November was a mix of reading new releases (FIVE! FIVE new releases!) and rereads (relistens, mostly) with almost no backlist first reads.

I (like everyone else) was impatiently awaiting the new Murderbot story by Martha Wells and it did not disappoint. It’s set immediately after Network Effect so lots of Murderbot and ART.

I was also very excited about the conclusion to Freya Marske‘s conclusion to the Last Binding trilogy. I knew it was going to be about Lord Hawthorn, and we knew Alston had tragedy in his history, with the death of his twin and the loss of his magic, but he was such an arrogant ass in previous books, I was worried about him being sympathetic. I needn’t have worried–it was marvelous.

I’m all caught up on the Lily Adler series, so sadly I must wait for a new entry, but I do have another entry in Morgan Stang’s Lamplight Murder Mystery, which is a silly gaslamp/steampunk series.

I was disappointed by the two new mysteries. I have been tepid about the  Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mysteries, and was glad I borrowed it from the library.

I had high hopes for the latest Caribbean Kitchen Mystery, but either I utterly failed to focus or the story needed tightened–particularly the ending, which felt as if part of the resolution was left hanging. I’ll read the next one (if there is one) but I probably won’t pre-order and might wait for a price drop.

After finishing my listen of Patricia Briggs’ Alpha & Omega series (I didn’t like Wild Sign any better the second time around) I started a relisten of Robert B. Parker‘s Spenser series, which is fun, especially since I’m skipping the books I don’t care much about. I love the look back at the 70s and 80s I’ve been getting, especially as Spenser pays attention to details. (Acid washed jeans!)

I can’t believe it’s December and the year is almost over. It’s been a long, rough several months, but I’m pushing through, and remain glad I have the escape of lovely stories.

Mystery

• Murder at Midnight (2023) Katharine Schellman (Lily Adler) 8.5/10
• Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal (2023) Raquel V. Reyes (A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery) 6/10
• Murder and Mamon (2023) Mia P. Manansala (A Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery) 5/10

Fantasy

• Last Binding by Freya Marske: A Restless Truth (2022) 5/10, A Power Unbound (2023) 8.5/10
• Murder at Spindle Manor (2022) Morgan Stang (Lamplight Murder Mysteries) 8/10

Romance

• A Kiss for Midwinter (2012) Courtney Milan (Brothers Sinister) 9/10
• Served Hot (2015) Annabeth Albert (Portland Heat) 5.5/10

Science Fiction

• System Collapse (2023) Martha Wells (Murderbot Diaries) 8.5/10

Audio Books

• Spenser series by Robert B. Parker narrated by Michael Prichard: Mortal Stakes, Audio Book (1975/2009) 8/10, Promised Land, Audio Book (1976) 8/10, The Judas Goat, Audio Book (1978) 7.5/10, Looking for Rachel Wallace, Audio Book (1980) 8/10, Early Autumn. Audio Book (1981) 8/10, A Savage Place, Audio Book (1981) 8.5/10, The Widening Gyre, Audio Book (1983) 8/10, Valediction, Audio Book (1984) 7/10, Ceremony, Audio Book (1982) 6/10
• Wild Sign, Audio Book (2021) Patricia Briggs narrated by Holter Graham 5/10

I listened to a lot of audio books this month–they keep my brain busy while I do boring things like cleaning, or  exercising. And when it’s a good book, I’ll exercise just a little longer to finish a section.

Additionally, I read 5 (FIVE) new books! Two of which were published in October! Yes, they were novellas, but that makes it even better, because I adore well-written shorter fiction. (and by well written I don’t mean just out-takes from a series, but stories that stand on their own. So kudos to Ian Rankin writing and excellent stand-alone novella.

PLUS, I discovered a new series, Katharine Schellman’s Lily Adler Mysteries, which have all kinds of representation and are fun reads (plus good mysteries).

Unbeknownst to me, a new Rivers of London novella came out rencetly–thanks to Tania for both telling me about it AND getting it for me. Winter’s Gifts is about FBI agent Kimberly Reynolds, not Peter Grant, and I was wondering if I wanted to spent time with her.

SPOILER: I did.

Couple of rereads, as I flailed around trying to figure out what I was in the mood for, but I didn’t much seem to be in the mood for those books either.

Ah well, can’t win ’em all.

