We each have our own preferred genres of choice. Kate loves horrors and thrillers, really anything that will keep her up at night! And Serena enjoys escaping through hidden doors into realms of magic and adventure. We also read mysteries, historical fiction, graphic novels, etc. etc. And that’s not even counting the multitude of sub-genres contained within each greater genre. In this series, one of us will present a list of our favorites from within a given sub-genre of one of our greater preferred genres.
I am once again copying Kate’s theme! She’s did vampire horror, I did vampire fantasy. She did werewolf horror, I did…well, you get the idea. But it truly is funny seeing the places where horror and fantasy overlap. For this reason, Kate and I have had some good luck find authors who write books that we both can appreciate, perhaps for different reasons.
So, unlike werewolves in horror, werewolves in fantasy are often paired with romance. I’m sure there are exceptions, but it’s hard to think of any! Beyond this, there’s always a decent chance that the main character will also end up being a werewolf and the concept will be explored from an insider perspective. Werewolves in fantasy often have much more control over their “curse” than the ones you’d see in horror; more often than not, it’s just another magical power rather than something that has any true downside. They’re also more likely to show up in urban/paranormal fantasy than a straight fantasy novel.
So, let’s get to the list!
“Blood and Chocolate” by Annette Curtis Klause
Thinking back, this may have been the first werewolf book I ever read. I have clear memories of checking it out from the library and whizzing through it. Now, with many years and many other werewolf books under my belt, it still stands out as one of the more unique version of the werewolf story I’ve come across. Mostly this comes down to the way that the romance was handled. I remember being completely shocked by the direction this book took in the end, and I think even now, it subverts some expectations that readers would have going in. Alas, this was then made into a movie where the director completely butchered it. I mean, actually butchered it! Totally changed the ending, undoing all that made the book stand out as unique and depriving the heroine of the conclusion to her personal arch. Truly tragic stuff. So, yes. Read the book but do not, I repeat, DO NOT, watch the movie.
“Written in Red” by Anne Bishop
While this series had a fairly steep and disappointing decline towards the final few books, it stands out for having one of the more unique versions of werewolves in fantasy. The book manages to straddle both the urban fantasy genre as well as a more straight, second-world fantasy novel. In this world, the Others are powerful magical creatures (including werewolves) and the humans are very much living at the grace of these beings. The first few books are particularly strong, following the main character Meg and the very beginnings of her romance with the resident werewolf leader of her small corner of the world.
“Moon Called” by Patricia Briggs
There are a bunch of urban/paranormal fantasy series out there that feature werewolves. I can probably name half a dozen off the top of my head. But I think one of the most popular has been the “Mercy Thomas” series by Patricia Briggs. Mercy herself is a coyote shifter, but her romantic interest(s) are both werewolves. Much of it is stand werewolf fare, but as the series progresses, we get more lore about werewolf society and the role they play in the supernatural society, as well as the “real world.” There’s also a companion series called the “Alpha and Omega” series that features a female werewolf, so if this series is up your alley, there’s more to be had from this world featuring a main character werewolf to boot!
“Shiver” by Maggie Stiefvater
At this point, this author is best known by her “Raven Cycle” series. But before she had that, she produced this interesting YA werewolf series! Given how much creativity was present in the “Raven Cycle” series, it should come as no surprise that Stiefvater also brought a lot of creativity to her interpretation of werewolves. Here, the change between wolf and human is determined by the temperature, not phases of the moon. That being the case, Sam, our werewolf character, is doomed to be wolf for large chunks of each year, with only a few summer months of life as a human boy. And, of course, there’s also Grace, the young woman who meets Sam as a boy but who suspects a similarity between him and a yellow-eyed wolf she’s seen in the woods.
“The Last Werewolf”by Glen Duncan
Up to this point, most of these books have had fairly tame versions of werewolves, especially as compared to their horror compatriots. But here, Duncan gives a fantasy version of werewolves that doesn’t shy away from the violent, chaotic existence that would be life as a werewolf. This book is definitely on the dark side and is more literary than the other picks as well, so if you’re a fantasy reader who leans in that direction, this would be a good one to check out. It also features a male werewolf as the lead character, which also feels a bit unique compared to other titles on this list so far.
“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” by J.K. Rowling
Granted, werewolves are way down the list of important fantasy tropes in this series, but I thought to include it because it’s one of the few truly negative-only versions of werewolves in fantasy I have on this list. There’s no upside to being a werewolf in this world; we see Lupin not only struggle with the effects of the transformation itself, but also with the bigotry of this world towards werewolf. As the series continues, a villain werewolf is introduced and is portrayed as one of the more horrific enemies out of many horrific options. Lupin also continues to struggle with his own life choices and the realities of his curse. So, not a central part of the series, but this is definitely a different version of werewolves in fantasy than we’ve seen in the other books on this list.
What werewolf fantasy books have you enjoyed over the years? Let us know in the comments!
Don’t just take it from us, other readers like these books, too! And we have decided that we would like to showcase other reviewers and bloggers that have their own thoughts and feelings about books that we have loved. Here are a few of the books we’ve enjoyed recently and what other bloggers have to say about them.
Book: “The House Saphir” by Marissa Meyer
Book Description: Mallory Fontaine is a fraud. Though she comes from a long line of witches, the only magic she possesses is the ability to see ghosts, which is rarely as useful as one would think. She and her sister have maintained the family business, eking out a paltry living by selling bogus spells to gullible buyers and conducting tours of the infamous mansion where the first of the Saphir murders took place.
Mallory is a self-proclaimed expert on Count Bastien Saphir—otherwise known as Monsieur Le Bleu—who brutally killed three of his wives more than a century ago. But she never expected to meet Bastien’s great-great grandson and heir to the Saphir estate. Armand is handsome, wealthy, and convinced that the Fontaine Sisters are as talented as they claim. The perfect mark. When he offers Mallory a large sum of money to rid his ancestral home of Le Bleu’s ghost, she can’t resist. A paid vacation at Armand’s country manor? It’s practically a dream come true, never mind the ghosts of murdered wives and the monsters that are as common as household pests.
But when murder again comes to the House Saphir, Mallory finds herself at the center of the investigation—and she is almost certain the killer is mortal. If she has any hope of cashing in on the payment she was promised, she’ll have to solve the murder and banish the ghost, all while upholding the illusion of witchcraft.
But that all sounds relatively easy compared to her biggest learning to trust her heart. Especially when the person her heart wants the most might be a murderer himself.
Book Description: The kingdom of Cansere is on the brink of war. Young men are conscripted from their homes, and a royal decree from the queen has made healing the only legal form of craftlock. Nym, a healer and beekeeper, is the sole provider for her family of seven now that her younger brother has been sent to the warfront. But when a letter comes from the queen, summoning Nym to the palace to heal Prince Renn, the kingdom’s ailing shut-in, Nym finds herself making the tumultuous journey from her family’s apiary to the capital city. Nym is determined to fail the queen’s mission and return to her younger siblings as soon as she can.
