the spare joys and monumental pitfalls facing medieval women artists, and a contemporary woman who becomes obsessed with medieval books.

Punished for Dreaming* | Nonfiction / Education | Sept 12th
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In Punished for Dreaming Dr. Bettina Love argues forcefully that Reagan’s presidency ushered in a War on Black Children, pathologizing and penalizing them in concert with the War on Drugs. New policies punished schools with policing, closure, and loss of funding in the name of reform, as white savior, egalitarian efforts increasingly allowed private interests to infiltrate the system. These changes implicated children of color, and Black children in particular, as low performing, making it all too easy to turn a blind eye to their disproportionate conviction and incarceration. Today, there is little national conversation about a structural overhaul of American schools; cosmetic changes, rooted in anti-Blackness, are now passed off as justice.

Counting the Cost | Memoir / Reality Star | Sept 12
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For the first time, discover the unedited truth about the Duggars, the traditional Christian family that captivated the nation on TLC’s hit show 19 Kids and Counting . Jill Duggar and her husband Derick are finally ready to share their story, revealing the secrets, manipulation, and intimidation behind the show that remained hidden from their fans.

Death and the Sisters* | Historical fiction / Mystery | Sept 26
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The tangled relationships between Frankenstein author Mary Shelley, poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Mary’s stepsister Jane Clairmont form the backdrop for an intriguing historical mystery, set in London in 1814, that explores the complex dynamic between sisters and the birth of teenaged Mary’s creative genius.

Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein* | Historical fiction / LGBTQ+ | Oct 3
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A novel of innocence, young love, and gothic mystery that is a sapphic reimagining of Mary Shelley’s life, and a wonderfully imaginative exploration of the roots of her literary masterpiece, Frankenstein.

The Blue Monsoon | Thriller | Oct 24
Bookshop | Amazon (KU w/ audio) | Libro.fm (not available)
A ritual murder at a Mumbai temple exposes the city’s dark secrets and ravages the personal life of a detective in this sequel to The Blue Bar.

Blood Sisters* | Thriller | Oct 31
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A visceral and compelling mystery about a Cherokee archeologist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs who is summoned to rural Oklahoma to investigate the disappearance of two women…one of them her sister.

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord | Cozy mystery / historical fiction | Nov 14
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Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie in Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord, a dazzling first entry in a terrific new Regency-era mystery series with a feminist spin.

Highly anticipated sequels

The Fragile Threads of Power* | Sequel series to Shades of Magic | Oct 3
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and set in the world of A Darker Shade of Magic, V. E. Schwab opens a new door into perilous adventure and tangled schemes with The Fragile Threads of Power.

Iron Flame | Fantasy / Romance / Romantasy | Nov 7
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I. CAN’T. WAIT!!!! I’ve already pre-ordered 3 copies.