Birthstone Book Covers: September = Sapphire!

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:


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!

Birthstone Book Covers: August = Peridot!

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.

The rules are simple:


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.

My son is an August baby — so even though he doesn’t actually wear gemstones of any sort, peridot is near and dear to my heart!

Onward to the books! Here are the peridot (or peridot-adjacent) book covers I’ve found on my shelves:

  • Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton
  • Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
  • The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi
  • An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon
  • Weyward by Emilia Hart
  • Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell
  • The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
  • Heartsong by TJ Klune
  • Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire

Do you have any favorite peridot book covers to share?

Next month is Sapphire for September… and since it’s “my” month, I’ll be excited to work on the next birthstone post!

My Classics Club Spin book for summer 2025 will be…

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:

  1. Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne DuMaurier
  2. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R. A. Dick
  3. A Damsel in Distress by P. G. Wodehouse
  4. Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart
  5. Peony by Pearl Buck
  6. White Fang by Jack London
  7. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  8. The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
  9. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
  10. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
  11. My Family and Other Animals by  Gerald Durrell
  12. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
  13. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
  14. The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
  15. Foundation by Isaac Asimov
  16. Frederica by Georgette Heyer
  17. Dragonwyck by Anya Seton
  18. The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West
  19. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
  20. My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin

My previous Classics Club Spin books:

Are you participating in this Classics Club Spin? If so, what book will you be reading?

Getting ready for the newest Classics Club Spin (CC Spin #41; summer 2025)

It’s time for another Classics Club Spin!

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:

  1. Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne DuMaurier
  2. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R. A. Dick
  3. A Damsel in Distress by P. G. Wodehouse
  4. Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart
  5. Peony by Pearl Buck
  6. White Fang by Jack London
  7. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  8. The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
  9. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
  10. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
  11. My Family and Other Animals by  Gerald Durrell
  12. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
  13. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
  14. The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
  15. Foundation by Isaac Asimov
  16. Frederica by Georgette Heyer
  17. Dragonwyck by Anya Seton
  18. The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West
  19. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
  20. My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin

Wish me luck! I’ll be back on June 15th to reveal my spin result!

My previous Classics Club spins:

Spring 2022 (CCSpin29): The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer
Summer 2022 (CCSpin30): Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
Fall 2022 (CCSpin31): A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
Winter 2022/2023 (CCSpin32): O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
Spring 2023 (CCSpin33): Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay
Summer 2023 (CCSpin34): Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Fall 2023 (CCSpin35): Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
Winter 2024 (CCSpin36): A Night to Remember by Walter Lord
Spring 2024 (CCSpin37): Howards End by E. M. Forster
Summer 2024 (CCSpin38): The Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima
Fall 2024 (CCSpin39): An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott
Winter 2025 (CCSpin40): Dracula by Bram Stoker

Can’t-miss summer reads: Three authors whose books belong in your beach bags!

I’m taking a moment today to shout the praises of three wonderful authors who certainly deserve tons of attention — and whose books make perfect beach reads, yet also stand out as great books, period.

There are the blockbuster authors — Emily Henry, Christina Lauren, Elin Hilderbrand, Abby Jimenez — who probably need no introduction, and have legions of devoted fans promoting their books all over social media. And they’re great… but I’m going to focus on some authors, whom you may or may not have given a try yet.

TL;DR: Read these books!

A background note: Each of the three authors I’m about to highlight was new to me within the past few years. Whether through catchy covers or a friend’s recommendation, I decided to give them a try — and have now read everything of theirs I could get my hands on!

I’m not saying that people haven’t heard of these authors… just that I don’t see them getting as much attention online as some other authors — and since I love their books so much, I thought I’d do my booklover-ish best and give them all a big shout-out!

Note: The book titles link to my reviews. I’m also including links to the authors’ pages on Amazon and Bookshop.org — these are affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission (at no cost to you) if you click through and make a purchase.


ANNABEL MONAGHAN

Picking up my first Annabel Monaghan book was a total lucky fluke! I saw it up for request on NetGalley, liked the look of the cover, and thought I’d give it a shot. And now, having read all four of her adult novels, I can say without doubt that this is an author whose books shouldn’t be missed! I love that her books focus on grown-ups with relatable lives, complex histories and relationships, and love stories that we can see developing before our eyes. Plus, terrific writing, humor, and lovely settings and situations.

Purchase links: AmazonBookshop.org


CARLEY FORTUNE

I think I’d probably seen Carley Fortune’s books while browsing bookstore shelves, but hadn’t picked one up until a friend absolutely insisted that her books were must-reads! I gave her first book a try in November of last year… and by now, a mere six months later, I’ve read all three published before 2025 and I’m currently reading newly published #4! I love them all — a perfect summer vibe, with characters who touch my heart. There’s so much loveliness and joy in these books, even while the characters deal with loss and sadness and life’s challenges. The romances are important elements of each of these stories, but the family and friendship foundations are what make them feel so deep and meaningful My friend was right — these books are amazing!

(Note: Every Summer After has been optioned by Amazon Prime and is in development as a series! According to the author’s newsletter: “I’m happy to report that we are very close to shooting season one and that casting is currently underway.”)

Purchase links: AmazonBookshop.org


ALI BRADY

Ali Brady is the pen name for a writing duo, Alison Hammer and Bradeigh Godfrey. I’ll admit to judging their books by their covers! The gorgeous blue hues of their first books caught my eye, and when I had a chance to read the ARC of their 3rd, I grabbed it… then immediately went back and read the previous two books! A 4th (sadly, no blue cover! but it still looks so appealing) is coming out in June, and yes, I will be grabbing it as soon as it hits the shelves!

Purchase links: AmazonBookshop.org


Have you read anything (or everything!) by these authors? Any favorites among their books?

Hope you have some terrific reading lined up for this summer!

Cover reveal: We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune (coming April 2026)

Dying of excitement ever since seeing this post on social media:

Blurb from the publisher’s page:

A heart-wrenching standalone novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune, We Burned So Bright follows an older queer couple on an end-of-the-world road-trip.

The road stretched out before them. No other cars, just the headlights on the blacktop. Above, the cracked moon in a kaleidoscope sky….

Husbands Don and Rodney have lived a good long life. Together they’ve experienced the highest highs of love and family, and lows so low that they felt like the end of the world.

Now, the world is ending for real. A wandering black hole is coming for Earth and in a month everything and everyone they’ve ever known will be gone.

Suddenly, after 40 years together, Don and Rodney are out of time. They’re in a race against the clock to make it from Maine to Washington State to take care of some unfinished business before it’s all over.

On the road they meet those who refuse to believe death is coming and those who rush to meet it. But there are also people living their final days as best they know how–impromptu weddings, bright burning bonfires, shared meals, new friends.

And as the black hole draws near, among ball lightning and under a cracked moon in a kaleidoscope sky, Don and Rodney will look back on their lives and ask if their best was good enough.

Is it enough to burn bright if nothing comes from the ashes?

Read more, here.

Can’t wait!!

Preorder links: AmazonBookshop.org
Note: These are affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you.

Cover reveal: Blind Date with a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs

A treat for fans of the Mercy Thompson series! Here’s a look at the newly revealed cover for an upcoming new release by Patricia Briggs. Coming in October, it’s Blind Date with a Werewolf!

This should be lots of fun!

Here’s the blurb:

When the deadly werewolf Asil is gifted five blind dates by some anonymous “friends,” his reclusive life will never be the same, in this enthralling novel in stories from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson series.


Includes two all-new stories as well as three previously published stories.

I’m off to place my preorder. A new Mercy-verse book is always worthy of a celebration!

Preorder links: AmazonBookshop.org
Note: These are affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you.

Affiliate programs: Worth the effort?

