Search This Blog

2025 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


31 / 30 bookish books. 103% done!

2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


47 / 50 books. 94% done!

2025 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (2)
- Arizona (2)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (10)
- Colorado (3)
- Connecticut (1)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (2)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (1)
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (3)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (2)
- Maine (5)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (1)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (2)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (8)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (3)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (2)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (3)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (5)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (1)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)

International:
- Australia (5)
- Canada (3)
- England (18)
- France (2)
- Greece (2)
- Italy (1)
- Japan (1)
- Norway (1)
- Puerto Rico (1)
- Scotland (2)
- Vietnam (1)

My Progress:


51 / 51 states. 100% done!

2025 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


33 / 50 books. 66% done!

2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

My Progress:


39 / 50 books. 78% done!

Booklist Queen's 2025 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


40 / 52 books. 77% done!

2025 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


43 / 52 books. 83% done!

2025 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


32 / 40 books. 80% done!

2025 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


40 / 51 cozies. 78% done!

2025 Medical Examiner Mystery Reading Challenge

2025 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

My Progress


26 / 26.2 miles. 99% done!

2025 Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


33 / 100 books. 33% done!

2025 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

My Progress:


71 / 109 books. 65% done!

2025 Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


59 / 62 books. 95% done!

Phase Out Your Seriesathon - My Progress


24 / 55 books. 44% done!

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

My Progress:


98 / 100 names. 98% done!

The Life Skills Reading Challenge

My Progress:


76 / 80 skills. 95% done!
Tuesday, September 23, 2025

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books On My Fall 2025 TBR List (or, Top Ten Books I Want to Read Before 2025 Ends, Part Three)


I love today's prompt—Top Ten Books On My Fall 2025 TBR List—so much that I started it two weeks ago! Scroll down on my blog to see Part One and Part Two of my list of 30 Books I Want to Read Before 2025 Ends. I'm proud to say that I've already read four of the twenty books mentioned in those previous lists. Go, me! With 156 books read so far this year, I'm on track to reach my goal of 200 by December 31, but it's very unlikely that I'll beat last year's record of 230. We'll see how the rest of the year goes.

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Ten Books On My Fall 2025 TBR List
or Top 30 Books I Want to Read Before 2025 Ends (Part Three)


1. Open and Shut by David Rosenfelt—The kind folks over at St. Martin's Press have been generously sending me all the books in the Andy Carpenter mystery series for years, and I have yet to even begin reading them. I'm determined to do so this year! Open and Shut, the first installment, introduces our hero, a New Jersey defense attorney who prefers the company of his beloved golden retriever over that of most people. When Andy's father—a well-known ex-D.A.—drops dead at Yankee stadium, Andy finds himself the recipient of a surprise $22 million inheritance as well as a cold case with explosive possibilities to solve. As the shocks keep coming, Andy works to get justice for the wronged party as he figures out what to do next with all the possibilities millions of dollars has just opened up for him.


2. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson—I need to read a "travel" book to cross-off prompts in two different reading challenges, so this seems like a good time to finally give Bryson's books a go. Everyone seems to love this one. It's supposed to be very entertaining.


3. The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia HandA Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is one of my favorite books of all time and one I reread every year. This YA novel, a contemporary reimagining of the classic tale, sounds like a fun read for the holidays. Our titular heroine was warned in life to change her selfish ways, but she didn't listen. Now, Holly's dead and experiencing an epically sucky afterlife. Stuck working as Christmas Past for the top-secret Project Scrooge, she doesn't expect her lot will be improving anytime soon. Until she meets the newest Scrooge, a Scrooge who just might change everything...


4. Last Gate of the Emperor by Kwame Mbalia and Prince Joel Makonnen—This middle-grade novel is outside of my usual reading interests, but it works for several reading challenge prompts I need to fulfill. Plus, it sounds like an exciting read. Billed as an Afrofuturist adventure, the novel takes place in Addis Prime, a dingy city with outdated tech, rigid rules, and nothing to do. Thrill-seeker Yared Heywat has become a star in an underground augmented reality game. When his real name is leaked in the game, his game life rockets into his actual life, leading to the disappearance of his uncle. Suddenly, Yared finds himself in the center of shocking events that seem to be coming straight out of his uncle's fantastical stories. It's up to him to find his uncle, beat an army of monsters, and save the world. What could possibly go wrong? 


