Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Fall 2026 To-Read List
22 September 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Autumn 2026, book-blog, bookish, Books, Books on my Autumn 2026 to-read list, Fall books, reading, TBR, That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s prompt is:
Books on My Fall 2026 To-Read List
Okay, well, I always consider September, October, November to be the autumn months so with that in mind and given I’ve read quite a few of my September books already I’m going to keep this list to October and November – there are some cracking books to look forward to so check them out below. I have gone slightly over the allocation but I couldn’t leave one book out – it would have been so mean!
Sleepers in the Snow by Joanne Harris
I love this author so I’m absolutely bursting at the seams to pick this one up. Hopefully I can pick this up in the next few days. Excitement am I.
A Waltz of Sinister Import by Stephanie Burgis
This is the third in the Lady and Lord Riven Series and I already have a copy. I loved the first two books, the characters are simply amazing – another book that I shall be picking up with positively indecent haste.
A Scholar’s Guide to Demonology and Other Dark Arts by Genevieve Cogman
I just finished this author’s Scarlet Revolution series and loved it so can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
The House of Cursed Daughters by C.J. Cooke
I think this author could make a shopping list compelling to read – I love her books and this sounds amazing. Happy days
The Bookshop Book by Mark Lawrence
Mark Lawrence, what can I say, I adore his writing, his books are a joy to read and on top of this he gives us a title like this! The Bookshop Book – I mean, it’s frankly impossible to even contemplate not reading this book. It might even be illegal to not read a book with such a title. And I don’t want to be arrested and thrown into an oubliette for the rest of my days so I shall be reading this.
The Porcelain Sisters by Daryl Gregory
This is a novella (I think – 200 pages maybe) so I’m going against my own golden rule here because (1) Daryl Gregory. And (2) this is a horror story and I’m already perfectly horrified by the cover alone. Of course I have to read this. It’s an absolute no-brainer.
The Wolves of War by John Gwynne
The description for this one sounds incredible. It has some of the most glowing reviews already and coupled with that is the fact that this is an author that I already thoroughly enjoy reading. This promises to be fantastic fantasy and I cannot wait. Also, please can I direct your attention to that cover – yes, I am that unashamedly fickle and I love a stunning cover – and this is certainly stunning.
Mazywood by Tananarive Due
I nearly gave myself whiplash requesting this book. I loved. Loved. The Reformatory.
The Last Star in the Void by Melissa Caruso
Ahh, the concluding episode to what has been a brilliant series packed with imagination. I’m so excited to see how this series concludes. It’s early days but it’s already gathering some very positive reviews so I’m very excited.
Pinfeathers by Christina Henry
Check out the description. This sounds super creepy and it’s the perfect season to be giving yourself the heebies. My last read by this author was brilliant so I’m hoping for another banger.
Thorns in the Hollow by Laura Purcell
The Queen of Gothic – no need to elaborate really.
Monthly Round Up/What’s on My Plate: August/September
1 September 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: August/September, Book Reviews, book-blog, Books, Monthly Round Up, Picture Prompt, reading, What's on my Plate
Here’s my round up post for August combined with my ‘what’s on my plate’ books for September. My reading is still a bit slow and if I don’t enjoy a book immediately it really throws me off track so for now, even if it’s a highly anticipated book, if it doesn’t work for me by 30% I’m setting it aside. This month I’ve read six books and I’m about 20% into my current read. Plus I did start to read one of my September books but that is a DNF, I’ve read the first 30% and it really isn’t working for me so it is what it is. Without further ado:
These were the books I read in August:
- The Unknown by Riley Sager
- A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett
- The House That Eats the Dead by Max Doty
- They Say A Girl Died Here by Sarah Pinborough
- Aphrodite in Pieces by Lauren JA Bear
- Kiss Slay Reply by Rachel Harrison (review to follow)
I had seven books on my shelf for August (two of the above are from my September book list). Unexpectedly I had to set aside Daggerbound by T Kingfisher as it wasn’t working for me – it could be a mood thing because I usually love her books. I will try to pick it up again in a few weeks and see if I get along better. My other two outstanding books for August were Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst and The Two of Us At the End of the World by CA Fletcher. I’m hoping to still get to these although not this month as I have quite a long list.
