[Review] From Square One - A. M. Woody

Summary: After an accident leaves Riley Wilson with amnesia, he can recall everything except: the crash that landed him in the hospital, the last year of his life, and having a serious boyfriend. Who happens to be his older brother’s ex-best friend. And the guy he despises more than anyone . . . Learning this information sends Riley spiraling. In what world could someone as sensible and meticulous as Riley have ever willingly agree to go out with Aaron—the arrogant jerk who screwed up his brother’s future? Riley would love nothing more than to start fresh and snip Aaron out of his life. But with his family being cagey about the past, and his memories far out of reach, he realizes Aaron might be the only one willing to help him remember the last year. Despite his brother’s protests, Riley teams up with Aaron to unearth his missing memories—even if it means starting from square one and reenacting every date, every kiss, every “first” they’ve ever had. All Riley has to do is not make the same mistake by falling in love twice.  (Pub Date: Oct 27 2026)

[Review] The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman - Deesha Philyaw

Summary: From the moment Scharisse Freeman ditched her humble roots and married a megachurch pastor fifteen years her senior, she’s been labeled too brash and too “of the world” by church folks who grudgingly accepted her into their fold, and too holy by her estranged childhood bestie Petra. Schar doesn’t have many allies, but that hasn’t stopped her from building an enviable business empire spanning books to clothing to branded products, and living the comfortable life her husband's power affords her.

On the eve of her 40th birthday, Schar gets the final bit of validation she’s always dreamt of: a coveted invitation to participate in the First Lady USA pageant. This is her chance to be accepted by the other pastors’ wives—First Ladies—who are “like Jesus’ disciples if they had been a group of mean girls.” Finally, blissfully, the ice between Schar and the other First Ladies begins to thaw.

But as the pageant nears, a sensational scandal breaks with Schar at its center, and her carefully curated life implodes. Schar faces down shame and terrible secrets from her childhood and is reminded that in the eyes of the church, optics can matter more than the truth.

Unflinchingly funny, frank, and splendidly unruly, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman exults in the luscious, messy pleasure of finally feeling free. (Pub Date: Sep 29 2026)

[Review] Light Up My Life: A Holiday Novel - Kasie West

Summary: For as long as Jasmine Costa can remember, her family has had a sworn enemy: the snobby Moreno family, who live next door. Jasmine especially can't stand the teenage son, Ryan, who acts like he's so much better than her.

This Christmas, the rivalry heats up when their small town holds a contest for best-decorated house. Jasmine has to take home the trophy. But then she and Ryan unexpectedly get thrown together during a holiday party...and discover that they have undeniable (and inconvenient) chemistry. Uh-oh.

As a secret romance blossoms amid the snow and the tinsel, Jasmine will have to make a choice. Can she stay loyal to her loved ones while falling for the one boy who's off-limits?

Beloved author Kasie West delivers a cozy Christmas rom-com that's the perfect read for anyone who's ever had a crush. (Pub Date: Oct 20 2026)

[Review] Hollow Bones - Jodi Picoult

Summary: On September 11, 2001, when Molly Fitzgerald was only two months old, her mother went to an appointment at the World Trade Center and never came home. Her father and the stepmother who raised her couldn’t have loved her more, but she still grew up with a healthy dread of disasters.

Now an adult, she runs the Rhode Island Department for Emergency Preparedness, mapping out ways to save lives during storms, epidemics, and airplane crashes. She and her husband, Jesse—a police polygraph expert with his own history of crisis—have found a love that is a solace in a dangerous world. But then the unexpected upends their new marriage, leading them both to question everything they thought they knew.

Moving between past and present, Hollow Bones is an epic story of the lies we tell ourselves as we write the narratives of our lives, the plans we design to protect ourselves at the worst moments, and the ties that bind mothers and daughters. (Pub Date: Sep 15 2026)

[Review] Witch Hat Atelier 1 - Kamome Shirahama

Summary: A beautifully-illustrated story about a girl who longs for magic in her life and learns that, on the inside, she already is what she wishes she could be. Reminiscent of Studio Ghibli, this lushly-drawn story has captured the hearts of fantasy fans worldwide.

In a world where everyone takes wonders like magic spells and dragons for granted, Coco is a girl with a simple dream: She wants to be a witch. But everybody knows magicians are born, not made, and Coco was not born with a gift for magic. Resigned to her un-magical life, Coco is about to give up on her dream to become a witch...until the day she meets Qifrey, a mysterious, traveling magician. After secretly seeing Qifrey perform magic in a way she's never seen before, Coco soon learns what everybody "knows" might not be the truth, and discovers that her magical dream may not be as far away as it may seem...  (Pub Date: Apr 9, 2019)

[Review] Strange Bedfellows - Amanda Mortlock

Summary: A dark and steamy debut novel about a girl, who is sometimes a cat, the witch she loves, and the toxic secrets from her past that are threatening to unravel the delicate balance of her future.

Cleo is a willfully aloof college student with an impossible secret. When she meets Wes, a brooding musician, at a Halloween party, their connection is instant, electric, and impossible to ignore. Their romance takes a mystical turn when Wes discovers what Cleo’s been hiding: sometimes she takes the form of his pet cat.

Enter Bailey and Ollie—their magical counterparts—who reveal a deeper tie between Cleo and Wes: he’s a witch, and she’s his familiar. As past secrets collide with their entangled present, Cleo faces her greatest fear—losing Wes. With long-gone threats returning and danger looming, Cleo must confront her role in their dark and violent shared history and decide if she’s willing to fight for their future. (Pub Date: Sep 22 2026)