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 a Halloween freebie! For my Halloween post, I’m going to focus on horror novels on my to-read list. (I’ve done this topic a few times in the past several years, and given the state of my TBR list, it’s time to do it again.)
About half of these are holdovers from last year’s Halloween TBR… giving you some idea of how behind I am when I comes to keeping up with my reading plans! Of the books on my list, most have been around a while, and a couple are upcoming new releases:
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
Needful Things by Stephen King
Dread Nation by Justine Ireland
Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong
A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
A Dowry of Blood by S. T. Gibson
Dead Weight by Hildur Knutsdottir
The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry
Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon
Have you read any of these (or for the upcoming new releases, do you plan to read them)? Which ones look best to you?
What’s on your Halloween TTT this week? Share your link, please, and I’ll come check out your top 10!
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.
Another busy week! But we did fit in a very nice dinner with friends, and I got to dance a bit over the weekend. I feel like I barely had time to read, though… not enough hours in the day!
Bookish thoughts:
I’m curious whether anyone has read or is planning to read The Rose Field by Philip Pullman. I loved the His Dark Materials trilogy, and I’ve read the two books previously published in the follow-up trilogy, The Book of Dust. But… it’s been about six years since the 2nd book, The Secret Commonwealth, came out, and I don’t remember many of the details, so I think I’d need to reread it. Plus, The Rose Field is almost 700 pages! Sigh. I hate to leave the final book in this world unread… but I’m also not excited about the commitment it would take to read it.
Thoughts?
What did I read during the last week?
Cinder House by Freya Marske: Terrific Cinderella retelling! My review is here.
The Secret Christmas Library by Jenny Colgan: A sweet, bookish-themed Christmas adventure in the Scottish Highlands. My review is here.
Pop culture & TV:
New seasons of great Netflix shows! I finished season two of The Diplomat last night… and it was fantastic. But what an ending!! How are we supposed to wait however long it takes for a new season?
Up next: I hope to start the new season of Nobody Wants This this coming week.
Fresh Catch:
One new book!
I read the e-ARC of this book last week (review), but I’d had the hardcover preordered well in advance, and I’m happy to have my very own copy!
What will I be reading during the coming week?
Currently in my hands:
The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow: I had a really hard time getting into this story (possibly because I didn’t have quite enough uninterrupted reading time this week to build up any sort of momentum) — but now that I’ve gotten farther along, I’m finding myself hooked! Now, if only I could just read straight through until I finish…
Now playing via audiobook:
Elizabeth of East Hampton by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding: I’m back for more Austen-inspired fun! This modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice is the author duo’s follow-up to Emma of 83rd Street, which I really enjoyed.
Ongoing reads:
My longer-term reading commitments (current and coming up):
Villette by Charlotte Brontë: Group classic read, two chapters per week. Progress: 93%. Up next: Chapters 39 and 40.
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien: Another book group read, continuing our LOTR adventure. Progress (relative to the entire LOTR opus): 52%.
My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin: My newest Classics Club Spin book! I’m leaving it here as a reminder to myself — I’ll likely start it in November. The goal is to complete our spin books by December 21st, so I do have plenty of time.
Title: The Secret Christmas Library Author: Jenny Colgan Narrator: Eilidh Beaton Publisher: William Morrow Publication date: October 14, 2025 Print length: 320 pages Audio length: 10 hours 16 minutes Genre: Contemporary fiction Source: Purchased (audiobook); E-book ARC from the publisher/NetGalley Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
A new holiday story set in the Scottish Highlands to warm booklovers’ hearts by Jenny Colgan, New York Times bestselling author of Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop.
Mirren Sutherland stumbled into a career as an antiquarian book hunter after finding a priceless antique book in her great aunt’s attic. Now, as Christmas approaches, she’s been hired by Jamie McKinnon, the surprisingly young and handsome laird of a Highland clan whose ancestral holdings include a vast crumbling castle. Family lore suggests that the McKinnon family’s collection includes a rare book so valuable that it could save the entire estate—if they only knew where it was. Jamie needs Mirren to help him track down this treasure, which he believes is hidden in his own home.
