E.G. Bella's Blog

November 28, 2025

Black Friday Book Sales

Happy Friday!

And happy belated Thanksgiving! I hope you’ve had a lovely Thanksgiving, and are feeling blessed. I’m so thankful for you!

Today’s post is a short one, just to let you know that there are amazing book sales happening this weekend! Starting today, all three of my released books are on sale at Amazon until December 2nd!

That means:

A Noble Grace is on sale for $0.99! Cabin Girl is on sale for $0.99!The Toymaker’s Doll is on sale for $0.99 (OR you can snag a free copy by signing up for my newsletter HERE)!

Or you can purchase signed copies of any of my books by heading to shop page right here on my website (RIGHT HERE).

And in addition, the annual Black Friday Book Sale is happening again!

The site looks a little different this year to accommodate for over 700 participating indie books, but from today through December 2nd, you can find them all either FREE or for $0.99! It’s a fantastic opportunity to grab some great reads you’ve been eyeballing. I’m looking forward to scrolling through!

To head to the Black Friday Book Sale, just CLICK HERE!

Happy book browsing!

The Links

My books on Amazon (tap/click the titles):
~ A Noble Grace
~ Cabin Girl
~ The Toymaker’s Doll

The Black Friday Book Sale = click HERE.

October 31, 2025

Write Into Fall Blog Tag (2025)

Happy Friday!

Somehow it’s almost November and well into autumn! Although there isn’t much fall left, I love this season so much that I definitely wanted to hop in on this tag. Why does autumn vanish so quickly?

Thanks to Kate at Once Upon An Ordinary and Katja at Little Blossoms for Jesus for bringing this tag to my attention! Click/tap their blog names to go read their lovely posts.

The QuestionsWhat project or book are you most excited to work on this fall?

Perfect question to start with! November is dedicated to my newest WIP, a fairy tale retelling that will feature a guarded princess, a dedicated prince and his pet lizard, and themes of worth, hope, and nobility. I’m finishing the outline now, and aim to complete the first draft by the end of November at the latest.

Describe your dream fall writing/reading setup.

Hmm, my dream set-up probably includes a water bottle and a warm drink beside me, a fuzzy blanket and a snuggly cat (or two) on my lap, and music playing much too loudly in my headphones, haha. Although if I’m reading, I’d usually omit the music. All the coziness for this chilly weather!

Share a snippet of your current work/read (just a few lines!) that you’re most excited about.

This is tricky, since I haven’t written more than a few random drabbles in the WIP yet. Let’s go with this tiny snippet of dialogue I greatly enjoyed writing:

“How foolish of me not to mention it. May I introduce Sir Peaton Pernelius Petter . . . the third.”

“The third?”

“Certainly. He hails from a long line of esteemed lizards.”

What’s your favorite fall drink or snack to have while writing/reading?

Water is always good with me, but for something special, I usually have coffee (hazelnut lately), a fruit tea, or apple cider. I’ve been enjoying the opportunity for warm drinks recently.

What author, book, or story first inspired you to write/read?

Such a good question that I don’t have a good answer for. My parents used to read to me and my siblings at night, and I have fond memories of so many stories from that period of my life. I can’t recall any one particular author or book that inspired me, but stories have been a huge part of my life since I was very young, and I think it was inevitable that I’d fall in love with creating them too.

Describe the ultimate fall setting you’d love to include in your writing/reading.

I would absolutely love to set a story in a thick, whimsical forest in the height of autumn, where the leaves are colorful, the air is crisp, and the nights are cold. I love forests, and have included them in a few of my books, but never set in autumn. Now that I think about it, I’m surprised I haven’t yet! Time to change that.

How do you prepare for a month of intense writing/reading (like NaNoWriMo)?

This year I’m running on what creativity and energy I can scrape from life’s craziness, haha, but most years, I prepare by taking in a lot more stories shortly beforehand. Reading more books, watching good movies, listening to beautiful songs…filling the creative well any way I can. I also like to try and prepare some easy meals, and schedule any social media posts for the month ahead of time. This year, I haven’t had the time for much prep, but I’m doing the best I can to squeeze in those strategies to some degree.

What’s one song on your current writing/reading playlist?

At this very moment, I’m listening to Woodland Dreaming by Alisa Marie. I’ll drop it below for you! Such a peaceful, perfect for fairy tales song.

What are some themes you find yourself exploring in your fall projects/TBR?

Like I mentioned above, themes of worth and true nobility are very prominent. Some of the themes are weightier, such as dealing with depression and hopelessness, but the story ultimately points back to hope.

Do you have a fall reading list? (If so, share a few titles)

I have far too many books to read in the next couple of months, but here are a few I’m really looking forward to reading (or rereading):

~ On the Edge of the Forgotten Sea by Alissa J. Zavalianos (releases November 5th!)
~ Wishtress by Nadine Brandes (I’m rereading this one again, and it’s so perfect for this season)
~ Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson (I started this one recently and it’s very fun)
~ Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk (another reread that seems appropriate for this time of year)
~ Maxine Justice: Public Offender by Daniel Schwabauer (releases November 4th!)

What is one piece of advice you’d give to other readers/writers this season?

Work with what you have. I often find more creativity and desire to write during this cozy season, but I know some people really struggle with the cold and darkness, and find their writing stride during warmer weather instead. Don’t be hard on yourself if you can’t write as much right now. If you’re feeling inspired and able, embrace the opportunity, and if you’re not, give yourself grace. Be kind to yourself, whatever that looks like for you in this season.

What is one goal you have for your writing/reading before the year ends?

I want to finish at least the first draft and some editing of this latest fairy-tale WIP, and maybe work on a short story for release in the next few months. I also still need to read 22 more books to meet my reading challenge for the year.

Which book has left a lasting impact on you?

This seems impossible to answer, but I’ll go with a fall-themed one that I’m currently re-reading — Wishtress by Nadine Brandes. I mentioned it above, but it’s one that I absolutely love. The fall/wintery setting, the unique premise, the developed and fascinating characters, the character growth that inspires me to grow too…it’s a favorite of mine and has really affected how I see some hard aspects of life.

Tag someone whose fall writing/reading vibes you admire.

I’ll tag Virginia over at Books by Virginia. Her reading vibes and reviews are always so much fun to read!

Thank you so much for joining me! This is such a fun fall tag, and if you’d like to join in, please feel free to answer the questions on your own blog, or in the comments below. I’d love to read your answers!

September 27, 2025

Top 5 Books of 2025 (Five Fall Favorites 2025)

Welcome back to day six of Five Fall Favorites — the annual autumn celebration of all things bookish!

How have we reached the end of the week already? I can’t believe this is our last day. I’ve had such a blast this week, and am already looking forward to next year’s book recommendations, haha.

If you’ve read my previous posts (Day #1, Day #2, Day #3, Day #4, & Day #5) this week, feel free to skip on down to today’s theme. And if not, here’s a brief recap for our final post!

Every day this week (6 days in all), I and a large group of other book bloggers have shared posts centered around certain bookish themes, and packed full with some of our favorite book recommendations from the past year. I’ll link to a number of those blogs at the end of this post, but for even more links and information, you should check out our hosts’ sites!

Five Fall Favorites is once again hosted by Kate at Once Upon an Ordinary and Rebekah at Read Another Page (click on their blog names, or the graphics below to visit their blogs). Thank you both so much!

Surprise!

In addition to book recommendations, I have a surprise to share today!

My nonmagical Beauty and the Beast retelling, A Noble Grace, is free today on Amazon!

I’ve heard rumors that a handful of other bloggers participating in Five Fall Favorites may also have similar surprises today…so I’d highly recommend making sure to check out the rest of the participant’s blogs too!

To snag your free ebook copy of A Noble Grace (only free through the end of the day!), just click HERE!

Today’s Theme

Today’s theme is such a difficult one…sharing five of my very favorite reads from the last year. I’ve read so many good books since last autumn, so I can’t definitively say the books I share today are my TOP favorites of all time, but they are very good stories that I loved reading and am looking forward to reading again in the future. I hope you find some good recommendations!

All the books I share this week are ones that I’ve either read in the past year, or are currently reading/re-reading, so please feel free to leave any questions you might have about the books below, and I’ll do my best to answer.

Also, I’ve reviewed many of these more thoroughly on Goodreads, so if you’re interested in reading my thoughts – or other reviews – you can find the Goodreads link under each book, or by clicking on each book’s title.

Let’s jump in!

A Curse So Dark and Lonely

Author: Brigid Kemmerer

Genre: Portal Fantasy Fairy Tale Romance (“Beauty and the Beast” retelling)

Target Audience: YA (Young Adult)+

What Stuck Out to Me: Rarely do I stumble upon books that leave me with a “book hangover”, but this one did! This is the most original Beauty and the Beast retelling I think I’ve read yet, and I devoured it in one sitting.

The protagonists were both so well-written! Rhen perfectly played the role of horrible “beast” while being a loveable, tragic, and struggling leader. I rooted for him so much. Harper also was strong and nuanced, spunky but flawed. I love her Cerebral Palsy representation, and her constant courage and heart through struggles. Their romance was sweet, awkward, tortured, and honestly far more believable than often happens in BatB retellings.

