Goodreads users have long complained about those annoying 1-star or 5-star reviews for books that don’t even exist. As in… OMG, I love this author so much that as soon as a new book is announced, I’m going to go give it 5 stars! And of course, the opposite as well: This author sucks, and I know this new book will suck too, no matter what it is, so I’m sticking it with a 1-star rating!
Those of us who are long-term, regular Goodreads users have expressed frustration over this for years — and I can only imagine how disheartening it is for authors to see their upcoming new releases getting rated before their content has even been shared. These pre-release ratings — especially when ARCs aren’t even available yet — skew numbers and overall make the general rating scores less meaningful.
As of this month, Goodreads is taking action to address this issue. They’ve introduced new guidelines and controls for pre-release ratings, requiring reviewers to identify the source of the copy they’ve read before being able to save a rating. The specifics can be found here, but I’m sharing a screenshot for convenience as well:
I decided to test this out for myself! I went to the page for a not-yet-published book on my to-read shelf, and clicked on the stars underneath the book image to add a rating. Here’s what pops up next:
After clicking the Netgalley option, this is what I see:
And that’s it! Looks like I can go ahead and submit the rating at this point. (I didn’t — I didn’t actually read the book I picked, and I’m not sure it’s even available for review yet.)
Will this help fix the problem?
Well, maybe a little bit. It still relies on users’ honesty and integrity. There’s nothing to stop me from submitting this, and I’m not under the impression that the source choice is actually verified in any way. (That seems like it would be an impossible task, given the millions of people who review on Goodreads.)
I do think one little detail may help rein in those who want to rate without reading (#2 in the guidelines above):
Tell us where you received the book (ex. directly from an author, publisher or other source). Once submitted, you cannot edit or delete your book source. Your book source will be displayed on the book page when you write a review alongside your rating.
Here’s a screenshot of what this looks like, appearing at the top of a posted review:
The source entry can’t be changed or removed — so it’s kind of like it’s going on your permanent record. Will that make people think twice about submitting invalid reviews? Will that lead to more policing by Goodreads or publishers, or possible reports from other Goodreads users to note if someone seems to be abusing the pre-release ratings function?
Final note: While the source is required before sharing a rating, users can still post review content without the extra step. So, for those dying to say… OMG this is my favorite author and everything they write is amazing and this book will be too — they still can! They just can’t tack 5 stars onto the gushing comments any longer… unless they want to.
Hmmm. Call me skeptical, but after writing all of this, I don’t see this new approach actually making a difference.
What do you think? Will this new approach improve the Goodreads rating accuracy? Or is this just a band-aid for a problem that can’t be solved, other than by blocking any ratings until a book actually comes out?
Spell the Month in Books is a monthly meme hosted by Jana at Reviews from the Stacks. To participate, find a book title that starts with each letter in the month’s name, make a list, share your link, and that’s it! You can share anytime by the end of the month. Some months have additional themes, but feel free to participate however you’d like!
This month’s theme is Giftable: Books you would give or like to receive as a gift. Let’s see what I can come up with…
Here are my DECEMBER books:
D:
Dear Lord Akeldama by Gail Carriger:
A terrific gift for fans of the author’s Parasol-verse books.
E:
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
I love this author’s books, and this special edition of her first novel is gorgeous!
C:
Clanlands by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish
Perfect for Outlander fans — need I say more?
E:
Everything On It by Shel Silverstein
Shel Silverstein books are always great gifts… and I’d argue that they make great gifts for all ages, not just children!
M:
Mythos by Stephen Fry
A big, coffee table-sized book with beautiful illustrations — a terrific accompaniment for the Mythos audiobook (which I highly recommend).
B:
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
Cozy fantasy is never a bad gift option, and the bookshop setting is a plus!
E:
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
I love this series, and the first book is wonderful. It would make a great gift for someone who loves fantasy worlds and portal fiction.
