It's my favorite time of year. The leaves are already starting to turn in Maine, bright reds and oranges are lining the trees and I can finally drink red wine and not want to die. Fall is the time of the reader, it's when we can finally put on sweat pants, turn on our YouTube campfire, and get cozy for the best reading season of the year!

But if you are looking for something different from your usual pumpkin spice rom-com line-up, then look no further. I have 10 unconventional fall reads listed below. Be not afraid! Spooky season is the perfect time to be brave and try something new!

Hallowpeen - By Holly Wilde

"Everyone in the small town of Hollow Springs knows that Halloween night is when the veil of sentience is at its thinnest. So no one would attempt a ridiculous ritual on the night of a full moon, right?
Wrong.

This sentient object romance follows two friends who tempt fate deliciously and end up having a legendary time with the local urban legends. Curl up with some candy and a pumpkin spice latte while you enjoy the autumnal delights of Hallowpeen."

Corn Daddy: A Steamed Short - By Helena Woodcock

"He’s got the juice. Liz has always had the worst luck with love. She can’t help falling for the bad boys, but they’re never willing to make her a priority. Being stood up at the annual fall corn maze is the last strike against her latest on-again-off-again dudebro. The farm is filled with happy couples, but Liz is ready to head home and concede her losses over a cup of spiked cider. It figures…The mysterious man hiding in the corn maze has an entirely different plan. He has eyes for Liz and isn’t willing to let her go so easily. He’s nothing like the guys Liz is used to dating, and she can’t get him off of her mind. He makes a fast and hot first move, and when he starts talking commitment, it makes Liz’s head spin.Is she ready to give up everything she’s ever known for the sake of true love and desire? Liz can’t help wondering if she has found her produce prince or if this is just another bad apple in her bushel."

Stitches - By Violet Taylor

"The story of the Skeleton King and his stitched-up Queen A dark reimagining of a Halloween favorite…
My life was taken. My body pieced back together. My world forever changed. When I awake in the Mid Hallows with no memory of who I was before, I am thrust into a realm of nightmares and terror. Lost, defenseless. Until I find him. It’s foolish to trust anyone who dwells in the land of monsters. But after Kel crosses my path, my defenses crumble. The mysterious monster hunter keeps me safe, but what secrets lie beneath the bones painted upon his handsome face? Why am I really here?
**Stitches is a dark monster romance reimagining. It contains graphic violence and sexually explicit content. Check the author's website for full list of content warnings**"

Don't Eat Your Human Boyfriend - By Lily Mayne

"I like to describe myself as an ethical ghoul. I’ve been working at Broth with a Bite in the Creepy Court Mall food court for eight years so that I can get my… very specific nutritional needs in a way that doesn’t make me feel like too much of a monster. I work in the ‘special’ kitchen, preparing food for our customers with the same, ahem, dietary issues, and I’m totally fine working alongside the humans who run the other kitchen and have no idea what’s actually served.
Until the new guy starts. The new humanguy with the cutest shy smile and the raddest hair and a body that makes my mouth water. He looks like a very decent mouthful and smells like the best five-course meal rolled into one. Suddenly, Ricky is all I can think about. Sweet, delicious Ricky who has no idea he’s working in a restaurant for ghouls, who has no idea ghouls even exist, and who I just want to take a big bite out of. Not, like, literally. Kind of.
It's totally wrong for a ghoul to lust after a human. They’re food. But I can’t help it. I want Ricky bad. I just have to remember to keep my teeth in check."

Gimme S'more - By C.L. Doll

"Alina had always loved camping, especially the part where she would stuff herself with s'mores. But what happens when the s'mores she loves to eat decide they'd rather eat her?

Gimme S'more is a sentient object romance between a woman and sentient s'mores ingredients."

Scream For Me - By G.M. Fairy

"The harbinger of fear, the predator of the night…
I feast on human terror, drinking in their screams like the sweetest nectar. But when I stumble through the portal into her room and hear her cries of pleasure, a far darker, primal hunger takes hold.
She belongs to me now. I need to hear her scream like that again, and I will, even if I have to break her apart.
The woman stolen from her world and thrust into a realm of nightmares…
I felt it—eyes watching me from the darkness, golden and unblinking from the shadows of my closet. The thought sent a shiver through me, twisting into something illicit as I let my fingers wander. But when he pounced, dragging me into his cold, merciless world, the thrill turned to terror.
Now, he demands my pleasure, my screams—but I refuse to surrender without a fight.
Monsters of Darkness is a shared world full of monsters roaming in the dark of night. Each author brings a new set of monsters and a love interest. While they share the world, there will be no crossovers of characters between each book! Each book is a standalone in it’s own right and the series can be read in any order.

