Nonfiction November 2025: My Year in Nonfiction

 

It's time to start celebrating Nonfiction November!  The first week is hosted by Heather at Based on a True Story and is all about our year in nonfiction.  At the time I'm writing this, I've read 9 nonfiction books this year, and they've all been 4 stars or higher!  My taste in nonfiction tends to be all over the place - so many things interest me, and here are some of my favorites of the year:

The Indifferent Stars Above // The Ship Beneath the Ice // White House by the Sea

My goals for Nonfiction November are to see what everyone else is reading, find some interesting titles for my TBR, and to celebrate the genre of nonfiction!  Here are some I'd like to read this month:

Women in the Valley of the Kings // Nuclear War: A Scenario // Powder Days

What are some of your nonfiction highlights from this year?

Guest Blogger: My Favorite Audiobooks #5

 Michele is back today to share some more audiobook recommendations!

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Up until a few years ago, I had never even considered audiobooks as a way to increase my reading – but then my husband started working for a major audiobook publisher and I got hooked!  Now I listen to them all the time – getting ready in the morning, in the car, exercising, at my daughter’s swim lessons, you name it.  Audiobooks are fantastic for when you can’t physically hold a book and I have listened to some really fantastic performances.  Here are some of my recent faves:

 

Stranger Things: The Dustin Experiment

While we anxiously await the final season of Stranger Things, it is very fun to catch up with our favorite characters in these books.

 Better Luck Next Time

Cara Bastone simply never disappoints and this was another winner!

Run for the Hills 

I have no idea where I even came across this new release but it totally surprised me and I loved it.  Newly discovered siblings on a road trip across the country to confront the father who abandoned them all – sounds sad but was actually very witty and uplifting!

 

Seven Brides for Beau McBride

It was so fun to be back in Buck’s Creek with Junebug and her meddling ways!

 

Spectacular Things

I have a very hit or miss relationship with Reese’s Book Club picks but this one was incredible – it follows the lives of two sisters: one an elite soccer player and the other who supports her every step of the way.

Do you listen to audiobooks?  Do you have any favorites?

Michele's Monday Picks #82

Angela is so generous to let me pop in with my little series, Michele’s Monday Picks!  I’m not a blogger or bookstagrammer, but I love getting excited about new releases with the rest of you.  Here I’ll be sharing new books I’m really looking forward to!

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Fallen City

By Adrienne Young

Expected Publication: November 4, 2025

From Goodreads:

In the great walled city of Isara, political turmoil ignites a rebellion one hundred years in the making. But when a legionnaire falls in love with a Magistrate's daughter, their love will threaten the fate of the city and the will of the gods.

Luca Matius has one purpose—to carry on the family name, maintaining its presence in the Forum once his powerful and cruel uncle dies. But his noviceship with the city's Philosopher places him in the middle of a catastrophe that will alter the destiny of his people.

Maris Casoeria was raised amidst the strategic maneuvers of the Citadel's inner workings, and she knows what her future holds—a lifetime of service to a corrupt city. But her years of serving as a novice to the last Priestess who possesses the stolen magic of the Old War has made her envision a different kind of future for the city. When she meets Luca, a fated chain of events is set into motion that will divinely entangle their lives.

As a secret comes to light and throws the city into chaos, Luca and Maris hatch a plot to create a calculated alliance that could tip the scales of power. But when an execution forces Luca to become the symbol of rebellion, he and Maris are thrown onto opposite sides of a holy war. As their fates diverge, they learn they are at the center of a story the gods are writing. And even if they can find their way back to each other, there may be nothing left.

Adrienne Young is one of my auto-buy authors so I am definitely looking forward to this one! Do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Morristown Festival of Books 2025

On Saturday, October 11, we headed to Morristown, New Jersey for the annual Morristown Festival of Books!  Over a hundred authors from all genres (fiction, nonfiction, YA, and children's) gathered for this free event, with several special discussions, panels, and meet-and-greets throughout the day.  I went specifically for one particular talk, but we ended up getting there early, so we first went over to KidsFest, which has its own tent.

Here, several children's, middle grade, and YA authors have tables where they can greet fans and sell their books.  They also had some fun activities such as face painting and some outdoor games.  The weather wasn't the greatest while we were there, so we were glad to be under the tent for awhile!

In the early afternoon, my sister and I went down the street to the Church of the Redeemer for the talk we were interested in: Beatriz Williams, Karen White, and Lauren Willig (aka Team W) in conversation about writing as a trio!  Beatriz Williams is one of my favorite authors, and I have loved all the collaborations between these three authors.