But on the train to the Highlands, Mirren runs into rival book hunter Theo Palliser, and instantly knows that it’s not a chance meeting. She’s all too familiar with Theo’s good looks and smooth talk, and his uncanny ability to appear whenever there’s a treasure that needs locating.
Almost as soon as Mirren and Theo arrive at the castle, a deep snow blankets the Highlands, cutting off the outside world. Stuck inside, the three of them plot their search as the wind whistles outside. Mirren knows that Jamie’s grandfather, the castle’s most recent laird, had been a book collector, a hoarder, and a great lover of treasure hunts. Now they must unpuzzle his clues, discovering the secrets of the house—forming and breaking alliances in a race against time.
A treat for booklovers and treasure hunters alike, The Secret Christmas Library serves up a delicious mystery with a hint of romance, and plenty of holiday spirit!
Jenny Colgan’s books can be counted on for sweet romance, lovely settings, clever people, and simple pleasures, and The Secret Christmas Library delivers all of these… although the stakes in this particular book are mainly on the low end of the scale.
Last year, the author published a fun novella, The Christmas Book Hunt, in which a young woman named Mirren ends up on a search to find a rare book that her great-aunt remembers from her childhood. Seeing the book again is her dying wish, so Mirren turns book detective, chasing leads and sorting through dusty old shelves to make her beloved aunt’s wishes come true.
Surprise! In The Secret Christmas Library, Mirren is back! The rare book that Mirren found is proudly displayed in the British Museum, along with a plaque giving Mirren credit for finding it. Mirren is not (as the blurb might imply) a professional book finder; she’s kept her less-than-exciting day job as a surveyor, but dreams of spending more time with the books she loves. When she bumps into a stranger while visiting “her” book at the museum, and admits that she’s the person on the plaque, it’s the start of an adventure she could not have anticipated.
The stranger is Jamie McKinnon, who has just inherited the family estate in the Scottish Highlands. Estate? It’s more like a castle… although it’s on the verge of falling apart, deeply in debt, after years of family neglect and mismanagement. But Jamie’s grandfather always implied that there was a secret treasure to be found there — a book worth more than anyone could imagine. Jamie is desperate to save the estate, and hires Mirren to come look for the book.
To Mirren’s surprise, he’s also hired Theo, her competitor/partner on her previous book hunt — someone she thought might be a romantic partner too, until he ghosted her after their last adventure. She’s not thrilled to be reunited with him, but is determined to put feelings aside to pursue this new quest.
The castle is indeed a disaster, and Jamie’s grandfather appears to have been a hoarder, at least when it comes to books. There are miles and miles of overflowing shelves throughout the corridors, and even the cupboards are stuffed with books. Their only clue is a poem the grandfather has left behind, full of cryptic clues and strange references. With only a few days until Christmas and a heavy snowstorm leaving the group stranded, they devote themselves to trying to decipher the clues and locate the book… assuming it even exists.
Meanwhile, as Mirren gets to know Jamie, she realizes that this handsome laird has an inner sweetness that she feels drawn to. And the more she comes to care for Jamie, the more important finding that book and saving Jamie’s home feels to her.
The Secret Christmas Library really takes a while to get going. There’s lots of loveliness — an old-timey train, scenes of exploring the castle, fancy dinners (with men in kilts!), a sweet nostalgic feel once the power cuts out and they dance by candlelight to an old Victrola. The book hunt is cute, but not particularly engaging… at least for this reader. Personally, I find I don’t have much patience for this sort of plot — finding hidden objects, discovering clues in old pictures, following a word puzzle to a particular location. (Maybe that explains why I have no interest in escape rooms either…)
In any case, these type of scenes make up a good portion of the book. It’s nice, but not terribly exciting. Things get a little more dramatic when the weather and some other elements combine to put the people — and the castle itself — in grave danger. A dramatic escape as well as the escalation of various personal connections and relationships make the last 25% or so much more engaging — finally, some stakes to truly care about!
