Favorite Book Cover

We’ll start off with my favorite book cover of the year, Copper Script by K.J. Charles designed by James T. Egan, self-published. (Queer historical romantic mystery)

It’s just so very pretty and atmospheric. And again I’ll note this is a self-published book, so  traditional publishers out there: you have no reason not to do better.

I’m not 100% on tracking cover artists yet (it sometimes involves searching), but from what is in my spreadsheet, these are the most common cover artists for books I read this year:

Cover Artists

• Jaime Jones: 9
• Ashley Ruggirello: 5
• Perry De La Vega: 5
• Tiferet Design: 5
• A.M. Ruggs: 4
• Mitxeran: 4

I know of the top of my head Jamie Jones did the covers for most of the Murderbot books, and Perry de la Vega did the covers for the Shady Hollow series. (The only websites I can find for Perry de la Vega are Tumblr and Instagram, and unfortunately, both require a log in.)

Favorite Books

My favorite books of the year were:

Stone and Sky by Ben Aaronovitch (Queer urban fantasy & mystery)

and

After Hours at Dooryard Books by Cat Sebastian (Queer historical romance).

Seeing those titles listed together, I realize both have a major theme of dealing with grief.

Take that as you will.

 

Series Read

With some series I can read (or listen to) one book right after the other. With others I need a pause after a couple books–or to read slowly (ha).

There are two series here that I went through twice this year: The Murderbot Diaries (Martha Wells) and the Page & Sommers books (Cat Sebastian).

• Murderbot Diaries:  14
• Miss Marple:  13
• Below Stairs Mystery:  9
• Fred, the Vampire Accountant:  9
• Goldy Bear:  6
• Shady Hollow:  6
• Big Bad Wolf:  5
• Bone Street Rumba :  4
• Brothers Sinister:  4
• Page & Sommers:  4
• Rivers of London:  4
• Chronicles of Brother Cadfael:  4
• Lords of Bucknall Club:  4
• Thursday Murder Club:  4

Publishers

The publisher whose books I read the most frequently was… self-published.

• self-published: 38
• Recorded Books:  20 (RBMedia)
• Tor:  6 (Macmillen: 8)
• William Morrow:  10 (HarperCollins)
• Carina:  8 (Harlequin:  9) (HarperCollins)
• Dreamscape Audio:  8 (Independent)
• Tantor Audio:  8 (RBMedia)

The world of publishing is confusing, because the big companies have multiple imprints that have imprints of their own; I put tordotcom (which is now something else) with Tor, just to make like easier for myself.

The Stats!

As 76% of the books I read in 2025 were rereads, the percentage of backlist I read is large.

What did surprise me is that I managed so many new releases (19).

Because I almost never listen to a fiction book I haven’t read previously, you can see the correlation between audio books (63) and rereads (137).

According to the BookRiot reading log tally, I spent 23 days, 8 hrs, and 8 mins listening to audio books.

I read 180 books in 2025, which is just over half the number of books I read in 2021.

But 2020 and 2021 were outliers, so for the most part the number of books I read each month was on par with previous years.

Again, according to the Book Riot Reading log calculations, I read 31423 pages, and an average of 86 pages a day.

Most books I read fall into multiple genres, so that data is always a little wonky.

Much of the romance I read is historical, but I also love historical mysteries, and of course there are paranormal mysteries, so genre often adds up to 200-300% of the number of books read.

Lastly…

I’m still reading diversely.

This is so much easier to do than it used to be, since it’s getting easier and easier to find books that aren’t just straight white characters. (Thank you, ebooks.)

And I think that wraps up the books of 2025.

Happy reading in 2026 to everyone.

Favorite Fantasy Books of 2025
Mystery Books Books of 2025
Audio Books Books of 2025
Romance, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels, & Non-Fiction Books Books of 2025

Fantasy Book Covers of 2025
Mystery Book Covers of 2025
Romance Book Covers of 2025
Non-Fiction Book Covers of 2025

I may have read 26 romances this year, but only three of them were new to me books, and only one of those was more than meh.

I never read much SF, I’m backlogged on comics (I really do need to pick up my new reading glasses), and I’m only reading a little non-fiction, so these genres get to share a single post.

Romance

After Hours at Dooryard Books (2025) Cat Sebastian

Coming as a surprise to no one who has read a Cat Sebastian book, this was excellent.

It’s not light and fluffy as it deals with grief and homophobia and the Vietnam war.

“I realize this is wildly hypocritical of me,” Nathaniel says. “But even though I’m very much against emotions when they happen to me, I think it’s possible that refusing to feel anything at all fucks you up fairly comprehensively in the long run.”

But it is good.

Patrick is doing his best to pay back good into the world after one woman saved him when he was a teenager and had no where to turn. Nathaniel has spent his life pretending to be something he isn’t and ignoring the things going on around him until he can’t take it any more.

Add to that grief, folk music, and a new baby and it still doesn’t tell you anything about how the book made me feel.

9/10

Self-published

Historical, Queer

Graphic Novel

Lady Mechanika: The Devil in the Lake (2025) Joe Benítez, M. M. Chen, Siya Oum

Lady Mechanika Volume 8

Lady Mechanika is a steampunk superhero who remembers almost nothing of her past and how she was transformed from a normal young woman into a someone no longer fully human.

You absolutely can’t start here, but you can absolutely find the earlier volumes.

8.5/10

Image Comics

Fantasy, Historical

Non-Fiction

The Drunken Botanist (2013) Amy Stewart

Have you ever wondered how we got the various alcohols we have today?

No?

You should, because a look at the history of alcohol and the plants we’ve taken up into the cause is fascinating.

8/10

Algonquin Books

Food, Science & Nature

SF

Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy (2025) Martha Wells

The Murderbot Diaries #2.5

Murderbot short story, but with ART and his crew.

8.5/10

Tor

Queer

 

The Books of 2025

I have been listening to a lot of audio books for the past several years. They allow me to get out of my own way when I need to get things done but my brain won’t shut up.

The Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall narrated by Nneka Okoye

Mortal Follies (2023) (#1) 9/10, Confounding Oaths (2024) (#2) 9.5/10

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the books, but Nneka Okoye’s narration is perfect.

Almost as good as Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, which is high praise coming from me.

Random House Audio

Fantasy, Romance, Alternate History, Queer

The Masquerades of Spring (2024) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

(Rivers of London) 8.5/10

Kobna Holdbrook Smith’s American accents have gotten better, but some of them felt a bit off here, however, he was being required to do multiple historic accents from places all over the US.

That aside, listening to this was just as lovely as reading it.

Random House Audio

Fantasy, Historical, Queer

Peter Grant: Midnight Riot (2011), Moon Over Soho (2011), Whispers Under Ground (2012), Broken Homes (2014), Foxglove Summer (2014), The Hanging Tree (2017), The Furthest Station (2017), Lies Sleeping (2018), False Value (2020), Amongst Our Weapons (2022)

Rivers of London: The October Man (2019), Tales from the Folly: A Rivers of London Short Story Collection (2020), What Abigail Did That Summer (2021), Winter’s Gifts (2023), The Masquerades of Spring (2024)

Shady Hollow Mysteries by Juneau Black narrated by Cassandra Campbell

Shady Hollow (2015) 8/10, Cold Clay (2022) 8.5/10, Mirror Lake (2022) 8.5/10, Twilight Falls (2023) 8/10, Summers End (2024) 8/10

Random House Audio

When we finished the Chequy Files we needed something else to listen to, and after Michael insisted he wasn’t at all interested in a mystery series where animals were the main characters, I started the first book and we went through the whole series excluding the most recent book.