Basted - By Abby Hunter

"A spicy time in the kitchen can include more than just seasoning Thanksgiving is meant to be a joyous time of year. But, when I catch my boyfriend cheating, it’s anything but. After watching that scumbag leave the restaurant with his sidepiece, I find comfort where I always with a hot, meaty meal.
And then I meet Master Baster and his two brothers, Pip and Jet. Three turkey basters completely devoted to me. What more could a heartbroken girl ask for on Thanksgiving?
Content Basted is a paranormal romance with a curvy FMC who finds love wherever she wants, and sentient turkey basters who won't quit until their new woman is theirs.

Heartless Heathens - By Santana Knox

"Hey,
Over here.
No, look up.
Yeah, I’m the one they talk about. The headmaster’s prized possession, locked away in the bell tower of NotreDame Parochial College. To most of the students I was just a myth.
An urban legend.
The girl who rings the bells up in the tower, the one who talks to gargoyles.
Frollo’s secret
Then they showed up, those heartless heathens. Outcasts, just like me. But these men aren’t just dangerous, they’re heartless. They won’t abide or bend to the rules of this deranged school and the secrets it keeps from the world.
But now that they’ve found me, they may never let me go.
And maybe I wouldn’t want them to…
Heartless Heathens : Sanctuary
Is a Why Choose Gothic Romance in an academy setting loosely inspired from major points of Victor Hugo’s Notredame De Paris. This is NOT a retelling, it is NOT a fractured fairy tale or a reimagining. All characters are adults."

Honeysuckles - By January Rayne

"I’m a monster DNA experiment and she’s everything my beasts want.
I escape the hell that tortured me for months.
I’m turned into something so dangerous and brutal; I don’t recognize myself.
And when I feel a pull in my chest, I follow it not understanding why.
I see her and possession takes over.
Her beauty is addiction.
And her smell?
God…her scent….mmm…
It drives me insane. A thing like me doesn’t stand a chance with a woman like her. I am obsessed. I can’t stay away

You Shall Not Pass, Without Sucking Me Off - By Missy Love

"Cherry could not quench her desire to explore. Setting off on her journey up the perilous Monster Mountain, searching for great treasure, she encounters a Wizard.
However, this Wizard is much more horny than most.
Cherry must weigh up his offer, should she give in or continue on?"

Bonus!

Knotty Broomstick - By Sabrina Cross

"Let the universe guide you, they said. It’ll be fine, they said.
Sure, until you accidentally summon a three-hundred-year-old witch into your broomstick instead of enchanting it to fly. Cordelia may be the worst witch Circe Academy has ever seen and she’s definitely going to be the laughingstock of the entire class when they realize how badly her spell has gone wrong. Except, the ancient witch is more than happy to help Cordelia with all of her needs.
Maybe this mistake won’t be so bad after all.
Knotty Broomsticks is a Sentient Object Romance about a girl and her broom. It is a deeply unserious story with high spice. Suited for audiences 18+"

I pulled all the synopses from Goodreads. Leave a comment and let me know if you read any

Welcome to the Holloway Hotel, a hotel out of time set deep in the Appalachians. You may check in anytime you like, but you can never leave...

PLOT

Three night shift workers of The Holloway Hotel are trapped inside the building, stuck at 3am. At first, panic sets in and the group tries to figure out how to escape. But as the hotel provides them luxuries and temptations, they fall into a sense of complacency. Think Percy Jackson in The Lotus Hotel. They are plagued by visions of the past. Of horrific events that happened on the very property that the Hollaway sits on. And at the center of this is The Grey Man---the man responsible for the atrocities that took place on the grounds decades ago.

CHARACTERS

Ethan Ray--A college kid working the late shift at the hotel.

Kal--Working the hotel until he starts his own with his parents.

Teresa--A mysterious girl who catches the eye of Ethan.

THEMES/TROPES

--Hotel Horror

--Liminal Horror

--Time Warp

--Appalachian gothic/folk

--Romance

--Sporror

WHAT I LIKED

I loved the atmosphere. The first few chapters truly sucked me in, with the mysterious owl and the looming hotel. Once time stopped and Ethan entered the hotel's bar, I got massive Shining vibes. Who doesn't love a hotel with some dark history? I loved the way the hotel provided them with temptations and luxuries to lure them into complacency. I mean who wouldn't want to forget about all their troubles and enjoy some quality down time in a place where time stand still? I mean imagine all the books you can read.