The audiobook is narrated by Eilidh Beaton, narrator of many Jenny Colgan books. Her delivery is warm, with an engaging cadence, and she excels at the various characters’ accents and speaking styles. I found it easy to get into the story, and the narration never let my interest wander.
Overall, this is a fun, sweet book, but not quite as wonderful as some of the author’s other books. I’d still recommend this book for Jenny Colgan fans who’ve read all her books and gobble up her new releases as soon as they’re available (guilty!!). For those newer to her works, I do think this is a fine choice, but there are others I’d probably recommend more highly to get a true taste of how lovely her books can be.
Purchase links: Amazon – Audible audiobook – 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.
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!
Title: Cinder House Author: Freya Marske Publisher: Tor Publication date: October 7, 2025 Length: 144 pages Genre: Fantasy Source: Library Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Sparks fly and lovers dance in this gorgeous, yearning Cinderella retelling from bestselling author Freya Marske—a queer Gothic romance perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and T. Kingfisher.
Ella is a haunting.
Murdered at sixteen, her ghost is furiously trapped in her father’s house, invisible to everyone except her stepmother and stepsisters.
Even when she discovers how to untether herself from her prison, there are limits. She cannot be seen or heard by the living people who surround her. Her family must never learn she is able to leave. And at the stroke of every midnight, she finds herself back on the staircase where she died.
Until she forges a wary friendship with a fairy charm-seller, and makes a bargain for three nights of almost-living freedom. Freedom that means she can finally be seen. Danced with. Touched.
You think you know Ella’s story: the ball, the magical shoes, the handsome prince.
You’re halfway right, and all-the-way wrong.
Rediscover a classic fairy tale in this debut novella from “the queen of romantic fantasy” (Polygon).
Cinder House by Freya Marske is a magical, memorable novella-length retelling of Cinderella, and it includes a haunting unlike any I’ve read before.
Cinder House starts by killing the main character:
Ella’s father died of the poison in their tea. Ella drank less and so might have lived, and not turned ghost at all, if the house hadn’t shrieked for its master’s murder in the moment she stood, dizzied and weak, at the top of the stairs.
Ella is dead… but that’s not the end of her story. As she comes back to consciousness, she finds herself tethered to her home, visible to those who live there — her stepmother Patrice, and her two stepsisters, Danica and Greta. None of them care about Ella in the slightest, but they do come to realize that she’s convenient.
Ella is not just an airy, incorporeal ghost floating around a particular place. Instead, she truly becomes the spirit of the house — she feels the house, as if it’s an extension of her own body.
How does a house, lacking flesh, feel fury? With the fire in its hearth and in the wide black stove.
She’s aware of the mice in the walls, the water in the pipes, the heat in the stove… but she’s also aware of anything wrong or out of place, and she can interact physically with anything that belongs to the house. She has an obsessive need to clean anything messy, to mend anything broken. For Ella’s stepfamily, it’s handy to have a ghost around to do their bidding, and it’s even economical! They’re able to dismiss the servants, and have Ella at their beck and call. Worst of all for Ella, when her sadistic youngest stepsister realizes that Ella feels what the house feels, she’s able to use pain — like sawing away pieces of woodworking or breaking windows — to coerce Ella into obedience.
Ella is trapped, until she discovers a trick for leaving the house — but no matter how far she wanders, she snaps right back to the staircase where she died at the stroke of midnight. Years pass, until finally, events in the world outside the house affect Ella and her family.
The Prince invites all the young unmarried women of the kingdom to a ball, during which he’ll choose a bride. Of course, most people suspect that there’s already a betrothal being arranged for political purposes, but that doesn’t stop the eligible women of the kingdom from dressing up and hoping for attention — including Ella’s stepsisters.
As the story progresses, we see Ella find a magical means for attending the ball too, thanks to her friendship with a fairy she meets in the marketplace. There are conditions, of course, and nothing goes quite according to plan — but she does meet the prince, and discovers that he’s dealing with magical complications of his own… and that the two of them may be able to help one another in ways that no one else can.