R:
Robots vs. Fairies edited by Dominik Parisien & Navah Wolfe
Sci-fi? Fantasy? Why choose just one! I’m including this books as a really fun pick for gift giving — it’s a terrific collection of short stories, and I don’t think it’s widely known, so it should be new to whoever you give it to!
Wishing everyone a very happy December! If you spelled the month in books, please leave me a link to your post — I’d love to see it!
A question came up for me this week: Should book bloggers do research before posting reviews?
What got me thinking about this topic was a comment I received on a book review I posted several weeks ago. I didn’t love the book, and explained why.
In the review, I stated that the book is apparently a stand-alone. A commenter informed me that they found my statement confusing, because the author had stated in interviews that this book was intended to have follow-ups involving some of the supporting characters. Additionally, I mentioned some elements of the setting and world-building that I found odd or muddled. The commenter again referred to author interviews, which explain why she chose to include some of the elements that I found out of place, and also mentioned that some of this was addressed in the author’s notes at the end of the book.
Note: Because I’d read the book via audiobook, I did not have access to the author’s notes — which is a pet peeve of mine when it comes to audiobooks, but that’s a topic for another day!
All this is fine. I appreciate hearing more information and getting other perspectives, and it was good to know that this author’s fans seem to enjoy the book more than I did.
What puzzles me, though, is the implication that I should have known these pieces of information prior to posting a review. This raises a few questions for me:
Do book bloggers have an obligation — to the author or to other readers — to track down answers to questions, Google facts about their books, check out author posts, etc before sharing a review, especially one that might not be 4- or 5-stars? Essentially, is it a reasonable expectation that bloggers do more than “just” read the book before posting a review?
In the case of this particular book, it was by an author I’d read before, but not recently. I thought it sounded interesting, so I grabbed the audiobook when it became available. This isn’t an author I follow on social media or elsewhere.
Before writing my review, I checked out the available information on Goodreads. There was no indication that this is part of a series. I looked at the book’s description on retail sites. Again, nothing to indicate that this is anything but a standalone. Without going out looking for more information, all I could go by was what was in front of me — and to me, that appeared to indicate that this book was a stand-alone.
Could I have learned more if I’d searched for interviews and profiles of the author, or checked out their social feeds? Sure. But should these additional steps be an obligation before writing a review? I think not.
My stance is that the reading experience should speak for itself. Sure, it’s fun to follow authors and dig deeper, especially when it comes to our favorites — to understand inspiration, to learn about what might be next, to get more details on the plot and characters, to get insight into intention, writing process, and more.
But also — that shouldn’t be necessary in order to share my feelings about a book. As a casual reviewer, I see my book reviews as expressions of my reactions and thoughts. I don’t pretend to be a journalist or a literary critic! I certainly don’t claim to have any expertise in regard to any particular book, beyond being an avid reader. In general, my reviews are simply my way of sharing my responses to books I’ve read. And with that approach, a deeper dive isn’t always needed.
What I like to focus on is how I felt while reading: Was I interested? Emotionally invested? Compelled to keep going? Or perhaps, confused or bored, or not blown away? Did the book itself make me want to know more about its subject or author? Or was I content to finish the book, whether I loved it or not, and then put it away?
Personally, I don’t feel obligated to look at media coverage or author reviews before posting a review. I share reviews to express my reactions to the books I read. Sometimes I’ll dig deeper or go looking for more information, especially if a book blows me away or sparks my interest in a new or unusual topic — but more often, I write my reviews based on the actual book content, and nothing else. This may not be everyone’s approach, but it works for me.
What do you think? Do you feel obligated to go beyond the book before writing a review? Why or why not?
Title: Anne of Avenue A Series: For the Love of Austen, #3 Author: Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding Narrators: Brittany Pressley and Teddy Hamilton Publisher: Gallery Books Publication date: October 28, 2025 Print length: 336 pages Audio length: 8 hours 5 minutes Genre: Contemporary romance Source: Library Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Jane Austen’s Persuasion meets the Big Apple in this swoon-worthy holiday romance from the authors of the “charming” (Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times bestselling author) Elizabeth of East Hampton and Emma of 83rd Street.
