FFAF: My Life in Books 2025

Intro

This is a fun bookish challenge that involves a number of life-milestone related prompts. I will see how many of these make sense versus are a bit of a stretch. I got the prompts from Secret Library Book Blog whose list can be found here. I also referenced Dini Panda Read's prompts which can be found here. Let's see how I do.

The Prompts and My Picks

In high school I was: Most Eligible by Isabelle Engel

People might be surprised by: Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism by Stewart "Brittlestar" Reynolds

I will never be: Secretly Yours by Stephanie Rose

My fantasy job is: Writing Mr. Wrong by Kelley Armstrong

At the end of a long day I need: Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay

I hate: The Flirting Game by Lauren Blakely

I wish I had: A Tour to Die For by Michelle Chouinard

My family reunions always make me wonder about: The Wages of Silence by Erin FitzGerald

At a party you'd find me with: Annie, Juliet, and the Great-Tailed Grackle by Sandra LJ

I've never been to: Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

A happy day includes: Nights with Him by Lauren Blakely

A motto I live by: The Bad Boy Rule by Maren Moore

On my bucket list is: One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

2025 was the year of: Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica

In 2025 I wanted to be: Unapologetically ADHD by Pete D. Wright and Nikki Kinzer

In 2025 I was the: The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

In 2025 I gained: Good Lookin' Cookin' by Dolly Parton and Rachel Parton-George

In 2025 I lost: The Girlfriend Zone by Lauren Blakely (this one is because I got engaged, not due to a break-up).

In 2025 I loved: Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia

In 2025 I learned: Everything is Spiritual by Rob Bell

In 2025 I missed out on: The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas

In 2025 my family were: Will the Drama Ever End? by Karyl McBride

In 2026 I hope it will be: Runnin' No More by G.T. Dípè

Outro

This was a lot of fun! While most of the answers to these prompts are pretty truthful, there are a few that I just had to pick a book to fit the prompt and call it a day. I highly recommend giving challenges like this a go! I hope to do many more in 2026 as they are honestly my favorite kind of blog post. 

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.75/5 ⭐

Blurb

Winnie-the-Pooh has a certain way about him, a way of doing things that has made him the world's most beloved bear, and Pooh's Way, as Benjamin Hoff brilliantly demonstrates, seems strangely close to the ancient Chinese principles of Taoism.

Best Quote From the Book

“From the states of the Uncarved Block comes the ability to enjoy the simple and the quiet, the natural and the plain."

My Thoughts

I of course have a major warm feeling for this one due to the inclusion of Winnie the Pooh (which always adds a quarter star for me lol). But I have to give it a lot of credit for how thoughtful of a comparison it makes. I never would've thought that a willy, nilly, silly, old bear would make a fantastic mascot for an ancient method of thought, but here we are. 

This one took me a longgggg time to get through because the moments of reflection and many concepts I was previously unaware of required me to put the book down a few times for long intervals just to really wrap my head around it. I enjoyed my time with it, and how it expanded my mind. While I will be first to admit that I do no agree with every aspect of Taoism, I feel like I could still incorporate a few pillars from it into my life.

I also have to applaud the pacing of this one. It did not feel rushed nor drawn out and took the time to properly explain all concepts the average reader is unlikely previously familiar with. A memorable and worthwhile read for sure!

CWW: And Now, Back to You

 

This week's book is.... And Now, Back to You

Author: B.K. Borison

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: February 24th, 2026

Series: Heartstrings #2

Blurb:

Jackson Clark and Delilah Stewart have had their fair share of run-ins over the years, often ending in disaster. While Jackson thrives on routine and organization from the comfort of his radio booth, Delilah loves the spontaneity and adventure out in the field. When they’re partnered against their will to cover the snowstorm of the century, they find themselves scrambling to figure out how to work together.

Eager to be taken seriously as a journalist, Delilah offers Jackson a deal. If he can help her ace this assignment, she’ll help him rediscover his long-lost fun side. With an undiscovered chemistry burning beneath their clashes, the unlikely partnership quickly tumbles into an easy and surprising friendship.

