Unboxing My Latest Book Haul
Book Mail: A Roundup of the Book Mail I Received Last Week
Early October has that crisp, golden light that makes the world feel full of possibility, and this week’s book mail was pure delight. My TBR pile has grown into a charming little tower of anticipation, thanks to a book haul brimming with new book releases that I can’t wait to dive into. Each package carried thoughtful book recommendations, little notes from friends and fellow readers pointing me toward stories that might just steal my heart. Honestly, with so many titles that could easily earn a spot among the best books of 2025, it feels like autumn itself arrived just to make room for reading, cozy nooks, and that ineffable joy of discovering the perfect story at just the right time.
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 October, when the air feels crisp and cozy routines return, a black and white striped top paired with jeans becomes the ultimate main character outfit—timeless, versatile, and brimming with confidence. Styled with your everyday gold hoop earrings and your signature herringbone necklace layered with a graduated rope chain, the look transforms from simple to striking, embodying main character fashion at its most effortless. As you peruse a fresh stack of book mail, covers promising character-driven novels, books about strong characters, and stories of self-discovery, you’re reminded of how clothing and reading both serve as powerful forms of fashion for self-expression. This is the essence of main character energy books and fashion: aesthetic clothing that makes you feel grounded and radiant, paired with books that inspire confidence and fuel your main character mindset. In this moment, you’re living your main character life, savoring the small joys that make the season—and your story—rich and unforgettable.
This Week’s Book Mail Includes:
The Tutor by Courtney Psak - A too-perfect tutor slips into a Florida family’s life—and Rose must uncover her true agenda before this lesson turns lethal.
A Hexcellent Chance to Fall in Love by Ann Rose - Cursed to vanish after Halloween, Pepper has ten weeks to make Christina remember her—or break the spell for good.
Yours for the Season by Emily Stone - Pretending to date her ex for a Highlands Christmas, Mel plans the perfect revenge…until old sparks make faking it feel real.
Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman - Two widowed strangers heal and fall for each other one classic holiday film at a time.
Charlie Quinn Lets Go by Jamie Varon - A control-freak’s month of saying yes upends her life—and maybe her heart—when a no-strings fling rewrites all her rules.
The Man Next Door by Sheila Roberts - Broke, divorced, and back with Mom, Zona can’t decide if the sexy neighbor is Mr. Right—or the star of a true-crime nightmare.
The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake by Rachel Linden - A magical family cookbook, a crumbling Italian olive farm, and a first love lead one chef to the recipe for a new life.
Hope and Destiny by Niklas Natt Och Dag - Amid a 1434 rebellion, a young noble navigates treachery, family ambition, and one of medieval Sweden’s most infamous murders.
Boom Town by Nic Stone - When two dancers vanish from Atlanta’s hottest club, one woman dives into a glittering underworld to bring them home.
Sense and Suitability by Pepper Basham - An anonymous authoress agrees to help the rake who broke her heart find a bride—only to discover their story might need a rewrite.
One Killer Night by Trilina Pucci - A Halloween hookup spirals into secrets, slasher-camp danger, and a fight to survive long enough for a happily ever after.
Call of the Camino by Suzanne Redfearn - Two women walking the Camino decades apart find their fates braided by loss, love, and a pilgrimage’s quiet miracles.
Nineteen by Leslie Johansen Nack - A raw, hopeful memoir of surviving addiction and family trauma to reclaim self-worth and a future.
High Hopes by Anne Abel - Chasing the spark Bruce Springsteen ignited, a retired teacher crosses oceans—and her own darkness—to find joy again.
Over Yonder by Sean Dietrich - A fallen priest, a pregnant teen, and an emotional-support goldfish outrun danger and redefine family on a Southern odyssey.
From Sexless Marriage to Sex Goddess by Alisa Kriegel - A therapist’s candid, witty journey through midlife desire proves it’s never too late to awaken pleasure and love.
God's Junk Drawer by Peter Clines - A once-lost explorer returns to a primordial valley of dinosaurs, androids, and paradoxes—and drags his students into its deadly puzzle.
To Outwit Them All by Peggy Wirgau - A loyalist socialite risks everything to spy for Washington, dancing with enemy officers as Benedict Arnold’s treachery unfolds.
To Cage a Wild Bird by Brooke Fast - To save her brother from a hunt-to-kill prison, a fierce bounty hunter bets her life—and her heart on a forbidden guard.
Ruinous Creatures by Jessi Cole Jackson - When phoenix skulls bind two enemies with dangerous magic, their fraught bond could save their valley—or burn it down.
Manhattan Triptych by Catherine Butterfield - Three actresses bound by decades of friendship confront betrayal and old wounds while searching Manhattan for the one who vanished.
Hey Pickpocket by Allison Cundiff - Fleeing to an Irish fishing village, a trauma nurse finds love, secrets, and the courage to open her guarded heart.
Murder Your Darlings by Jenna Blum - A razor-sharp, darkly funny thriller where the perfect man, a looming deadline, and murder collide.
The Book of Fairies by Susie Spikol - A charming field guide invites you to spot Earth, Air, Fire, and Water fairies hiding in everyday wonders.
The Light Between Apple Trees by Priyanka Kumar - A lyrical quest through wild orchards and history reveals how forgotten apples can reconnect us to the untamed world.
Higher Magic by Courtney Floyd - A anxious grad student’s botched spell births a snarky talking skull and uncovers a campus conspiracy against disabled mages.
Crooks by Lou Berney - Across four turbulent decades, the Mercurio crime clan chases the American dream—even as it keeps pulling them back in.
Robot's First Snow by Billy Sharff and Hannah Abbo - A factory bot longs to trade work for wonder and discovers the joyful purpose of a snow day.
My Grandma and Grandpa Rock! by Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo - A rhythmic, read-aloud celebration of grandparents who bring the music—and the love—into everyday life.