Eight years ago, Anne Elliot broke Freddie Wentworth’s heart when she refused to give up her five-year plan for the sake of adventure. But despite big dreams, Anne, now thirty, is still living at home with hardly a plan in sight. Anne tries to be optimistic—she knows better than anyone that regret will get you nowhere—but that goes out when the window when, thanks to her father’s bad spending habits, her childhood apartment in is rented out to the very man still living in her head rent-free.
Freddie Wentworth never thought he would see Anne Elliot again after she dumped him for accepting a job overseas. He spent years trying to forget her, and he’s been mostly successful. So when a job opportunity takes him back to New York, he’s shocked to find out that Anne is not only his new neighbor, but also the former resident of his new Greenwich Village penthouse.
Nearly a decade after Anne and Freddie’s fateful romance, the only thing they still have in common is a desire to leave their relationship firmly in the past. But between a disastrous off-Broadway show and a drunken Thanksgiving dinner, nosey neighbors, and flirtatious friends, Anne and Freddie suddenly find their lives more intertwined than ever before. When old feelings start rising to the surface, they must decide whether to put their hearts on the line or walk away all over again.
Welcome back to the world of For the Love of Austen, a delightful series of contemporary retellings of Jane Austen classics by author duo Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding. In this third installment, the authors tackle Persuasion, transposing it to a modern-day New York setting, and finding a way to make this tale of regret and second chances feel fresh and believable.
Anne Elliot and Freddie Wentworth dated throughout their college years at NYU and thought they’d be together forever, until a late-in-the-game discovery that their future plans didn’t match up led to a devastating break-up. Now, eight years later, Freddie has returned to New York — and inadvertently buys the apartment that Anne has just been forced to move out of thanks to her father’s financial messiness. Neither Anne nor Freddie has ever truly gotten over their breakup, and running into one another in the building is shocking, to say the least.
As they reunite in Anne of Avenue A, both are older and wiser, with professional accomplishments under their belts, yet both are also at a crossroads in terms of what to do next with their careers. As they slowly reconnect and learn to trust again, they have to balance what they want in their own lives against the risk of considering a future together. It’s quite delicious to see them start to warm up and spend time together, especially as they realize that the feelings they’ve never been able to fully let go of are shared by the other person.
I love that the authors present the basics of the Austen storyline without following it point by point. Yes, this modern-day version of Anne was also persuaded to refuse Freddie for practical reasons — but the advice she follows does actually make sense, and Anne’s reasoning is solid (if unromantic). She and Freddie hadn’t discussed their long term plans or the post-graduate programs they’d applied to. Anne may not have known exactly what she wanted to do career-wise, but following Freddie on his adventures was a risk she didn’t feel she could take. And while Freddie would have given up his own plans to stay with Anne, she knew she couldn’t ask that of him, and ended the relationship instead.
The supporting characters are lots of fun — mainly some quirky characters from the building, plus assorted family members. The male leads from the previous two books are back as well, since Freddie is close friends with Will Darcy and George Knightly — this gives us a nice opportunity to see what the couples from the other books are up to now, and it’s great to see Emma, Lizzie, and Anne spending time together and becoming friends.
Many familiar Persuasion beats are included. I was very curious about how the dramatic fall-from-the-Cobb scene might be included in Anne of Avenue A… and it’s decidedly nondramatic here, with a silly New York slice-of-life twist to it that prevents it from bringing down the generally upbeat vibe. I’m consistently entertained throughout this series by spotting the Austen moments and how they’ve been reshaped to fit the modern world.
You might be wondering if Anne of Avenue A could possibly find a way to fit in some of the best Persuasion lines… and the answer is yes!
“You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope.”
If these words make you swoon, well… you may be amused by how the authors incorporate these words into their story, and you certainly won’t be unsatisfied!