Mystery, Fantasy, Cozy, Queer

Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

The Man Who Died Twice (#2) (2021) narrated by Lesley Manville 8.5/10, The Bullet That Missed (#3) (2022) narrated by Fiona Shaw 8.5/10, The Last Devil to Die (#4) (2023) narrated by Fiona Shaw 9/10

Penguin Audio

The series switched narrators halfway through, so it was a tiny bit confusing when I was listening to the books one after the other, but I adjusted relatively quickly.

One of the best things about the audio books is most had interviews with the author at the end, and I liked hearing him talk about the characters.

Mystery, Queer

The Books of 2025

I read 20 new-to-me mysteries this year, including one I’d been sitting on for… er…. nine years.

Because I didn’t want to finish the series.

No, I don’t understand how my brain works either.

~ 8.5/10 ~

Copper Script (2025) K.J. Charles

Self-published

This story has what can be seen as paranormal elements, but they aren’t presented as such so I choose not to classify it as such.

This is set in the Interwar period. Joel Wildsmith returned from the war minus a hand, and has been making his way as best he can, which isn’t that great.

Joel had spent a year or more fighting to get the hook. The Ministry for Pensions had made things entirely clear in their literature at the end of the war. “You are going back to ordinary civil life,” the leaflet had said, “and it is up to you to make yourself as fit for that work as possible.”

He runs up against Aaron Fowler, a police detective who doesn’t like the corruption he sees in the force, and he doesn’t like people taking advantage, which is what he things Joel is doing.

(It was) quite right that he had no qualifications and no proof that he could do what he claimed. Joel’s only defence was the fact that he could do it.

Historical, Queer, Romance

We Solve Murders (2024) Richard Osman

We Solve Murders #1

Sometimes when I love one series, a different series by the same author is either a disappointment or just something that doesn’t work for me.

But after listening to the audio books for the Thursday Murder Club series I decided to give We Solve Murders a try.

“Your passport will be checked in the Arrivals Suite,” says Brad. “Then Border Protection. They never check bags, though.”

Steve is relieved—he doesn’t need a bored man with a gun questioning why he’s only packed three pairs of underpants.

It was just as delightful.

Pamela Dorman Books

~ 8/10 ~

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin (2025) Alison Goodman

The Ill-Mannered Ladies #2

The second book find Gus still railing against their brother, who insists upon trying to control both sisters, and trying to come between Gus and Julia.

Which isn’t a good thing when they are hiding one fugitive and Gus wants to meet up with a different one.

Like the first book, this book is somewhat dark, primarily in how it insists upon portraying much of the past as it was, not as we wish to see it.

“Do not be ridiculous, Augusta,” Duffy said. “Whitmore is an Oxford man and a trusted member of Liverpool’s government. You cannot fling around preposterous accusations about men of good standing.”

It’s another good story, but don’t assume from the cover that it is a cozy.

Berkley Prime Crime

Historical, Queer

The Ill-Mannered Ladies: The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies (2023), The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin (2025)

A Tarnished Canvas (2025) Anna Lee Huber

Lady Darby #13

The 13th Lady Darby book sees Emma’s first birthday coming up, and Kiera confused by her mood and reactions to what should be a joyous occasion.

I knew I was being ridiculous. Naturally, Gage was absorbed with the inquiry. All I needed to do was speak up and tell him I was troubled, and he would attend to me. I knew this, and yet the words stuck in my throat, stifled by my own insecurities.

After living through the abuse dealt by her first husband, a modern reader isn’t surprised by her responses, but PTSD isn’t something that existed then, so Kiera sees her feelings and reactions as weakness and something she should be able to control, which makes dealing with their current inquiry even harder.

Berkley Prime Crime

Historical

Lady Darby: The Anatomist’s Wife (2012), Mortal Arts (2013), A Grave Matter (2014), A Study in Death (2015), A Pressing Engagement (2016), As Death Draws Near (2016), A Brush with Shadows (2018), An Artless Demise (2019), A Stroke of Malice (2020), A Wicked Conceit (2021), A Perilous Perspective (2022), A Fatal Illusion (2023), A Deceptive Composition (2024), A Tarnished Canvas (2025)

Dominoes, Danzón, and Death (2024) Raquel V. Reyes

A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery #4

The end of the third book felt a bit like a cliffhanger to me, but it apparently wasn’t, and here we pick up after the worst of the pandemic, as people are starting to put their lives back together and Miriam is appreciating having not been involved in any murders since the end of the third book.

Spoiler: Her streak of no murders is ended.

Even more unfortunately, she is expected to help out her utterly horrible mother-in-law.

The more Marjory talked, the looser she got. The museum that she (and Senior) had ‘paid for’ was supposed to be more about ‘our history’ and less about ‘Indians.’

Crooked Lane Books

Cozy, Food

Caribbean Kitchen Mysteries: Mango, Mambo, and Murder (2021), Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking (2022), Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal (2023), Dominoes, Danzón, and Death (2024)

Mockingbird Court (2025) Juneau Black

A Shady Hollow Mystery #6

This is the final Shady Hollow book, and not only do we revisit most of the characters from the previous book, we also learn what led Vera to flee the city in the first place.

She huddled under the comforter, curled into a near-perfect circle with her paw over her snout and her tail wrapped protectively around her, in a vain attempt to shut out the world.

Sadly, one of the characters making a return is Bradley Marvel.

“First, we aren’t friends. Second, last time you were here, you were told to leave Shady Hollow and never come back. And third, never call me cute. Not if you want to live long.”

I’m sad the series is over but glad they chose to go out while they were still enjoying writing it.

Vintage

Cozy, Fantasy, Mystery, Queer

Shady Hollow (2015), Cold Clay (2017), Mirror Lake (2020), Evergreen Chase (2021), Twilight Falls (2023), Phantom Pond (2023), Summers End (2024)

Brother Cadfael’s Penance (1994) Ellis Peters

The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #20

This is the book I’ve not read for almost a decade, simply because I didn’t want to series to actually be over.

Nevermind that I have the collection of three novellas still in my TBR pile.

The Brother Cadfael series is just so comforting to read, despite the fact it’s set during the time of English history referred to as The Anarchy.

The voices of cold reason were talking, as usual, to deaf ears.

Set in 1145, written in 1994, some things are as true as ever.

MysteriousPress

Historical, Cozy

Brother Cadfael: A Morbid Taste for Bones (1977), One Corpse Too Many (1979), Monk’s Hood (1980), Saint Peter’s Fair (1981) The Leper of Saint Giles (1981), The Virgin in the Ice (1982), The Sanctuary Sparrow (1983), The Devil’s Novice (1983), Dead Man’s Ransom (1984), The Pilgrim of Hate (1984), An Excellent Mystery (1985), The Raven in the Foregate (1986), The Rose Rent (1986), The Hermit of Eyton Forest (1987), The Confession of Brother Haluin (1988), The Heretic’s Apprentice (1989), The Potter’s Field (1989), The Summer of the Danes (1991), The Holy Thief (1992), Brother Cadfael’s Penance (1994)

Below Stairs Mysteries by Jennifer Ashley

A Moveable Feast #7.6 (2025) Self-published

This novella sees Kat forced to go to someone else’s house and kitchen to prepare a holiday meal for a friend of Mrs. Bywater’s whose own cook has fallen sick.

“Is his lordship all right?” I asked Mrs. Bywater. “Considering.”

