Fall Archives - The Litertarian

Book Review:: The Everlasting | Alix E. Harrow

I have read over two hundred books this year, and I hope you believe me when I say that this is the best one of them. I don’t know what I thought The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow was going to be, but I certainly didn’t expect to be adding it to my all-time favorites book list (a very exclusive place). If you only ever read one book that I recommend, please let it be this one.

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow Book Cover

The Everlasting is an academic mystery thriller adventure love story hero’s journey epoch/epic legend historical fantasy that is witty and smart and twisted and surprising and endearing and wickedly romantic and I am going to read it again about a million times before I die because that’s the kind of reader I am. I got this book for free through netgalley and the publisher (thanks, by the way), and before I finished, I had ordered myself a limited-edition hardcover so I can study this masterpiece.

Sorry, are book reviews not supposed to be written like school-girl crush-fests? Let’s get into some better detail…

There was once a legend of an orphan girl called Una who was in the right place at the right time and was chosen by a worthy queen as her champion, and she served her as a hero through all the rest of her days. Centuries later, there is a boy with a broken family and a story that has saved him, again and again, from despair. That story is of Una Everlasting. That boy is a scholar, and he is called upon to rewrite Una’s story into a magical book that transports him back to actually meet her and live her story so he can record it with an honesty and integrity that doesn’t exist in our world.

Until he learns the truth.

This book is about heroism is unlikely places. It’s about the boundless nature of love. It’s about power and honor and duty and secrets. It’s about magic and fate and family. About lies and deep, unshakable truths. Its writing is sharp and honestly delightful. The tone is adventurous and fun. There are good guys and bad guys and lots of other guys in between. There is nothing not to like about this book, and it deserves every single one of its five-star reviews.

As an aspiring author myself, Alix, how the hell? This novel is impeccable, immaculate, amazing. Thank you.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: The Everlasting
Author:: Alix E. Harrow
Genre:: Historical Fantasy
Publisher:: Tor Books
Length:: 320 pages
Audio Length:: 13h 41m
Audiobook Narrator:: Moira Quirk & Sid Sagar
Published:: October 28th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Book Review:: Where He Left Me | Nicole Baart

Sadie Sheridan almost gave up on finding the one. But then, in her 40s, she fell in love with another professor at her university. Felix. He’s smart, and quirky, and sweeps her off her feet. Once they’re married, he sweeps her off to the remote mountain cabin he grew up in. Then, he disappears.

Where He Left Me by Nicole Baart Book Cover

Sadie is alone, and terrified. Winter is coming, and her husband should be home from his conference by now. It’s her first time in a place like this, and she doesn’t know the first thing about life on the mountain.

Then one of the trail cam’s picks something up. A shadowy figure in the woods, and it’s headed for her property.

Where He Left Me is masterful suspense novel. Every sentence is dripping with mystery and tension and I had no idea where the story was going. I wouldn’t have been surprised at anything with how much tension was set up in this book. What ended up happening though, was a very endearing story of strength, determination, and mama bear energy.

There were a few things that bothered me, ultimately, which is why I’ve rated it four stars instead of five. I don’t want to spoil anything though, so I will keep them to myself. Was it still worth reading though? Absolutely. Especially in these new dark days of fall/early winter, this is the perfect type of book to curl up with and get lost in the suspense!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Where He Left Me
Author:: Nicole Baart
Genre:: Suspense Thriller
Publisher:: Atria Books
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 36m
Audiobook Narrator:: Amanda Dolan
Published:: November 4th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Book Review:: Save Us | Mona Kasten

The Maxton Hall series has really grown on me, and Save Us is as great an ending for these angsty characters as I could have hoped for. If you haven’t read any books in this series yet, please start at the beginning to avoid spoilers and experience the saga from the very beginning. My review of book one, Save Me, can be found here.

What an ending! In my opinion, book three made up for anything lacking in forward momentum in book two. Every character and every story line gets attention in this series finale that will give you hope and all the warm fuzzies for these young characters. I can’t even pick a favorite story line because they’ve all absolutely won me over!

