What Deanna Read #121: September 2026

Happy (what was) September everyone. Can you believe that we are in September already? For me and my authors, we're at the pointy end of the year which means end of year releases, looking at next year, and planning 2027 releases which starts in October. That's only a month away. Aaaaahhh...

I'm starting this month's reading wrap up on the 5th of September. Let's see how I track for the month, shall we?

Here's what I read in the last month.

The Norcross Rescue

Norcross Security Box Set: Books 1-3 (reread)

Praise Me: President (reread)

Baby, I'm Howling For You (reread)

The Norcross Novellas (reread)

Holy Ruin

Saved by a God

Worth Your Wild

A Cold Dark Place 🎧Audible audiobook 📚Kindle eBook (reread)

I have plenty to say just five days into the month, so hang tight...

At the end of one week...

Since it's so early in the month, there's only one book so far and it's a short novella. The Norcross Rescue by Anna Hackett follows Vander and Brynn Norcross in a Vander meets Die Hard style adventure. Hans Gruber won't stand a chance with Vander Norcross, just sayin'. This was short, fun, and full of sighs, and of course, Vander Norcross becoming a father is something that will make my heart go pitter patter all the time. I've already reread the ending twice!! Just for the feels.

Aside from that, I'm in a major reread-fest because sadly, a lot of the new releases are lacking and the new authors flooding the market are even more lacking. Let's not go there, yeah?

So the three books I'm rereading are A Curse of Beasts and Magic by Jeaniene Frost. I mentioned it last month and I'm still making my way through it. The words are beautiful and I am savoring it. Very slowly. So it's the odd chapter here and there when my eyeballs want to do some reading. And yes, I've been raving about this book for months.

On the nights when I'm in the mood for something bonkers and spicy, so I've fallen back to my third? fourth? reread of Praise Me: President by Jessa Kane. Not gonna lie, I'm a sucker for a good president or prime minister story before a certain country's leader ruined the institution for all of us worldwide. Also not going there, but it took some serious mental gymnastics to make myself get over that association and hump. Fortunately, most of the books that feature these heroes all paint them as actual heroes with integrity, principles, and in it for the greater good, plus a healthy dose of libido which is always fun in a romance. Another favorite is Prime Minister by Ainsley Booth. It might be time for a reread of that one too. Super spicy and naughty, but utterly delicious. I think Hubby's read that one too. Anyhoo, Praise Me: President is a spicy comfort read for me.

The other reread was a complete happy accident. I saw Baby, I'm Howling For You by Christine Warren on sale and bought it. I forget what happened, but I never checked my reading history. About 20% into the book, I decided to check out the book on Goodreads and discovered, I'd read it when it first released. I think I got it as an ARC from St Martin's Press as I was on their ARC list at the time. The book released in 2018, but I read it in 2017, so yeah, I defo got it as an ARC. Brilliant. And the reason I looked it up was cos I loved the writing. I'm delighted that it holds up. Wonderful, broody hero. Competent, sensible heroine albeit she was in danger, but she was no damsel in distress. Yeah! Turns out, I'd read all of her gargoyle books too. Might be time for a serious reread of her entire back list.

This led me down a serious Christine Warren rabbit hole. Her last book out was Your Lion Eyes which came out in 2023 and there's been nothing since. According to the internet, Your Lion Eyes was meant to have released at the end of 2018 but due to circumstances (the internet didn't say which I assume means Christine Warren didn't say) the book was seriously delayed. I haven't read it yet, but I'll read it when I'm done with Baby, I'm Howling For You.

And then I'm going to dive into her longest series called The Others. So yay, lots of books to read. And yes, I love her writing, her characters, and her paranormal world. It holds up almost a decade later. As an aside, here's the thing about good writing craft. If you write well and hone your craft, even if the technology or the mechanics of the world changes, the book will hold up to a reread years later. I get that's not always the case—I'm looking at you, bodice rippers, but even so, there's been a resurgence for a love of ye olde bodice rippers. Go figure!

Small update: I tried looking up Your Lion Eyes, but sadly, it's no longer available in any format to buy. I'll need to see if I can find it around the traps when I'm out and about some used bookstores.

And finally, an audiobook relisten. I think I did say that I was going to start a relisten of Toni Anderson's Cold Justice series while waiting for the next book to drop, so I'm spending time with my beloved Alex Parker from A Cold Dark Place. He's the man who started it all for me. Combine that with the deliciousness of Eric G Dove's voice (who's tired of hearing me wax lyrical about his voice?), and yeah, stars in my eyes and hearts in my ears. Especially if you ever do listen to this audiobook, look out for when Alex Parker (a la Eric G Dove) when he says "not an asshole." It gives me the shivers and delights me. Every. Single. Time.

At the three week mark...

We are two days shy of the three week mark, so this is a good time for a check in, and let me tell you... This month is dismal so far. No bones about that. And as I mentioned a couple weeks ago, mostly rereads. Ah heck, let's call it what it is—pretty much all rereads, bar one novella.

I did, fortunately, finish all the rereads in ebook format that I mentioned above. Still working on the audiobook, but at this point, we all know I can be quite slow with those.

There was one which was a Don't Even Bother, but it is what it is given the state of publishing right now. And it's just too difficult for me to turn off my brain when it comes to my love of good writing craft, good storytelling, and a good book. Mind you, it's all relatively because I'm still sitting here wondering how that book managed hundreds of ratings and an almost 4.3 rating on Goodreads. I thought it would be a safe book to read given the Goodreads rating (my personal benchmark on Goodreads is anything under a 4.0 rating, I skip, since I know for me, that benchmark is 95% indicatively correct for my reading tastes). It was not. Sigh...

I haven't had much time to read so far cos work has been busy. I'm trying to remember what I've been doing, but I'm drawing a blank—mostly because in the last two days, I cranked out almost 10,000 words in one long-ass editorial report (the book is good, it just needs some structural adjustments), and one commercial viability report for something one of my authors would like to publish. My brain is toast.

Anyhoo, that's it for now until later in the month...

At the three and a half week mark...

This is a small check-in since we're, once again, at team writing sprints. Not much progress since last sprints, but I did finish Baby, I'm Howling For You and I'm almost done with the audiobook for A Cold Dark Place. In happy news, Cold Rage by Toni Anderson has dropped and I've picked up the audiobook. It's the 8th book in the Cold Justice: Most Wanted series and the 23rd book in the overall Cold Justice series world. Yay! I'll get started on that when I'm done with A Cold Dark Place.

I didn't do much by way of listening or reading since the last sprint as we went away for a little mini break. I talked about it here and here, if you want to check it out. I meant to do a little wrap up but I was too busy chilling and actually taking a break. We ate a lot. Yum!

Toodles until the (for real) end of the month.

The rest of the month...

It's the start of October as I wrap up the last month's reading, and let's be honest, though I tried, on the fun reading side, it's been a bit sad. Work has been kind of bonkers, but that's okay cos I like to eat and pay my mortgage. I talk about what I've been up to in the last couple of weeks here and here.

I did finish my reread/re-listen of A Cold Dark Place by Toni Anderson and it was still glorious. Of course, Cold Rage dropped, as I mentioned earlier and I had to go right into that. Because... why not? I'm about 30% into it, I think, and so far, so wonderful. Yes, yes, I am biased, but hey, we are all allowed to be biased about books, authors, and narrators we love.

On a final note, I read Jessa Kane's latest book, Worth Your Wild and I have to say, it was just... okay. It's still got some of her signature desperation, obsession, and longing, but her last book and this one were a little longer—closer to the hundred page mark, but much less spicy and with a little bit more depth. Am I glad she is writing books that are a little deeper in plot and character? Yes. But let's be honest here, no one reads Jessa Kane for plot and character depth, okay? She's just a fun rollick in book form with just enough plot to string the sexy bits together with a whole level of bonkers and unhinged that keeps us coming back for more. Admittedly, as a reader, I am not sure about this direction she is taking her books in. I did wonder if it was me being overly sensitive given my job, but nope, not me. I saw a review on Goodreads that gave her only a 2.5 out of 5 chilli pepper rating. I mean, if she can give us unhinged whale shifter with a heap of sexy times (and let me tell you, that was a wild ride), she can dang well give us more chilli peppers. Although, I have to say, the one about the chef and his "secret" sauce was a stretch too far even for me. I mean, don't get me wrong, I still read it, but y'all...

So that's it for me. I'm going into (am in) October with an ebook read of Savage Truce by Michelle Heard. It's the first book in her new standalone mafia series called Heart of Crime. I haven't made much progress, but again, it's a me thing because last night I was up till 3AM reviewing a 55 chapter outline for a restructure and likely rewrite of a romantic suspense from one of my author clients. She was already nine chapters into writing the book, but decided she needed a redo, so she's scrapping everything she's written and starting from scratch while keeping the bones of the story plot and giving it more oomph. I heartily approve—not that she needs my approval, but the story hangs together much better now. I'm excited to see how she write it cos I love the revised plot outline.

And on the listening front, Cold Rage by Toni Anderson, obviously.

That's it for now. Final toodles until next month...

xoxo, D.

PS. I know recent posts have been very reading list and notes heavy. I'm hoping to find more time soon for more meaty articles and white papers. I live in hope eternal that my life will calm down soon. Cross your fingers for me.

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