“Lord Babcock is made of stern stuff,” Mrs. Bywater said decidedly. “He still has an heir, so all is not lost.”

She’s so awful.

A Silence in Belgrave Square #8 (2025) Berkley Prime Crime

This may or may not be the final book in the series, as it ends with Daniel finally free of Monaghan, although she herself is still working as a cook.

So I’m hoping we’ll at least get one more book that sees Kat with her own tea shop and Cynthia away from Mrs. Bywater and the rest of her family.

Cynthia pursed her lips. “I’m not certain we should show these awful things to Thanos. He becomes very upset when someone is disparaging to ladies, bless him.”

And hopefully getting married to Thanos.

Cozy, Historical, Queer

Kat Holloway: A Soupçon of Poison (2015), Death Below Stairs (2018), Scandal Above Stairs (2018), Death in Kew Gardens (2019), Murder in the East End (2020), Death at the Crystal Palace (2021), The Secret of Bow Lane (2022), The Price of Lemon Cake (2023), Mrs. Holloway’s Christmas Pudding (2023), Speculations in Sin (2024), A Measure of Menace (2024), A Moveable Feast (2025), A Silence in Belgrave Square (2025)

Mavis Miller Mysteries by Elise Bryant

It’s Elementary (2024) #1 (9/10)

Mavis lives with her retired father, so he can lend a hand when needed as she’s a single mom.

It’s not that her daughter’s father isn’t in the picture, it’s that he’s a touring musician and just not around.

The “Daddy Tracker” is what Pearl calls Find My Phone, the app and website that we use to track where Corey is every night.

To be clear, she uses the app because her ex is trying to be as much a part of Pearl’s life as he can be, not because Mavis is stalking Corey.

The trouble comes when the heat of the PTA corners Mavis to try and force her to head the PTA’s DEI group. And then Mavis sees that PTA mom dragging black trash bags out of the school the same night the principal (with whom Nightmare PTA Mom had just fought) disappeared.

I read the second book, The Game Is Afoot (2025) and it is well done, but I didn’t rate it because for almost the entire book Mavis is in denial about her anxiety and PTSD and that was too nerve-wracking to read for me to enjoy it at all.

Berkley

Cozy

Mavis Miller Mysteries: It’s Elementary (2024), The Game Is Afoot (2025)

Berkley: 5
self-published: 1
Vintage: 1
Pamela Dorman: 1
MysteriousPress: 1

Favorite mystery covers of 2025
The Books of 2025

~ Rated 9/10 ~

Stone and Sky  (2025) Ben Aaronovitch

Rivers of London #10

The POV in this book alternates between Peter and Abigail: Peter looking into police matters and Abigail theoretically helping to look for the disappearing leopard, but mostly there because they adults thought a change would be helpful as she struggles with the death of Paul.

His death was inevitable–even Abigail noted this in earlier stories–but that doesn’t mean it isn’t hard for a teenager to come to terms with the loss of her brother.

Peter wants me to do grief counseling, which is rare coming from him, but I said it’s my grief, innit? And I ain’t finished with it yet.

Story-telling-wise, now that Peter has kids, those kids both take up a lot of his time and make him far more risk-adverse. So adding in Abigail gives us not just another story-line, but a character interested in adventure (even if she is far more sensible than Peter ever was).

I appreciate that Ben Aaronovitch lets us see Abigail’s grief, but offsets it with both Abigail’s adventures and Peter’s dealing with his kids.

The twins ate their chips and the inside of their burgers, and would have used the buns as impromptu frisbees if I hadn’t moved to confiscate them.

Note to other authors: that’s how you write young kids.

But I expected the kids to be well-written, considering what a good job he did with a younger Abigail.

DAW

Mystery, Queer

Peter Grant: Midnight Riot (2011), Moon Over Soho (2011), Whispers Under Ground (2012), Broken Homes (2014), Foxglove Summer (2014), The Hanging Tree (2017), The Furthest Station (2017), Lies Sleeping (2018), False Value (2020), Amongst Our Weapons (2022)

Rivers of London: The October Man (2019), Tales from the Folly: A Rivers of London Short Story Collection (2020), What Abigail Did That Summer (2021), Winter’s Gifts (2023), The Masquerades of Spring (2024)

~ Rated 8.5/10 ~

Rogue Community College (2024) David R. Slayton

Liberty House #1

I liked the Adam Binder series, but haven’t been able to get into Dark Moon, Shallow Sea (this isn’t a surprise, as I still have some trouble starting new books).

Although this is in the same world as the Adam Binder books, it’s much less of an urban fantasy, with much of the action taking place in parallel lands rather than our world.

“Now, can anyone tell me what occurred in the Christmas War of 1984?”

“Is that the one where people were beating each other up over dolls?”

“Not exactly, though you have the correct time period.”

Mostly.

Isaac Frost is an orphan who had been taken in by The Undertaker and raised as an assassin, but never sent out on a mission–until now.

Blackstone Publishing

Queer

Fire Spells Between Friends (2024) Sarah Wallace and S.O. Callahan

Fae & Human Relations #2

This is the second book in the series, and follows the brother of one of the characters from the first book.

Instead of enemies to lovers, we have two characters who are already lovers. One is being pushed to find a spouse, and the other doesn’t believe they could ever be married because of politics and the fact that Torquil is half-human/half-fey, a position that generally makes one an outcast.

“Such is the price for being the most outstanding sibling in a prominent family,” Keelan said matter-of-factly.

“Why should I be the one to suffer? Would it not make more sense that I be rewarded for my magical aptitude by having the freedom to marry for love rather than duty?” His brothers had been allowed such privilege, as would Aveline when she finally settled down.

Keelan made a thin hum of uncertainty. “Your reward is inheritance. Knowing your future is secure. In turn, you find an equally powerful partner to ensure that your children and grandchildren are guaranteed the same.”

But things are changing in the world, started by the events in the first book.

Self-published

Romance, Historical, Queer

Fae & Human Relations: Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms (2024)

Bookshops & Bonedust  (2023) Travis Baldree

Legends & Lattes #1

This is the prequel to Legends & Lattes, and a book I’d put off reading for reasons that didn’t even make sense at the time.

We go back to the start of Viv’s career, when she is injured during her first battle, and is forced to recuperate in a small town.

With every impact, she found a new, more colorful epithet for Rackam. Not that it was his fault, of course. Still, it was a lot more satisfying to curse someone by name, even if that name should’ve been her own.

It’s just as cozy as the first book, although not a romance (since Viv finds love after she gives up life as a mercenary).

Tor

Cozy, Queer

Legends & Lattes (2022)

Supernatural Crimes Unit: NYPD: The Thin Blue Ley-Line (2025) Keith R. A. Decandido

I love police procedurals. Add in supernatural elements and I’m all but guaranteed to at least try the story. But good supernatural cop stories are hard to find, and my favorites tend to last only three books, but I’m hoping this book is the start of a series.

The SCU had been formed after a vampire named Bogdan Albescu killed a City Hall employee named John Rosario on the latter’s way to work.

One of the things I appreciate in a well-written law enforcement story is the acknowledgement that much of the job entails dealing with bureaucracy, and that solving crime is a lot of really boring work that only rarely becomes exciting.

Of course dealing with supernatural elements–especially newly discovered ones–makes things more exciting by default.

Blackstone Publishing

Mystery, Queer

~ Rated 8/10 ~

Viscounts & Villainy  (2025) Allie Therin

Roaring Twenties Magic #3

This finishes the story arc begun in Spellbound, as well as the romance between Sebastian and Wesley.

