W.W.W. 9/30/26

This is a weekly meme hosted by, Taking on a World of Words. It's where we talk about the Three W's: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you will read next? We made it about 6 weeks before getting sick this year and that's pretty good! So far, it's only been my kiddo in school who went down.

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Review: The Dawn of the Cursed Queen by Amber V. Nicole

Title: The Dawn of the Cursed Queen Author: Amber V. Nicole Publisher: Kensington Published: September 29, 2026 Pages: 704 Format: e-ARC ★★★★ Goodreads Blurb: "Ask her, boy. Ask her what she begged the stars for and what lives now. Ask her what she ripped from the very heavens. And then ask her if she cares. The old blood runs through her veins.

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Blog Tour Review: Cursed City by Kate Golden

Title: Cursed City Author: Kate Golden Publisher: Berkley and PRH Audio Narrators: Teddy Hamilton and Taylor Harvey Published: September 29, 2026 Pages: 523 Format: e-ARC and ALC ★★★★ Goodreads Blurb: "Welcome back to Harker Academy for Deviant Defense, where the line between hunter and hunted has never been thinner. To rescue someone close to her, Viv Abbot must team up with Reid’s violent, unpredictable older brother, Deacon.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I’ve Met!!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week there is a new topic for bloggers to choose and list their top ten. This week is Top Ten Fall Freebie. I wasn't able to do the prompt a few weeks ago and want to do that today! Happy Tuesday! I can't believe this is the last one in September!

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Review: Kiss of the Black Flame by Helen Scheuerer

Title: Kiss of the Black Flame Author: Helen Scheuerer Publisher: Alchemy and Simon Maverick Audio Narrators: Amanda Dolan and Christian Leatherman Published: September 22, 2026 Pages: 464 Format: e-ARC and ALC Goodreads Blurb: "Some bargains are sealed with blood...Others with fire...The deadliest are sealed with a kiss... Saige Grayson has always believed stories could heal—even when her own body refuses to.

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Birthstone Book Covers: September 2026!

Rules Mention the creator (me- Leslie @ Books Are The New Black ) and link back to me so I can see your post! Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month's Birthstone. HAVE FUN! Nominate people if you want! This year, I'm going to do all of my posts from books that are on my bookshelf. You don't have to but it's a fun challenge!

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Review: Trust Fall by Lynn Painter

Title: Trust Fall Author: Lynn Painter Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Published: September 29, 2026 Pages: 416 Format: e-ARC Goodreads Blurb: "From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movies, Lynn Painter, comes a rags-to-riches rom-com about a small-town girl whose family inherits a fortune and moves to New York City, where she meets a big-city boy hiding an explosive secret.

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Embroidery Book Sweater Update 13!

I have officially reached the back of the sweater!! I am super behind on posting over here. I have a few updates on my instagram, so I'm trying to catch up here!! I don't want these posts to take forever to load. I'm going to just link the previous updates and if you want to see the others you can jump to those posts.

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Review: The Wretched Divine by Adalyn Grace

Title: The Wretched Divine Author: Adalyn Grace Publisher: FEIWEL and Macmillan Audio Narrators: Kristin Atherton, Major Curda, Marisa Calin, and Shane East Published: September 22, 2026 Pages: 512 Format: e-ARC and ALC Goodreads Blurb: "The Wretched Divine is the heart-pounding adult debut from New York Times and Sunday Times-bestselling author Adalyn Grace, about an ancient war between angels and demons, and the human knight determined to end it at any cost.

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W.W.W. 9/23/26

This is a weekly meme hosted by, Taking on a World of Words. It's where we talk about the Three W's: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you will read next? Well I thought things would chill out and be calmer once school started. It's been over a month and I've been busier than ever.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Fall TBR!!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week there is a new topic for bloggers to choose and list their top ten. This week is Top Ten Books on My Fall 2026 To-Read List (or Spring if you live in the Southern Hemisphere) Happy Tuesday! I've been a bit MIA because it's been busy!

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Review: Bodies of Magic by Freya Marske

Title: Bodies of Magic Author: Freya Marske Publisher: Tor Books and Macmillan Audio Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld Published: September 15, 2026 Pages: 464 Format: ARC and ALC Goodreads Blurb: "Grey’s Anatomy meets A Deadly Education in this dark academia fantasy from USA Today bestselling author Freya Marske. At the Academie of the Grand Duchy of Sieuxerr, every mage with the healer’s gift has five years to master their power and to prepare for the infamous Grand Exam—a five-day trial whose results will determine their entire future.

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Review: If Not You by Ellen O’Clover

Title: If Not You Author: Ellen O'Clover Publisher: Berkley + PRH Audio Narrator: Brittany Pressley Published: September 15, 2026 Pages: 400 Format: e-ARC Goodreads Blurb: "Five years of history. Four weeks on the road. Two rival copywriters learning love is the hardest sell of all. Mattie French has always known how to tell a good story. It’s why she stopped at nothing to land her dream career as a copywriter at a scrappy independent advertising agency.

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Review: We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman

Title: We Chase Shadows Author: Richard Osman Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books Narrator: Nicola Walker Published: September 15, 2026 Pages: 352 Format: e-ARC Goodreads Blurb: "#1 New York Times bestselling author Richard Osman’s globe-trotting series “We Solve Murders” returns with the thrilling new mystery, We Chase Shadows. Back together.Back on the case.And back to solving murders . .

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Review: Turncloak by L.K. Steven

Title: Turncloak Author: L.K. Steven Publisher: Del Rey Narrator: Published: September 15, 2026 Pages: 544 Format: e-ARC Goodreads Blurb: "Three rival mages race for power, vengeance, and the fate of Atherin in the epic second installment of the Silvercloak Saga, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Our Infinite Fates. Revenge drove Saffron Killoran to go undercover in the Bloodmoon gang.

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Audio Review: Holding Ground by Piper Rayne

Title: Holding Ground Author: Piper Rayne Publisher: Piper Rayne Inc. Narrators: Jason Clarke and Callie Dalton Also feat: Connor Crais, JF Harding, Aaron Shedlock, and Jill Smith Published: September 9, 2026 Pages: 310 Format: ALC ★★★★ Goodreads Blurb: "I’ve been a single dad for five years. Then the wrong woman rented the guest cabin behind my house, and I knew right then she was going to ruin everything.

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Review: Doomsdate by Laura Piper Lee

Title: Doomsdate Author: Laura Piper Lee Publisher: Dell and PRH Audio Narrator: Hathaway Lee and P.G. Hammock Published: September 15, 2026 Pages: 416 Format: e-ARC Goodreads Blurb: "When a first date between a doomsday prepper and a nerdy film professor goes horribly, zombie-apocalypse-level wrong, the mismatched pair team up on a road trip to safety in this delightfully feral rom-com.

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W.W.W. 9/9/26

This is a weekly meme hosted by, Taking on a World of Words. It's where we talk about the Three W's: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you will read next? I have had the most stressful and best week ever. I was given a weeks notice that I could interview Rachel Gillig, if I would like!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Indie Authors!!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week there is a new topic for bloggers to choose and list their top ten. This week is Top Ten Indie Freebie (This topic encompasses a lot: your favorite indie bookstores, indie books, indie authors, indie publishers/presses, indie books on your to-read list, indie authors I read before they became traditionally published, etc.

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Review: Under Story by Chloe Benjamin

Title: Under Story Author: Chloe Benjamin Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons and PRH Audio Narrator: Maggi-Meg Reed Published: September 1, 2026 Pages: 512 Format: ARC and ALC ★★★★ Goodreads Blurb: "The New York Times bestselling author of The Immortalists returns with an intimate yet epic love story—and a sweeping odyssey of scientific discovery. Under Story invites us to consider the promise of this life, what might lie beyond it, and how far we would go for more time with the people we love, cementing Chloe Benjamin’s place among our best, and most lasting, storytellers.

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Review: Ember and Ash by Lisa Renee Jones

Title: Ember and Ash Author: Lisa Renee Jones Publisher: Indie Published: August 27, 2026 Pages: 470 Format: e-ARC via the author ★★★ Goodreads Blurb: "In the dark of the night, there is passion and destruction… Criminal defense attorney Ember Thorne thought the biggest challenge of her life would be her quest to navigate the justice system on behalf of the wrongly accused.

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Review: Sorrow & Strangers by Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune

Title: Sorrow & Strangers Author: Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune Publisher: Simon Maverick Narrator: Corvin King and Mercedes Manning Published: September 8, 2026 Pages: 752 Format: physical ARC and ALC! Goodreads Blurb: "Fear. Fury. And Fire. To Know is Never Enough. Summer Tuatha De Daanan reluctantly returns to Avalon University for her second year after spending the summer with her vampire best friend in Draculea.

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Review: Love Felt Like This by Julie Olivia

Title: Love Felt Like This Author: Julie Olivia Publisher: Berkley and PRH Audio Narrator: Jorjeana Marie, Liam Cortright, and Cassandra Morris Published: September 8, 2026 Pages: 496 Format: e-ARC Goodreads Blurb: "A grumpy rock star and a joyful children’s show creator revive television magic in this cozy small-town romance. Griffin Harvey lives his life in the spotlight. Reluctantly. The brooding famous singer-songwriter is on the cusp of composing his sophomore album .

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W.W.W. 9/2/26

This is a weekly meme hosted by, Taking on a World of Words. It's where we talk about the Three W's: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you will read next? We are under an extreme heat wave. Soccer for both boys have been cancelled this week. I'm so ready for fall!

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Magical Readathon-Orilium: Autumn Equinox 2026!

It is time for year FIVE of the Autumn Equinox!! A recap: I'm in the Archivists guild and Godseer is my calling, which I became a Master in! I was going to pick a whole new character, but I think I'm going to do a higher calling. This readathon is hosted by G at bookroast on youtube. You can watch her original intro video…

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Top Ten Tuesday: September Releases!!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week there is a new topic for bloggers to choose and list their top ten. This week is Top Ten Books With Nationalities In The Title (e.g. The French Lieutenant’s Woman, Mexican Gothic, An American Mariage, etc.) (submitted by Cathy @WhatCathyReadNext)

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Blog Tour Review: The Last Rift Dragon by Shami Stovall

Title: The Last Rift Dragon Author: Shami Stovall Publisher: Capital Station Books Published: July 20, 2026 Pages: 376 Format: physical provided by author! Thank you!! ★★★★ Goodreads Blurb: "The City of Bridgehaven is under attack. The nation to the west intends to murder Bridgehaven’s last three remaining dragons, rendering them extinct.They’ll stop at nothing to crush the eggs, flay the dragons, and burn Bridgehaven to the ground.

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Review: The Moonlit Queen by Alina Kramer

Title: The Moonlit Queen Author: Alina Kramer Publisher: Rogue Wolf Publishing Published: July 15, 2026 Pages: 462 Format: e-ARC via the author! Goodreads Blurb: "Three relics. Two lovers. One war. As the night of the royal wedding approaches, Lyanndra and Syran are ready to begin their joint rule over Alastria. But when a shadowy foe interrupts the ceremony, and blood is spilled upon the altar, the star-crossed lovers must decide just how much they are willing to sacrifice in order to save their kingdom – and each other."

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Children’s Mini-Reviews: Troll and Goblin by Frances Stickley and Stefano Martinuz

★★★★★ Frances Stickley and Stefano Martinuz (illustrator) Thank you, Pubspotlight and Paw Prints Publishing, for the gifted book! Oh, how I loved this one. I don't know if I did or if my kids loved it more. The troll is living under the bridge and spends his life being mean so he will be left alone. The problem is he's starting to realize that no one knows his name.

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W.W.W. 8/26/26

This is a weekly meme hosted by, Taking on a World of Words. It's where we talk about the Three W's: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you will read next? I'm shocked at how much I've managed to read with all the busy chaos of school and soccer. It's been a bit cooler in the mornings and makes me think fall is soon.

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