17th Annual Broke & Bookish Secret Santa and Christmas Card Exchange Event Information

Posted October 8, 2026 by Jana in Blog Event / 0 Comments

I can’t believe it, but here we are again! It’s time for one of my favorite parts of the holiday season: Broke & Bookish Secret Santa! Last year I opened sign-ups about 10 days earlier than usual (which means pairing day was also about 10 days earlier than usual) and everyone loved having some extra time to shop and wait for slower shipping times, so that’s now a permanent change! Please make sure you read through the entirety of this post before signing up, even if you’ve participated a bunch of times, to ensure you’re clear on everything and aware of any changes!

CHRISTMAS CARD EXCHANGE INFO:

This exchange is open internationally and you must be 18 years old or older. You can sign up to send 5 or 10 cards and will receive the same in return. Please note that this will not be divided up by countries, so you might be sending internationally. You are more than welcome to sign up for this exchange in addition to a Secret Santa package, and I will not be placing a cap on participants for this exchange.

SIGN-UPS CLOSE AT 11:59 PM MST ON NOVEMBER 5TH!
I will be emailing you your list of card recipients on November 6th.

If you want to sign up for the Christmas card exchange, please do so through the following links:

5 cards
10 cards

THINGS YOU NEED TO DO:

1. Mail your cards by December 1st (ASAP if you’re sending internationally). Delivery times can increase during the holidays, so getting these out sooner rather than later makes it especially fun for those who enjoy hanging up or displaying their cards all season.

2. Once you have sent out all your cards, please fill out this form.

3. Writing a note (and not just signing your name) is not required, but encouraged, because it makes this exchange even happier and more special. Consider sharing the title of your favorite read of this year (so far), including a yummy holiday recipe you love, or offering cheerful wishes for the holiday season or upcoming new year. Some people have enclosed a bookmark or sticker, too, which is such a fun idea. Take the opportunity to make some new friends!

4. This exchange highlights holiday cheer, so please do not include personal promotional/marketing materials in your cards.

5. Include some way for your card recipients to find/contact you online! If you only include your mailing address and name, they won’t be able to figure out who you are unless they write back… and since that is not a requirement of this event you might miss out on a new friend. A Twitter/Insta handle, blog link, or email address would be perfect.

6. Include the hashtag #TBTBSanta or mention the event name somewhere on the envelope or in the card so your recipient knows you’re from this event.

 

SECRET SANTA INFO:

1. You must be 18 years old or older to participate.

2. Please only sign up if you are committed to sending off a package on time. Really think about whether or not you’ll have the time and the money to send a thoughtful gift to your recipient–one you’d be happy to receive yourself.

3. Be as thorough as possible in your questionnaire (no amount of info is too much). Please utilize the event hashtag on Twitter/Instagram (#TBTBSanta) and/or the Facebook group to ask questions, or reach out to the contact your recipient provided if you have questions or need clarification on their survey. I’m also always available to help you!

4. I personally send out confirmation emails when I receive your questionnaire so that you know your info is safely in my inbox and you’re on my list to pair. I send these emails within 24-48 hours of receiving your sign-up. If you don’t receive a confirmation email, please write to me to make sure I got your previous email. Please don’t re-submit your sign-up unless I ask you to, or you might end up being paired twice.

5. There are Google forms linked below in the “things to do” section for you to fill out when you have sent your package and when you have received your package. These forms will also be included in the email I send out with your recipient’s information. Please don’t forget to fill them out!

6. I do my best to pair people who plan to be on the same social media platforms (and also those who do not plan to use social media at all and will be sticking to email or snail mail) because many participants really love that part of this event. So please answer the questions about your social media presence honestly. If you plan to post on Facebook, Twitter, both, or neither, I’ll try to match you with people who plan to do the same.

7. A note to people outside of the USA: Please understand that I can’t guarantee that you will be assigned to send to someone who lives remotely close to you. I try to work it out geographically, but it all depends on who signs up and which package they sign up to send. I can, however, guarantee that you will not be sending to someone in the USA in order to make sure you avoid any tariffs.

Countries are divided up into mailing groups to help with shipping costs. If you live in one of the locations listed below, you will be placed in that mailing group and could be sending to any of the countries listed in that group. If you sign up for a package type that nobody else close to you has signed up for, you will be placed in a different mailing group. If you are unsure as to whether or not you can afford the shipping, please do a little research before you sign up. I will continually update this post with a list of countries where participants are from (and which mailing groups they are in) so you can see where you might potentially be sending your package. If you have questions or concerns, please send me an email and we can discuss how to make this work for you! I’ll do my best to accommodate any requests, provided you message me well before pairing day so I have time to work on things. You’re also welcome to drop out anytime before pairing day if you decide this won’t work for you after all.

Mailing Groups: 

  • This will be updated as people sign up. 

8. I’m capping this event at 250 participants. If you sign-up after the cap has been reached, I will reply and let you know.

9. I can’t ensure that you will not be assigned to send someone you’ve sent to before, or someone you’ve been paired with in other gift-giving events.

If a family member or significant other is signing up for the same package type that you are and you want to make sure you are not paired with them, please note that at the top of your signup before your questionnaire answers so that it’s the first thing I see. Please tell me their full name and/or the email address they used to sign up with. Making it large and bold would also be helpful. Once pairing emails go out, pairs are set in stone and I will not be able switch things around since many people start shopping immediately.

10. Please note that this is NOT a swap. You will not be sending to the same person who is sending to you except in rare circumstances where only one other person from your country signs up. In that case, I will pair you together so shipping costs less.

Sign-ups officially close at 11:59 PM MST on November 4th
and I will send out pairings on November 5th.

(Watch Twitter/Facebook for when I post an update that I’m about the start pairing.
I don’t recommend waiting until the last minute, but I also know life happens!
As long as your sign-up is in before I post that update, I’ll accept it as long as the cap hasn’t been reached.
I tend to pair during the late afternoon/early evening.)

HOW TO SIGN UP:

Please be careful if you are copying and pasting a previous year’s questionnaire, as the questions continue to change over time!

To sign up, send an email to TBTBSecretSanta (at) gmail (dot) com answering all of the following questions. (NOTE: Please do not attach a document to your email. Just copy and paste your answers directly into the body of the email. Please do not include any attachments that you want me to send on to your Santa.).

  1. Full Name & Mailing Address (Exactly as it should appear on the mailing label)
  2. Please choose which gift you will be sending to your recipient (I will be grouping people accordingly, so you will receive a package in the same tier you choose. Please note that ARCs have no monetary value and will, therefore, not count towards the item quantities listed here. Think of them as a fun bonus if you choose to include them.):
    A. 1 book and a small gift/goodie (Due to lack of interest, this tier is only available to participants in the USA)
    B. 1-2 books and a couple small gifts/goodies
    C. 2+ books and multiple small gifts/goodies
  3. Are you planning to be active on the #TBTBSanta hashtag on Twitter/X during this event? If so, please share your handle. (If you answer no, you will still be allowed to participate. This is just info for your Santa.)
  4. Will you be participating in the private Facebook group for this event (open only to participants in my Santa events)? If so, please write the name you joined the group with. (This is also not required, but I really encourage you to be active in at least one of these places because it’s more fun! You can join this group with your outlet’s Facebook page or your personal account. You can also make a new account just to join this group if you want to maintain more privacy or keep your online and personal lives separate. Aliases are fine, too, just let your Santa know how to determine who you are in there. Anonymous posting will be allowed, which means it’ll be easier for you to be stealthy with your questions! You can actually tag your recipient specifically if you need an answer from them and they won’t know who you are. The link to the group will be included in the confirmation email I’ll send you when your questionnaire is received.)
  5. If you answered no to both of the above questions, where will you be posting about your gift and thanking your Santa? (If your plan is to snail mail a thank you card to them, please email me to let me know your package arrived and that you will be mailing your Santa with a thank you. I’ll pass the message along to them so they aren’t worried their gift to you was lost.)
  6. Other social media handles/links: (Include any social media or blogs that will help your Santa get to know you. You must be active and not private on at least one social media platform in order to participate. Exceptions will be made for people who have participated in my Santa event(s) before and have since left social media.)
  7. List of 10-15 books you’d like to read, or a link to a book wishlist: (Please include old and new releases and please do not ask for books that have not been released yet or books that are no longer in print. If you’re linking to a wishlist, please make sure it is viewable either publicly or by those who have the link at least for the time this event runs. Double check that your link works while logged out of your account. Please keep your wishlist separate if you participate in other gift-giving events. Santas should not feel obligated to return anything if they discover that items from this exclusive list were purchased by someone else, and will be advised to send the duplicate item anyway.)
  8. Genres you read the most:
  9. List of your bookish preferences: (your favorite authors, things you will not read, if you prefer hardback or paperback, if you would prefer all ebooks, if you don’t care about book format at all, if you collect editions of certain books, if you’re ok with used books, if you would be happy receiving a book not on your wishlist that your Santa thinks you would like, etc.)
  10. Food and other allergies/dietary restrictions:
  11. Would you be open to receiving homemade food items?: 
  12. All the things about yourself: (Please tell your Secret Santa about yourself. The more they know about you, the better job they can do picking out your additional small gifts/goodies. For example: general info about yourself (pronouns, job, age, school/major, family, pets, etc.), if you celebrate Christmas or not, your hobbies/passions, music you love, scents or flavors you like/do not like, TV shows you watch, favorite movies, things you collect, fandoms you’re a part of, if you would love something special from where your Secret Santa lives, coffee/tea you like, candy/snacks you like, favorite colors, shoe/sock size, favorite patterns, your style/aesthetic, favorite animals, things you are obsessed with, etc. Also, if you have an e-reader and would be happy receiving ebooks or a gift card, mention that and include your preferred email address(es).)
  13. Would you be able to send internationally if needed? (This question mainly applies to people in the USA, since I can’t guarantee that you will not be sending internationally if you live outside the USA.) Please answer with:
    A. Yes, I can.
    B. No, I cannot.
    C. Would prefer not to but will if needed (Be careful with this one, as you could be shipping anywhere.)
    NA. I do not live in the USA, and understand that I might be sending internationally. (In order to avoid tariffs, nobody from outside the USA will be assigned to send to someone in the USA.)
  14. Please confirm that you are 18 years old or older:
    A. Yes, I am.
    B. I am not.
  15. Have you participated in Broke & Bookish Secret Santa or Christmas in July before, or is this your first time?:
  16. Please provide the contact information (name and Twitter or Insta handle/email address) of someone your Secret Santa can contact with questions about you: (This person does not have to know you well. They will only serve as the relayer of information between you and your Santa. Please ask this person to open their DMs on Twitter/Insta if this is how they prefer to be contacted. If you don’t know who to ask to be your contact or the idea of asking someone makes you feel anxious, you may put me down as your buddy and include either my twitter handle (@ArtsyReaderGirl) or the event email address. You don’t even have to ask me first.)
  17. Any questions, comments or additional things your Secret Santa (or I) should know?
  18. If you would like to sign up to receive an email notification when future Broke & Bookish Secret Santa sign-ups go live (always in October), please submit your email address here (I will scan and remove duplicates from this list before emailing each year, so if you’re not sure whether or not you already signed up for this list do it again! You can ask me to remove you from this list at any point if you decide you no longer want to receive this notification, and I will promptly remove you.)

 

THINGS YOU NEED TO DO:

1. It is recommended that you mail your package by December 8th (perhaps earlier if you are sending internationally). This is a recommendation and not a shipping deadline. Please ensure your package arrives no later than December 24th. 

2. If something comes up that will cause your package to be delivered after December 24th, please email me and let me know. I don’t need all the details if it’s personal, but communication is super important in an exchange like this. I will always be empathetic, understanding, and respectful of your privacy. If I have to chase you down to find out why your recipient did not receive anything from you, I will decline your sign-up request for future Secret Santa events I host. Exceptions will always be made if something catastrophic occurs, so if that happens please get in touch with me when you are able.

3. Please do not ship gifts directly from retailers (unless you approve it with me first). Gifts should be thoughtfully chosen based on your recipient’s questionnaire, wrapped nicely, and sent in a box together. Please include some kind of a note or card.

4. Once you’ve sent your gift, please hold onto the tracking number and submit it through this form. This is mandatory. Shipping delays and lost/stolen mail are not your fault. A tracking number proves you did all you could, and I do not expect people to spend more money to replace lost/stolen gifts if the tracking shows that they mailed it. That’s why submitting tracking is so important. Holding onto tracking also enables you to file a missing/lost mail claim and collect insurance on the gift so you can re-buy if needed. If you’d rather email me a picture of your tracking number, please still fill out this form and specify you emailed me so I’ve got a record and know where to look for it if I need to. 

5. Once you’ve received your gift, please fill out this form.

6. Be sure to thank your Secret Santa when you receive your gift. You can do this via social media or reach out to me for their email address. I know this should go without saying, but there have been some ungrateful people in the past who never thanked their Santas or even acknowledged that they received their gifts. That’s completely unacceptable, not to mention rude. People who do not thank their Santas will not be allowed to participate in future Secret Santa events I host.

Another note on thank you’s… Please acknowledge you received your gift even if you do not plan to open your gift until Christmas Day (or any day other than the day you received it). In this case, please say you received it publicly on social media or reach out to me for their email address. Your Santa is likely watching your online activity, eager to know that their gift is safely in your hands and has not been stolen or lost. You can thank them personally after you’ve opened your gift and discovered their identity.

7. Please do not ask me to investigate where your package is until December 27th. I will be taking Christmas Day and the day after to spend with my family, and I will be happy to investigate the status of your package on the 27th. I will try my very best to work things out, but please understand that there is only so much I can do.

8. Ignoring important emails from me that require a response (such as me checking in for a status update on a late package or asking if you received your gift/plan to thank your Santa) will disqualify you from participating in future Santa events I host.

9. Please reach out to me through the event email with any questions or concerns, and not my Twitter DMs or my blog/personal Facebook pages. I juggle so many things with this event, and having everything in one inbox where it’s easy to manage means I won’t lose track of your message.

10. Please utilize the event hashtag (#TBTBSanta) or the Facebook group to ask questions, post hints, thank your Santa, and share in your shopping/gifting/receiving/sending process! Show us what you got! It’s also really helpful to search your person’s handle with the hashtag and see all the questions they’ve answered and the gifts they received in previous years. You can also search the Facebook group by your recipient’s name, which will bring up a list of all the posts they have made in the group and also all the posts they have commented on. Then you can sift through the comments to find theirs. It’s a little clunkier than searching the Twitter hashtag by keywords, but it gets the job done!

11. Please do not request a tracking number from your Santa on the event hashtag or in the Facebook group. This causes unnecessary stress for everyone involved in this event. If having the tracking number is important to you (because you live in a shared dwelling or will be traveling), please put that request in your questionnaire. 

GIFT GUIDELINES & SUGGESTIONS:

1. Books can be new or used. Use your discretion as far as used books go, but please be kind and don’t send something you wouldn’t want to receive. They should be in very good condition (so probably not ex-library copies). ARCs have no monetary value and should, therefore, only be included in addition to the number of books and goodies you committed to send.

2. When I say “goodies or small gifts”, I don’t mean free swag. If you think your recipient would really love and appreciate these kinds of items (maybe you have something cool signed by an author they love), feel free to add them after you’ve gathered some other thoughtful goodies. Please just make sure that these additional goodies are not all things anyone could have picked up at a book event or received from publishers in the mail.

3. Please do not include personal marketing or promotional materials such as promotional bookmarks, postcard ads, business cards, book samplers, etc. in the gift you send. This can appear as though you signed up only to promote your product/service, and takes away from the holiday cheer.

4. Regarding food items: Due to allergies and other health concerns, please do not send homemade food items unless your recipient mentions that they would like them. Pre-packaged, store-bought foods are encouraged! Please just make sure that they are wrapped/sealed in their original wrapping/packaging from the manufacturer. Sprinkling candy into the box like confetti is fine, it just needs to be individually wrapped to protect the health of your recipient.

5. Be thoughtful. Most of the time the gifts are really sweet and thoughtful, but occasionally someone throws random crap from the donation pile in their house into a box to fulfill their commitment.

6. If you aren’t sure what kinds of things to add for the additional small gifts, peruse the #TBTBsanta feed on Twitter/Instagram or look through the media in the Facebook group to see pictures of packages from previous years. There are lots of good ideas!

Please ask any questions in the comments in case others are wondering the same things!!

Top Ten Tuesday Link-up – October 6, 2026

Posted October 5, 2026 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 13 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! And happy October! I have a very bad case of Bronchitis and have been coughing constantly for 10 days now. There’s no light at the end of the tunnel for me yet, and I’m too brain dead and exhausted to think up a list for today’s topic: Books that Conjure Up Happy Memories. Feel free to tell us about those memories if you’d like! Anyway, I will be visiting your blogs and reading your posts in an effort to cheer myself up and find some good book recommendations!

Unfortunately, my usual link-up service is not working again (I even had to temporarily remove linkys from the other TTT posts on the first page of my blog just to get my site to load). I’m now officially looking for another place that can fulfill this need because this is absolutely ridiculous. Right now, I’m looking at Linky Tools but if you have recommendations for another company to go through, please share! This week’s link-up through Linky Tools is a little different, but should be pretty intuitive.

  • Click to enter.
  • Put your name and blog name in the Link Title or Blog Title section, like usual.
  • Paste your link in the link section.
  • You can enter your name and email address if you want, but there’s really no need for you to.
  • You’re all set! My test submission is in the #1 spot this week, just to make sure it works. Feel free to ignore it.

Got any home remedies for Bronchitis?
Tell me which book(s) make you smile just by thinking of them.



Top Ten Autumn-Themed Books on My To-Read List

Posted September 28, 2026 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 12 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic is a fall-themed freebie, which means you get to come up with whatever topic you want that falls under the Fall/Autumn category. There’s a lot you can do with this, and I’m excited to visit all the posts this week and see what everyone decides to share. I love an autumn-themed book, so I’ve decided to share some of those books from my to-read list. I will not be sharing any duplicates from last week’s list, but several of those fit this topic so I’m linking it here just in case you’d like to see more of my picks.

The Sugar Maple Inn by Laura Bloom
The Pumpkin Bride by Fiona Buttercup
Pumpkin Spice and Promises by Nora Everly
Something About September by Julia McKay
Autumn at the Cat Cafe by Kathleen Fuller
Candy Apple Kisses by Amy Clipston
Rules for Love by Lexi Vale
Falling for Keeps by Kasey Stockton
Fall Into Place by Kristyn J. Miller
The Sugar and Spice Bookshop Bakery by Jennifer Page

What topic did you settle on this week?
Do you have any autumn-themed read recs I might like?

Top Ten Books on My Fall 2026 To-Read List

Posted September 21, 2026 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 46 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! And happy first day of Fall! Fall is my favorite season, and my mom, sister, and I are going on our annual leaf peeping drive in the mountains today (followed by ice cream after) and I’m so excited! It’s officially my favorite time of year and it only gets better from here (well, for the next 3 months at least). I love reading Fall-themed rom-coms, cozy fantasies, and spooky, atmospheric tales during this time of year so those are what my list is filled with today. I’m excited to see what you have planned for your cozy Fall reading!

The Mudpuddle Manual of Natural Magic by Ciara Blume

A murder, a mystery, and a not-so-overactive imagination…

Eccentric heiress Maida Westbrook treasures her peaceful, “ordinary” life in California—morning strolls along the beach, warm evenings by the fire, and losing herself in her beloved library of myths and legends. Yet, despite knowing the difference between fact and fiction, Maida can’t shake the nagging sense that there’s more to her story than she’s been led to believe. Strange and inexplicable occurrences have always surrounded her, dismissed as nothing more than an overactive imagination.

When a distant relative mysteriously vanishes, a body is discovered, and Maida’s lifelong dream of owning a charming bookshop suddenly comes true she realizes her imagination might not have been so far-fetched after all.

There’s just one the sentient bookshop has gone into hiding and it’s up to Maida to coax it back. To claim her inheritance, she must step out of her safe, predictable world and embrace a reality where magic is not only real—it’s woven into the very fabric of everyday life. That handsome neighbor? He might be a shapeshifter. And the barista who runs the local café? She’s likely brewing more than coffee.

As Maida unravels the secrets of her past, she’s forced to rethink everything she once held true. Saving the bookshop—and protecting her newfound magical family—will require more courage than she ever thought possible, including risking her heart.

How To Marry A Winged King by A.J. Lancaster

Cinders just wanted to dance at the ball.
But she becomes part of a game to find a fae king’s bride.

As a lowly human, Cinders has never been good enough for her noble fae family – but she can’t escape them. Every dawn, the magic binding her to their manor calls her back.

When the fae king announces he’ll choose a bride at the Thrice-Held Ball, Cinders is of course forbidden to attend. Even if the dancing doesn’t go past dawn, her family would never allow her to be seen with them. But after she receives a pair of enchanted shoes that alter her appearance, she can’t resist the chance to become someone else for a night. She’ll dance in disguise for the three nights of the ball and enjoy her small stolen freedom.

She never expected to catch the fae king’s eye, or for her act of rebellion to turn into something far more dangerous. Everyone wants to know who the mysterious masked lady is, and they won’t rest until they find out. King Tawhiri sees her as no one ever has before, but how can she trust it’s more than just enchantment at work?

Can she make it home by dawn? And does she even want to marry a winged king, anyway?

A gorgeous reimagining of the Cinderella story, set in an enchanting world full of fae, magic and romance.

Til Quest Do Us Part by Ivelisse Housman

Two Former Teen Protagonists Who Saved the World now need to learn how to be adults—with adult feelings—in this witty, warm romantic fantasy.

Princess Elysande Sybilla Aurelion of Estrachia, Voice of the Thousand-Eyed Goddess, impulsively made a vow to her knight, Faron, at eighteen years old, under the secrecy of night and the thousand watchful eyes of her patron deity. To be fair, they expected to perish at the hands of a raging sorceress the next day—but then they didn’t.

Once she took the throne, everything changed. Ely and Faron agreed that they were too young and too important—as the now Queen and Knight Guardian—to be anything more. And with Ely’s responsibility as the new sovereign of her people, it was better to forget the whole thing than risk the kingdom’s newfound peace.

Ten years later, Ely finds herself needing to marry the prince of a neighboring territory for political advantage, and discovers that she is, technically, married to her best friend. And the Goddess won’t let her out of her oath that easily. Now, Ely and Faron must work together to seek the deity and break their vows in favor of the greater good—even if they risk rekindling a flame that never truly died.

Forbidden to Fall by Martha Keyes

He’s the villain in everyone else’s story. What happens if he becomes the hero of hers?

Sadie Stevenson is very good at three things: baking, avoiding conflict, and pretending she never had a crush on her brother’s best friend—ex best friend, that is.

She’s about to get worse at all three.

When James Carver returns to Autumn Ridge after eight years away, Sadie tells herself that working alongside him at Carver Maple Farm is just business. She tells herself she can handle this.

She cannot handle this.

In a town with a long memory and with a brother who will never forgive, falling for James isn’t just complicated, it’s forbidden.

Too bad James Carver turns out to be nothing like the villain she was promised.

A Fall to Remember by Ellie Alexander

If you love cozy small-town settings, swoon-worthy autumn vibes, second-chance romance, and The Gilmore Girls, pour yourself a pumpkin spice latte, and curl up with A Fall to Remember.

Miranda Brown never meant to become famous. She just wanted a quiet vacation―a rare break from running The Green Grocer, the cozy market that’s been the heart of Half Moon Bay, California, for three generations. But when her spectacularly terrible travel photos go viral, Miranda becomes an unlikely internet sensation.

Now a major travel company wants her to cover her hometown’s beloved Fall Harvest Festival, sending the charming (and undeniably handsome) Jim Cole to help capture her authentic, imperfect magic on camera.

As golden leaves fall and the scent of apple cider fills the air, Miranda finds that being yourself is harder than it looks―especially when she’s falling for Jim. But when she learns his job depends on this campaign’s success, she must decide: are his feelings real, or is she just part of his marketing plan?

A cozy, heartwarming romance that celebrates second chances and finding love when you least expect it. Perfect for fans of Laurie Gilmore, Julia Olivia and Misty Wilson.

Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood

Belladonna Blackthorn hasn’t lost her magical spark . . . but she hasn’t seen it in a while, either.

Balancing work at her beloved Lunar Books with protecting it from her toxic boss, who’s running it into the ground, and all the while concealing her witchcraft from the non-wicches around her – Belle is burnt out. Perfecting the potential of her magic is the last thing on her mind.

But when her 30th birthday brings a summons from her coven, and a trial that tests her worthiness as a witch, Belle risks losing her magic forever. With the month of October to fix things, and signs that dark forces may be working against her, Belle will need all the help she can get – from the women in her life, from an unlikely mentor figure, and even an (infuriatingly handsome) watchman who’s sworn to protect her . . .

With found family, slow burn romance and an uplifting message about self-love, this is the cosy, autumnal read that you’ve been waiting for.

The Dog Park Murders by Angela Barker

A killer has been unleashed in their small town…

Juliette Macintyre has never met a dog she didn’t love. For one thing, dogs don’t judge, unlike the human residents of Labrador Falls. Most locals look at her with suspicion because her father was once a dirty cop, even though Juliette is upbeat, helpful, and the best pet groomer around. She just needs to prove it…starting with new resident Joel Cunningham, an enigma wrapped in a checked shirt and a scowl.

Joel runs the Brewed Awakening café, where the coffee is as smooth as Joel is surly. He doesn’t serve pumpkin spice, he doesn’t chitchat, and he claims he doesn’t like dogs. Yet when Juliette stumbles upon a dead body in the dog park, strangled with one of her custom leashes, Joel becomes an unexpected ally.

He has no intention of opening up, to either his cute neighbor or the foster pup she foists on him. But he can’t let a biased detective frame Juliette for murder. Whoever killed the widely loathed Maurice Allsop may be desperate enough to strike again. If they can just ignore their chemistry and focus on the clues, Juliette and Joel might be able to solve the case—before somebody else bites the dust…

The Haunted Librarian by Auralee Wallace

A lonely librarian finds love, friends, and a few ghosts between the shelves in this cozy, paranormal tale from beloved bestselling author Auralee Wallace.

It’s a dark and stormy night…and Amelia Bates is caught in the rain. Life hasn’t always been kind to her, and being a ghostseer certainly doesn’t make things any easier.

Glowing warmly through the autumnal downpour is her safest the library. Amelia, the newly hired librarian, has always relished the comfort of curling up with a novel, vastly preferring it to the company of humans (alive or ghostly).

But Amelia is shocked to discover the building is full of more than quiet stories and warm cups of tea. There are curious, talkative patrons, a shy, bespectacled head librarian who makes her heart skip a beat, and three quirky spirits causing paranormal havoc that endangers the future of the library.

To help the ghosts and save the building, Amelia will have to gather all her bravery and wits, because learning to trust others might just be the first step to a happily ever after she only thought was possible in books.

Some Kind of Haunted by Hazel Beck

Home is where the haunt is.

Lexi Darling has always been a city girl through and through. New York is loud, crowded, and just chaotic enough to keep her mind off everything she’d rather not think about—especially the eerily realistic nightmares that have plagued her all her life. So when she and her twin brother, Logan, are summoned to the postcard-perfect town of Midas, Iowa, one golden October to handle an inheritance from the grandmother they never knew, Lexi figures it’ll be a quick detour: sign a few papers, snap a fall foliage selfie, and catch the next flight home.

But Midas has other plans.

The town has been waiting for the Darling twins, and it’s not about to let them leave. Their arrival stirs up a centuries-old curse, one that promises something dark and hungry will rise again by Halloween night. And the key to stopping it might just lie in their family’s mysterious past. Now, trapped in Midas with the shadows closing in, Lexi has to team up with a group of stubborn locals to save the town…including Jack, the grumpy-but-unfairly attractive diner owner who drives her crazy in all the wrong ways.

As the nights grow longer and an uncanny evil creeps closer, Lexi must uncover the truth behind the curse before Midas—and everyone in it—is consumed. Because in Midas, some secrets refuse to stay buried—and some nightmares never end.

A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin

Two women, bound by blood and betrayal, must break silence across centuries—or be silenced forever, in the dazzling new novel by New York Times bestselling author Madeline Martin.

Lilith Legare’s life is unraveling. Since her mother’s death, strange things have been happening – plants turn toward her touch, animals linger in her path, and the birthmark on her arm has started tingling. Worse still is her recurring nightmare of being burned alive at the stake.

Her search for answers brings her from Savannah to England, to the decaying Brackenmere Manor where the past blurs with the present. There, Lilith discovers a legacy she never asked for and along with it, the threat of peril. History must be rewritten, or she too will die.

In 1645 Suffolk, Sybil Brantham stands accused as a witch. An educated, wealthy widow, she is branded a threat by men who fear her independence. As arrests begin and suspicion abounds, Sybil must protect her younger sister, even as betrayal takes root within her household.

Across centuries, Lilith and Sybil are bound by blood and by danger. To save themselves, and each other, they must confront the silence that has stolen women’s power for generations—and dare to claim their voices before it’s too late.

Are any of these on your to-read list this season?
Have you read and loved any of my picks?
What’s the book at the top of your to-read list right now?

Top Ten Authors I’ve Met

Posted September 14, 2026 by Jana in About Me, Top Ten Tuesday / 16 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic is: Top Ten Authors I’ve Met. I used to go to a lot of author events when I read YA, but there aren’t as many opportunities for adult fiction authors (at least where I live). It was hard limiting my list to just ten, as I’ve been lucky enough to meet quite a few amazing authors, but these ones have been the most memorable!

Marissa Meyer
She came to my local library in 2012 as part of the Fierce Reads tour when Cinder came out, and I was so excited to meet her! I love the Lunar Chronicles.

Leigh Bardugo
She was also part of the Fierce Reads tour for Shadow and Bone. I literally bought the book only because it was one of my first author events and I was excited to meet authors and get some signed books. I had no idea how much I would love the Grishaverse. I met her again at an ALA annual conference and she complimented my long eyelashes and slipped me some Grisha nail polish under the table that she wasn’t supposed to give me. lol.

Sarah J. Maas
I met her at my very first ALA annual conference in Anaheim! She was there to promote Throne of Glass. I’d never heard of the book before, but it looked really good so I had her sign my ARC. Again, I had NO idea how much I would love the worlds she’s created since.

Marc Brown
I met him at ALA in 2014! If you don’t recognize his name, he’s the author and illustrator of the Arthur children’s book series! I have always adored Arthur, even as an adult. The books and show were a huge part of my childhood and it was surreal meeting him. It was a surprise to see him there, and I wish I’d known ahead of time so I could have brought some of my Arthur books for him to sign. I did get a lovely hardback copy of his new (at the time) book titled In New York, though.

Markus Zusak
Another ALA author surprise! His flight was super delayed and they worried he would not make it in time, but he got there and stayed way longer than he’d planned to make sure everyone could get their books signed. He signed a complimentary copy of The Book Thief for me, which I later read (and loved) as part of my YA lit class in grad school. He was so, so nice.

Susan Wiggs
She was the keynote speaker for the Utah Readers Luncheon in 2018 and it was really fun meeting her! She signed my copy of The Charm School.  When I handed it to her she gave it a wistful smile and told me it had quite the cult following among teens when it came out in 1999. It’s still my favorite book of hers.

Susan Mallery
She was the keynote speaker for the 2019 Utah Readers Luncheon and I got quite a few of her Fools Gold books signed.

Mo Willems
The author of the Pigeon books! I met him at ALA (I can’t remember which one) and I was so excited. He’s so nice!

Mary E. Pearson
Mary made me feel like a celebrity. I was standing in her signing line at ALA and when she looked up and saw my name and my blog’s name on my badge, she screamed “Jana!!!!” and jumped out of her seat and ran around the table to hug me. Everyone looked at me like “who the heck is she??” I’d fangirled hard over The Kiss of Deception and interviewed her on my blog, and she remembered me!

Anna Banks
I also met her at my library for the 2012 Fierce Reads tour. I was a newish blogger and had been requesting ARCs from so many publishers and getting declined for all of them. Of Poseidon was the very first ARC I was actually sent as the result of an emailed request. Up to that point, I was just reviewing what I bought and what I could “read now” on Netgalley. Macmillan took a chance on me with Of Poseidon and I have been receiving their books for review ever since! I can’t believe it’s been 14 years now. Anyway, Anna signed that ARC and drew a little shark in it.

Do you like going to author events and book signings?
Which authors have you met?