“Stop trying to give me feelings, you absolute menace.”

I like Wesley.

Although the POV stays between Wesley and Sebastian, we do get to see Rory and Arthur.

“We’ll follow behind your train tomorrow in the car.”

“It’s a long drive,” Wesley said.

“Respectfully, Wes,” Arthur said patiently, “what you consider a long drive as an Englishman and what I consider a long drive as an American are not the same thing. We’ll be fine.”

I love that exchange so much.

Carina Press

Romance, Mystery, Queer

Magic in Manhattan: Spellbound (2019), Starcrossed (2020), Wonderstruck (2021)

Roaring Twenties Magic: Proper Scoundrels (2021), Once a Rogue (2023), Viscounts & Villainy (2025)

Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea (2022) Rebecca Thorne

Tomes & Tea #1

Cozy has been my by-word in recent years, so when I heard about this book I added it to my TBR pile.

And then actually picked it up to start reading.

Reyna is an elite bodyguard who is more than tired of her job. So she finally decides to run away.

Run away with me, the mage had said, her eyes alight. You like tea. I like books. Let’s open a shop somewhere remote and forget the world exists.

Unfortunately, her job isn’t one you’re allowed to walk away from, and her girlfriend is the top mage in her country, so it’s complicated.

This did have higher stakes than I was expecting, but was still nice escape.

Self-published

Queer, Cozy

As much as I read this year, I only finished 11 new-to-me fantasy books. But it’s ok. I’m slowly starting to pick up books that aren’t rereads, so hopefully I’ll double that number in 2026.

• self-published: 2
• DAW: 1
• Tor: 1
• Carina (Harlequin): 1

Favorite fantasy covers of 2025
The Books of 2025

I’m finally reading some non-fiction. Not a lot mind you, but some is definitely up from the zero it was for a couple years.

The Drunken Botanist (2013) Amy Stewart

Algonquin Books

This matches the cover of her other non-fiction books.

As always, I love a border.

Food, Science & Nature

 

 

 

 

Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature’s Toxins—From Spices to Vices (2023) Noah Whiteman

Little, Brown Spark

Cover by Justin Metz

Not a murder mystery, but the darkness evokes one, which is appropriate for a book about toxins.

Food, Science & Nature

 

 

 

The Books of 2025

I read a lot of romance this year, but most of it was rereads, so this category is rather thin.

After Hours at Dooryard Books (2025) Cat Sebastian

Self-published

Kelsey Bowman

Cat Sebastian’s recent self-published books have the best covers, evoking the era in which they are set, while being eye-catching and different from other similar books.

I can’t quite place what the art reminds me of, which is going to bug me, but I love the line drawings and the font that evokes the late 60s and that yellow lamplight one characters is in and the other is avoiding.

Historical, Queer

 

The Most Unusual Haunting of Edgar Lovejoy (2025) Roan Parrish

Sourcebooks Casablanca

Cover art by Jillian Goeler

This cover evokes ghosts, but not horror (important). The house looks old and mysteries, but not especially haunted.

I don’t love the color, but that’s a me thing.

This isn’t one of my favorite covers of theirs, but it’s eye-catching.

Fantasy, Queer

 

The Lords of Bucknall Club series by J.A. Rock & Lisa Henry

An Affair for Aumont  (2022)(#5),  A Scandal for Stratford (2022)(#6)

Cover art by Mitxeran

More minimalist covers that caught my eye while browsing.

I love the attention paid to the clothes. even though they are only minimally depicted.

Historical, Queer, Fantasy

The Lords of Bucknall Club: A Case for Christmas (2021), A Sanctuary for Soulden (2021), An Affair for Aumont (2022), A Scandal for Stratford (2022)

 

Self-published won out this category, but there wasn’t much competition.

• Self-published: 3
• Sourcebooks Casablanca: 1

The Books of 2025

I once again read a lot of mysteries, including starting several new-to-me series.

Mavis Miller series by Elise Bryant

It’s Elementary (2024) (#1), The Game Is Afoot (2025) (#2)

Berkley

Cover by Camila Pinheiro

Another cover that drew me to take a look at the book.

As the author noted, Mavis has some epic side-eye her, and it’s perfect.

Cozy

Joss Miller Mysteries by Tyora Moody

Double Mocha Blues (2023), A Latte Mayhem (2024), Mint Flavored Trouble (2024)

Tymm Publishing

Cover by TywebbinCreations

Joss is a barista, which is clear from all the covers.

I like how she is partially off the cover, so we can see her identity, but her details are left to our imagination. And I love her hair.

It’s a relatively simple cover, but I think it’s excellently done for a small press.

Countess of Harleigh series by Dianne Freeman

George and Frances Roll the Dice (#7.5) (2025), A Daughter’s Guide to Mothers and Murder (#8) (2025)

Kensington Books

To be honest I don’t love the cover of  George and Frances Roll the Dice. Normally the two are much smaller and their faces have less detail. Her face her seems weirdly pinched and it makes me uncomfortable to look at it.

That said, it’s clearly part of this specific series, and I suppose they went with the larger characters as it’s a novella and not a full novel. But it still kinda squicks me out.

The other cover, however, is an excellent addition to the series, with George and Frances as the focal point, but danger lurking in the background. And the theater setting tells you about the story without giving anything away.

Historical

A Countess of Harleigh Mystery: A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder (2018), A Lady’s Guide to Gossip and Murder (2019), A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder (2020), A Fiancée’s Guide to First Wives and Murder (2021), A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder (2022), A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder (2023), An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder (2024), George and Frances Roll the Dice (2025), A Daughter’s Guide to Mothers and Murder (2025)

Below Stairs Mysteries by Jennifer Ashley

A Moveable Feast (#7.6) (2025)

Self-published

Cover by Kim Killion

A Silence in Belgrave Square (#8) (2025)

Berkley Prime Crime

Cover by Larry Rostant

This series has two different cover artists: Larry Rostant for the Berkley covers and Kim Killion for the self-published books.

Although the self-published books are distinct from the Berkley covers, they are internally consistent, and having seen the first cover, are easily recognizable as part of the series.

For the Berkley cover we have the woman in the dress and the staircase. I wish the cover model was supposed to be Kat, but since she’s a cook, she’d likely be wearing the same outfit on every cover, and the stairs would likely be the same as well, since all the books spend time in the kitchen.

Cozy, Historical, Queer

Kat Holloway : A Soupçon of Poison (2015), Death Below Stairs (2018), Scandal Above Stairs (2018), Death in Kew Gardens (2019), Murder in the East End (2020), Death at the Crystal Palace (2021), The Secret of Bow Lane (2022), The Price of Lemon Cake (2023), Mrs. Holloway’s Christmas Pudding (2023), Speculations in Sin (2024), A Measure of Menace (2024), A Moveable Feast (2025), A Silence in Belgrave Square (2025)

Dominoes, Danzón, and Death (2024) Raquel V. Reyes (A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery #4)

Crooked Lane Books

Cover by Joe Burleson

Although this cover doesn’t really say murder mystery to me, it does match the other covers in the series, so I knew at a glance what series it was.

I do wish there was more food on the cover, since it’s such an important part of the series.

Cozy

Caribbean Kitchen Mysteries:Mango, Mambo, and Murder (2021), Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking (2022), Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal (2023), Dominoes, Danzón, and Death(2024)

Copper Script  (2025) K.J. Charles

KJC Books

Cover by James T. Egan

This might be my favorite cover of the year.