Affiliate programs: An affiliate program is a marketing arrangement where an individual or website (the “affiliate”) earns a commission by promoting another company’s products or services. The affiliate earns a percentage of each sale made through their unique affiliate link, effectively outsourcing sales efforts

Years ago, when I first started blogging regularly, I jumped at the idea of signing up for affiliate programs.

The general concept is this: You enroll or set up an an affiliate account with an online retailer, provide links to products on your blog (or whatever platform you use for sharing content), and when someone clicks through from your link and makes a purchase, you make a certain percentage of the price as a commission.

Ah yes, the illusive idea of actually earning a bit of money through blogging. Ha.

I enrolled in Amazon’s affiliate program, as well as Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and (the dearly departed) Book Depository. Amazon dropped me because I failed to meet their quota, which was something like three purchases via affiliate links in the first three months. (I had zero). In all, I made a whopping $0.80 through my various affiliate accounts!

Woo hoo! Eighty cents! I’m rich!

After keeping the other non-Amazon programs going for a bit, I dropped the idea entirely and stopped including purchase links in my posts. But lately, I’ve been toying with the idea again. If people are stopping by my blog to check out my reviews or other book-related posts, and want to go from there to a purchasing site to buy one of the books I mentioned, why not try to get a teeny bit of a benefit out of it?

So, a couple of weeks ago, I signed up once again for the Amazon affiliate program, reactivated my Bookshop.org account as well, and have started including purchase links at the end of my book review posts.

I’m on the fence about it all. I don’t actually think I get enough traffic to make the links worthwhile, especially since most of the people I engage with are also book bloggers — so why would they use my links when they probably (maybe) have links through their own blogs?

And let’s be clear, I by no means consider myself (or would ever want to be) an influencer! I’m just a reader, who loves books, and likes to chat with other people who love books too.

My point in all of this is to put some questions out there to my fellow book bloggers:

  • Do you participate in any affiliate programs?
  • If so, which ones? Are there any you find especially worthwhile?
  • Have you actually earned anything through affiliate programs?
  • If you’re not in an affiliate program, have you considered it?

I’m interested in hearing about other people’s experiences, as I debate whether to bother with it all. I’m guessing that without a lot more effort than I’m willing or interested in investing, my connection to affiliate programs will go nowhere. I’m curious to hear whether anyone else has actually seen their links pay off in any sort of way.

The topic of monetizing blogging comes up quite a bit in the blogosphere, and in general, it’s never been of interest to me. As I’ve said in so many different contexts, I blog because it’s fun and I enjoy it. It’s not a job, it’s not an obligation, and I don’t expect to make a dime from it. This is why I’m so on the fence about affiliate programs: Sure, it’d be nice to get a few dollars back from time to time (which would go right back into buying more books), but I’ve never expected a financial payoff from blogging, so why start now?

So… affiliate programs: Yea or Nay? Please chime in and share your thoughts!

My Classics Club Spin book for winter 2025 will be…

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 #40, and for me personally, #12!)

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 #40, the lucky number is:

And that means I’ll be reading:

Dracula by Bram Stoker (published 1897)

Synopsis:

Young lawyer Jonathan Harker journeys to Transylvania to meet with the mysterious Count Dracula only to discover that his nobleman client is a vampire who is thirsty for new blood. After imprisoning Harker in his castle, Dracula travels to England to seduce Jonathan’s fiancée, Mina, and the battle against an ineffable evil begins.

Led by philosopher and metaphysician Professor Van Helsing – Dracula’s most indomitable adversary – Harker, Mina, and a band of allies unite, determined to confront and destroy the Count before he can escape.

Bram Stoker ingeniously modernized gothic folklore by moving his vampire from traditional castle ruins to modern England. With Dracula, which has been interpreted and dissected by scholars for generations, Stoker changed the vampire novel forever.