As with the previous two audiobooks, the narrators do a terrific job presenting chapters from Anne and Freddie’s perspectives. Brittany Pressley is especially delightful to listen to in these books, and she’s truly up there on my list of favorite audiobook narrators. Teddy Hamilton’s delivery doesn’t always quite work for me, but I suppose I’ve gotten used to him at this point. Overall, the audiobook experience moves quickly and feels lively and engaging.
Three books in, I know by now to expect that there will be at least one or two open door sex scenes. As I’ve said in my other reviews for this series, I really don’t need to see Austen characters having explicit sex! It feels weirdly intrusive… but I’ll also acknowledge that I prefer a closed door approach in general when it comes to romance novels, so my objection here is not only related to this particular series.
My minor quibble with the story is that Anne finds a new career in the blink of an eye, and it seems like a lovely opportunity for her… but I wasn’t convinced that her new business made sense in terms of what we’d come to know about her interests. Also, from a practical standpoint, I didn’t quite buy that she was able to become an equal business partner in her new venture without (seemingly) any financial investment — rather than, say, coming on board as an employee — but who am I to argue with a woman’s professional success in a romance novel?
Overall, I really enjoyed Anne of Avenue A. The stakes are perhaps a little lower than in the other books, but I still found it engaging, warm, and full of Austen-esque spark.
I’ve been seeing the For the Love of Austen books being referred to as a trilogy, and I’m hoping that’s because there are three books SO FAR, and not because they’re stopping at just three! Here’s hoping that retellings of Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, and Mansfield Park are in the works!
Purchase links: Amazon – Audible – Bookshop.org – Libro.fm Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
An irresistible modern fairy tale about a British princess who must decide between her duty to her family—or to her own heart.
It’s New Year’s Day in Australia and the life Lexi Villiers has carefully built is working out nicely: she’s in the second year of her medical residency, she lives on a beautiful farm with her two best friends Finn and Jack, and she’s about to finally become more-than-friendly with Jack—when a helicopter abruptly lands.
Out steps her grandmother’s right-hand-man, with the tragic news that her father and older brother have been killed in a skiing accident. Lexi’s grandmother happens to be the Queen of England, and in addition to the shock and grief, Lexi must now accept the reality that she is suddenly next in line for the throne—a role she has publicly disavowed.
Returning to London as the heir apparent Princess Alexandrina, Lexi is greeted by a skeptical public not ready to forgive her defection, a grieving sister-in-law harboring an explosive secret, and a scheming uncle determined to claim the throne himself.
Her recent life—and Jack—grow ever more distant as she feels the tug of tradition, of love for her grandmother, and of obligation. When her grandmother grants her one year to decide, Lexi must choose her own destiny: will it be determined by an accident of birth—or by love?
The Heir Apparent is the newest pick for Reese’s Book Club, and it’s a great choice. Luckily for me, I was browsing my library’s website on the day this was announced, and was able to snag a copy right away.
Let’s start by talking about what this book isn’t, before I get into all the marvelous things it is. If all you’re going by are the cover and the blurb, you might be tempted to slot this book into the romance category, and that would be a mistake. Don’t be fooled by the “modern fairy tale” description — it’s really no such thing. This isn’t a story about a commoner suddenly discovering she’s secretly royal or getting swept away by a romance with a prince. In fact, while there is a love story embedded within the novel, it’s just one thread out of many that weave together to form a compelling whole.
I actually think the Australian cover and synopsis do a much better job of conveying the book’s tone and content:
Lexi Villiers is a 29-year-old Englishwoman doing her medical residency in Hobart, working too hard, worried about her bank balance, and living with friends. It’s a good life, and getting even better, because as the dawn is breaking on New Year’s Day, Lexi is about to kiss the man she loves for the very first time. But by midnight, everything will change. Because Lexi is in fact not an ordinary young woman. She is Princess Alexandrina, third in line to the British throne – albeit estranged from the rest of her family and living in voluntary exile on the other side of the world. Following a terrible accident, Lexi finds herself the heir apparent. Called back to do her duty, she arrives in London to a Palace riven with power plays and media leaks, all the while guarding painful secrets of her own.
