diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5b861ff4..4efb7927 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ public final class AddressJsonAdapter implements JsonAdapter<Address>, ViewBuild
 }
 ```
 
-## Based on Moshi
+## Inspired by Moshi
 
 `avaje-jsonb` was based on [Moshi](https://github.com/square/moshi) with some changes as summarised below:
 
@@ -265,9 +265,3 @@ When using Spring Web, you can use the following dependency to use avaje-jsonb f
 </dependency>
 ```
 
-## Related works
-- [moshi](https://github.com/square/moshi), [reddit - why use moshi over gson](https://www.reddit.com/r/androiddev/comments/684flw/why_use_moshi_over_gson/)
-- [dsl-json](https://github.com/ngs-doo/dsl-json)
-- [jackson core](https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core)
-- [jackson databind](https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-databind)
-
diff --git a/blackbox-test-cascade/pom.xml b/blackbox-test-cascade/pom.xml
index 82a7b695..808fc28c 100644
--- a/blackbox-test-cascade/pom.xml
+++ b/blackbox-test-cascade/pom.xml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
     <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.9-RC1</version>
   </parent>
   <artifactId>blackbox-test-cascade</artifactId>
 
diff --git a/blackbox-test/pom.xml b/blackbox-test/pom.xml
index d68c55c5..6c3124c9 100644
--- a/blackbox-test/pom.xml
+++ b/blackbox-test/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
     <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.9-RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>blackbox-test</artifactId>
@@ -28,13 +28,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
       <artifactId>avaje-jsonb</artifactId>
-      <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+      <version>3.9-RC1</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
       <artifactId>avaje-json-node</artifactId>
-      <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+      <version>3.9-RC1</version>
     </dependency>
 
 <!--    <dependency>-->
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
       <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-generator</artifactId>
-      <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+      <version>3.9-RC1</version>
       <scope>provided</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
diff --git a/json-core/pom.xml b/json-core/pom.xml
index ea470b64..68465984 100644
--- a/json-core/pom.xml
+++ b/json-core/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
     <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.9-RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>avaje-json-core</artifactId>
diff --git a/json-node/pom.xml b/json-node/pom.xml
index 03828af3..7148a742 100644
--- a/json-node/pom.xml
+++ b/json-node/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
     <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.9-RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>avaje-json-node</artifactId>
diff --git a/jsonb-bom/pom.xml b/jsonb-bom/pom.xml
index 7aaa6221..d64260e6 100644
--- a/jsonb-bom/pom.xml
+++ b/jsonb-bom/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
     <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.9-RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-bom</artifactId>
@@ -24,38 +24,38 @@
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
         <artifactId>avaje-json-core</artifactId>
-        <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>3.9-RC1</version>
       </dependency>
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
         <artifactId>avaje-json-node</artifactId>
-        <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>3.9-RC1</version>
       </dependency>
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
         <artifactId>avaje-jsonb</artifactId>
-        <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>3.9-RC1</version>
       </dependency>
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
         <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-generator</artifactId>
-        <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>3.9-RC1</version>
         <scope>provided</scope>
       </dependency>
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
         <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-inject-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>3.9-RC1</version>
       </dependency>
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
         <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-jackson</artifactId>
-        <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>3.9-RC1</version>
       </dependency>
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
         <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-spring-starter</artifactId>
-        <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>3.9-RC1</version>
       </dependency>
     </dependencies>
   </dependencyManagement>
diff --git a/jsonb-generator/pom.xml b/jsonb-generator/pom.xml
index 97f9bdcd..a2b74234 100644
--- a/jsonb-generator/pom.xml
+++ b/jsonb-generator/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
     <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.9-RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-generator</artifactId>
diff --git a/jsonb-inject-plugin/pom.xml b/jsonb-inject-plugin/pom.xml
index 2806393b..ff2f049d 100644
--- a/jsonb-inject-plugin/pom.xml
+++ b/jsonb-inject-plugin/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
-    <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.9-RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-inject-plugin</artifactId>
diff --git a/jsonb-jackson/pom.xml b/jsonb-jackson/pom.xml
index 07ce3656..244081ec 100644
--- a/jsonb-jackson/pom.xml
+++ b/jsonb-jackson/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
-    <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.9-RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-jackson</artifactId>
diff --git a/jsonb-spring-adapter/pom.xml b/jsonb-spring-adapter/pom.xml
index d1fc5acf..10dd2415 100644
--- a/jsonb-spring-adapter/pom.xml
+++ b/jsonb-spring-adapter/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
-    <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.9-RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-spring-starter</artifactId>
diff --git a/jsonb/pom.xml b/jsonb/pom.xml
index f2d5d55a..eadc88a5 100644
--- a/jsonb/pom.xml
+++ b/jsonb/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
     <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.9-RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>avaje-jsonb</artifactId>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 3501981c..753cdf28 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
   <groupId>io.avaje</groupId>
   <artifactId>avaje-jsonb-parent</artifactId>
-  <version>3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.9-RC1</version>
 
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
   <name>avaje json parent pom</name>
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
     <surefire.useModulePath>false</surefire.useModulePath>
     <nexus.staging.autoReleaseAfterClose>true</nexus.staging.autoReleaseAfterClose>
     <spi.version>2.13</spi.version>
-    <project.build.outputTimestamp>2025-10-21T21:26:59Z</project.build.outputTimestamp>
+    <project.build.outputTimestamp>2025-11-19T22:48:52Z</project.build.outputTimestamp>
   </properties>
 
   <modules>