WHAT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME

I understand that the characters get lulled by the hotel to forget that they need to escape, but I did feel that at times they didn't have a sense of urgency to escape. Also, be forewarned if you have trypophobia, there are a LOT of descriptions of holes. And while by itself I didn't mind being digested by the descriptions--it is a horror novel after all and I'm game for being grossed out--it was the acts that the holes were described in that made me question things. Especially when Ethan willingly accepts and performs certain acts upon the holes. These scenes pulled me out of the story. About the 75-80% mark was my biggest complaint. The amounts of times the characters decide to make love while their friend is missing left me flabbergasted. Several chapters were centered on this and this alone. I was glad once the plot began moving again and the story finished out.

I will never look at fireflies the same...

OVERALL RATING

3/5 stars

This had the potential to be a fantastic read for me if only the plot kept moving forward.

COMPS

The Shining by Stephen King

This fall is absolutely PACKED with iconic book to screen adaptations, from the new Sense & Sensibility film, to Sunrise on the Reaping, and even a new Pride & Prejudice series!! Basically, it's a season for the book girlies (thank god).

Hi everyone, welcome back to an extended book review! I'm working on my posting schedule here, and in depth reviews are one of my favorite things to do, so I'm going to be doing more of these going forward. if you're new here, my name is Bob, and I love talking about reading, with a focus on Fantasy, Sci Fi, and Horror. I also run a book club here on Bindery and in my Discord, and for September here my members chose Between Two Fires.

***Possible Trigger Warning - This post will discuss the use of the threat of sexual violence in books, so please read carefully!***

This review may also contain some soft spoilers - I will warn you in the text below before I get into it.

Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman is a social media dandy - it is hard to scroll through horror and fantasy bookish social media and not see this book showing up everywhere, and nearly universally loved. When it was chosen as my book club's pick for September of 2026, I was really excited to check it out. It sounded right up my alley - I have been really loving some dark fantasy recently, and the combination of horror and fantasy elements is usually my thing. Unfortunately, this just didn't live up to the hype for me, and I have some major concerns about certain portions of the book.

First, let's talk about the good. Our three main characters, Thomas, Delphine, and Father Matthieu are a great group with interesting backgrounds. We start our story in plague ravaged France in a time after a French military defeat at the hands of England. Thomas is a fallen knight, Father Matthieu a disgraced priest, and Delphine a girl without a family who feels a mysterious calling. My favorite parts of the book were when our main trio were traveling across the countryside, trying to survive horrific encounters, seeing a world of horrors (both natural and supernatural) ahead of them, and learning about what brought them to this point in their lives. During these moments, the characters were rich, the horrors abounded, and the backstory and relative morality of the world was really well explored.

But I do have a major issue with how Delphine in particular is handled and discussed in this book, and this is where there may be some soft spoilers. Delphine is an adolescent at the start of the book, and from the first pages, is under a near constant threat of sexual violence. In fact, it colors our first encounter with her, and follows her throughout the book. At about the halfway mark, it does lessen, and we see it less and less in the later half of the book, but it is a major plot point of the early portions of the story. In fact, there is a chapter that was removed from the version I read (but is still present in older versions of the book and the audiobook) that the author has since discussed and removed that centered around this threat. in an interview with Grimdark magazine, here is what Buehlman had to say on the topic (the full interview can be read here):

"A human being changes in 15 years, And it’s tempting to make a manuscript reflect those changes— I did make one change. There’s a scene with an attempted SA that I originally felt important to the story but which I have since reassessed and omitted. Yes, the forces of hell would almost certainly use such tactics—but there’s a point at which potential reader trauma outweighs the benefit of including certain scenes in a fictional narrative, especially coming from an author not representative of the demographic whose suffering is depicted. The scene with struck a sour note with me, so I think the new version is stronger—and more importantly, kinder—for the change."

I really respect Buehlman for his introspection here, and overall I agree with the omission of that chapter (having read it he is right, it does not add enough to make it worth being included). However, even with this omission, there is still a lot of this threat early on. Understanding that this is marketed as medieval horror, and this sort of threat would have been a real thing around that time, this sort of threat is likely historically accurate. However, whenever I see these sorts of themes or events in a book, my question is always this: does it serve a purpose or is it needed for the narrative? In this case, the answer for me is no, it is extra unnecessary horror. There is more than enough going on in plague ravaged France with a girl who watched her parents die and is now a vessel for a supernatural entity who is trying to battle evil that this extra threat felt completely gratuitous. Additionally, Delphine is essentially just a vessel in this book, serving as a conduit for these supernatural powers, and does not know why she is doing the things she does, or saying some of the things she says. Between these two fires, Delphine is really diminished in terms of her role in the story.

The horror is really well done overall, a mix between real world historic horror. I think for all of us who lived through the pandemic, we can certainly relate to the horrors of a plague, and we see that in vivd detail here. We see the horror of grief and loss, and the horror of survival in some cases. We also get great supernatural horror. Certain elements are in the fantasy realm, although these elements are based on a real world religion, so I hesitate to call them fantasy. however, we do get some great supernatural horror, as well as some body horror and gore throughout.

I did quite enjoy the build up to the end, and the book had a very satisfying climax, with an ending that may split some. Thomas especially is an interesting character, grey to his core yet good in his own ways. I did think that the religious explorations were very interesting as well, focusing heavily on Catholic dogma and mythology. Those who are more intimately familiar with Catholic references and traditions will find little nuggets sprinkled throughout, and I thought a lot of these were really well done. I do think that those who are not as familiar with Catholic traditions and beliefs may not find that aspect of things quite as rounded out as some of them are somewhat specific. I do think the theme of good versus evil and the choices we get to make as humans are very interesting. I also think the theme of some of the downsides to organized religion, including corruption and the abuse of power, are really well explored here, and the idea that those we deem as good or bad based on our morals are not always what they seem. The idea of the religious warrior, or the soldier of God, is explored in a fascinating way. The ending certainly split my book club, but I thought it was a really satisfying conclusion personally. However, my favorite parts of this story, and the parts that I thought explored these themes the best, were really our core trio traveling through the French countryside, trudging towards their own apocalypse.

Overall, I left Between Two Fires feeling very mixed. there are some great elements here - great horror, some really good moments with our characters, and some great exploration of interesting themes. However, at the end of the day, there were certain elements of the book surrounding Delphine and her character arc that I just couldn't get past. At the end of the day, I do not think I would go rushing back to this author, although I applaud the choice to remove the chapter he did, as well as the introspection and growth demonstrated in how he talk about it. It is certainly a book with a lot to talk about, and while I am not hurrying back to read his other work, I would be open to it in the future.

So, what did you think? Have you read this book and, if so, how did you feel about it?

Want More In-Depth Access?

If you enjoy getting into the details with me about reading, then consider upgrading to The Dark Travelers tier! My Dark Travelers get an exclusive Discord role and channels, a weekly deep dive reading update vlog, early access to YouTube videos, and each month they get to pick a book for me to read. This can be a book they want to read with me, or something they want me to try for them. It's super fun and a great tight knit group that I really enjoy talking books with, and I'd love to have you part of it!

Hi there Dark Travelers! It is almost time to choose one of your benefits for the month of October, and that is the pick a book for me to read! For those of you who are new, one of the perks of membership is that each month one of our Dark Travelers gets to pick a book for me to read. It can be a book you want to read with me, a book you want to see me read and react to, or something you want me to try and let you know if it is worth it! I then read and discuss the book in Discord and on Bindery. If you are interested in participating, there are two ways to do this:

- If you're not on Discord and want to be, join us there where you all get a special tier and a private set of channels just for paid members. This is where I do most of our communication and where I discuss the book. You can join here: https://discord.gg/3HXNsJU6xT
- If you are not interested in being on Discord, but want to potentially pick a book for me to read, then comment below and I will enter you into the spin and let you know if you won!

We've had some great reads in this year - I've read Neuromancer, Dark Matter, The Price of Fear, The Starless Crown, King Sorrow, Stone, and Headlights. This month I'm doing my first Romantasy with Road of Bones! This is one of my favorite things I do, and I love getting to read what you all want me to try.

I'll pick a winner later this week - let me know if you want in!

Okay, so let’s chat about The Jasad Heir.

I’ve been attempting to read this duology since last year, and when I saw the audiobook available through my library this year, I immediately borrowed it

I usually listen to audiobooks at 1.7–2.0x speed. For this one? I was basically stuck at 1.0x.

I started at 2.0x but quickly had to slow down because there was SO much new terminology, so many names, and a VERY complex world to keep track of. I had to figure out four different kingdoms, the magic system, unfamiliar names, and a story that jumps back and forth between the past and present without always clearly signaling the change.

There were definitely moments where I was like, “Wait... who is this person and WHEN are we?”

But I pushed through, and eventually, it started to click.

It was good.

I think part of my issue is that I went into this expecting more of a romantasy, when it’s really a fantasy novel with a romance woven into it.

The romance IS there, though, and it is a TRUE slow burn, which I really appreciated. Y’all know I feel like we’re losing the art of the slow burn! In this book, our characters don’t really get together until the end of the duology, so if you want instant romance, this is probably not your book.

The plot is what really drives this series forward. There were definitely times when the pacing felt too slow for me, especially when we were spending so much time on character growth and world-building.

I kept toggling between a 3.5 and 4-star rating. The writing is good. The story is interesting. I understand why people love this series.

But it just didn’t give me that “I MUST FINISH THIS BOOK OR I WILL DIE” feeling that usually gets a 5-star rating from me.

And honestly, I do wonder if part of that is just timing. I started this after going back to work AND starting school, so my brain has been occupied with approximately 47 other things. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right headspace to fully connect with it.

I’m currently on Book 2 and still listening to the audiobook. Thankfully, I’ve gotten used to the names and terminology, so I can speed it up now that I actually understand what’s happening.

It’s still good. I just wish we got MORE of our MFC and MMC together because... hello???

Overall, I get the hype. I really do.

But for me?

It was just a good book.

Leave your thoughts below!

Another Tuesday and so another chance to introduce you to new books! These new releases are hitting shelves today, and should probably land on your TBR too.

Let us know in the comments which book release you are most excited for!

I’m switching it up a bit this week. There are a lot of new titles out today, so I focused on romances that you may not have seen on your Instagram feed. If I’ve omitted a title you feel passionate about and think this community will enjoy, please do share it in the comments!

Reminder that I haven't read any of these titles yet, so this isn't an official endorsement unless noted. Click through to read the post on Bindery for my full commentary.

Doomsdate by Laura Piper Lee (Dell) — I am biased because I beta-read this book and make a cameo appearance. It is very funny, sexy and inventive. I would love it even if I didn’t know Laura, but I do and you should listen to our podcast episodes here and here!

10 Things I Hate About Zombies by Hazel Graves (Avon) — Hell yeah, a zombie double feature. In this rom-com our heroes accidentally cause a zombie outbreak with some mishandled mushrooms at a smoothie shop, so that’s a fun twist. 

A Study In Sparkling by Jodi McAlister (Atria) — Jodi is one of those people I feel like I know because we’ve been mutuals on social media forever. She has very good takes, and her latest romance features a heroine falling for a younger man! You may know her from her other novels An Academic Affair and Not Here to Make Friends. 

Love Like No One’s Watching by Alyssa Jarrett (indie) — The finale of Alyssa’s Glam Fam series is here! Following a humiliating breakup, a social media influencer stars in a Bachelor-esque reality dating show. Instead of crushing on any of the cast members, she falls for the CEO of the company sponsoring the program. Oopsie! I’m a big fan of Alyssa’s newsletter about the romance genre, Grumpy + Sunshine. 

A Spell of Heart & Havoc by Kristen Vale (Forever) — Sapphic/queer romantasy about a half-dwarf who infiltrates a wealthy family and falls for their spoiled daughter with a magical secret. LOOK at that beautiful cover.

Keepsakes and Kismet by Farrah Colson (indie) — Reviewers are praising this book’s representation of PTSD and touch-aversion, which I so rarely see in romance and I’m excited to read! 

Thank You for Remembering by Emily Harding (Gallery) — Amnesia romances have fallen out of fashion, but this contemporary romance looks sweet and well-executed. 

Captured By The Werewolf Highwaymen by Eva Leigh (indie) — Look, I'm not going to say no to a historical omegaverse why choose romance written by one of my favorite authors. I started reading this series on the subway and clutched my metaphorical pearls. These highwaymen fuck. I interviewed Eva about blending hist-rom and romantasy last year!

Upcoming Events:

9/30: Launching Happily Ever Afterlife with Emma R. Alban at the Ripped Bodice BK. Tickets here.

10/5: I'm hosting another Romance Read-In to benefit Authors Against Book Bans at Book Club Bar in Manhattan on October 5th at 7:30pm! Tickets just went on sale here. We sold out last time, so don't hesitate. Featured authors include Shelly Jay Shore, Blair Fell, Zakiya N. Jamal, and the one and only Joanna Shupe!