Doesn’t that sound very different?
In The Heir Apparent, Lexi is a medical resident in Tasmania, living in a shared cottage on a vineyard with her two closest friends, possibly about to admit the deep feelings she has for one of them. She’s also the granddaughter of Queen Eleanor of England, third in line to the throne after her father and twin (but two-minutes-older) brother Louis.
As the book opens, a helicopter arrives to inform Lexi that her father and brother have been killed in an avalanche while skiing in the Alps. Lexi is whisked back to England to take her place with the family for the elaborate rituals of mourning — and to take up her new position as heir apparent.
Lexi is all too aware of what this means. No more medical career, a life lived fully under the microscope of public (and paparazzi) scrutiny, the never-ending drama of palace intrigue and back-biting and scandalous leaks. And she should know, better than anyone: Her mother was the tragic Princess Isla, living in a loveless marriage while her husband pined (and carried on with) his first true love, eventually divorced, stripped of titles and protection, and the most gossiped about woman in the world. Lexi is still haunted by nightmares related to Isla’s tragic death when Lexi and Louis were teens. How can Lexi embrace a life that destroyed her mother so thoroughly?
At the same time, Lexi loves her grandmother and was raised with duty to the Crown as the highest calling. As Lexi navigates a return to life as a royal, she must weight the responsibilities and privileges hurtling toward her. The Queen gives her a year to make a decision: Accept her place as heir apparent and all that entails, or walk away permanently.
If the general outline of the royal family sounds familiar, but slightly changed, there’s a reason. In the world of The Heir Apparent, royal history veered from our own centuries earlier, when Barbara Villiers — historically, mistress to King Charles II — became Queen. Here, the royal family is of the House Villiers, and Barbara is revered as the strong, intelligent queen who created a dynasty.
And yet, the parallels to the real-life royal family are obvious, from the long-lived Queen Eleanor to the scandals surrounding Lexi’s parents’ marriage and divorce, to her mother’s heroism in visiting war-torn countries and speaking out for children, to the unending speculation surrounding Isla’s death. Lexi is in some ways a stand-in for a certain prince, as she walked away from her role as a working royal years earlier in order to achieve a life of her own far, far away, resulting in estrangement from her father and brother. And of course, the palace leaks and manipulations in the novel are quite as devious and inescapable as we’ve heard described over and over again in real life.
What I loved about The Heir Apparent is the inner look at what this life means to Lexi. It’s not cut and dried; she’s bound by tradition, love for family, and the respect for the Crown that’s been drilled into her since birth. At the same time, she’s seen just how poisonous such a life can be, as the secrets that haunted her closest family members led to pain and suffering, over and over again. Lexi is a complex character who’s fought hard to pursue a life of meaning, choosing service as a medical professional over the much loftier type of service life as a royal entails, and she’s found joy in it. But she can’t walk away, once she becomes the heir apparent, before truly giving this alternate life a chance, weighing whether she can be the future Queen that her grandmother expects, as the world watches to judge whether she succeeds or fails.
The book is structured around the events following the helicopter’s arrival, but interspersed chapters take us back to Lexi’s childhood, teen, and early adult years. Secrets are teased and slowly doled out. We know there’s more than Lexi is sharing about her past; we know she’s haunted by the family estrangement and how she cut ties with her brother over the past several years. But as we see in the chapters set earlier, they were once incredibly close. How their lives split and fell apart is key to understanding who Lexi is now, as are the rest of the secrets that eventually get revealed as the story progresses.
An underlying theme throughout The Heir Apparent, beyond the family drama and palace intrigue, is the overarching question about the role and relevancy of a monarchy in the modern age, as well as the dark side of the monarchy’s history of colonialism and empire. The author does not shy away from these aspects, and this subtext provides yet another layer to Lexi’s struggle to understand her role, what’s expected of her, and what her choices ultimately mean.
For those who enjoy the peek-behind-the-scenes vibe of royal-themed novels and movies, there’s plenty of that here as well, as we see Lexi poked, prodded, smoothed, painted, and shaped into a princess worthy of public display. The inner workings of palace life are revealed, with scenes involving the various aides and assistants and vastly complex protocols that control every inch and second of royal family life.
The Heir Apparent is certain to appeal to fans of The Crown. Those who read and enjoyed Prince Harry’s Spare will find certain emotional resonances here as well in areas where Lexi’s experiences feel achingly familiar. I’ll throw in a more offbeat reference too: The Heir Apparent strongly brought to mind The Goblin Emperor, which is a stellar example of fantasy genre storytelling and world-building. The Goblin Emperor revolves around a character so far down the line of succession that he’s considered worthless — until a freak accident kills off the Emperor and all of the older heirs. In that book as well as this one, the main characters must navigate finding themselves heir to the throne when it was absolutely never even considered a possibility. It’s fascinating to compare the parallels in these very different stories.
Summing it all up…
Well-written, emotional, and utterly gripping, The Heir Apparent tells a great story while also providing food for thought and an emotionally relatable main character. I felt completely invested in Lexi’s choice, battling with myself over what the right decision might be, and unable to put the book down before we finally learn what Lexi’s path will be.
Even for readers who don’t normally take an interest in royalty, the experiences of the main character here make for compelling reading. Highly recommended.
Purchase links: Amazon – Audible — Bookshop.org – Libro.fm Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Books Set in Snowy Places.
Note: The Silent Land is an under-the-radar gem! I read it back before I was blogging, so I don’t have a blog-based review to share — but here’s what I posted on Goodreads at the time:
A couple on a romantic ski getaway in the Pyrenees is caught in a sudden, early morning avalanche on the ski slopes. When they finally manage to dig themselves out and find their way back down the mountain, they find their hotel and its village have been evacuated, and they’re completely alone. Or is there something else going on? “The Silent Land” is simply told, but does a masterful job of evoking the glory of a snowy mountain, the joy of being with a soulmate, and the disquiet of realizing that some things defy explanation, no matter how hard you try to understand it all. It’s hard to go any further without divulging spoilers, which I won’t do. Suffice it to say that “The Silent Land” is both beautiful and ominous, gave me the chills, and kept me intrigued enough that I ended up reading in all in one day. Definitely recommended.
Do you have any favorite books with snowy settings?
My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.
Life.
It’s been… a week. Work has been busy, and my free time for reading and relaxing seems to constantly get gobbled up by errands and other commitments. I’m looking forward to a slower second half of the month… and Hanukkah, starting this coming Sunday evening!
What did I read during the last week?
Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green: Highly recommended. See my review, here. Also included in the same review, Things My Son Needs to Know About the World by Fredrik Backman. Funny and heartwarming, this is a charming book that gave me a big boost just when I needed it.
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien: My book group’s latest project, finished after three months! It’s been a wonderful experience rereading this book and engaging in thoughtful discussions of each chapter. We’ll be starting The Return of the King in January.
And finishing up the excellent Rockton series:
The Deepest of Secrets (Rockton, #7) by Kelley Armstrong: The final Rockton novel! Just as fantastic as I’d expected. My review is here.
Dead Letter Days (Rockton, #7.5; Haven’s Rock, #0.5) by Kelley Armstrong: A follow-up novella bridging the end of the Rockton series and the beginning of Haven’s Rock. Loved it! My review is here.
Pop culture & TV:
I finished the first season of The Morning Show on AppleTV, and I’m curious to see where the story goes from here. The season was a bit uneven, but there are some true powerhouse performances throughout.
Meanwhile, I’ve started season two of A Man on the Inside on Netflix. So much fun!
Fresh Catch:
I won a giveaway from Simon & Schuster via Little Free Library! The theme was banned books, and these two lovely books arrived this week. They’re going into my LFL, of course (although I may hijack the Christina Lauren book and read it first). The picture book is adorable! I’ll be curious to see how quickly these two get snapped up.