What’s On My Plate: September
- An Immaculate Deception by Isabela Livino – this is a DNF, I read 30% but it wasn’t working for me
- Aphrodite in Pieces by Lauren JA Bear – already read and reviewed (spoiler alert – it was amazing)
- Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley – this is my current read
- Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison – already read (and I loved this) review to follow shortly
- The Island of the Lost by Daisy Stephens
- Our Noble Selves by Kate Atkinson
- Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor
- Pictures of You by Josh Malerman
- The Faerie Handmaid by Louisa Morgan
- Bodies of Magic by Freya Marske
- Exit Party by Emily St John Mandel
- Pride, Prejudice and Peril by Jessica Bull
- Worry Box by Chris Panatier
- The Court of Venus by Bel Banta
So, my restraint obviously flew out the window for September – or perhaps I just got trigger happy because there were so many good books. Anyway, I’ve already read two off the list and unfortunately had to set one of the others aside and given I’ve started the Lucy Foley book I think I could probably fit in another six books (wishful thinking maybe but hopefully I’m not as busy this month as last), which does mean I will have to carry some books over (but, October and November are currently light months and so I’m hoping to do some serious catching up). One can but hope. Here are the lovely covers (Pride, Prejudice and Peril cover is not the final cover):
Backlist Book
For the moment I’m not tackling the list I created at the start of the year as I’d like to catch up with my review books from the last few months to get back on track.
Bookforager‘s Picture Prompt Book Bingo
And the ‘wordy’ version:
Picture Prompt Book Bingo 2026 (text version)
| 1. | 2. A set of weighing scales | 3. | 4. |
| 5. A hot air balloon | 7. | 8. A cooking pot hanging over a campfire | |
| 9. | 10. | 11. | 12. An octopus |
| 13. | 15. A decorative water fountain | 16. A pinch-clip purse |
This month I\e gone for a rather cheeky fit – A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett for No.14 – A Skull and Crossbones. If you’ve read the book I think you’ll understand why but I don’t want to give away spoilers – definitely poisonous goings on and a particular part of the body involved.
Booking Ahead/Weekly Wrap Up
30 August 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Aphrodite in Pieces, Book Reviews, book-blog, Booking Ahead, Books, Caffeinated Book Reviewer, Lauren JA Bear, reading, Sarah Pinborough, Sunday Post, They Say A Girl Died Here, Weekly wrap up
Today I’m posting my Weekly Wrap Up and I’m linking up to The Sunday Post over at Kimberly’s Caffeinated Reviewer. Without further ado:
Weekly Update
At the moment the weather is good, not too hot and not too cold. I seem to suddenly have a little more time and my reading is going well. Last week I was a bit moody and struggling with my books. I put down a couple of books but then I had the feeling of wanting to pick one of them up again – They Say A Girl Died Here by Sarah Pinborough and as it happened it worked out well. Not my favourite by the author but a good read. I then decided to pick up Aphrodite in Pieces by Lauren JA Bear and it frankly blew me away, I loved it and read it in two sittings. It’s definitely one of my favourite books so far this year, I definitely need to go and check out the author’s other books, it made me want to ignore everything around me and just sink into the story. Yes, it was that good. I’ve just picked up Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison and hoping to make good progress on that one later this evening.
Next Week’s Reads
Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison and then I’m thinking of a change in style and pace with Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley. I’ve enjoyed this author’s books previously and here she’s written a Miss Marple mystery which I’m really keen to tuck into and see how it compares.
Reviews Posted:
- They Say A Girl Died Here by Sarah Pinborough
Outstanding Reviews
- The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
- This Blade of Ours by Shalini Abeysekara
- Aphrodite in Pieces by Lauren JA Bear
Hoping to see you round the blogosphere this forthcoming week
Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Places I’ve Visited
25 August 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, book-blog, Bookish Places I've Visited, Books, fiction, reading, That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s prompt is:
Bookish Places I’ve Visited
I like this topic and I could have expanded but here are a few books where I’m familiar with the setting:
The Stranger Times series by CK McDonnell. This is a fantastic series that I absolutely love and have no hesitation recommending. It’s unique urban fantasy with amazing characters, great story lines and its set in Manchester – which is my home town.
The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger which was set in London, mostly. This was a very witty, charming and sexy series. I am ashamed to admit that I didn’t finish the series – it’s one of my guilty confessions – but I still have the last book to look forward to.
Dracula by Bram Stoker. Whitby comes into focus in this novel with it’s gothic abbey and small seaside village.
The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, set in Scotland (and other locations along the way). I visited the Highlands for a couple of months and it is simply the most stunningly breathtaking place. Seriously stunning.