The world, while not overly developed, was rich enough to hold my attention and feel very real without being too complicated or confusing. The villain was excellently horrible, and I absolutely hated her and dreaded her appearances. Grey, though without much page time in this book, was probably my favorite.
And overall, the writing style was beautiful, flowing, precise, and simply enjoyable to read. It left me feeling inspired to work on my own fairy tale retellings, and hopefully make them as gripping.

Tricky Content: m/m relationship between minor characters (last quarter of the book), mild language, violence & fighting, deaths, references to previous intimacy between a male & female (nothing ever shown), attempted s***ide (non-described). I wouldn’t consider this book “clean” by typical standards.

NOTE: The next two books in the series were equally as engaging and well-written, but the tricky content does increase (mostly via romance and violence). I can usually gloss/skim over book sections that make me uncomfortable (and did a handful of times in each book), but if you’re sensitive or try to stay completely away from any of the above-mentioned content, you may want to skip this series.

I’d Recommend It To: Mature readers (due to the content) who enjoy darker portal fantasies, fairy tale retellings (especially Beauty and the Beast), nuanced and fascinating characters, and slow romance.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

A Noble Princess (Cornerstone Series, #5)

Author: Saraina Whitney

Genre: Nonmagical Christian Fantasy Fairy tale retelling (“Goose Girl”)

Target Audience: NA (New Adult)

What Stuck Out to Me: Rarely do I read a book and instantly know I’ll be rereading it again and again, but this one I’m sure of. I’m not very familiar with the Goose Girl fairy tale, so I can’t speak on how closely it retold the original story, but it stands perfectly on its own. From the very first page, I was hooked.

Aurelia is such a sweet character, and I loved her so much. Gentle, tender, caring, yet with a fun
spark of spunk to her, she was the perfect protagonist for this story. And WILDER. His dedication toward protecting Aurelia, and his emotional struggles, both from his past and from his duty toward her, kept me on edge. His growth and richness as a character made me so happy. What an adorable, well-matched pair.

The setting wasn’t complicated, but felt very real. I loved the brief flashes of French inspiration dotting the world, and everything else was beautifully described. I always adore “foresty” journey tales. There were so many obstacles, so many learning opportunities, and so many twists and turns I didn’t see coming. And finally, the themes… My heart broke and healed with each of the characters as they struggled through their growth. Props to the author for conveying such powerful, biblical truths in such a sweet, short, and lovely story. I’ll definitely be reading her future books, and really loved this one.

Tricky Content: Mild peril, fighting, bear attack, mentions of a drunken father and child abuse in MMC’s past, lying, minor descriptions of wounds and blood, MMC is shirtless in one scene but not described, mentions of torture, mention of a miscarriage and child abandonment, and the FMC struggles with pulling out her hair when anxious, one non-described kiss

I’d Recommend It To: Anyone who enjoys sweet and poignant medieval stories, touching romance, twisting adventurous journeys, and REAL characters and themes.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

Sunrise on the Reaping (the Hunger Games)

Author: Suzanne Collins

Genre: Dystopian Fantasy

Target Audience: YA (Young Adult)+

What Stuck Out to Me: I wish I could hug Haymitch. This Hunger Games prequel left me numb and it wasn’t until several hours after finishing it, as I took the time to really tie all of the connections to the original trilogy, that I teared up. I knew, of course, what had to happen to Haymitch to form him into who he was in the other books, but wow…

Haymitch has always been one of my favorite characters in this series, and getting to see his “origin story” was very rewarding. I absolutely hate how much pain he was forced through, but it provides such a clear picture of why he acts the way he does toward Katniss. It also makes their later story threads even more meaningful.

Overall, this book struck the perfect balance between Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes & the original trilogy for me, merging the action, plot twists, and political intrigue of the Hunger Games, with the slower-paced but more calculated and intimate workings of Ballad. I’ve seen other reviewers call it the missing puzzle piece, and I would agree. It’s not a happy read by any stretch of the imagination (in fact, it’s crushing), but that epilogue nearly redeems the entire thing, and I’m truly glad I’ve read it. I’m sure I’ll reread it soon.

Tricky Content: Many deaths (some heavily described), violence, injuries, poisonings, fights with animals & weapons, arson & death by fire, m/m relationship (brief mentions), guilt & grief, depression & subtle references to intent to self-harm, alcoholism

I’d Recommend It To: Anyone who has enjoyed the rest of the Hunger Games series (highly recommend reading them in release order first!), and is especially intrigued by Haymitch’s character and backstory.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

The Inquisitor’s Tale

Author: Adam Gidwitz

Genre: Children’s Historical Fiction

Target Audience: MG (Middle-Grade)+

What Stuck Out to Me: I’m finishing this book now, after being recommended it by a friend, and it’s been such a fun experience. I’ve never read a story quite like this one, and I’m so enjoying it.

With the charming medieval illustrations every few pages, the fun and nuanced cast of characters, very real and adventurous settings, and deep glimpses into life in medieval Europe around the time of the Crusades, this story is engaging from the first page. I absolutely love the contrast between the simplistic, quirky writing style, and the brutally honest, thought-provoking themes and questions.

This is a story of friendship, of persecution, of children in terrible situations bonding and learning and growing together as they fight for their lives, wrapped up in wacky humor, and delightfully medieval descriptions. Even the way the story is told, bouncing from narrator to narrator, helps give us a palatable glimpse into what life was like in that period of time — something I’m always fascinated by. It’s probably not a book for everyone, and I’d recommend it more to older kids and adults, but it’s worth a try!

Tricky Content: some juvenile/crass humor, occasional mild language, references to alcohol and drunkenness, medieval violence and fighting, deaths, brief descriptions of injuries, an honest exploration of religion in medieval times (Jewish, Christian, etc. religions portrayed in positive and negative lights)

I’d Recommend It To: Mature middle-grade readers and older who enjoy quirky and honest medieval stories of courage, friendship, character growth — bonus points if you love charming illustrations!

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

The Wild Robot

Author: Peter Brown

Genre: Children’s Sci-Fi Contemporary

Target Audience: MG (Middle-Grade)+

What Stuck Out to Me: I finished this book in one sitting and have so many feelings! I doubted whether I’d care very much about a robot, but Brown did a fantastic job “humanizing” Roz and making her someone I admired. All of the animals were so unique and fun, and the setting very vivid. I liked the hints of worldbuilding with the different types of robots, particularly near the end.

I was sad when Roz was sad, scared when she was, smiley when she was finding meaning in her life. Through a non-human character learning about what life is, Brown masterfully explored many elements of humanity and life that really touched me. He writes in a simple, “child-friendly” style while his prose is still flowing and lovely.

It does end on a cliffhanger, which surprised me as I didn’t realize it was the first book in a series. I’m looking forward to reading the next one and finding out whether it has the same charming appeal. I really enjoyed this book, and will be snagging a copy to loan to my little siblings. What a sweet story!

Tricky Content: The “circle of life” is shown (animals eating each other (non-described), dead animals giving back to the soil, etc.), robots are destroyed and referred to as dead, a family of geese is crushed.

I’d Recommend It To:

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

Because there are so many bloggers participating in Five Fall Favorites this year, we’ve been split into teams! There’s no competition – only the opportunity to ensure everyone’s posts are shared.

I’m part of Team Aspen (see the graphic below), and I highly encourage you to check out the rest of my teammates’ posts for their recommended books today. That’s where I’m headed!

Here’s the list of bloggers in Team Aspen (click each name to visit that site):

Lydia @ Beyond History’s Pages Hannah @ H. S. Kilian’s blog Virginia @ Books By Virginia Erika @ Resting Life Gabriella @ her Substack Faith @ Faith on the Farm

Thank you so much for joining me today, and for sticking with all of us this entire week! Five Fall Favorites has become a beloved annual tradition for me, and I’m once again so thankful for the lovely bookish community of bloggers. I’m so happy you could join us!

We have something special to offer you too! Would you like a list of the books shared by the participating bloggers this year? It’s not a complete list, but it’s pretty close! Go ahead and click HERE to see that list.

Have you read any of the books I shared? What are the best books you’ve read so far this year? I’d love to hear from you, so drop a comment below!

And don’t miss your chance to snag a free copy of A Noble Grace HERE!

Top 5 Books of 2025 (Five Fall Favorites 2025)Top 5 Books I’ve Reread (Five Fall Favorites 2025)Top 5 Books From Genres I Don’t Usually Read (Five Fall Favorites 2025)

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Published on September 27, 2025 05:00

September 26, 2025

Top 5 Books I’ve Reread (Five Fall Favorites 2025)

Welcome back to day five of Five Fall Favorites — the annual autumn celebration of all things bookish!

It’s so hard to believe we only have two more days! If you’ve read my previous posts (Day #1, Day #2, Day #3, & Day #4) this week, feel free to skip on down to today’s theme. And if not, here’s a brief recap.

Every day this week (6 days in all), I and a large group of other book bloggers are sharing posts centered around certain bookish themes, and packed full with some of our favorite book recommendations from the past year. I’ll link to a number of those blogs at the end of this post, but for even more links and information, you should check out our hosts’ sites!