The art deco seems subtle but immediately tells you the era of the book.  You can the class difference between the characters, as well as the city behind them shrouded in darkness and shadow. And then there’s the mist, and the way his coat is blowing and moving.

And the title font is perfect for the book.

Gorgeous.

Historical, Queer, Romance

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin (2025) Alison Goodman (The Ill-Mannered Ladies #2)

Berkley Prime Crime

Cover by Sveta Dorosheva

Another cover that makes the clearly part of a series. The clothing and the carriage give us the time period, and there is a sense of movement both with the carriage and their clothing showing us there is action, although Gus and Julia remain lady-like.

One ding:  this series is far darker than the cover makes you think.  It looks airy and fluffy and light, but there is a significant amount of darkness here, most of which is time period specific, but the cover doesn’t really warn you of that.

Historical, Queer, Romance

 The Ill-Mannered Ladies: The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies (2023), The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin (2025)

A Tarnished Canvas  (2025) Anna Lee Huber (Lady Darby #13)

Berkley Prime Crime

Cover by Larry Rostant

I love that we finally get to see Kiera at work. Most of the titles have alluded to her painting but this is the first time we get to see her at work.

As always, the model is facing away from us, but in this case it’s what she is working on rather than the atmospheric scenery. And here the subject of her work is also facing away from us, which fits with the work she has been doing.

I think this might be the best cover of the series.

Historical

Lady Darby: The Anatomist’s Wife (2012), Mortal Arts (2013), A Grave Matter (2014), A Study in Death (2015), A Pressing Engagement (2016), As Death Draws Near (2016), A Brush with Shadows (2018), An Artless Demise (2019), A Stroke of Malice (2020), A Wicked Conceit (2021), A Perilous Perspective (2022), A Fatal Illusion (2023), A Deceptive Composition (2024), A Tarnished Canvas (2025)

Mockingbird Court  (2025) Juneau Black (A Shady Hollow Mystery #6)

Vintage Books

Cover by Perry De La Vega

I love the covers of this series. It’s clearly a mystery, but just as clearly the main characters aren’t the expected humans.

We also get the city in the background, where mystery starts–although much of the story is set in Shady Hollow, and we can see it’s harvest time.

Cozy, Fantasy, Queer

Shady Hollow (2015), Cold Clay (2017), Mirror Lake (2020), Evergreen Chase (2021), Twilight Falls (2023), Phantom Pond (2023), Summers End (2024)

We Solve Murders (2024) Richard Osman (We Solve Murders #1)

Pamela Dorman Books

Cover by Richard Bravery

This is a simple cover, but I really like it.

Although the fonts are different, the way RiCHARD OSMAN’s name is written out matches the Thursday Murder Club series, which I think is a nice subtle touch.

The cat here seems to be a callback to the fox on the Thursday Murder Club books while being distinctly a different series. All in all, it’s a nice simple cover that draws your attention and lets you know this is the same author as the other series.

 

The Persephone Code (2024) Julia Golding (Regency Secrets #1)

One More Chapter

Cover by Lucy Davey

I adored the cover for this book.

Sadly, I didn’t adore the story itself.

It’s been done in other series, but I like the characters being back-to-back, since it can mean both the characters are at odds and / or the characters are working together against an outside danger/foe.

Historical, Romance

 

 

Unlike fantasy, a big publisher is the clear winner for mysteries, with Berkley having six of the best covers.

• Berkley: 6
• Tymm Publishing: 3
• self-published: 2
• Vintage: 2
• Crooked Lane: 1
• Kensington: 1
• Lyrical Press: 1
• One More Chapter: 1
• Pamela Dorman: 1

The Books of 2025

Here are my favorite covers of the new-to-me books I read this year.

Stone and Sky  (2025) Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London #10)

DAW

Cover by Stephen Walter & Patrick Knowles

Of course the new Rivers of London cover was going to make it on here.

I adore everything about these covers.

Mystery, Queer

Peter Grant: Midnight Riot (2011), Moon Over Soho (2011), Whispers Under Ground (2012), Broken Homes (2014), Foxglove Summer (2014), The Hanging Tree (2017), The Furthest Station (2017), Lies Sleeping (2018), False Value (2020), Amongst Our Weapons (2022)

Rivers of London: The October Man (2019), Tales from the Folly: A Rivers of London Short Story Collection (2020), What Abigail Did That Summer (2021), Winter’s Gifts (2023), The Masquerades of Spring (2024)

Rogue Community College (2024) David R. Slayton (Liberty House #1)

Blackstone Publishing

Cover design by Sarah Riedlinger

This cover doesn’t tell you much about the contents of the story (it’s in the same world as the Adam Binder books, by is barely urban fantasy, taking place mostly in a pocket/crossover  space in that world). But I don’t care.

But look at the details: the glowing brickwork! the felt! the stitching! the dinosaurs!

Queer

Adam Binder: White Trash Warlock (2020), Trailer Park Trickster (2021), Deadbeat Druid (2022)

Fae & Human Relations by Sarah Wallace and S.O. Callahan:

Fire Spells Between Friends (#2) (2024), Shade Spells with Strangers (#3) (2025)

Self-published

Cover by Caras Alexandra

I picked up the first book in this series because of the cover, and these books continue the trend.

You get the feel of the story (historical fantasy) as well as the interactions between the characters: in the first book is a friends to marriage story, with a non-binary romantic lead. The second is strangers who aren’t quite sure if they fully trust each other with their feelings or if they can overcome the class differences between them.

Historical, Romance, Queer

Fae & Human Relations: Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms (2024)

Viscounts & Villainy  (2025) Allie Therin (Roaring Twenties Magic #3)

Carina Press

As always, cover artists for Harlequin titles are unlisted and seem to be unfindable. Which is incredibly annoying.

Allie Therin has gotten such excellent covers for this series, I really wish the artist(s) were credited.

Mystery, Queer

Magic in Manhattan: Spellbound (2019), Starcrossed (2020), Wonderstruck (2021)

Roaring Twenties Magic: Proper Scoundrels (2021), Once a Rogue (2023), Viscounts & Villainy (2025)

Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea (2022) Rebecca Thorne (Tomes & Tea #1)

Self-published

Cover by Irene Huang

To be completely honest, this cover feels a little busier than I prefer (I wish the title stood out just a but more) but it so completely depicts the feel of the story I’m more than willing to let that slide.

It’s cozy, but you can see one character has her sword at easy reach by her side, even as she relaxes with her cup of tea.

Cozy, Queer

The Monster of Lightower Library: A Lamplight Short Story (2025) Morgan Stang (Lamplight Murder Mysteries #1.5)

Self-published

Cover design by Etheric Design

I love a border on a fantasy book. It’s a simple cover but the artist did an fantastic job with those few elements, making the whole thing eye-catching and lovely.

Steampunk, Queer

Lamplight Murder Mysteries: Murder at Spindle Manor (2022), The Monster of Lightower Library: A Lamplight Short Story (2025), Murder on the Lamplight Express (2023), Murder on Hunter’s Eve (2024)

Bookshops & Bonedust  (2023) Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes #1)

Tor

Cover by Carson Lowmiller

Travis Baldree has again won the cover lottery.  We’ve got Viv, Fern, and Potroast–and Potroast is perfect here. I mean, the look in his eyes as he stares at the baked good in Viv’s hand!

We also get the cozy feel of the book store, while Viv’s sword remains prominent (she’s at the start of her days of adventuring here, not the end as in Legends & Lattes).

Delightful.

Cozy, Queer

Legends & Lattes (2022)

All Accounts Settled (2025) Drew Hayes (Fred the Vampire Accountant #9)

Self-published

Cover by A.M. Ruggs

This is clearly a Fred book, with the books and blood, but is also distinct from the previous covers. No accounting on this cover, but then there’s not really any accounting in this story as we wind up the series.

Fred, the Vampire Accountant: The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant (2014), Undeath & Taxes (2015), Bloody Acquisitions (2016), The Fangs of Freelance (2017), Deadly Assessments (2018), Undeading Bells (2019), Out of House and Home (2021), Posthumous Education (2022)

Supernatural Crimes Unit: NYPD: The Thin Blue Ley-Line (2025) Keith R. A. Decandido

Blackstone Publishing

Cover by Jeff Wong

I just now saw the similarity between this cover and Rogue Community College. In this case it’s a fabric police badge rather than a banner, but the stitching details are there. Do I think they’d have a werewolf on their badge? Not really, but it does make it clear this is an urban fantasy rather than straight-up police procedural.

Mystery, Queer

 

Help Wanted (2018) J. Emery (Ashveil Academy #1)

Self-published

Cover by Eva I

This is another cover that caught my eye and convinced me to read the description.

It’s a simple cover with only a few elements, but it’s put together all but perfectly to catch the eye and make me wonder what is happening here.

Queer, Romance

Once again, self-published books swept the fantasy cover category, with six covers making my favorites list, and Blackstone media coming in second and Harlequin with a dunce cap in the corner for not listing the artist.

The Books of 2025

It’s time for the round-up of the year in reading, and once again rereads dominated, although in part it was due to the number of audio books I listened to this year: 63 (35%).

I’m doing this in January for the first time, to try and encourage myself to read more new-to-me books through the end of the year, as in the past I held off reading new books after I’d written my yearly round-up posts.

To make things easier on myself, I created yet another spreadsheet, just for my favorite of the year, and I created running list with the information I use for my round up, so in theory all the gathering of data has already been done. We’ll see now how that worked.

Because I’ve been doing so much rereading for the past five years, I’ve removed the recency limit I’d been using for awhile.

I’ve also started noting cover artists in my review posts (and in fact I’ve been going back and looking for cover artists for older books. For fantasy/SF books I found resources, like Internet Speculative Fiction Database (ISFDB) that had much of the information I wanted, but have yet to find a similar resource for mystery novels; we’ll see if I can find something useful for romance novels.

As always, once I’ve written a post, I’ll link it here.

Covers

Fantasy
Mystery
Romance
Non-Fiction

Books

Fantasy
Mystery
Audio
Romance, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels, & Non-Fiction

I didn’t start my book blog until 2003, so there was zero tracking of what I read before then. So I have no idea of how many times I reread books by Charles de Lint or Guy Gavriel Kay or Robert B Parker etc, other than at least one more than the number of rereads I tracked once I started the book blog.

Most of my reading at that time was used books picked up from the Bookshelf–whatever looked interesting; since I was underemployed, I wasn’t reading any new releases.

The Lions of Al-Rassan (1995) Guy Gavriel Kay

(reread ~3x) (Historical Fantasy) [Rating: 9.5]

I love Guy Gavriel Kay’s writing. It’s breathtaking. He generally researches the crap out of a subject and time period that interests him, then with all that background creates a new world based upon his research. His books are slow reads, to be savored and thought about.

I have to be in a certain type of mood to read a Guy Gavriel Kay book, but when I’m in that mood, there is nothing else like his writing.

Whom the Gods Love (1995) Kate Ross

(Julian Kestrel #3/4 -completed) (reread 3x) (Historical Mystery) [Avg Rating: 8.7]

There are only four books in this series, because the author died entirely too young, but I love rereading them.

“People suppose what I do must be right, because I do it with conviction”

Sabriel (1995) Garth Nix

(reread 3x) (Fantasy) [Avg Rating: 9.75]

I remember the feeling of reading this for the first time, more than anything else.

Well, anything except Moggett.

Mogget yawned, showing a pink tongue that seemed to contain the very essence of scorn.

The Ivory and the Horn (1995) Charles de Lint

(reread) (Urban Fantasy) [Rating: 8]

Charles de Lint has long been one of my favorite authors. He is a master of the short story, and of tales that–despite the darkness often within–leave you with a sense of hope.

“What bedevils you,” he says, “is that you have misplaced the ability to see–to truly see behind the shadow, into the heart of the thing–and so you no longer think to look. And the more you do not look, the less you are able to see. Wait long enough and you’ll wander the world as one blind.”

I really really need to reread some of his anthologies.

Memory & Dream (1995) Charles de Lint

(reread) (Urban Fantasy) [Rating: 7]

This is a novel rather than a short story, and I tend to prefer his short stories.

Thin Air (1995) Robert B. Parker

(Spenser #22/33) (reread ~3x) (Mystery, PI) [Rating: 8.5]

This is one in a run of excellent stories. Even when I don’t necessarily remember the details of the mysteries, there are bits and pieces that lodge themselves in my brain.

Slums were immutable. The ethnicities changed, but the squalor and sadness and desperation remained as constant as the movement of the stars.

Sister Fidelma series (36 books -completed) by Peter Tremayne

Shroud for the Archbishop #2 (1995) [Rating: 8],  Suffer Little Children #3 (1995)

(reread) (Historical Mystery)

I loved this mysteries, but have very few of them as ebooks, so not much rereading.

(N)o one, especially no woman, should put up with verbal abuse from others. The Bretha Nemed makes it an offence in law for a woman to be harassed and especially to be verbally assaulted.

Death and Judgment (1995) Donna Leon

(Commissario Guido Brunetti #4/33) (reread 3x) (Mystery, Police) [Avg Rating: 7.7]

This is the story where Signorina Elettra finally comes into her own.

“I’ve had a modem installed on the Vice-Questore’s phone,” she said, pointing to a metal box that sat on the desk a few centimeters from the phone. Wires, Brunetti saw, led from the box to her computer.

The Nun’s Tale  (1995) Candace Robb

(Owen Archer #3/15) (reread) (Historical Mystery) [Rating: 7.5]

This is actually the first book in the series I read, as it was the first I came across, but I don’t recommend starting here, but rather at the beginning.

I’m not sure if this series is finished or not. Several years will pass and then there will be a new book.

Voodoo River (1995) Robert Crais

(Elvis Cole #5/20) (reread) (Mystery, PI) Rating: 7.25]

Don’t remember too much about this story, but remain amused by this:

Ben ate quickly, then asked to be excused and raced to the TV so that he could watch Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Murder in Grub Street (1995) Bruce Alexander

(Sir John Fielding #2/11 -completed) (Historical Mystery) [Rating: 7]

Whyyyyyyyy is most of this series not available as ebooks? Whyyyyyy?

The Silent Strength of Stones (1995) Nina Kiriki Hoffman

(Urban Fantasy) [Rating: 7]

Nina Kiriki Hoffman writes urban fantasy along the lines of what Charles de Lint does, and she is also very good at short stories. This is one of her earlier books.

Justice (1995) Faye Kellerman

(Decker & Lazarus #8/27 -completed) (Mystery, Police)

I started reading this series more than two decades after it came out, and although I was willing to cut it some slack for the time period, this is the book where I gave up. Too depressing.

And thus ends my retrospective.

I didn’t start my end of the year round-ups until 2008, so I’ll just divide 2005 into front list and back list reads.

