Hedgehog Harry

As the end of 2025 draws near, I’ve been eyeing my TBR (to be read list) and reading goals. I met my number goal (trying for 52) but still have some reading challenge categories and advanced reader copy obligations. To motivate myself I’m joining the 10 Before the End trend and making a TBR for the end of the year. I do not expect to read all ten books but I hope to gain some momentum.

10. An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole is a historical romance that has been on my TBR for years. I love Cole’s writing, particularly her thrillers, and I’ve been saving this backlist title for a rainy (or currently here snowy) day. I have it on my list to fulfil the Reading Glasses challenge “The Oldest Book on Your TBR.”

9. Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross is another pick for the Reading Glasses challenge. This young adult book about two wartime newspaper reporters in a fantasy world will meet the requirement of the “Epistolary Novel” for the challenge. It is also part of a buddy read I am doing with two friends and I am woefully behind (one of them has read all three books in the universe already).

8. That Lesbian Vampire Pirate Story by Raven Belasco is an arc that was published (checks watch) in July and archived in November. My bad. Nonetheless, I intend to read and review it as I promised to.

7. A Single Season by Kate Daniels is another arc which came out in November. This novel is a gay baseball romance, which leads to my next read.

6. The Prospects by KT Hoffman is a gay baseball romance featuring rivals to lovers – the second of said troupe on this list. This book came onto my radar when it was recommended by Alex at pucksandpaperbacks. I read a few pages back in October and am excited to continue reading.

5. Bitter Honey by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström was provided to me by the publisher as an audiobook for review. It is a decade and country spanning story about a mother and daughter relationship. I do not often do fiction on audiobook so it will be an interesting ride.

4. Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation by Hannah Gadsby is so far an excellent audiobook. I started it back in October and have been slowly listening to chapters on my commute or while doing chores. As an ongoing fan of Gadsby’s comedy it is interesting to learn more about her background and how she contextualizes it within the history of Tasmania.

3. Queer Life, Queer Love 3 edited by Karen McLeod, Matt Bates, Kate Beal, and Sarah Beal is an anthology that includes fiction, poetry, memoirs, and essays and was provided to me by the publisher for review. I have not read either of the previous anthologies but it does not seem like that will be a hinderance based on the review copy.

2. Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid is the second book in the Game Changers series and the third rivals to lovers book on this list. I started the series in preparation for the TV series of the same name on Crave/HBO. I got a little stalled and am now reading it concurrently with the show itself. And, yes, I am weak and got merch already.

1. Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal by Meghan Quinn is this month’s pick for the Hot Takes book club at HEA Book Boutique. It’s my first Meghan Quinn and I am going into it with no knowledge accept that it is a holiday book and I’m okay knowing that little. I love reading along with the group at Hot Takes and am actually headed there this evening for the discussion of November’s book If It Makes You Happy by Julia Olivia which I reviewed here.

That’s my 10 Before the End! Comment with what you have left to read this month or link your favorite 10 Before the End video. Happy Reading!