Mystery

• Lily Adler Mysteries by Katharine Schellman
  The Body in the Garden (2020) 8/10, Silence in the Library (2021) 9/10, Death at the Manor (2022) 8/10
• The Rise: A Short Story (2023) Ian Rankin 8/10
• Naked Once More (1989) Elizabeth Peters (Jacqueline Kirby) 8/10
• The Price of Lemon Cake (2023) Jennifer Ashley (Below Stairs Mysteries Novella / Kat Holloway) 7.5/10

Romance

• Ever After Always (2021) Chloe Liese (Bergman Brothers) 8.5/10
• Role Playing (2023) Cathy Yardley 8/10
• Mrs. Martin’s Incomparable Adventure (2019) Courtney Milan (The Worth Saga) 7/10
• Finders Keepers (2018) N.R. Walker 6/10

Fantasy

• Winter’s Gifts (2023) Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London) 8/10
• Four Walls and a Heart (2023) Celia Lake (Charms of Albion) 5/10

Audio Books

• Alpha & Omega series by Patricia Briggs narrated by Holter Graham
  Fair Game, Audio Book (2012) 9/10, Dead Heat, Audio Book (2015) 8.5/10, Burn Bright, Audio Book (2018) 7.5/10
• The Thursday Murder Club, Audio Book (2020) Richard Osman narrated by Lesley Manville (Thursday Murder Club) 9/10
• A Murderous Relation, Audio Edition (2020) Deanna Raybourn narrated by Angele Masters (Veronica Speedwell) 7.5/10

The only good thing about a cold is that I spend more time on the sofa, reading.

Despite my mental state, I managed to read a bunch of new-to-me books, as well as five books that had been published in 2022 or 2023.

First and best, I am continuing to enjoy Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series, repeatedly forcing Michael to listen to passages that especially amuse me. I mean, how can you not take delight in this?

(Person), being a professional to his bones, has insisted on being buried naked. He knows that any self-respecting murderer would leave as few clues in the grave as possible.

I was also delighted by The Bookshop and the Barbarian by Morgan Stang, which had a similar feel to Legends and Lattes, despite being a different book, and in fact this book all but name-checks it.

The other book I want to mention is the first of Chloe Liese ‘s Bergman Brother’s series. I picked up and read the second book, Always Only You, because it had a female protagonist with ASD, and enjoyed it, but put off reading other books in the series, for no reason other than Michelle Brain. This book’s main male character has severe hearing loss, and I was done for after reading the opening notes.

This story also includes a main character who is late-deafened. As of this book’s revision, expansion, and republication on August 21, 2021, its portrayal has been informed by the consulted experience and critique of a late-deafened authenticity reader. I hope I have given these subjects the respect, care, and sensitivity they deserve.

She rewrote much of the book to make the Deaf representation better.

That is amazing and I will now set out to read everything she has written, because of it.

There were lots of rereads as well. I’m rereading Freya Marske‘s Last Binding series as I wait for the third book to come out (November! — I just realized THREE books I’m impatiently waiting for come out within a week of each other: A Power Unbound (The Last Binding), Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal (A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery), and System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries) (MURDERBOT!))

So September was a decent reading month, although I could really have done without the cold.

Fantasy

• The Bookshop and the Barbarian (2023) Morgan Stang 9/10
• A Marvellous Light (2021) Freya Marske (The Last Binding) 8.5/10
• Occult Crimes Unit Investigation by Justin Gustainis: Evil Dark (2012) 8/10, Known Devil (2014) 8/10

Romance

• Only When It’s Us (2020) Chloe Liese (Bergman Brothers) 8/10
• Donut Fall in Love (2021) Jackie Lau 7.5/10
• His Grandfather’s Watch (2012) N.R. Walker 7/10
• Gouda Friends (2022) Cathy Yardley (Ponto Beach Reunion) 7/10

Mystery

• Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman: The Man Who Died Twice (2021) 9/10, The Bullet That Missed (2022) 9/10
• Murder Most Actual (2021) Alexis Hall 8/10
• Jacqueline Kirby by Elizabeth Peters: The Seventh Sinner (1972) 7.5/10, The Murders of Richard III (1974) 7/10, Die for Love (1984) 7/10
• A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons (2022) Kate Khavari (Saffron Everleigh) 6.5/10
• The Body in the Back Garden (2023) Mark Waddell 6/10

Audio Book

• Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson, Audio Book (2014) Patricia Briggs narrated by Lorelei King and Alexander Cendese 8/10
• Alpha & Omega by Patricia Briggs narrated by Holter Graham: Cry Wolf, Audio Book (2009) 8/10, Hunting Ground, Audio Book (2009) 8/10
• The Phoenix Illusion, Audio Edition (2018) Lisa Shearin narrated by Johanna Parker (SPI Files) 7/10

Life is still ridiculous, but I did take a bit of time off to hike–and to read.

