This is a weekly meme hosted by, Taking on a World of Words. It's where we talk about the Three W's: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you will read next? Happy October!! I've been struggling with trying to stay out of a slump. I have been bouncing around to so many different books.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week there is a new topic for bloggers to choose and list their top ten. This week on Top Ten Satisfying Book Series (Maybe all the books were amazing or there wasn’t any second book syndrome or the final book wrapped everything up soooo perfectly.

Banned Books Week is October 5-11, 2025. This year, more than most years, it seems vital. It seems like everyday there's a new book that has been banned. I DO NOT stand for censorship here. I am doing a daily post on my Instagram, highlighting a banned book each day, with quote(s). I'm going to go ahead and just post them all here.

Title: Is This Real or Just Pretend? Author: Emily Sullivan Publisher: Forever Published: September 9, 2025 Pages: 352 Format: e-ARC via Netgalley Goodreads Blurb: "Alexandra Atkinson's talent for spotting successful business ideas has helped enrich her father's company while leaving her with little time for a social life—and certainly nothing as silly as love. But when her father hints that Alex will need to marry as well if she ever wants to win the approval of the company's far more fusty board members, she hatches her most ambitious plan a fake courtship that lasts just long enough to see an important deal through and secure her place at the head of the company.

I read a total of 34 books this month. I read a total of 13,928 pages. YOWZA!!! This is my best month EVER. I have to thank PRH Audio for pumping these stats the last two weeks. The amount of audiobooks that are available make this so easy to do. I have spent a lot of this month deconstructing, sorting, and re-organzing all of Ollie's legos.

A roundup of book reviews and bookish discussion posts that were on the radar of A Literary Escape during the month of September 2025.

This is a weekly meme hosted by, Taking on a World of Words. It's where we talk about the Three W's: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you will read next? Happy October!! I had a great reading week, but I'm hitting some mood issues. I have so many audios opened up right now because I cannot figure out what I'm in the mood to read.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week there is a new topic for bloggers to choose and list their top ten. This week on Top Ten Book Covers that Give off Fall Vibes (Or, if you’re not a cover person, share the books in general that feel like Fall.)

Title: Fate's Bane Author: C.L. Clark Publisher: Tordotcom Published: September 30, 2025 Pages: 176 Format: e-ARC via Netgalley Goodreads Blurb: "Ignyte Award-winning author C. L. Clark brings fantasy to the fens with Fate's Bane, a tragic sapphic adventure. Warring clans. Burning hearts. Deadly fate. The clans of the fens enjoy a tenuous peace, and it is all thanks to Agnir, ward and hostage.

Title: Tourist Season Author: Brynne Weaver Narrators: Samantha Brentmoor and Robert Hatchet Publisher: Penguin Audio Published: September 23, 2025 Time: 11 hours 57 minutes Format: ALC via Penguin Random House Goodreads Blurb: "Welcome to Cape Carnage! Visit Once, Stay Forever. Cape Carnage is a seaside town of colorful houses, quirky shops, and an unusually high body count. But with tourists comes trouble, and Harper Starling won’t let anyone ruin her picture-perfect home.

National Hispanic Heritage Month (Spanish: Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana) is a period from 15 September to 15 October in the United States for recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. Since I'm of Hispanic decent, I had to do a post in honor. Especially, right now with this climate.

Title: It's Different This Time Author: Joss Richard Narrator: Ferdelle Capistrano Publisher: Dell Published: September 30, 2025 Pages: 432 Format: e-ARC via Netgalley Goodreads Blurb: "In this sweeping, second-chance romance, a twist of fate forces two former roommates to move back into their beloved New York City brownstone and face the events that led to their estrangement—and confront their unresolved feelings for each other.

This is a weekly meme hosted by, Taking on a World of Words. It's where we talk about the Three W's: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you will read next? Time is accelerating! A few neighbors have put up Halloween inflatables. I think we are going to get the Halloween things out this weekend.

Title: Book of Night Author: Holly Black Publisher: Tor Books Published: May 3, 2022 Pages: 304 Format: e-ARC via Tor Goodreads Blurb: Holly Black makes her adult debut with Book of Night, a modern dark fantasy of shadowy thieves and secret societies. In Charlie Hall’s world, shadows can be altered, for entertainment and cosmetic preferences—but also to increase power and influence.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week there is a new topic for bloggers to choose and list their top ten. This week on Top Ten Books on My Fall 2025 to-Read List Happy Tuesday! Yay! I love these lists because when I blog hop, my TBR grows exponentially. Haha. I am LEANING into the fact that my TBR will always be unmanageable.

Title: The Heartbreak Hotel Author: Ellen O'Clover Publisher: Berkley Published: September 23, 2025 Pages: 352 Format: e-ARC via Netgalley Goodreads Blurb: "A bed-and-breakfast for the brokenhearted might hold the key to another chance at love in this achingly hopeful debut romance. Louisa Walsh emerged from a tumultuous childhood with a degree in counseling, a wealthy boyfriend, and her sunny outlook on life mostly intact.

Title: The Faerie Morgana Author: Louisa Morgan Publisher: Orbit Published: September 16, 2025 Pages: 528 Format: ARC via Orbit, thank you! Goodreads Blurb: "In this atmospheric and bewitching novel, Louisa Morgan reimagines the story of Morgan Le Fay, one of the most enigmatic and powerful women in Arthurian legend. To the other priestesses of the Nine, a powerful council at the Lady’s Temple, Morgana is haughty and arrogant as she performs feats of magic no human should be capable of.

This is a meme created by Reviews from the Stacks, and the idea is to spell the month using the first letter of book titles. There are now some prompts each month if you would like to make it a bit more challenging. This is why I'm doing this again! The prompts make it a little more exciting (for me).

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme created by Rukky @Eternity Books and hosted by Aria @Book Nook Bits, and Dini @Dinipandareads This where we get to discuss certain topics, share our opinions, and spread the love by visiting each other’s posts! If you want to join in the bookish discussion fun, check out the September Topics Favorite Genre Recommendations…

Rules Mention the creator (me- Leslie @ Books Are The New Black ) and link back to me so I can see your post! Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month's Birthstone. HAVE FUN! Nominate people if you want! This year, I'm going to do all of my posts from books that are on my bookshelf. You don't have to but it's a fun challenge!

Title: When Among Crows Author: Veronica Roth Publisher: Tor Books Published: May 14, 2024 Pages: 166 Format: e-ARC via Tor Goodreads Blurb: When Among Crows is swift and striking, drawing from the deep well of Slavic folklore and asking if redemption and atonement can be found in embracing what we most fear. We bear the sword, and we bear the pain of the sword.