But when other feelings start to enter the equation, can Jackson and Delilah withstand the storm? Or does what happens in the mountains, stay in the mountains?

Explanation:

While I have not yet had the chance to dive into the first book in this series, I have heard amazing things about it. The concept of a radio show driving a narrative sounds fantastic! I also find both of the covers to me amazing and would love the excuse to include them in my reading journal!

T10T: Books with Appealing Typography

 

Welcome back to Top 10 Tuesday, following the list from That Artsy Reader Girl! (Yes I am now going to try to pull 10 for every week).

This week's prompt is..... books with appealing typography

These are in no particular order

1. Superfan by Jenny Tinghui Zhang
2. Here Lie All the Boys Who Broke My Heart by Emma Simmerman
3. Oxford Blood by Rachael Davis-Featherstone
4. The Weight Of Ashes by Erin FitzGerald
5. Untangled by Mallory Thomas
6. The Rival Upgrade by Lauren Blakely
7. Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston
8. Back to December by Laurel Osterkamp
9. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
10. Better Not Pout by Maren Moore

              

All of these are such nice titles. As you can probably tell, I do have a bit of a go-to style. What can I say, pretty is my vibe. 

Here it all is in a pretty lil' graphic as always

This one was such a fun prompt to do. It made me realize I should spend a bit more time appreciating nice typography on book covers. Do you have any favorites?

What's in a Name? 2026 Challenge Sign- Up

 

Intro

This is my official sign-up/announcement for my participation of the What's in a Name challenge. It is hosted by Carolina Book Nook. It has a variety of fun prompts based on the titles of books you read.

To participate, check out their blog for the linky!

The Prompts

• Six/6
• Cold weather
• Peace
• Pathways
• Terrain
• Flower

Outro

I am so looking forward to giving this challenge a try. Y'all will have to help keep me accountable for completing it! I would love to participate in this challenge with all of my blogger friends!

Book Mail Monday #2

 

Intro

Welcome back to Book Mail Monday! This week I've got 4 fun pieces of book mail to share from a variety of sources. Ready to see what I've got?

The Book Mail

Books Included

- Risky Business by Annabelle Slator

- Cambria by A.R. Tyler

- Switch by Beth Christopher

- Murder on the Metro by Jon Land (continuing Margaret Truman's work).

Discussion

Risky Business was sent to me unexpectedly by the publisher Harper Collins. I am on a few of their mailing lists so it is not super surprising. This one is releasing February 3rd so it is a little less than a week in advance, but is only a first printing.

Next up is Cambria. This one is also first printing, but was sent to me by the author to read and review. It also includes a short and sweet note from the author. This book releases February 17th. 

Another fun piece of book mail is Unspoken Rules. It is signed in light purple. Included is a piece of NSFW art (no I will not be sharing a full picture of it as absolutely nothing is left to the imagination.) The package also includes a Penny Fox bookmark and business card. 

Last, but not least is Murder on the Metro. This is one I technically ordered myself. That said, it was completely free. That's because it came from Little Free Bookshop! I am fascinated by this one as I have been to DC before and used their metro. I feel like it could certainly be a fascinating read.

Outro

This was a really fun week for book mail! It will forever be the best kind of mail out there. Did you get any fun mail this week?

See you next time I have some exciting book mail to share!