I also treated myself, thanks to a gift card:
I’m a big fan of my daily dose of New York Times games, and the puzzle book looks perfect for me. I couldn’t resist getting a copy of the graphic novel version of The Parable of the Talents, even though I still haven’t read my edition of The Parable of the Sower graphic novel. I’ll aim to read both in the coming year!
What will I be reading during the coming week?
Currently in my hands:
The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage: This newest pick for Reese’s Book Club just happened to be available at the library for an instant borrow, so I grabbed it. So many contemporary royal-focused books are romances, but this one isn’t (at least, not as of what I’ve read so far). It’s very good, and I’m glad I decided to try it.
Now playing via audiobook:
Anne of Avenue A by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding: I really enjoyed the previous two books in this Austen-inspired romance series, so I couldn’t resist when the library had this newest available to borrow. This one is a retelling of Persuasion, and it’s great so far! I’m very close to the end already — can’t wait to see how it comes together.
Ongoing reads:
My longer-term reading commitments:
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen: My book group’s current classic read. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 10%. Coming up this week: Chapters 6 and 7.
The Nutcracker by E. T. A. Hoffman (illustrated by Maurice Sendak): I’m reading this to wrap up a challenge, and since it’s a chapter book, I’m taking my time and reading just one or two chapters per day. It’s funny to realize that I’ve never actually read the story, after a lifetime of going to Nutcracker performances!
Title: Dead Letter Days Series: Rockton, #7.5; Haven’s Rock, #0.5 Author: Kelley Armstrong Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Publication date: February 20, 2023 Length: 87 pages Genre: Thriller/mystery Source: Purchased Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Eric Dalton spent most of his life in Rockton, a hidden town in the Yukon for people who need to disappear. Now that sanctuary is gone, and he’s holed up in a wilderness lodge with his girlfriend, Casey Duncan, and their friends, as they scout for a place to build their own Rockton. When Eric and Casey find a literal message-in-a-bottle, it leads them to the mystery of a woman who went missing decades ago, having never received that vital message. As they investigate that cold case, Dalton must finally lay to rest the ghosts of his own past and make some overdue decisions before he’s ready to step forward in his new life with Casey.
Strictly for Rockton series readers, this tidy novella provide an engaging bridge between the completed series and the spin-off Haven’s Rock series. We’re treated to familiar characters in a new, transitional setting, as they prepare to move to a new town and start fresh, on their own terms.
In other words… if you haven’t read the Rockton books, this novella is not for you! BUT… it’s an excellent series, so consider this my friendly encouragement to go pick up book #1, City of the Lost!
In Dead Letter Days, the plot revolves around two sets of communications, rediscovered years after they were written. The first involves a mystery of a missing woman, which Casey feels compelled to investigate. The second hits much closer to home, as letters related to Eric’s childhood come to light and provide him with much needed explanations and an unexpected opportunity for closure.
The Rockton books are all told from Casey’s point of view, so it’s a treat here in Dead Letter Days to have Eric as the narrator. It’s our first time getting to see the world through his eyes, and it’s fascinating.
As I’ve said, this is absolutely not a stand-alone or an entry point — but it is a terrific read that fans should not miss!
As for me, I’m dying to dive right into the Haven’s Rock series… but I’m going to show just a tiny bit of restraint and hold off until the new year.
Title: The Deepest of Secrets Series: Rockton, #7 Author: Kelley Armstrong Publisher: Minotaur Books Publication date: February 15, 2022 Length: 341 pages Genre: Thriller/mystery Source: Purchased Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
#1 New York Times bestseller Kelley Armstrong returns to the captivating town of Rockton in The Deepest of Secrets, the next installment in one of the most imaginative crime series on shelves today.
It’s not always easy to live in the hidden town of Rockton, something Detective Casey Duncan knows firsthand. Tucked away in the Yukon wilderness, the community survives—and thrives—because the residents’ many secrets stay just that—secret.
But what happens when these secrets start to come out? Overnight, no one is safe. It’s not a question of if your secret will come out—but when.
Casey and her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, need to find the culprit while protecting those who have been thrust into the spotlight. For a place built on privacy and new beginnings, Rockton isn’t handling these revelations very well. People are turning on one another, and when one of the loudest complainers turns up barely alive, it’s clear that their trickster is actually a murderer.
The threat of exposure is reaching its breaking point, and no one knows what’s going to happen next.
And so, I reach the end of the Rockton series! I’ve loved it right from the start, and this 7th book ties the overarching story lines together while also providing a fresh new mystery to explore. It also neatly sets the stage for the author’s spin-off series, Haven’s Rock, which I’m so looking forward to reading in 2026!
As with my previous Rockton reviews, I’ll share a quick recap of the series premise:
Rockton is a secret hidden town in the Yukon wilderness, a haven for those seeking extreme shelter from dangers in their real lives — or those who’ve committed some sort of wrongdoing and need a place to start over. Rockton, population 200, is filled with an uneasy mix of crime victims and white-collar criminals — although as Sheriff Eric Dalton and Detective Casey Butler come to discover, the town council is willing to defy its own rules for a price and allow more dangerous people to take advantage of Rockton’s protection.
As The Deepest of Secrets opens, Casey and Eric and their closest friends are well aware that Rockton’s days are numbered. The powerful council, which funds the town, funnels new residents into Rockton, and approves or disapproves current residents’ extensions, is clearly on the path to shutting the entire thing down. As they wait for an official announcement, something occurs to disturb the calm — a sign is posted that exposes one very trusted resident’s secret past. Suddenly, there’s an uproar. People want this person expelled, but are also fearful about their own secrets coming to light.
As Casey investigates to determine the source, and whether other secrets are about to be exposed, blackmail and murder soon follow. And once the council makes Rockton’s imminent closure official, panic and mistrust become rampant. Casey and Eric race against the clock to find the person or people behind these newest crimes, while also being tasked with scheduling the evacuation of Rockton and then dismantling the entire town
Without going into further detail, I’ll just say that the mystery is handled exceptionally well, as in all of the books in this series. Seven books in, there’s a huge amount of emotional investment in the core characters (well, for me at least), and seeing how the closing of the Rockton era pans out is truly fascinating and powerful. Unexpected dangers and surprise villains add to the tension of the story, and there’s a sense of sadness underneath it all as Casey, Eric, and the others literally take apart everything they’ve built over the years.
I can’t say enough about how excellent this series is as a whole. I’ve loved the unique premise, the characters’ individual journeys, and the relationship-building among so many of them, whether as friends, lovers, or reluctant colleagues. Casey and Eric’s romantic relationship is beautiful, especially seeing their deep trust and the careful way they consider one another’s needs and responses.
I do feel a bit of sadness at seeing the Rockton days end, but it helps to know that there’s another series with these wonderful characters to look forward to!
To truly wrap up my Rockton reading adventure, I’m planning to start this sequel/novella right away, which takes place following The Deepest of Secrets, and (from what I understand) is a sort of bridge to the start of the Haven’s Rock series:
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Of the remaining fiction books, none were actually on my radar to read… mainly because they’re in genres I don’t gravitate toward. As for the two other nonfiction books, I’d simply never come across them before. Now that I’m seeing the History & Biography winner, How to Kill a Witch, I’m intrigued! That’s one I’ll be looking for at my library in 2026.
Even though in many categories I voted for books that didn’t end up winning, I’m a fan of the ones that did win! Although I still question whether The Compound really belongs in the sci-fi category.
Without going back to confirm, my impression is that I’ve read more of the winning books this year than I did in the last few previous years — which doesn’t particularly mean anything, other than that I appeared to have read a bunch of popular books in 2025.
And actually, several of these are likely to make my list of favorites for this past year! I’ve put a little heart next to the books I especially loved. ❤
I do still miss the old approach for these awards, which included more categories/genres, another round of voting (if I recall correctly), and the much loved and lamented option to write-in nominees.
So… how are you all feeling about this year’s batch of winners?
Bookshelf Fantasies 