This talk didn't have a moderator; it was really just the three authors having a conversation with each other.  They talked about how they all met and the idea they came up with to write a book together (they've since written five!).  They were all so warm and funny!  They've obviously given this talk before, but you can tell they never really get tired of telling it and are actually all very close.

After the talk, the authors made their way to the signing tent and after quite a long wait, I was able to meet them!  They were clearly a very popular draw at the festival.  Henry was running around nearby as I talked to them, so I pointed him out, and we all had a nice chat about how much energy little boys have.  They were all so sweet and had such a good rapport with each other.  And I got to add two more Beatriz Williams-signed books to my collection!

Can't-Wait Wednesday: A Queen's Match

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

A Queen's Match

Katharine McGee

Expected publication date: November 4, 2025

In the sequel to A Queen's Game, broken hearts and secret loves lead three princesses to their final marriage matches, and their rightful places in the history books--from the New York Times bestselling author of the American Royals series.

As Queen Victoria tries to match her grandchildren with powerful marriages across Europe, matters of the court and matters of the heart collide for three princesses as they close in on the end of their marriage seasons. 

Exiled French princess Helene d'Orleans had no choice but to break it off with Prince Eddy--but that doesn't mean she doesn't have a broken heart. And now her parents have their sights on another prince for her...but his heart is already taken. 

The queen finally understands that her beloved granddaughter Alix of Hesse isn't interestd in a match with Prince Eddy...but the Queen does not approve of Alix's true love. So where does that leave her? 

And May of Teck? She's just looking for a crown. So with Eddy back on the marriage market, she's biding her time, letting his heartbreak settle, before she makes her move.

Set in the last glittering decade of the monarchies, A Queen's Match is the thrilling conclusion to the story that began in A Queen's Game. - from Goodreads

Michele's Monday Picks #81

Angela is so generous to let me pop in with my little series, Michele’s Monday Picks!  I’m not a blogger or bookstagrammer, but I love getting excited about new releases with the rest of you.  Here I’ll be sharing new books I’m really looking forward to!

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Stranger Things: Starcourt Mall Escape

By Jennifer Brody

Expected Publication: November 4, 2025

From Goodreads:

Explore Hawkins with fan-favorite character Eleven in a novel based on the iconic Netflix series Stranger Things.

It’s summer vacation, and everyone in Hawkins has plans—everyone except Eleven. She feels trapped by her overprotective father and wants to break out and find a normal teen life like she sees in her magazines. Luckily, Eleven’s not alone. Her friend Max needs to flee a troubling home life and an increasingly dangerous older brother. They decide to escape together, and in Hawkins in the summer of 1985, there is only one place to the all-new Starcourt Mall. Will midnight movies and an overnight party in the food court be the solution to their problems? Or will Eleven and Max discover that a little freedom can lead to a lot of trouble, and that the ghosts of the past are never far away? Filled with details from Netflix’s series Stranger Things, this novel explores Hawkins—and Eleven’s place in it—like never before.

I love the TV show Stranger Things and have been listening to all of the books based on it – they have all been fantastic! Do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Fiction/Nonfiction Quick Reviews: The Out of This World Edition

The Astronaut Wives Club by Lily Koppel (2014)

Many of us have heard of America's first astronauts, but few of us know about the women and families of those men.  Lily Koppel gives us an inside look at the astronaut wives who became overnight celebrities, whether they wanted to or not.  I thought this was a really interesting read - I've read other books about astronauts, how they were chosen, how they trained, and their professional achievements (and sometimes tragedies, unfortunately), but I've never seen a book focus on their wives and family lives.  Koppel explores how these women became somewhat famous in their own right, were touted as the "perfect" wives and homemakers, and had to keep up appearances even when they were going through tough times.  There were a lot of people to keep track of, especially as the astronaut classes grew bigger, but several of the women stood out, and overall I thought this was an honest and intimate look at astronaut wives.  4 stars

Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes (2025)

Halley is looking for a place to hide while she rides out a political scandal, so she takes a job as a sort of caretaker on a space barge that was previously used as a glamorous place to store the cryogenically frozen bodies of the rich and famous, years ago.  Soon after, though, weird noises and odd images on the security cameras make her wonder if something truly horrible is happening on the ship.  SA Barnes is always good for a space horror, although I have to admit, this one was a bit convoluted for me.  Halley is a well-rounded character, even if her backstory isn't totally clear at first.  The space barge is an eerie, atmospheric setting for a horror novel, with all the defunct cryo chambers around the ship and a handyman who just seems a little off.  The whole bit with AI, though, just added too many layers and made this already unbelievable story almost a bit laughable, unfortunately.  3 stars

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