But escaping the castle’s hold isn’t as easy as failing a simple test. Prince Renn is cold and distant, and his illness is nothing like Nym has ever seen before, nothing she could ever imagine treating. In a moment of connection with Prince Renn, Nym manages to remedy the faintest symptom of his ailment―only to discover that no healer before has made such progress. Forced to become the prince’s official healer and a ward of the castle, and with her only hope of returning to her family hinging on the prince’s recovery, Nym must navigate the castle’s cruel and twisted court and uncover the haunting truth behind Prince Renn’s illness―even as she finds herself irrevocably drawn to him.
Book Description: Three years ago, Leena Al-Sayer awoke with a terrible power. She can see the dead.
Since then, she has hidden herself from the world, knowing that if she ever reveals her curse she will be locked away in an asylum.
When her beloved brother, Rami, falls fatally ill, Leena is faced with a terrible CHOICE: Let him die or buy the expensive medicine that will save his life by bartering the only valuable thing she has—her secret.
The Saint of Silence, a ruthless merchant who trades in confessions and is shrouded in unearthly rumors of cruelty and power, accepts her bargain, for a deadly price. Leena must find the ghost of Percival Avon, the last lord of Weavingshaw—or lose her freedom to the Saint forever.
As Leena’s search takes her and the Saint to Weavingshaw, she finds the estate and the surrounding moors to be living things—hungry for blood and sacrifice. Fighting against Weavingshaw’s might, Leena must also fight her growing pull toward the enigmatic Saint himself, whose connection to Percival Avon remains a mystery.
As the house begins to entomb them, time is running out on their desperate hunt for answers. For Leena has come to see that here in Weavingshaw, the dead are not hushed—and some secrets are better left buried with them.
Book: “The Place Where They Buried Your Heart” by Christina Henry
Book Description: A woman must confront the evil that has been terrorizing her street since she was a child in this gripping haunted house novel, perfect for fans of The Last House on Needless Street and Tell Me I’m Worthless.
On an otherwise ordinary street in Chicago, there is a house. An abandoned house where, once upon a time, terrible things happened. The children who live on this block are told by their parents to stay away from that house. But of course, children don’t listen. Children think it’s fun to be scared, to dare each other to go inside.
Jessie Campanelli did what many older sisters do and dared her little brother Paul. But unlike all the other kids who went inside that abandoned house, Paul didn’t return. His two friends, Jake and Richie, said that the house ate Paul. Of course adults didn’t believe that. Adults never believe what kids say. They thought someone kidnapped Paul, or otherwise hurt him. They thought Paul had disappeared in a way that was ordinary, explainable.
The disappearance of her little brother broke Jessie’s family apart in ways that would never be repaired. Jessie grew up, had a child of her own, kept living on the same street where the house that ate her brother sat, crouched and waiting. And darkness seemed to spread out from that house, a darkness that was alive—alive and hungry.
Book Description: Every #tradwife needs a baby. She’ll get one at any cost.
When Camille Deming isn’t cooking, cleaning, or homesteading in her picture-perfect country farmhouse, she’s posting about her tradwife lifestyle for her online followers. She takes inspiration from other tradwives on social media, aspiring to be like them, but Camille’s missing a key component: a baby. And contrary to what she posts online, things with her husband Graham have been strained. Pressured by her eager followers, Camille fears that without a baby, her relationship will suffer and her social media will never grow out of its infancy.
When Camille discovers a mysterious, decrepit well in the wheatfield behind her house, she makes a wish for a baby. Afterwards, she has unsettling experiences that she convinces herself are angelic in nature, and when she’s visited one night by a strange creature, her wish comes true.
Camille’s pregnancy announcement gets more engagement than anything she’s ever posted—so what if Graham’s reaction is lukewarm? Camille’s life is finally falling into place. Never mind that her pregnancy is developing freakishly rapidly and she’s suddenly craving raw meat. Being a traditional wife is worth it.
Rosemary’s Baby for the digital age, this disturbing horror novel is one you’ll want to devour in just one bite.
Book: “On Sundays She Picked Flowers” by Yah-Yah Scholfield
Book Description: In this sinister and surreal Southern Gothic debut, a woman escapes into the uncanny woods of southern Georgia and must contend with ghosts, haints, and most dangerous of all, the truth about herself.
When Judith Rice fled her childhood home, she thought she’d severed her abusive mother’s hold on her. She didn’t have a plan or destination, just a desperate need to escape. Drawn to the forests of southern Georgia, Jude finds shelter in a house as haunted by its violent history as she is by her own.
Jude embraces the eccentricities of the dilapidated house, soothing its ghosts and haints, honoring its blood-soaked land. And over the next thirteen years, Jude blossoms from her bitter beginnings into a wisewoman, a healer.
But her hard-won peace is threatened when an enigmatic woman shows up on her doorstep. The woman is beautiful but unsettling, captivating but uncanny. Ensnared by her desire for this stranger, Jude is caught off guard by brutal urges suddenly simmering beneath her skin. As the woman stirs up memories of her escape years ago, Jude must confront the calls of violence rooted in her bloodline.
Haunting and thought-provoking, On Sunday She Picked Flowers explores retribution, family trauma, and the power of building oneself back up after breaking down.
In theory, March is the beginning of spring, but here in Minnesota, we are not fooled. The odd snowstorm could still easily come blowing through. But at the same time, we’ve also seen some lovely warmer days, even back in February! Spring is a tease, first and foremost. But while the weather is unreliable, books never are. So here are a few we’re looking forward to this month!
Serena’s Picks
Book: “Entwined” by H. M. Long
Publication Date: March 10, 2026
Why I’m Interested: Long has quickly become one of my “must read” authors, so I was incredibly excited to see that she was coming out with another book so shortly after finishing up her previous trilogy last summer! And this time the story moves to a fantastical version of the Gilded Age, which sounds absolutely fantastic. That cover alone would have drawn me in, but I’m very excited to see what new world and magic system Long will dream up next! Her books always have excellent lore, and can’t wait to see what’s in store next!
Book: “This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me” by Ilona Andrews
Publication Date: March 31, 2026
Why I’m Interested: I’m so excited for this one! I really loved Andrews’ “Kate Daniels” series, but somehow, even knowing I enjoyed that so much, I’ve never actually checked out anything else by this author. And while I do enjoy a good urban fantasy, third world fantasy is my true fave, so I’m so excited to see her now tackling a portal fantasy story like this! I’ve been burned on this concept a lot recently (the main character suddenly waking up in the pages of their favorite novel), but Andrews is such a solid writer that I have high hopes that this one will break the trend!
