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?
I participated in Birthstone Books Covers for the first time in August, and now I’m hooked! Leslie at Books Are the New Black hosts this fun monthly meme — and since I love anything related to spotlighting amazing book covers, I just had to jump in.
The rules are simple:
Mention the creator (Leslie @ Books Are The New Black ) and link back so she can see your post! Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month’s Birthstone. HAVE FUN!
November’s birthstones are topaz and citrine. And while they may look very similar, apparently they’re quite different stones!
No, citrine and topaz are not the same; citrine is a variety of quartz, while topaz is a different mineral species. They are often confused because they can have similar yellow and brown colors, but they have different chemical compositions, hardness levels, and crystalline structures.
And from Bremer Jewelry’s website:
WHAT IS TOPAZ?
Check out the raw topaz above and compare it to the raw citrine at the top of this post. It’s easy to see how these pale yellow stones have been easily confused throughout history! Citrine (quartz family) and topaz are actually unrelated mineral species. Topaz belongs to the silicate mineral family, not quartz. Before these differences were clear, many cultures called citrine (the yellow variety of quartz) by other names like gold topaz, Madeira or Spanish topaz—contributing to the confusion.
The name topaz derives from Topazios, the ancient Greek name for St. John’s Island in the Red Sea. Although the yellow stones famously mined there probably weren’t topaz, it soon became the name for most yellowish stones. Pure topaz is colorless, but it can become tinted by impurities to take on any color of the rainbow. Precious topaz, ranging in color from brownish orange to yellow, is often mistaken for “smoky quartz” or “citrine quartz,” respectively—although quartz and topaz are unrelated minerals!
One of my close childhood friends was a November baby, and I remember us comparing our birthstone rings — my sapphire vs her topaz! (Of course, I insisted mine was better — but her topaz was quite lovely too!)
And now for the books!
Here are the topaz/citrine book covers I’ve found on my shelves:
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
The Tomb of Dragons by Katherine Addison
Parable of the Sower (graphic novel edition) by Octavia Butler
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley
Bloodhound (Beka Cooper, #2) by Tamora Pierce
Do you have any favorite topaz/citrine book covers to share?
The opening round of this year’s Goodreads Choice Awards is here! I’ve already worked my way through the nominees and cast my votes. Some categories seem to have a lot of very strong choices this year… although I’m still a little bitter about the elimination (a few years ago now) of the write-in option!
Books published in the United States in English, including works in translation and other significant rereleases, between November 13, 2024, and November 11, 2025, are eligible for the 2025 Goodreads Choice Awards. Books published between November 12, 2025, and November 10, 2026, will be eligible for the 2026 awards.
We analyze statistics from the millions of books added, rated, and reviewed on Goodreads to nominate 20 books in each category. For the Audiobook category, nominations are based on the millions of titles added, rated, and reviewed both on Goodreads and Audible.
Opening round official nominees must have an average rating of 3.50 or higher at the time of launch. A book may be nominated in no more than one genre category, but can also be nominated in the Debut Novel and/or Audiobook categories. Only one book in a series may be nominated per category. An author may receive multiple nominations within a single category if they have more than one eligible series or more than one eligible stand-alone book.
So which books are nominated, and which did I vote for?
Let’s take a look at the opening round:
Category: Fiction
Of the 20 books nominated, I’ve read two:
I spy another four books on my to-read list:
… plus a few others that I’d consider maybe-someday books.
On my TBR: As with the previous two categories, quite a few of the other books look good to me, but I haven’t actually added any to my reading lists yet.
I don’t vote in categories where I haven’t actually read any of the books, so this year I skipped:
Debut Novel
Young Adult Fiction
Nonfiction
Memoir
History & Biography
Most of these categories have at least a book or two that I’d like to check out… we’ll see how that works out!
Wrapping it all up:
Did you vote in the opening round yet? Do you see any of your favorite books among the nominees?
I’d love to hear your recommendations for nominated books on my TBR lists or others I haven’t considered!
Overall, how do you feel about this year’s options? Any categories you wish they’d bring back? Any books you loved that really should have been nominated? Please share your thoughts!
