Week 43 Review: Princess of Death

From Goodreads:

The Death Series continues with the next generation of dragons and Rothschilds...the ultimate enemies-to-lovers romance.

Twenty four years have passed since Talon and Calista defeated Barron and his sons. The dragons were freed of their mental imprisonment and now they soar proudly in the skies above the Southern Isles.

Twenty four years of peace.

Until Lily Rothschild's galleon sails off course and ends up far to the east...

My parents didn't raise me to be a beautiful princess in a gown. Didn't raise me to sit on the terrace and drink tea and birth children. At twenty-three years old, I'm still unwed and geriatric to most people.

But neither of my parents have ever cared. My mother has always wanted me to live the life that I want. My father raised me like a son. Taught me the sword. How to fish and hunt. How to sail in the dark. And my mother taught me how to speak with dragons.

When I decide to live a life of adventure, I can see the hint of sadness in my father's eyes, the worry that he always wears for me. But he lets me go. Encourages me to live the life that I want without reservation.

It makes me love him all the more.

I set sail with my crew, see white beaches and dense jungle, visit villages across the world, even take a vampire for a lover. But our ship becomes caught in a storm and is blown off course, and I find myself in the one place my father warned me to never visit.

We get stuck on the rocks of an island and have to wait for the tide to rise before we can leave. But this island is strange, everything is dead and the mist is suffocating on the lungs .And then I hear my name, spoken in a voice deep and powerful, an endless echo in my mind. "Lily Rothschild -- come to me."

A behemoth of a man, over six feet tall and with muscles thicker than tree trunks, he stands before me in a midnight blue uniform with a broadsword across his back. With deep brown hair, his eyes are dark like the earth and hard like a tombstone. I know who he is without an introduction.

The God of The Underworld.

"Daughter of Talon Rothschild, King of the Southern Isles, a man who doesn't pay his debts. You shouldn't have come here."

I'm a woman who fears nothing -- but I fear him. My heart races in a way it never has. This is an opponent I could never match. But there's also an indescribable burn between us. Despite how terrifying he is, he's also the most beautiful man I've ever laid eyes on. He stares at me with an intensity and a confidence none of my lovers have ever shown. He can touch me with just his eyes.

The God of the Underworld, the most evil being in our world, makes his demand. "Pay his debt. Or I will come to collect."

He doesn't want my life or my soul. He wants my body underneath his, at his beck and call, a servant to his desires, to take me into his dark bedchamber in his world and visit me in mine. He's the king of demons and I shouldn't want his touch...but I do.

And I want to save my father's soul.

My Review:


Author: Penelope Barsetti
Series: Death #5
Read: October 21st, 2025  
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book!
Publisher: Hartwick Publishing
Published: June 13th 2025

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 43 Reviews: Anna Dressed in Blood, Girl of Nightmares

From Goodreads:
Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead. 

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

From Goodreads:
It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on. 

His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.

Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.

Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor

My first review of Anna Dressed in Blood, Girl of Nightmares
My Review:


Author: Kendare Blake
Series: Anna #1, 2
First Read: April 18th, October 15th, 2012

Read: October 20th, 20th, 2025
Source: Own
Reason Why: Rereading, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Books, and Girl of Nightmares is a End of Series 2025 Book!
Publisher: Tor Teen
Published: August 30th 2011, August 7th 2012

Anna Dressed in Blood: 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Girl of Nightmares:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 43 Reviews: Ghost, Dragon

From Goodreads:

Ash Grove is a fine place to die. 

Blythe has accepted her fate and is tired of running. Who would miss her anyway? She attends her new and eccentric town's month long Halloween masquerade for one last party before meeting her end. But what will she find...and what will find her? 

A man in a skeleton mask is watching... and he's not the only one.  

She's being hunted by a devil she knows and a ghost she doesn't. But all is not what it seems in Ash Grove. Not all masks are made of paint and leather. Some are made of flesh and smiles. What's lurking behind the ordinary facade in this space that swings between Mayberry and Gotham? 

Ghost has killed before, he'll kill again, and his sights are set on Blythe. 

The grown up ghost story for anyone who loves Halloween and is ready to meet their new favorite monster.

Tricks and treats lurk around every jack o'lantern and gravestone in this grown up Halloween themed paranormal romance. Meet witches, vampires, wolves, and ghouls, and maybe a few odd birds and pirates too. Sink your teeth into this paranormal urban fantasy romance and get ready for all the Halloween vibes. Come to Ash Grove with an open mind, choose your mask, sit, and stay a spell... if you dare. 

Dual POV, spicy, and spooky. Content information on author's site.

From Goodreads:

Dragon and the crew go in search of his family. They'll find allies, and foes, in unlikely places as they travel to a mysterious castle in the sky... and a brand-new spooky town where new and old hauntings converge. They may be a world away but secrets and evils have a way of following them wherever they go.

This is a dark polyamorous romance intended for readers 18+. There is no cheating. Please check CW's on the author's site before reading.

My Review:


Author: Kat Blackthorne
Series: The Halloween Boys #1, 2
Read: October 19th, 19th, 2025 
Source: Ebook.bike  
Reason Why: Sounded good, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Books!
Publisher: Dark Hearts Press, LLC
Published: October 1st 2022, February 14th 2023

Ghost:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Dragon:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 43 Review: Venom

From Goodreads:
Cassandra Caravello is one of Renaissance Venice's lucky elite: with elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, her own lady's maid, and a wealthy fiancé, she has everything a girl could desire. Yet ever since her parents' death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.

When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she's drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin... and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?

Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that's as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself.

My first review of Venom
My Review:


Author: Fiona Paul
Series: Secrets of the Eternal Rose #1
First Read: December 16th, 2013

Read: October 18th, 2025 
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Sounded good, and it's a Historical Fiction 2025 Book and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book!
Publisher: Philomel
Published: October 30th 2012

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 43 Review: What We Did to Survive

From Goodreads:

A vacation in paradise turns deadly when four teens' sailing charter hits stormy seas in this propulsive new thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Megan Lally!

Hannah is having an incredible spring break. A week at a resort in Mexico with her best friend Emmy and her family is perfect for de-stressing from senior year, even if it's awkward being around Emmy's older brother, Jackson, who she's had a crush on for as long as she can remember.

Still, the beach is gorgeous. So is the guy they meet in the surf. Except Hannah is now the third wheel in Emmy's vacation romance.

Eager to impress Emmy, her wealthy new boyfriend charters a private sailboat to make the most of their last day in paradise, and Hannah and Jackson are invited along. As the clouds roll in and the skies darken, their boat is the only one leaving the marina. And the further they get into open water, the more unsettled Hannah becomes. A storm is brewing onboard that's as deadly as the one racing toward them. Forget surviving graduation. Who will make it back to land alive?

My Review:


Author: Megan Lally 
Read: October 18th, 2025  
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love her writing and it sounded fantastic, and it's a SAC 2025 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher:Sourcebooks Fire
Expected Publication: March 31st 2026

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Phase Out Your TBR Update 22 and Wrap Up

So I've read my final book for the Phase Out Your TBR, and it was Where the Dark Stands Still which is for the prompt Yellow 6, and yeah, I had a great time, read some great books, and I can't wait for the next round! 

My Reading Journey:

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown 

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 6

Started On: October 1st

Finished On: October 1st, 9:03 PM

Pages Read: 736

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 3

Started On: October 2nd

Finished On: October 2nd, 5:45 PM

Pages Read: 489

Vicious Fates by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti 

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 7

Started On: October 4th

Finished On: October 4th, 11:04 PM

Pages Read: 678

Married to the Devil by Lillian Lark

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 11

Started On: October 6th

Finished On: October 6th, 10:48 PM

Pages Read: 482

Inferno by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 6

Started On: October 8th

Finished On: October 8th, 8:58 PM

Pages Read: 611

State of Decay by James Knapp

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 9

Started On: October 9th

Finished On: October 9th, 3:04 PM

Pages Read: 384

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 7

Started On: October 10th

Finished On: October 10th, 2:58 PM

Pages Read: 352

Going Dark by Melissa de la Cruz

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 10

Started On: October 10th

Finished On: October 10th, 8:48 PM

Pages Read: 336

Holly by Adalyn Grace

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 11

Started On: October 11th

Finished On: October 11th, 5:01 PM

Pages Read: 384

Origin by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Wild Red (Red 2)

Started On: October 12th

Finished On: October 12th, 6:08 PM

Pages Read: 638

First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 7

Started On: October 14th

Finished On: October 14th, 7:08 PM

Pages Read: 352

Element Zero by James Knapp

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 10

Started On: October 15th

Finished On: October 15th, 9:33 PM

Pages Read: 384

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 3

Started On: October 16th

Finished On: October 16th, 11:05 AM

Pages Read: 368

Leviathan's Song by Elsie Winters

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 11

Started On: October 16th

Finished On: October 16th, 6:37 PM

Pages Read: 342

Magpies & Mayhem by Elsie Winters

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 2

Started On: October 17th

Finished On: October 17th, 7:38 PM

Pages Read: 295

What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 6

Started On: October 18th

Finished On : October 18th, 1:48 PM

Pages Read: 288

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 3

Started On: October 20th

Finished On: October 20th, 2:06 PM

Pages Read:  416

Princess of Death by Penelope Barsetti

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 10

Started On: October 21st

Finished On: October 21st, 3:10 PM

Pages Read: 396

A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 1

Started On: October 21st

Finished On: October 21st, 7:58 PM

Pages Read: 400

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 2

Started On: October 22nd

Finished On: October 22nd, 5:32 PM

Pages Read: 416

Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 6

Started On: October 23rd

Finished On: October 23rd, 9:47 PM

Pages Read: 709

Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 6

Started On: October 24th

Finished On: October 24th, 4:06 PM

Pages Read: 368

Prompts Left: None Left!

Books Read: 22

Pages Read: 65904

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 74

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium, and it was Where the Dark Stands Still which was for the prompt 10B Meet Entry Wardens, and I'll be reading My November TBR next! 

My Reading Journey:

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani 

Prompt Fulfilled: 1C

Started On: January 22nd

Finished On: January 22nd, 4:28 PM

Pages Read: 355

Hearts that Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou

Prompt Fulfilled: 1B

Started On: January 25th

Finished On: January 25th, 11:31 AM

Pages Read: 336

The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter

Prompt Fulfilled: 1D

Started On: January 25th

Finished On: January 25th, 3:45 PM

Pages Read: 544

The Party by Natasha Preston

Prompt Fulfilled: 1C

Started On: January 27th

Finished On: January 27th, 10:53 AM

Pages Read: 352

Return of the Vengeful Queen by C.J. Redwine 

Prompt Fulfilled: 1E

Started On: January 30th

Finished On: January 30th, 11:04 AM

Pages Read: 400

I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea

Prompt Fulfilled: 1B

Started On: January 31st

Finished On: January 31st, 2:00 PM

Pages Read: 336

Vilest Things by Chloe Gong

Prompt Fulfilled: 1A

Started On: January 31st

Finished On: January 31st, 6:36 PM

Pages Read: 416

The Half King by Melissa Landers

Prompt Fulfilled: 2A North

Started On: February 8th

Finished On: February 8th, 7:28 PM

Pages Read: 512

Tell Me No Lies by A.V. Geiger

Prompt Fulfilled: 2C South

Started On: February 9th

Finished On: February 9th, 6:48 PM

Pages Read: 330

Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard

Prompt Fulfilled: 2B West

Started On: February 15th

Finished On: February 15th, 9:18 PM

Pages Read: 545

Gabriel's Redemption by Sylvain Reynard 

Prompt Fulfilled: 2B West

Started On: February 16th

Finished On: February 16th, 3:26 PM

Pages Read: 496

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

Prompt Fulfilled: 2E South East

Started On: February 20th

Finished On: February 20th, 6:47 PM

Pages Read: 496

Shutter by Courtney Alameda

Prompt Fulfilled: 2D North East

Started On: February 21st

Finished On: February 21st, 9:15 PM

Pages Read: 384

Rule of the Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli

Prompt Fulfilled: 2C South 

Started On: February 23rd

Finished On: February 23rd, 10:50 PM

Pages Read: 514

Steel by Carrie Vaughn

Prompt Fulfilled: 3B Bring Sword

Started On: March 2nd

Finished On: March 2nd, 10:32 PM

Pages Read: 309

Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher

Prompt Fulfilled: 3C Bring Wand

Started On: March 6th

Finished On: March 6th, 7:13 AM

Pages Read: 147

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi

Prompt Fulfilled: 3A Find New Friends

Started On: March 7th

Finished On: March 7th, 11:48 AM

Pages Read: 640

His Mortal Demise by Vanessa Le

Prompt Fulfilled: 3B Enjoy Solitude

Started On: March 10th

Finished On: March 10th, 10:52 AM

Pages Read: 400

On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass

Prompt Fulfilled: 3D Inspect Well

Started On: March 14th

Finished On: March 14th, 9:18 PM

Pages Read: 320

Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher

Prompt Fulfilled: 3C Try New Food

Started On: March 29th

Finished On: March 29th, 1:57 PM

Pages Read: 368

What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch

Prompt Fulfilled: 3D Match Sundial

Started On: March 30th

Finished On: March 30th, 10:05 PM

Pages Read: 336

The Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite

Prompt Fulfilled: 4D Wait for Morning

Started On: April 1st

Finished On: April 1st, 10:28 AM

Pages Read: 400

No Place Left to Hide by Megan Lally

Prompt Fulfilled: 4D Wait for Morning

Started On: April 4th

Finished On: April 4th, 10:46 AM

Pages Read: 264

The Nightshade God by Hannah Whitten

Prompt Fulfilled: 4B Find Winter Cloak

Started On: April 4th

Finished On: April 4th, 8:39 PM

Pages Read: 480

Dead River by Cyn Balog

Prompt Fulfilled: 4C Cross River

Started On: April 9th

Finished On: April 9th, 8:38 PM

Pages Read: 256

The Stolen Bride by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe 

Prompt Fulfilled: 4B Find Winter Cloak

Started On: April 10th

Finished On: April 10th, 2:03 PM

Pages Read: 282

Petals on the River by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss

Prompt Fulfilled: 4A Cross River

Started On: April 12th

Finished On: April 12th, 3:03 PM

Pages Read: 560

Where the River Takes Me by Julie Lawson 

Prompt Fulfilled: 4C Cross River

Started On: April 30th

Finished On: April 30th, 10:57 PM

Pages Read: 283

Once Broken Faith by Seanan McGuire 

Prompt Fulfilled: 5A Maze

Started On: May 12th

Finished On: May 12th, 6:39 PM

Pages Read: 368

Dreams and Slumber by Seanan McGuire  

Prompt Fulfilled: 5C Sleep

Started On: May 12th

Finished On: May 12th, 8:10 PM

Pages Read: 116

Faithbreaker by Hannah Kaner

Prompt Fulfilled: 5B Practice Summoning Charms & Incantations

Started On: May 26th

Finished On: May 26th, 2:40 PM

Pages Read: 416

The Looking Glass by Janet McNally

Prompt Fulfilled: 5D Sundance

Started On: May 27th

Finished On: May 27th, 10:04 PM

Pages Read: 336

Rules for 50/50 Chances by Kate McGovern

Prompt Fulfilled: 5D Sundance

Started On: May 29th

Finished On: May 29th, 10:51 PM

Pages Read: 351

BZRK by Michael Grant

Prompt Fulfilled: 5B Enter Cave

Started On: May 30th

Finished On: May 30th, 1:04 PM 

Pages Read: 407

Red City by Marie Lu

Prompt Fulfilled: 5B Enter Cave

Started On: May 31st

Finished On: May 31st, 7:38 PM

Pages Read: 432

Voidwalker by S.A. MacLean

Prompt Fulfilled: 6A Find Exit

Started On: June 1st

Finished On: June 1st, 8:18 PM

Pages Read: 592

Silver and Lead by Seanan McGuire

Prompt Fulfilled: 6D Sketch Sundancer

Started On: June 2nd

Finished On: June 2nd, 7:31 PM

Pages Read: 400

Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood

Prompt Fulfilled: 6E Fight Water Demons

Started On: June 6th

Finished On: June 6th, 7:27 PM

Pages Read: 416

A Most Puzzling Murder by Bianca Marais

Prompt Fulfilled: 6B Solve Traps

Started On: June 12th

Finished On: June 12th, 6:58 PM

Pages Read: 480

A Kiss of Shadows by Laurell K. Hamilton

Prompt Fulfilled: 6D Sketch Sundancer

Started On: June 13th

Finished On: June 13th, 5:03 PM

Pages Read: 480

I Did Something Bad by Pyae Moe Thet War 

Prompt Fulfilled: 6B Solve Traps

Started On: June 27th

Finished On: June 27th, 5:03 PM

Pages Read: 336

That Devil, Ambition by Linsey Miller

Prompt Fulfilled: 6C Meet Really Odd Impling

Started On: June 27th

Finished On: June 27th, 10:43 P M

Pages Read: 416

Isle of the Emberdark by Brandon Sanderson 

Prompt Fulfilled: 7D Write Notes

Started On: July 2nd

Finished On: July 2nd, 7:38 PM

Pages Read: 532 

Tenderly, I Am Devoured by Lyndall Clipstone 

Prompt Fulfilled: 7B Read Whilst on Watch

Started On: July 3rd

Finished On: July 3rd, 10:31 PM

Pages Read: 304

The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray 

Prompt Fulfilled: 7E Collect Gems

Started On: July 6th

Finished On: July 6th, 10:03 PM

Pages Read: 336

Shanna by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss

Prompt Fulfilled: 7A Explore Ruins

Started On: July 21st

Finished On: July 21st, 8:31 PM

Pages Read: 672

The Future King by Robyn Schneider

Prompt Fulfilled: 7B Read Whilst on Watch

Started On: July 23rd

Finished On: July 23rd, 9:47 PM

Pages Read: 416

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

Prompt Fulfilled: 7B Read Whilst on Watch

Started On: July 29th

Finished On: July 29th, 10:17 AM

Pages Read: 336

Glorious Rivals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Prompt Fulfilled: 7D Write Notes

Started On: July 29th

Finished On: July 29th, 2:59 PM

Pages Read: 432

A Mouthful of Dust by Nghi Vo

Prompt Fulfilled: 7C Start a Band 

Started On: August 7th

Finished On: August 7th, 2:29 PM

Pages Read: 128

A Touch of Treachery by Jennifer Estep

Prompt Fulfilled: 8C Regrow Eyebrows

Started On: August 7th

Finished On: August 7th, 10:36 PM

Pages Read: 477

All Fun and Games by Honor Raconteur

Prompt Fulfilled: 8A Charge Conduit

Started On: August 8th

Finished On: August 8th, 8:16 PM

Pages Read: 422

Dream True Things by Marie Marquardt

Prompt Fulfilled: 5C Sleep

Started On: August 11th

Finished On: August 11th, 7:38 PM

Pages Read: 353

We Can Never Leave by H.E. Edgmon

Prompt Fulfilled: 8D Stargaze

Started On: August 13th

Finished On: August 13th, 3:27 PM

Pages Read: 320

The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James

Prompt Fulfilled: 8D Stargaze

Started On: August 14th

Finished On: August 14th, 7:43 PM

Pages Read: 315

Songlight by Moira Buffini

Prompt Fulfilled: 8B Use Truelight

Finished On: August 15th, 5:38 PM

Pages Read: 384

The Revenge by Hannah Jayne

Prompt Fulfilled: 8A Find Relic

Started On: August 17th

Finished On: August 17th, 6:39 PM

Pages Read: 304

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson

Prompt Fulfilled: 6C Meet Really Odd Impling

Started On: August 27th

Finished On: August 27th, 7:57 PM

Pages Read: 465

The Virtue of Sin by Shannon Schuren

Prompt Fulfilled: 8C Recruit 6 More Implings

Started On: August 29th

Finished On: August 29th, 4:52 PM

Pages Read: 432

Backpacking Through Bedlam by Seanan McGuire

Prompt Fulfilled: 9D Travel to Daerune

Started On: September 8th

Finished On: September 8th, 7:43 PM

Pages Read: 400

A Fate So Cold by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman

Prompt Fulfilled: 9B Inspect Frost

Started On: September 11th

Finished On: September 11th, 9:37 PM

Page's Read: 432

A Fate Forged in Fire by Hazel McBride

Prompt Fulfilled: 9D Travel to Daerune

Started On: September 15th

Finished On: September 15th, 10:48 AM

Pages Read: 416

Claimed By Her Monsters by Lexi Davis

Prompt Fulfilled: 9A Levitation Scroll

Started On: September 16th

Finished On: September 16th, 11:06 PM

Pages Read: 120

The Burning Hand by Jodi Meadows 

Prompt Fulfilled: 9B Hear Mountains Call

Started On: September 19th

Finished On: September 19th, 2:10 PM

Pages Read: 40

Bitten by Jordan Stephanie Gray

Prompt Fulfilled: 9C Travel to Kerador

Started On: September 23rd

Finished On: September 23rd, 10:58 AM

Pages Read: 384

A Lie for a Lie by Ren DeStefano

Prompt Fulfilled: 9C Travel to Kerador

Started On: September 27th

Finished On: September 27th, 2:45 PM

Pages Read: 320

Mate by Ali Hazelwood 

Prompt Fulfilled: 10A Meet the River Pixies

Started On: October 4th

Finished On: October 4th, 1:49 PM

Pages Read: 432

State of Decay by James Knapp

Prompt Fulfilled: 10D Enter Laboratory

Started On: October 9th

Finished On: October 9th, 3:04 PM

Pages Read: 384

The Silent Army by James Knapp

Prompt Fulfilled: 10D Enter Laboratory

Started On: October 9th

Finished On: October 9th, 9:18 PM

Pages Read: 382

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

Prompt Fulfilled: 10B Meet Entry Wardens

Started On: October 10th

Finished On: October 10th, 2:58 PM

Pages Read: 352

Origin by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: 10C Dye Hair Purple

Started On: October 12th

Finished On: October 12th, 6:08 PM

Pages Read: 638

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: 10C Dye Hair Purple

Started On: October 13th

Finished On: October 13th, 7:37 PM

Pages Read: 688

Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek

Prompt Fulfilled: 10B Meet Entry Wardens

Started On: October 24th

Finished On: October 24th, 4:06 PM

Pages Read: 368

Prompts Left: None Left!

Read: 74

Pages Read: 1951468

Monthly ARC's Update 133

So I read my next book for Monthly ARC's and it was Overdue by Stephanie Perkins from the October list.

Here's the link to this month's post with my journey.

How it Works: 

This is my monthly ARC accountability challenge, to list out the books that I have as ARC's that are being published in the coming month, rounding them up at the start of the month, and seeing how well I did at the end, as well as rounding up the next month's books.    

  

Book Blogger Hop #420, October 24th

Book Blogger Hop

The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer from Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer's permission, Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer relaunched the meme on February 15, 2013. Check out the hop here! 

Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end on Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop's purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.

The Question of the week is: Will AI ultimately benefit or harm the book industry? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

Unless they're careful, and that they keep AI out of the creativity, then there's a good chance that it could harm the book industry. Like, I'd be fine if it did admin type work with humans overseeing so no lost jobs, but to write the book, edit it, create the cover, having AI touch any of that would take something important out of the whole process. What about you guys? Happy reading! 

First Lines Friday #754, October 24th

 First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. We encourage all of our fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

-Grab your current read(s)
-Share the first line(s)
-Include the title and author so that other FLF participants can add the book to their TBR Lists!

"The festivities of Kupala Night are just beginning when Liska Radost leaves the village behind. Her eyes prick with tears as she takes a final look over her shoulder. A gust of wind snags at her shawl, threatening to devour the flame of her lantern. This night, the solstice, should belong to revelry beneath a broad summer moon. It is the night unmarried girls weave crowns of wildflowers and float them down the river for the local boys to chase, the night that folk songs are sung to the roar of a bonfire, the night when villages pray to God for fertile feilds and livestock and view.s But most importantly, it is the night that, according to legend, the fern flower will bloom."-Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek

Oh, that doesn't sound good! Must read more now! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Phase Out Your TBR Update 21

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your TBR, and it was Empire of the Damned which is for the prompt Red 6, and I'll be reading Where the Dark Stands Still next! 

My Reading Journey:

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown 

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 6

Started On: October 1st

Finished On: October 1st, 9:03 PM

Pages Read: 736

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 3

Started On: October 2nd

Finished On: October 2nd, 5:45 PM

Pages Read: 489

Vicious Fates by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti 

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 7

Started On: October 4th

Finished On: October 4th, 11:04 PM

Pages Read: 678

Married to the Devil by Lillian Lark

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 11

Started On: October 6th

Finished On: October 6th, 10:48 PM

Pages Read: 482

Inferno by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 6

Started On: October 8th

Finished On: October 8th, 8:58 PM

Pages Read: 611

State of Decay by James Knapp

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 9

Started On: October 9th

Finished On: October 9th, 3:04 PM

Pages Read: 384

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 7

Started On: October 10th

Finished On: October 10th, 2:58 PM

Pages Read: 352

Going Dark by Melissa de la Cruz

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 10

Started On: October 10th

Finished On: October 10th, 8:48 PM

Pages Read: 336

Holly by Adalyn Grace

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 11

Started On: October 11th

Finished On: October 11th, 5:01 PM

Pages Read: 384

Origin by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Wild Red (Red 2)

Started On: October 12th

Finished On: October 12th, 6:08 PM

Pages Read: 638

First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 7

Started On: October 14th

Finished On: October 14th, 7:08 PM

Pages Read: 352

Element Zero by James Knapp

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 10

Started On: October 15th

Finished On: October 15th, 9:33 PM

Pages Read: 384

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 3

Started On: October 16th

Finished On: October 16th, 11:05 AM

Pages Read: 368

Leviathan's Song by Elsie Winters

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 11

Started On: October 16th

Finished On: October 16th, 6:37 PM

Pages Read: 342

Magpies & Mayhem by Elsie Winters

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 2

Started On: October 17th

Finished On: October 17th, 7:38 PM

Pages Read: 295

What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 6

Started On: October 18th

Finished On : October 18th, 1:48 PM

Pages Read: 288

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 3

Started On: October 20th

Finished On: October 20th, 2:06 PM

Pages Read:  416

Princess of Death by Penelope Barsetti

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 10

Started On: October 21st

Finished On: October 21st, 3:10 PM

Pages Read: 396

A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 1

Started On: October 21st

Finished On: October 21st, 7:58 PM

Pages Read: 400

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 2

Started On: October 22nd

Finished On: October 22nd, 5:32 PM

Pages Read: 416

Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 6

Started On: October 23rd

Finished On: October 23rd, 9:47 PM

Pages Read: 709

Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 6

Started On: October 24th

Currently On: Page 0 of 368

Prompts Left: None Left!

Books Read: 21

Pages Read: 65536

Random Reads #727, October 23rd

Random Reads is a monthly meme (that I'm going to do weekly) hosted by I'm Loving Books to read some books that have been on our TBR piles for a long time. Using Random.org, I got 2395 which turned out to be It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier! It's been on my TBR pile since June 9th, 2024, and I added it because it sounded really good! What about you guys? Happy reading!

Third Sentence Thursday #741, October 23rd

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme which likes to watch fireworks especially while eating a cookie!

1) Take the book you are currently reading and open it to a random page. Share the third full sentence on that page. (If there isn't a third one – like at the end of a chapter or a blank page – you can share the third sentence of the book or just choose another random page.) Feel free to share more than one sentence, if you feel the need to do so.

2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)

3) Post a link to your sentence at Words I Write Crazy (This Blog)

4) Visit one or two of the other blogs to check out their third sentences!

"Lachlan shrugged, spitting blood on the frost." -Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff, page 79.

That doesn't sound good, that he has blood to spit like that. Must reread more now! What are your guy's 3rd lines? Link up below!

Will the Time Come #751, October 23rd

Every Thursday I am going to list a book which I really want to read/keep meaning to get to. These are mostly books which have been on my shelf for awhile now but don't have to be, maybe you got it two weeks ago and really want to read it! Thanks to Jodie from Books for Company for this meme!

Want to Join?

-Pick a book you have been meaning to read

-Do a post telling us about the book    

-Link the post up in the linky  

-Visit the other blogs

From Goodreads:

An intergalactic luxury cruise to a distant port is a world unto itself in this piercing short mystery by #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth. Traveling faster than light, the transport ship Redundancy is cut off from communication as effectively as an ancient ocean liner. The isolation suits crew member Ace Vance just fine—she’s got nowhere else to be. But when a wealthy passenger turns up dead during a routine voyage, Ace will have to connect with the passengers and crew to uncover the truth. Tragedy will strike again—it’s only a matter of time. Veronica Roth’s Void is part of The Far Reaches , a collection of science-fiction stories that stretch the imagination and open the heart. They can be read or listened to in one sitting.

Why the time hasn't come yet...

I dunno, it's set of stories that are technically a series, but by various authors, and probably a theme and not connected stories besides that theme. Plus it's a novella. There's really no reason besides how many books that are on my TBR as to why I haven't gotten to it. What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Phase Out Your TBR Update 20

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your TBR, and it was Overdue which is for the prompt Blue 2, and I'll be reading Empire of the Damned next! 

My Reading Journey:

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown 

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 6

Started On: October 1st

Finished On: October 1st, 9:03 PM

Pages Read: 736

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 3

Started On: October 2nd

Finished On: October 2nd, 5:45 PM

Pages Read: 489

Vicious Fates by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti 

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 7

Started On: October 4th

Finished On: October 4th, 11:04 PM

Pages Read: 678

Married to the Devil by Lillian Lark

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 11

Started On: October 6th

Finished On: October 6th, 10:48 PM

Pages Read: 482

Inferno by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 6

Started On: October 8th

Finished On: October 8th, 8:58 PM

Pages Read: 611

State of Decay by James Knapp

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 9

Started On: October 9th

Finished On: October 9th, 3:04 PM

Pages Read: 384

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 7

Started On: October 10th

Finished On: October 10th, 2:58 PM

Pages Read: 352

Going Dark by Melissa de la Cruz

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 10

Started On: October 10th

Finished On: October 10th, 8:48 PM

Pages Read: 336

Holly by Adalyn Grace

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 11

Started On: October 11th

Finished On: October 11th, 5:01 PM

Pages Read: 384

Origin by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Wild Red (Red 2)

Started On: October 12th

Finished On: October 12th, 6:08 PM

Pages Read: 638

First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 7

Started On: October 14th

Finished On: October 14th, 7:08 PM

Pages Read: 352

Element Zero by James Knapp

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 10

Started On: October 15th

Finished On: October 15th, 9:33 PM

Pages Read: 384

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 3

Started On: October 16th

Finished On: October 16th, 11:05 AM

Pages Read: 368

Leviathan's Song by Elsie Winters

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 11

Started On: October 16th

Finished On: October 16th, 6:37 PM

Pages Read: 342

Magpies & Mayhem by Elsie Winters

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 2

Started On: October 17th

Finished On: October 17th, 7:38 PM

Pages Read: 295

What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 6

Started On: October 18th

Finished On : October 18th, 1:48 PM

Pages Read: 288

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 3

Started On: October 20th

Finished On: October 20th, 2:06 PM

Pages Read:  416

Princess of Death by Penelope Barsetti

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 10

Started On: October 21st

Finished On: October 21st, 3:10 PM

Pages Read: 396

A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 1

Started On: October 21st

Finished On: October 21st, 7:58 PM

Pages Read: 400

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 2

Started On: October 22nd

Finished On: October 22nd, 5:32 PM

Pages Read: 416

Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 6

Started On: October 23rd

Currently On: Page 0 of 709

Prompts Left: Yellow 6

Books Read: 20

Pages Read: 64827

Waiting on Wednesday #754, October 22nd

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!

The Moorwitch by Jessica Khoury

Expected Publication: November 1st, 2025
From Goodreads:

In this sweeping romantic fantasy from bestselling author Jessica Khoury, a young witch caught in a twisted bargain with the fae must disguise herself as a governess and uncover the gateway to the realm of faerie in order to save her dying magic and escape the clutches of her controlling fae handler—even as she finds herself falling for her new employer, an enigmatic young Scottish laird and the owner of a crumbling estate brimming with secrets.

Rose Pryor has sacrificed everything for magic. As a Weaver skilled in the craft of spinning spells with thread and needle, she’s always chosen magic over love, and it was magic that brought her to Lachlan, the fae with whom Rose once struck a sinister deal in order to escape her abusive home. After years of running from her past, Rose has finally managed to build a new life for herself as a teacher in a school for young Weavers. But Rose has a Her magic is waning, and every spell she weaves to train her students is slowly killing her.

When Lachlan returns to collect the debt Rose owes him, she finds herself on a perilous journey to the Scottish moors where she must find him an ancient gateway to the realm of the fae, lest her precious magic be forfeit. But when her quest pits her against Conrad, a young laird with a soul as lonely as her own who hires Rose to work as a governess for his rebellious young sister, Rose finds herself torn between her promise to Lachlan and her budding feelings for her new employer as her search for the gateway puts both her magic and her heart at stake.

The Same Backward as Forward by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:

You’ve fallen in love with the Hawthorne brothers, now discover the love story of the lost scion of Hawthorne House. Read Hannah’s side of the story, then flip the book over to experience their love anew through Toby’s eyes in this unforgettable novel that you can read backward or forward.

Hannah Rooney knows how to be invisible. At twenty, she keeps her head down and her eyes open, and so far, she’s managed to avoid being pulled into the dealings of her notorious criminal family. Hannah lives her life in countdown mode, biding her time in nursing school as she waits for her beloved sister, Kaylie, to turn eighteen so Hannah can get them both far, far away from Rockaway Watch and start a new life.

Tobias Hawthorne II acts every inch the entitled heir that he is. As the only son of one of the country's richest men, there isn't a door that isn't open to him. Yet behind his razor sharp cheekbones and devil-may-care attitude, Toby is guarding a nest of deadly secrets and a fiery anger fierce enough to burn everything in his path.

Their lives collide in one tragic, stormy night, where an act of arson and nature leave Kaylie and two others dead and Toby just barely alive—with no memory of who he is. The fisherman who pulls him from the ocean enlists Hannah to help save the very person who she knows took away her sister. Fueled by her hatred, Hannah is determined to deny Toby's death wish by keeping him alive. He is the last person that she should ever develop feelings for, and she is the first thing he ever remembers seeing.

Some things cannot happen—and some things cannot be stopped.

*Hannah’s side of the story was previously published as a novella in Games Untold

*Reading them all? The ideal reading order The Inheritance Games , The Hawthorne Legacy , The Final Gambit , The Brothers Hawthorne , Games Untold ,  The Grandest Game ,  Glorious Rivals , and The Same Backward as Forward . 

*Looking for more unputdownable reads from Jennifer Lynn Barnes? Check out The Naturals series (The Naturals, Killer Instinct, All In, Bad Blood, and the enovella, Twelve), The Debutantes duet (Little White Lies, Deadly Little Scandals), and The Lovely and the Lost.

We're Not Safe Here by Rin Chupeco 

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Wispy Falls' town motto "You'll be safe here!" but that doesn't seem to be true. Because in Wispy Falls, monsters live in the woods, and children go missing, and the bodies are beginning to stack up. 

A seventeen year-old vlogger known as Storymancer is determined to get to the bottom of what's wrong in Wispy Falls. A few years ago his six-year-old brother went missing in the woods and no one in town seemed to care enough to find him. 

So now he's investigating why every household participates in something called the Bloodmoon Ritual, Why crpytid sightings are so common. And why everyone who goes into the woods, goes missing. If he can't fix what's wrong with the town, he just might be the next body in the woods.

Told primarily through video transcripts, message boards, and radio shows, this Welcome to Nightvale inspired horror will chill you to your core.

The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling "Queen of Fairytale Retellings" and author of Cinder and Heartless, this is the tale of Bluebeard as it's never been told before—a thrilling romantasy and murder mystery.

Mallory Fontaine is a fraud. Though she comes from a long line of witches, the only magic she possesses is the ability to see ghosts, which is rarely as useful as one would think. She and her sister have maintained the family business, eking out a paltry living by selling bogus spells to gullible buyers and conducting tours of the infamous mansion where the first of the Saphir murders took place.

Mallory is a self-proclaimed expert on Count Bastien Saphir—otherwise known as Monsieur Le Bleu—who brutally killed three of his wives more than a century ago. But she never expected to meet Bastien's great-great grandson and heir to the Saphir estate. Armand is handsome, wealthy, and convinced that the Fontaine Sisters are as talented as they claim. The perfect mark. When he offers Mallory a large sum of money to rid his ancestral home of Le Bleu's ghost, she can’t resist. A paid vacation at Armand’s country manor? It’s practically a dream come true, never mind the ghosts of murdered wives and the monsters that are as common as household pests.

But when murder again comes to the House Saphir, Mallory finds herself at the center of the investigation—and she is almost certain the killer is mortal. If she has any hope of cashing in on the payment she was promised, she’ll have to solve the murder and banish the ghost, all while upholding the illusion of witchcraft.

But that all sounds relatively easy compared to her biggest learning to trust her heart. Especially when the person her heart wants the most might be a murderer himself.

Empire of the Dawn by Jay Kristoff

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:

From New York Times bestselling author of the Empire of the Vampire and Empire of the Damned, Jay Kristoff, comes the epic conclusion to the #1 internationally bestselling series.

From holy cup comes holy light;

The faithful hands sets world aright.

And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight,

Mere man shall end this endless night.

Gabriel de León has lost his family, his faith, and the last hope of ending the endless night—his surrogate daughter, Dior. With no thought left but vengeance, he and a band of loyal brothers journey into the war-torn heart of Elidaen to claim the life of the Forever King.

Unbeknownst to the Last Silversaint, the Grail still lives—speeding towards the besieged capital of Augustin in the frail hope of ending Daysdeath. But deadly treachery awaits within the halls of power, and the Forever King’s legions march ever closer. Gabriel and Dior will be drawn into a final battle that will shape the very fate of the Empire, but as the sun sets for what may the last time, there will be no one left for them to trust.

Not even each other.

Witchlight by Susan Dennard

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Paths converge and prophecies unfold as Safi and Iseult—the legendary Cahr Awen—fight their way across the Witchlands to heal the final Origin Well. With ancient figures rising from the past, the Raider King’s armies gathering for war, and the magic at the heart of everything dying too fast, the entire world is now on the brink of collapse.

But when Safi and Iseult reach the Air Well with the Bloodwitch Aeduan at their side, they discover too late that Eridysi's Lament is not the prophecy they thought it was—and their journeys are only just beginning.

A Fate So Cold by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:

A Fate So Cold is the first of a new blockbuster duology from the New York Times bestselling authors of All of Us Villains, Amanda Foody & C. L. Herman.

For most of the year, Summer reigns peacefully over Alderland. Then, for six brutal weeks, Winter rages, obliterating towns and wreaking casualties. Magicians bond with powerful wands of Summer to defend the nation, a duty that costs many their lives.

Domenic Barrow never wanted such responsibility―but destiny hasn’t granted him a choice. The greatest Summer wand has awakened for the first time in a century, warning that an icy cataclysm looms on the horizon. And despite his reputation as the least suited of his classmates, the wand Chooses Domenic to wield it.

Ellery Caldwell spent years striving to be a perfect Summer magician―and burying her fears of her own power. But her worst suspicions are proven true when she accidentally creates the first ever Winter wand.

Now, as the unprecedented Chosen Two, Domenic and Ellery must thwart the oncoming cataclysm together. And in trying to fulfill their destinies, they wonder if they were brought together for a second fate: to fall in love.

Until they discover the unthinkable truth. The Chosen Two aren’t fated allies, but eternal rivals, and the only way to save their home is for one of them to slay the other.

This is no love story. It's a tragedy.

Coldwire by Chloe Gong

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Chloe Gong comes the start of a daring new dystopian series where humanity has moved to virtual reality to flee their deteriorating world, following two young soldiers who must depend on unlikely allies in their fight for survival.

The future is loading…

To escape rising seas and rampant epidemics, most of society lives “upcountry” in glistening virtual reality, while those who can’t afford the subscription are forced to remain in crumbling “downcountry.”

But upcountry isn’t perfect. A cold war rages between two powerful nations, Medaluo and Atahua—and no one suffers for it more than the Medan orphans in Atahua. Their enrollment at Nile Military Academy is mandatory. Either serve as a soldier or risk being labelled a spy.

Eirale graduated the academy and joined NileCorp’s private forces downcountry, exactly as she was supposed to. Then Atahua’s most wanted anarchist frames her for assassinating a government official, and she’s given a choice: cooperate with him to search for a dangerous program in Medaluo or go down for treason.

Meanwhile, Lia is finishing her last year upcountry at Nile Military Academy. Paired with her academic nemesis for their final assignment, Lia is determined to beat him for valedictorian and prove her worth. But there may be far more at stake when their task to infiltrate Medaluo and track down an Atahuan traitor goes wrong…

Though Eirale and Lia tear through Medaluo on different planes of reality, the two start to suspect they are puzzle pieces in a larger conspiracy—and the closer they get to the truth, the closer their worlds come to a shattering collision.

Eternal Ruin by Tigest Girma

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:

The breathtaking sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller, Immortal Dark !

Like all ruinous things, he came from the abyss.

Kidan Adane has finally embraced her darkness. She’s killed without remorse, lied, and broken Uxlay University’s most sacred law by inviting elusive rogue vampires, the Nefrasi, into Uxlay.

Trapped with a violently unstable vampire, and reeling from her sister’s return, Kidan wields her anger like a weapon. She vows to master her house and protect the sacred artifact hidden inside, even if it means forging an alliance with the depraved leader of the Nefrasi, Samson Sagad—and betraying Susenyos.

A dangerous new philosophical text seems to hold the answers and promises the very thing Kidan has control. Even as the dark pages consume her, Kidan knows no soul at Uxlay is trustworthy—least of all Susenyos. For Kidan and Susenyos, the lines of loathing and attraction may blur, but the quest for power rules them both. And neither is willing to surrender.

As devastating secrets resurface from the past, Kidan and her sister, June, must finally confront each other and take their rightful places in the looming war.

The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:

A woman must confront the evil that has been terrorizing her street since she was a child in this gripping haunted house novel from the national bestselling author of The House That Horror Built and Good Girls Don’t Die.

On an otherwise ordinary street in Chicago, there is a house. An abandoned house where, once upon a time, terrible things happened. The children who live on this block are told by their parents to stay away from that house. But of course, children don’t listen. Children think it’s fun to be scared, to dare each other to go inside.

Jessie Campanelli did what many older sisters do and dared her little brother Paul. But unlike all the other kids who went inside that abandoned house, Paul didn’t return. His two friends, Jake and Richie, said that the house ate Paul. Of course adults didn’t believe that. Adults never believe what kids say. They thought someone kidnapped Paul, or otherwise hurt him. They thought Paul had disappeared in a way that was ordinary, explainable.

The disappearance of her little brother broke Jessie’s family apart in ways that would never be repaired. Jessie grew up, had a child of her own, kept living on the same street where the house that ate her brother sat, crouched and waiting. And darkness seemed to spread out from that house, a darkness that was alive—alive and hungry.

The Devil in Oxford by Jess Armstrong 

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Set after the Great War, Jess Armstrong’s USA Today bestselling and award-winning series is historical gothic murder mystery at its best, and Ruby Vaughn returns in The Devil in Oxford.

If someone were to ask American heiress Ruby Vaughn how exactly the occult came to play such a large role in her life, she would immediately point to her octogenarian housemate and employer, Mr. Owen. Together, the pair run a rare book shop in Exeter. Mr. Owen’s penchant for arcane, unusual—and occasionally illegal—books has been known to get Ruby into her fair share of trouble. And after the last year, she is looking forward to spending a quiet holiday in picturesque Oxford while Mr. Owen attends the annual meeting of his antiquarian society. Secretly, Ruby is also looking for a holiday from her confounding feelings for Ruan Kivell, the intriguing folk healer Pellar that she met in Cornwall.

When Mr. Owen secures two tickets to an upcoming exhibition of artifacts amassed by disgraced scholar Julius Harker, Ruby reluctantly agrees to attend. The evening turns out to be more eventful than either of them bargained for. Harker’s dead body is discovered amongst the collection, his business partner is hastily arrested, and Ruan arrives…wanting to speak with Ruby. It seems both the arcane and her Pellar have followed Ruby to Oxford.

The murder case is suspicious at best, but the last thing Ruby wants is another investigation. That is, until an old friend comes begging for Ruby’s help. It soon becomes painfully clear that there is more going on in Oxford than meets the eye. Ruby and Ruan will have to uncover the dark secrets of the competitive world of antiquities while trying to understand the peculiar force that keeps drawing them back together.

Beautiful Brutal Bodies by Linda Cheng

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Full of skin-crawling folk horror and sapphic romance, this feral fairytale and standalone follow-up to GORGEOUS GRUESOME FACES follows a reclusive songstress and her bodyguard who must unravel the occult mysteries of their past to escape from a cursed island.

Tian is a singer-songwriter with a massive online following, known for her hypnotic vocals and ethereal looks. But behind the glamorous façade is a disturbing reality: raised in an isolated mansion, Tian is a prisoner in her own life.

Liya is Tian’s childhood friend and her only close companion, tasked with protecting Tian at all costs. But hidden beneath Liya’s beautiful human exterior is a beastly secret: her teeth are far too sharp, and her appetite much too ferocious.

When several fans mysteriously suffer fatal injuries while watching her livestream, Tian, along with Liya, are sent to a spiritual healing retreat on a remote island in the South China Seas. They are joined by Tian's musical collaborator Shenyu, a troubled idol whose recent brush with the law and string of bad boyfriends has him seeking his own new start. But the trio soon discovers that the island is no peaceful getaway. There is constant surveillance, bizzare rituals, and something terrifying lurking in the forest. Something not quite human.

In order to escape with her loved ones, Tian must uncover her connection to the island’s blood-drenched legend -- and the truth behind Liya’s monstrous identity -- before the island claims them all as its final sacrifice.

Girls Who Play Dead by Joelle Wellington

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Two siblings investigate the murder of a friend only to unearth even more deadly mysteries in their small town in this page-turning young adult thriller from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games.

When Mikky Graves left his small, stifling hometown of Prophets Lake to live with his estranged mother, he thought nothing could ever make him return for good.

Until his sister Kyla’s best friend, Erin, is murdered.

Mikky never worried about leaving Kyla behind at their family-owned funeral home so long as she had Erin. But when Mikky heads home, determined to help Kyla grieve, the sister he encounters barely resembles the one he remembers. Mikky decides, then and there, to do the one thing that seems even more impossible than stay.

As Kyla spirals further into her rage and secrets, Mikky realizes the only thing that can help his sister is finding the truth about who killed Erin. But the more he investigates, the further he’s pulled into other ugly mysteries of Prophets Lake and the beauty brand that is its lifeblood. The town’s rot runs deep, and everyone has something to hide. Perhaps no one more than Kyla herself.

We Fell Apart by E. Lockhart

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:

This gorgeous edition of We Fell Apart will feature stunning sprayed edges, unique printed endpapers, and an exclusive foil-stamped case!

#1 New York Times bestselling author E. Lockhart returns to the world of her TikTok sensation We Were Liars with all her signature beachy gothic atmosphere, family intrigue, and high-stakes romance.

The invitation arrives out of the blue.

In it, Matilda discovers a father she’s never met. Kingsley Cello is a visionary, a reclusive artist. And when he asks her to spend the summer at his seaside home, Hidden Beach, Matilda expects to find a part of herself she’s never fully understood.

Instead, she finds Meer, her long-lost, openhearted brother; Brock, a former child star battling demons; and brooding, wild Tatum, who just wants her to leave their crumbling sanctuary.

With Kingsley nowhere to be seen, Matilda must delve into the twisted heart of Hidden Beach to uncover the answers she’s desperately craving. But secrets run thicker than blood, and blood runs like seawater.

And everyone here is lying.

Fallen City by Adrienne Young

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:

In the great walled city of Isara, political turmoil ignites a rebellion one hundred years in the making. But when a legionnaire falls in love with a Magistrate's daughter, their love will threaten the fate of the city and the will of the gods.

Luca Matius has one purpose—to carry on the family name, maintaining its presence in the Forum once his powerful and cruel uncle dies. But his noviceship with the city's Philosopher places him in the middle of a catastrophe that will alter the destiny of his people.

Maris Casoeria was raised amidst the strategic maneuvers of the Citadel's inner workings, and she knows what her future holds—a lifetime of service to a corrupt city. But her years of serving as a novice to the last Priestess who possesses the stolen magic of the Old War has made her envision a different kind of future for the city. When she meets Luca, a fated chain of events is set into motion that will divinely entangle their lives.

As a secret comes to light and throws the city into chaos, Luca and Maris hatch a plot to create a calculated alliance that could tip the scales of power. But when an execution forces Luca to become the symbol of rebellion, he and Maris are thrown onto opposite sides of a holy war. As their fates diverge, they learn they are at the center of a story the gods are writing. And even if they can find their way back to each other, there may be nothing left.

Silver & Smoke by Helen Scheuerer

Expected Publication: November 6th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Alchemist. Poisoner. Reluctant Queen.

Wren Embervale knows her duty demands a crown, even if it means a strategic betrothal to the influential Lord Darian Devereux. Their arranged marriage promises the formidable army she needs to wrestle her kingdom from the clutches of the tyrannical usurper, Silas. Yet, Wren’s heart still belongs to Torj Elderbrock, her soul-bonded Warsword.

Torn between her pragmatic alliance and the visceral pull of her bond with Torj, Wren must navigate a treacherous landscape of courtly intrigue and looming war. As Silas’s shadow alchemy tightens its grip on the midrealms and a creeping poison steals Torj’s strength, Wren’s carefully constructed facade begins to crack. Can she play the dutiful fiancée to secure her throne, while her body and soul yearns for the warrior who would lay down his life for her? Or will the tangled threads of political necessity leave her kingdom – and her heart – in ashes?

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of Iron & Embers, Silver & Smoke is the blistering finale to the Ashes of Thezmarr series.

Wow, the start of November is stacked with some amazing books! I'm so excited for all of these books, I've read one of two and they were so great, and I'm looking forward to all of them so much! What about you guys? Happy reading!