Book: “Daughter of Crows” by Mark Lawrence
Publication Date: March 24, 2026
Why I’m Interested: Somehow I haven’t yet read a book by this author, though he is well-loved by many fantasy readers. So I was excited to see that he was releasing the first book in a new series this spring, the perfect entry point for a new reader. I will say, I’ve about read my fill of deadly magical schools, but as this author is so widely regarded, I trust that he will have something new to bring to the table. At the very least, I love the idea of a book that sees the Furies come to the forefront of its lore!
Kate’s Picks
Book: “Turn Off The Light” by Jacquie Walters
Publication Date: March 3, 2026
Why I’m Interested: I really liked Walters’s previous book “Dearest” so I jumped at the chance at getting to read her new ghost story “Turn Off the Light”. And this one sounds like it could be a little bit time travel-y as well, which is interesting? Two women living at different times in the same strange house experience terrifying things, and perhaps have to reach out to each other over time and space to figure out what’s going on. It sounds creative and compelling and I am very curious to see how it all shakes out!
Book: “You Did Nothing Wrong” by C.G. Drews
Publication Date: March 17, 2026
Why I’m Interested: Another haunted house story! This time involves a single mother named Elodie remarrying and starting a new beginning in a brand new home. Except that her son Jude, who is autistic, starts to complain of the renovations on the house, saying that it’s hurting the structure, and Elodie’s own secrets and darkness from the past starts to creep up. It sounds really suspenseful, though I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to steel myself for this one as a mother to a child who is presumed to be autistic. But it sounds compelling enough that I’m willing to give it a go!
Book: “The Curse of Hester Gardens” by Tamika Thompson
Publication Date: March 31, 2026
Why I’m Interested: I have enjoyed stories by Tamika Thompson in the past and the premise of this book was REALLY interesting to me. Because what if a haunted place wasn’t just a single house, but a community in general? And what if that ties into current social issues like racism, gun violence, red lining, and poverty? A Black family living in the Hester Gardens housing projects has experienced tragedy and loss. Mother Nona is hoping that her sons can escape the cyclical violence and desperation that contributed to her oldest son’s death. But while she has high hopes, strange things start happening that can’t be explained. This is one I’m REALLY excited for this year.
What books are you looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!
While it’s true that neither of us cover that many romances on the blog (there are, of course, exceptions, especially if you consider all of the romantasy Serena reads!), we do enjoy reading the genre from time to time! And with Valentine’s Day coming up this weekend we thought it would be fun to highlight some of the romance novels coming out this year that we are looking forward to! What better way to honor the holiday than a book list?
Serena’s Picks
Book: “This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me” by Ilona Andrews
BookDescription: When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy and naked in a gutter, it doesn’t take her long to recognize Kair Toren. It’s a city she knows intimately from the pages of a famously unfinished dark fantasy series – one she’s been obsessively reading and re-reading, while waiting years for the final novel.
Her only tools for navigating this gritty world of rival warlords, magic and mayhem? Her encyclopaedic knowledge of the plot, the setting and the characters’ ambitions and fates. But while she quickly discovers she cannot be killed (though many will try!), the same cannot be said for the living, breathing characters she’s coming to love – a motley band that includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, various outrageous magical creatures and a dangerously appealing soldier. Soon, instead of trying to return home, she finds herself enmeshed in the schemes – and attentions – of duelling princes, dukes and villains. This all while trying to save them and the kingdom of Rellas from the ending she’s seen on the a cataclysmic war.
Book: “Seek the Traitor’s Son” by Veronica Roth
BookDescription: Elegy Ahn did not ask for destiny to find her. She is happy with her life as a soldier, defending her small country from the Talusar, a powerful nation who worships a deadly Fever. A fever that blesses half of its victims with mysterious gifts.
But then she’s summoned to hear a prophecy–her, and the most ruthless of Talusar generals, Rava Vidar. Brought face to face, they learn that one of them will lead their people to victory over the other…but they don’t know which. And at the center of both of their fates: a man. A man that, Elegy is told, she will fall in love with.
In just one day, Elegy’s old life–her job, her purpose, and her future–is over. She and Rava are destined to collide, with the fate of their nations hanging in the balance. And when they do, only one will be left standing.
Elegy intends to make sure it’s her.
Book: “The Lion and the Deathless Dark” by Carissa Broadbet
BookDescription: Under an eternal night, the world has been ravaged by ten years of war between humans and vampires. Kyrene scrapes by as a bounty hunter, bearing a blessed sword from the goddess of justice. But in the wake of a devastating loss, Kyrene commits a crime that makes her a target for mortals and gods alike – and she is still desperate for vengeance.
Her only chance at survival – and revenge – is making a deal with her enemy, the silver-tongue vampire prince, Septimus, who offers her one final to slay the gods themselves.
Together, Kyrene and Septimus must hunt the ultimate marks, all while navigating a web of prophecies and curses. Septimus is calculating and mysterious, masking secrets bloodthirsty enough to consume them both. Yet, most dangerous of all, Kyrene finds an unexpected kinship in him.
But their growing attraction is deadly in a world where the only currency is blood. And Kyrene will stop at nothing to fulfill her ultimate to kill the goddess of vampires, even if it means sacrificing love for revenge.
Book: “Daggerbound” by T. Kingfisher
BookDescription: Four hundred years ago, three warriors were trapped inside enchanted swords, cursed to be immortal servants of whoever wielded the blade. One of them is the Dervish, a restless, fiery soul who hates his captivity and hates his wielders even more, but has never found a way to escape the sword’s magic.
Then one day, a disillusioned scholar named Learned Edmund is tasked with delivering the sword to a distant city, and, in the greatest of peril, draws the blade. The Dervish finds himself bound to a sweet, brilliant, and above all kind young man. And while he may be able to protect Edmund from bandits, cultists, dragons, and strange inhuman diplomats, he may find it much harder to protect his own heart.
Kate’s Picks
Book: “Star Shipped” by Cat Sebastian
Book Description: Simon and Charlie, actors on a long-running sci-fi show, can’t stand one another. Charlie is impetuous, outgoing, and basically feral, and Simon thinks he should have stayed in reality television where he belongs. They’ve spent the better part of a decade quarreling over the spotlight and pretty much everything else, and everybody in the industry knows it. Now that Simon’s contract is finally done, he can move to New York, start fresh with work he actually likes, and get away from Charlie.
Simon’s only problem is that people might assume he’s been pushed off the show due to being impossible to work with. And he is kind of difficult to work with. He doesn’t get along with people—unlike Charlie, who somehow tricked everyone on the show into adoring him despite some outrageously bad on-set behavior during the show’s first season. Simon would rather never have to see Charlie again, but reluctantly agrees to stage a very public friendship during the short time before he moves. When Charlie has to leave town to deal with a family emergency, this means Simon comes along. Their road trip brings Simon to places he would never have willingly chosen to visit—and he finds he’s actually not having a terrible time.
The more he gets to know Charlie, the more Simon suspects he’s underestimated his former coworker. Simon also realizes that after seven years, Charlie might know him better than anyone ever has. Even stranger, Charlie seems to be starting to actually like him, despite knowing him so well. Still, Simon is about to move three thousand miles away, so whatever’s starting between him and Charlie can’t really amount to anything… right?
Book: “Set Point” by Meg Jones
Book Description: Nothing fades faster than a former prodigy—and Inés Costa is dangerously close to disappearing. Once queen of the court, Inés is limping through qualifiers. And after losing her biggest sponsor to Chloe Murphy, the sport’s fiery new favourite, she and her bank account are running on fumes.
Chloe, known as much for her talent as her temper, is a top seed for the upcoming US Open. But thanks to broken rackets, code violations, and the inability to play well with others, her “favourite” status is slipping away.
However, when they are forced to share the same side of the court, and the world surprisingly doesn’t implode, Chloe makes an offer: she’ll fund Inés’s journey to the US open, but only if Inés agrees to be her hitting partner and teach her to keep a level head. It’s strictly business, but somewhere between practice drills and tour stops, the line between rival and something more begins to blur.
As the summer burns toward Flushing Meadows, their sizzling tension catches fire. With a trophy in sight and emotions running high, will their romance double fault at set point?
Book: “Devil Inside” by Clay McLeod Chapman
Book Description: After a traumatic accident that almost cost Jordan his life, he’s finally starting to feel normal again. Well, maybe not normal. Everything tastes like ash, and when he looks at the people around him, their faces start to melt. At least he’s not dead, right? His friends are doing their best to get him back on his feet, maybe find someone to talk to, perhaps even find someone to take his mind off his last failed relationship.
Then he meets Lilith. The two share an instant connection but after a wild and passionate night together, she ghosts him. Jordan searches the city for Lilith, desperate to see her again. But when a woman claiming to be Lilith shows up, wearing a different face but knowing intimate details about Jordan, he worries he’s losing his grip on reality. As he grows closer to this mysterious woman, he discovers that happily ever afters sometimes come at a cost. How far will Lilith take him, and how much darkness will he embrace to find love?
Book: “Unrivaled” by Rachel Reid
Book Description: A line has been drawn—and the hockey world is divided.
For the first time in their professional hockey careers, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander have nothing to hide. For more than a decade, they kept their love a secret, but now they’re out, married, and even playing on the same team. The support is incredible.
Most of the time.
They’ve gotten a lot of love from fans who are thrilled for them. But some people in the hockey world are still reeling from their relationship reveal, and the backlash—led by popular hockey podcast Top Shelf and the #TakeBackHockey movement—is getting louder.
Ilya and Shane are finally able to stand together in the light, the way they’d always wanted. And now they might be facing their biggest challenge yet.
What romances are you looking forward to this year? Let us know in the comments!
We are in the midst of a deep freeze in Minnesota, with lots of snow, plummeting temperatures, and the lack of motivation to leave the house. I guess it’s okay that we have Valentine’s Day to look forward to for some romance time and hopefully lots of candy! And like always we have some new titles coming out this month that we can’t wait to read!
Serena’s Picks
Book: “Weavingshaw” by Heba Al-Wasity
Publication Date: February 26, 2024
Why I’m Interested: The cover alone, with all of its gothic-goodness, was enough to entice my interest in this one initially! And looking further, it seems that the story may also include much more than the standard spooky house with hidden secrets. For example, the main character can see ghosts and there sounds like there is a potential love interest who buys secrets for…reasons? Color me intrigued!
Book: “Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter” by Heather Fawcett
Publication Date: February 17, 2026
Why I’m Interested: So many reasons! Not least of which is the fact that the cover features not one, but many adorable cats! And, of course, the title itself promises a cat-centric story. Beyond that, its written by the same author as the “Emily Wilde” series, one of my favorite trilogies of the last few years, from start to finish. My only question has to do with the balance between “coziness” and plot, always a struggle point for me with this subgenre. But I have high hopes!
Book: “A Rose of Blood and Binding” by Claire Legrand
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Why I’m Interested: Well, it’s the third and final book in this trilogy. And I have to say, my biggest emotion going in is probably trepidation. There were definite points I liked in the first two books, but I’ve also struggled a lot with the portrayal of the main characters, finding them more interesting as side characters, only to then get in their head and find a completely different person (both remarkably similar to one another, mostly fueled by some level of self-hatred). So, while I have really enjoyed what we’ve seen from Mara in other books, I’m also really worried that this will go the same route where an excellent character is watered down beneath layers of misery and gloom to the point that she’s no longer recognizable as the same person as the one in other books. We shall see!
Kate’s Picks
Book: “Trad Wife” by Saratoga Schaefer
Publication Date: February 10, 2026
Why I’m Interested: The trad wife/feminine alt right satire continues, and this time we are delving into pregnancy horror to go with the biting commentary! Camille is an up and coming trad wife influencer, though her engagement isn’t as high as she’d like and her husband isn’t as perfect as her social media implies. She tells herself that having a baby would be the perfect thing to fix their marriange and to boost her viewership, but conceiving isn’t coming as easily as she has hoped. So it must be divine intervention when she finds a weird old well in the woods behind her new house, and after wishing for a baby she finds herself pregnant after a very strange encounter with something otherworldly. Having a baby will surely fix all of her problems! Even if her pregnancy is weird and her urges are going to dark places… Sounds like a devilishly good time to me!
Book: “Maria the Wanted” by V. Castro
Publication Date: February 10, 2026
Why I’m Interested: Okay so admittedly Castro’s previous swing at vampire fiction felt pretty flat for me. But given that I have really enjoyed a lot of her other books I wanted to give her newest one a try, and now that the protagonist vampire is less erotic and more of an on the run thriller I’m more on board. Maria is trying to run away from some cartels that she ran afoul, but finds herself turned into a vampire whilst on the lam. Now she wants to find out what it means to be a vampire, and how she can survive in this new form. Especially since now some violent vampire thugs are on her tail as well. I have hopes that this vampire tale from V. Castro will work better and the description gives me hope.
Book: “Nowhere Burning” by Catriona Ward
Publication Date: February 24 2026
Why I’m Interested: I haven’t been as enthralled with Ward’s horror novels in the past, but I have told myself that after taking a break from the past couple I need to give it one more go in case a new premise just clicks for me. And the premise of this book is DEFINITELY interesting, feeling like a weird mix of Lost Boys and Charles Manson. Riley and her brother Oliver are running away from home, hoping to find a new home at Nowhere, a ranch once run by a strange movie star that is now a colony of feral, unrestricted children. It sounds like the freedom Riley is craving. But something else is on the ranch property, and the children who live at Nowhere are far more dangerous than Riley ever anticipated. It sounds culty and weird, and I am totally into it.
What books are you looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!
There are always so many books to look forward to each year. So in this post, we tackle the impossible task of choosing some favorites that we’re most excited about in the next twelve months!
Serena’s Picks
Another year’s worth of books to look forward to, and, as always, I had such a hard time narrowing this down to only five titles. All of these happen to be books by authors whose books I have already loved, but there are also a bunch of debuts that look incredibly interesting! Some standouts (these include debut authors and also authors who I myself haven’t read yet) are “Weavingshaw” by Heba Al-Wasity, “Daughter of Crows” by Mark Lawrence, “Thistlemarsh” by Moorea Corrigan, and “The Geomagician” by Jennifer Mandula. There are also a bunch more books coming out from favorite authors of mine that didn’t make the dedicated list, and some of those would include “Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter’ by Heather Fawcett, “A Trade of Blood” by Robert Jackson Bennett, “This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me” by Ilona Andrews, “The Eye of Leviathan” by M.A. Carrick, and “Entwined” by H. M. Long.
Note: Yes, this first one is a sequel to a book I haven’t yet reviewed on the blog! But that review should be coming here in the next two weeks and, spoiler alert, I absolutely loved it!
Book: “The Half-Hearted Queen” by Charlie N. Holmberg
Publication Date: March 3, 2026
Book Summary: Nym never told Prince Renn she loved him. And now, as a captive and political pawn to the ruthless King Nicosia, Nym finds herself guarding more than her forbidden feelings for Renn as the kingdoms of Cansere and Sesta clash and the bloodshed of war rages. Nym’s connection to Renn is more than just romantic—it’s magical, and King Nicosia will stop at nothing to find Renn’s weakness and claim the kingdoms as his.
Now Nym must find a way to escape the cruel and twisted fate of imprisonment as she faces the unimaginable horrors and dangerous secrets hidden within King Nicosia’s palace walls. With the succession of kings on the line and a dangerous prophecy unfolding, Prince Renn faces his own impossible choice. The future of the throne hinges on a political alliance that means forsaking his love for Nym. If he can’t fulfill his destiny and unite the kingdoms, King Nicosia will destroy them all.
Book: “Wolf Worm” by T. Kingfisher
Publication Date: March 24, 2026
Book Summary:The year is 1899 and Sonia Wilson is a scientific illustrator without work, prospects, or hope. When the reclusive Dr. Halder offers her a position illustrating his vast collection of insects, Sonia jumps at the chance to move to his North Carolina manor house and put her talents to use. But soon enough she finds that there are darker things at work than the Carolina woods. What happened to her predecessor, Halder’s wife? Why are animals acting so strangely, and what is behind the peculiar local whispers about “blood thiefs?”
With the aid of the housekeeper and a local healer, Sonia discovers that Halder’s entomological studies have taken him down a dark road full of parasitic maggots that burrow into human flesh, and that his monstrous experiments may grow to encompass his newest illustrator as well.
Book: “The Tapestry of Fate” by Shannon Chakraborty
Publication Date: May 19, 2026
Book Summary:Amina al-Sirafi thinks she’s struck gold. Tasked with hunting down magical artifacts for the council of immortal peris, she can savour the occasional adventure on the high seas with her cherished criminal companions while still returning home to raise her beloved daughter.
But when Raksh, the spirit of discord with whom she is reluctantly wed, provokes the council’s wrath, Amina is charged with a seemingly impossible quest: steal a spindle capable of rewriting fate from a mysterious sorceress on an island no one can escape.
Forced to leave her daughter, Amina finds her mission almost immediately thrown into peril. But deadly storms, an erratic poison mistress, and old enemies are the least of her worries. For the peris’ story is unravelling, hinting at a far deadlier game whose rules Amina must swiftly puzzle out. A game that sets her against an adversary more cunning and powerful than she has ever faced.
A game that not everyone on her crew wants her to win.
Book: “The Unicorn Hunters” by Katherine Arden
Publication Date: June 2, 2026
Book Summary:Anne of Brittany was a child when her realm was invaded, her home besieged, and her royal father driven to his death.
Now her treasury is empty, her land occupied by her enemies, and she is ordered, under threat of renewed war, to become queen of her conquerors and marry the King of France.This marriage means her country’s annexation. But Anne promised her father that Brittany would never be conquered.
Defiantly, she betroths herself in secret to France’s greatest enemy. But in a world where courts may spy on each other by magic, there is only one way to solemnize this illicit union.
Anne takes her court deep into a legendary forest, where the court diviners’ skill cannot reach. The world thinks they are only a hunting party, coursing after unicorns. But that is a lie, a trick, a feint. No one in living memory has seen a unicorn. All Anne wants is this secret wedding, which is her only hope of salvation.
But when against all hope a unicorn appears and a stranger out of legend stumbles from the trees and falls at her feet, Anne is plunged into a world of enchantment where a doomed sovereign might find the power to change her own and her country’s destiny—or be lost in the shadows forever.
Book: “The Art of Charming a Changeling” by Sylvie Cathrall
Publication Date: August 25, 2026
Book Summary: On her first day working in the prince’s galleries, art conservator Florrie Hyverfell discovers that the most famous portrait in the collection is not only a fake-it’s also inhabited by Vern, a fairy trapped in the forged painting.
Tracking down the stolen original is the only way for Florrie to save her job and for Vern to escape his canvas. Yet as they journey to a famed fairy museum to find the missing artwork, Florrie finds herself taking more than an art historical interest in the changeling painting’s charming inhabitant.
Kate’s Picks
It’s always fun to look and see what books are coming out in a new year, and given that this year is already off to a crazy start (derogatory), I have been enjoying setting time aside from current events to look and see what kinds of stories I can dive into when the time comes. And while it’s true that a lot of my most anticipated books of the year are authors I have a solid love for already, there are a few new authors that are also catching my eye. It’s always hard to narrow it down to just a few choices, so some honorary mentions are of course in order. On the horror front I’m excited for “Maria the Wanted” by V. Castro, “The Curse of Hester Gardens” by Tamika Thompson, and “Molka” by Monika Kim. For thrillers my eyes are on, “The Unknown” by Riley Sager, “The Intrigue” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and “Hot Girl Murder Club” by Ashley Winstead. And I can’t forget that Jennette McCurdy has her debut fiction novel “Half His Age” coming out too!
Book: “Yesteryear” by Caro Claire Burke
Publication Date: April 7, 2026
Book Description: My name was Natalie Heller Mills, and I was perfect at being alive.
Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle. Her charming farmhouse is rustic, her husband a handsome cowboy, her six children each more delightful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers behind the scenes, her kitchen hiding industrial-grade fridges and ovens, her husband the Republican equivalent of a Kennedy? What Natalie’s followers—all 8 million of them—don’t know won’t hurt them. And The Angry Women? The privileged, Ivy League, coastal elite haters who call her an antifeminist iconoclast? They’re sick with jealousy. Because Natalie isn’t simply living the good life, she’s living the ideal—and just so happens to be building an empire from it.
Until one morning she wakes up in a life that isn’t hers. Her home, her husband, her children—they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Her kitchen is warmed by a sputtering fire rather than electricity, her children are dirty and strange, and her soft-handed husband is suddenly a competent farmer. Just yesterday Natalie was curating photos of homemade jam for her Instagram, and now she’s expected to haul firewood and handwash clothes until her fingers bleed. Has she become the unwitting star of a brutal reality show? Could it really be time travel? Is she being tested by God? By Satan? When Natalie suffers a brutal injury in the woods, she realizes two things: This is not her beautiful life, and she must escape by any means possible.
A gripping, electrifying novel that is as darkly funny as it is frightening, Yesteryear is a gimlet-eyed look at tradition, fame, faith, and the grand performance of womanhood.
Book: “Japanese Gothic” by Kylie Lee Baker
Publication Date: April 21, 2026
Book Description: October, 2026: Lee Turner doesn’t remember how or why he killed his college roommate. The details are blurred and bloody. All he knows is he has to flee New York and go to the one place that might offer refuge—his father’s new home in Japan, a house hidden by sword ferns and wild ginger. But something is terribly wrong with the house: no animals will come near it, the bedroom window isn’t always a window, and a woman with a sword appears in the yard when night falls.
October, 1877: Sen is a young samurai in exile, hiding from the imperial soldiers in a house behind the sword ferns. A monster came home from war wearing her father’s face, but Sen would do anything to please him, even turn her sword on her own mother. She knows the soldiers will soon slaughter her whole family when she sees a terrible omen: a young foreign man who appears outside her window.
One of these people is a ghost, and one of these stories is a lie.
Something is hiding beneath the house of sword ferns, and Lee and Sen will soon wish they never unburied it.
Book: “It Came From Neverland” by Cynthia Pelayo
Publication Date: June 9, 2026
Book Description: Peter Pan meets Stephen King’s It in this twisted horror retelling of a classic childhood fairytale set during WWI.
1914, Wendy Darling works by day as a school teacher and by night, she assists soldiers who have returned home from the Western Front. There is one mysterious patient who despite all the care they’ve given him, is in a deep sleep, unable to wake up. One night, when he murmurs the words “Peter Pan,” Wendy is thrown back to a darker time, one that she wishes she could forget.
When one of her students goes missing, it brings back memories of when children went missing and were later found murdered in London many years ago. Wendy believes that Peter Pan, the entity that she believed killed those children, is back. She and her brothers had a close encounter with Peter Pan, after all. But her brothers only remember Peter Pan and Neverland as a fantasy of childhood games.
When another child goes missing and signs start to point to Wendy, Scotland Yard digs into old reports, finding that Wendy knew the names of all the children who had been killed. As Wendy tries to prove her innocence, she also has to find a way to stop Peter Pan once and for all.
Book: “You First” by Caroline Kepnes
Publication Date: June 9, 2026
Book Description: How did Joe Goldberg become Joe Goldberg? What led to his first love…first obsession…first kill? Find out in the highly anticipated prequel to New York Times bestselling author Caroline Kepnes’s hit You series, which inspired the blockbuster Netflix show.
Joe Goldberg is ready for his life to start. He’s seventeen years old, working in Mr. Mooney’s bookshop, falling in love with every girl on the subway all while wondering who will be the one. He knows what he A woman who will force him to get his GED, go to night school, and make something of himself. But who would ever fall in love with him?
Then he spots MISSED CONNECTION, NYC Bookstore Babe.
Someone is looking for Joe. And that someone is Vail Gunderson, a production assistant with a passion for rom-coms. The only she’s twenty-four, which means that Joe has no choice but to lie about his age…and, naturally, nearly everything else in his life. Joe thinks he’s found true love, but when Vail needs more convincing that Joe is her happily ever after, he’s determined to convince her…no matter what it takes…
With her incisive and darkly comedic prose, Caroline Kepnes captures Joe poised on the edge of manhood, entering the vicious, dog-eat-dog New York dating scene for the very first time, and buffeted by forces that will determine what kind of man he will become—and how he will write his own twisted love story.
Book: “What Feeds Below” by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne
Publication Date: October 6, 2026
Book Description: The darkness isn’t empty. It’s hungry.
At the edge of the City of the Void, a massive chasm extends miles into the earth, its treacherous terrain overrun with vicious monsters and carnivorous plants. For orphaned best friends Petra and Jade, guiding treasure-seeking tourists down into the Void is the only way to earn enough to pull themselves up out of the slums for good.
Petra prefers to play it safe and take jobs only in the Void’s upper levels, where the dangers are better understood, while Jade wants to risk a descent to the deepest and most mysterious Sixth Layer. Because the deeper they go, the better the payout, and the sooner their dreams can become reality. Their friendship is Petra’s whole world, and Jade’s approval means everything—so Petra agrees to do it Jade’s way.
When their job goes wrong and Jade is lost in the Void, Petra must plunge deeper than she’s ever dared to save her friend. But she doesn’t know the truth of the Void . . . or what really waits for her in its depths.
What books are you all looking forward to this year? Let us know in the comments!
The kids are finally back at school and the holiday madness has concluded. Of course, now it is time for resolutions. And while everyone else focuses on fitness goals and budgeting, we’re here with our massive TBRs only ever hoping to read even MORE books in 2026 than we did in 2025! Here are a few we’re looking forward to this month!
Serena’s Picks
Book: “The Poet Empress” by Shen Tao
Publication Date: January 20, 2026
Why I’m Interested: I feel like this one is on everyone’s list this winter. Some combination of the lovely cover art, the promise of a sprawling, political epic, and, of course, the focus on one woman’s journey to embrace reading and writing, something forbidden to them in this world. The book is being published by Bramble, a romance imprint for Tor, but looking at the book description, I’m not quite sure what to expect from this in that arena. From all accounts, it looks more like a straight forward political/historical fantasy novel. We shall see!
Book: “Dragon Cursed” by Elisa Kova
Publication Date: January 6, 2026
Why I’m Interested: While heaven knows we don’t need another dragon romantasy book right now, this one sounds interesting! Instead of yet more dragon riders, we instead have a world where people are dragon-cursed, a condition that leads them to becoming terrifying dragons themselves. And not the cuddly kinds. No, the kinds that kill everyone around them, friends, family, whomever. Of course, it being a romantasy, there’s the mysterious MMC who follows our heroine around and is likely more than he appears. But I’ve had a few fun surprises from this subgenre, so I’m hoping that this will be another one!