First up, front list (of course)

Frontlist (Read in 2005-2006)

Series

Cast in Shadow (2005) Michelle Sagara

(Cast #1/19 -ongoing) [Rating: 9] (Fantasy)

The last book I read in this series was Cast in Chaos (2010). I have later books in the series, but wanted to do the reread I’d need to get back into the series.

Nightside by Simon R. Green

Hex and the City (2005) (#4/12) [Rating: 8], Paths Not Taken  (2005) (#5/12 -complete) [Avg Rating: 6.5]

(reread 3x) (Supernatural Mystery)

As previously mentioned, I haven’t read the last book in this series, but I WILL. Someday. Up until that last book I was reading them as soon as they were published.

Dead as a Doornail (2005) Charlaine Harris

(Sookie Stackhouse #5/13 -complete) [Rating: 8] (Paranormal)

— was reading the Sookie books as soon as they came out until I got completely fed up and quit the series after 2009’s Dead and Gone. Every single male characters falling in love with Sookie was just… ugh.

Kitty and the Midnight Hour (2005) Carrie Vaughn

(Kitty Norville #1/16 -complete) (reread) [Avg Rating: 7.5] (Urban Fantasy)

This was another series I pre-ordered and read as soon as it came out–until the final book, which I put off reading for several years.

Seventy-Seven Clocks (2005) Christopher Fowler

(Bryant and May #3/18) [Rating: 7] (Mystery, Police)

I picked this up on a whim and then went back to read the earlier books. Grandmom quite enjoyed these books.

For Camelot’s Honor (2005) Sarah Zettel

(Paths to Camelot #2/4 -complete) (reread) [Avg Rating: 7] (Historical Fantasy)

I loved the first book so much that the second ended up being a little bit of a let down.

The Good, The Bad, and the Undead  (2005) Kim Harrison

(Rachel Morgan #2/18 -ongoing) [Rating: 7]

Michael kept up with this series longer than I did; I dropped off in 2008, not because it was bad, but more there were other things I wanted to read more.

Dead Beat (2005) Jim Butcher

(Dresden Files #7/18 -ongoing) [Rating: 7] (Supernatural Fantasy)

I dropped this series completely when I heard the next book ended in a major character death. I realized this was one of those series where the main character just gets stronger and stronger and stronger. I don’t mind characters learning and become more talented, but I dislike it when characters suddenly have more power to deal with problems rather than using wit and teamwork.

Cold Service (2005) Robert B. Parker

(Spenser #32/39) [Rating: 6] (Mystery, PI)

This series is being continued by another author, but I’d already kinda dropped back on keeping up about this time.

Stand Alone

Zorro (2005) Isabel Allende translated by Margaret Sayers Peden

[Rating: 8] (Historical)

This book started off a search for the Zorro book that I read as a teen.

Where’s My Cow? (2005) Terry Pratchett

(Discworld) [Rating: 9] (reread) (Fantasy)

The Discworld picture book of Sam Vimes reading Where’s My Cow to little Sam.

“Children’s Winner of the Ankh-Morpork Librarians’ Award. OOK!”

Across the Wall (2005) Garth Nix

[Rating: 7] (Fantasy Anthology)

This is a collection of short stories, some set in the world of Sabriel, some not.

Comics

Fables by  Bill Willingham

Vol 5: The Mean Seasons (2005) [Rating: 7], Vol 6: Homelands (2005) [Rating: 9] ( /22 -complete) (Urban Fantasy/Folktale)

At this point I was avidly and eagerly awaiting each new volume, and would do so for the next ten years.

Ex Machina by Brian K. Vaughan

The First Hundred Days (2005) [Rating: 7], Vol 2: Tag (2005)  [Rating: 7] ( /10 -complete) (Science Fiction)

I picked this up because it intrigued me, and kept reading for the same reason.

Runaways: Vol 4: True Believers (2005) Brian K Vaughan, Adrian Alphona, Craig Yeung

[Rating: 7] (Marvel Superhero)

I loved the first seven books of this series, then got mad after a writer change and stopped reading.

 

I’m simply going to note these last two, with no links or further commentary

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2005) J.K. Rowling

Anansi Boys (2005) Neil Gaiman (reread)

Comics

I really need to get new reading glasses so I can get back to reading comics on a regular basis.

Read in 2015 or 2016

Black Widow: Vol 1: The Finely Woven Thread (2015), Vol. 2: The Tightly Tangled Web (2015), Vol. 3: Last Days (2015)

Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto (2015 favorite) (Marvel Superhero) [Avg Rating: 8.3]

I enjoyed the Black Widow comics, especially because they were readable without knowing all the backstory and what happened elsewhere in the Marvel Universe.

Fables Vol. 21: Happily Ever After (2015), Fables Vol. 22: Farewell (2015)

Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, and Andrew Pepoy (Urban Fantasy/Folktale)

These were the last two volumes of the Fables series, which I loved. I really need to go back and reread the whole thing.

Read 2017-2020

Lady Mechanika: Mystery of the Mechanical Corpse (2015)

Joe Benitez, Peter Steigerwald (1/8 – ongoing) [Rating: 7.5] (Steampunk)

I love this series and back the new volumes on kickstarter.

Valor: Swords (2015) edited by Isabelle Melançon and Megan Lavey-Heaton

[Rating: 8.5] (Fantasy/Adventure)

This is a middle-grade / YA comic of female-focused folk & fairy tale-type stories.

Series

Looking at some of the series I dropped off reading, and some of the synopses of recent books, maybe I’m ok not going back to revisit those worlds.

Read in 2015 or 2016

Dark Ascension (2015) M. L. Brennan

(Generation V #4/4) [Rating: 7] (Urban Fantasy)

A different take on the vampire mythos with lots of other folklore sprinkled in. I need to reread this series.

Deadly Spells (2015) Jaye Wells

(Prospero’s War #3/4) [Rating: 7] (Supernatural Mystery)

Magic cops, which is a favorite subgenre of mine.

Falling in Love (2015) Donna Leon

(Commisario Brunetti #24/33) [Rating: 7.5] (Mystery)

Set in Venice, it’s almost a police cozy, and the city is the reason I keep reading.

A Red-Rose Chain (2015) Seanan McGuire

(Toby Daye #9/19 -ongoing) [Rating: 7] (Urban Fantasy)

I fell off reading this series, and keep meaning to start up again, but that’s a lot of catch-up, the they synopses of the last couple of books look really depressing.

Pocket Apocalypse (2015) Seanan McGuire

(InCryptid #4/15 -ongoing) [Rating: 7] (Urban Fantasy)

This series changes main characters as it goes along, and at some point I didn’t care as much for the characters and dropped off.

Bound by Flames (2015) Jeaniene Frost

(Night Prince #3/4) [Rating: 7] (Supernatural Romance)

Vlad the Impaler. The story pulled me in and didn’t stop, but when I’d finish there’d be a lot of things that bothered me.

The Dark Side of The Road (2015) Simon R. Green

(Ishmael Jones #1/11) [Rating: 8] (Supernatural Mystery)

Another series where I fell off and restarting is a bit daunting. As always. his humor is what I enjoy most.

Read 2017-2021

Kitty Saves the World (2015) Carrie Vaughn

(Kitty Norville #14/16) [Rating: 8] (Urban Fantasy)

This is actually the last book in Kitty’s story arc. The later two books are about secondary characters. This is a series where I love the world building, and she has lots of excellent short stories set in this world, a couple of which are favorites.