5. Take What You Can Carry by Gian Sardar—It's 1979 and Olivia Murray is determined to capture a money shot, the kind that will catapult her from her newspaper secretary's desk to the front lines of photojournalism. When her Kurdish boyfriend invites Olivia to accompany him to his hometown in northern Iraq, she jumps at the chance. Not only will she be able to gain more insight into her enigmatic partner, but the exotic locale should provide the perfect background for dramatic photography. When leaving Iraq proves more difficult than she thought, Olivia gets her money shot, but it's a capture that will upend the lives of her boyfriend's family and her own in ways she never could have imagined.


6. West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge—This historical novel has been a big-time hit with a lot of my IRL friends. It does sound excellent. Based on a true story, the tale is about a pair of giraffes who inspire hope in Depression-era America when they miraculously survive a hurricane at sea. As they travel across the country to their new home at the San Diego Zoo, they touch the lives of everyone they encounter.


7. Sandwich by Catherine Newman—Since I'm in my "sandwich" era like this novel's protagonist, I think I'm going to find this story very relatable! It revolves around Rocky and her family's annual summer trip to Cape Cod. With all the changes she's experiencing in her body (thanks a bunch, menopause!), her family, and life in general, it's inevitable that this year's trip makes her wax nostalgic. It also forces the secrets she's been hiding out into the open...


8. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson—I need to read a book with an angel on the cover for a reading challenge, so I thought it would be fun to reread this hilarious children's classic. This novel, which tells the story of a church's nativity play gone horribly wrong—and right—is funny, tender, and a perfect read for the holiday season.


9. Dead Tired by Kat Ailes—This is the second book in Ailes' comedic The Expectant Detectives mystery series. A year after Alice and her prenatal group accidentally become amateur sleuths and solve a murder, Alice is deep in the sleep-deprived mire that is new motherhood. Desperate for a vacation, she agrees to accompany her friends to an eco-protest. It's all healthy entertainment (for a good cause) until one of their fellow protestors ends up dead. With a new case to solve, Alice and the other moms get right to work.


10. Final Girls by Riley Sager—I love Sager's unsettling books, and this one—his first—is the only one I haven't read. I've been hesitating on it because I've seen such mixed reviews, but it's Sager, so I want to read it. The story revolves around Quincy Carpenter, who becomes a "final girl" when she is the only survivor of a horrific massacre in which five of her friends were killed. After some time, she's finally doing okay. Then, one of Quincy's fellow final girls is found dead, after which another one appears on her doorstep. As Sam pushes Quincy to relive the terrors of her past, she begins to feel exceedingly unnerved. The answers to finding peace in her present seem to be hiding in memories of the worst event in her life, memories she does not want to revisit. Ever. 

There you go, ten more books I want to read before the end of the year. Have you read any of them? What did you think? What titles are on your Fall TBR list? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Happy TTT!

34 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed Sandwich! I also like Bill Bryson but I've kind of lost track of what I've read and what I haven't by him, haha. I don't think I've read the one you have listed here, looks like it'd be a good one to get back into him with.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I thought I read Final Girls but it was actually Final Girls Support Group by Grady Hendrix that I read. He's hit or miss with me and that book was a mixed bag for me. I really want to read Final Girls, though, because I usually enjoy Sager! I also want to read Sandwich. I think I'd relate, too, as someone who is at the tail end of menopause, I'll be able to relate, haha! Hope you enjoy all on your list, Susan!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I hope you love West with Giraffes! The movie adaptation of Christmas Pagent is good I hear! It’s on my to watch list. Overall, I didn’t love Sandwich even though some passages were relatable. Happy fall reading ! 🍁 ~Carol @ ReadingLadies

    ReplyDelete
  4. I remember reading about Cynthia's books when it released... and GO you! I'm always in awe of people who read that high a number of books. :) Thanks so much for visiting my list today.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have Sandwich on my TBR. It looks so good. I hope you enjoy your books.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Fabulous list, Susan. I need to grab The Afterlife. Loved The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Thanks for sharing.

    https://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2025/09/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-books-on-my.html

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nice mix of reads. Enjoy them all

    ReplyDelete
  8. West With Giraffes sounds so good. But I might need tissues when reading it.
    Here's a link to my TTT post
    https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/2025/09/23/%f0%9f%93%9a-toptentuesday-10-books-on-my-fall-to-read-list-tuesdaybookblog-booktwitter-booktwt/

    ReplyDelete
  9. OOh nice picks! These are all new to me ones. I hope you enjoy all of your picks before the end of the year!

    ReplyDelete
  10. A Walk in the Woods sounds like a good travel book!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Looks like some excellent (and varied!) choices. Hope you enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I recommend Sandwich and Walk in the Woods!