January 2026 Reads

This month I read 11 books 

I DNFed 2 books

These books were 100% fiction

They were 0% physical, 36% digital, and 64% audio

The most popular genres were romance, contemporary, and LGBTQ+

My average rating was 4.09 stars

My longest reading day was the 24th

The Books

➽ The Weight of Ashes by Erin FitzGerald

➽ The Sweetheart Shortcut by Evie Sterling

➽ Oxford Blood by Rachael Davis-Featherstone

➽ Game Changer by Rachel Reid

➽ Just Breaking the Rules by Lauren Blakely

➽ Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies by Jenny Elder Moke

➽ Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

➽ Dear Red, Be Mine by Bella Greene

➽ Here Lie All the Boys Who Broke My Heart by Emma Simmerman

➽ Just For the Cameras by Meghan Quinn

➽ Superfan: A Novel by Jenny Tinghui Zhang

FFAF: Did I Read My 10 Before the End

Intro

Now that 2026 is here, my time has expired to finish my "10 before the end" books of last year. I will tell you now, not all of these were finished and we will get into that. That said, progress did happen, so we are gonna celebrate the wins regardless of completion.

✅ means completed

💔 means untouched

🔆 means progress was made on it

The Books

1. Merry Little Kissmas by Lauren Blakely ✅
2. The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 🔆
3. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton 🔆
4. The Autist's Guide to the Galaxy by Clara Törnvall 🔆
5. Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth 💔
6. The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff 🔆
7. My Roommate from Hell by Cale Dietrich ✅
8. Most Eligible by Isabelle Engel ✅
9. Dolls of Our Lives by Mary Mahoney and Allison Horrocks 🔆
10. Yule be Mine by Piper Rayne ✅

Discussion

See, it's not thattttt bad, I only entirely neglected 1 book. You can also blame my fiancée for two of these being unfinished (The Outsiders and The Autist's Guide to the Galaxy) as we are reading those together and they are way less inclined to reading than I am.

I enjoyed the books I finished and honestly did not read all that much time in December so it is unsurprising I am still in the middle of many of these. 4/10 is pretty good for prioritizing ARCs over anything and otherwise being a mood reader.

Outro

How did you do if you had a 10 before the end? Please tell me I am not the only one who did not finish half of it. I am still proud of kind of committing to a TBR that I considered no stakes. Let's just say, any other TBRs I make in the future of a similar nature are just for funsises.

January 2026 Birthstone Book Covers

January 2026 Birthstone Book Covers

Intro

This is a fun challenge where I match book covers to each month's birthstone based on their colors. It is a fun way to look back at a rainbow of reads by the end of the year! I got this idea from Books Are the New Black so thanks to them for the fun challenge! Let's hope I can keep up with this for the whole year! If you would like to tackle this challenge yourself, consider yourself tagged!

For each month I will find 5 books that match that month's birthstone. January's birthstone is garnet which is a pretty red color that looks like this:

Book Covers

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Once Upon a Holidate by Susan Mallery

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? by Caitlin Doughty

Outro

While I did have to dive into my early reads of last year to find enough red covers, it was really fun. It brought back a lot of memories of me giving these books a try. Have you read any of these? Tomorrow I'll be here for a fascinating Free For All Friday!

Can't Wait Wednesday: Without a Clue

 

This week's book is.... Without a Clue

Author: Melissa Ferguson

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: February 17, 2026

Series: n/a

Blurb:

When a mystery writer mysteriously dies on a cruise filled with rabid fans, his protégé (and personal assistant) teams up with a rugged cowboy and fellow writer to crack the case. One part Only Murders in the Building, one part Book Lovers, and a whole lot of laughs, Without a Clue will keep readers guessing and swooning until the very end.

If there's one thing Penelope Mae Dupont prizes most, it's her composure--her ability to stay calm in the face of stress. It's a vital trait in her job as a personal assistant to renowned mystery author Hugh Griffin. But when Pip organizes a book cruise featuring The Fabulous Seven--seven celebrated authors from different genres who have supported each other through thick and thin--her famed composure is in danger of sailing away. One boat, hundreds of devoted readers, and seven Big Personalities. What could possibly go wrong?

Disaster strikes when, on the second day of the cruise, Hugh is found murdered. And, in the face of gross incompetence by the on-board security force, Pip realizes she'll need to be the one to discover who did it. With the ship stranded in the middle of the Atlantic and no help on the horizon, it's up to her to unravel the mystery. Along with her friend Nash--a dreamy Western author who's just as rugged as the cowboys he writes about. As Pip's composure starts to sink faster than a leaky dinghy, Nash becomes her anchor in a storm of clues and red herrings.

