https://www.allysondahlin.com/resources daily 0.75 2025-10-14 https://www.allysondahlin.com/resources/the-perfect-fall-reading-list monthly 0.5 2025-09-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/8bb9ab2a-d1bd-445d-b906-0c8f5d670675/the+maid.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - The Maid by Nita Prose (BUY THE BOOK) A hotel maid who sees everything but is often overlooked becomes involved in a murder investigation. This book has such a unique voice and perspective, and there's something deeply satisfying about a mystery where the person everyone underestimates turns out to be the one who solves everything. Fall appeal: The hotel setting feels especially cozy when it's getting cold outside, like you're solving mysteries from a warm, safe place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/b98b93ae-8f1f-4851-8ffa-37521459982f/night+circus.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (BUY THE BOOK) This book is pure autumn magic in story form. A mysterious Victorian circus that only appears at night, filled with impossible wonders and a love story that spans years. The whole thing feels like walking through a carnival on a crisp October evening, with the scent of caramel apples and the promise of magic around every corner. Perfect fall atmosphere: The dreamy, atmospheric writing and mysterious circus setting make this ideal for longer autumn nights when you want to be completely transported. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/187e7092-3f35-4273-a330-363fe9cf65a9/thursday+murder+club.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (BUY THE BOOK) This book is like drinking hot chocolate while wearing your softest cardigan, pure comfort. Four retirees in a peaceful English retirement community decide to investigate cold cases for fun, and honestly, I want to be them when I grow up. The characters are absolutely delightful, the mysteries are clever without being stressful, and the whole thing has this warm, community feeling that makes you want to move to a small English village immediately. As a bonus, you can watch a Netflix adaptation after reading with a star-studded cast of British actors. Perfect fall vibes: Reading this with a cup of tea while rain patters against the windows. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/ab8a52ba-266a-47f0-9898-809440cfcb07/picture+of+dorian+gray.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (BUY THE BOOK) Oscar Wilde's wit combined with a story about beauty, corruption, and a very unusual portrait makes for the perfect fall classic. It's got that decadent, slightly dangerous atmosphere that pairs beautifully with shorter days and longer shadows. Bonus: Wilde's observations about society are so sharp and funny that you'll find yourself mentally quoting him at inappropriate moments. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/7938bb4a-1de8-4f21-8780-04f54cc887eb/the+atlas+six.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake (BUY THE BOOK) Six young magicians compete for a place in an ancient secret society, and honestly, the academic magical vibes are immaculate. It's like The Secret History but with actual magic, which is exactly what my autumn reading soul ordered. The characters are morally complex, the magic system is fascinating, and the whole thing has that "exclusive scholarly society with dark secrets" energy. Mood: Reading this while wearing an oversized blazer and pretending you're studying ancient magical texts in a hidden library. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/6ac51aa6-7e38-4ba8-a7bf-3efc611690fd/anxious+people.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (BUY THE BOOK) A bank robbery goes wrong, a group of strangers gets trapped together during an apartment viewing, and somehow it all becomes the most heartwarming meditation on human connection you've ever read. Backman has this incredible ability to find humor and hope in the messiest parts of being human, which feels especially necessary when the days are getting shorter. Cozy factor: This book is like a warm hug from someone who really understands that life is complicated, but people are generally trying their best. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/0bce78cc-7fb4-4c9c-9469-bb6fd1c796c6/ten+thousand+doors+of+january.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow (BUY THE BOOK) This book about magical doors to other worlds is equal parts beautiful and haunting. It's got gorgeous prose, a mystery that spans multiple worlds, and just enough magical danger to keep you on edge. Plus, the whole concept of doors between worlds feels perfectly suited to autumn, when the veil between seasons feels thinner. Witchy vibes: The magic system feels ancient and mysterious, like something you might find in a dusty grimoire. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/70f08355-d444-410a-b1a5-e01c39f82ff9/sweetness+at+the+bottom+of+the+pie.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (BUY THE BOOK) Meet Flavia de Luce, an eleven-year-old aspiring chemist with a talent for solving murders in 1950s England. This series is the perfect blend of cozy mystery and precocious protagonist, and Flavia's voice is absolutely delightful. Plus, there's something perfect about British country house mysteries when the weather turns cold. Bonus points: Flavia's scientific approach to crime-solving will make you want to dust off your chemistry textbook (if you can find it under your TBR pile). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/2205ed7d-7128-40f3-9806-e17e780f7290/secret+history.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - The Secret History by Donna Tartt (BUY THE BOOK) This is the book that basically invented the dark academia aesthetic. Maybe you’ve read it already, in which case this is the perfect time of year for a re-read. Within the pages, you’ll find a group of classics students at an elite Vermont college, a murder, ancient Greek rituals, and the most atmospheric campus you've ever encountered. Reading this in fall feels like slipping into a perfectly tailored wool coat; it just fits . Fair warning: You will want to study ancient Greek and wear more tweed after reading this. These are normal side effects. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/53ce1de7-3329-45b7-b3af-827d0ad4d187/mexican+gothic.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (BUY THE BOOK) This is technically gothic horror, but it reads like a mystery for most of the book, so I'm claiming it for this category. A young woman travels to a decaying English manor house in 1950s Mexico to check on her cousin, and the atmospheric dread builds so perfectly that you'll be completely absorbed before you realize how spooky things have gotten. Why it works: Gothic mysteries are basically fall's signature genre, all atmosphere and creeping dread and beautiful old houses hiding secrets. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/0e5b4a9a-824f-4a1c-bb6c-a39909405e32/practical+magic.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (BUY THE BOOK) Two sisters, a family curse, and magic that runs in the bloodline—this book practically invented the cozy witch aesthetic. It's got romance, family drama, small-town gossip, and just enough actual magic to make you wonder if you could grow herbs that would change your life. Fall magic: Reading this while surrounded by candles and wearing approximately seventeen layers will make you feel like you could absolutely be a charming small-town witch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/f4ce1fb3-9b95-4dd4-85d1-f05982faf189/jane+eyre.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (BUY THE BOOK) Gothic romance, mysterious employers, houses with dark secrets, and a heroine who refuses to be anyone's victim—what more could you want from a fall read? Jane Eyre has that perfect autumn energy of coziness mixed with mystery and just a hint of danger. Perfect pairing: Hot tea, a rainy afternoon, and the complete willingness to fall in love with a problematic Victorian man (literary crushes don't count as real-life red flags, right?). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/3efc5f7f-d7a4-4044-9436-fb5a3443f1d0/rebecca.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (BUY THE BOOK) "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." If that opening line doesn't give you autumn chills, I don't know what will. This gothic masterpiece about a young bride haunted by her husband's deceased first wife is the perfect marriage of psychological thriller and classic literature. Autumn perfection: The crumbling estate, the mysterious housekeeper, the secrets hidden in every room—it's like the literary equivalent of a perfectly spooky October evening. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/b9367d53-9d2f-40f3-9bba-cc21750521bf/the+once+and+future+witches.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow (BUY THE BOOK) Is Alix E. Harrow the Queen of Autumn? She might be because two of her books are perfect fall reads. Three estranged sisters reunite in 1893 New Salem to reclaim the lost art of witchcraft and fight for women's suffrage. This book has everything—historical fiction, actual witchcraft, sisterhood, feminism, and the most atmospheric autumn setting you could ask for. It's the kind of book that makes you want to burn candles and research your family's old recipes. Peak witchy vibes: The magic system is rooted in folklore and women's traditions, making it feel both ancient and revolutionary. Plus, it's set during the changing seasons, so the autumn atmosphere is baked right in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/2771e15e-adb8-4e94-865d-a03cee150506/piranesi.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (BUY THE BOOK) This haunting, mysterious novel about a man living alone in an infinite house filled with statues and tidal waters is unlike anything else you'll read this year. It's part fantasy, part philosophical meditation, part mystery, and completely mesmerizing. The atmosphere is so thick and strange that you'll feel like you're wandering through those marble halls yourself. Autumn magic: The contemplative, dreamlike quality makes it perfect for those longer fall evenings when you want something that will completely transport you to another world while making you think about memory, identity, and what makes us human. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/818909d9-c529-45de-a281-95046f722e79/witch+haven.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - The Witch Haven Series by Sasha Peyton Smith (BUY THE BOOK) Set in 1911 New York, this series follows a young woman who discovers she has magical powers after a tragic accident. It's got historical fiction, magic, feminism, and a secret society of women learning to harness their power. Basically everything you want in a fall read. Perfect for: Anyone who's ever wished they could attend a secret magical finishing school (so, everyone). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/3207f679-9678-4a4f-9467-41e21b55d962/circe.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - Circe by Madeline Miller (BUY THE BOOK) Greek mythology retold from the perspective of the witch goddess Circe, and honestly, it's magic from start to finish. Miller's writing is gorgeous, Circe's character development is extraordinary, and the whole thing has this timeless, mythical quality that feels perfect for autumn's storytelling season. Why now: Because fall is when we remember that the best stories are the ones that have been told and retold for thousands of years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/2bfcd80b-833c-475d-a8dd-3d0274e329a5/if+we+were+villains.jpg Resources - The Perfect Fall Reading List (Because Autumn Deserves Books as Cozy as Your Favorite Sweater) - If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio (BUY THE BOOK) Seven Shakespeare students at an elite arts conservatory where the line between performance and reality blurs until someone ends up dead. This book is dark academia perfection with its obsession with Shakespeare, its claustrophobic school setting, and its exploration of how art and life intersect in dangerous ways. Perfect for: Anyone who's ever wondered what would happen if theater kids had access to too much classical education and not enough adult supervision. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.allysondahlin.com/resources/15-bookshelf-organization-ideas-because-your-books-deserve-better-than-that-pile-on-the-floor monthly 0.5 2025-09-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/83ca330b-d54c-4b1c-a6e2-2a6b20869d35/3.jpg Resources - 15 Bookshelf Organization Ideas (Because Your Books Deserve Better Than That Pile on the Floor) - 4. Size and Height Bookshelf Organization What it is: Arranging books by their physical dimensions to create visual symmetry or maximize space. There's something deeply pleasing about the visual rhythm this creates, almost as if your books are performing a carefully choreographed dance across your shelves. Plus, it's incredibly practical for making the most of your shelf space, and heavy books at the ends can actually help stabilize wobbly shelving. Perfect for: People working with limited space, those with an eye for visual balance, and anyone whose bookshelf has structural integrity issues. Bonus bookish flair: If you have a varied collection of tall books and small books and a wide shelf, you could create double rows with the taller books in back and still see all the spines. For example, place tall thin books behind your compact manga collection. You’ll want to use something like this double wide shelf for this method. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/33168564-040a-4ac1-8547-ecff0945da68/5.jpg Resources - 15 Bookshelf Organization Ideas (Because Your Books Deserve Better Than That Pile on the Floor) - 7. Emotional Connection Organization What it is: Grouping books based on the feelings and memories they evoke. This is organization by the heart rather than the head. Maybe you have a section for "books that made me ugly cry," or "comfort reads for terrible days," or "books that changed how I see the world." It's completely personal and utterly lovely. Perfect for: Emotional readers, people who form deep connections with books, and anyone who chooses their next read based on what their soul needs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/59287135-64df-4ea2-be54-463016d6bbc9/7.jpg Resources - 15 Bookshelf Organization Ideas (Because Your Books Deserve Better Than That Pile on the Floor) - 9. Forward-Facing Display Books What it is: Turning some books to show their full covers instead of just spines. This method celebrates the artistry of book cover design and creates natural focal points on your shelves. It's especially lovely for books with covers too beautiful to hide, or for highlighting current reads and favorites. Perfect for: Art book collectors, cover design enthusiasts, and anyone who wants their bookshelf to feel more like a curated gallery. Pro tip: Rotate which books are displayed face-out to keep your shelf feeling fresh and to give different books their moment to shine. Bonus Bookish Flair: Buy bookstands to help display front-facing books. This will cradle your tomes and make sure they don’t tip over. After all, most people appreciate a hug. Maybe books do too, I don’t know. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/1c639c3d-6a45-4996-b7d5-af891375fd7e/tbr+jar.jpg Resources - 15 Bookshelf Organization Ideas (Because Your Books Deserve Better Than That Pile on the Floor) - Specialized Shelving and Organization for Books (For Those of Us with Specific Needs) 5. Read vs. Unread Organization What it is: The great divide between conquered books and the ever-growing TBR mountain. This method is both motivating and slightly terrifying because it makes your TBR pile impossible to ignore. But there's something wonderful about physically seeing your progress and having a designated "shop" of unread books waiting for you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/635db567-4e39-4fd9-9997-26a262eb6879/12.jpg Resources - 15 Bookshelf Organization Ideas (Because Your Books Deserve Better Than That Pile on the Floor) 15. Adaptable Bookshelf Organization System What it is: Organizational methods that can grow and change as your collection and needs evolve. The truth is, the perfect organizational system is the one that works for you right now, with the understanding that it might change as you do. Maybe you start with genre organization but gradually shift to emotional connection, or perhaps you combine color-coding with chronological arrangement. Perfect for: Lifelong readers (so, all of us), people whose reading habits evolve, and anyone who enjoys experimenting with new approaches. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/b1df2b63-1587-442b-bf84-28bd14974d0d/6.jpg Resources - 15 Bookshelf Organization Ideas (Because Your Books Deserve Better Than That Pile on the Floor) - Aesthetic Shelving and Organization Methods (Making Your Bookshelf Instagram-Worthy) 8. Decorative Elements Between Books What it is: Interspersing your books with plants, photos, bookends, and other meaningful objects. This transforms your bookshelf from pure storage into a curated display of your personality. It's like creating a museum exhibit about yourself, where each object tells part of your story alongside your literary choices. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/66dff956-b020-40fb-8684-1e07ad3c958d/11.jpg Resources - 15 Bookshelf Organization Ideas (Because Your Books Deserve Better Than That Pile on the Floor) 14. Decluttering and Unhauls What it is: Regular practice of letting go of books that no longer serve you to make space for new literary adventures. I know, I know - getting rid of books feels like betraying little paper friends. But sometimes we need to be honest about which books we'll actually revisit and which ones are just taking up space we could use for new stories. Perfect for: Anyone feeling overwhelmed by their collection, people committed to intentional living, and those ready to share the book love with local libraries and schools. Gentle approach: Start with obvious candidates - damaged books, outdated reference materials, or books you actively disliked. The rest can wait. Bonus Bookish Flair: You can create a dedicated section on your shelf for books you know are ready to give away or store them in a tote bag that’s ready to go to donation. If you want to be very strict with yourself, use a one-in-one-out policy. Every time you buy a new book, give another away. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/4ce2ca2b-d8a9-4599-964a-feb9922f2021/4.jpg Resources - 15 Bookshelf Organization Ideas (Because Your Books Deserve Better Than That Pile on the Floor) - 6. Bookshelf Organization by Chronological/Publication Order What it is: Organizing books by when they were published, creating a literary timeline on your shelf. This is the method for people who love seeing the evolution of ideas and literary movements. There's something beautiful about watching how themes and styles developed over time, right there on your bookshelf. Perfect for: Literature students, literary history buffs, series collectors, and anyone who enjoys tracing the development of ideas across time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/871929f5-5483-49df-a0e7-ab23acf8f989/genre+sign.webp Resources - 15 Bookshelf Organization Ideas (Because Your Books Deserve Better Than That Pile on the Floor) - 2. Bookshelf Organization by Genre What it is: Books grouped by their genres - fantasy with fantasy, mysteries with mysteries, and so on. This method speaks to my mood-reader soul. Some days you wake up craving a cozy mystery, other days you need high fantasy with dragons, and occasionally you require a good cry or a deep think courtesy of literary fiction. Having everything grouped means you can browse your options like you're wandering through your own personal bookstore. Perfect for: Mood readers, people with diverse tastes, anyone who finds themselves saying "I'm in the mood for something..." and trailing off while staring hopefully at their shelves. The challenge: What do you do with books that refuse to be categorized? Where does magical realism go? Is The Time Traveler's Wife romance or sci-fi? These are the questions that will keep you up at night. Bonus bookish flair: Did anyone else have a fascination with the tags on children’s library books that depicted unicorns and spaceships and basketballs to represent the genres or was that just me? I think it would be really fun to add stickers like this to your spines, and if you don’t want to put stickers on your books, you could place them directly on the shelf. I love the designs on these stickers – buy them here. You could also try these totally cute tavern style genre signs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/7f80eb06-0ade-4ac4-9a37-bdbee6836b96/1.jpg Resources - 15 Bookshelf Organization Ideas (Because Your Books Deserve Better Than That Pile on the Floor) - 1. Alphabetical Bookshelf Organization What it is: The classic library approach - A to Z by author surname or book title. This is the method that makes you feel like you have your life completely together. It allows you to run your finger along perfectly alphabetized spines until you land on exactly what you're looking for. I tried this once and felt like I could rule the world for approximately three days, until I bought five new books and suddenly faced the existential crisis of having to shift everything to make room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/5479815b-29cb-4c7b-9b62-8a787ed303b6/2.jpg Resources - 15 Bookshelf Organization Ideas (Because Your Books Deserve Better Than That Pile on the Floor) - 3. Color-Coordinated Bookshelf Organization What it is: Creating a gorgeous rainbow spectrum across your shelves by organizing books by spine color. This is the Instagram darling of organization methods, and honestly, I understand the appeal. A perfectly color-coordinated bookshelf is basically art you can live with. It transforms your collection into a visual feast that makes your whole room feel more cohesive and aesthetically pleasing. Perfect for: Visual people, anyone whose bookshelves are also part of their home décor, BookTok creators, and people who prioritize beauty in their living spaces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/f3387a81-e368-4014-9f5f-e26217a8a14c/8.jpg Resources - 15 Bookshelf Organization Ideas (Because Your Books Deserve Better Than That Pile on the Floor) 10. Layering and Stacking What it is: Mixing vertical rows with horizontal stacks for visual interest and space efficiency. This creates a more relaxed, organic feel than perfectly aligned rows. It's like your bookshelf is having a casual conversation rather than standing at attention, and it can actually help you fit more books in the same space. Perfect for: People with smaller collections who want maximum visual impact, space-savers, and anyone who prefers a more casual, lived-in aesthetic. Safety note: Use the pyramid method for horizontal stacks - largest books on bottom, smallest on top - to keep everything stable. Bonus Bookish Flair: Add a crown to your pyramid stacks by placing something small like a crystal, candle, flower, or piece of origami on top of the pile. This adds extra visual interest to your shelf. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/bd0050c9-1262-4c22-8748-5062db75ba91/9.jpg Resources - 15 Bookshelf Organization Ideas (Because Your Books Deserve Better Than That Pile on the Floor) - Make it stand out Practical Solutions (For Real-Life Book Lovers) 11. Hidden Storage Options What it is: Using decorative boxes and containers to protect special books while maintaining your shelf's aesthetic. This is perfect for those precious books that need extra protection - signed copies, first editions, or books with deep sentimental value. They get the care they deserve while your shelf maintains its visual flow. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/7500b53d-83d8-49e3-b97e-9a16b044e79e/10.jpg Resources - 15 Bookshelf Organization Ideas (Because Your Books Deserve Better Than That Pile on the Floor) 12. Digital Cataloging What it is: Creating a searchable digital database of your entire collection using apps like Goodreads or StoryGraph. This is the tech-savvy solution for people with extensive collections who still want to browse physically but search digitally. You can track locations, loan status, reading dates, and even ratings all in one place. Perfect for: People with large collections, frequent book lenders, data lovers, and anyone who enjoys tracking their reading habits. Bonus feature: Never again will you accidentally buy a book you already own (unless you want to, of course). Bonus Bookish Flair: Create QR code stickers for your shelves or books for quick cataloging within your app. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/a9751d27-77bf-4ef4-b836-243802370b36/tiny+bookshelf.jpg Resources - 15 Bookshelf Organization Ideas (Because Your Books Deserve Better Than That Pile on the Floor) 13. Small Space Solutions What it is: Creative storage and display ideas for apartment dwellers and anyone with more books than space. From floating shelves to ottoman storage to double-rowing techniques, there are countless ways to maximize your book storage in minimal square footage. Sometimes constraints breed the most creative solutions. Perfect for: Apartment dwellers, anyone with more books than space (most of us), and creative problem-solvers who see opportunity in limitation. https://www.allysondahlin.com/resources/cake-eater-alternate-ending monthly 0.5 2025-08-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/e538bb8b-6214-4c84-be8d-7c1201e3f069/2_21_2022%2C+10_49_13+AM.png Resources - My Debut Book Was Meant to Have a Different Ending - What Was the Old Ending to Cake Eater? If you’d like to experience the old ending to Cake Eater, that’s pretty easy to do! I’m holding a copy of the paperback and will guide you to it. Ready? Turn to page 440. Stop reading there. Skip the epilogue. Ignore Marie’s disorientation in the elevator to her execution walk. That’s right. Originally, I sent both Marie and Louis to the guillotine, just like their historical counterparts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/1bb1ec70-d12c-4d8b-a12a-0e8487484d1b/Cake+Eater.jpg Resources - My Debut Book Was Meant to Have a Different Ending - Why I Changed the Ending The reason I changed the ending of my book is pretty simple: my editor/publisher asked me to. They felt my original ending was too sad for a teen book. I didn’t necessarily agree. I think teens love tragedy, drama, and shock, but as the world becomes more stressful I thought perhaps the publisher had a point. Maybe teens just aren’t in the mood for such a depressing theme. I was also a new, baby writer with very little confidence in my own decisions and instincts. I thought, “who am I to know better? I’m not the market expert here.” So, I felt like I should agree and re-think the ending to CAKE EATER. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/f6768eec-9d14-4554-9632-f75bacd3f7c7/AA21F021-9F69-4C49-9F53-8E5A99711450.png Resources - My Debut Book Was Meant to Have a Different Ending - How I Changed the Ending Here’s the problem with make a big revision like a new ending: it effects more than just the final pages. You’ll remember that Marie had to get swapped with an android duplicate who was executed in her place. I had to go back and thread this through multiple scenes so this save didn’t seem to come out of left field. When deciding how the ending should go, I faced another conundrum. The real Marie Antoinette didn’t get a chance to change her fate or correct her course. Was it right to give that chance to my version? On the other hand, most people know what happened to the real Marie Antoinette. If I made my character share the same fate was it too predictable. Would my readers want to march with her to the bitter, terrible end? I second-guessed myself and thought, no. Who would want to do that? Given all the other changes I’ve made to this historical story, why does Marie have to die? Isn’t that a hopeless message? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/b98840e8-a86b-4040-80e6-7f7527857b5e/65616B59-FFF8-495C-AD8E-28E0CB6FEE92.png Resources - My Debut Book Was Meant to Have a Different Ending - How I Feel About the Ending Now At first, I felt pretty good about my new ending, but if I’m being honest, I regret changing it now. Originally, I imagined that even though Marie’s death is really depressing (and made several readers cry!) that was kind of the point of the story. The terrible cyclical greed and abuses of power not only made an entire nation of people suffer, but also led to the deaths of these two characters who tried to forge a different path. Whether their deaths were justified is up to the reader, but the decision of what to do with them wouldn’t be an easy one. It felt poignant to me. Throughout history and I’m sure in the future, societies will feel the strain and push toward dramatic changes and they’re going to have to decide what they’re willing to do to enact those changes. When we must decide how far they’re willing to go, whether we’ll repeat the past or try something new, I think we’ll have to accept that there are no easy answers. When Marie meets Robespierre, she’s certainly not a fan of him. From her point of view, he’s her executioner, but I hope I also portrayed him as sympathetic and communicated that he wasn’t excited to order her execution, but he hoped to spare many more deaths and minimize suffering by ending the royal line. Did he make the right choice? I wanted the reader to have to wrestle with that question and decide for themselves. By saving Marie in the new ending, I don’t think I totally removed that question from the reader’s mind, but I do think it lessened the impact. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/29d06e08-0bc3-4528-aff2-55f383b84afd/E199F0CA-8F62-4311-8951-CAA7C10BCF61+%281%29.jpg Resources - My Debut Book Was Meant to Have a Different Ending - Living and Learning I’m not upset at myself or my publisher for suggesting the ending change. I think there were valid reasons to do change it, but I think my feelings now are valid too. The original ending had more of an emotional impact, even if it might have upset a lot of readers. Of course, it’s easier to wonder what would have been different if I never changed the ending, and with some more experience under my belt I feel like I could have more confidently steered the changes made and had more discussions about them. But just like my book, there’s no easy answer here. You as the reader might totally disagree with me and would have hated the book without the epilogue! I’m definitely curious to hear your thoughts about this, so feel free to let me know! https://www.allysondahlin.com/resources/books-set-in-scotland monthly 0.5 2025-09-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/5ad6c391-dccc-4d06-9767-24cda32d5219/Scotland+Trip.png Resources - Books Set in Scotland (Because I’m Still Dreaming of Edinburgh) - Scotland doesn’t just stay with you; it calls you back. Since I can’t drop my life and move to a cottage on the Isle of Skye (though not for lack of wishing), I’ve done the next best thing: prep a reading list of books set in Scotland to devour). Ever since I was a teen, books have always been my way to travel to places that weren’t attainable to me. Grab your favorite reading nook, a tartan blanket, and a cup of tea (or better yet, a whisky dram) because I’m going to share some Scottish books I plan to read or re-read whenever I’m dreaming of a Scottish adventure. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/eab7c6e0-e7ab-4e39-a1f5-2fd0c09d9d3b/44+Scotland+Street.jpg Resources - Books Set in Scotland (Because I’m Still Dreaming of Edinburgh) Buy the book This book seems completely charming. Set on a bohemian street in Edinburgh’s New Town, it follows the residents of a converted Georgian townhouse. Pat, a twenty-year-old on his gap year becomes entangled in the delightfully eccentric lives of his neighbors. The book emphasizes the city’s unique charms and quirks with settings that include coffee shops, art galleries, and plenty of town gossip. I can’t wait to read this and feel like I live in a super old apartment surrounded by busybody yet interesting neighbors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/3fc7edb2-7531-4731-b9e4-bdf45b66b038/Shuggie+Bain.jpg Resources - Books Set in Scotland (Because I’m Still Dreaming of Edinburgh) Buy the book This Booker Prize winner has broken main hearts with its portrayal of a young boy in 1980’s Glasgow. Hugh “Shuggie” Bain navigates poverty, his mother’s alcoholism, and his sense of difference in a working-class Scottish community. Glasgow is portrayed with raw honesty but tenderness and you can feel the weight of the city’s industrial decline alongside the fierce love holding the characters together. As a tourist, we tend to see Highland beauty, Edinburgh charm, and stories from the distant past, but this book is a good reminder that Scotland’s modern real-life stories aren’t about castles and moors, they’re people facing real problems and showing incredible resilience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/0847c130-54c8-461a-9108-fbbe1e9d4faa/The+Winter+Sea.jpg Resources - Books Set in Scotland (Because I’m Still Dreaming of Edinburgh) - Buy the book This sounds like the perfect book for Outlander fans looking to scratch that itch. This novel is also set during the Jacobite uprising and follows a writer researching her ancestors. She finds that she can access the memories of a woman who lived through the time period so the past truly comes to live. I think this book will be perfect for capturing the feeling of standing in a Scottish castle, trying to summon the ghosts of all who lived there in the past. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/75b81f5d-9458-425e-8a11-0dc7201cf38b/The+Prime+of+Miss+Jean+Brodie.jpg Resources - Books Set in Scotland (Because I’m Still Dreaming of Edinburgh) - Buy the book This timeless classic is set in 1930s Edinburgh. The slim but powerful novel follows the story of an unconventional teacher at a girl’s school. Spark was born in Edinburgh and makes the city a major feature in her tale as she illustrates coffee house conversation in a city where ideas and academics truly matter. I can’t wait for a picture of Edinburgh during a time period I hadn’t learned much about on my visit. Maybe I’ll be able to picture Miss Brodie strutting down Princes Street in a pair of sensible heels. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/6e2961a1-88d2-4b16-92ff-23c6c277fe05/Kidnapped.jpg Resources - Books Set in Scotland (Because I’m Still Dreaming of Edinburgh) Buy the book Robert Louis Stevenson was one of three writers featured at The Writer’s Museum in Edinburgh, so I had to include one of his books on this list! This classic adventure tale follows David Balfour as he sails the islands and Scottish Highlands with dashing Alan Breck Stewart. I’ve heard that this book reads like a love letter to Stevenson’s homeland, so I look forward to reading this one, though I wish I had a chance to read it while sitting in Eilan Donan, a setting that’s surely straight out of this book. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/a2a3658b-6e0b-4ffb-a2eb-60aa7bc807a4/Outlander.jpg Resources - Books Set in Scotland (Because I’m Still Dreaming of Edinburgh) Buy the book BTW: This post contains affiliate links. If you click the link, I earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. By purchasing via my links you’re helping support my blog and writing ventures. Thank you! Look, I know what you’re thinking, “Everyone and their grandmother has recommended Outlander”, but hear me out. This is kind of the Scotland gateway drug for a lot of Americans, and it really does represent the magical feeling of a visit to Scotland. It’s epic, romantic, and impossible to resist. When Claire Randall touches some ancient Scottish standing stones, she’s swept back to 18th-century Scotland where she meets Jamie Fraser, who let’s be real, is the original book boyfriend. We can appreciate Gabaldon’s attention to the details of the landscape. After visiting the Highlands, I can truly appreciate the picture she paints of the natural world from the moors to the castles to the plants and flowers. Plus, after my trip, I can recognize so many places that turn up in the story! I’ve got to admit reading about Inverness is pretty exciting after I’ve actually walked the streets. Warning: This book is the size of a small brick but trust me you won’t really notice the length. It moves fast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/78f46721-85c0-4ba8-89fc-4326aa6ff3c8/Sherlock+Holmes.jpg Resources - Books Set in Scotland (Because I’m Still Dreaming of Edinburgh) - Buy the book Okay, so technically most Sherlock Holmes stories take place in London, but Arthur Conan Doyle was born and educated in Edinburgh! My lodgings in Leith were right near a large statue of him and a Conan Doyle themed pub so it put me in the mood for some Sherlock. There’s a strong Scottish feel to Sherlock Holmes stories, probably the combination of dry wit, shadowy streets, and attention to detail. Plus, Doyle based Holmes on an Edinburgh professor, Dr. Joseph Bell, who had famous diagnostic abilities. Since Edinburgh is the city that shaped Doyle, I think reading some stories from this collection will summon up images of Edinburgh nights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/396d8461-12b7-4f66-9d99-110819786968/The+Blackhouse.jpg Resources - Books Set in Scotland (Because I’m Still Dreaming of Edinburgh) Buy the book I don’t usually go for crime novels, but this takes place on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, so I can’t resist. I’m fascinated by Scottish island life, which this novel features as Detective Fin Macleod returns to his childhood home to investigate a murder. I’m interested in reading about the wild landscape, tight-knit community, and the otherworldly sense of isolation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/e8e5d7fc-b909-4c89-bdb2-d8dc9df64dbf/His+Bloody+Project.jpg Resources - Books Set in Scotland (Because I’m Still Dreaming of Edinburgh) Buy the book After the magic and romance of Outlander, this novel is the perfect foil with a very dark portrayal of the rural Highlands. Set in a remote Highland crofting community in 1869, the novel presents as a series of memoirs, trial transcripts, and psychological evaluations that portray a chilling tail of triple murder. The harsh realities of Highland life are on full display with poverty, social tensions, and isolation breeding deep bonds and dangerous resentments. This books seems as darkly beautiful and absorbing as the Highlands themselves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/81ec31b2-f4ca-46db-ab17-28dd59a85dce/Luckenbooth.jpg Resources - Books Set in Scotland (Because I’m Still Dreaming of Edinburgh) Buy the book This novel is a true Edinburgh Gothic, set in a cursed tenement building on the Royal Mile. The story spans decades and follows the interconnected lives of the residents who lived there from 1910 to 2010. Each chapter represents a different character and time, but each is haunted by the building’s dark history. After seeing Edinburgh’s mysterious closes and visiting Gladstone’s Landing, which displays how a building can transform over the ages, I can’t wait to read the spooky story version of this history. This sounds like the perfect read to represent the way stories can lurk behind every corner in Edinburgh. https://www.allysondahlin.com/resources/how-reading-challenges-kick-you-out-of-your-literary-comfort-zones-and-why-you-should-try-these-suggestions monthly 0.5 2025-07-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/0844be23-589e-437e-8973-3c8ca37bb30e/9.jpg Resources - How Reading Challenges Kick You Out of Your Literary Comfort Zones and Why You Should Try These Suggestions The Community Magic One of the most unexpected joys of reading challenges is the community that forms around them. There's something deeply comforting about seeing other people's progress, their book choices, their triumphant "I finally found a book that fits this impossible prompt!" posts. Bookstagram and BookTok are full of people sharing their challenge journeys, and it's like having access to the world's most enthusiastic book club. Someone in the comments will always have the perfect recommendation for that oddly specific prompt you've been stuck on for weeks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/ef1e032f-671a-40b7-b7fa-1797de8de93c/4.jpg Resources - How Reading Challenges Kick You Out of Your Literary Comfort Zones and Why You Should Try These Suggestions The Goodreads Annual Reading Challenge is like that reliable friend who's always there for you. You set your own goal, which means you can't blame anyone but yourself when you're frantically trying to finish three novellas on December 30th. The community aspect is lovely. Enjoy the camaraderie of seeing that thousands of other people are also behind on their reading goals and stress-eating while contemplating whether graphic novels count as "real books" (they do, obviously). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/0ae5cf14-4a45-4c79-adeb-a41d428bddb9/5.jpg Resources - How Reading Challenges Kick You Out of Your Literary Comfort Zones and Why You Should Try These Suggestions The PopSugar Reading Challenge is for people who like their prompts with a side of delightful oddity. "Read a dystopian novel with a happy ending"? That's the kind of challenge that makes you really think about what you're putting in your brain. It's like literary scavenger hunt, and I'm here for it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/c8100799-c94e-4c74-8bdb-106ab29742ae/1.jpg Resources - How Reading Challenges Kick You Out of Your Literary Comfort Zones and Why You Should Try These Suggestions The Day I Realized I Needed Help A few years ago, I perused my “books read” list in my reading journal and realized that approximately 80% of my reading fit into that aforementioned "sad girls with supernatural problems” genre. Now, I will defend my beloved magical girls with moody problems until my dying breath, but I had the sinking feeling that my reading diet was not omnivorous enough. A character brooding dramatically in the rain does not a good book make. (I guess!) So, I tried out reading challenges and discovered they are basically literary peer pressure in the most delightful way possible. They're the friend who gently nudges you toward the memoir section when you're reaching for your seventh enemies-to-lovers fantasy, whispering, "But what if you tried something that might make you cry in a completely different way?" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/6a598baa-561f-4afc-86ec-80f7effe8756/6.jpg Resources - How Reading Challenges Kick You Out of Your Literary Comfort Zones and Why You Should Try These Suggestions The Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge will guide you along the footsteps of literary it girl, Rory Gilmore. This challenge curates everything we ever spotted Rory reading in Gilmore Girls, so we can follow along with her and get in her headspace so we can finally figure out what she was thinking during the Logan debacle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/f82dda00-6347-4968-8690-d36a9f5a7589/8.jpg Resources - How Reading Challenges Kick You Out of Your Literary Comfort Zones and Why You Should Try These Suggestions When Challenges Become Chores (And How to Fall Back in Love) Here's the thing nobody tells you about reading challenges: sometimes they stop being fun. Sometimes you find yourself choosing books based solely on what fits a prompt rather than what makes your heart sing, and suddenly reading feels like homework instead of joy. I learned this the hard way during my "Ambitious Year of Literary Classics" when I spent three weeks slogging through a novel that felt like eating cardboard just because it fit my "book published before 1900" category. That's when I realized that the spirit of the challenge matters more than perfect completion. If you fall behind, adjust the goal. If the prompts start feeling restrictive, modify them. If the whole thing becomes a source of stress rather than discovery, give yourself permission to pivot. The point isn't to become a reading robot; it's to become a more adventurous reader. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/8b5f5654-bb80-47d4-b72b-9523981b2395/7.jpg Resources - How Reading Challenges Kick You Out of Your Literary Comfort Zones and Why You Should Try These Suggestions The Art of Creating Your Own Literary Adventure Sometimes the existing challenges don't quite fit your particular brand of book-loving chaos, and that's when you get to play literary architect with your own custom challenge. This is where things get really fun. I once created what I called "The Emotional Weather Challenge.” Every month, I'd pick books that matched my current emotional climate. January was for books that cozy and familiar, April was for something that bloomed slowly, and November was reserved for anything that made me want to wrap myself in a blanket and contemplate the beautiful melancholy of existence. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/2ccf349d-93c3-4e48-aeca-9c4617f49308/10.jpg Resources - How Reading Challenges Kick You Out of Your Literary Comfort Zones and Why You Should Try These Suggestions The Real Magic The truth is, reading challenges work because they trick us into being braver readers. They give us permission to pick up that book we've been curious about but never quite brave enough to try. They push us out of our comfortable little reading bubbles and into the vast, wonderful world of stories we didn't even know we needed. Last year, a challenge prompt led me to a memoir about beekeeping that made me cry in the best possible way. The year before, I discovered a science fiction novel that felt like poetry and changed how I think about time. These weren't books I would have naturally gravitated toward, but they became some of my most treasured reads. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/f7b9e2f6-3719-41c7-a4b5-8dc6d9ffa41f/3.jpg Resources - How Reading Challenges Kick You Out of Your Literary Comfort Zones and Why You Should Try These Suggestions The Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge feels like something Jo March would have designed if she'd had access to Pinterest. It's got that "choose your own adventure" energy that appeals to my need for structure with a healthy dose of creative freedom. Plus, anything with "Mrs. Darcy" in the name automatically gets points for literary whimsy. https://www.allysondahlin.com/resources/how-i-got-my-agent monthly 0.5 2025-07-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/1bb1ec70-d12c-4d8b-a12a-0e8487484d1b/Cake+Eater.jpg Resources - How I Got My Agent CAKE EATER started with my French Revolution obsession which re-ignited after I took a short trip to Paris and visited Versailles. The seed was planted in high school when I loved Les Miserables and Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette film. (Remember that soundtrack?! Served my Myspace for years.) When I got home from my trip, I re-watched the film and got ahold of a few non-fiction French Revolution books. The obsession returned full-force as I discovered the distinct personalities of the Bourbon family, the court gossip, and drama, and the tragedy that was the dream of the Revolution versus the eventual reality. I texted my friends facts about these historical figures constantly. We imagined who they might have been, really, what they thought of each other, what an average day was like, how they spoke. And this is, more or less, how you develop fictional characters. One day, I randomly imagined the anachronistic Converse-wearing Marie Antoinette of the Coppola film as a modern day teenager (this was actually Coppola’s inspiration for the film’s themes), the more I thought about it, the more twisted and Black Mirror the vision became, and the idea for CAKE EATER was born. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/c46f2654-7dfe-49fb-b4d8-4aaaab57bdc5/7.jpg Resources - How I Got My Agent I got my offer around 8:30 AM while I was at work in the good old, pre-Zoom infested days of attending a real live office. I had been waiting for offers or rejections with unhinged anticipation, so when I heard that strange whooshing, dinging iPhone email noise, my heart stopped for a minute. I had an email from Merrilee. The subject just said, “Wow!” The moment didn’t feel real. My manager knew about my publication dreams, so I just sort of waved my phone at her and said, “it’s happening.” I tried to read the email, but my hands were shaking. The words blurred. I could tell from the long, complimentary paragraphs that I had an offer. I managed to type out an “I think I have an offer?” message to the bestie whose cat I cried over. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/8bf106b6-77cd-47bd-be68-c61168d86d97/2.jpg Resources - How I Got My Agent She seemed to instantly materialize from the office space across the hall. “What does it say?” she asked. “I can’t read it, my hands are shaking,” I said. My manager laughed. My friend took the phone and read the whole thing out loud. It was an offer. A kind, intelligent, incredible offer that represented what the experience of working with my agent would become. This email was the culmination of so much work, practice, research, pounding at keys, sketching out plots, dreaming of people and places that aren’t real, but seemed so present and important in my life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/7421f299-5608-4659-9337-0201b973a382/6.jpg Resources - How I Got My Agent I told myself not to get too excited and went out to stress eat ice cream. Some of my queries ended in quick rejections with a polite form note. Unfortunately, you should expect a boilerplate rejection. Agents receive hundreds of queries a week and can’t offer personal feedback to all of them. Now, imagine my surprise again when my dream agent… rejected me but offered personal feedback???!!! This was different from any of my other rejections. Her assistant offered me a kind and complimentary rejection, emphasized how much she liked the concept but pointed out what wasn’t working for her. Cue my existential meltdown (the night before my cousin’s wedding at a hotel bar with my sister). I had been SO CLOSE. I felt like I had a chance to bat at the big leagues and struck out. I wasn’t good enough. If only I’d worked on my craft more before I sent that query. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/2495dda7-9f3a-459d-8dcd-b5597e6dde8b/3.jpg Resources - How I Got My Agent Does that sound like a lot of work for one letter to do? It is. Writing a query letter takes knowledge and practice. For me, the most helpful resource was by far, Query Shark. Unfortunately, the editor who ran the site, Janet Reid, passed away, but the archives are still a great source of knowledge. Janet gives writers feedback on their queries, and you’ll get to see these writers attempts to implement that feedback, learning what works and what doesn’t along the way. Seeing these letters workshopped and watching them progress is the closest thing you’ll get to experience-based learning outside paying for a class or workshop. I highly recommend looking at Query Shark and seeking out the many examples of successful query letters gracious authors have so often shared for free online. I struggled with writing query letters. There’s a lot of conflicting advice. Some of that advice will become outdated fast in a reader market that moves at the pace of a TikTok trend. But here’s something universal to remember, a good query letter effectively shows the reader who your character is, what they want, what’s stopping them from getting it, and emotionally involves the reader in your characters journey (offering the agent reading some evidence that you can do this throughout the course of a novel). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/af37c310-9a8b-43e7-bacd-05e29f6e241a/1.jpg Resources - How I Got My Agent Does this suck? Yes, absolutely. It is soul crushing. One of my besties and I likened querying to getting on a carousel of pain that features sticks and clubs that beat you as you whirl around instead of a fun pony ride. While you are on this cyclone of pain and fear, you scream “stop the ride! I wanna get off! And NEVER do that again!” And you might stop the ride and take a break. That’s a valid choice. Sometimes a crucial choice. But if you love writing, if you’re going to survive the world of traditional publishing, if you’ve got what it takes to be a professional author, then something insidious and magical will happen. Once you’re off the carousel of stick beatings, you’ll somehow forget how painful and vomit-inducing it was. You’ll say, “eh, that wasn’t so bad. I can do it again. Yeah, actually? I’m gonna go prepare to do it again.” And you will unhappily receive another beating, wonder what’s so terribly broken inside you that you keep doing this, and go happily chasing the next plot faerie into the sunset, already mentally preparing for your next nightmare carousel ride. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/188d015f-35e3-4268-9ea0-a6af39d1ab1c/4.jpg Resources - How I Got My Agent The good news about this is that Query Tracker is an easy tool to navigate that can also supercharge the speed of your agent research. It contains a database listing agents, their contact info, the agency they work for, submission requirements, genres represented, and authors represented. This is everything you need to build out the list of agents you want to query, and you absolutely should create a list that will track submissions statuses before you hit send on a single query. Please bear in mind that each agent and agency has their own preferences and rules for submission. Yes, this is inconvenient for querying authors, but you MUST follow these rules, or the submission will end up in spam or the trash before the agent reads a word of what you’ve sent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/e6c3c02e-8009-424b-abbd-c5944154f615/5.jpg Resources - How I Got My Agent With the basics out of the way, I built up a list of agents who were newer to the industry but belonged to a reputable agency. This criteria meant the agent was trustworthy, had the support of more experienced colleagues, and they were more likely to acquire new clients as they worked to build their lists. These newer agents are seen as “easier” to get an offer of representation from, but as you’ll see from my story, that’s not always the case. About 60% of my list contained newer agents and I reserved 30% for more established agents and 10% for dream agents that represented big name authors that I admired. I figured the 10% list was just for fun. If I’m sending out dozens of queries, I might as well send out a few delusional ones as well. When rejection is inevitable, I wasn’t scared by the idea of receiving a form rejection from an agent I never expected to land in the first place, so no harm done. https://www.allysondahlin.com/resources/book-releases-in-august-2025-i-want-to-read monthly 0.5 2025-09-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/056a1473-85f9-4afb-bb23-d4622273f6c0/themagicianoftigercastle.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - The Magician of Tiger Castle - Louis Sachar I was absolutely thrilled to find out Louis Sachar, author of Holes is debuting an adult book - and a fantasy no less! Holes was one of my number one favorite books when I was in middle school, full of twists and memorable characters. I can’t wait to see how an adult Sachar novel compares. Buy it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/1dde020d-0221-4c8f-bd00-5e09a8487866/moderation.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - Moderation - Elaine Castillo I will admit to judging this book by its super rad cover. Apparently, it’s semi-futuristic about a successful virtual reality content moderator. Sounds interesting to me. Buy the book. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/f03657f4-ec13-4db1-aa2e-1d1f160dafa0/fullbloom.