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October 31, 2025

My book group rarely finds a book that we all enjoy. There is usually some spirited discussion of why it did, or did not, work for at least one of us. Well, we finally found a book that we all loved: THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans.

Some of us listened to it and enjoyed the audio experience. Others read the hardcover. It was interesting to see how it resonated with each of us. It came out in April and has been a huge “word-of-mouth” book, meaning that enthusiasm for it has been spread by people talking about it. It was not a monthly pick from a celebrity or television book group. It found its way by being a unique and clever book that has sparked conversation among readers. We talked about the characters we liked --- and how Sybil evolved as we got to know her more.

Heart the Lover by Lily King

October 2025

HEART THE LOVER by Lily King is the kind of book that you can devour in a sitting. You almost have to do that as it is a truly compulsive read with a lot of heart and soul. It is written in the first person by a narrator who is not named until the very last page. Do not read that page now. Stay here with me.

The narrator starts her story in her senior year of college. Two brilliant students in her 17th-Century Lit class invite her into their world, where intellectual curiosity is keen, and they love banter and late-night card games. They nickname her Jordan, and that is how we think of her throughout the book. They are living in an off-campus house that their professor has vacated while he is on sabbatical. It’s a smart and elegant home, nothing like the single-bed cold dorm room in which Jordan is used to living.

Please Don't Lie by Christina Baker Kline and Anne Burt

October 2025

I have known Christina Baker Kline's work for a while now. I am sure that many of you are familiar with her historical novel, ORPHAN TRAIN. So it was interesting to see that her latest book, PLEASE DON’T LIE, is a thriller that she wrote with Anne Burt. And what a thriller it is!

Two years ago, Hayley Stone lost her parents in a tragic fire. Then her sister, Jenna, overdosed and died, leaving her alone but very well-off financially. Her new husband, Brandon, sees what this is doing to her. So he recommends that they get away and begin a new life together.

Barnes & Noble has announced the 14 finalists for their 2025 Book of the Year. Which of these books, if any, would you pick as the B&N Book of the Year? Please check all that apply.

October 31, 2025, 542 voters

Nelson DeMille, author of The Tin Men

Army CID Special Agents Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor team up for their toughest assignment yet as they are dispatched to Camp Hayden to investigate the death of Major Roger Ames, the chief scientist in charge of the top-secret war games being conducted between a platoon of Army Rangers and a fleet of “lethal autonomous weapons.” Brodie and Taylor must untangle the complex web of alliances, animosities and secret agendas among the men and women of the isolated facility. In a place cut off from the world and exposed to the harsh desert elements, everyone is a suspect. Brodie and Taylor must uncover layers of deception to find the hidden hand behind the murder of Major Ames, and the real purpose of the activities at Camp Hayden and its terrifying arsenal of next-generation weapons.

October 31, 2025 - November 14, 2025

Here are reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for the contest period of October 31 - November 14.

October 31, 2025

Happy Halloween! We have enough candy here for MANY children to show up in costume. But in reality, if we have more than a dozen kids here, it will be a surprise. As my husband was loading up on plain and peanut M&Ms, I told him that he was way overstocking our Halloween goodies. He then walked towards the Twix bars and more before I headed him off. He was going for more variety for the children. I told him we still have the stash of M&Ms that I hid after Halloween LAST year.

We have two young children who are neighbors, and I picked up copies of HALLOWEEN BUGS by David A. Carter for them. I love the Bugs books; they are my go-to pop-up book series.

Bookreporter.com's Fall Reading 2025 Wrap-up

THANK YOU to all who subscribed to this Fall Reading newsletter and entered our contests! We appreciate your enthusiasm and participation.

This Bookreporter.com SPECIAL Fall Reading Wrap-up newsletter brings you a look at ALL of the titles that were included in our Fall Reading feature. We shared eight books with you this fall, and we thank our publisher sponsors who made this possible.

Below are all of this year's featured titles, and we've also created a list of these books in a PDF format that you can access here. We know that many of you enjoy checking off what you have read. A list of all the prize winners is here.

Stay subscribed to this newsletter so you can participate in our 2026 Fall Reading contests, which will begin next August.