Book: “Enchanting the Fae Queen” by Stephanie Burgis
Publication Date: January 27, 2026
Why I’m Interested: This cover is absolutely ridiculous, and I can’t quite decide whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, our main character does throw literal glitter around when she performs magic. But on the other hand, well….Either way, I’m definitely excited for this one! I really enjoyed the first one in this trilogy and have since read two other novellas by this author, greatly enjoying those as well! Plus, Lorelei was an absolute delight in the first book, and I’m an absolute sucker for a “strong, stoic, and troubled” MMC, which, given our brief glimpses of the hero in the previous book, seems to be what we have here. Definitely excited to check this one out as soon as possible!
Kate’s Picks
Book: “All the Little Houses” by May Cobb
Publication Date: January 20, 2026
Why I’m Interested: Soapy thrillers are a favorite of mine, and this one sounds like it has all sorts of suds and drama with an eighties flair (and maybe some “Little House on the Prairie” shades?!). And while I still haven’t dove into “The Hunting Wives” or the salacious Netflix show that it inspired, I have heard a lot of talk about May Cobb and the absolutely unhinged characters she creates, so I thought that I should probably give her newest one a go and see for myself. Charleigh is a queen bee in her small Texas town, having worked her way up from humble beginnings to now being an envied wife to a wealthy husband, with a beautiful and bratty daughter to raise and social circles to maneuver. But when a new, strange, homesteading family moves to town and becomes the talk of the community, it sets off a chain of events that could ruin Charleigh and her daughter. I do love having especially ridiculous thrillers on my stack of books during the winter, so this one will hopefully be the perfect read for January.
Book: “Beth Is Dead” by Katie Bernet
Publication Date: January 6, 2026
Why I’m Interested: I really do love the 1994 film version of “Little Women”, and even used to help lead “Little Women” themed tours at the historic Victorian house that I worked at when I was with the Minnesota Historical Society. And while I do love the March sisters, I have always felt like poor Beth doesn’t have much to do outside of being angelic and then dying. But the thriller “Beth Is Dead” reimagines the story not only as a modern YA version of “Little Women”, it also makes it a murder mystery with the beloved Beth being the victim of a murder, with Jo, Meg, and Amy having to take it upon themselves to figure out what happened to their sister… and to find out if she may actually have had secrets, much like they all do. Maybe it’s a little morbid, but I’m VERY much into it.
Book: “On Sundays She Picked Flowers” by Yah-Yah Schlofield
Publication Date: January 27, 2026
Why I’m Interested: This one has been getting some hype lately from some pretty well known horror people, and while it was originally published a few years ago it is getting a re-release and it sounds likes it’s going to get the attention that it deserves. When a young woman named Jude flees her home to escape her abusive mother, she rushes into the woods and decides to move into an abandoned house with a dark history to start a new life. But years later a strane lady arrives at her doorstep, and the two women are drawn to each other. But it also awakens something dark inside of Jude. It sounds weird, creepy, Gothic, and metaphorical!
What books are you looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!
Another a year, another almost impossible task trying to each choose our Top 10 Reads of the year! For me, the word “favorite” is an important part of this list. As I go through the last year’s worth of reading, I often found that some books would strike particular chords within me more deeply than others, even if, quality-wise, another book might be stronger. Of course, this just makes it all that much harder to put them in any order. But here it goes! Today I’m going to countdown my favorites reads, five through 1. And since it’s the end of the reading year, don’t forget to enter our “12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!”on Instagram!
I’m going to do my typical, rather cheaty thing at the end of this post where I include a bunch of runners up to this list. Most of these are sequels in series where I included the first book in a previous “Top 10” list and wanted to keep this list open to new entries, rather than just re-highlighting the same books again and again. However, I did want to include one sequel, and this is the one that really stood out this year! I loved everything about this duology: the complicated fantasy world, the action-packed adventure, and, most of all, the romance which was given the proper time and attention to be fleshed out in a believable way, something that I think is incredibly rare to find in the modern romantasy genre. If you enjoy romantasy and want a book where the author trusts her readers to stick with a story beyond just the romantic plotline, this one is for you!
Here’s another one that took me completely by surprise. I’ll be honest, this one wasn’t even on my radar until I saw that it was going to be featured in a book box. I’m so glad that I didn’t miss it! On its face, this is another magical competition book with an unlikely female hero. But it was so much more than that! I loved the detailed politics and religion of this world. And, what’s more, I loved the detailed mystery plotline, something that you rarely find in epic fantasy! What’s more, the main character was excellent and there was a sweet, if very secondary, second chance romance included. It’s definitely a door-stopper of a book, but one well worth its page count!
It’s no surprise to find Rebecca Ross on a list like this for me! I’ve loved so many books by her that it’s almost a given that I’ll enjoy whatever she comes out with next as well. However, this one stood out to me. While I enjoyed the “Divine Rivals” duology, it wasn’t my favorite of Ross’s books up to this point. Instead, I have preferred her adult fantasy series. So this was really a perfect marriage for me! More of the “Divine Rivals” world, but packaged in a stand-alone adult fantasy novel! What’s more, this was set in the extreme past of that original duology, so while readers of “Divine Rivals” may make extra connections, this one is definitely approachable on its own! I highly recommend it!
Almost all of my favorite books include some element of romance (though I definitely fall strongly in the “fantasy romance” category vs. “romantasy” as far as my preferences go). But this one probably stands out as having one of the more central romances to the story and boy, did I love it! This will be the book I will point to as an example of true yearning and slow-burn tension for quite some time, I think. I’ll pass on the possessive alphas, the “touch her and die” machismo, and the shadow daddies. No, give me the focused, committed, “never takes his eyes off her” devotion of this romantic hero any day! This book proves that you don’t need to add ridiculous levels of contrived angst to still have a tension-filled romance! Definitely check it out if you want a fresh approach to romantic fantasy!
I’m sure this will be showing up on many people’s “Top 10” lists; it’s just that good! This was one of those cases where I cracked it open and was immediately a bit wary as the story was being told in second person. But I had faith in Harrow’s abilities, and that faith was returned tenfold! This was a beautiful, heart-wrenching tale of history, storytelling, and the power of love. Add in a powerful lady knight and a twisty, time travel based plot, and you have a whopper of a book! I highly recommend this for pretty much any fantasy fan! D
So, there we have it, my top reads for the year! Now it’s time to cheat and include some honorable mentions that didn’t make the list. As I said above, some of these I would have included but for the fact that I listed another book in the series last year, so I didn’t want the list to get repetitive. Others were just shy of making the cut on their own, but still well worth a shout out! Here they are:
Another a year, another almost impossible task trying to each choose our Top 10 Reads of the year! For me, the word “favorite” is an important part of this list. As I go through the last year’s worth of reading, I often found that some books would strike particular chords within me more deeply than others, even if, quality-wise, another book might be stronger. Of course, this just makes it all that much harder to put them in any order. But here it goes! Today I’m going to countdown my favorites reads, ten to six. And since it’s the end of the reading year, don’t forget to enter our “12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!” on Instagram!
