Unboxing My Latest Book Haul
Book Mail: A Roundup of the Book Mail I Received Last Week
The first week of November carries a quiet, cozy kind of magic, and this week’s book mail made it feel downright irresistible. My TBR pile has grown into a charming little tower of anticipation, thanks to a book haul overflowing with new book releases that promise laughter, heartbreak, and quiet moments of wonder. Each envelope brought thoughtful book recommendations, gentle nudges from friends and fellow readers toward stories I can’t wait to lose myself in. With so many titles that could easily be counted among the best books of 2025, it feels as though autumn lingered just to make room for reading, warm drinks, and the simple, perfect joy of discovering new favorites.
Where to Buy These Books:
I want to note that I do not get paid to do these posts, I just love authors and the book industry. However, they do take time and energy to create. If you want to donate a few dollars to my coffee fund, which keeps this blog going, you can do so here: https://venmo.com/AshleyHasty or here: http://paypal.me/hastybooklist.
What I Wore:
In early November, as the air turns crisp and cozy routines take hold, slipping into a mock neck open-knit sweater and jeans feels like the perfect main character outfit—comfortable, timeless, and effortlessly chic. Paired with your everyday gold hoop earrings and signature herringbone necklace layered with a graduated rope chain, the look radiates main character energy in the most understated way. It’s fashion for self-expression—the kind of aesthetic clothing that makes you feel confident, grounded, and ready to savor the season. As you sit with a fresh stack of book mail, each title offering character-driven stories, books for self-discovery, and novels that inspire confidence, you can feel your main character mindset settling in. This is main character aesthetic books and clothing at its best: main character fashion that reflects who you are, paired with books that make you feel good and remind you how to live your main character life—one cozy sweater and one captivating story at a time.
This Week’s Book Mail Includes:
A Leaf Thief Book What Color is it? by Alice Hemming - Lift the flaps with Squirrel and Bird to spot bright woodland colors—right down to those beloved red, orange, and yellow leaves.
Dead and Breakfast by Kat Hillis and Rosiee Thor - Two domesticated vampires must clear their names by catching a killer after a corpse turns up in their B&B begonias.
Risky Business by Annabelle Slator - A disguised founder, a too-charming assistant, and a globe-trotting tech contest spark a Twelfth Night–style romcom of secrets and chemistry.
Play You For It by Samantha Salvidar - A trailblazing coach and the reporter chasing her story must decide if love is worth risking their careers before the final buzzer.
I am Cleopatra by Natasha Solomons - Cleopatra steps off the pedestal in a fierce, intimate retelling that collides power, desire, and betrayal.
The Chambermaids by Leigh M. Hall - A Southern inheritance hides a wicked secret as two “helpers” lure a fragile marriage into a living nightmare.
Carried Away by T.J. Derry - After a tsunami, four friends battle nature, hunger, and heartbreak in a brutal test of survival and love.
Pomona Afton Can Totally Catch a Killer by Bellamy Rose - When a donor drops dead mid-gala, Pomona swaps party heels for sleuthing stilettos to save her charity—and romance.
Love Me Stalk Me by Laura Bishop - A hacked “AI boyfriend” turns a darkly funny obsession into a dangerously devoted love story.
A Complete Fiction by R.L. Maizes - A viral accusation upends two writers’ lives in a sharp, timely comedy about publishing, platforms, and public shaming.
The House of Cavanaugh by Polly Dugan - A decades-old affair detonates across two families, redefining love, loyalty, and what it means to belong.
Blade by Wendy Walker - A former skating prodigy–turned–defense lawyer returns to the icy arena to defend a teen—and confront her buried past.
As Long as You're Mine by Nekesa Afia - A dancer digs into her father’s death and Old Hollywood’s glittering lies, unearthing a woman’s dangerous past.
A Story for Everything by Corey Rosen - A lively, practical guide to turning real life into unforgettable stories for work, school, and home.
Sister Creatures by Laura Venita Green - In a haunted Louisiana town, intersecting lives—and a malevolent force—test how we survive sisterhood and secrets.
Cracking Up by Gordon Lownds - A high-flying entrepreneur descends into addiction and claws his way back in a raw memoir of ruin and resilience.
Warning Signs by Tracy Sierra - A boy on a perilous ski trip must outwit brutal weather, reckless men, and something stalking the treeline.
Her Daughter by Fran Hawthorne - A mother’s frantic search for her estranged, arrested daughter uncovers old wounds and new truths.
Tarou: The Fall by Dana Fredsti and David Fitzgerald - As an empire built on tarot imagery collapses, a warrior, a thief, and a city face apocalyptic magic.
Lights in Cold Rooms by Joan Cusack Handler - A psychologist confronts grief, isolation, and family history to map a hard-won path back to hope.
Hammered by Dave Schultz with Dan Robson - Hockey’s original enforcer faces his fiercest opponent—himself—in a fearless reckoning with fame and addiction.
Otherwise Engaged by Susan Mallery - Two mothers’ long-buried adoption secret collides with their daughters’ futures in a heartfelt tangle of love and identity.
Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory - Jane Boleyn navigates the lethal intrigues of Henry VIII’s court with only her wits between survival and ruin.
A Spy Inside the Castle by M. B. Courtenay - On storm-lashed Skye, an analyst unravels a treacherous tangle of code, memory, and betrayal.
The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah - Poirot rings in 1933 by untangling a sinister New Year’s game that ends in murder on a Greek isle.
The Bottomless Cup by Kevin Boehm - A restaurateur’s wild ride through kitchens, chaos, and redemption serves up the soul of hospitality.
Zicky: Wrath of the Rat King - A kid hero battles a rodent tyrant in a breakneck portal-fantasy quest where dreams just might be real.
Woodstake by Darin S. Cape - Woodstock turns blood-soaked when a vampire crashes the festival in this wickedly nostalgic horror mashup.
