Welcome to October’s 12 Months of Reading! Each month in 2025, I will host a different reading challenge category. These categories are broad to fit a variety of reading preferences.
The October 2025 12 Months of Reading Challenge category is: a book with leaves or autumn colors on the cover.
If you’re anything like me, you love autumn: the smells, the sights, the fresh air, the hopefulness, the colors. *sigh* It’s also the time of year I most long for the mountains that stole my heart when I was a wee lass.
Hmmm … perhaps I should have made this month’s challenge something with mountains—ah! There’s always next year!
Before I share about the recommended reads in the graphic, remember I am super flexible on what fits a category. If you’re uncertain if your book fits, you need only ask. At the end of the day, my top priority is encouraging readers to read more.
My Recommendations
These four books are simply my suggestions to fit the category. Readers may choose any book they’d like that the category can mold to.
The Little Book Café by Georgia Hill
This is a brand-new-to-me book that I haven’t read yet, but it caught my eye for several reasons:
- It has leaves that are fun colors.
- It has books.
- It has a dog.
- There’s a BOOK CAFE!
- It’s about a book club!!
This book sounds like a fun chick lit book with quirky characters and an intriguing story line. Read more about it here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37969188-the-little-book-caf.
A Three Letter Name by Annie Lisenby
Annie Lisenby joined my LAM Summer Reading Challenge a few summers ago, and I enjoyed learning more about her book. Listen in to our chat about it on YouTube.
She and I had the shared experience of being Indie Author Project winners for our respective states and met at the American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago in 2023.
This book is a refreshing, action-packed, genre-bending fantastical dystopian with a splash of historical culture. Pick up your copy here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9781956136302.
After the Leaves Fall by Nicole Baart
Again, my search for recommendations led me to a new author whose words I cannot wait to sink into. Nicole Baart is a best-selling author of Christian fiction, and After the Leaves Fall is one of her earlier books. I’m completely drawn in by the synopsis of a fresh young adult who struggles with that transition from child to grownup.
As always, wield your magical library card (request the book if yours doesn’t have it) or check out After the Leaves Fall and Nicole’s other books on her website: https://nicolebaart.com/books/after-the-leaves-fall.
The Crux Anthology, edited by Rachael Ritchey, written by 16 authors, including Joy E. Rancatore
My fourth recommendation is a special one. This is the book that turned this writer into a published author, but that’s not the reason I love it the most.
I love The Crux because every penny of its profits since 2018 have gone to Compassion International AND it led me to meet one of my dearest friends (and the best cover designer and formatter a girl could ask for), Rachael Ritchey.
Visit this page for all the details, including information about each of the authors and snip-its of the 16 action adventure sci-fi and fantasy short stories it contains: https://rachaelritchey.com/the-crux-anthology/.
To purchase your own copy, head here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9780997203363.
12 Months of Reading Challenge Reminders
My heart’s desire for 12 Months of Reading is that it encourages timid readers, stokes the embers of readers’ passions that have grown cold in the busyness of society, brings readers and authors together to share the joy of stories and spreads a splash of fun throughout the year.
For competitive readers who choose to read a book in each month’s category, they may download and print out a 12 Months of Reading Challenge Tracker PDF. Once they complete their twelfth book in December, they can scan or snap a picture of the filled-in PDF and email it to me for a prize: a stylish calendar with next year’s 12 Months of Reading categories.
To purchase a current version of the calendar (supplies are limited) and to participate in 12 Months of Reading, download free graphics and the PDF tracker, find links to each month’s book recommendation post and more in one spot, visit www.joyerancatore.com/12-months-of-reading.
Comment below with what you plan to read and then return to share a review. If the comment section is not working, feel free to email me. Let’s #ShareTheRead!
(If you use the bookshop.org links above to order, I receive a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting me and independent bookstores by using them for your online bookstore purchases!)
Remember to #ShareTheRead! Tap the graphic below to download each month’s graphic to share on your social media. How many reader friends can you bring to the party?
Tap the image above to download each month’s graphic. Share graphics on social media with #ShareTheRead and #12MonthsOfReading and tag @joyerancatore!
Tap the graphic above to join LAM Book Club for an extra way to #ShareTheRead with fellow readers! No set book. Meet virtually once a month. Share what you’re reading or ask for recommendations.