Category: Series

Adult Fiction, LGBTQ+, Monthly Wrap-Ups, Mystery, Poetry, Romance, Series, Short Stories

Monthly Wrap-Up: October 2025

Michelle

I read 14 books in October. I’m looking forward to another great reading month in November!

My favorite books read in October were Cackle by Rachel Harrison, Inheritance by Nora Roberts and Every Step She Takes by Alison Cochrun.

Books Read In October:
📖 Cackle by Rachel Harrison
📖 Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison
📖 George’s Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl
📖 The Witches by Roald Dahl
🎧 Bad Dolls by Rachel Harrison
📖/🎧 Inheritance by Nora Roberts
📖 Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison
📖 How To Survive A Horror Story by Mallory Arnold
📖 Re-Coupling by Harriet Shenkman
📖 Every Step She Takes by Alison Cochrun
📖 Play Nice by Rachel Harrison
📖 Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham
📖 Say A Little Prayer by Jenna Voris
📖 This Foreign Affair by Harper Bliss

What did you read in October? Which was your favorite?

Adult Fiction, Netgalley Reviews, Romance, Series, Tear Jerkers

The Love We Found by Jill Santopolo

Michelle

Ages 18+

When I found out that Jill Santopolo was publishing a sequel to The Light We Lost, I literally gasped with excitement. That novel is one of my all-time favorite, five-star books, and The Love We Found didn’t disappoint!

The story takes place ten years after the death of Lucy’s love Gabriel, and everything that came after. If you loved the first one, and no doubt you will if you love books that tug at your heartstrings, you will definitely adore The Love We Found!

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

Adult Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Netgalley Reviews, Series

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano

Michelle

Ages 18+

In this latest installment of the Finlay Donovan series, Fin is at it again. She and her sidekick/friend Vero begrudgingly help Mrs. Haggerty, her elderly, nosey-body neighbor who unfortunately has been caught with a dead body in her backyard. What have they gotten themselves into this time? This series reminds me so much of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. I feel like Finlay and Steph could be besties!

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

Adult Fiction, Netgalley Reviews, Series

Dog Days by Wendy Corsi Staub

Michelle

Ages 18+

The sixth in the Lily Dale Mysteries series, this latest installment felt a bit stale and repetitive.

Still filled with the same quirky characters, this book follows Bella as she leaves Chicago with her son after her former mother-in-law’s wedding. Back in Lily Dale, Bella sees her husband Sam, but she can’t have seen him, because he’s dead…or is he?

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.    

Adult Fiction, Netgalley Reviews, Romance, Series

Tangled Up In You by Christina Lauren

Michelle

Ages 18+

Technically the fourth in the Meant To Be series, this book can be read as a stand alone. It is a retelling of Disney’s Tangled. A bit saccharine, it was a cute story about Ren, a book-smart girl who is sheltered by her parents. She then goes away to college and meets bad-boy Fitz, who is assigned to show her around campus. They end up on a road-trip together and the story goes from there. It dragged a bit in the middle, but ultimately was a triumph in the end.

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

Netgalley Reviews, Series, YA Fiction

Pumpkin by Julie Murphy

Michelle

Grades 9 – 12

Pumpkin (Dumplin', #3)

The third installment of the Dumplin’ series follows Waylon Russel Brewer, an overweight, openly gay senior in high school who has a twin sister named Clementine. Their plan is to move to Austin after graduation, but when Clementine deviates from their plan, Waylon decides to create an audition tape for a drag queen show and submit it. But when the tape goes viral and the whole school sees it, he gets nominated as Prom Queen as a joke. Waylon decides to own it, and go with the flow, but can he pull it off?

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

Adult Fiction, Netgalley Reviews, Series, Thriller

Win by Harlan Coben

Michelle

Ages 18+

Win (Windsor Horne Lockwood III, #1)

Readers will recognize Win from Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar series, but will be pleased that there is a new series devoted to Win. A robbery was committed at Patricia Lockwood’s family estate, and she was abducted on top of it. She escaped, but so did her captors. Now, over twenty years later, Win is on the hunt to find them and bring them to justice. This thriller is not to be missed!

Thanks to Netgalley.com for a review copy of this book.

Middle Grade Fiction, Netgalley Reviews, Series

Amina’s Song by Hena Khan

Michelle

Grades 4 – 6

The second book in the Amina’s Voice series begins as Amina is finishing her trip to Pakistan, and she’s excited to share her experiences with her friends once she returns back home. They don’t seem interested, however, and when she does a school project on Malala Yousafzai, her classmates focus on the negative parts of the story instead of seeing Pakistan for the beauty of it that is in Amina’s eyes. 

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.