I think this might be the most books I have ever read in a month. Certainly, the most books in a month I have ever given an “Excellent” rating to, so I hope you are able to find something that interests you! In this month’s book reviews you’ll find a few mystery and horror sprinkled in because the month of October calls for it.

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Excellent (4.5 – 5 Stars)

The Academy

Published Date: September 2025

Genre: Fiction

How I Read: Kindle

This was the author’s first step away from Nantucket and I am impressed. I can’t wait to read the next book.

Tiffin Academy is a northeast boarding school and it has just jumped in rank from 19th to 2nd. Some are questioning its lightning rise. There have been some recent improvements due to large contributions from the dad of one student but one of the most popular students committed suicide last spring. Did the generous donor also pay for the increase in ranking?

New teachers at the school are causing some gossip for inappropriate clothing choices and their relationships. The new nerdy girl is often found with the hot, cool guy. Is he using her or does he see something in her that no one else does?

When a new app starts spilling everyone’s secrets to the whole school, people start to worry if they will become the next victim.

Heat of the Everflame

Published Date: September 2023

Genre: Fantasy

How I Read: Paper

This is book three in a four-book series. I can’t wait until book 4 is published. This story is excellent from start to finish but be prepared, it is 825 pages long. It’s BIG! But worth it.

Picking up immediately from after everything goes awry on the island at Diem’s coronation, the story continues as she is taken by the Guardians. Diem has a lot to learn about her magic, her fate, her mom, her biological father, and more. What she no longer needs to question is Luther’s loyalty – he is committed to her through thick and thin.

Diem wants there to be peace and balance between the Descended and the mortals, but it seems everyone is standing in the way of making that happen.

The amount of time the couple spends almost about to get down to business and then they don’t drove me crazy (the slowest of slow burns!). It’s an exciting book. Excellent fantasy series.

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 4, 5, & 6

Published Date: January 2020/September 2021/October 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

How I Read: Audio

I just love these journals. See my previous reviews for the concept of these stories but they are an absolute delight, funny, witty. But be warned, the first book is boring – keep going!

Now Emma has her core group and I love that it’s guys!! They protect her but the gang is also playful and the banter sublime. I’m ready for the next one but I also don’t want the journals to end.

The Spellshop

Published Date: July 2024

Genre: Fantasy

How I Read: Paper

An absolute delight, this book is sweet, magical, and full of love (no spice). I’m excited to read the second book when I need a lovely book to escape into.

Kiela is a librarian in the capital city when rebels take over and displace the emperor. The library is on fire. She and Caz, her assistant (and talking plant), grab as many books as they can and escape to her home island which she hasn’t been back to since early childhood.

Her extreme introvert tendencies could be a problem when her survival depends on making friends. Kiela starts to use the spells in the books (illegal) to help the island. Will she get caught? Will her found family be able to protect her? Merhorses, cottage, jam, and magic.

Fake Skating

Published Date: September 2025

Genre: YA Romance

How I Read: Kindle

I love a good YA romance and this author is stellar at writing them. I devoured this one.

Dani’s parents are divorcing. She and her mom are moving in with her grandpa to finish out her senior year. She hasn’t been back to Minnesota for many years and has lost touch with her best friend, Alec.

Now he’s a hockey legend at school and she is hopefully bound for Harvard but they each need a little assistance with their goals so they agree to fake date. Will feelings get confused? Will they ever figure out what actually happened in the past to their relationship?

Tough decisions and consequences might need to be made. Freakin’ loved it. My kind of story. High school love, athlete, second chance romance, etc.

Great (4 Stars)

The Correspondent

Published Date: April 2025

Genre: Fiction

How I Read: Paper

An older woman, Sybil, writes letters (and the rare email) to a variety of people for the entirety of the book.

She writes to her friend, her brother, her next-door neighbor, a possible love interest, a teen boy, authors, a customer service rep, etc. Sybil details her quickly deteriorating eyesight, her former career as a clerk for a judge, and her strained relationship with her daughter.

Now, a match on a DNA site might lead to new information about herself and her family (she was adopted).