Five Fall Favorites is once again hosted by Kate at Once Upon an Ordinary and Rebekah at Read Another Page (click on their blog names, or the graphics below to visit their blogs). Thank you both!

Giveaway

In addition to book recommendations, there is also a giveaway this year!

Two winners will be drawn, and they will each receive a collection of free e-books and audiobooks (plus a gift-card for the first-place winner). Check out the prize graphics below to see what you could win!

To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is click HERE!

Today’s Theme

Today’s theme is all about books I can’t stop rereading! There are so many books I make sure to read every year or two, simply because I have good memories of them and they’re comfort books. It was honestly difficult to pick just five, so a couple of these are favorite entire series that I’ve been working through again lately… I’m excited to share them!

Let’s hop in!

Beyond the Bright Sea

Author: Lauren Wolk

Genre: Historical Mystery

Target Audience: MG (Middle-Grade)+

What Stuck Out to Me: I don’t know how to describe this book other than beautiful. Although the prose is very simple, the themes and truths explored, the glimpses into the characters’ hearts and how real they were, are far from it. The simplistic prose actually helps shine a brighter light on the content itself. I’m rereading this right now, and am continually struck by how honestly and effortlessly hard truths are addressed. It’s refreshing.

I absolutely love the characters I’m meant to love, detest the ones I’m meant to detest, and the book as a whole is so hard to put down. I’m very glad I found another middle-grade that feels very real and allows a deeper glimpse into complicated people.

The setting itself is also so charming, with islands, sailing, and small village life on the coast. The descriptions are precise and vivid, and I could almost smell the sea and feel the wind on my face. I also absolutely loved the themes of adoption, family not always being blood-related, and unconditional love, even in the hard times. Definitely one I’ll keep coming back to.

Tricky Content: Leprosy and illness, ostracization and themes of prejudice, some violence and fighting, sad recollections, a character struggling with feeling like she doesn’t belong and wanting a family

I’d Recommend It To: Middle-grade readers and older that enjoy slow, sweet tales of belonging, acceptance, and love, written in a charmingly simple and honest style. Bonus points if you like adoption stories and island settings.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

Bridge to Terabithia

Author: Katherine Paterson

Genre: Children’s Historical

Target Audience: MG (Middle-Grade)+

What Stuck Out to Me: I’ve yet to know how to voice my true thoughts about this book, because it’s the story I’ve read the most times throughout my life, starting from a young age, and it means a lot to me. I’m not even entirely sure why it hits so deeply.

I recently reread this, and watched the movie, and I think I finally realized that at least the heart of my love for this book is in its raw honesty and hope. It’s a crushing book – exploring grief, loss, and dysfunction through the lens of a young and struggling boy – and I always gravitate toward books that feel real in its portrayal of hard emotions and complicated people. It’s a snapshot of real life.

This by no means has a happy ending, but there’s beauty in the character growth we see by the final pages. Where there was once dysfunction and a boy struggling to see/experience the joy in life, we see a family realize their lack of affection, a boy realize it’s okay to be creative and silly and enjoy imagination, and we also see him pass that hard-earned lesson to someone else. We see the wide-spread impact of a girl unafraid to live life to the fullest and see the beauty and possibility in everything. It’s so hard to compress all my thoughts, but something about those themes has always stuck with me and I love it.

Tricky Content: some language (including several instances of taking the Lord’s name in vain), death of a child (not shown), grief, characters wrestle with the idea of God and church and what they mean

I’d Recommend It To: Readers (maybe 10+?) that enjoy bittersweet, middle-grade, “glimpse of real life” stories that stick to your heart and make you think. (My mom still thinks I’m crazy for liking it, haha)

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

The Harry Potter Series

Author: J. K. Rowling

Genre: Fantasy

Target Audience: MG (Middle-Grade)+

What Stuck Out to Me: I greatly enjoyed rereading this series this year, listening to the audiobooks this time! This is one of my all-time favorite series, and I enjoy working through the books every couple of years. The world-building, attention to detail, lovable characters, and uniqueness are always so fun to me, and an inspiration for my own stories.

I know these books are controversial (and totally respect each person’s stance on them ), but in my most recent read-through, I’ve been fascinated by some of the deep themes and unintentionally Christian themes weaving their way through the plots and character growth. It’s always a pleasant surprise to find deep truths in books that aren’t necessarily trying to place them in there. These books are a lot of fun, gripping in their mystery and tension, and I love that I can finish them smiling, stressed, and feeling like I learned something all at the same time, haha.

Tricky Content: The books start off much more middle-grade, and gradually become “older” and darker. There is a magic system (“witches and wizards”, spells, wands, mystical beings like goblins, trolls, etc.), possession element in the first book, and – especially in the later books – violence, fighting, and deaths. Several kisses (nothing more), typical teenage drama and crushes, injuries and sicknesses, and lightly-described torture. Frequent uses of mild British swears, and some slurs/insults unique to the world.

I’d Recommend It To: Fans of vividly-described and unique fantasy worlds – especially centered around a magical academy, strong friendships, adventurous vibes, and constant mystery and intrigue.

Here’s the link to add book #1 on Goodreads!

The Hunger Games Series

Author: Suzanne Collins

Genre: Dystopian

Target Audience: YA (Young Adult)+

What Stuck Out to Me: This series is one of my go-to rereads (just referring to the main three books for this review). While the writing style isn’t my usual cup of tea – often more juvenile and jarring – I can’t put these books down once I start, despite knowing the story in and out at this point.

They’re written so well, so evocatively, showing flaws with human nature, morality, the need for entertainment, and broken societies so clearly, that I have no trouble believing it could be an extremely accurate depiction of what life would be like in a Hunger Games world. And that’s scary, which I believe is the point. It’s very thought-provoking!

In addition to the vivid settings and fascinating themes, the characters feel very real and nuanced. Katniss isn’t the typical heroine I expect from modern YA dystopians. She’s angry, irrational, illogical, emotional, brash, and bad with people. She’s far too blunt, doesn’t think carefully enough, and struggles with love. But she’s relatable, honest, and real. She’s not always the most likable, but her unapologetic humanity makes me care. And that’s the case with every other character. They all have backstories and valid reasons to get involved (or not). I care about them, which keeps me coming back to these books again and again.

Tricky Content: Deaths, violence (fights, poisoning, etc.), injuries, manipulation & emotional distress, non-described kisses, characters laying together, intent to commit su*cide, drunkenness

I’d Recommend It To: Readers (probably 16+) that enjoy mostly fast-paced dystopian action books that also dive into romance, political intrigue, and mental health/PTSD exploration and representation.

Here’s the link to add book #1 on Goodreads!

Wishtress

Author: Nadine Brandes

Genre: Christian Fantasy Romance

Target Audience: YA (Young Adult)+

What Stuck Out to Me: First of all, THAT COVER. Second, this remains my favorite book by Nadine Brandes, and I love every story she writes. I’m currently reading this one again and loving it!

As always, the prose is absolutely beautiful, and I was hooked from the very beginning. I love all of the characters, except for the ones I’m meant to hate, haha. Myrthe, Bastiaan, Runt, Anouk…the cast is so fascinating and realistic, and I really like all the interweaving among relationships and past events. How everything ultimately connected by the end was stunning. There were many times when I actually stopped and gaped at the book because I couldn’t believe how a connection worked out.

Though I tend to be picky, the romance was a thumbs up from me too! This was very sweet, and I enjoyed watching the two protagonists grow together. And gracious, that ending… it wraps up far better than I thought it would and I like the bittersweet hopefulness. The worldbuilding was so intricate and unique, and there were many times I could practically feel the frostbite and howling winds, the descriptions were so vivid. And as always, the themes are powerful — subtle but hard-hitting.

Tricky Content: Brief non-detailed kisses, deaths, illness, magical elements (more so the world vs spells, etc.), references to a girl being sold as a prostitute, violence and fighting, tension

I’d Recommend It To: Readers who enjoy rich and vibrant fantasy worlds, lovely character growth, adventures/journeys, wintery settings, and deep themes.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

I’m part of Team Aspen (see the graphic below), and I highly encourage you to check out the rest of my teammates’ posts for their recommended books today. That’s where I’m headed!

Here’s the list of bloggers in Team Aspen (click each name to visit that site):

Lydia @ Beyond History’s Pages Hannah @ H. S. Kilian’s blog Virginia @ Books By Virginia Erika @ Resting Life Gabriella @ her Substack Faith @ Faith on the Farm

Thank you so much for joining me today! Have you read any of the books I shared? Do you have any favorite stories you return to again and again? I’d love to hear from you, so drop a comment below, and we’ll meet again tomorrow for Five Fall Favorites day #6 — the final day!

Don’t forget to enter that giveaway HERE!

Top 5 Books I’ve Reread (Five Fall Favorites 2025)Top 5 Books From Genres I Don’t Usually Read (Five Fall Favorites 2025)Top 5 Non-Fiction Favorites (Five Fall Favorites 2025)

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Published on September 26, 2025 05:00

September 25, 2025

Top 5 Books From Genres I Don’t Usually Read (Five Fall Favorites 2025)

Welcome back to day four of Five Fall Favorites — the annual autumn celebration of all things bookish!

If you’ve read my previous three posts (Day #1, Day #2, & Day #3) this week, feel free to skip on down to today’s theme. And if not, here’s a brief recap!

Five Fall Favorites is once again hosted by Kate at Once Upon an Ordinary and Rebekah at Read Another Page (click on their blog names, or the graphics below to visit their blogs). Thank you both!

Giveaway

In addition to book recommendations, there is also a giveaway this year!

To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is click HERE!

Today’s Theme

Today I get to share five books I’ve recently enjoyed that are steps outside my usual genres! These genres today include westerns, middle-grade classics, historical women’s fiction, and mystery. Although I have my usual favorite genres (typically fantasy in some capacity), I absolutely love reading from a wide variety and try to do it often. We can learn so much and find so many new favorites by branching out!

Let’s hop in!

A Little Princess

Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett

Genre: Children’s Classic Fiction

Target Audience: MG (Middle-Grade)+

What Stuck Out to Me: I’m so glad I finally read this precious little gem of a story – it’s now easily one of my favorite classics. While I was familiar with the general tale (Veggietales version, anyone?), I wasn’t prepared for how deep and introspective the book is. And yet, at the same time, it’s written in a simple and charming style that helps make such difficult life lessons easier to swallow. I would be a much better person if I approached life with the same faithful outlook as young Sara Crewe.

I’ll definitely be re-reading this one, and purchasing a hard copy to keep around!

Tricky Content: The only reason I can’t rate this a full five stars is for some wording that I’d omit if I were reading this book to my children (ex. “fat”, “stupid”, etc. used liberally as adjectives for other children). I know language has changed since the writing of this book, but there were a few phrases every now and again that made me uncomfortable.

I’d Recommend It To: Readers roughly aged 10+ that enjoy charming writing styles, happy endings, lessons of grace, courage, and perseverance through deep grief, and inspiring characters.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

Because of Winn-Dixie

Author: Kate DiCamillo

Genre: Children’s Classic Fiction

Target Audience: MG (Middle-Grade)+

What Stuck Out to Me: I dove into this completely clueless besides having heard the name before. I assumed it was a simple, lighthearted “dog” book for children, but instead, I’m astounded by the depth and emotion packed into this little story. It’s complicated, it tugs at the heart, it’s charming, and it’s very honestly real. It reminded me of Bridge to Terabithia, but more wholesome and heartwarming, and a lot less tragic (yay, haha!).

I’d personally wait until my kids are a bit older to read this one, due to some of the heavier themes and wording used, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Tricky Content: Sparing use of the word r****d, which I didn’t appreciate. Mentions of drunkenness, prison and crimes, a mother leaving her child, kids calling an elderly woman a “witch” until they meet her.

I’d Recommend It To:

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

Like the Air After the Rain

Author: Kellyn Roth

Genre: Historical Romance

Target Audience: I’d consider it an Adult-oriented novel (for deep themes, rather than content)

What Stuck Out to Me: This is officially my new favorite book by Kellyn Roth! Victorian era romance novels have never been a genre I seek out, but I’m realizing that if they’re written by Kellyn, I’ll probably enjoy them. It’s been a long time since a book has touched my heart so deeply.

Lorelai was fascinating, and felt extremely real and nuanced. In many ways, we’re different, but particularly in her struggles with family, I deeply related. There was something so healing about watching Lorelai wrestle with God, and finally reach a place where she could rest in Him. The story was enjoyable, the themes unique and powerful, and the messages so convicting.

Once again, the setting was vivid and interesting. And as is typical with this genre, the plot isn’t action-packed, but introspective and rich with internal conflict, wrestling with God, and family dynamics/healing. The pacing carried well, and I was never bored. Ultimately, the themes are what set this book apart. The messages of resting in the Lord, of trusting His timing, and finding meaning and value only in Him were prominent and powerful. Kellyn writes strong Christian stories unabashedly and I love her for it.

Tricky Content: Multiple non-described kisses, references to intimacy between a married couple, references of trying for a child/heir, childbirth (vaguely described), miscarriage and monthly menses are mentioned, a minor character is hinted to be promiscuous but is handled in a godly manner, discussions of parental abuse/neglect, depression, a character feels life is meaningless and is borderline suicidal

I’d Recommend It To: Mature readers who enjoy sweet and thoughtful Victorian-era romances centered around Christ and family (mature not because of inappropriate content, but due to the depth and raw look at family struggles). Because of the focus on marriage and children, I would probably recommend it to readers 18+, but there’s ultimately nothing to prevent mature younger teens from reading it too.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

Outlaw Blood

Author: Noah J. Matthews

Genre: Fantasy Western

Target Audience: YA (Young Adult)+

What Stuck Out to Me: Such an impressive debut! The author clearly spent a lot of time fleshing out his story world. From the start, I was engrossed and could practically feel the sun and sand as the protagonist traveled. The creatures, towns, mountains, names, cultures, religions, traditions, sayings, etc…it was incredibly immersive and I would love to read more books in this world!

The prose itself was also excellent — clear and precise, but also poetic at the same time. I found it very engaging, and enjoyed much of the description and dialogue. I’m not overly familiar with westerns, but the story felt accurate to the genre. Very gritty, intense, thought-provoking, and adventurous.

In addition, what a fun variety of side characters! While I liked very few of them, I enjoyed the mix of professions, ages, and life experiences featured. Each character felt real, and like they had families, lives, and goals all their own – not just for the sake of the plot. I struggled with the implications of the ending, and it’s not a happy book, but it was fascinating and well-done enough that I’m glad I gave it a shot!

Tricky Content: Action and violence (sword fights, gun fights), mentions of alcohol and “sand”/drug-like substances, sand magic (reminded me of the Force from Star Wars), lightly-described injuries, several semi-detailed mentions of a corpse hanging from the gallows, hangings, undetailed deaths, overall heavy themes, repeated fictional swears, dysfunctional friendships and parental relationships, one kiss between a married couple (side characters).

I’d Recommend It To: Fans of gritty westerns, immersive and creative worldbuilding, masterful prose, and thought-provoking Christian themes (and not necessarily happy endings).

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

The Gray Poet

Author: Caitlin Miller

Genre: Historical Romance Short Story

Target Audience: YA (Young Adult)+

What Stuck Out to Me: What a powerful gut punch of a story – and in so few words! Miller has a beautiful writing voice and as per the norm with her books, I was hooked from the start. I don’t know how she was able to make me care so much about her characters in so short a time, but I couldn’t stop reading, and although it wasn’t a happy ending necessarily, it felt very real. Hard and heavy, but with a solid dose of hope. Such a beautiful little story about community and helping one another find the light in the darkness.

Tricky Content: Mentions of abuse and a (non-graphic) suicide attempt. I’m sensitive to these, but they were handled with enough tact and grace that I was able to read it without regret.

I’d Recommend It To: Readers who enjoy quick reads that stick to your heart, deep themes, hope in hardship, and tender romance in a historical setting.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

Sign up for the author’s newsletter and read it FREE here!

I’m part of Team Aspen (see the graphic below), and I highly encourage you to check out the rest of my teammates’ posts for their recommended books today. That’s where I’m headed!

Here’s the list of bloggers in Team Aspen (click each name to visit that site):

Lydia @ Beyond History’s Pages Hannah @ H. S. Kilian’s blog Virginia @ Books By Virginia Erika @ Resting Life Gabriella @ her Substack Faith @ Faith on the Farm

Thank you so much for joining me today! Have you read any of the books I shared, or tried any new genres recently? I’d love to hear from you, so drop a comment below, and we’ll meet again tomorrow for Five Fall Favorites day #5!

Don’t forget to enter that giveaway HERE!

Top 5 Books From Genres I Don’t Usually Read (Five Fall Favorites 2025)Top 5 Non-Fiction Favorites (Five Fall Favorites 2025)Top 5 Indie Books (Five Fall Favorites 2025)

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Published on September 25, 2025 05:00

September 24, 2025

Top 5 Non-Fiction Favorites (Five Fall Favorites 2025)

Welcome back to day three of Five Fall Favorites — the annual autumn celebration of all things bookish!

If you’ve read my previous two posts (Day #1 and Day #2) this week, feel free to skip on down to today’s theme. And if not, here’s a brief recap!

Five Fall Favorites is once again hosted by Kate at Once Upon an Ordinary and Rebekah at Read Another Page (click on their blog names, or the graphics below to visit their blogs). Thank you both!

Giveaway

In addition to book recommendations, there is also a giveaway this year!

To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is click HERE!

Today’s Theme

Today’s theme allows me to share five of my favorite non-fiction books! I’ve read a fair few non-fiction books so far this year, many of them either Christian living or writing/publishing-related, so you’ll definitely see that reflected in my round-up. I’m so excited to share these stellar finds with you!

Let’s hop in!

