pick5 Stars • I Must Betray You is about Cristian, a Romanian teen in 1989 living under Ceaușescu‘s dictatorship. He gets blackmailed by the secret police to spy on people he loves, which makes him question trust and loyalty. As the revolution brews, Cristian risks everything to tell the truth and fight for freedom. It‘s about fear, betrayal, and finding courage in a time of dictatorship.
#IMustBetrayYou #RutaSepetys #Bookish
pickWow! What a phenomenal YA fantasy!
First off, the blend of Hamlet, the Tudors, and deadly flowers were an amazing combination. It all worked together perfectly. It had a gothic feel with a touch of horror. I loved it!
Let‘s take a moment to talk about the grave flowers themselves. These killer flowers had a life of their own and were so fascinating.
Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/09/30/review-grave-flowers/
Read in September 2025
15 Books
Three 5-Star reads this month:
• Lions and Scavengers
• King of Ashes
• The South Wind
#Goodreads #Bookstagram #Litsy #Libby #Audible #Kindle #StoryGraph #Bookish
pick3.5 Stars • Sarah Wynn-Williams‘ Careless People tells what it was like working inside Facebook. She starts out hopeful, but ends up disillusioned as she sees the company chase growth and power at all costs—ignoring hate speech, flirting with censorship to get into China, and letting politics get messy on the platform. ⬇️
My choices: Romance, Kindle, Bookstore, Thriller, Paperback, Fiction, Bed Reader, Always with Snacks, New Release, Biography, Read in a Coffee Shop, Spice, The Book, Goodreads, Pretty Stingy with Stars.
What are your choices?
Leave your answers in the comments ↓
Have an amazing Monday, everyone!
#ThisorThat #Bookish
pick5 Stars • The South Wind (The Four Winds 3) by Alexandria Warwick is a standalone romantasy inspired by Sleeping Beauty. Princess Sarai of Ammara, cursed to fall into a deadly sleep, navigates a strategic engagement and the return of Notus, the exiled South Wind god. Set in a vivid desert kingdom, their past sparks tension amid political intrigue and elemental magic.
#TheSouthWind #TheFourWinds #AlexandriaWarwick #Bookish
pick3.5 Stars • The Names by Florence Knapp (2025) is a gripping debut about Cora, a young mom in 1987 England, choosing her baby boy‘s name while stuck in a toxic marriage. The story splits into three paths, each following a different name, showing how one decision shapes a family‘s future. It‘s a heartfelt mix of raw emotion and subtle what-if vibes, exploring love, struggle, and healing with vivid prose.
#TheNames #FlorenceKnapp #Bookish
pickThis was a cute fall romance!
The set up is not the greatest and is the weakest part of the book. The party at the pumpkin farm and fixing up the barn premise didn‘t quite work. But since this is a romance I just rolled with it. The book is also a bit of a slow burn.
The two leads were cute together. I loved seeing their relationship slowly develop.
Full Review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/09/21/review-theres-pumpkin-about-you/
pick5 Stars • In S.A. Cosby's "King of Ashes" (2025), Atlanta banker Roman Carruthers returns to his Virginia hometown after his father's accident. He faces family turmoil—his brother Dante's debts to criminals and sister Neveah's struggling crematorium business. As secrets unravel, Roman navigates a brutal underworld, making ruthless choices in a gritty Southern noir tale of loyalty, vengeance, and moral ambiguity.
#KingOfAshes #SACosby #Bookish
pickWhat an action packed fantasy!
The best part was the forest setting. Forests are incredible places and the story captured the beauty and harshness of it well. It was the perfect setting of the survival theme that ran throughout the story. An integral part of the story was being able to survive in the forest with limited resources.
Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/09/18/review-leave-no-trace-stories-fro...