Okay! This is a good result! What’s funny is that I replaced all but two of the books on my spin list this time around with 20th century classics related to a reading challenge I’ve committed to, and Dracula was one of the only two exceptions. But that’s fine!

I actually have read Dracula before, but it’s been decades, and I’ve been meaning to do a reread for ages now — it’s been on every one of my spin lists since I started participating, and I guess it was time for its number to come up.

I’m excited to dive in. I’m also super tempted to treat myself to a gorgeous hardcover edition with illustrations by Edward Gorey as a little motiviating gift to myself… should I give in to temptation?

I haven’t quite decided on my reading format. There’s a full cast Audible edition of the unabridged text that looks like it would be an amazing listen.

What do you think, read the physical book or listen to the audiobook?

And most importantly: What do you think of my spin result this time around?

The deadline to finish this spin is April 11th. I’ll be back with my reaction to Dracula before then!

Here’s my list of 20 titles for Classics Club Spin #40:

  1. Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne DuMaurier
  2. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R. A. Dick
  3. A Damsel in Distress by P. G. Wodehouse
  4. Dracula by Bram Stoker
  5. Peony by Pearl Buck
  6. White Fang by Jack London
  7. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  8. Pat of Silver Bush by L. M. Montgomery
  9. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
  10. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
  11. My Family and Other Animals by  Gerald Durrell
  12. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
  13. Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham
  14. The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
  15. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
  16. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
  17. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
  18. Pale Horse, Pale Rider by Katherine Porter
  19. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
  20. My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin

My previous Classics Club Spin books:

Are you participating in this Classics Club Spin? If so, what book will you be reading?

Getting ready for the Winter 2025 Classics Club Spin!

It’s time for another Classics Club Spin!

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 12th time participating — although for the Classics Club, it’s spin #40!

Here are the dates and guidelines from the host blog:

On Sunday 16th February 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 11th April, 2025.

We’ll check in on the 11th April 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 16th February 2025.
  • We’ll announce a number from 1-20. 
  • Read that book by 11th April.

Usually, when a new spin is announced, I simply replace the book chosen on the last spin, and otherwise keep the rest of my list intact. This time, though, I’m making several substitutions: I’m participating in a 20th Century Decades reading challenge in 2025, aiming to read one book published per decade. To support that, I’m swapping out almost* all of the books on my list published prior to 1900, and replacing them** with books that fit my challenge.

*Exceptions: Dracula and Frankenstein have both been on my lists since I started participating in these spins, and I’m still waiting for their numbers to come up.

**Have no fear! I’m making note of which books I’m (temporarily) removing from my spin list, and will add them back for future spins, once I make progress on my reading challenge!

All that intro out of the way…

Here we go!

Here’s my list of 20 classics for the next Classics Club Spin:

  1. Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne DuMaurier
  2. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R. A. Dick
  3. A Damsel in Distress by P. G. Wodehouse
  4. Dracula by Bram Stoker
  5. Peony by Pearl Buck
  6. White Fang by Jack London
  7. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  8. Pat of Silver Bush by L. M. Montgomery
  9. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
  10. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
  11. My Family and Other Animals by  Gerald Durrell
  12. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
  13. Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham
  14. The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
  15. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
  16. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
  17. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
  18. Pale Horse, Pale Rider by Katherine Porter
  19. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
  20. My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin

Wish me luck! I’ll be back on February 16th to reveal my spin result!

My previous Classics Club spins:

Spring 2022 (CCSpin29): The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer
Summer 2022 (CCSpin30): Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
Fall 2022 (CCSpin31): A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
Winter 2022/2023 (CCSpin32): O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
Spring 2023 (CCSpin33): Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay
Summer 2023 (CCSpin34): Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Fall 2023 (CCSpin35): Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
Winter 2024 (CCSpin36): A Night to Remember by Walter Lord
Spring 2024 (CCSpin37): Howards End by E. M. Forster
Summer 2024 (CCSpin38): The Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima
Fall 2025 (CCSpin39): An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott