Carried Over from Last Month’s TBR
I actually read ALL of the books on my September TBR, so I don’t have anything for this section! Yay!
New Releases
I think for New Releases, I should put them on my TBR as ‘Possibles’ or ‘Bonus’ books, since while I intend to buy them, I may not, or they may not release in enough time for me to pick them up and read them.
Bound and Unbound by Ali Hazelwood is a fun bind-up of two dark academia paranormal novellas, and the book itself is set up so you finish reading one novella, then flip the book upside down to read the other – super fun! In Bound, we follow a reluctant art-forger who is being blackmailed by a secretive professor. In Unbound, a 5,000 year old revenant (a supernatural creature or ghost that returns from the dead – I had to look that up) falls for an ER doctor. At this point, I really like Ali Hazelwood’s STEM romances, so I’m likely to pick up all of her releases. Publication date 10/6.
Broken Rival by Tessa Bailey: A girl from 50 years in the future gets stranded in 2026 after time travel is outlawed, and must choose between two brothers – the golden boy sweetheart or the militia commander sworn to hunt her kind. Tessa Bailey is another romance author where I’ve generally really liked all of her books. This one is a bit more sci-fi than the sports romances that I normally read by her, but I’m more than willing to give it a chance. Publication date 10/6.
The Last Goodbye by Laura Pavlov: This is the second book in the Blue Sky Bay series. The publisher surprised me by sending me Book 1 and I really enjoyed it, so I made sure to order this book to continue the series. Briar Sinclair blows into town with a multimillion dollar plan to buy Bass’s restaurant, and their enemies-to-lovers clashes turn into something neither of them planned on. Publication date 10/6.
The Sixth Faction by Veronica Roth: An alternate universe reimagining of Divergent where tragedy strikes at the Choosing Ceremony, Tris makes a different choice, and the whole faction system shifts. This is Book 1 of a new duology. I am so here for this! I loved Divergent and really identified with the character of Tris, especially in the first book. I’m excited to return to this world and see how things may have turned out differently. Publication date 10/6.
A Married Little Christmas by Abby Jimenez: Three feel-good holiday novellas – a fake dating scheme with a high school ex, a zombie Santa diner bet, and a whirlwind wedding in a town called Little Christmas – with bonus recipes and illustrations. This sounds like the perfect read for December, so I will hold off on adding this to my TBR until then. Publication date 10/20.
Christmas Staycation by Meghan Quinn: A spicy holiday rom-com where Taran agrees to a fake engagement with her ex to save Christmas, but her ex’s brother – a cocky, filthy-mouthed baseball player – sees right through it and wants her for himself. This is Book 3 in the Kringletown Christmas series and is another book best read in December. I’m pretty sure you can read them out of order, but I think that I own the first two books and had planned on reading them last year. I should probably put all 3 on my TBR for December. Publication date 10/20.
Bad in Bed by Ali Hazelwood: This is being initially released only as an audiobook – an Amazon Original with a full cast. Doctoral student Billie van Buren, publicly humiliated when her ex trashes her bedroom skills, enlists frenemy Dr. Maxwell Austin for a no-strings confidence reboot that gets complicated. I do plan on reading this one, but I’m not sure if it will be in October. Publication date 10/22 for the audiobook, with the print edition coming out June 2027.
A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas: This is the sixth book in the ACOTAR series, launching The Valkyrie Cycle. Prythian is fractured after the war with Hybern, and Koschei the Deathless is making his move. I’ve read all of the SJM books in the ACOTAR, Throne of Glass, and Crescent City series, so obviously I’m going to pick up this one as well! The only question is if I get the hardcover, or buy a Kindle version while waiting for the paperback to be released? I have paperback versions of the other ACOTAR books, but hardcovers of the Crescent City series. This book comes out at the end of the month, so I will likely not finish it in October. Publication date 10/27.
Mortal Things by Marie Lu: Rose, a human mercenary bound to Raven the god of Death, is named his heir and must survive trials set by a rival Harbinger – while uncovering a conspiracy among the gods. I really loved Marie Lu’s Warcross duology, so I’m marking this one for a future TBR. Publication date 10/27.
Book Club Picks
For my brother’s Moon Lit Bookclub selection for October, we will be reading The Devil Crept In by Ania Ahlborn. This is a small town horror novel. When a boy’s best friend vanishes near the woods, the search uncovers something ancient and hungry. I think this one should be read at night for maximum spookiness.
For my brother’s Welcome to the Apocalypse book club, we will be reading The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman, which is the next book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. I was an absolute gremlin and already read all of the published books in this series, so while his book club keeps chugging through them, I can use my extra reading capacity for other titles!
I don’t always pick up the Let’s PBT ‘Bout Books selection, but this month they are reading Hollywood, Ending by John Green, which I had already pre-ordered for myself, so I might as well read it along with friends! This is John Green’s first adult novel and first fiction in nearly a decade. Two young actors, Kai and Juniper, get cast in an Andy Warhol biopic and must navigate sudden fame, falling in love, and the private cost of a public life. To be honest, I really don’t know much at all about Andy Warhol and probably need to read up on him before reading this book.
Fall and Spooky Themed Reads
Night Witch by Jaymin Eve: This is the second book in the Weatherstone College duology. Paisley returns for year two of magic academy, where her explosive bond with sworn-enemy Logan Kingston deepens into a steamy, high-stakes enemies-to-lovers romance. I really enjoyed the first book, Spellcaster, and happy to dive into this book during the spooky time of the year.
Trust Fall by Lynn Painter: Small town Nebraska girl, Julia, inherits a fortune and lands in an NYC brownstone and elite private school, where her handsome tutor Damion is secretly the disinherited great-nephew scheming to win back what’s his. I love the banter in Lynn Painter’s romances! And this book looks so autumnal that I couldn’t resist it. Hopefully, I’ll get to read it somewhere with a great view of bright colored leaves and a hot beverage.
Elphie by Gregory Maguire: A prequel about Elphaba’s childhood – how the girl who would become the Wicked Witch of the West grew up green, gifted, and misunderstood. There’s just something about the Oz stories that captivates me. I read the majority of the L. Frank Baum books in my younger days, and found the Wicked series in early adulthood. Obviously, the play and movies have turned this into a cultural phenomenon, and when I saw that Galinda was being released at the end of September, it motivated me to buy Elphie as well and return to Oz.
Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer: This is the second book in the Assistant to the Villain series. It has been a while, but I gave the first book five stars and actually own the first four books (the fifth and final book in the series is still to be announced). Evie Sage continues her delightfully unhinged employment under the Villain, with more banter, more chaos, and higher stakes.
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty: The 1971 horror classic. When 12 year old Regan shows signs of demonic possession, her mother turns to two priests for an exorcism. If you are looking for spooky books to read in October, this is a clear choice. It’s another book that I intend to read at night for maximum spooky vibes.
Final List
My final initial TBR for October consists of 11 books, and 3 bonus books:
- Bound and Unbound by Ali Hazelwood
- The Last Goodbye by Laura Pavlov
- The Sixth Faction by Veronica Roth
- Bad in Bed by Ali Hazelwood
- The Devil Crept In by Ania Ahlborn
- Hollywood, Ending by John Green
- Night Witch by Jaymin Eve
- Trust Fall by Lynn Painter
- Elphie by Gregory Maguire
- Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
- The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
— Bonus — - Broken Rival by Tessa Bailey
- A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas
- Mortal Things by Marie Lu