I’ve had trouble focusing–not a tremendous surprise–so I’ll need to go back and reread the new releases I’d been waiting for at some point when I’m a little less distracted. In other words, take those ratings of 7 with a grain of salt–I need a book to draw me in and not let go, and that these books didn’t do that is on me, not necessarily them.

There were some very good stories however. I finally got around to reading Richard Osman‘s Thursday Murder Club, which I loved.

Tania got me the Murderbot short story, Compulsory, which I didn’t even know was being published, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next story that comes out this fall. (MURDERBOT!)

Although it didn’t pull me in, I still enjoyed Anna Lee Huber‘s most recent Lady Darby book. It’s comforting to drop into familiar places with known characters.

To keep me moving, I’ve been listening to a lot of audio books.

I just finished the last recorded SPI Files book, (She self-published the next two stories, so no audio version) and had to struggle to figure out what I wanted to listen to next.  (We merged my parent’s audible account with ours, so when I browsed today, I kept seeing books my parents listened to, which was weird.)

Other than that, lots of rereading. Favorites, to pull me out of my own head and allow me to escape.

Mystery

• The Thursday Murder Club (2020) Richard Osman (Thursday Murder Club) 9/10
• Come Unto These Yellow Sands (2011) Josh Lanyon 9/10
• A Fatal Illusion (2023) Anna Lee Huber (Lady Darby) 8/10
• Against the Currant t (2023) Olivia Matthews (Spice Isle Bakery) 5/10

Fantasy

• Child of a Rainless Year (2005) Jane Lindskold 9/10
• Hard Spell (2011) Justin Gustainis (Occult Crimes Unit Investigation) 8/10
• A Queer Trade  (2016) K.J. Charles (Rag and Bone)  7.5/10
• That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human (2023) Kimberly Lemming (Mead Mishaps) 7/10
• Once a Rogue (2023) Allie Therin (Roaring Twenties Magic) 7/10

Romance

• Lancaster Stories by C.S. Poe: Kneading You (2016) 7.5/10, Joy (2017) 9/10
• Garnet Run by Roan Parrish: Better Than People (2020) 8/10, Best Laid Plans (2021) 8/10, The Pride of Garnet Run  (2022) 7/10
• Teacher of the Year (2023) M.A. Wardell (Teachers in Love) 6.5/10

Science Fiction

• Compulsory (2023) Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries) 8.5/10

Audio Books

• A Dangerous Collaboration, Audio Book (2019) Deanna Raybourn narrated by Angèle Masters (Veronica Speedwell) 8/10
• SPI Files by Lisa Shearin narrated by Johanna Parker: The Grendel Affair, Audio Book (2014) 8/10, The Dragon Conspiracy, Audio Book (2015) 8/10, The Brimstone Deception, Audio Book (2016) 8.5/10, The Ghoul Vendetta, Audio Book (2017) 8/10

The past two months have been hellish.

To sum up: my mother died unexpectedly and my brother and I have been dealing with all the things.

So I read nothing by comfort reads for several weeks, and have been slowly reading some of the new releases I had been looking forward to.

Fantasy

A Matter of Magic (1988) Patricia C. Wrede (Mairelon the Magician) 9/10

Cecelia and Kate series by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer
Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot (1988) 8/10, The Grand Tour: Or, The Purloined Coronation Regalia (2004) 8/10, The Mislaid Magician: or Ten Years After (2006) 8/10

Supernatural Fantasy

Big Bad Wolf series by Charlie Adhara
The Wolf at Bay (2019) 8.5/10, Thrown to the Wolves (2019) 9/10, Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing(2020) 10/10, Cry Wolf(2021) 10/10

Mystery

Mystery on the Menu: A Three-Course Collection of Cozy Mysteries (2023) Nicole Kimberling 8.5/10
The Deadliest Fall (2023) Charlie Cochrane 7/10
A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder (2023) Dianne Freeman (Countess of Harleigh 7.5/10

Romance

Jericho Candelario’s Gay Debut (2018) R. Cooper 10/10

Science Fiction

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells
All Systems Red (2017) 9.5/10, Artificial Condition (2018) 9.5/10, Rogue Protocol (2018) 10/10, Exit Strategy(2018) 10/10, Network Effect (2020) 10/10, Fugitive Telemetry (2021) 9.5/10