With Nash at her side, Penelope dives into the murky depths of the mystery, navigating treacherous waters filled with unexpected twists and turns. No one, not even a desperately hopeful mystery sleuth named Pip, could anticipate the wild ride ahead. Whether she likes it or not, she is on the adventure of a lifetime . . . and maybe, just maybe, she'll find love along the way.

In this laugh-out-loud funny Clue-meets-Emily-Henry rom-com, Penelope Mae Dupont is about to find out that in the world of mystery and romance, you have to risk going overboard to find the truth.

Explanation:

I am a sucker for a cruise setting honestly. I have been on a lot of cruises myself and can attest that the dynamics in the middle of the sea are unique and never cease to be entertaining. I have also read her other work Meet Me in the Margins and thought it was quite cute. I'm definitely down to give this one a shot. 

Top 10 Tuesday: Bookish Discoveries I Made in 2025

Welcome back to Top 10 Tuesday, following the list from That Artsy Reader Girl! (Yes I am now going to try to pull 10 for every week).

This week's prompt is..... bookish discoveries I made in 2025 

These are in no particular order

1. Much more understanding of my niche in terms of books I'll enjoy (I have lowered my tolerance for finishing books I am not loving)
2. Many wonderful indie authors! (including Ariana St. Claire and Rebecca Kinkade)
3. That there are non-fiction books I enjoy (including some celebrity memoirs, psychology books, and random quandaries I have)
4. It is super easy for me to drop off a book in an LFL when done (seriously, I do not need to keep a book I'm not gonna reread, there's an LFL in my neighborhood. There is literally no reason to not let someone else have the chance to enjoy a book too)
5. Quality of reads over quantity is what keeps me out of slumps (if anyone would like, I can do a whole advice post about reading slumps)
6. Fun bookish challenges (like the Summer Reading Challenge or Magical Readathon. They are fun and add a deadline that can really help me finish non-ARCs)
7. Silly little prompts really motivate my reading
8. The power of audiobooks for me to reach my reading goals (I can read an audiobook at 3x speed, which is infinitely faster than eyeball reading for me. It also allows me to keep reading when I have a migraine)
9. Simpler bookish tracking is more sustainable (a fancy Notion setup is simply a headache for me to keep up with. My notes app and StoryGraph is all I need)
10. A tiny shoutout can help an author so much! (especially indie authors!)

What have you discovered in 2025? Any lessons we can all learn from? Lately I have been so picky with my reads, so I will be sticking with authors I already know I love for a little while. Let's all be proud I can do this with my ARC schedule (and the power of a DNF).

Here it all is in a pretty lil' graphic as always

The weather is quite nuts here, so we shall see if this gets uploaded on time if at all! Please forgive me if it is not Tuesday! Also how is this already the final T10T of January?? I feel like this month has dissolved in front of my eyes.

Spell the Month in Books: January 2026

Spell the Month in Books: January 2026

Intro

This is a fun challenge that I am going to try for 2026. This is inspired by Mehsi-Hime! You can check out their picks here!

I will do my best to pull as many of the books as possible from my recent reads. That will help to avoid too much overlap between months. Without further ado, let's get into it!

The Books

J - Just for the Cameras by Meghan Quinn

A - A Tour to Die For by Michelle Chouinard

N - Nights with Him by Lauren Blakely

U - Untangled by Mallory Thomas

A - All Signs Point to Malibu by Jennifer Snow

R - Rucked Up Ruse by Beatrice Bradshaw

Y - Yule Be Mine by Piper Rayne

Outro

Oh man, finding a second A book was way more challenging that I anticipated. Now I know what letter I better try to read for next month lol. This was a lot of fun!

