It's become a rare thing for me to read a trilogy within a few months. This used to be because the second and/or third book wasn't out yet, but somehow my brain got used to long breaks between books, while at the same time being fed up with having to wait. But these days, when I do read books in a series in fairly quick succession, that is a sign of quality, of a world and characters that grabbed me and keep popping up in my mind.

If Clockwork Boys felt like an "early T. Kingfisher" in that the seeds of all her brilliance were there, but not quite all the way, this book is a gigantic step forward. It's hard to believe only a year passed between the publication of the volumes of this duology, because while I liked but didn't love Clockwork Boys, I enjoyed…

Happy December, everyone! It's time to deck the halls and all that jazz, if you're into that sort of thing. In my household, we used to be very much not into decking anything, but with a toddler, the magic of Christmas is coming back full swing and I'm kind of enjoying it. It's true what they say about the sparkle in their little eyes.

My history with V. E. Schwab's work is a rocky one, but this older duology of hers has been recommended to me as one I might like. After loving A Darker Shade of Magic, but being disappointed by the trilogy's ending, I followed up with Addie LaRue and was... underwhelmed. Schwab's writing style is beautiful, but to me, there just wasn't really any plot that hooked me the way…

My attention is easy to grab when you say the words magical and bookshop in the same sentence, so it was a no-brainer that I would read Georgia Summers's book. Thanks to Hachette Audio/Orbit and NetGalley for the audiobook ARC. THE BOOKSHOP BELOWby Georgia Summers Published: Orbit/Hachette Audio, 18 November 2025Ebook: 427 pagesAudiobook: 13 hours, 24 minutes…

I fully expected to love Alix Harrow's newest book, but I was not prepared for how much I would end up loving it. This is not only my favorite book of the year so far, and my favorite book by this author, but probably one of my favorite books of all damn time! Seriously, folks, it's that good. THE EVERLASTING…

The last time I read one of these Amazon anthologies, it was all about fairy tales. This time, it's time travel we're looking at, and just like previously, I was surprised at the routes some of the authors took, as well as by which stories I ended up loving and which ones I found only okay. Looking at the list of authors, I thought I could predict my favorite stories, but it's always nice to be surprised...

What is going on? How is it November already? That's only two months away from the new year and less than two months away from Christmas. I did buy the advent calendars (one for each family member) super early, but I wasn't as Type A when it comes to presents. So wish me luck during this trying time... Quickie News…

Out of the three lady knight novels that came out in relatively short succession this year, this was the first one I picked up. If you're interested, the other two are The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow (my most anticipated one) and The Second Death of Locke by V. L. Bovalino. I will read both of these very soon, to complete the lady knight trifecta of 2025.

When the Sword & Laser podcast chose this book as their October book club pick, I was shocked to learn that I had never actually read any Anne Rice before. Yes, as a life-long reader, you sometimes forget which authors you have and haven't read. I was sure I had tried Anne Rice before, but it turns out I was wrong.

In this year of the Dramione fanfiction writers getting books traditionally published, this is the one that's not super dark or trying to be something it's not. I have read one of the original fanfictions (the one that turned into Alchemised) as well as two of the traditionally published, changed-beyond-most-recognition, novels, and this one is easily my favorite. My goodness, reading it was just so much fun.

I am only two books into the epic saga that is the Malazan Book of the Fallen, but it's been a pretty awesome journey so far. As a Malazan newbie, it was tough for me to let go of the characters I had come to love in the first book and join an (almost) entirely new crew for this adventure. But so far, it's really paying off and I am determined to continue reading.

It was bound to happen eventually. No series can just keep being this awesome or get better all the time, at least not for every reader. Sadly, this biggest instalment of Dungeon Crawler Carl may also have been my least favorite so far. With a rating of 7/10 that isn't saying too much, but I am still a little disappointed and hoping the next one will be more up my alley again.

I skipped the first Hunger Games prequel, both because I had no interest whatsoever in reading about the villain's backstory, especially if it is supposed to humanize him. There's no excuse for holding Hunger Games, so I don't care who broke his teenage heart. This second prequel, however, had very good reviews, and it dealt with Haymitch, whom we know from the original trilogy, and who is an interesting character in his own right.

I did it!!! I finished my first career at Orilium Academy and now my character is a Master Scribe. Now it's time to think about whether I'll start a whole new character next year or just have Sistani spend a few more years at the Academy studying a whole new subject. (runs to peruse the wide selection of callings) Here's Sistani's diploma.

Look, I was promised Indiana Jones meets Inception, and this is not that. I know that book marketing can't always be trusted, but to be so far off with your comparisons can only lead to frustration. Without my expectations, maybe I would have gotten at least some enjoyment out of this, but I kept waiting for the actual hunting of memories, for the Indy and/or Inception vibes, and when they never showed, I got a bit grumpy...

As someone who doesn't read a lot of horror books, this novel was one that still kept coming up. It came recommended so highly and from so many sources that I finally caved and picked it up myself. And now I have to join the chorus of people singing its praises because that was one damn good horror novel! THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET…

The Tainted Cup was easily my favorite novel published in 2024, so I was both excited and scared to read the sequel. Could it live up to the first book or would I end up disappointed once the novelty of Robert Jackson Bennett's world has worn off? I'm happy to report that not only did the book live up to…

R. F. Kuang gets a lot of love and a lot of hate on the internet. Depending on where you go (Goodreads, Reddit, etc.) she can either do no wrong, or people are doing their very best to pick every nit they can find to discredit her immense talent. I fall more into the first camp, although I don't think even someone as gifted and skilled as her is without fail.

The day has yet to arrive when I am truly disappointed in a T. Kingfisher book. This first novel in a duology, and also the first in the wider series that takes place in the world of the White Rat, definitely felt like "early T. Kingfisher" to me, in that you can see all the things that make her books special, but they've not quite reached their peak.

Look, sometimes I judge books by their cover, okay. And sometimes, that leads to mediocre books, but occasionally, it leads me to discover not only a book that is absolutely wonderful, but also to an author I'd never read before and whose work I now want to follow. Audition for the Fox falls into the latter category and I am so glad I followed my whim and read it, based solely on the cover art.

I admit that I picked this book up mainly because various reading challenges I'm participating in required a translated book, and I kept hearing about this title. Now, to be fair, I did cheat that reading prompt a bit by reading the original version of the translated book, but I'm sure the book police won't come knocking on my door. Also, it was really nice to read something in French again.

This series keeps getting better, with the sixth volume being my favorite thus far. Matt Dinniman is truly a master at what he does, and he's getting better with every book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. In SFF, a genre known for its long, sprawling series, that's the jackpot. MAJOR SPOILERS FOR BOOKS 1-5 BELOW!!! THE EYE OF THE BEDLAM BRIDE…