Unboxing My Latest Book Haul
Book Mail: A Roundup of the Book Mail I Received Last Week
The final days of September have a quiet, golden kind of magic, and this week’s book mail has made it utterly irresistible. My TBR pile has grown into a towering promise of cozy afternoons and late-night reading, thanks to a book haul brimming with new book releases that feel like little treasures. Each package carried thoughtful book recommendations, nudging me toward stories I know will linger long after the last page. Honestly, with so many titles that could easily be called the best books of 2025, it feels like the perfect season to curl up, sip something warm, and get lost in worlds that are entirely my own.
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 the final days of September, when summer lingers but fall is already whispering at the edges, wearing a green and white palm print top with matching green pants feels like a bold yet effortless main character outfit. The print adds just the right touch of playfulness, while your everyday gold hoop earrings and signature herringbone necklace layered with a graduated rope chain elevate the look into polished main character fashion. As you flip through a fresh stack of book mail—covers bursting with character-driven novels, books about strong characters, and stories of self-discovery—you’re reminded of how style and reading intertwine to shape your own narrative. This is main character energy books and fashion in perfect sync: aesthetic clothing that fuels your confidence, paired with books that inspire confidence and keep you grounded in a main character mindset. In this quiet, intentional moment, you’re not just collecting stories—you’re living your main character life, savoring the transition of seasons while writing your own.
This Week’s Book Mail Includes:
Pocket Portraits Jane Austen by Janet Lewis Saidi: Step into the Regency world and discover how Jane Austen’s life and sharp wit shaped the timeless novels we still adore today.
On Earth as it is in Heaven by Joseph Hawke: An unexpected love story between an Irish Catholic and a Pakistani Muslim collides with family loyalty, cultural tradition, and the pull of destiny.
The New Book by Nikki Giovanni: With searing honesty and lyrical wit, Nikki Giovanni reflects on love, loss, justice, and joy in a collection that cements her place as one of America’s most vital voices.
The Dark Will End the Dark by Darrin Doyle: Strange meets familiar in haunting Midwestern Gothic tales that linger long after the last page.
The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes by Chanel Cleeton: Across Boston, Havana, and London, a mysterious book links three women through secrets, love, and the courage to risk everything.
The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O'Clover: A failed romance turns into a surprising new beginning when Louisa turns her landlord’s house into a retreat for the brokenhearted.
Don't Say a Word by Allison Brennan: The Angelharts return to uncover the truth behind a teen’s suspicious death, where every clue leads to deeper danger.
My Daughter's Secret by Nicole Trope: A grieving mother uncovers shocking truths hidden in her late daughter’s letters.
The Great Birthday Surprise by Tanya Wright: Hairiette’s disappointing birthday takes a magical turn when imagination transforms her gifts into enchanted adventures.
How to Break My Heart by Kat T. Masen: Enemies to lovers sparks fly when a small-town café owner is forced to plan a wedding with the billionaire who broke her heart.
Bees in June by Elizabeth Bass Parman: In 1969 Tennessee, a grieving mother finds hope, healing, and unexpected magic in the whispers of her uncle’s bees.
Kingdom of Tomorrow by Gena Showalter: When a prophecy book reveals her fate, Arden Roosa must navigate gods, monsters, and forbidden sparks at a royal academy.
The Betrayal by Heather Ogden: One woman’s discovery of dangerous secrets forces her to choose between silence and risking everything to expose the truth.
Mercy Town by Nancy Chadwick: Returning home, a woman must confront grief, division, and the power of forgiveness for her brother’s tragic death.
NYPD Red 8 The 11:59 Bomber by Marshall Karp: Detectives race against the clock as a ruthless bomber strikes New York at the same deadly minute each day.
The Others by Cheryl Isaacs: A girl haunted by trauma and chilling reflections must decide whether to chase normalcy—or face the darkness threatening her home.
I Killed the King by Andrea Hannah and Rebecca Mix: A masquerade of peace turns deadly when a king is murdered, leaving six suspects trapped in a castle full of secrets.
Through Our Teeth by Pamela Harris: Three teens seek justice for a dead friend, but each hides secrets that could shatter the truth.
Watch Us Crack by Gabrielle Lepore: When a murder rocks their town, two teens with a forbidden romance must protect each other—or risk exposure.
The Sober Shift by Suzanne Warye: With humor and heart, Suzanne Warye shows how giving up alcohol opens the door to a fuller, freer life.
It's Time to Give a Feck by Chaz Ebert: Chaz Ebert calls for a movement of forgiveness, empathy, compassion, and kindness to transform humanity.
Young Fools by Liza Palmer: A friendship forged in literary ambition unravels when one writer’s secret success sparks betrayal and clarity.
The Book of Fairies by Susie Spikol: Meet the enchanting fairies of earth, air, fire, and water who hide magic in our everyday world.
Wayfinding by Renee Gilmore: A memoir of resilience and healing, told through road trips, postcards, and a lifelong search for freedom.
Things That are Funny on a Submarine But Not Really by Yannick Murphy: Dark humor and lingering trauma surface in this unforgettable tale of life at sea and the struggle to find meaning on land.
Laws of Love and Logic by Debra Curtis: Caught between her first love and her husband, Lily Webb must decide if one heart can truly hold two great loves.
The Girl From Devil's Lake by J.A. Jance: Sheriff Joanna Brady unravels a string of murders and disappearances that could expose a prolific killer.
The Dirt Beneath Our Door by Pamela Jones: The harrowing true story of one woman’s escape from a violent polygamist cult and her fight to rebuild her life.
Alice, Or the Wild Girl by Michael Robert Liska: A feral girl discovered in the Pacific sparks a journey through exploitation, rebellion, and the search for freedom.
Hope on the Border by Gil Gillenwater: A raw, unflinching portrait of life on the U.S.–México border that confronts inequity while offering a vision of hope.
Santa's 18-Wheel Chrome-and-Steel Sleigh by J. Brandon Boron: With the reindeer sick, Santa takes to the highway in a big rig to save Christmas.
