Tag: best books I've read lately

The Best Books I Read in November (2025)

In November, I read 15 books, bringing my total for the year to 213 books read. Of those, three of them were excellent reads.

Hell Bent, by Devon Monk. This is the first book in a spinoff series to the Allie Beckstrom series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love Shamus from the original series, so I loved getting to spend so much time in his head.

The Rebel and the Rose, by Catherine Doyle. This is the second book in a series–and I haven’t read the first book-but I loved it from the first page! So much action and banter and sarcasm, and the world was well-drawn and intriguing. Can’t wait to read more!

Persephone’s Curse, by Katrina Leno. This had a very small setting–most of the book took place inside a single house–but it felt like a truly expansive read. The sisters were each such vivid characters, and I loved getting to know the entire family.

The Best Books I Read in October (2025)

In October, I read 14 books, bringing my total for the year to 197 books read. Honestly, I don’t feel like I read very much–and most of what I did read was either meh or okay. But there were three books I read that were really good!

Falling Into a Sea of Stars, by Kristen Britain. I’ve loved this series all along, and I loved this, too. Karigan is such a great character, and I love the tension between her and the king. I binge-read this in a single weekend.

The Memory Gardener, by Meg Donohue. This was so good! The characters were great–vibrant and quirky–and the setting was fantastic. Oceanview Home became such a great setting! And the gardens. I loved the gardens. All of them.

Magic for a Price, by Devon Monk. How did I read this series over a decade ago, when they first came out, and somehow not read the final book in the series? I enjoyed this wrap-up! I listened to it on audio, and truly enjoyed that aspect of it. Shamus is my fave!

Sundays are for Writing #339

This was a fantastic writing week! I wrote three book reviews, Fallen City, by Adrienne Young, The Forget-Me-Not Library, by Heather Webber, and An Academic Affair, by Jodi McAlister as well as my September reading post and my post on the best books I read in September.

Happy writing!

The Best Books I Read in September (2025)

In September, I read 17 books, bringing my total for the year to 183 books read. I also DNFed six books. Of the 17 books I finished, most were solid reads, a handful were meh, and three were really excellent.

The White Octopus Hotel, by Alexandra Bell. This was historical fiction mixed with a bit of magic, and it was truly a lovely read. Great characters, an enchanting setting, and enough magic to keep it interesting.

Introducing Mrs. Collins, by Rachel Parris. A Pride and Prejudice spinoff about Charlotte Lucas? I was immediately intrigued. And reading about this character, who I never really gave much thought to before, was just so enjoyable. Yes, we get to see a few P&P scenes from a different set of eyes, which was wonderful, but Charlotte was fascinating in her own right.

The Forget-Me-Not Library, by Heather Webber. Sweet Southern fiction with a touch of magic? Yes, please. Y’all, I don’t even like small towns, and I loved Forget-Me-Not. Every character in this was fantastic and believable, and I loved both Juliet’s and Tallulah’s (How’s that for a Southern name?) journeys.

The Best Books I Read in August (2025)

In August, I read 21 books, bringing my total for the year to 166 books. Of those 21, most were solid reads, a couple were “meh,” and a handful were great reads.

A Dark and Deadly Journey, by Julia Kelly. This is the third book in this WWII-era spy series, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all three. The main characters are strong and intriguing, and it’s a lot of fun watching them solve the crimes in the stories. And of course, that’s my favorite era for historical fiction.

The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake, by Rachel Linden. I enjoyed this so much! The touch of magic, the second-chance romance, the family drama, the setting, the food…all of it worked so well together to make this such a great read.

Glorious Rivals, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I cleared my reading schedule for the weekend when this came out, so I could just enjoy what a fun read this was! I’m not smart enough to have survived more than three minutes of the game, but I really love all the characters and their messes.

The Best Books I Read in June (2025)

In June, I read 21 books and DNFed 10 more (!). Of those 21 books, several were really excellent reads.

The Firebird, by Susanna Kearsley. I’m really enjoying this dual timeline/historical fiction mashup. The characters are great, and I’m loving both the characters in the present and the past.

Den of Liars, by Jessica S. Olson. I loved this! The world is fascinating (and basically the entire thing takes place in a fantastical casino), and the characters were engrossing. I was sucked in from the beginning and couldn’t put it down!

The Alchemy of Flowers, by Laura Resau. Who wouldn’t want to run away from their grief and sadness and live in a magical treehouse in the middle of a garden of flowers that talk to you? I’m not sure what else to say about this novel…

The Best Books I Read in May (2025)

In May, I read 21 books. There were a couple of “meh” reads plus a handful I DNFed, but there were also several that were really good.

The Winter Sea, by Susanna Kearsley. I loved this novel-within-a-novel! The setting—in both stories/timelines—was vividly drawn, and I just enjoyed the characters so much. Can’t wait to read the next one (which I’m doing right now).

A Forgery of Fate, by Elizabeth Lim. Elizabeth Lim is a talented writer, and this story was no exception. I found the setting quite unique, and I enjoyed the cultures and the characters.

River Road, by Charles Martin. Yes, he’s my favorite author, but it was fascinating to see not only how his writing skills grew in these essays, but how his childhood shaped him into the man that writes such powerful stories.

The Best Books I Read in April (2025)

In April, I read 21 books, bringing my total for the year to 86 books read. I also DNFed six books. OF those 21 books, three were really excellent.

The Beekeeper’s Promise, by Fiona Valpy. This had been on my TBR pile for a while, and I’m so glad I got around to it! Love me some World War II historical fiction. And this made me crave honey!

The Love Haters, by Katherine Center. I usually look forward to Katherine Center’s novels, because I know there’s going to be some laughs, some solid characters, and usually some swoon-worthy moments. This did not disappoint.

My Friends, by Fredrik Backman. The first Backman book I read was Beartown. I could not care less about sports and I don’t like small towns, but I was enthralled in that book. And My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry is probably in my top ten favorite books ever. So when I tell you that My Friends was just as good? You should read it!

Sundays are for Writing #323

This was a good writing week! I wrote my March reading post, my best books I read in March post, Austen at Sea, by Natalie Jenner, and Time Loops & Meet Cutes, by Jackie Lau.

Happy writing!

The Best Books I Read in March (2025)

In March, I read 23 books, bringing my total for the year to 65 books read. I also DNFed five books. Of the 23 books I finished, most were solid, several were meh, and three were really good.

Magic to the Bone, by Devon Monk. I read these books years ago when they first came out, and decided to re-read. I actually enjoyed this just as much as I did the first time around (unusual for a re-read like this). I like the world and the characters and am looking forward to re-reading more.

The Notorious Virtues, by Alwyn Hamilton. I loved the steampunk feel of this, loved the characters, and enjoyed the setting and worldbuilding quite a bit. I’m looking forward to reading more.

The Amalfi Curse, by Sarah Penner. I was intrigued by this from the beginning. The setting and premise was unique to me, and I enjoyed the characters in both timelines a lot.