    ReplyDelete
  13. You always share the most interesting books. I love your eclectic tastes. I hope you enjoy them all, Susan!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I should read A Walk in the Woods at some point! I saw The Afterlife of Holly Chase on someone else's list and immediately added it to my own TBR–it sounds like a fun retelling! And I absolutely love The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. I reread it every couple of years. Last year I read it out loud to my husband and he enjoyed it too :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I DNFed Sandwich, but that's a me-thing. I didn't realize what subject matter it would involve. My mother liked it. I loved the Hand book. Such a great twist on a classic.

    ReplyDelete
  16. A Walk in the Woods sure sounds like a good read.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Always fun to see which books I already have on my TBR (A Walk in the Woods & Final Girls) and which I am going to add: The Afterlife of Holly Chase.
    Thank you for your list each week.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Veros @ Dark Shelf of Wonders24 September, 2025 10:13

    A Walk in the Woods sounds so interesting and I love the bear on the cover peaking at me lol. & I want to try The Afterlife of Holly Chase too! Happy reading and thanks for visiting my blog earlier 🖤

    ReplyDelete
  19. I hope you enjoy Open and Shut. I read one of Rosenfelt's books (Don't Tell a Soul) over a decade ago and didn't care for it. However, I loved Sandwich (as well as We All Want Impossible Things) and can't wait to read Wreck. I've also read A Walk in the Woods, which is good, and I have West with Giraffes on my list. My book group read and loved that one (Rutledge's book), but I was traveling and didn't get around to it. Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hello Susan, I haven't read any of these, but being a big fan of A Christmas Carol, I like the sound of The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand. I hope you enjoy your autumn/fall reading. 🎃
    Blessings, Jessica 💌

    ReplyDelete
  21. I've read A Walk in the Woods and it's amazing. Bill Bryson's gentle humor is just too good! Hope you enjoy your books!

    ReplyDelete
  22. A walk in the woods sounds like a good book. I like hiking. Anything outdoors. I love summer. That's why I love summer. So I can be outside 24/7. Nice picks. Here is my TTT.https://dmhoisington.wordpress.com/2025/09/23/top-ten-tuesday-2/

    ReplyDelete
  23. Good choices....well....ok...I wasn't wild about Sandwich. West With the Giraffes is on my Kindle somewhere--you've reminded me I still need to read it. Everyone I know who has read it enjoyed it.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Final Girls looks interesting. Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I’m intrigued by Take What You Can Carry. Thanks for visiting our post earlier.

    ReplyDelete
  26. The Afterlife of Holly Chase looks amazingly interesting! I hope you'll love all of the books on your list :)

    Thanks for visiting my blog!

    ~ Marwah @ The Booklore Fairy

    ReplyDelete
  27. I struggled with the characters in Sager's Final Girls, which is why I didn't end up loving that one. I do love Bryson's A Walk in the Woods! But then I love reading about people's adventures along the Appalachian Trail. Plus, he's just so funny. Happy reading all of these! :D

    ReplyDelete
  28. A Walk in the Woods is great!
    Skip the movie, very disappointing compared to the book

    ReplyDelete
  29. I have West with Giraffes on my TBR as well though not for the fall. I've heard great things about it from IRL people too so I'm looking forward to reading it. Final Girls is also tempting me as are a few others you have listed.

    ReplyDelete
  30. A Walk in the Woods is one I've been curious about for a while, so I'll be curious to see what you think of it. I'm also curious about The Afterlife of Holly Chase, because I've been thinking about reading a Christmas Carol retelling (or two) this year!

    Happy TTT (on a Thursday)!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Sandwich looks interesting! I hope you enjoy them!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I am very excited by The Afterlife of Holly Chase! I read A Christmas Carol for the first time last year and I think this retelling sounds so good! I hope you enjoy all of these!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Final Girls is one I've been wanting to read too. Hope you'll love all of these!

    ReplyDelete
  34. I still need to pick up a Riley Sager book! I hope you enjoy all of these.

    ReplyDelete

Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.

P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!

Blog Widget by LinkWithin


Reading

<i>Reading</i>
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Listening

<i>Listening</i>
Where'd You Go, Bernadette?



Followin' with Bloglovin'

Follow

Followin' with Feedly

follow us in feedly



Grab my Button!


Blog Design by:


Blog Archive



2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge

2025 Reading Challenge

2025 Reading Challenge
Susan has read 0 books toward her goal of 215 books.
hide

2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction

2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction

2023 - Middle Grade Fiction

2023 - Middle Grade Fiction

2022 - Middle Grade Fiction

2022 - Middle Grade Fiction

2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction