Monday, September 29, 2025

Love Your Library: September (August 26-September 29) Hosted by Bookish Beck

For the past week, I have been blogging obsessively. I stayed up until 1:30AM on most nights, my record was 2:30, and I had to get up at 6AM most mornings for work. Needless to say, I'm tired. I'll keep this intro short. I didn't want to lose the momentum, so I'm still doing Love Your Library for September. This month's period was over 30 days, so I'm not surprised that I was able to finish 6 books. The rest of this month has been about preparing for Five Fall Favorites last week and October Mysteries and Thrillers. I have lots to say about that next month. Today, here is my library activity for September.

READ

  • A Year Without Autumn by Liz Kessler - I read this for Reb's Recs. It's the final week of summer and Jenni's family is on vacation with her best friend, Autumn's family. When she accidentally time travels a year into the future, everything's changed, and Autumn's family is unrecognizable. This book is a mixture of sci-fi, family drama and coming of age. I found it engaging as it took me on an emotional journey. ★★★★★ Read on Libby
  • Accomplice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer- Evie Sage started as The Villain's assistant and has since made a name for herself. Now, she is known as The Wicked Woman, second evilest person in Rennedawn only after The Villain. Evie's falling for her boss, even as the prophecy says they will be each other's undoing, but first they will have to gather the objects of Reneedawn's Story to bring back the magic. While book three isn't my favorite, I am absolutely obsessed with the humor and sweetness of this romance. CONTENT ADVISORY: S*x scene with some description, strong language, and LGBTQ+ characters. ★★★★★ Listened to on Hoopla
  • Ultimate Spider-Man: Volume 8: Kings and Cats by Brian Michael Bendis - In the first half Peter fights against a politician who hates Spider-Man and has ties to Kingpin, while in the second half Spider-Man gets mix up in burglary with Black Cat. This is one of those book series, I pick up another when I want a quick fun read. Because the first half focused on Peter and how Spider-Man complicates his civilian life, I had more fun when I got to second half with Black Cat. There was more action, and I just like Black Cat. ★★★☆☆ Read on Hoopla
  • Geekerella by Ashley Poston - In this Cinderella retelling Elle is a sci-fi geek, stranded with her cruel stepfamily after her father's death and Darien is an actor cast as the lead in the upcoming Starfield movie. Their romance involves a viral blog post, a mistaken phone number, and a cosplay competition. I have a full-length summary and review on Five Fall Favorites: 2025. Check out that post if you'd like to know how obsessed I am with his story. CONTENT ADVISORY: Mild language and LGBTQ+ characters. ★★★★★ Read on Libby
  •  Spider-Man: The Seceret of the Sinister Six by Adam-Troy Castro - Peter continues to investigate the mystery of Carla Mae Mendelson, his long-lost older sister as the Sinister Six, led by the Gentleman, prepare for their next attack. After breaking into a laboratory and stealing a machine with ability to cripple New York's electronic banking system, they launch their next wave of assault on New York and Spider-Man. I kept reading this one because I'm invested enough to get it from my library's inter library loan program, but it wasn't as much action as the previous book, so it took me a lot longer to finish it. While this story wandered through the plot and didn't get proofread before publication, Castro's love for the characters definitely shines and keeps it interesting. CONTENT ADVISIORY: Violence and language. ★★★★☆ 
  • The Grace Year by Kim Liggett - During their sixteenth year, girls are said to have magic that drives men to madness. For that year they are sent to live in the wildness at an all-girls encampment. Outside the camp are dangers from the elements and poachers that kill young women for their magic. However, staying inside the camp is just as dangerous. Tierney James dreams of a little girl who can lead them to freedom, but with an arranged marriage upon her return, those dreams seem impossible. This book reminded me of A Handmaid's Tale and Lord of the Flies. It accurately depicts a society that oppresses women and captures how they can turn on each other. The audiobook finished with an interview with the author and from what she said, I don't know think she understood the full weight of the story she was telling and wasted the opportunity. CONTENT ADVISIORY: Violence, death, strong language, s*x scene with some description and LGBTQ+ characters. ★★☆☆☆ Listen to on Hoopla. Read for 12 Recs from 12 Friends.

Currently Reading

  • Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein IG Post
  • Marvel Rising: Heroes of the Round Table by Nilah Magruder
  • Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
  • Climbing Rejection Mountain: An Actor's Path to Success, Stability, and Self-Esteem by Nick Wyman, Michael X. Martin
  • Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
  • The Grim Reader: A Pharmacist’s Guide to Putting Your Characters in Peril by Miffie Seideman

Checked Out, To Be Read

  • Murder on a school Night by Kate Weston
  • Mighty Marvel Masterworks Presents: The X-Men, Volume 1, The Strangest Heroes of All by Stan Lee
  • DK's Cupcakes for Any Occasion: 50 clever creations anyone can make by Rachel Lindsay
  • The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver
  • Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
  • Prey DVD
  • The Descent DVD
  • Big Bad Me by Aislinn O'Loughlin
  • Finish Your First Novel: a no bull guide to actually completing your first draft by Anna Char
  • How to Write a Romance Novel: a beginner's guide to getting it written and getting it published by Susan Palmquist
  • Writing Crime Fiction by Rosemary Rowe 

In The Reservation Queue

  • Power Rangers: Force of Chaos by Diana Ma
  • Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
  • Descent by Roland Smith
  • Famous Anonymous 1 by Morgan Baden
  • Codependent No More: how to stop controlling other and start caring for yourself by Melody Beattie  

On Hold, To Be Picked Up

None at this time.

Returned Unread

  • The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold by Ally Carter - I read this one as an ARC on Net Galley. I'm still figuring out how Net Galley works, so I wasn't sure if I'd be able to finish this title after the final book released, but I was able to finish it on Net Galley, so I didn't need to read it from my library.
  • The Beginner's Guide to Procreate by Roché Woodworth - This book looks so cute, and I want to work on my digital drawing, but I haven't really had time to try it.
  • Climbing Rejection Mountain: An Actor's Path to Success, Stability, and Self-Esteem by Nick Wyman, Michael X. Martin - Earlier this year, I was discouraged in acting, this book talks about acting as an art and a business, talking about the challenges and offering encouragement. I kind of just forgot that I was reading it.
  • Actions: The Actor's Thesaurus by Marina Caldarone - This is an acting method which uses actions to understand and create performance choices. I read some but didn't finish this. I'll probably buy a copy when I can find a used one.
  • The Actor's Life: a survival guide by Jenna Fischer - This one is also about acting. I didn't get the chance to start it.
  • Star Wars: The High Republic Defy the Storm by Tessa Gratton - I used this for a May the 4th be with You post.
  • Star Wars: Queen's Hope by E. K. Johnston - I also used this one in that post.
  • Star Wars: The High Republic, Tales of Light and Life by Various Authors - Same thing.
This month I really tried to focus on finishing books more than starting new books, I only started two that I finished, Geekerella and The Grace Year, and one that I haven't finished, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library. Next month's list will be crazy. I'm doing a month of themed posts on Instagram. The theme is "October Mysteries and Thriller III" For 31 days, I'll pair mysteries and thriller with bracelets. I get most of the books from the local library.


I don't typically talk about TV shows, but I have been watching and loving Wednesday, Season Two on Netflix. It amuses my inner goth, but once I finish watching season two, I'll have to figure out something else. I would recommend re-experiencing season one as a novel. It was a great way for me to prepare for the second season. You can read my most recent review on Instagram, Wednesday: A Novelization of Season One by Tehlor Kay Mejia. On this blog, I've spent the past week blogging for Five Fall Favorites hosted by Kate from Once Upon an Ordinary and Rebecca from Read Another Page. All blogs are available now, so if you haven't gotten a chance to check it out, I'll share the links to my posts below and you can find all the other amazing bloggers at Once Upon an Ordinary's site.

#LoveYourLibrary


Thank you again, Rebecca for coming up with this blog challenge and I have enjoyed making it an important part of my writing life. Check out her blog Bookish Beck
I love making Bookish Friends! Follow me on Instagram Skai_BooksAndBracelets
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Saturday, September 27, 2025

Day 6 | Five Fall Favorites 2025: Favorites of 2025

Welcome for the final time! (Of Fall Favorites 2025. I would love to have everyone continue to come back. I'll mention some of the other projects I have in the works at end of this blog. Also yesterday, we had rain all-day, and it finally felt like Fall!) Today is bittersweet as we come to the most fun day of the week. The day when all of the free books are available! Do check out the other bloggers, and the hosts sites for all the freebies. I'll throw a book bracket down at the bottom that people are welcome to save and use, but I unfortunately don't have any free books to offer, at least not yet. All of my available stories can be found for free on this blog. I love to write, and welcome any feedback, (beyond that I need to proofread more carefully. I already know that.) Let's get to the best of 2025!


I got very excited thinking about today's picks. While I have a few other favorite reads of this year that I've already shared, these are just too good to not share. My most read genres of mystery and romance are here, as well as some genres that I am started to read more often, such as thrillers. I do have one lone fantasy book, I'll explain later why I read something outside of my usual. For now, all you need to know is that I loved it. The suspense is killing me (but not literally), so maybe I should end this intro so we can get into the final five favorites of 2025. 

1. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

Finlay Donovan is discussing her next mystery novel with her literary agent in a Panera when she's overheard and mistaken for a contract killer. Then a wealthy woman pays Finlay to kill her husband, and she poses as her own ex-husband's new fiancé to follow her target into a bar. Upon seeing the man slip a drug into an unsuspecting young woman's glass, she switches it with his glass. After he passes out, she puts him into her minivan to takes him to his wife, but when she stops by her place, the garage door gets closed with the engine running. Feeling responsible for the man's death, she recruits her children's babysitter, Vero to help bury his body on her ex's farm. She knows that she didn't close the garage and leave the car running, but she'll have to find the real killer before anyone can find the body to avoid being arrested herself. 

This is my newest favorite series! Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano is perhaps the most Nancy Drew like adult mystery series that I have read so far. If Nancy Drew were a struggling author and single mother of two, Finlay Donovan would be an all grown up Nancy Drew. She's an armature detective who mysteries and murders find her, even when she doesn't want them. Because I've been rereading the old Nancy Drew books, I've noticed that while Nancy is always trying to help others, she skirts the law quite often, even though she doesn't want to. She's willing to do what it takes to solve the mystery. Finlay Donovan is the exact same way. Constantly torn between doing the right, lawful thing and solving the mystery to protect herself and her family. Also, like Nancy often dressed up during her cases, Finlay and Vero are always wearing disguises and pretending to be other people to get to the bottom of these mysteries. 

2. Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Elle is spending the summer working at food truck and avoiding her stepsisters and their snobby friends. If only she could also avoid the excessive demands of her evil step-monster—stepmother. When the movie remake of her late father's favorite tv show is announced, it's announced that the lead, Prince Carmindor is to be played by Darien Freedman, a young star from a teeny bobber soap opera. She knows he will ruin the franchise and takes to her little blog to tell the world, at least her handful of readers. Darien is an actor disillusioned by pressures of Hollywood and price of fame, but playing his favorite character in the movie remake is still a dream come true. More than anything he wants to please the fans. When Elle's blog goes viral, Darien decides he definitely won't be doing any fan conventions, especially not ExcelsiCon. Looking for someone with the power to take him off the con's guest roster, he finds a contact number online for ExcelsiCon's founder, Elle's late father. He contacts Elle instead and they start to bond over texts about sci-fi and family problems, but neither can tell the other who they really are.

I finished this book earlier this month, so another book held this slot until about week and a half ago. Ever since seeing Hillery Duff and Chad Michael Murray in A Cinderella Story as a girl, I'm a sucker for modern fairytale retellings. Poston writes one of the best. It's got all the right character elements of a Cinderella story and so masterfully weaves a split narrative together. Additionally, it appeals to my geek heart with characters that are obsessed with sci-fi shows and fan conventions. The details on this fictional show and movie remake, wholeheartedly makes me want to read or see this fantasy world's story too. I now have a crush on Prince Carmindor and absolutely want to a geek charming of my very own, and if he happened to be a movie star, I think I'd be okay with that. 😉 Elle and Darien's inability to take control of their own lives at times annoyed me, but I think it's because it makes them so relatable. I would highly recommend Geekerlla by Ashley Poston for anyone who loves a modern Cinderella story. 

3. Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

After her brother is missing in action fighting the war between Enva and Dacre, Iris drops out of school and takes a job as a typist for Oath Gazette to care for her mother. Roman has his future laid out in front of him by his influential father. He's to work for Oath Gazette, become a columnist so he can spread his father's propaganda, and marry the daughter of a wealthy man that he doesn't even know. At Oath Gazette, Iris and Roman have competed for each typing assignment, when a columnist position opens, they intend to compete for the job, but then Iris's mother dies. Suddenly, Iris knows her heart isn't in Oath, it's missing in action on the frontlines. She takes a job as a war correspondent to find her brother. When Roman learns how much his father is profiting from the war, he can't stay and follows Iris to the frontlines. Living in constant danger and seeing the true cost of war, they learn what is most import to them.

Overall, my impression is that this is a World War I novel, that the author realized wouldn't have been period accurate for a girl to be on the frontlines, so Ross changed it to a fantasy novel. The magical typewriter is the only magical element that has a strong impact on the first book in this duology. There is so much set up before this story truly gets into the action of the plot, but none of it is wasted. That expert writing is why this is one of my favorite reads of 2025. I picked this title up as part of a 12 Recommendations From 12 Friends Challenge this year. It's fantasy/romantasy. So, it's definitely not one I would usually read, but as I was looking it up, it was a well-loved YA book. I decided to give it a chance. For the first portion, I was bored as the story was slowing building the world and laying the foundation for the action later. I listened to it as an audiobook, and I was so confused after the first few chapters when the narrator went from having a female narrator to having a male narrator, but his smooth British accent kept me intrigued long enough for the story to get good. Before the book was over, I was hooked by Iris and Roman's love story. The way they were so devoted and caring toward each other. This reminds me that I need to read the second book still, because that ending was brutal. I was crying, but I won't say anymore.

4. Hearts Overboard by Becky Dean

When Savannah's boyfriend calls her boring and dumps her on the final day of school, she has no idea how she's going to cope with the unexpected changes to her summer plan. At least she's got a week, while she's on an Alaskan cruise with her parents to figure something out. If only her school nemesis, Tanner wasn't going to be there, too, but it's for her mother's job and his mother works at the same company, so they are stuck with each other. Their parents ask them to get along for the week, and since the two of them are (somehow) the only teenagers on the boat, they end up spending a lot of time together. Tanner even offers to help her use the excitement of the cruse, to show her ex-boyfriend that she can be fun. As they embark on this adventure together, she learns that Tanner might not be as annoying as he seems.

This is just the sweetest, cleanest, contemporary romance I have read all year. Contemporary romance is one of my favorite genres and I am always looking for a fun clean one. Hearts Overboard by Becky Dean has a sprinkling of action, as Tanner and Savannah have Alaskan adventures and misadventures which only adds to their enemies-to-lovers plot. So many times, I was laughing out loud while I was eating my lunch at work. Actually, annoying Tanner proves to be a really nice guy, and Savannah gets out of over comfort zone as she feels safe with him. Savannah reads like she may be autistic, being obsessed with her routine and uncomfortable with anything that's different, however it is never mentioned. When I say this book was clean, there only an occasional byword of language, and the only physical interactions between the main characters were the occasional unromantic hand holding, and a couple kisses. Besides a bear attack, there's no other content that I would caution readers. It's the perfect romance for a clean read, I would say it's safe even for younger teens.

5. The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver

When a young woman, Sophie is abducted, her father hires a reward seeker and expert tracker, Colter Shaw. Shaw was raised in the wilderness and trained by his father as a survivalist. Skills which he now uses to find missing people. Tracking down Sophie leads Shaw to a bigger mystery, a madman imitating a video game villain, The Gray Man. In the video games players are stranded in a remote location and challenged to escape or die with dignity. Shaw's quest leads him to investigate video game makers, professional game streamers and obsessed fans living in their parents' basement. When another person is taken, it's a race against the clock to find a madman and save the next victim.

Over the past few years, I've gotten into reading thrillers, and this year I've read a few different adult thrillers. However, they often have unreliable and unlikeable main characters. This one is different. Colter Shaw is one of the kindest MMC's I've read. Always helping people, he gets paid in finder's rewards, but he never takes anything more. Also, he helps others along the way because it's the right thing to do, even when it's the hard choice. One thing that confuses me about this series is that the first book about a wilderness expert is in the concrete jungle and about video games. It doesn't make sense. There was never a dull moment, as he's hunting a killer racing the clock to find kidnap victims. I loved that this story started at the most exciting moment and then started over at the beginning. More thrillers need to start with a climatic and exciting moment. It may have also helped my enjoyment that this novel inspired the show, Tracker starring Justin Hartly. Hartley's best known for This Is Us, but he played the Green Arrow in Smallville before that. I will happily watch Oliver Queen in another action show.

Conclusion

I reread last year's final conclusion before starting to write this one. Yet again, this list reflects my yearly reading habits, but when I compare it to last year's final five, I also see how my reading has changed. I'm reading more adult novels and thrillers this year. The 12 Recommendations from 12 Friends challenge has also pulled me out of my comfort zone. I read both Finlay Donvan and Divine Rivals for that. Somethings still haven't changed. I love a good, clean romance, or an exciting mystery I'm a sucker for a book that's inspired a TV show. And I will always talk about book crushes, probably more readily than real crushes.

Thank you to everyone for reading Fall Five Favorites this week. I am honored that you would take time out your busy reading schedule to read my bookish ramblings. Looking forward to some of the projects that I have in the work: I have a 300+ page first draft of a novel I wrote that I'm reading, so I can write a second draft. You can read the original opening for that on my blog here, although those characters are almost unrecognizable from the ones I have now. Other writings I'm looking to share include a huge backlog of fanfiction; I only have one published now. You can read it on Fanfiction.net by clicking here. Next Monday is also the final Monday of the month, which means I will be writing a Love Your Library post. You can check out August's post here. Finally, join me on Instagram in October for a third year of October Mysteries and Thrillers. Additionally, if you read about my 12 Recommendations from 12 Friends books and thought that would be a neat challenge to join, I will be putting together an Instagram engagement group for 2026, comment on this IG post if you'd like to join.

I'll close this blog and challenge by once again thanking our gracious hosts, Kate from Once Upon an Ordinary, and Rebekah of Read Another Page for putting this all together. I would also like to thank all the bloggers and authors who are offering their stories and monetary support to this blogging challenge's giveaway and final day freebies. I would like to commend the other bloggers who have been sharing their own favorites and thank them for being so supportive this week. I have been reading what of their blogs I can, and will continue to read the other blogs, until I've seen everyone's. Until we blog again!

What are your favorite reads of 2025?

Hosted by Kate from Once Upon an Ordinary and Rebekah from Read Another Page!

Check out all the other Fall Favorites of Team Walnut!

Stephanie: Books Less Travelled

Skai: Inspirational Skai

Madisyn: Madi's Musings

Abigail: Read Review Rejoice

Bethany: Vintage Volumes

Kelsey: Kelsey's Notebook

Kate: Once Upon an Ordinary

I love meeting new booklovers! Best way to do that is to follow me Instagram: @Skai_BooksAndBracelets
Read Monday's blog here: Day 1 | Five Fall Favorites 2025: Recommended
Read Thursday's blog here: Day 4 | Five Fall Favorites 2025: Unusual

Don't forget to enter the annual Five Fall Favorites Giveaway! Prizes include books by authors a part of this week's blogging challenge and the grand prize even includes an Amazon gift card.


Here the book bracket I mentioned at the top of this post. I used it back in March for a March TBR Madness on Instagram earlier this year.



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Friday, September 26, 2025

Day 5 | Five Fall Favorites 2025: Re-Read

I'm having so much fun reading everyone's suggestions and reminiscing about my own past reading. I have also added so many new books to my TBR (does anyone else really want to go out and buy more books now?), and we aren't quite done yet. We still have today, and tomorrow. Welcome or welcome back! I think I may be more excited about today's book line up than even my top five books of the year. One of today's books has three paragraphs about it. I guess that's what happens when you talk about books you have reread.


Because I tend to reread a couple of chapters and then get bored, I rarely reread books. At first, I struggled to find books I have read more than once from cover to cover, but then I talked to my sister, and she helped me come up with five different titles that I have reread. Many of these rereads are from some of my favorite series. Almost all of them, I read first when I was a kid and have reread since I've been an adult. Here are five books that I enjoyed enough to finish rereading.

1. Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene

In the fifth book of the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories: The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Caroyln Keene, Nancy and her friends, Bess and George take a vacation to a Shadow Ranch near Phoenix, Arizona. Even before the trio arrives at the ranch, they encounter the mysterious accidents that have befallen the small working ranch and learn of the ghost horse haunting the ranch. Soon Nancy and her friends are wrapped up in a dangerous old mystery involving an outlaw, a forbidden romance, and a missing stolen treasure.

I have reread this story many times. Here are the reasons it is one of my favorite Nancy Drew Mystery Stories. First it takes place near my hometown and while I was growing up, most book took place either in fictional places or major cities near the East coast. I'm guessing that's because most of the major publishers were still located in New York. The second reason is that there is a computer game by Her Interactive inspired by this title. As a kid, when we got that computer game, I distinctly remember rereading this book. Most recently, I read this book because a few years ago when I decided I wanted to read the Nancy Drew books in order. While I'd read many of them as a kid, there were a few I missed, and I wanted to make sure that I read those. Rereading this one, I was surprised by what I remembered and even more surprised by the dangers that I had forgotten. These old mysteries are intense.

2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Katniss Everdeen lives in District 12, a post-apocalyptic impoverished mining town under the totalitarian regime of Panam's Capital. Every year, the twelve districts as reparations for a war fought decades before, must send two children between the ages of 12 and 17. During the 74th annual Hunger Games, Katniss's little sister, Primrose, is chosen in the drawing. Naturally protective of her little sister, she volunteers to take her place. Katniss will have to fight to the death against twenty-three other kids if she wants to make it home to her family. It helps that she's been illegally hunting outside her district since she was a child and is quite skilled with a bow and arrow. However, when the other District 12 tribute confesses his love for her on the night before the Games in front of the whole country, she is forced to reconsider everything she thought she knew. 

Initially, I read this in junior high when the movie was coming out and all my friends were obsessed with Team Peeta or Team Gale. I'll admit I liked Gale better reading it as a young teen. In 2022, I found an audiobook edition published in 2019, read by actor Tatiana Maslany (She Hulk) and decided to reread as a re-listen. While the story has elements of political satire, on this listen what stood out most to me was the relationship between Katniss and Peeta, and how the Hunger Games made them lovers on opposite sides of enemy lines. They are actually called "star crossed lovers" in this book. That's a line from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet about Romeo and Juliet. There were other moments that reminded me of Shakespeare, but that line in particular convinced me, the first book in the Hunger Games series is a Romeo and Juliet retelling with them as teens in a post-apocalyptic world. Unfortunately, for my teenage self, that also means Gale was only ever Juliet's cousin, Tybalt. If this is a Romeo and Juliet retelling, he never had a chance.

3. Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans

After his father's death, Michael and his mother moved from California to Idaho, where he has spent the last few years hiding that his Tourette's Syndrome isn't the only thing that makes him different from other teens. He also electrical powers. His body generates its only electricity, a charge strong enough to tase a person. After he shocks the school bullies, Jack and Wade, a cute cheerleader, Taylor notices him, and tells him that she has the ability to read minds and make people forget. When Michael's mother gets kidnapped, Michael, Taylor, Michael's best friend Ostin, and the school bullies drive to California to rescue his mother.

When I was a teenager, my mom heard about this series and told me it was a clean teen action novel. I first listened to it as an audiobook while I was an intern doing research for a small media production company. Although I was hooked on this book because of the pulse pounding action and suspense, it was the sweetness of the characters that I fell in love with. Before the final book released, I reread first five books and, on my re-read, I thought about how this book would make a fantastic movie or mini-series. It would look similar to the Percy Jackson tv show, but if I were adapting it would stay true to the heart of the characters, and I would want to find a young actor who has Tourette's to play Michael. I need to reread this book again if I'm going to start adapting it to a screenplay. If anyone knows the author (or whoever has this book optioned) please send them my way.

4. Anything by Kristina Welsh

During her senior year of high school, Kit made some poor choices that led to her fleeing from her boyfriend, shoeless and in the rain on prom night. Now, she's starting college in a new town at a small Christan school, Mayberry University, but that experience, even being months and miles away, still haunts her. Enter Levi, a rich kid who left his chance at fortune and prestige at an Ivy League school to attend Mayberry. He's tired of people only using him for his wealth and status. Immediately, Kit's genuine faith and kindness catch his attention, but every time he looks at her, is alone with her, or she is caught in the rain, her heart races and she has a panic attack. They will have to learn to trust God and allow Him to heal them, if they want to have a relationship.

Listening to this as an ARC audiobook via Net Galley, as soon as I finished this book, I started reading it again. Some general critiques, the author read her own book, so the quality of the narration improved as the book went on, and I have mixed feelings about the impact of having Levi narrate only a few chapters. He didn't narrate until about one-third of the way through, and early on it was only one chapter here and there, but in the last third, it was Kit and Levi switched narration every chapter. The author should have had them switch chapter narration from the beginning or not at all. His narration didn't add anything new to the story until the final third, but by then it felt too late. Welsh was introducing new elements when she should have instead been wrapping the story up.

What Welsh did really well, was how she captured the effect of sexual harassment, and the struggle of trusting God after being hurt. I was able to see myself in the main character. I have a love-hate relationship with Kit falling in love and finding healing through romance. Mostly because healing should come from God, and not from meeting a better boy, but the romance is so sweet. Levi is one of those fictional guys who are too good to be real, and his patient love for Kit is allegorical.  As content warnings go, there are a few kisses, and I would caution that the descriptions of PTSD and panic attacks may be triggering.

5. Hardy Boys: Undercover Brothers, Operation: Survival by Franklin W. Dixon

Finally, in the Hardy Boys: Undercover Brothers, Operation: Survival by Franklin W. Dixon, we have the classic characters of Frank and Joe Hardy reimagined as modern teens (written in the early 2000s) working for a secret government organization. In Operation: Survival Frank and Joe go undercover as troubled teens at a reform camp, where mysterious "accidents" have led to the injury and deaths of campers. Out in the wildness, the boys find danger. Everyone from the troubled teens to the angry councilors and program director with too much faith in his process is a suspect.

I read this one as a tween and I know that I've read it at least once since then. These Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers books are my comfort read. I get danger and suspense, without the anxiety that the author might kill off one of my favorite characters. This series is my favorite Hardy Boys series. In this series they are secret agents always going undercover. Amongst these stories they rode motorcycles, had the latest (often fictional) gadgets, and travelled around the US. As an adult, when I read these stories, I see two nice boys who used their freedom responsibly, to do good. I also might have had (and still have) a crush on Frank.

Conclusion

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys were some of my favorite characters as a kid while Michael Vey was my favorite series of my teen years, and Anything was a recent gem that I've read. Rereading takes time and effort to stay focused long enough to finish a book over again. I only finish rereading books because they are a favorite I enjoy.

As with all of the categories this year, the challenge was to find books that I felt fit the daily theme, and I have had so much fun pulling together these lists. I admit, tomorrow's theme is less about finding the absolute best of 2025, and more about making sure I don't miss talking about any of my favorite recent reads.

Thanks for reading! Check out the other bloggers' posts, enter the giveaway and if you are on Instagram, please follow me to keep up on all my reading and blogging. Links for all of those are below.

Hosted by Kate from Once Upon an Ordinary and Rebekah from Read Another Page!

Check out all the other Fall Favorites of Team Walnut!

Stephanie: Books Less Travelled

Skai: Inspirational Skai

Madisyn: Madi's Musings

Abigail: Read Review Rejoice

Bethany: Vintage Volumes

Kelsey: Kelsey's Notebook

Kate: Once Upon an Ordinary

I love meeting new booklovers! Best way to do that is to follow me Instagram: @Skai_BooksAndBracelets
Read Monday's blog here: Day 1 | Five Fall Favorites 2025: Recommended

Don't forget to enter the annual Five Fall Favorites Giveaway! Prizes include books by authors a part of this week's blogging challenge and the grand prize even includes an Amazon gift card.


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Thursday, September 25, 2025

Day 4 | Five Fall Favorites 2025: Unusual

Arriving at Day 4 of Five Fall Favorites, today we are over the halfway through the week. I'm very tired, because I never get enough sleep when working on big writing projects. Apologies to everyone who has to deal with me IRL, I know my patience is short and my ability to mask my emotions is waning. That off my chest, Welcome! We have come to one of the blogs I am most excited about. Three of these books are ones that I've read this year, so I'm very excited to talk about them.



Landing on Thursday the prompt was to share books that are unusual. Books from genres I don't usually read. At first, I thought that finding five good books would be tricky, because I tend to love one book in a genre and then hunt out every other book like it. After that the book that launched the obsession doesn't feel so unusual. That's why this list doesn't have any contemporary romances, YA mysteries or thrillers. In fact, none of these books are even the same genre as each other, however three are children's books. I don't know what that says about my reading habits. Anyway, here are five of my favorite books from genres I don't usually read.

1. Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken

With this first book, I discovered it before it released through a virtual book fair my boss told me about. Through the virtual book fair portal, I discovered many upcoming titles, I even got to read a few excerpts. This book is one I sampled. I read the prologue and first chapter, and I was hooked. Seldom do I read fantasy, but this one was inspired by King Author legend, and King Arthur is one of my favorite books that I read for school.

In Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken, Tamsin was born without magic, but she and her brother who is magical were raised by a magic artifact hunter, a Hollower, until he abandoned them ten years ago. Since then, Tamsin has taken care of her brother, Cabell, trying to find a cure for the monster that lives inside him. Only the monster has gotten stronger. Desperate to keep her little family together, she starts out on her own artifact hunt for a magical item that is fabled to remove any curse. When Tamsin and Cabell are transported to a magical land, they are pulled in Avalon, but the magic is dying, and evil forces are growing stronger.

2. Going Wild by Lisa McMann

This year, my sister challenged me to read, 12 books she's recommended, more about that on this blog. Even though I've been slacking on updating the blog, I am mostly caught up on the reading the books. For each month she gave a choice of two books, this summer listened to this one as an audiobook. Unless it's a title someone recommends, I don't read much middle grade fiction. I read quite a bit of YA (young adult), because that the type of stories I write, and YA as a genre tends to appeal to adults too while middle grade fiction is still very much intended for kids to enjoy. Here is a book that I wish had existed when I was a kid, it would have been my absolute favorite book.

Going Wild by Lisa McMann is about an ordinary twelve-year-old, Charlie Wilde. When her family moves from Chicago, Illinois to Navaro Junction, Arizona, she doesn't like having to go to a new school or making new friends. Then she receives a mysterious package containing a sports watch just in time for soccer season. Only it isn't a normal sports watch and through a series of accidents, she learns that the watch gives the wearer animal inspired superpowers. Danger follows as a mysterious group pursues Charlie and her new friends to acquire the watch and animal powers.

3. Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

Aside from this book, I've only ever read memoirs for school. Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry is one I picked up because of Bookstagram. I did a couple of read-alongs earlier this year. This one was planned by the fabulous @GreenEyedGirl0704, but an emergency the day before the read-along kept her from hosting. Since I'd already gotten the book, I went ahead and kept reading (listening to it as an audiobook). Perry's memoir is both humorous and heartbreaking as he takes readers through the ups and downs of his childhood, his acting career, and his addiction. Because I work at a library that frequently serves people struggling with addiction it was very eye opening. When I was trying to come up with good books that were outside of my normal reading habit this one stood out.

Published less than a year before his death, this 2022 memoir presents comical moments alongside the honest struggles of addiction. Matthew Perry is most well-known for playing Chandler Bing in the sitcom Friends, but here he shares all from his young life in Canada to years of fame. In detail he shares stories from throughout his life. This memoir gives behind the scenes insight into his time on Friends and his times in rehab. It's filled with funny anecdotes and tragic tales, as Perry shares his time on Friends, his quest for love and his struggles with alcoholism and drug abuse, or as he calls it, the Big Terrible Thing. Obviously, this book talks about substance abuse, I would also warn that there is strong language throughout and some descriptions of his encounters with women.

4. The Hayley Mysteries: The Haunted Studio by Hayley LeBlanc

This is a more upbeat beat book written by a young actor. Hayley LeBlanc is a child actor most known for the Brat shows Chicken Girls and Hotel De Loone, but I had no idea who she was when I picked up this book. I was browsing my library's eBook collection when I found this juvenile chapter book mystery trilogy. Likening itself to Nancy Drew and the main character being a young actor, caught my attention. When I read that the author was also a child actor and writer, I decided to give it a try. I've read many other books about characters who are actors, and moments that show the author knows nothing about the film or television always industry keep me from enjoying the story. I knew a young actor would tell it like it is, and she well explains the main character's life on set in a way that is descriptive and easy to understand.

The Hayley Mysteries: The Haunted Studio by Hayley LeBlanc, follows Hayley, named after the author, as she plays the main character in the hit family show, Sadie Solves It. Hayley's excited to be back on set for season 2, but strange accidents start happening on set. Any delay to shooting may cause the show to be cancelled and if that happens one of her castmates and best friends will have to move back to Texas. Some blame the accidents on a ghost, but Hayley doesn't believe in ghosts. If she wants to keep Sadie Solves It on air, she and her friends will have to get to the bottom of their haunted studio. It promises a Nancy Drew like mystery and as an avid Nancy Drew fan, I can say it actually delivers. This children's book is so masterfully plotted and penned it could be used to teach writing thrillers to aspiring young writers. One caution, Hayley and her friends play with a Ouija board in one scene, but they don't have a paranormal experience.

5. Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Finally, we have Smile by Raina Telgemeier. To be honest I don't remember how I came to read this one, but I have now read this book twice. It is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel. The bright pictures and cartoon style drawing make this a sweet book, especially for tween girls. I read this as an adult, but I related to this story full of awkward moments, heartfelt friend drama, and teeth problems. I'm not going to lie; it brought back some traumatic memories of undergoing dental surgery and having braces as a tween. Needless to say, the relatability made me wish that I had this book when I was a kid.

Running back to the house after girl scouts, Raina tripped and nearly knocked out her two-front adult teeth. Readers watch her grow up as she shares the years when she had braces, underwent dental surgeries, and even wore a retainer with false teeth. It's a story of a young girl's quest to navigate friend drama, crushes and the dreams of being an artist, as she struggles with her teeth. Although the story revolves around teeth, it's really one about growing up, fitting in, and finding friends who love you for who you are, not how you look.

Conclusion

These book descriptions get progressively longer, and then the final one is short. I wonder why that is. 

Thanks for reading my slightly distracted ramblings today as I talked about the books that I enjoyed in genres I rarely, if ever, read. To fully breakdown the different genres represented, they are YA fantasy (Silver in the Bone), middle grade science fiction (Going Wild), memoir (Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing), juvenile chapter book (The Hayley Mysteries: The Haunted Studio), and juvenile graphic novel (Smile). I would recommend these books for people who don't know much about these genres, but I don't know how they compare to other books in the genres since I don't typically read them.

Tomorrow's theme is Re-Read, I'm not huge into re-reading books, so tomorrow's books are probably some of my all-time favorites.

Have you read any of these? What gets you to read outside of your comfort zone and what great books have you discovered that way? Remember to check out all the other blogs and enter the giveaway below.

Hosted by Kate from Once Upon an Ordinary and Rebekah from Read Another Page!

Check out all the other Fall Favorites of Team Walnut!

Stephanie: Books Less Travelled

Skai: Inspirational Skai

Madisyn: Madi's Musings

Abigail: Read Review Rejoice

Bethany: Vintage Volumes

Kelsey: Kelsey's Notebook

Kate: Once Upon an Ordinary

I love meeting new booklovers! Best way to do that is to follow me Instagram: @Skai_BooksAndBracelets
Read Monday's blog here: Day 1 | Five Fall Favorites 2025: Recommended

Don't forget to enter the annual Five Fall Favorites Giveaway! Prizes include books by authors a part of this week's blogging challenge and the grand prize even includes an Amazon gift card.


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