Can't Wait Wednesday: It's Not Her

 

This week's book is.... It's Not Her

Author: Mary Kubica

Publisher: 

Release Date: February 3rd

Series: n/a

Blurb:

Two families vacationing at a secluded lake resort are at the center of a chilling crime and mysterious disappearance in this twisty, unputdownable thriller

A stunning discovery…

Courtney Gray's tranquil family vacation is shattered when she hears a blood-curdling scream from the lakeside cottage next door. There she finds the lifeless bodies of her brother and sister-in-law. Her teenage niece Reese is nowhere to be found, while her nephew Wyatt lies asleep upstairs, unharmed.

A shocking investigation…

As the police descend on the quiet resort town, disturbing secrets about Courtney’s family start to emerge. When she learns that the town has secrets of its own, it makes her wonder if Reese is another victim in a brutal crime or if she’s the killer.

A truth no one could have imagined …

As Courtney begins to unravel the terrible mystery, she realizes that everyone around her has something to hide. And the closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to see…

Explanation:

I have read and relatively enjoyed Don't You Cry also by her in the past. I am also trying to keep on the pulse of thrillers this year. As such, I am excited to check this one out in the future. It should be a good read.

Top 10 Tuesday: Goals for 2026

Welcome back to Top 10 Tuesday, following the list from That Artsy Reader Girl! (Yes I am now going to try to pull 10 for every week).

This week's prompt is..... goals for 2026

These are in no particular order

1. Prioritize only ARC reading for books I am particularly excited about
2. Have more fun here on my blog!
3. Continue to support indie authors
4. Read at least 10% non-fiction
5. Read 24+ physical books
6. Read a classic
7. Read a lower % of romance
8. Make more money through my content (just being honest it is expensive to simply live)
9. Host an amazing WPS for 2026!
10. Keep reading and loving LGBTQ+ books

Do we have any goals in common? Anything that should be on my list? Feel free to ask for clarification on anything. Let's inspire each other together!

Here it all is in a pretty lil' graphic as always

I am so excited to help each other stay motivated and accountable on my goals. Y'all are always welcome to keep me accountable on any goals I am slacking on throughout the year. See you next week!

Book Mail Monday #1

Intro

Welcome to Book Mail Monday! I feel like the title is rather self-explanatory. If I got book mail this week, I will share it here and dive into it and what makes it special.

The Book Mail

Books Included

- Lineups and Lyrics by Tina Gallagher

- Nero by S.J. Tilly

- Switch by Beth Christopher

Discussion

Lineups and Lyrics was sent in an absolutely adorable PR package from the author as part of me promoting the book. The book is personally signed. It came with a few book-relevant stickers, a bookmark, a bracelet, a note, a business card, and a pen/back scratcher which says "scratch that itch read a romance" which I find hilarious. 

I have truly never thought I would receive a back scratcher, but I have already put it to use. (Yes it extends). I think including something unique like that will help this book to be additionally memorable. 

Next up is Nero, which was sent to me by Entangled publishing. It is a stunning special edition with metallic red sprayed edges with the book title in black. It came in a cool custom promotional box including an info card with a little bit of information about the book from the author. Entangled is the only reason there are any pretty special editions on my shelves, and I am so thankful!

Last, but not least is Switch. This book mail followed the first book in the series entitled Blackmail. It is personally signed to me with an incredibly sweet message from the author! I am eternally thankful. Also yay for LGBTQ+ rep!

Outro

I am so blessed to now have a side hustle that allows me to make fun content and receive enchanting book mail like this! This is truly fulfilling a childhood dream of mine. Be sure to always show gratitude for the bookish love!

See you next time I have some exciting book mail to share!

Can't Wait Wednesday: My Husband's Wife

 

This week's book is.... My Husband's Wife

Author: Alice Feeney

Publisher: Flatiron Books: Pine & Cedar

Release Date: January 20th, 2026

Series: n/a

Blurb:

Eden Fox, an artist on the brink of her big break, sets off for a run before her first exhibition. When she returns to the home she recently moved into, Spyglass, an enchanting old house in Hope Falls, nothing is as it should be. Her key doesn’t fit. A woman, eerily similar to her, answers the door. And her husband insists that the stranger is his wife.

One house. One husband. Two women. Someone is lying.

Six months earlier, a reclusive Londoner called Birdy, reeling from a life-changing diagnosis, inherits Spyglass. This unexpected gift from a long-lost grandmother brings her to the pretty seaside village of Hope Falls. But then Birdy stumbles upon a shadowy London clinic that claims to be able to predict a person's date of death, including her own. Secrets start to unravel, and as the line between truth and lies blurs, Birdy feels compelled to right some old wrongs.

My Husband’s Wife is a tangled web of deception, obsession, and mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page. Prepare yourself for the ultimate mind-bending marriage thriller and step inside Spyglass – if you dare – to experience a story where nothing is as it seems.

Explanation:

I am trying to be more in the loop with thriller releases in 2026. Will that work out? We shall see. Truly  no guarantees. Given that, this book is one on my radar. It seems like it would be a twisty read that I would fly though.

I have read two of her other books, Rock Paper Scissors and Beautiful Ugly. While neither were a total favorite of mine, I want to give her another chance to see if this an author I want to dive into the backlist of, or one I can note to only read if available with no wait at the library.

Top Five Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2026

 Top 5 Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2026

Welcome back to Top 5 Tuesday, now following the list from That Artsy Reader Girl! As always, I do a top 5 instead of a top 10 because I tend to struggle to find 10 books for prompts.

This week's prompt is..... most anticipated books releasing in the first half of 2026

These are in no particular order

1. All the Little Houses by May Cobb
2. Just Friends by Hayley Pham
3. In Her Own League by Liz Tomforde
4. Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
5. It's Not Her by Mary Kubica

Unfortunately this does sort of spoil a but of my upcoming Can't Wait Wednesday posts, so try not to mind that. We can all pretend to be surprised when they come up! Other than Hayley, I have read and enjoyed at least one other book by these authors. Hopefully all of these will be great. Do we have any in common?

Here it all is in a pretty lil' graphic as always

What are some you are looking forward to this year? I would love to gush together! See you next week!

 Top 5 Tuesday: Best Books I Read in 2025

Welcome back to Top 5 Tuesday, now following the list from That Artsy Reader Girl! As always, I do a top 5 instead of a top 10 because I tend to struggle to find 10 books for prompts.

This week's prompt is..... best books I read in 2025

These are in no particular order

1. One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
2. Bunny Season by Bindi Kennedy
3. The Trouble with Love and Coaches by Harriet Ashford
4. The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera
5. We All Fall Down by Erin FitzGerald

I took a break from these in December for my Indie Author Advent, which I really enjoyed. That said, I am very happy to be back to this fun little challenge. I had a lot of trouble picking my top 5 our of my 5-star reads so this is a smidge of a random pull from them. Just know there are a ton of honorable mentions I wish I could've included (which I could if I did top 10, but shhhhh, I do not normally have 10 picks for a prompt).

Here it all is in a pretty lil' graphic as always

Again so happy to be back to this. What were some of your top reads you think I should give a try? Here's to many fun lists in 2026!

IAA Day 29: C.L. Ambrose

Indie Author Advent Day 29: C.L. Ambrose

Welcome to day 29 of the 2025 Indie Author Advent! This fun series will help us to get hyped for 2026 by celebrating some of the wonderful indie releases of 2025! Today I am interviewing C.L. Ambrose. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

C.L.'s 2025 Releases

• One Year to Teach You Love Again
• Skyewards

The Interview

1. What is your favorite thing about your 2025 releases?

"Writing One Year To Teach You Love Again and especially Skyewards was a very personal journey. Both books helped me to better understand who I am as a person. Also both books contain forms of queer representation (demi and ace) that we do not see often in MM romance. If only one ace person picks up Skyewards and finds themselves in it, then I'll be very happy to have contributed to making ace awareness more visible. Because, unfortunately, even in 2025 loads of folks don't even know what it means to be ace and ridicule ace people as prudish or stuck up. In reality, ace people are a valid part of the queer community and deserve to be seen and represented in media just like anybody else."