Mr. Beaufort is showing his true dark colors in this novel, continuing to fracture his relationship with both of his children in his quest for the perfect image portrayal to the world, and he’ll stop at nothing to get it. His role as antagonist is as pertinent as ever as Lydia’s pregnancy becomes impossible to hide, and James continues to be unhappy in his role in the company.

The drama does not disappoint either – futures hang in the balance through these pages, and tensions are running high. Have they learned their lessons from everything they’ve been through so far?

Now that I’ve finished the whole kit and caboodle, I would absolutely recommend this series. It could have gone either way, I think, but Save Us really gives you everything you’re looking for in a series finale, and I couldn’t imagine a better ending for everyone involved. Bravo to the author, Mona Kasten, for such an incredible ride!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Save Us (Maxton Hall #3)
Author:: Mona Kasten
Genre:: Teen Drama
Publisher:: Berkley
Length:: 336 pages
Published:: November 4th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4.5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Save Me | Mona Kasten
Save You | Mona Kasten
Bittersweet | Hattie Williams

Book Review:: Never Over | Clare Gilmore

I’ve been a massive fan of Clare Gilmore since I read Perfect Fit last year. That book is *chef’s kiss*. I don’t know what it is about books about music that kind of turn me off, but I didn’t let that stop me from enjoying her newest release, Never Over.

Here we have another wonderful second chance romance. Paige is a songwriter living in Tennessee who is struggling to break into the industry. Her big break comes with a music exec finally comes by to listen to her tunes. He realizes she’s a phenomenal talent for melody, but her lyrics don’t quite hit the way they could. That’s not a surprise to her, considering her heart has been walled off ever since her catastrophic breakup with Liam.

She’s not too proud to go to him and ask if they can strike up a new fling so she might be inspired again, the way he once inspired her.

I’m not the greatest fan of the setup here, however, I can appreciate that this is the fake dating trope without actually being fake dating. I love Liam for laying out in their rules that this is real. He can’t fake it with her. But they will leave the end date a nebulous thing. Whatever happens, happens. So, basically, like any relationship. It’s a risk. Things might light up, they might burn to the ground.

We’re taken back and forth between the present timeline, with Paige trying to write new music and lyrics, and the past, when writing music was only a hobby and her best friend was Liam the baseball pitcher extraordinaire, not Liam the roadie.

The connection between the two of them is inevitable. They’re electric, which is my favorite thing to find in a romance novel. Especially their physical connection, wink wink. Yes, there is some spice here. But they both have some issues to work through, both in past and present timelines, in order to lock in for the long haul.

In conclusion! I very much enjoyed this book (though it hasn’t quite knocked Perfect Fit from the number one spot). If you’re looking for a tension laden romantic story to hold you over – this one is a great choice!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Never Over
Author:: Clare Gilmore
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 52m
Audiobook Narrator:: Carly Robins
Published:: October 28th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Sounds Like Love | Ashley Poston
The Heartbreak Hotel | Ellen O’Clover
Say It Out Loud | Ashley Schumacher

Book Review:: Cover Story | Mhairi McFarlane

Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane is more than a romance, it’s an investigation. Bel is a seasoned investigator who got her feet wet with her podcast before joining a newspaper. Connor recently dropped his old career and retrained as a reporter to find greater meaning in his life (it consequently left the rest of his life in shambles).

Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane Book Cover

Bel catches wind of a big story and decides to go undercover to collect evidence when she runs directly into Connor, who doesn’t know about the ruse. What else can they do to explain their awkward meeting but pretend to be lovers?

I honestly didn’t connect well with this story. It felt too…contrived? Like the base plot just wasn’t my cup of tea. However, I did like the characterization, especially of Connor. It wasn’t even particularly romantic, to be honest. I’m not sure who the intended audience is for this book, but I don’t think it was me.

I’ve read a few Mhairi McFarlane novels, and more of them have fallen flat for me than connected. I think it may be time for me to accept the truth that her books just aren’t for me.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Cover Story
Author:: Mhairi McFarlane
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Avon
Length:: 384 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 23m
Audiobook Narrator:: Charlotte Mills
Published:: October 7th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

We Met Like This | Kasie West
The Battle of the Bookshops | Poppy Alexander
The Heartbreak Hotel | Ellen O’Clover

Book Review:: Some Kind of Famous | Ava Wilder

Sometimes a fluffy kind of silly rom-com is exactly what you need. Sometimes you want to bite into a story with a little bit more angst and real, complicated emotional baggage. That’s what you’re getting with Some Kind of Famous by Ava Wilder, and it is wonderful.

Some Kind of Famous by Ava Wilder Book Cover

Some would say Merritt Valentine is washed up. She used to be famous, once upon a time. Then she had a very public breakdown and hasn’t made any music since. She recently moved to the same small town as her sister. That’s where she meets Niko – a Greek god of a handman who is actually from Greece. But with her history and tendency to leave hearts broken and bleeding in her wake, she doesn’t want to get involved. She promises her sister, even, that she won’t make things complicated for them in this oasis of a town. But there’s an undeniable connection there, and every time they get into the same room, chemistry fizzes and sparks.

I love this book. Both lead characters are smart and well-rounded and are trying to do the right thing, whatever that is. Their journey to one another is jumbled and clumsy and start-and-stop. It felt real. It felt honest.

The one part of the story that kind of irked me was Merritt’s sister. I can see where she’s coming from, but she really goes pretty hard at Merritt, not really trying to see both sides of the issue. She could have taken that down several notches and still gotten her point across, but that’s not always how family’s work, is it? It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility in the real world, so I’ll forgive the intensity of that big scene between sisters.

If you’re looking for a great romance novel with characters who will stick with you for awhile after you turn the last page, this one fits that bill! Thank you, Dell, for the opportunity to read this one early!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Some Kind of Famous
Author:: Ava Wilder
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Dell
Length:: 432 pages
Audio Length:: 12h 2m
Audiobook Narrator:: January LaVoy
Published:: October 28th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Overdue | Stephanie Perkins
Never Over | Clare Gilmore
Leave Before I Love You | Max Monroe
We Met Like This | Kasie West

Book Review:: The Second Story Bookshop | Denise Hunter

A new release from Denise Hunter is here! The Second Story Bookshop is the story of a young woman taking over her late grandmother’s beloved bookshop, which ends up being far more than she bargained for.

The Second Story Bookshop by Denise Hunter Book Cover

What I appreciate about Denise Hunter’s stories are that they aren’t afraid to include dark, uncomfortable things, and always ends up being such a positive and uplifting message.

This is a story about coming into your own, sticking to your morals, quiet fortitude, and forgiveness. It is a second chance romance that had me swooning and yearning the entire time. These characters and their community has a lot of backstory, and it all adds up to one heck of a satisfying story.

Pick this book up if you are in need of an uplifting story that teaches us we are always more than our worst mistakes, and that repentant people are always worth forgiving. It’s a lovely, lovely story.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: The Second Story Bookshop
Author:: Denise Hunter
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Thomas Nelson
Length:: 368 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 44m
Audiobook Narrator:: Kim Churchill
Published:: October 7th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Before We Were Us | Denise Hunter
The Summer of You and Me | Denise Hunter
The Battle of the Bookshops | Poppy Alexander

Book Review:: Happy Christmas | Kelsey Humphreys

Okay, wow! Finding a new indie author with serious chops can be difficult, but if Kelsey Humphreys new release of Happy Christmas is any indication, ladies, fellas, I’ve gone and done it.

Happy Christmas by Kelsey Humphries Book Cover

I listened to the audiobook narrated in duet by Ryan Lee Dunlap and Audrey Obeyn and it was sooo excellent. I wasn’t fully sure about the English accent at first, but it grew on me very quickly.

This is the story of Janie and Benedict, a down-on-her-luck once socialite and a doesn’t-take-himself-seriously billionaire. They have friends in common, and reconnect at the beginning of the novel at a very opportune time. Benedict has received an ultimatum from his father to be married in order to inherit, and Janie happens to be desperate for cash to dig herself out of a hole. Even still, she’s not sold on the idea that she could marry him.

But reader, she does.

Oh this book is good fun! Benedict is a lighthearted and silly guy much of the time, but he’s never really been faced with a situation that warranted depth from him. He dotes on Janie, happily, and it’s the most adorable thing ever to see his feelings develop through the novel.