The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden is set in France, Brittany I believe. A really beautifully written book (and I might also mention that I’ve visited so many places in France and love it).
The Labyrinth by Kate Mosse, it’s a long time since I read this but this was also based in France, Carcassonne. I enjoyed this very much. Carcassonne is a beautiful walled/fortified city, stunning to walk around and full of history.
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, another book that I read a long time ago, certainly pre-blog. Set in an Italian monastery – okay, I may not have visited a monastery per se but Italy is so beautiful. So much history, architecture and fantastic food and drink.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. A great book from a very long time ago (I seem to be on a roll). Set in Barcelona which I’ve only briefly passed through and intend to return.
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres. Again, I’ve travelled back in time for this one. This is set on the Greek Island of Cephallonia – I haven’t visited this particular island but Greece is Greece – am I wrong and I’ve been to Crete? Anyway, gorgeous place, people and food. I can’t wait to go back – and visit some more islands.
The Island by Victoria Hislop. Again, a throwback. An intriguing book that takes us to the Island of Spinalonga – an island I visited whilst on holiday in Crete. Strangely enough I’d read the book fairly recently and so to be able to visit the island was really intriguing. This is a place with a rich history concluding with its time as a leper colony (as described in the book).
Top Ten Tuesday: Book Series I Want to Catch Up On
18 August 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, book-blog, Books, Fantasy, reading, Series I Want to Catch Up On, That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s prompt is:
Book Series I Want to Catch Up On
A few years ago I actually went through my book lists and discovered that I had an embarrassing number of series to catch up with. I think I’m doing a little better these days. Here are ten series that I’d like to catch up with/finish.
1. The October Daye series by Seanan McGuire
I was loving reading this series but I think a combination of binge reading a lot of the books at once and having maybe too many series on the go at once meant this one got left behind. I read the first 8 – the series is now up to 20 so I really do have some catching up to do, but this is a fun series and I really would like to pick it back up again, time permitting. Here is the first book in the series. If you like urban fantasy I really do encourage you to give this a try:
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
I’ve read the first two, Empire of the Vampire and Empire of the Damned and just need to give my head a wobble and pick up the third.
The Fell, New York series by Simone St James
There are two books in this series so far and although I haven’t read them in publication order I loved A Box Full of Darkness and would love to revisit this particular town again. I already have a copy of the Sun Down Motel waiting to be picked up and would love to get to it before the year is out.
Court of Shadows series by Sebastien de Castell
I’ve read and really enjoyed Crucible of Chaos and Play of Shadows and have Our Lady of Blades waiting to be read.
The Spellshop series by Sarah Beth Durst
I loved The Spellshop, which was the first in the series and The Enchanted Greenhouse was another really lovely cosy instalment. I have Sea of Charms already on my shelf and I understand that the fourth book is also in the offing, The Magical Cheese Emporium – which, to be blunt, I can’t resist with that title!. Cosy fantasy lovers keep your eyes peeled.
The Echo Archives by Melissa Caruso
I’ve read the first two books, The Last Hour Between Worlds and The Last Soul Among Wolves and the third is expected to be released in November this year. Can’t wait, I love the world that the author has created, it’s absolutely fascinating and the characters are very easy to like too.
Amina-al-Sirafi series by SA Chakraborty
I loved the first book, adored it in fact and although I’ve fallen behind a little with some of my review books I’m hoping to pick up The Tapestry of Fate very soon, I was so excited to have a copy of this and really can’t wait to pick it up. Seriously, do yourself a favour and pick up The Adventures of Amina-al-Sirafi if you love fantasy adventure with winning characters.
The Bloodsworn Saga by John Gwynne
Such an amazing author and a great series. I loved The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods and have the third, The Fury of the Gods lined up and waiting both in written and audio format – so double the excitement.
Talon by Jen Williams
This is a duology so I don’t know why I haven’t managed to complete it yet, I read and thoroughly enjoyed Talonsister and couldn’t wait to pick up Titanchild but this seems to have corresponded to one of my times away and so I fell behind. I will definitely be completing this. I love Jen Williams and highly recommend the first fantasy series I read of hers that started with The Copper Promise.
The Emily Wilde series by Heather Fawcett
I love this series and I thought the third was the concluding episode. I’ve never been happier to be wrong. The fourth book is due out early in the new year and I can’t wait. Check out Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands and Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales. The next in the series is called Emily Wilde’s History of Dark Faerie and is due out in 2027. Exciting times.