Cinder House is such an inventive retelling! I loved the details around what Ella feels and goes through as a house ghost, and the encounters with the prince, and the details of his curse, are fascinating too. The plot is tightly woven, yet never feels rushed, and the overall tone is full of magical, fantastical elements that create an atmosphere of surprise and delight.
The ending does get surprisingly… well… kinky, in a certain way, but it’s not terribly explicit (and definitely is not your typical fairy tale ending!)
Overall, I thought Cinder House was great! I’m so glad I saw so many positive reviews and decided to check it out for myself. Cinder House is a terrific example of what a novella can be: It tells a full story, provides characters to care about, and wraps up a compelling plot with just enough storytelling.
I’d never read anything by Freya Marske before, but now I’m eager to explore more of her books. I know people love the Last Binding series — adding to my TBR!
Purchase links: Amazon – Audible audiobook – 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.
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 Trick or Treat: books that you feel strongly about, whether positively or negatively.
Last month was my first time trying this meme, and I thought it was so much fun that I’m back for more. I’m even trying the theme this time! Here are my OCTOBER books:
O:
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon Trick or Treat? Treat! I loved Outlander immediately, and have read it (and the entire series) many times so far… and probably will again!
C:
Carrie by Stephen King Trick or Treat? Trick… but in an awesomely horrific way. I think I was way too young when I first encountered Carrie. (Middle school girls dealing with first periods probably should NOT read this book… much safer to read from the comfort of adulthood!) Later, coming back to Carrie, I was better able to appreciate Stephen King’s talents without it feeling quite so visceral.
T:
The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava Trick or Treat? Trick… I didn’t hate this book (I gave it a 3-star review), but the workplace romance aspect creates so many problematic situations that I just couldn’t enjoy it as a whole, despite the parts that I actually liked.
O:
One Salt Sea (October Daye, #5) by Seanan McGuire Trick or Treat? Treat! I love the October Daye series to pieces, and this book, relatively early in the overall series, moves the story in new directions in a really spectacular way.
B:
Battle of the Bookstops by Poppy Alexander Trick or Treat? Trick… with a little hint of treats mixed in. What’s not to love about a book about battling bookstores? This should have been cute, but just did not deliver. I like some elements, but overall, this was a letdown (See more, here)
E:
Emma by Jane Austen Trick or Treat? Treat! I’ve loved Emma from the start, and the audiobook version I’ve listened to (narrated by the amazing Juliet Stevenson) makes me laugh every time.
R:
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn Trick or Treat? Treat! Ish… I enjoyed all of the Bridgerton books, but they do require a certain willingness to look past cringey sex scenes and a few over-the-top descriptions. Still, these books are generally loads of fun and go down like candy.
Happy October to all! If you spelled the month in books, please leave me a link to your post — I’d love to see it!
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 Cozy Reads. Cozy fantasy is having a moment, but there are so many other types of cozy books too.
I tend to think of cozy fiction as anything with a focus on cuteness, baked goods, restoring an old building, settling in a small town, bookshops, cats… you get the idea!
Here are my top ten:
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna (review)
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.
What a fun week! I attended two special events. First, a book talk: John Scalzi in conversation with Kim Stanley Robinson — amazing! The conversation was funny and flew by too fast, and I got two books signed!
Second, I went to see the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: 10ish Year Reunion Concert.
Such a blast! Obviously, you’d need to be a fan of the TV series to enjoy this show… but I was, and I did! The cast sang some of their greatest hits, danced, told stories, and put on quite a spectacle. It was amazing! Here’s one of the songs they performed on stage:
Okay, maybe one more…
And now, back to books…
What did I read during the last week?
Drama by Raina Telgemeier: I read this graphic novel for a banned book reading challenge, and liked it a lot.
The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong: Sweet, light cozy fantasy. My review is here.
My Friends by Fredrik Backman: Five stars! My review is here.
Blind Date with a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs: Such a fun treat for fans of the Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega series! My review is here.
Pop culture & TV:
Oh my gods… season 2 of Schmigadoon made me so happy! I finished it last night, and loved all the musical theater references, from Pippin to Hair to Jesus Christ Superstar and more. So much fun — I just wish there were more than two seasons.
Fresh Catch:
Exciting new books!
At the book event, I bought a copy of John Scalzi’s newest novel and got it signed:
I won a Goodreads giveaway a couple of weeks ago, and the book arrived this week:
Last but not least: A gorgeous new edition of a favorite book, The Wicked King (#2 in the Folk of the Air series). In case you can’t tell, the book has a velvety finish and is just so beautiful!
What will I be reading during the coming week?
Currently in my hands:
Cinder House by Freya Marske: I’m about halfway through this novella, and I’m really enjoying it so far.
Now playing via audiobook:
The Secret Christmas Library by Jenny Colgan: This novel is a follow-up to last year’s novella, The Christmas Book Hunt. Jenny Colgan’s books are always a treat, and with a focus on rare books and a crumbling Scottish manor as the setting, this one promises to be lots of fun.
Ongoing reads:
My longer-term reading commitments (current and coming up):
Villette by Charlotte Brontë: Group classic read, two chapters per week. Progress: 86%. Up next: Chapters 37 and 38.
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien: Another book group read, continuing our LOTR adventure. Progress (relative to the entire LOTR opus): 49%.
My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin: My newest Classics Club Spin book! I’m leaving it here as a reminder to myself — I’ll likely start it in November. The goal is to complete our spin books by December 21st, so I do have plenty of time.
Title: Blind Date with a Werewolf Author: Patricia Briggs Publisher: Ace Publication date: October 21, 2025 Length: 288 pages Genre: Fantasy Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
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.
DearAsil:
We are worried about you. A werewolf alone is a sad thing, especially at Christmastime. So we have a challenge for five dates in three weeks. We have taken the work out of it and connected you with five people from online dating sites. You should also know that we have informed the whole pack and instigated a betting pool. Have fun!
Sincerely, Your Concerned Friends
For fans of the Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega series by Patricia Briggs, this new book — a novel composed of five connected stories — is a real treat. For someone who hasn’t read those series, this book might be more of a challenge, but still lots of fun.
Asil Moreno, known among werewolves as the Moor, is a centuries-old werewolf known for his power, violence, and instability. Only his Alpha, the ruler of all werewolves in North America, is dominant enough to keep Asil under control. Asil is deadly, but beautiful, and he knows it. He also has very little interest in other people, and certainly no interest in romance, not since the death of his mate many, many years earlier.
But Asil’s friends think he needs a boost — and, we suspect, also are looking to have a little fun at his expense. Through anonymous emails, they challenge him to go on a series of blind dates that they’ll arrange for him. Asil is not enthusiastic in the slightest, but there’s a pack bet that he won’t succeed in completing the five dates of the challenge, and Asil is not one to ever back down.
Let’s just say that the dates don’t go exactly as planned. Each supposedly romantic set-up turns into a mission involving lots more danger and blood than candlelight and roses. In each case, it’s extremely entertaining to see Asil present himself as a respectable, desirable date… only to have each encounter go entirely sideways.
Blind Date with a Werewolf includes three stories previously published in other anthologies, plus two stories that are original to this book. Taken as a whole, they make a highly enjoyable reading experience, with a great story arc, lots of amusing character moments, and plenty of high stakes and action sequences.
It’ll be interesting to see whether the events of Blind Date with a Werewolf carry over into the greater universe of Patricia Briggs’s series. (The next new book will be #7 in the Alpha & Omega series, tentatively scheduled for release sometime in 2026).
As I mentioned, Blind Date with a Werewolf is perfect for fans of the related series. I do think it could be read on its own even without familiarity with its greater fictional universe, although I think some of the intricacies about pack dynamics and werewolf nature might be harder to unravel.
In any case, this really is a very fun book, and I tore through it in about a day and a half. Asil’s adventures are funny, fast-paced, and have just enough danger in them to keep us readers on the edge of our seats. Of course, now I’m dying for more of this world… I may need to dive back in and do a reread of the Alpha & Omega books, at the very least.
Purchase links: Amazon – Audible audiobook – 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.
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
Bookshelf Fantasies 