I participated in Birthstone Books Covers for the first time in August, and now I’m hooked! Leslie at Books Are the New Black hosts this fun monthly meme — and since I love anything related to spotlighting amazing book covers, I just had to jump in.
The rules are simple:
Mention the creator (Leslie @ Books Are The New Black ) and link back so she can see your post! Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month’s Birthstone. HAVE FUN!
October’s birthstone is opal. (Well, also tourmaline, but I’m sticking with opals!) According to the American Gem Society:
The name “opal” originates from the Greek word opallios, which meant “to see a change in color.” The Roman scholar Pliny used the word opalus when he wrote about this gemstone’s kaleidoscopic “play” of rainbow colors that could simulate shades of any stone.
Opal’s characteristic “play-of-color” was explained in the 1960s, when scientists discovered that it’s composed of microscopic silica spheres that diffract light to display various colors of the rainbow. These flashy gemstones are called “precious opals.” Those without play-of-color are “common opals.”
Dozens of opal varieties exist, but only a few, such as fire opal and boulder opal, are universally recognized. Opals are often referred to by their background “body color” of black or white.
Opal’s classic country of origin is Australia. Seasonal rains soaked the parched Outback, carrying silica deposits underground into cracks between layers of rock. When the water evaporated, these deposits formed opal. Sometimes, silica seeped into spaces around wood, seashells and skeletons, resulting in opalized fossils.
Since opal was discovered in Australia around 1850, the country has produced 95 percent of the world’s supply. Opal is also mined in Mexico, Brazil, Honduras, Ethiopia, the Czech Republic, and parts of the U.S., including Nevada and Idaho.
I’ve always loved opals, probably ever since my grandparents gave me a pair of opal earrings when I was a wee tween… which I still have, even though I haven’t worn them in decades.
I’ve only ever seen the white or lighter blue varieties, but apparently there are endless color combinations in these beautiful gemstones.
Which makes it hard to figure out how to match opals with book covers! Since the opals I’m most familiar with have a mostly white look with streaks and splashes of pink and blue, I’ll go with a mix of white, pink, and blue covers… which don’t necessarily look like opals, but I think that’s the closest I can come!
Here are the opal-inspired book covers I’ve found on my shelves:
Echo Boy by Matt Haig
The Summer Skies by Jenny Colgan
Drunk on All Your Strange New Words by Eddie Robson
The Hundred Loves of Juliet by Evelyn Skye
Emmett by L. C. Rosen
Do you have any favorite opal book covers to share?
Next month is Opal for October… seems like it’ll be a tricky one!
Earlier in the week, I shared a post with my list of books for the newest Classics Club Spin challenge (see it here), and today, this spin’s number was announced. (For those keeping track, it’s CCSpin #42, and for me personally, #14!)
Hosted by The Classics Club blog, the Classics Club Spin is a reading adventure where participants come up with a list of classics they’d like to read, number them 1 to 20, and then read the book that corresponds to the “spin” number that comes up.
For CCSpin #42, the lucky number is:
And that means I’ll be reading:
My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin Published 1901
Synopsis:
‘The fierce, irreverent novel of aspiration and rebellion that is both a cornerstone of Australian literature and a feminist classic
Miles Franklin began the candid, passionate, and contrary My Brilliant Career when she was only sixteen, intending it to be the Australian answer to Jane Eyre . But the book she produced-a thinly veiled autobiographical novel about a young girl hungering for life and love in the outback-so scandalized her country upon its appearance in 1901 that she insisted it not be published again until ten years after her death.
And from another edition:
Trapped on her parents’ farm in the hardscrabble Australian outback, sixteen-year-old Sybylla Melvyn loves the bush but not the toil it brings. She longs for refinement, and most of all she longs to achieve great things.
Suddenly she falls under the gaze of wealthy, handsome Harry Beecham and finds herself choosing between the conventional path of marriage and her plans for a ‘brilliant career’.
My Brilliant Career has been on my to-read list for a few years now. I don’t recall exactly how I first came across this book, but I believe it’s thanks to stumbling across it on someone else’s blog! I’m always up for exploring more Australian fiction, and this early 20th century classic sounds like a book that’s right up my alley
For my 2025 spins, I’ve been focusing on 20th century literature — inspired by a reading challenge to read (at least) one book from each decade of the century. My Brilliant Career was originally published in 1901, and helps me check off one of my remaining decades!
