Category Archives: Bookish Thoughts

Goodreads Choice Awards 2025 – Opening Round: First Impressions

Posted in Bookish Thoughts, Books & Authors by

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!

For the 2025 awards, here are the eligibility rules according to Goodreads:

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.

My vote: My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Category: Historical Fiction

I’ve read two:

And there are three on my TBR:

Plus, a bunch of others that I’ll likely loop back to at some point.

My vote: What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown (I loved Atmosphere, but figured Taylor Jenkins Reid will do just fine even without my vote!)

Category: Mystery & Thriller

Definitely not a go-to genre for me, so the only book I’ve read is:

Some of the others look interesting, but I’m not rushing to read any of them at this point. So obviously, Vera Wong gets my vote!

Category: Romance

Here, I’ve read a few more of the nominees:

Version 1.0.0

Among the rest, I don’t have any added to my TBR just yet, but I see a few that look like they might appeal to me down the road.

My vote: One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

Category: Romantasy

Again, not really my genre! But two titles I’d classify more as cozy fantasy than romantasy are listed, and I really enjoyed both:

I don’t see any others here that I’m planning to read.

My vote: I really could go either way, but I voted for A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna, which was wonderful.

Category: Fantasy

I’ve read four, and loved them all!

Two more are on my TBR… although I don’t see myself picking up the 800-page book anytime soon.

And honestly, of the rest, there are probably another 4 or 5 I’d be happy to check out as well.

My vote: Such a tough one! I voted for The Everlasting… but it was painful to have to choose just one!

Category: Science Fiction

I’ve read three (although it would not have occurred to me to list The Compound as a science fiction book):

On my TBR: None at the moment — but so many look good! I have a feeling at least a few more will end up added to my to-read list.

My vote: When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi

Category: Horror

I’ve read three:

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.

My vote: Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

Category: Audiobook

I loved listening to both of these:

And want to listen to:

My vote: Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry, narrated by Julie Whelan

Category: Young Adult Fantasy

I’ve read one, and am in the middle of another:

I don’t have any of the other nominated books on my TBR at the moment.

My vote: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Skipped categories:

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!

Birthstone Book Covers: October = Opal!

Posted in Bookish Thoughts, Fun and Whimsy by

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.

Learn more about the history of opals. 

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.

Opal varieties (source: http://www.geology.com)

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!

My Classics Club Spin book for fall 2025 will be…

Posted in Bookish Thoughts, Fun and Whimsy, The Reading Life by

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:

  1. The House on the Strand by Daphne DuMaurier
  2. The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
  3. A Damsel in Distress by P. G. Wodehouse
  4. The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart
  5. This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart
  6. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
  7. White Fang by Jack London
  8. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  9. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  10. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
  11. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
  12. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
  13. The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
  14. Frederica by Georgette Heyer
  15. The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West
  16. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
  17. My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin
  18. A Damsel in Distress by P. G. Wodehouse
  19. The House on the Strand by Daphne DuMaurier
  20. My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin

My previous Classics Club Spin books:

The Black Moth (read 4/2022)
Cannery Row (read 7/2022)

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

Getting ready for the next Classics Club Spin (CC Spin #42; fall 2025)

Posted in Bookish Thoughts, Fun and Whimsy, The Reading Life by

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 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:

  1. The House on the Strand by Daphne DuMaurier
  2. The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
  3. A Damsel in Distress by P. G. Wodehouse
  4. The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart
  5. This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart
  6. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
  7. White Fang by Jack London
  8. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  9. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  10. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
  11. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
  12. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
  13. The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
  14. Frederica by Georgette Heyer
  15. The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West
  16. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
  17. My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin
  18. A Damsel in Distress by P. G. Wodehouse
  19. The House on the Strand by Daphne DuMaurier
  20. My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin

Wish me luck! I’ll be back on October 19th to reveal my spin result!

My previous Classics Club spins:

CCSpin29: The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer
CCSpin30: Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
CCSpin31: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
CCSpin32: O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
CCSpin33: Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay
CCSpin34: Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
CCSpin35: Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
CCSpin36: A Night to Remember by Walter Lord
CCSpin37: Howards End by E. M. Forster
CCSpin38: The Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima
CCSpin39: An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott
CCSpin40: Dracula by Bram Stoker
CCSpin41: The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

Birthstone Book Covers: September = Sapphire!

Posted in Bookish Thoughts, Fun and Whimsy by

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!

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!

Posted in Bookish Thoughts, Fun and Whimsy by

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:

  • 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!

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.

https://www.geologyin.com/

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…

Posted in Bookish Thoughts, Fun and Whimsy, The Reading Life by

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:

The Black Moth (read 4/2022)
Cannery Row (read 7/2022)

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)

Posted in Bookish Thoughts, Fun and Whimsy, The Reading Life by

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!

Posted in Bookish Thoughts, Books & Authors by

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: Amazon – Bookshop.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: Amazon – Bookshop.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: Amazon – Bookshop.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)

Posted in Bookish Thoughts by

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: Amazon – Bookshop.org
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