Definitely more of an emotional read for many reasons but especially because one of Sybil’s children died during childhood. I liked the letter format but I did have to flip a few pages sometimes to view who wrote the letter to her before I started reading the letter – because of this, I am glad I didn’t read it on my Kindle. This book felt unique and fresh.

Mate

Published Date: October 2025

Genre: Fantasy

How I Read: Kindle

I was underwhelmed due to the extremely high expectations I had following Bride.

Serena is a hybrid (half-werewolf, half-human). Koen is her mate. His every instinct is to protect her. She needs protection from the vampires who have a bounty on her head and from the cult that wants to take her back.

Serena is just getting used to the idea that she isn’t fully human and now she is struggling with health issues and finding she can no longer shift into her wolf form. Koen has made it clear that a romantic relationship with him is off the table.

It’s spicy – a little gross (think werewolf anatomy). Sometimes the plot was hard for me to follow (the cult part) and I just couldn’t get into their relationship. It was fine, I read it super fast. It’s just that I liked Bride so much more.

Pretty Little Wife

Published Date: December 2020

Genre: Mystery

How I Read: Audio

I’m typically not a huge mystery/thriller reader but October calls for some suspenseful reads. Thankfully, this wasn’t scary and I could absolutely listen to it any time of the day, even before bed.

Lila has just discovered a deep, dirty secret about her husband – the beloved, high school teacher. What she decides to do with the information will determine the future of her marriage and possibly her life.

A few weeks later, her husband, Aaron, is missing. Did Lila kill him? Three women are recently missing as well – are they all connected? A smart, local policewoman is trying to put all the pieces together but some aren’t fitting.

I enjoyed trying to solve this mystery. Some parts I got right, some parts I got wrong.

Good (3.5 Stars)

If It Makes You Happy

Published Date: September 2025

Genre: Romance

How I Read: Audio

Again, my expectations were too high. Everyone said this was a great fall read and compared it to Gilmore Girls. Nope.

Michelle is recently divorced and her mom just passed away. She has agreed to run her parents’ Vermont bed and breakfast for a few months until her younger sister graduates from college and takes over.

Her experience begins rocky as Michelle doesn’t have great people skills and her baking sucks. Imagine her luck that the cute town baker lives next door. He is also divorced with two daughters. You know the story from this point.

I have no idea why the story needed to be set in 1997, except that it it made her job impossible to be remote. I don’t like a love story that happens so fast. You can’t fall in love in a few months fresh off a divorce and change your entire life. Not my fav.

The Dead Romantics

Published Date: June 2022

Genre: Fantasy

How I Read: Audio

Cheese alert! It’s also a little sad and morbid. I couldn’t get into it.

Florence is a ghostwriter for a famous romance author but can’t finish the last book in the book deal because she no longer believes in love. Her ex stole her story and it is being published soon. What he doesn’t know is that it is a true story – she can talk to ghosts but her childhood wasn’t bad or lonely.

Now her father has died and she needs to return home after a 10-year absence to help plan the funeral at her family’s funeral home. While there, she starts falling in love with a ghost.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls

Published Date: January 2025

Genre: Horror

How I Read: Paper

This book is intense and graphic. Maybe read the content warnings! I learned I prefer books where the witches are the good characters. The ending is excellent.

It’s 1970 and Neva is being driven to Florida to go to a home for pregnant teen girls. They are to have their babies, give them up for adoption, and return home and pretend like nothing has happened.

Once she arrives, she is given the name of Fern; no real names or information is to be exchanged amongst the girls. Over time, Fern makes friends with a few and they promise to help each other in their predicaments.

Then, the bookmobile comes and the librarian gives a book of witchcraft to Fern. The girls use this to help them keep their promises to each other. But witchcraft has a price. The librarian is a witch too and demands her price be paid.

What Happened Then

Published Date: September 2025

Genre: Middle Grade Mystery

How I Read: Paper

It’s very predictable but the ending wraps up nicely.

An estranged extended family gathers together at the family cabin that teen cousins Avery and Jax didn’t even know existed. Their aunt wants everyone to gather to clean up the island cabins and make a decision on what to do with the property.

While on the island with only family and nature for entertainment, the two find pages of a diary that lead them to find out what exactly happened to their aunt who died as a child.

Want to check out more of my favorite books? Take a look at my September Book Reviews and Ratings!