I’m excited to start My Brilliant Career — probably in a few weeks, after I finish up a few more ARCs for upcoming new releases. The deadline to finish this spin book is December 21st, which gives me plenty of time. I’ll be back with my reaction before then.
What do you think of my spin result this time around?
Here’s my list of 20 titles for Classics Club Spin #42:
The House on the Strand by Daphne DuMaurier
The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
A Damsel in Distress by P. G. Wodehouse
The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart
This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
White Fang by Jack London
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
Hosted by The Classics Club blog, the Classics Club Spin is a reading adventure where participants come up with a list of classics they’d like to read, number them 1 to 20, and then read the book that corresponds to the “spin” number that comes up. This will be the Classics Club’s spin #42, and my 14th time participating!
Here are the dates and guidelines from the host blog:
On Sunday 19th October we’ll post a number from 1 through 20. The challenge is to read whatever book falls under that number on your Spin List by the 21st December, 2025.
We’ll check in on the 21st December to see who made it the whole way and finished their spin book!
What’s Next?
Go to your blog.
Pick twenty books that you’ve got left to read from your Classics Club List.
Post that list, numbered 1-20, on your blog before Sunday 19th October 2025.
We’ll announce a number from 1-20.
Read that book by 21st December.
My spin lists are usually a mix of books from different decades and centuries, but in 2025, I’m focusing on books that count toward my 20th Century Decades reading challenge (for which I’m aiming to read one book published per decade). All of the books on my list fit the decades I haven’t completed yet for the challenge. (You’ll note a few listed more than once – I’m weighting my list towards books I truly want to read!)
Here we go!
Here’s my list of 20 classics for the next Classics Club Spin:
The House on the Strand by Daphne DuMaurier
The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
A Damsel in Distress by P. G. Wodehouse
The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart
This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
White Fang by Jack London
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
Frederica by Georgette Heyer
The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin
A Damsel in Distress by P. G. Wodehouse
The House on the Strand by Daphne DuMaurier
My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin
Wish me luck! I’ll be back on October 19th to reveal my spin result!
I participated in Birthstone Books Covers for the first time in August, and now I’m hooked! Leslie at Books Are the New Black hosts this fun monthly meme — and since I love anything related to spotlighting amazing book covers, I just had to jump in.
Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month’s Birthstone.
HAVE FUN!
September’s birthstone is sapphire. According to the American Gem Society, sapphire gemstones symbolize loyalty, nobility, sincerity, and integrity. Learn more about their history.
Sapphire is my birthstone (yay, September!), and I’ve always loved the rich color (and love checking out sapphire jewelry of all sorts). But more importantly…
Onward to the books! Here are the sapphire book covers I’ve found on my shelves:
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Black Woods Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey
Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon
The Poisoner’s Ring by Kelley Armstrong
Fairy Tale by Stephen King
Do you have any favorite sapphire book covers to share?
Next month is Opal for October… seems like it’ll be a tricky one!
Trying something new! Leslie at Books Are the New Black hosts this fun monthly meme, and since I love anything related to spotlighting amazing book covers, I thought I’d jump in.
Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month’s Birthstone.
HAVE FUN!
August’s birthstone is peridot. According to the American Gem Society:
Though peridot is widely recognized for its brilliant lime green glow, the origin of this gemstone’s name is unclear. Most scholars agree that the word “peridot” is derived from the Arabic faridat, which means “gem;” however, some believe it’s rooted in the Greek word peridona, meaning “giving plenty.” Perhaps that’s why peridot was, according to lore, associated with prosperity and good fortune.
Peridot is the rare gem-quality variety of the common mineral olivine, which forms deep inside the Earth’s mantle and is brought to the surface by volcanoes. In Hawaii, peridot once symbolized the tears of Pele, the volcano goddess of fire who controls the flow of lava. Rarely, peridot is also found inside meteorites.