Adorning the Dark

Author: Andrew Peterson

Genre/Topic: Christian Memoir

Target Audience: Christian creatives

What Stuck Out to Me: This book touched me deeply. (Thank you to Kate for buddy-reading this with me!) I’ve read good books on faith, and good books on creativity, writing, and publishing, but this is one of the only great books I’ve read that combines all of those elements, and does it so effectively!

Peterson writes in a relatable, honest, and humble style, giving us a bit of everything (part autobiography, part writing advice, part Christian encouragement). I enjoyed reading about his life and how God’s used various hardships and events to fashion him into the person he is today, and especially loved his examples of how Christians can create with the Lord on a personal, daily basis.

This book is an encouragement, a calling, and a reminder of why I write — and Who I write for! I think my favorite parts were his analogies, and I’ll be thinking of my books as berry bushes for a long time. It’s so easy to get swept up in the hectic creative process; this book is a moving reminder to continue growing and glorifying God. If you’ve ever considered reading this, here’s your push!

I’d Recommend It To: Any Christian seeking encouragement, inspiration, and a deeper understanding of what it means to create meaningful art with the Lord.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

Business for Authors

Author: Joanna Penn

Genre/Topic: Indie Publishing

Target Audience: Indie/Self-Published authors seeking to make a career of publishing

What Stuck Out to Me: I’ve found very few helpful, in-depth books regarding the business side of being an indie author, but this book is such a valuable resource.

Covering topics such as motivation and mindset, determining products and services, crafting a business plan, navigating employees and members of your author team, finding ideal customers, sales and distribution channels, marketing, financial advice, and long appendixes of helpful books and tools, Penn gives direct, clear, and actionable steps for starting an author business.

I appreciated her emphasis that there isn’t one right way to run an author business, just the right way for YOU in that moment. Businesses and their plans can change, and her recommendation to revisit your plans and strategies every six months or so is smart and encouraging. While I would have loved for this book to be even longer and more in-depth, I understand why it can’t hold ALL the details, particularly in the financial and legal sections. I’ll definitely be revisiting this one over time, as my business grows!

I’d Recommend It To: Indie/Self-Published authors seeking tips, strategies, and helpful business advice from an established author already managing it well.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

Full Time Author

Author/s: Eileen Cook & Crystal Hunt

Genre/Topic: Writing/Publishing

Target Audience: Authors (directed more heavily at indie, but also applicable to traditional writers!)

What Stuck Out to Me: This is the best overall guide that I’ve read for authors seeking to write for a career!

With 450+ pages, this book visited everything from setting goals, choosing business models and planning for taxes, which publication path best suits you, identifying the best strategies for your books, marketing plans and methods, product price points and distribution channels, author branding and pen names, budgeting, re-branding and re-releasing old books, applying for an agent and publisher, indie publishing processes, other ways to bring in writing-related income, what to do when things go poorly, and appendixes of resources.

Each section was clear and easy to understand, at least as someone semi-familiar with many of the topics they discussed. Some of the sections were very short, and I’d have loved even more details in many of them, but they always provided other suggestions for where to go for more information. There was very little information that didn’t apply to me in some way or another, and what I can’t implement now, I anticipate revisiting in the future. I wish that I’d read this book at the start of my indie author journey!

I’d Recommend It To: Any author looking to write for a living, whether traditional or independently publishing, and seeking a handy, in-depth starter guide for figuring out all the aspects involved.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

Story Genius

Author: Lisa Cron

Genre/Topic: Writing Craft

Target Audience: Writers/authors

What Stuck Out to Me: I’m just finishing this book, and it’s been extremely insightful as I’m outlining my most recent novel! I intend to go back and experiment with Cron’s suggestions/strategies on my other books in the editing stages.

As a character-oriented author, I love the deep focus on creating characters that feel real, and whose actions lead to a natural and moving story. Cron gives a very practical framework for developing characters and even recruited an author friend of hers to write out extremely helpful examples for her process!. While none of the information is groundbreaking, I’ve finished every chapter inspired to work on my own characters, and with new ideas on how to tackle story issues.

My only qualms with this are some uses of language, and a slight general sense of “this is the only correct way to outline a novel”, which I of course don’t agree with. But overall, this is a solidly helpful book when it comes to really knowing your characters and their motivations. Especially if you struggle with developing realistic characters, and/or connecting them cohesively to your plots, this is a great resource! I’ve never heard anyone else describe a character-creating process quite like this one, and it’s been fun.

I’d Recommend It To: Authors looking for help developing stronger characters and ensuring that they work together with their plots in tight-knit and interesting ways.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

The God of Story

Author: Daniel Schwabauer

Genre/Topic: Christian Writing

Target Audience: Christian storytellers

What Stuck Out to Me: This is one of the best books about story I’ve ever read, and the only one I’ve found to cover story from a deep and engaging biblical perspective. I’m so glad I picked this one up!

In particular, the chapters on Job, were revolutionary to me. Schwabauer’s points and illustrative scenes were so helpful, and I lost track of how many times I had to stop reading to think through and pray about what he’d just written. I’d never thought about Job and his trials in that light, and the truths Schwabauer pulled from the biblical story hit me hard — in the best ways.

This book gave me a burning desire to go read my Bible again, and that’s perhaps the highest praise I can give it. Sometimes, having grown up Christian and knowing the biblical stories, just being able to see the familiar with fresh eyes and an eager mind can make all the difference. Overall, this book is enlightening, healing, vividly written, and full of valuable insight, the right smattering of humor, and plenty of heart.

I’d Recommend It To: Any Christian creative seeking an honest, deeper understanding of story, and how the Bible can give us a clearer picture of what story really is.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

I’m part of Team Aspen (see the graphic below), and I highly encourage you to check out the rest of my teammates’ posts for their recommended books today. That’s where I’m headed!

Here’s the list of bloggers in Team Aspen (click each name to visit that site):

Lydia @ Beyond History’s Pages Hannah @ H. S. Kilian’s blog Virginia @ Books By Virginia Erika @ Resting Life Gabriella @ her Substack Faith @ Faith on the Farm

Thank you so much for joining me today! Have you read any of the books I shared? Do you have any favorite non-fiction books? I’d love to hear from you, so drop a comment below, and we’ll meet again tomorrow for Five Fall Favorites day #4!

Don’t forget to enter that giveaway HERE!

Top 5 Non-Fiction Favorites (Five Fall Favorites 2025)Top 5 Indie Books (Five Fall Favorites 2025)Top 5 Books I Wish Had a Sequel (Five Fall Favorites 2025)

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Published on September 24, 2025 05:00

September 23, 2025

Top 5 Indie Books (Five Fall Favorites 2025)

Welcome back to day two of Five Fall Favorites — the annual autumn celebration of all things bookish!

If you read yesterday’s post (right HERE), feel free to skip on down to today’s theme. And if not, here’s a brief recap!

Five Fall Favorites is once again hosted by Kate at Once Upon an Ordinary and Rebekah at Read Another Page (click on their blog names, or the graphics below to visit their blogs). Thank you both!

Giveaway

In addition to book recommendations, there is also a giveaway this year!

To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is click HERE!

Today’s Theme

Today’s theme is one of my absolute favorites, where I get to share five of my favorite indie books (books published by independent authors)! I adore far too many indie books to share in one blog post, but somehow I’ve managed to compile a few that have really stuck with me throughout this last year. There are so many good ones out there!

Let’s hop in!

A Noble Match (Cornerstone Series, #2)

Author: Kirsten Fichter

Genre: Nonmagical Christian Fantasy Fairy tale retelling (“Thumbelina”)

Target Audience: NA (New Adult)

What Stuck Out to Me: I’ve never read a Thumbelina retelling before, but this one was cleverly done. Very unique and engaging, with just enough tie-backs to the original tale that I couldn’t help but smile as I caught them. I absolutely loved this story!

As always, the characters in this book have my heart. The protagonist is so sweet and optimistic, and her joy even in the midst of grief was convicting. I loved the “grumpy x sunshine” dynamic with her love interest, and that they both had things to teach one another. Their care for one another, and the way they both valued duty and responsibility was inspiring.

The faith element was also masterfully woven in. I never felt it was pushy or cheesy, but it was prominent enough to believe that the characters truly believed what they were saying when they spoke of their Lord and Creator. The themes of grief, love, duty, and hope were powerful. And a final honorable mention to the world-building in this story! What a fun twist on a typical medieval fantasy setting (flying suits!).

Tricky Content: Mild peril, fighting, talks of war, political tension, non-described injuries/burns, betrayal, mentions of characters swearing but no specific words, brief mention of a possible hanging, themes of grief and loss, discussions of a pre-story family death

I’d Recommend It To: Readers who enjoy Thumbelina retellings or medieval fantasy in general, Christian themes, sweet love stories, tension and intrigue, and an absolutely beautiful writing style.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

A Noble Protector (Cornerstone Series, #8)

Author: Madisyn Carlin

Genre: Nonmagical Christian Fantasy Fairy tale retelling (“Wild Swans”)

Target Audience: NA (New Adult)

What Stuck Out to Me: As I went to add this Goodreads link to my post, I realized that I never reviewed it…and now that it’s been about a year, I don’t trust myself to recall exact details, so I guess it’s time for a reread! Honestly, I’m so excited to do so! This is such a gripping story.

This was my first read from Madisyn and what a great introduction! From the first page, I was hooked, and I remember reading it all in one sitting. The feel of the story itself is serious but hopeful, tense but heartwarming. The world itself drew me in with the vivid descriptions and its intriguing customs/details.

And as always, my favorite elements were the characters. They felt so real and I could relate to both protagonists as they struggled to protect the people around them and wrestle with their own hurts and fears. The slow-burn romance was extremely sweet, and I’d love to see more of their relationship if the author ever wants to continue their story… The deep and meaningful themes were the icing on the cake.

Tricky Content: Fighting, death, poisoning and illness, a non-detailed kiss, peril

I’d Recommend It To: Readers who enjoy wintery medieval settings, deep Christian themes that make you think, sweet slow-burn romance, strong (of character) protagonists, and tense plots.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

Assassin of Fire and Sacrifice

Author: Mary Mecham

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Target Audience: YA (Young Adult)

What Stuck Out to Me: This might be my favorite Mary Mecham book so far. It was a step outside my recent genres, but I’m so glad I gave it a shot. What a fun, fast-paced story!

I usually don’t care for self-proclaimed hardened assassins being the story “heroes”, but this one was well done! I could understand the reasoning behind her actions, and root for her as she learned better. And the male protagonist is my favorite. I might be biased, since he reminds me of my husband, but I adored him. His scenes were my favorites, and I really enjoyed seeing him soften and grow throughout the story.

The world was much more complex than I expected from a fiery, fairy tale romance! Particularly the phoenixes, their healing processes, and small things such as the shoulder tattoos and the wedding traditions. It felt very cohesive and well-thought out. I also appreciated that the romance was clean, and that any physical affection was wholesome, sparing, and fit the scene. And wow, that ending! I wasn’t expecting nearly ANY of the twists, and I love when books can do that for me. I finished the book smiling.

Tricky Content: death/killing, main characters are hardened assassins, betrayal, several brief kisses, flirtatious dialogue, married characters make several joking comments about wedding night (nothing more happens), and one mention of a low-cut blouse and the protagonist’s curves

I’d Recommend It To: Readers who enjoy clean and engaging fantasy romances — particularly with lots of banter, a protective male protagonist (“touch her and die”), and a unique phoenix world.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

Ophelia Brown and the Mythical Menagerie

Author: Julia Witmer

Genre: Portal Fantasy

Target Audience: MG (middle-grade) and above

What Stuck Out to Me: I absolutely loved the first book in this series last year (then loaned it to my younger siblings who also really enjoyed it), so this was a highly anticipated sequel. It didn’t disappoint! If anything, I actually enjoyed this one even more.

I really enjoyed the sheer variety of characters, many mythical beings, and all with vivid personalities, fascinating backstories, and fun quirks. The descriptions were also beautiful, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to explore a lot more of the story world. Every chapter held new aspects and it was fun wondering what might be next.

My other favorite element was the character growth! The protagonist wrestled with very relatable and crucial struggles, including managing her anger, feeling left out, overcoming fear, and trusting after hardship. Overall, I absolutely loved this story and eagerly await book #3!

Tricky Content: One usage of “shut up”, some mild violence, a few vaguely-described injuries, peril, the protagonist suffers from non-described nightmares, and wrestles with loss of trust, feeling betrayed and angry, and guilt

I’d Recommend It To: Readers (maybe 10+?) who enjoy adventurous middle-grade portal fantasy stories with plenty of heart, clean and meaningful themes, and a healthy dose of action/suspense. Bonus points if you enjoy books in a series!

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

The Stolen Kingdom

Author: Bethany Atazadeh

Genre: Fantasy Romance (loosely retelling “Aladdin”)

Target Audience: YA (Young Adult)

What Stuck Out to Me: I haven’t been so engrossed in a long time! The world-building in this story is excellent. I could tell it was an Aladdin retelling, but not in a forced or obnoxious way. Instead, I had great fun stumbling across a slightly familiar story aspect and realizing that it was a cleverly twisted element of the fairy tale.

And of course, I love that it’s clean! The romance is sweet, language is appropriate, and heavier subjects are handled with tact, without shying away from the hardship. Overall, the story has a lighter feel, while still keeping me on my toes with tension.

Best of all is the nuanced, lovable, fascinating cast of characters – from the protagonists to the minor appearances. Gideon is my favorite HANDS DOWN, but the spunky main characters, chilling villain/s, misguided allies, and bumbling and loyal band of outcasts all drew me in. I enjoyed the “heist” elements, and the fact that each and every character felt like they were there for a reason, not just to advance the plot, but because they had goals, dreams, aspirations, and motives of their own. It’s such a fun read!

Tricky Content: a couple of subtle references to men’s inappropriate intentions, mentions of the protagonist’s beauty, the protagonist kisses (non-detailed) a man she doesn’t love and a man she DOES love, magic system centered around the Jinn (genies) and magical objects, a villain loses his tongue, memory of a child’s death

I’d Recommend It To:

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

I’m part of Team Aspen (see the graphic below), and I highly encourage you to check out the rest of my teammates’ posts for their recommended books today. That’s where I’m headed!

Here’s the list of bloggers in Team Aspen (click each name to visit that site):

Lydia @ Beyond History’s Pages Hannah @ H. S. Kilian’s blog Virginia @ Books By Virginia Erika @ Resting Life Gabriella @ her Substack Faith @ Faith on the Farm

Thank you so much for joining me today! Have you read any of the books I shared? Do you have any favorite indie books? I’d love to hear from you, so drop a comment below, and we’ll meet again tomorrow for Five Fall Favorites day #3!

Don’t forget to enter that giveaway HERE!

Top 5 Indie Books (Five Fall Favorites 2025)Top 5 Books I Wish Had a Sequel (Five Fall Favorites 2025)The Goodreads Blog Tag

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Published on September 23, 2025 05:00

September 22, 2025

Top 5 Books I Wish Had a Sequel (Five Fall Favorites 2025)

Welcome to day one of Five Fall Favorites — the annual autumn celebration of all things bookish!

I’m so happy to be participating in this blog event again. It’s my fourth time taking part, but 2025 is actually the tenth year that Five Fall Favorites has happened, which is so neat! An entire decade of book recommendations and cozy vibes, and it’s still going strong.

If you’re new to the event, here’s how it works. Every day this week (6 days in all), I and a large group of other book bloggers will each be sharing posts centered around certain bookish themes, and packed full with some of our favorite book recommendations from the past year. I’ll link to a number of those blogs at the end of this post, but for even more links and information, you should check out our hosts’ sites!

Giveaway

In addition to book recommendations, there is also a giveaway this year!

To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is click HERE!

Today’s Theme

I’ve decided to start off on a different note today. You’ll probably see many of the other bloggers sharing their top five book recommendations from previous Five Fall Favorites, but as I don’t have as many years of participation to choose from, I opted to go with one of the alternate themes.

That theme, as you can already see, is Five Books I Wish Had a Sequel.

And as a bonus, I’ve shared several of these in previous years, so it still sort of works for both!

Let’s hop in!

A Curse of Gold and Beauty

Author: Mary Mecham

Genre: Fantasy Fairy-tale (Rumpelstiltskin) retelling

Target Audience: YA (Young Adult) and above

What Stuck Out to Me: I didn’t expect this story to impact me as much as it did. Story-wise, this is a cute, light read, with heartfelt romance and immersive worldbuilding. I enjoyed how the Rumpelstiltskin tale was woven into the story without feeling forced or cheesy. It was very fun to read!

Most of all, I loved that one of the protagonist’s disability wasn’t something to be fixed, but simply part of him. I teared up at many of the things he said – especially that his pain didn’t define him, and that he can still make his own choices. I was also extremely convicted by how optimistic and joyful he was all of the time! He didn’t feel sorry for himself or wallow in hardship. Instead, he was inspiring and selfless.

In addition, the other protagonist was one of the rare first-person leads I felt like I could really relate to. She was well-written, strong, and capable, and her romance with the other lead was wholesome and sweet. For these reasons, I’d love to read a sequel with these characters! They felt like such real people, and I was so intrigued and inspired by them that I’d enjoy getting to see them on another adventure.

Tricky Content: Mentions of one of the characters laying with her head on a love interest’s shoulder (“cuddling”), brief kisses, mild descriptions of injury and blood, kidnapping, mild peril

I’d Recommend It To: Fans of creative fairy tale retellings, quick and easy reads, stories with disability/chronic pain representation, and sweet friends-to-lovers romance!

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

Sign up for the author’s newsletter and read it FREE here!

Fairest

Author: Gail Carson Levine

Genre: Fairy Tale Fantasy

Target Audience: MG (middle grade) and above

What Stuck Out to Me: Since childhood, this has always been one of those books that I just can’t put down. Maybe it’s partially nostalgia, but I adore the enchanting fairy tale setting, the creative twist on a familiar Snow White-esque tale, and the timeless themes of courage and inner beauty.

The world itself is immersive, the magical elements intriguing, and the characters (always my favorite part) are interesting and likable. I enjoy watching as the protagonist especially learns and grows. The writing style too is simple, but very charming.

There are other books in the same world/series as Fairest (Ella Enchanted being one of them), but no direct sequel, and I would love for that to change! Although I’m not sure where a sequel might take the characters, I enjoy them enough that I would definitely be up for going on another journey with them!

Tricky Content: Brief kisses, bullying, violence and fighting, fairy tale magical elements/objects, fairy tale beings (gnomes, ogres), peril

I’d Recommend It To: Fans of enchanting and creative fairy tale twists, sweet romance, and wholesome themes of love, courage, and true beauty.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

Romanov

Author: Nadine Brandes

Genre: Historical Fantasy (very loosely based on Anastasia Romanov & her family)

Target Audience: YA and above

What Stuck Out to Me: I’ve long been intrigued by the tragic story of the Romanov family and the mystery and legends surrounding them, so this fantasy twist was right up my alley. It’s an intriguing, emotional, and well-developed take on their tale, adding in a fascinating and creative magic system!

Best of all are the characters. Relatable, fascinating, and strong, but still imperfect in very real ways. Their relationships, especially the close-knit family during their biggest hardships, inspired me and made me appreciate my own family more. And the romance was both beautiful and heartbreaking.

While the story started slowly, the plot grew more mysterious and intense as the story progressed, and by the halfway point, I couldn’t put it down! Strong themes of courage, family, and sacrifice were the cherries on top. There’s really no way there could be a legitimate sequel to this story, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting one! The best stories leave us desperately longing for more, and that’s this book for me.

Tricky Content: A magic system with spells, violence and death, some intense/disturbing scenes, brief kisses, and drunkenness (portrayed negatively).

I’d Recommend It To: Readers intrigued by the Romanov family, historical fantasy with creative magic systems, and/or Russian-inspired fiction with heart-tugging romance.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

The Princess Bride

Author: William Goldman

Genre: Fantasy Adventure Romance

Target Audience: Readers roughly 12+

What Stuck Out to Me: After growing up with this movie on repeat, I finally read the book this year, and it was such a fun experience! While I’m biased and think I still prefer the movie, I’m so glad I finally dove into this fun adventure. What a ride!

This is such a fun, quirky, and classic tale, and I smiled during most of it. The constant adventurous nature of the story, the unique and memorable characters (which are fascinating if not likable), the upstanding themes, and of course, the humor and dry writing style. I absolutely love this story.

In all honesty, I probably wouldn’t want a sequel to this story, simply because I don’t know how a continuation could ever hold up to the original! But, indulge me, if we knew that the sequel would be just as good as the first story, I’d absolutely be up for more adventures of Buttercup and Wesley and all the rest. Those kinds of books are some of my absolute favorites, and I think the world needs more of them.

Tricky Content: Peril and sword-fighting, mildly-described torture, deaths, brief kissing, one fleeting mention of a woman’s breast, alcohol/drunkenness (portrayed in a negative light), some coarse language

I’d Recommend It To: Fans of quirky, wholesome, and adventurous fantasy stories with memorable characters, witty humor, and charming themes of romance and nobility.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

The Scorpio Races

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Genre: Fantasy

Target Audience: YA and above

What Stuck Out to Me: I’m just starting to re-read this one, as it’s been a couple of years and specific memories are fuzzy, but this has been one of my favorites! I love the descriptive world-building, the unique and creative story premise (a dangerous November race with mythical water horses), the realistic and likable characters, and even the romance threads woven through.

Most of all, I love Stiefvater’s narrative voice. It’s beautiful, lyrical, and flowing, and yet relatable and clear. I aspire to write like she does.

I would love to read a sequel of this book as it’s just one of those stories that sticks with you. Every fall I think of it, and the world itself is so unique and vivid that I would like to dive into it again. It’s probably a selfish request, as the ending is satisfying and I’m not sure where a sequel could go that’d possibly live up to the first book, but I would enjoy getting to adventure with those characters again.

Tricky Content: Brief suggestive references, some language (including using the Lord’s name in vain), references to gods and goddesses, mildly descriptive brutality during the races in particular.

I’d Recommend It To: Teens/adults that enjoy fast-paced, high-stakes fantasy with vivid characters, intriguing plots, and creative settings.

Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!

I’m part of Team Aspen (see the graphic below), and I highly encourage you to check out the rest of my teammates’ posts for their recommended books today. That’s where I’m headed!

Here’s the list of bloggers in Team Aspen (click each name to visit that site):

Lydia @ Beyond History’s Pages Hannah @ H. S. Kilian’s blog Virginia @ Books By Virginia Erika @ Resting Life Gabriella @ her Substack Faith @ Faith on the Farm

Thank you so much for joining me today! Have you read any of the books I shared? Are there any that stick out to you? I’d love to hear from you, so drop a comment below, and we’ll meet again tomorrow for Five Fall Favorites day #2!

Remember to go enter that giveaway HERE!

Top 5 Books I Wish Had a Sequel (Five Fall Favorites 2025)The Goodreads Blog Tag The Sunshine Blogger Award (2025)

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Published on September 22, 2025 05:00

July 23, 2025

The Goodreads Blog Tag

Hello and happy Wednesday!

I’m breaking my unintentional blogging hiatus with this short, book-filled blog tag that I discovered on the faithful bibliophile Katja H. Labonté’s site (go check out her post HERE)! Focused on Goodreads and our latest reads, I thought this would be a fun way to hop back into posting here.

If you’re not familiar with Goodreads, it’s a website and social platform dedicated to logging the books you’ve read, leaving ratings/reviews, and connecting with other like-minded readers. I started using it in 2021 and have greatly enjoyed having a place to both share my thoughts about the books I read, and see the reviews of others! And of course, as an author, receiving reviews on my own books there absolutely makes my day. I’ve also enjoyed setting yearly reading goals for myself and tracking my progress on the site. It helps me stay motivated when in uncomfortable reading slumps!

You can check it out HERE (not sponsored, I just enjoy using it haha).

Okay, let’s check out some bookish stats!

The Questions1) What was the last book you marked as “read”?

That would be Ophelia Brown and the Mythical Menagerie by Julia Witmer! I had the honor of reading an ARC for this one (although I bought a physical copy now too, it was so good). Such a lovely, adventurous middle-grade tale with very sweet themes. I plan to loan it to my little siblings – they really enjoyed book #1 – but recommend it to anyone who enjoys sweet, easy-to-read, and heartfelt portal fantasies.

You can read my full review on Goodreads HERE.

2) What are you currently reading?

I can never read just one book at a time, so here are the ones I’m currently working through:

A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer (mixed feelings on this series because its one of the best fantasy series I’ve read in a long time, but has some content that makes me too uncomfy to recommend it without caveats.)Of the Curse or the Crown by V. B. Lacey (another ARC – book #2 of the series – and another one that’s not 100% my cup of tea, but it’s well-written and I am enjoying many parts of it.)The Eternity Gate by Katherine Briggs (just started this one and am so excited to read further! I had the honor of meeting the author last month and she was the absolute sweetest person.) The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien (confession: I’ve never read Lord of the Rings before! I tried in middle school and could never get through them, but now that I’m listening to the audiobooks, I can’t believe I waited so long! I highly recommend the ones narrated by Andy Serkis!)3) What was the last book you marked as “to-read”?

Great question! Let’s see…looks like it was Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green. I don’t actually know much about this book, but I’ve enjoyed John Green’s writing in the past and have heard good things about this, even though it’s non-fiction rather than his usual fiction. I obviously can’t vouch for the content in any way yet.

4) Do you use the star system?

Reluctantly, yes. It’s an imperfect system, but I don’t have a better alternative, haha. I typically rate with fewer stars on Goodreads than if I’m rating a book on Amazon because Goodreads is a bit more excitable with their stars (5 stars = amazing), but if I’m conflicted, I’ll usually rate higher (ex. 5 stars if my rating is a 4.5) and note my reasoning in the review itself.

5) Are you doing the 2025 Reading Challenge?

Yes! My goal this year is 75 books, and considering I’m already at 45 (more than I read last year), I’m making pretty good progress. I’ve discovered the fastest way to creative burn out is for me to stop reading and watching movies, so even though it feels counterintuitive to take time away from writing, I’m making a real effort to keep filling my creative well with stories. It’s definitely helping!

6) Do you have a wishlist?

Not an official one, but scattered among several lists, yes. I keep track of books that I would like to snag in paperback/hardcover at some point, and also have a list of short writing-related craft books that I grab on Kindle every now and again too. Sales and thrift stores are my very best friends when it comes to book purchases, and most of my new books are either by fellow indie authors or authors I know personally and/or have read and loved the rest of their books.

7) Who are your favorite authors?

Oh no, why does this have to be a question? I have so many, and keep discovering more as I branch out. A few of my auto-buy authors (I’ve read all/most their books, enjoyed all that I’ve read, and/or anxiously await their new releases) right now:

Daniel Schwabauer Nadine Brandes Alissa J. Zavalianos Julia Witmer Suzanne Collins Bethany Atazadeh J. K. Rowling Andrew Peterson8) Have you joined any groups?

Just a couple, although I’m not active in any of them, haha. One Goodreads librarians group, one for Christian book reviews, and one for the writing community I’ve been part of since high school.

9) How many Goodreads shelves do you have?

Well, after checking (I had no idea!), it looks like I have 48. I’m not as organized with them as I’d like to be, but have yet to go through and clean up. I mostly just shelf books by genre and some light adjectives (ex. “favorites”, “romance”, “cute”, “authors-I-know”, etc.). One day I’ll be a bit more structured with them.

This was very fun! Such a short and simple way to recap the year’s reading so far. If you have a Goodreads account and want to either answer the questions in the comments below or join the blog tag on your own site, please consider this your invitation!

And if you don’t have a Goodreads account, I’d still love to know what you’re reading right now! Even better, drop me a comment below and tell me the best book you’ve read so far this year.

Lastly, if you’d like to connect with me on Goodreads, click HERE to check out my profile and reviews!

Until next time!

February 28, 2025

The Sunshine Blogger Award (2025)

Happy Friday!

I’ve done this tag before, twice if memory serves, and each time it’s just as fun. This time in particular, the questions are so unique and nostalgic! I’m looking forward to diving in.

I was tagged for this by the wonderful Katja (you can find her post HERE). Thank you, Katja!

The RulesDisplay the award’s official logo somewhere on your blog. (see below)Thank the person who nominated you. (Thank you again, Katja!)Provide a link to your nominator’s blog. (HERE’s the link to her blog again!)Answer your nominators’ questions.Nominate up to 11 bloggers. Ask your nominees 11 questions. Notify your nominees by commenting on at least one of their blog posts.

The QuestionsWhat was your dream job(s) as a kid? Do you still want that, or do you love what you do now better?

I wanted to do so many things as a kid. On the list were professions like overseas missionary, nurse, ballerina, stage and film actress, opera singer (any kind of singer honestly), mother, professional equestrian, and of course, an author. My interests are still varied at this point in my life, but I’m definitely settling into a rhythm of some job/s I enjoy more than others, and getting to follow some passions.

Working on growing my career as an author, while preparing for a life of motherhood and companionship with my husband, following the Lord’s guidance all the while is a dream come true. I get temporarily sidetracked with other fun projects on occasion, but I absolutely love what I’m doing now. The little girl inside me is also very happy.

What have you learned about God over the years?

Oh, I could write a book on this question alone. I’ve learned so much. If I had to try and boil it down to one predominant lesson though, I’d say that God is faithful.

He’s faithful when life is going well, dreams are coming true, and you see His blessings every minute of every day. He’s faithful when life falls apart, friendships end, and He’s the only light you can begin to make out in the darkness. He’s faithful in hard decisions, difficult diagnoses, complex relationships, and seasons of uncertainty and despair. He’s faithful to teach the lessons you need right when you need them, and in the only way you’ll actually absorb them – again and again until they stick.

It’s harder to remember sometimes when I’m in the thick of things, but it doesn’t take much time at all thinking back on previous instances of His faithfulness, and reading Scripture, before I’m wondering why I would ever allow myself to become so distraught. There’s not been a single moment of my life, or a single difficult situation, where God hasn’t proven Himself faithful. That’s such a joy and comfort.

Is there a book or series you wish you discovered younger so you could enjoy it for more years, or you think your younger self would have appreciated more?

Hmmm, this is a great question! I’ve been reading quite a few new-to-me middle grade books this year so far, and I think younger me would have liked to read Wish (by Barbara O’Connor), Because of Winn-Dixie (by Kate DiCamillo), A Little Princess (by Frances Hodgson Burnett), and The Princess Bride (by William Goldman – only the book was new to me, the movie has been a favorite for years). I’m not sure I would have appreciated all of the complexities of these books, but I’m sure I would have enjoyed them!

What special object that you’ve always wanted to own do you now have?

This is a huge one, but I’ll say our house. In December of 2023, my husband and I purchased our home in a tiny village about 10 minutes from the home I grew up in, and I adore it. Both the little house itself, and the fact that it’s ours. While it’s obviously a lot of work and cost, there’s something very special about maintaining and tweaking our home together. We were able to adopt two kitties last summer, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with kids in the future too. Home means a lot to me.

Is there a place you’ve been as a child/the past that you still go to and love? Explain why.

Well, home is definitely one (see above, haha). We go to see my family at my childhood home nearly every week at this stage of life, and I’m very grateful for that ability. Otherwise…I’d have to say some of the nearby parks and walking trails in the town nearest us. We didn’t go very often since we had a large yard at home growing up, but I have very good memories of walking in those places with my family, and later my husband, for hours during warm weather months.

Are there any special experiences or accomplishments that you’ve gotten to cross off your bucket list?

I had to pull out my old bucket list for this one (and in doing so, realized that I should make an updated version, since the old one is from my early high-school years). Looks like I can cross off “singing a solo on stage”, “publish a book”, “write five books”, “travel to another state”, and “get married”. There are a lot of things on that list, many of which I’m okay with never doing at this point, but it’s fun to look back on what I wanted at that stage in life. Some things haven’t changed a bit!

What’s an activity from your teenage/younger years that you “gently mourn,” aka slightly wish you could still have/do? (ex. Pinterest surfing, necklace beading, reading…)

This is a fantastic question too! I actually still do a lot of the hobbies I did when I was younger, but more than anything, I think I gently mourn not having the sheer amount of time for them that I did then, haha. I still read, write stories, crochet, play the piano, walk outside, etc. Something I haven’t done in a while that I would love to do again is theatre. That one I do miss. Musical theatre in particular was a huge aspect of my high school years, and it’s not something that’s feasible to keep up with at this point in my life.

Name the Bible verse you’ve had memorized for the longest amount of time.

Revelation 4:11 ESV (“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”). I’m not sure why this one stuck with me so much from such a young age, but I remember repeating it to myself over and over again while doing chores, and it still comes to mind often now.

What was your first favourite book? What is your favourite now?

I don’t know if I can choose one first favorite…the Magic Treehouse series, the Mandie series, Bridge to Terabithia, the Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter…these were just some of the stories I read and re-read when I was younger. I can’t pick a favorite now either, haha. It’s only gotten harder, as I’ve discovered more and more stories that I love. Overall, gripping adventure stories with a lot of heart and plenty of lovable, real characters continue to be my favorite – both to read and write.

What’s one thing your younger self would be happy with you for? What’s one thing you wish you were more like your younger self in?

I think my younger self would be happy with me for following some of my dreams. In particular, getting married, and the ones that involve writing. She would also be very happy to know we have two cats inside the house. She would be absolutely in awe that we now have a blog, have traveled to other states published three books, and get to talk to and mentor other young writers on a regular basis.

Often, I miss the innocence and joy that younger me had. I know I would have driven myself crazy plenty of times, if I’d been able to meet myself at that age, but I do greatly miss the genuine excitement for everyday life that I remember experiencing. Not every day, of course, but the littlest things could inspire so much joy back then, and I pray I can reach that again at some point. Life became heavy all at once.

What food hits you with instant nostalgia?

Oh, great question! I’d probably say something as simple as Mac n’ Cheese – the Kraft box mix kind. For a bit of my childhood, a couple of my aunts would come over to watch my siblings and I once each week while our parents worked and we would often have mac n’ cheese (enough that we got sick of it at the time, haha). I can’t have it anymore, so that probably contributes to the nostalgia I feel when I see it.

Follow-up answers would be coffee cake with homemade jam, homemade bread (with wheat berries my mom ground herself), and a few other homey baked goods like that. I have very fond memories of all the warm, tasty, and healthy goodies my mom would make for me and my siblings on a near daily basis.

The Questions:What was your dream job(s) as a kid? Do you still want that, or do you love what you do now better?What have you learned about God over the years?Is there a book or series you wish you discovered younger so you could enjoy it for more years, or you think your younger self would have appreciated more?What special object that you’ve always wanted to own do you now have?Is there a place you’ve been as a child/the past that you still go to and love? Explain why. Are there any special experiences or accomplishments that you’ve gotten to cross off your bucket list?What’s an activity from your teenage/younger years that you “gently mourn,” aka slightly wish you could still have/do? (ex. Pinterest surfing, necklace beading, reading…)Name the Bible verse you’ve had memorized for the longest amount of time.What was your first favorite book? What is your favorite now?What’s one thing your younger self would be happy with you for? What’s one thing you wish you were more like your younger self in?What food hits you with instant nostalgia?

Thank you again for these lovely questions, Katja! I really enjoyed answering them!

I feel like such a cheater doing this, but because this tag has been making the rounds lately and I’m not sure who’s recently been tagged, I’m going to leave this an open nomination. And, I’m supposed to come up with eleven more questions to ask, but I honestly love these ones from Katja so much that I really just want to know your answers to these eleven!

So if you’re looking for a fun blog tag to do, please consider yourself nominated! I would absolutely love to read your answers, either on your blog if you have one, or below in the comments!

Thank you for reading, and I look forward to hearing from you! (I promise next time, I’ll come up with some creative questions of my own, haha).

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