2. What are your inspirations for your books?

"I can get inspired by pretty much anything and never know when inspiration will strike next. My story ideas always just randomly pop up in my brain and when they don't leave me for weeks or even months, I know I'll have to write them down or otherwise I won't get any peace. One Year To Teach You Love Again was inspired by the desire to want to write a love after loss story because I lost my mum to terminal illness a few years ago and writing about this helped me heal."

3. Why do you think representation is so important in books?

"Representation isn't just important in books but in all media and general society – books only being one place to share queer experiences. I grew up in a very rural, very catholic place and we didn't have an internet connection before ca. 2008 when I was around 16. I also was never allowed to watch certain TV channels, so I basically didn't even know queer people existed until I finally went online. Like this, I figured out I'm queer myself and, in retrospect, everything makes so much sense. But I simply didn't know before why I felt so different and like the odd one out because there was no queer rep available to me. So in times like these current ones, where conservative bigots in certain countries are trying to ban any form of queer content from the public and especially from schools, queer representation in books is more necessary than ever, so that queer people can recognize themselves in it and feel less weird and less alone. And I'm more than glad to be able to contribute to this."

4. Any advice for people who want to publish in 2026?

"Just write whatever makes YOU happy and not what you think is trendy. You're the one who needs to read what you wrote most often and if you write something that doesn't appeal to you, personally, then I don't think you'll have fun doing this. Also 'just do it' and don't overthink things too much. There's an audience out there for everyone, the hardest part is finding it, but if you don't even try, you never will make it."

5. What are you most looking forward to in 2026? Any more releases on the horizon?

"Yes, I'll be releasing the first part of my zombie apocalypse trilogy, The Third State, in February and will start working on part two soon, hoping it will be ready for publication by autumn 2026. Also I hope to be able to squeeze in a few free short stories for my readers to enjoy."

6. Is there anything else you would like to add?

"Thank you for the opportunity to have my books featured and my voice heard, I really appreciate this a lot <3"

Outro

Thank you to C.L. for getting involved in this advent! I am excited to see what they come out with in 2026. Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their releases! 

IAA Day 28: Any Gravelle

Indie Author Advent Day 28: Any Gravelle

Welcome to day 28 of the 2025 Indie Author Advent! This fun series will help us to get hyped for 2026 by celebrating some of the wonderful indie releases of 2025! Today I am interviewing Any Gravelle. Be sure to check out my Instagram for even more excitement with this event!

Any's 2025 Releases

• Snowed In
• Cold Played

The Interview

1. What is your favorite thing about your 2025 releases?

"These are my first two short stories that have been published in English and it's like a comeback to me because I didn't write since 2020. I also used one of my old characters for Strong Enough and it was great to meet her again on a new adventure."

2. What are your inspirations for your books?

"For Snowed In, it was something from my personal life that I'm not used to talk about and something that I wish to live with a guy."

3. Why do you think representation is so important in books?

" I was so thrilled to work on Cold Played because women were represented like strong characters. I also think it's important to write stories that people can relate to no matter who they are, so they can feel less alone."

4. Any advice for people who want to publish in 2026?

"Be patient, it's a marathon, not a sprint. Also, write something you want to read because you are going to spend a lot of time with your characters."

5. What are you most looking forward to in 2026? Any more releases on the horizon?

"I will be a Pages and Pleasure in Kitchener in April, it will be my biggest  Any more releases on the horizon? I am working on a project related to Butterfly, my short story in Snowed In, but I don't know if it will come true for now."

6. Is there anything else you would like to add?

"Thank you so much for this interview and feel free to follow me in IG : unelectricecompulsive2309 and maybe on TikTok in 2026."

Outro

Thank you to Any for getting involved in this advent! I am excited to see what they come out with in 2026. Stay tuned tomorrow for another amazing indie author and their releases!