Magic Shifts (2015) Ilona Andrews

(Kate Daniels # 8/10) [Rating: 8] (Urban Fantasy)

Another series I fell off reading, because the stories shifted from stand-alone urban fantasy to more epic fantasy where nothing is every really tied up at the end of the book.

A Pattern of Lies  (2015) Charles Todd

(Bess Crawford #7/13) [Avg rating: 6.25] (Historical Mystery)

I like this series, but my habit of reading the books in a series one after the other doesn’t work here, so I’ll read a book and then forget to come back to it and then I have to start all over.

Vision In Silver (2015) Anne Bishop

(The Others #3/5) [Rating: 7] (Fantasy)

More of an alternate reality than urban fantasy. I like the world building but somehow I fell off reading the series.

A Geek Girl’s Guide to Murder (2015) Julie Anne Lindsey

(#1/3) [Rating: 7.5] (Mystery)

Geek girl cozy mystery series.

The Mermaid Murders (2015) Josh Lanyon

(The Art of Murder #1/5) (Queer Mystery) [Rating: 8]

Procedural with on-again off-again romance.

Model Citizen (2015) Lissa Kasey

(Haven Investigations #1/4) (Queer Mystery) [Rating: 8]

These books have pretty much all the trigger warnings, yet they pulled me in and wouldn’t let go. What sticks out most to me is the realistic portrayal of concussion.

The Rest (2017-2022)

These are stand-alones or books that can be read outside of their series.

A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie (2015) Kathryn Harkup

[Rating: 8.5] (Non-Fiction)

Agatha Christie, science, and murder. Perfect.

Good Enough to Eat (2015) Alison Grey & Jae

(Queer Fantasy Romance) [Rating: 7]

This was a fun story that I will probably reread at some point.

The Rogue Not Taken (2015) Sarah MacLean

[Rating: 6.5] (Historical Romance)

I tend to enjoy the first books in her series, but end up getting annoyed at a character or plot in some later book.

You’re the Earl That I Want  (2015) Kelly Bowen

[Rating: 7.5] (Historical Romance)

I remember absolutely nothing about this book.

Getting It Right (2015) A.M. Arthur

[Rating: 8.5] (Queer Romance)

Another book with all the trigger warnings. The story stuck with me, and I want to reread it and read other books in this series, but… all the trigger warnings is too much for my mental state these days.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (2015) Becky Chambers

(Wayfarers #1) (Science Fiction)

This is a favorite of so many people, and I get why, but I read it when what I really wanted was more Murderbot, and that’s not what this is.

I found this list to be particularly interesting. There are books here that got a middling rating initially, but I’ve come back to repeatedly, as well as books that maybe I didn’t rate very highly, yet the stories stuck in my mind and I had to revisit them.

Read in 2015 or 2016

Dead Heat (2015) Patricia Briggs

(Alpha & Omega #4/6) (reread+ audio 8x) [initial rating: 7.5; Avg rating: 8.4]

This whole series works extremely well for me on audio, which is why it has so many rereads. And because one of the secondary characters, Asil, is one of my favorites.

The series is also full of bits that are almost short stories on their own.

“Shut your piehole, punk kid,” Max said, thumping her on the head with the palm of his hand.

“I’m telling Mama you said ‘Shut your piehole,’” Michael said. “‘ Shut your piehole’ is a bad word.”

“‘ Shut your piehole’ is three words, Michael,” said Mackie.

Undaunted, Michael said, “I’m telling Mama you used three bad words.”

I am up to date on this series, however, I had a LOT of issues with book six, which makes me nervous about another book in this series.

A Talent for Trickery (2015) Alissa Johnson

(The Thief-Takers #1/3 -complete) (reread 5x) [Initial rating 7; subsequent readings 8.5]

This series has so many things that have stuck with me. I love how she writes characters and dialog, and how I feel like I know the characters.

He took hold of her hand gently and turned it over to study the wrist. His thumb caressed the palm of her hand. “Has this happened before?”

“Manacles? Yes, but—”

“No, not manac—” His head snapped up. “Wait. Yes? Yes? Who the hell put you in manacles?”

“My father. He felt it was important I know how to get out of them.”

Dark Heir (2015) Faith Hunter

(Jane Yellowrock #9/15 – complete) (reread+ audio 3x) [Avg Rating: 7.8]

I picked up this series when the first book came out, and pre-ordered every book as it came out. Yet I haven’t read the final two books in this series. Partially because I have a bad habit of putting off reading the final book in a series, partially because a major character was killed in book 13, and partially because things had reached a point where the books were no longer stand-alone stories. It’s not that there were cliffhanger endings, just that there were too many things to be resolved in a single book.

Why that makes a difference I don’t know, my brain just thinks it does.

I really enjoy Khristine Hvam’s narration, which is why most of my rereads have been listening to the audiobooks.

The Soldier’s Dark Secret (2015) Marguerite Kaye

(reread) [Avg rating: 7.75]

This is a book I wasn’t expecting to like as much as I did.

It’s a Harlequin Historical, so I expected it to fit into tight and restrictive patterns. It did follow the expected beats, yet was so much more, with a hero suffering from what we now term PTSD, a heroine with her own problems, and importantly, neither’s problems are magically solved by love.

Read 2017-2024

Think of England (2015) KJ Charles

(reread 4x) [Avg rating: 8.75]

I can’t believe I’ve only read this story four times. Likely, every time I come across one of my posts for it, I end up rereading all the quotes I have for it–and there are many.

KJ Charles writes queer historicals–some mysteries, some fantasy, some straight up romances. I love almost all of them, but her mysteries tend to be my favorites.

This is a stand-alone, about a man looking into the accident that caused the deaths of seventeen of his men and the mutilations of even more, as well as his being invalided out of the army.  It’s a golden retriever black cat pairing, and we get only the golden retriever’s POV which is perfect for this story.

“I, er,” said Curtis, with the natural awkwardness of an Englishman caught reading poetry. “I just, er, picked this up.”

A Queer Trade (2015) K.J. Charles

(Rag & Bone) (reread) [Avg rating: 7.25]

This is an historical fantasy novella with a very intriguing magical system, and a trade I’d never seen a main character have before, which fascinated me.

How to Be a Normal Person (2015) TJ Klune

(reread) [Avg rating: 7.25]

This is an odd story. It’s a bit of a romp, with over-the-top characters, but many parts of it stuck in my brain.

That One Friend

We all have them. You know what I’m talking about. That One Friend. Yes, That One Friend who you love dearly and enjoy very much, but who can be a bit on the wild side. Their personality isn’t for everyone. What you might consider bubbly, others might potentially consider undesirable. Before you decide which of your friends is That One Friend, make sure you look inside yourself to make sure that you’re not That One Friend.

Oh hey, it’s me.

The Bellingham Mystery Series Volume 1 (2015), The Bellingham Mystery Series Volume 2  (2015) Nicole Kimberling

(reread 3x) [Avg rating: 8.2]

I stumbled across Nicole Kimberling in a queer mystery anthology and immediately sought out her books. The main character is a reporter who–despite working for a free local paper, feels himself an investigative journalist, and keeps looking into local crimes.

I really like her writing and wish she was able to write more.

Status Update (2015) Annabeth Albert

(#gaymers) (reread) [Avg rating 7.25]

A closeted professor who teaches at a Christian college and an ADHD video game designer on an accidental road trip together.

What stuck with me in this story was Noah’s religious faith and how it made him fear his family’s reaction to him (as well as the loss of his job if he came out).