It’s the last currently reading list of the year!
This is always such a busy season. Even still, I’ve found just enough time (mostly because of audiobooks, honestly) to read several good books over the last month. This month’s list includes some romcoms, a couple of mysteries, and several fantasy titles, which feels pretty typical for me.
In another couple of weeks, I’ll start working on my best of 2025 list. But in the meantime, keep scrolling to see what I’ve been reading lately!
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Just Finished:
I’ve never read a story like this one before. When a woman gets up in the middle of a commercial flight and proceeds to walk down the aisle predicting the age and cause of death for each passenger, reactions are mixed. Some people indulge what they think is a senile but harmless elderly lady, while others are outraged. What no one is expecting for her predictions to start coming true soon after. This story jumps around between probably about five or six points of view and dips in and out of past and present as the life stories of “the death lady” and several passengers converges in the aftermath of her predictions. You’d think it would be hard to follow with that many points of view, but the author does a great job of tying them all together, and I really liked the ending. I’ve never read a book by this author before, but I think I’ll be checking out some of her backlist now.
I will read anything Jennifer Lynn Barnes writes. Her stories always hit just right for me with a satisfying mixture of intrigue, tension, complicated relationships, and characters that are witty, flawed, and lovable. The Long Game is the second in a duology that follows Tess, a teenager living in DC and attending an elite private school. Like her sister, she has a reputation as a “fixer” who is able to make problems disappear for her peers, but sometimes that stakes are higher than they initially appear, and Tess finds herself in over her head when national politics start to be involved. This book is fast-paced and kept me turning pages as quickly as I could the whole way through.
In Progress:
This is the third in the Powerless trilogy, a YA romantasy that follows Paedyn, an Ordinary who is first hunted because of her lack of power, and is now engaged to the king in an attempt to bring peace between the Elites and Ordinaries. But Paedyn has several substantial problems, and the one I’m most interested in is that she’s in love with the king’s brother, Kai. How in the world are they going to get out of this mess and have a happily ever after? These characters and this story are stressing me out in the best possible way.
The Werewolf Hunter and the Apprentice
Catriona and Felix work for GHOST, an organization that hunts monsters of all kinds. Cat is just about fed up with her student, who doesn’t seem to be making any progress in his training. And then Felix’s father, the director of GHOST, assigns him to Cat as an apprentice and sends them on a mission to hunt a werewolf that is terrorizing a village. This is extremely inconvenient for Cat, who must now keep him safe while also fighting her growing attraction to him. On the other hand, Felix views this as an opportunity to charm Cat and show her that he might have a few unexpected tricks up his sleeve—including a marriage of convenience. This cozy fantasy romance is such a relaxing read, and isn’t at all scary even with the werewolves and other monsters.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
I’ve been reading the Harry Potter series aloud to my girls over the past year, and we’re trying to finish up the last book before 2026. I’m assuming by now that most people are familiar with this series and storyline so I won’t spend any time on the plot. I’ll just say that I’ve read these books several times, and every time I appreciate anew what a good storyteller JK Rowling is. Even though (or maybe because) I already know how the different plot points come together in the end, it’s so satisfying to watch how she foreshadows coming events and how no detail is wasted in her stories.
Up Next:
I’m trying to squeeze in all the Christmas books before the end of the year, and I’ve been seeing this one all over bookstagram. This one is a second chance romance that starts with Greta meeting a handsome stranger who then disappears—until he shows up ten months later asking for a favor. I’m assuming sparks fly as they work together to help each other with their individual goals, and several readers I trust have given it great reviews, so I’m excited to start it!
First of all, I love Kasey Stockton books. Second, this one is billed as a grumpy/sunshine snowed-in romance that takes place in Scotland, so…shut up and take my money. There is nothing about this book that doesn’t sound like a home run for me.
Get more great book recommendations over at Modern Mrs. Darcy’s monthly quick lit round up!