Peridot’s signature green color comes from the composition of the mineral itself—rather than from trace impurities, as with many gemstones. That’s why this is one of few gemstones that only comes in one color, though shades may vary from yellowish-green to olive to brownish-green, depending on how much iron is present.
Earlier in the week, I shared a post with my list of books for the newest Classics Club Spin challenge (see it here), and a few days ago, this spin’s number was announced. (For those keeping track, it’s CCSpin #41, and for me personally, #13!)
Hosted by The Classics Club blog, the Classics Club Spin is a reading adventure where participants come up with a list of classics they’d like to read, number them 1 to 20, and then read the book that corresponds to the “spin” number that comes up.
For CCSpin #41, the lucky number is:
And that means I’ll be reading:
My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell (The Corfu Trilogy, Book #1) Published 1956
Synopsis:
‘What we all need,’ said Larry, ‘is sunshine…a country where we can grow.‘
‘Yes, dear, that would be nice,’ agreed Mother, not really listening.
‘I had a letter from George this morning – he says Corfu’s wonderful. Why don’t we pack up and go to Greece?’
‘Very well, dear, if you like,’ said Mother unguardedly.
Escaping the ills of the British climate, the Durrell family – acne-ridden Margo, gun-toting Leslie, bookworm Lawrence and budding naturalist Gerry, along with their long suffering mother and Roger the dog – take off for the island of Corfu.
But the Durrells find that, reluctantly, they must share their various villas with a menagerie of local fauna – among them scorpions, geckos, toads, bats and butterflies.
What fun! I’ve been tempted to read this book ever since seeing promos for the Masterpiece series (The Durrells in Corfu), which aired 2016 – 2019. I held off on watching the series so I could read the book first, and then never got around to that either! So, I’m very happy with this spin result, and if I love the book, maybe I’ll finally get around to the TV version as well.
For my 2025 spins, I’ve been focusing on 20th century literature — inspired by a reading challenge to read (at least) one book from each decade of the century. Once I finish My Family and Other Animals, I’ll be able to check off the 1950s!
At just under 300 pages (Kindle edition), this book shouldn’t take a tremendous amount of time, so I may hold off on starting it for a bit… mainly because I’m swamped with other books from my TBR at the moment.
Overall, I’m really looking forward to reading My Family and Other Animals. The deadline to finish this spin is August 24th. I’ll be back with my reaction before then.
What do you think of my spin result this time around?
Here’s my list of 20 titles for Classics Club Spin #41:
Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne DuMaurier
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R. A. Dick
A Damsel in Distress by P. G. Wodehouse
Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart
Peony by Pearl Buck
White Fang by Jack London
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
Hosted by The Classics Club blog, the Classics Club Spin is a reading adventure where participants come up with a list of classics they’d like to read, number them 1 to 20, and then read the book that corresponds to the “spin” number that comes up. This will be my 13th time participating — although for the Classics Club, it’s spin #41!
Here are the dates and guidelines from the host blog:
On Sunday 15th June, 2025 we’ll post a number from 1 through 20. The challenge is to read whatever book falls under that number on your Spin List by the 24th August, 2025..
We’ll check in on the 24th August to see who made it the whole way and finished their spin book!
What’s Next?
Go to your blog.
Pick twenty books that you’ve got left to read from your Classics Club List.
Post that list, numbered 1-20, on your blog before Sunday 15th June 2025.
We’ll announce a number from 1-20.
Read that book by 24th August.
My spin lists are usually a mix of books from different decades and centuries, but in 2025, I’m focusing on books that count toward my 20th Century Decades reading challenge (for which I’m aiming to read one book published per decade). All of the books on my list fit the challenge! And they’re all books I’d want to read anyway… so this should be an exciting spin, no matter which number comes up.
Here we go!
Here’s my list of 20 classics for the next Classics Club Spin:
Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne DuMaurier
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R. A. Dick
A Damsel in Distress by P. G. Wodehouse
Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart
Peony by Pearl Buck
White Fang by Jack London
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Frederica by Georgette Heyer
Dragonwyck by Anya Seton
The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin
Wish me luck! I’ll be back on June 15th to reveal my spin result!
Bookshelf Fantasies 