📚 Cozy Up with These Kindle Unlimited Reads & New Releases!
Your weekly guide to all things bookish—our latest blog posts, new releases, videos, podcasts, and more.
The Weekly Insider is your weekly bookish roundup for romance, mystery and fantasy recs, plus all the bookish content you won’t want to miss.
Hey friends,
Happy Sunday! I hope you’re staying warm and cozy wherever you are. It’s been incredibly cold here in Florida so I’m staying bundled up and inside the house. Which isn’t a hardship for us bookworms, is it? This week, I’m bringing you a collection of the best Kindle Unlimited recommendations from the books I read in 2024 to keep your TBR pile overflowing (in the best way possible). Whether you’re in the mood for fantasy, historical romance, contemporary love stories.
Plus, we’ve got some exciting new releases to chat about, so grab your favorite warm drink, snuggle up, and let’s dive in!
— Francesca 📚
PS: Have you finished any good books lately? Any Romanceopoly reads? We’d love to share your favorites with the community. Simply reply to this email and let us know what your recommendations are. Or if you want to share a quick voice note click here.
📚 Cozy Up with These Kindle Unlimited Reads & New Releases!
If you’re a Kindle Unlimited subscriber (or thinking about becoming one), you’re in for a treat. I’ve rounded up some of the best KU reads across genres to help you find your next favorite book. Here are some recommendations to get you started:
🗞️ On Under the Covers:
Fantasy Romance Lovers: Check out the Best 2024 Kindle Unlimited Fantasy Romance Books for magical worlds, swoon-worthy heroes, and epic love stories.
Historical Romance Fans: Dive into the Best 2024 Kindle Unlimited Historical Romance Books for Regency rakes, marriage of convenience.
Contemporary Romance Readers: Don’t miss the Best 2024 Kindle Unlimited Contemporary Romance Books for small-town vibes, forbidden love, and emotional second chances.
Looking Ahead: Get a sneak peek at the February 2025 Kindle Unlimited Releases to plan your reading month.
2024 Monthly Picks: Explore the Best Kindle Unlimited Books by Month for curated recommendations all year long. We’ll be adding new ones every month, so January’s are coming soon.
🎧 Podcast Alert:
Want to know my favorites? If you’re more of a listener (or just love multitasking), don’t miss our latest podcast episode where I chat about the Best Kindle Unlimited Books of 2024. It’s packed with recommendations you can binge, so tune in while you’re sipping your morning coffee or commuting to work!
🔍 On Mysterylandia:
For cozy mystery lovers, Mysterylandia has you covered, even though these are not all Kindle Unlimited reads:
Cozy Mysteries with Rom-Com Vibes: Whodunits that mix clever sleuthing with laugh-out-loud moments and a dash of romance.
February 2025 Mystery Books: Get a sneak peek at next month’s must-read mysteries.
Jane Ladling Mystery Series Guide: Dive into the charming world of Jane Ladling, a quirky amateur sleuth perfect for cozy weekends.
📺 On YouTube:
Looking for more recommendations? Check out our latest video:
5 Winter Thrillers: Perfect for the Romanceopoly Reading Challenge’s Frosty Bistro prompt.
🎥 Novel Nights Live Show
This week’s Novel Nights Live Show was all about Magical Realism! If you missed it, you can catch the replay here:
👉 Magical Realism Book Recommendations
These picks are perfect for the Romanceopoly Reading Challenge’s Mystic Pines prompt, so don’t miss out!
We also had a surprise live show this past Monday, where we chatted about bookish tea, the role of AI in books, the TikTok ban, and what we’ve been binge-watching on TV. It was such a fun discussion—catch the replay here:
👉 Watch the Replay
But wait, there’s more! We’ve got some exciting changes coming to the show. Starting February 6, we’re rebranding to Novel Hour Live Show and moving to a new time: 12 PM EST every Thursday. That’s right—we’re going daytime!
Plus, we’re adding a Bookish Tea & Gossip Session every other Monday at 12 PM EST. We had our first this week and the next one will be on February 3, so mark your calendars and join us for some live fun bookish fun, hot takes, and maybe a little drama to break up your day. 😉
💌 Substack Exclusive
Don’t forget to check out this week’s Substack post: A Day in the Life of a Book. It’s a fun, behind-the-scenes look at what goes into a book content creator’s life. And paid members get the extra bonus of going behind the scenes and watching one of my co-working sessions!
🎧 New Releases This Week
This week’s new releases are chef’s kiss! Here’s a quick rundown of the books you won’t want to miss:
Featured New Releases (Jan 20 - Jan 26):
Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti
Regency romance fans, this one’s for you! Lydia Hope Wallace, a wallflower heiress, secretly writes scandalous pamphlets and proposes a marriage of convenience to the Earl Strathrannoch. But when she discovers she’s been corresponding with his traitorous brother, things get messy. Cue a wild road trip, British espionage, and slow-burn tension. Perfect for fans of witty banter and grumpy heroes! Grab on AmazonThe Midnight Arrow by Zoey Draven
This standalone fantasy romance is dark, magical, and oh-so-addictive. Marion, a healer in the Black Veil Woods, saves a mysterious winged stranger named Lorik. But as their connection deepens, Marion realizes Lorik is hiding dangerous secrets. If you love moody settings, forbidden desire, and a touch of danger, this one’s a must-read. Grab on AmazonOnyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
The third book in the Empyrean series is here, and it’s as epic as ever. Violet’s journey continues with dragons, battles, and heart-wrenching choices. If you’re a fan of high-stakes fantasy with strong heroines and complex plots, you’ll devour this one. Grab on AmazonShe Doesn’t Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke
This cozy mystery romance is set at a high-end destination wedding. When the bride is poisoned, bestselling mystery author Kate Valentine finds herself solving a real-life whodunit—while navigating romantic tension with her ex, Jake. Perfect for fans of second-chance romance (Romanceopoly peeps: here’s another New Year, New Love option) and clever mysteries. Grab on AmazonThe Apple Tree by Jewel E. Ann
A small-town, age-gap romance that’s equal parts sweet and heart-wrenching. Eve, the preacher’s daughter, falls for her neighbor Kyle, a single dad and football coach. But their fragile bond is tested by tragedy. If you love emotional, forbidden love stories, this one’s for you. Grab on Amazon
Voice Note Exclusive: A Kiss of Iron by Clare Sager
I finished the League of Lusty Ladies book club January pick and I loved it! Also, talk about a cliffhanger. I’ll be diving into book 2 sooner rather than later. This was a great romantasy packed with lots of court politics and a shadow daddy fae hero who is morally grey and complex. Live video discussion coming soon. Vote on which genre we should read next month at the link below. ~ Francesca
✨ Spotlight: 2025 Digital Planner Bundle
Kick off 2025 in style with my 2025 Digital Planner Bundle from Inkspire! This bundle includes:
A fully dated, hyperlinked vertical Monday-start complete planner.
Color notes pages, monthly dashboard covers, extra templates and extra covers..
Perfect for digital planning pros or beginners! Check out the video walkthrough and grab yours here:
👉 2025 Digital Planner Bundle
📩 What are you reading?
That’s it for this week’s newsletter! Which of these books are you most excited to read? Let me know by replying to this email or dropping a comment on Substack.
Substack also released a new LIVE feature! What live videos would you like to see from us on here? Considering moving the live video chat for the monthly book club here to Substack. Send us a message on Substack or reply to this email and let us know.
📣 Spread the word: Sharing this post helps keep the community growing—plus, it earns you points toward free access to the paid membership to our Substack! So hit that share button and spread the book love.
xoxo
Francesca & Suzanne
Sharing our love for books as Under the Covers Book Blog since 2011, running the Romanceopoly yearly reading challenge since 2019 and hosting the Reading Under the Covers podcast since 2020. Launched Mysterylandia in 2025.