This one took me completely by surprise! I was vaguely familiar with Devney Perry as a contemporary romance author, but as I don’t read much in that genre, I hadn’t checked out any of her books previously. I was also in a pretty big slump with romantasy and feeling like there was nothing new to be found under that particular genre’s sun. Well, lo and behold, this book arrived to prove that there was still fun and quality to be found in romantasy, without sacrificing plot, world-building, or believable characterization! Sure, there were some familiar aspects with the way the love story progressed, but the overall creativity, especially with the magic and creatures of this world, easily carried this one for me. The only real downside was the massive cliffhanger the book ended on…
Believe it or not, I had an ARC copy of this book languishing on my TBR shelf for literally years, acquired from an ALA convention many years ago. And it took a book club prompt to get me to finally get around to it. And more fool me, because I absolutely loved this one! It was pretty much everything I love about several genres all mashed together. We had an intriguing historical setting, a sharp-as-a-tack detective solving a complicated mystery, and a magical reimagining of the world, complete with magical agencies that must oversee crimes that take place in this general arena. I also listened to the audiobook version of this story, and I highly recommend this format of the book for any readers who have access to it! The narrator does a great job capturing the accents and overall feeling of this world!
I love situations like what happened with this book. I had read one other book by this author, After the Forest, and didn’t particularly care for it at all. But I wanted to give the author a second chance, and what do you know? I loved this one enough that it made its way onto my Top 10 list! There was a lot to like about this one, including the creative approach to a fairytale retelling where Woods reinterpreted and mashed together both Cinderella and The Little Mermaid. What’s more, I appreciated the tongue-in-cheek approach she took to the traditional love triangle, sorts of characters that often are included, and the general way these romances seem to always play out. Not so here! If you’re wanting a fairytale fantasy that doesn’t simply follow the expected beats, then this one is definitely for you!
Another fairytale fantasy makes the list (what can I say, I have a favorite subgenre). This one is more of an original fairytale, and I loved so much about it! For one thing, Craig deftly balances some incredibly dark and difficult themes alongside some truly funny moments and a sweet, if more reserved, romantic subplot. This was one of those great reading experiences where I blew through the book in only a few days, but spent quite a bit of time thinking about it later. The story doesn’t shy away from the true moral grayness and impossibility behind choices of who lives and who dies, the greater good or individual worth. It also had a surprising dash of true creepiness at times, so definitely check it out if you like darker fairytales!
I don’t think I have any fairytale fantasies in my next set of five! It just happened that all three ended up here next to each other! Marissa Meyer is known as one of the greats for fairytale re-tellings, so it’s no surprise that her latest book made its way onto this list! This was a retelling/reimagining of “Bluebeard,” one of the lesser-retold fairytales, and I loved what she did with it! The story technically takes place after the events of the original tale, but I loved how she wove together both the new narrative and the older story. The main character is excellent, flawed but witty, and the romantic subplot was lovely! Definitely check this one out if you enjoy fairytale fantasies!
So that’s ten through six. Next time I will give a countdown of my top five. What have been some of your favorite reads of 2024?
Serena’s neighbors have the holiday light show up and running, and now she’s just waiting for the party busses to start rolling through. And Kate is planning for both Christmas and Hanukkah shenanigans for the month. But there are always books to keep us grounded during the nutty holiday times! Here are just some of the books we’re looking forward to this month!
Serena’s Picks
Book: “An Arcane Inheritance” by Kamilah Cole
Publication Date: December 30, 2025
Why I’m Interested: I’m always excited to check out more dark academic fantasy! What’s more, it’s all the more exciting to find an adult book in this genre, and a standalone to boot! It sounds like your fairly standard “girl at school discovers dark secrets and mysterious boy.” But it’s also being compared to “Babel” and “A Deadly Education,” so similarities are just a pro! I have high hopes for this one!
Book: “Tailored Realities” by Brandon Sanderson
Publication Date: December 9, 2025
Why I’m Interested: I mean, he’s a “must read” author for me, so of course I’m going to check this one out! I don’t always love short story collections, but I’ve had some good experiences reading collections from one favorite author, rather than collections of various authors. I think I’ve read a few of the stories included here, all of which I enjoyed, so I’m excited to see what else there is! I haven’t read all of his books at this point (I can’t keep up!), so hopefully I’ll be ok without prior knowledge of some of the worlds touched on in some of these stories.
Book: “Children of Fallen Gods” by Carissa Broadbent
Publication Date: December 9, 2025
Why I’m Interested: I’m so excited for this one! I really loved the first one and can’t wait to see where the story goes here in the second. But, oof! It’s over 600 pages long! On one hand, that means I must plan accordingly when scheduling out my reviews and reading for the next few weeks. But on the other hand, that means all the more page time to enjoy what I’m sure will be a fantastic sequel!
Kate’s Picks
Book: “Dark Sisters” by Kristi DeMeester
Publication Date: December 9, 2025
Why I’m Interested: I have enjoyed previous works by Kristi DeMeester (I have also enjoyed the candles that she makes at her Etsy Shop Scent From Hell!), and of course I had to have her newest horror novel “Dark Sisters” on this list. It sounds a bit like generational trauma metaphor, a bit like feminine rage, and all very spooky. After a descendent summoned a dark entity for protection and strength, the repercussions tumble down through the generations. Sounds a bit witchy too to boot, and a reviewer I enjoy had mentioned something about cults as well? I’m definitely on board.
Book: “Cape Fever” by Nadia Davids
Publication Date: December 9, 2025
Why I’m Interested: I actually hadn’t heard a lot of hype about this one until I stumbled upon it randomly, then it caught my attention a bit. I admittedly probably need to do some more research on it, but the passing info I saw had my interest piqued. In the 1920s in small colonialist town in South Africa a woman named Soraya takes on the job of maid for the oddball Mrs. Hattingh. As she assists her new boss in writing letters, the two women start to develop a strange relationship that teeters towards the unsettling. I like Gothic thrillers and this one is being marketed as such, and the setting of South Africa in the 1920s (and all the warts that comes with such a setting) sounds fascinating and unique.
Book: “Watch Us Fall” by Christina Kovac
Publication Date: December 2, 2025
Why I’m Interested: Sometimes I just want a good soapy mystery, and this one sounds like it’s going to fit the bill to a t. A group of friends are living in a eclectic old house after grad school, enjoying their friendship and their lives. Until one of their boyfriends, who also happens to be an investigative reporter, goes missing. As the friends try to figure out what could have happened to him, they have to contend with secrets and betrayals as well as the police focusing in on their group as suspects themselves. Definitely sounds juicy!
What books are you looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!
The Library Ladies 