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - Full Bloom -Francesca Serritella An adrift young woman’s life changes when a mysterious Frenchwoman gives her a perfume that seems to make everyone wildly attracted to her. This sounds unhinged. I’m excited for it. Buy it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/0a4426f9-8cbf-4f3c-b0ff-abd2ab6cdbe6/wovenfromclay.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - Woven from Clay - Jenny Birch This is a YA contemporary fantasy/romance about a golem. I’d really like to see a return of contemporary and paranormal YA fantasy and golems seem like an under-represented creature in YA books. Buy it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/c27bd7aa-2afa-4a39-9da3-5941b4210646/thehounding.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - The Hounding - Xenobe Purvis This book is pitched as The Crucible meets The Virgin Suicides, which is really all I need to know. When strange creatures appear and ravens behave strangely, five sisters are accused of witchcraft. This is a perfect Summerween vibe for me, as I prefer folk horror to summer camp slashers. Buy the book here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/0a8b79f5-7905-4740-a791-8f59358660a6/warriorprincessassassin.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - Warrior Princess Assassin - Brigid Kemmerer This sounds like such a classic formula for a YA romantasy. We’ve got a love triangle between three enemies and high stakes adventure. I trust Brigid Kemmerer to deliver a page-turner. Buy the book here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/7f614ff0-e6e6-4dcf-8de3-6423d00f1a7b/mistressofbones.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - Mistress of Bones - Maria Z. Medina This YA fantasy is about a necromancer, and I have a weakness for those. It’s described as a tragic romance and multi-POV swashbuckling adventure reminiscent of Six of Crows. That’s the kind of book I can always get in the mood for! Buy the book here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/40a5a07e-2fae-4a71-8cec-ad8c7d119b76/theonceandfutureme.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - The Once and Future Me - Melissa Pace I’m not totally sure if this book is for me, but it sounds so weird I’m intrigued and need to check it out. A woman in a psychiatric hospital has visions of a dystopian other world and no memory of who she is. Buy it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/8d2e7c60-41ff-4b88-b622-d60b9ea7aefa/onceavillain.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - Once a Villain- Vanessa Len The final book in a YA contemporary fantasy trilogy, if you haven’t read the Only a Monster series, I highly recommend getting caught up before this releases! I can’t wait to see how it ends. Buy it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/38484ab4-39cd-4304-bd53-e8b15ca28f03/ifyoureseeingthisitsmeantforyou.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant for You - Leigh Stein This social satire is about the social media hunt for a tarot influencer who vanished from a decrepit Hollywood mansion. I love creepy mansions and examinations of true crime social media culture. Buy it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/8245be52-466e-45ca-909d-b19b1b83ce62/aspelltowakethedead.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - A Spell to Wake the Dead - Nicole Lesperance Two teen girls set out for the beach at midnight, and find a dead body washed up on shore in their little Cape Cod town. This sounds like another solid Summerween choice for those of us rushing through Summer in search of Fall feelings. Buy it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/fe0f2ee0-5d04-407b-8417-ff0374e9f6d5/theislandoflastthings.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - The Island of Last Things - Emma Sloley Yet again, this is a book where I need few details to capture my interest. This is about a zookeeper at the last zoo in the world. Done. I’m there. Buy it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/3bdb0435-8b4d-4f30-a440-026e222662c7/dollparts.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - Doll Parts - Penny Zang A 90's era mystery about the deaths of college students who were members of a Slyvia Plath fan club, ruled as suicides but with a darker truth beneath? Once again, say less. Buy it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/70c4fd49-32f9-4cb5-8281-392e6c6a767c/thedeadhusbandcookbook.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - The Dead Husband Cookbook - Danielle Valentine The cover and title of this book definitely grabbed my attention! It looks like this is about a famous chef who may also be a murderess. A memoir writer is about to find out the truth. I’d rather not poke into any further spoilers and let that hint whet my appetite. Buy the book here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/d842f59b-728a-43ba-b07b-a53c56bcb58f/blackflame.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - Black Flame - Gretchen Felker-Martin This horror story is about a character haunted, seemingly possessed, by a found footage exploitation film. I love meta-fiction and spooky lore about lost media, so this sounds right in line with my interests. Buy it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/48d89dbc-57ce-4350-a201-3f20ce79c321/thepossessionofalbadiaz.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - The Possession of Alba Diaz - Isabel Canas This ghost story takes place in a Mexican silver mine circa 1765 after the main character flees a plague. I’m always excited to read about historical events I don’t know much about, add a ghost and it’s even better. Buy it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/b936c60b-4903-4a2f-ad96-2f65bf4918c8/seductiontheory.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - Seduction Theory - Emily Adrian What can I say? I’m a sucker for sleazy stories about academics and Fragonard’s The Swing. Buy it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/f42079c1-05c5-44a7-b3cb-17c5fd2a185d/areyoumadatme.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - Are You Mad at Me? - Meg Josephson, LCSW I don’t read a lot of self-help, but this book is for elder daughters and conflict avoiders, so maybe I should give it a read… Buy it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/86f3a695-cd7a-4357-a980-d9b5c6ac6eed/hemlockandsilver.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - Hemlock & Silver - T. Kingfisher Many people have recommended Kingfisher to me. This would be my first read from this author. The description of the main character, a healer who drinks poisons to discover cures, reminds me a bit of the anime, The Apothecary Diaries, which I’ve been enjoying. This dark Snow White re-imagining seems like a good intro to Kingfisher books for me! Buy the book here. BTW: This post contains affiliate links. If you click the link, I earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. By purchasing via my links you’re helping support my blog and writing ventures. Thank you! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/0e5f84dd-0976-43d5-9a23-5ca168a86804/katabasis.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - Katabasis - R.F. Kuang R.F. Kuang is back with another academic themed fantasy. Say less! In her newest book, the main character tries to retrieve her mentor from Hell with the works of Dante to guide her. This sounds very relevant to my interests and may shape up to be my favorite Kuang book yet. I’m sure this one is a most anticipated of the year for many readers. Buy the book here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65047d5cf5ca687c5362173e/3a099c9a-e878-4722-9514-a57a63930794/thebookoflosthours.jpg Resources - Book Releases in August 2025 I Want to Read - The Book of Lost Hours - Hayley Gelfuso This one is recommended for fans of The Ministry of Time, which was probably my very favorite read from last year. Set in the Cold-War era, the characters discover a time/space library stocked with books filled with the memories of witnesses to history. Sounds very Doctor Who, and I’m all about that vibe. 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