Janie has her secrets, and she’s keeping them, even though they’ve destroyed her life. She is far more guarded than Benedict, having been burned in the past. But she can’t deny that whatever it is between her and Benedict, it’s easy, and comes organically. They may be faking it for other people, but just between them? It’s all natural.

I’m not ashamed to say I want more of this book. I will probably read it at least once more before Christmas this year, but I’m most excited to dive into the many other romantic comedies in Kelsey’s backlist. What a joy this book is. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Humphreys comes up with next!

Note:: I purchased this book myself and my opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Happy Christmas (Juniper Falls #1)
Author:: Kelsey Humphreys
Genre:: Holiday Romance
Publisher:: Magnamour (Indie)
Length:: 373 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 39m
Audiobook Narrator:: Ryan Lee Dunlap & Audrey Obeyn
Published:: September 30th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Yours for the Season | Emily Stone
Emergency Contact | Lauren Layne & Anthony LeDonne
Christmas Is All Around | Martha Waters

Book Review: Boleyn Traitor | Philippa Gregory

Philippa Gregory is a master of crafting intriguing political intrigue out of real-world figures from Tudor English history. Does she take liberties? Experts say a resounding yes (and I am certainly not that-I believe them). Does that matter? Not in a work of fiction, friends! In fact, all the better for it!

Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory Book Cover

Her skill is in creating worlds where historical figures feel like real, whole people. Even royalty! In this book you will find romance, treachery, cunning, connections, and an ultimate fate you probably won’t see coming (unless you know your obscure historical figures well).

Jane Howard/Boleyn was perhaps a background character to these histories overall, but she had a front row seat to King Henry VIII’s matrimonial drama, and had a position of influence on all the wives she served. The sister-in-law of Anne Boleyn, she started serving Henry’s wives in 1533 when he married her, and kept on serving them until nearly the bitter end, somehow dodging the disaster of the other Boleyn’s. She was a professional courtier, trained from a very young age to always have eyes open and secrets close, by the infamous Thomas Cromwell. Fascinating.

A Philippa Gregory novel is never boring, and this was no exception. I’ll read anything she puts out!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Boleyn Traitor (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels #11)
Author:: Philippa Gregory
Genre:: Historical Fiction
Publisher:: William Morrow
Length:: 496 pages
Audio Length:: 19h 29m
Audiobook Narrator:: Gemma Whelan
Published:: October 14th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Daughter of Ruins | Yvette Manessis Corporon
The Familiar | Leigh Bardugo
The Cheesemaker’s Daughter | Kristin Vikovic

Book Review:: Clementine Crane Prefers Not To | Kristin Bair

Menopause mamas, unite! This new tragi-comedy novel from Kristin Bair is a feminist anthem for women who have sacrificed and organized and put up with TOO MUCH in their lives, only to be saddled at a certain age with the sometimes debilitating symptoms of menopause.

Clementine Crane Prefers Not To by Kristin Bair Book Cover

When library media director Clementine Crane starts having hot flashes, she is mortified, outraged, flabbergasted that no one told her she had those to look forward to one day. She makes sure her co-workers, friends, family, and doctor knows it too. It should be talked about more! There should be research! Something should be done!

She has a little bit of a breakdown/awakening, and starts a social media outlet to share the steam literally rising from her head, and the sweat dripping from uncomfortable places when they hit. And when her child has a homework assignment for a story that includes the words I prefer not to, she finds her new anthem. Suddenly Clementine prefers not to several times a day. She stops women in the grocery store, in the clinic, in the library, and tells them they can prefer not to too. It’s that easy. Women are asked far too much sometimes, and it never occurs to any of us to just…pass. No thanks, I PREFER NOT TO.

Honestly, this novel is a riot. It’s wonderful. Quirky, heartfelt, sympathetic, and hilarious. I think many people will relate to and love Clementine, who prefers her job title to read Connector of People to Magical Things instead of Director of Media at the library. She’s smart, funky, and maybe a little too daring.

Grab your copy today and get it girl!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Clementine Crane Prefers Not To
Author:: Kristin Bair
Genre:: Contemporary | Women’s Fiction | Humor
Publisher:: Alcove Press
Length:: 320 pages
Audio Length:: #h #m
Audiobook Narrator:: Name(s)
Published:: October 14th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars