Top Ten Tuesday: Fall Freebie

 This week's topic is a fall freebie - and I'm talking about some YA fall books.

Now that fall is officially here, it's time to read some cozy seasonal reads. I'm loving all the fall YA romance books this year. I haven't seen this trend before in YA and I'm here for it! 

To Read:

Already read:

Middle Grade Monday: Nothing to See Here

 

Winnie is having a terrible year. Her best friend is pulling away from her and joining the popular kids. Her parents took her phone away; she's the only kid in school who doesn't have a phone. Now there's a list going around rating girls in the class as Hot or Not. Guess which list she made...

When rumors start getting posted online - everyone is glued to their screens. It doesn't matter if what they're saying is true, everyone believes the rumors. Winnie and some other disgruntled students decide to start rumors of their own as an experiment. They hope to stop all the online hate and bullying. Can their idea make a difference?

My Thoughts: I felt terrible for all the kids in this book. I wouldn't want to grow up with social media. There's so much here to talk about: the friendship drama, cheating, phone privileges, bullying, gossip, the experiment, and fake news. I really love how the group of non-friends: 1) become friends and 2) create an experiment to play with fake news and rumors.  Also, I love that this was based off a news story. I hope this book makes readers think about their social media footprint. I hope it makes readers think about kindness. This subject is so important right now for middle school students and Barbara Dee handles it with perfection. I hope over the years, this becomes required reading. 

Cover Thoughts: Love it

Source: Book sent fore review

Library Recommendation: A must have for your school and public library collections - don't sleep on this one. 

Hand this book to: middle school students and parents of middle school students.

Release date: October 20, 2026.

Board Books: Barn in Fall

This rhyming board book showcases one day on the farm - the day of the fall festival. The illustrations are gorgeous. There's so much to pour over in this book.

* there are four books in this series, one for each season. 

TBR Check-in: Summer

This week, we shared our Fall TBR list and that means it's time to check in and see how I did with my summer list.

And it turns out - not well!

Read:

And I think it's because of two reasons:

1. Summer Reading always kicks my butt and leaves me less reading time 

2. We had a budget freeze for most of the summer, which means no new books. And while we do belong to a consortium, many libraries don't send new books. The budget passed and now we're back to normal. I'll hopefully be getting to read these books soonish.

How did you do on your list? 

Fall Romance Read: Honeycrisp Orchard Inn

 

Ellie's life just imploded. Her boss fired her after her boyfriend stole her presentation. Now she has: no boyfriend, no job, and no place to live. Her mother calls her out of the blue and asks for her help planning a Fall Festival. Ellie's thankful for the call; it couldn't have come at a better time.

She immediately heads for home; she hasn't been there in ages. She falls in the love with the town and the orchard all over again. Ellie has some fences to mend to her parents for not having been home in several years and to Aiden. Aiden was once her best friend, and she told him they were going to run the orchard and inn together. The more time she spends with him, the more she could see a future together living out their childhood dream. But can she really go back to small town life?

My Thoughts: It took me a beat to get into this one, but then I was hooked. A fantastic fall romance novel that hit so many fall beats. I loved the orchard and the inn; it seems like such a fun place to visit. I love how Ellie worked to pull together this festival that would help save the inn. I love her banter with Aiden. I loved the relationships she struck up with the other people who worked at the orchard/inn. And Pumpkin was adorable! I'm so glad that this is the start of a new series, because I didn't want this book to end.

Source: My Library

Cover Thoughts: Perfectly cute and very fall

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your romance collection

Hand to one to: readers who want fall stories and readers who enjoy Hallmark movies

Book 2:

I'm so happy it's a Christmas romance

Review: The Me I Used to Be

 

The Core Four were best friends in high school. They had it all - until one night a terrible accident tore them apart. Nothing has ever been the same for Audrey, Micah, Jasmine and Beck. They had a hard time putting the past behind them.

Now 25 years later, it's their high school reunion. Audrey sends an email asking the three of them to return home. She needs to share something with them. What she says will change everything - all over again.

But it also might help heal the scars, the guilt, and the pain from all those years ago.

My Thoughts: I knew going into this book that it would be an emotional read. And it was. It made me cry - at the end. So many tears. And I really enjoyed it. There were so many layers to this book, it was like peeling an onion. I loved how the book went back and forth in time, how it had multiple POVs, and how it all came together. Also I love how it was set in a fictional Vermont town. My heart broke for those girls and how one night changed everything - until they came back together again. I'm so glad that they did come back together again and I'm glad they were able to move forward. This was such a powerful reading about friendship, grief, healing, and forgiveness. 

Cover Thoughts: Charming

Source: Book sent for review

Library Recommendation: A must have book for your fiction collection

Confession: I've never gone to my high school reunion. I've never been brave enough. There are people I would like to catch up with and there are people I never need to see again. Have you ever been to one of yours?

Picture Book Review: Books about Pumpkins

 

Happy Fall!

Millie's planting pumpkins in her garden to make fall more colorful. She stores the extra seeds in her shed. But something happens to the shed - and ALL those seeds. 

This is a funny book about gardening (sort of), coming together as a community, and having fun. I love the different varieties of pumpkins and how the pumpkins help the next season too.

* book sent for review

Squirrel helps bird plant pumpkins. It takes ages for anything to sprout, but 5 pumpkins appear. Squirrel is SO happy. But one by one, the pumpkins go missing until there is only one left. Squirrel decides to look for clues to uncover the thief.

This book is part of a seasonal series that's a little silly and a whole lot of fun. There are many things that squirrel doesn't understand.