I’m fairly certain October has been my worst reading month to date. Not only did I not read much, I also didn’t enjoy most of what I read. The festive ARCs are really kicking my butt this year, both how long they’re taking to finish and most of them not being great reads – you’ll have fun reading the reviews in December.
I haven’t included anything super negative in this post as I’m so over it. So it’s really short.
Also, I don’t have photos for all books in this post yet as my camera has broken. I’m hoping to fix it in the next few weeks, so bear with me for a little while.
You Wouldn’t Catch Me Dead by Tess James-Mackey
Read: 5/10/25 – 13/10/25
I was looking forward to reading this as I really liked this author’s previous book. Annoyingly it took me an obnoxious amount of time to finish and pairing that with other terrible reads killed my motivation to read for the rest of the month.
The atmosphere and tension are great but the overall story felt quite flat.
Synopsis: The only thing worse than being lost . . . is being found.
Keely planned to keep her head down at her new school – she isn’t there to make friends or memories, she just wants to be left alone .
In order to get into college, she is roped into a programme that involves camping in the Welsh wilderness with five over-keen try-hards. Her plan is to keep her head down, keep her mouth shut and get through the next few days.
But Keely is running from something. Something that drove her family out of their home and to this quiet town. And when her fellow explorers start disappearing and the bodies begin to pile up, she has to ask did she run far enough?
Hot for Slayer by Ali Hazelwood
Read: 26/10/25 – 28/10/25
For a novella, this was incredible. I’ve loved every single Ali Hazelwood book I’ve read so far so I’m not surprised I enjoyed this so much. Honestly, I was more invested in this romance than 90% of the books I’ve read recently.
Synopsis: When a vampire slayer loses all his memories, the only person who can help him is the vampire he’s tried to kill for centuries in this unforgettable short story by #1 New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood.
When Aethelthryth—“Ethel” to her modern-day Manhattan neighbors—finds her sworn nemesis Lazlo Enyedi with no memory of who or what they are, an ancient hunt becomes an unexpected chance at forbidden passion. He’s crashing on her couch, solving her sudoku puzzles, and looking at her like she’s his eternal flame (minus the whole bursting-into-ashes part). As his memories slowly return, Ethel realizes she might be in danger of losing more than just her head…
Booked for the Holidays by Liz Maverick
Read: 29/10/25
This was my favourite Liz Maverick audiobook so far. My full review (which I haven’t written yet, oops) for this will be coming at the end of the month. It’s a really lovely short listen.
Synopsis: Brighten the holidays with this funny, heartfelt rom-com about the stories—and the love—that we never forget.
When mystery author D. B. Ziegler is late delivering her book, Abi Schore steps in to help. Surely she can give her favorite author moral support over the holiday break and get the manuscript to her boss at Tea & Sympathy Publishing in time for the new year.
When Abi shows up on Ms. Ziegler’s doorstep bearing holiday treats, she’s met by the author’s handsome grandson Dov, who reveals a startling plot twist. His grandmother isn’t able to finish the book and Dov promised he’d complete it so fans won’t be disappointed—a task that’s harder than he ever imagined.
As Hanukkah unfolds, Abi and Dov cozy up in his grandmother’s brownstone apartment working their way through his writer’s block and untangling plot threads. Before long, the novel starts taking shape … and so does their simmering attraction. Will their own story end once the book is written, or is this just the first chapter?
The Gingerbread Bakery by Laurie Gilmore
Read: 29/10/25 – 31/10/25
I’m not going to say too much about this right now as this will be book 12 of ‘the 12 books of Christmas’, but Laurie Gilmore, I love you. I take back every mean thing I said about The Pumpkin Spice Cafe. I genuinely want to re-read it to see if I was being way too harsh about it. My brain couldn’t get past the mystery element.
Anyway, I’m so happy we finally got Annie and Mac’s story. It’s so lovely and I had a great time. This book was exactly what I needed to end such a horrific month.
Synopsis: A wedding in Dream Harbor can only mean one thing, everyone wants to get involved!
With Jeanie and Logan set to tie the knot, and Kira desperate to hire out her newly renovated barn at the Christmas tree farm, everything seems to be going well. Annie has agreed to bake the cake, and Mac is responsible for, well… just being Mac. And as the whole of Dream Harbor comes together to celebrate the wedding of the year with the snow falling around them, can Annie and Mac put aside their dislike for each just long enough for the ‘I Do’s’ or is that one request too far…
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Like this post? Why not read this one too: To Be Watched: November 2025
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