Audio

Small Vices, Audio Book (1997) Robert B. Parker narrated by Burt Reynolds (Spenser) 10/10
Blitz, Audio Book(2022) Daniel O’Malley narrated by Moira Quirk (The Rook Files) 10/10
A Treacherous Curse, Audio Book (2018) Deanna Raybourn narrated by Angèle Masters (Veronica Speedwell) 8/10
Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka narrated by Gildart Jackson
Veiled, Audio Book (2015) 7/10, Burned, Audio Book (2016) 5/10

A majority of rereads again this month, however, I did read some new books, finishing up Charlie Cochrane‘s Cambridge Fellows series, and the most recent Secrets and Scrabble book, which although just published, comes before the 7th book, which was published last fall.

I’ve also moved onto books in the Alex Verus series I hadn’t read before–although honestly I remember little of the books I had read.

Many of my rereads were Ace romances, including Loud and Clear, Blank Spaces, Three Stupid Weddings,  An Island For Two, and The Rat-Catcher’s Daughter. Several of the others were romances with toxic families, including Family Man and Bee Cave Magic or romances with differently-abled or neurodivergent characters, like Loud and Clear, It Takes Two to Tumble, and The Lawrence Browne Affair, which all drew my back for different reasons.

Also, after reading several mysteries that were not what I was hoping them to be, I reread the Page & Sommers series and restarted the Big Bad Wolf series.

Mystery

• Page & Sommers by Cat Sebastian
  Hither, Page (2019) 8.5/10, The Missing Page (2022) 9/10
• Cambridge Fellows by Charlie Cochrane
  Lessons for Suspicious Minds (2013) 7/10, Lessons for Idle Tongues (2015) 5.5/10, Lessons for Sleeping Dogs (2015) 6/10
• Lament at Loon Landing (2023) Josh Lanyon (Secrets and Scrabble) 6/10

Fantasy

• The Wolf at the Door (2018) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) 8.5/10
• An Island For Two (2022) Ophelia Silk 7/10

Romance

• Loud and Clear (2016) Aidan Wayne 9.5/10
• It Takes Two to Tumble (2017) Cat Sebastian (Seducing the Sedgwicks) 9/10
• And Everything Nice (2016) Ada Maria Soto 9/10
• Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage (2016) C.S. Poe 9/10



• Blank Spaces (2016) Cass Lennox (Toronto Connections) 8.5/10
• The Lawrence Browne Affair (2017) Cat Sebastian (The Turners) 8.5/10
• Family Man (2013) Heidi Cullinan and Marie Sexton 8/10
• Bee Cave Magic (2020) Kelly Fox 8/10
• Three Stupid Weddings (2018) Ann Gallagher 7.5/10
• The Rat-Catcher’s Daughter (2019) K.J. Charles (Lilywhite Boys) 7.5/10
• Team Phison (2017) Chace Verity 7/10
• Saying The Right Thing (2017) Aidan Wayne 6/10
• Medium, Sweet, Extra Shot of Geek (2019) R. Cooper 6/10

Audio Book

• A Perilous Undertaking, Audio Book (2017) Deanna Raybourn narrated by Angèle Masters (Veronica Speedwell) 8/10
• Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka narrated by Gildart Jackson
  Taken (2014) 7/10, Chosen (2014) 8/10, Hidden (2014) 7/10

Not that we had a lot of rain. But excluding the first two years of the pandemic, my April reading was about average for me.

April is a rough month for me, so it was almost all rereads. Which is fine, as I like dropping into stories and worlds where I’d been happy before.

Does not, however, do anything for my insanely large TBR.

Interestingly (to me), the books I gravitated towards this month weren’t (for the most parts) highly rated favorites, but instead were stories that hit a specific mood. Lots of cozy mysteries, but also romances that leaned heavily towards normal, every day people finding love and acceptance.

So don’t think that an average rating means those books aren’t worth reading–instead see them as stories that might have some flaws, but got the feelings of comfort and self-acceptance just right.

Mystery

• Sins of the Cities by K.J. Charles
  An Unseen Attraction (2017) 9/10, An Unnatural Vice (2017) 8/10
• Gethsemane Brown by Alexia Gordon
  Murder in G Major (2016) 8/10, Death in D Minor (2917) 8/10, Killing in C Sharp (2018) 8/10, Fatality in F (2019) 8/10, Execution in E (2020) 7.5/10
• Paper Cuts (2023) Ellery Adams (A Secret, Book, and Scone Society) 6/10

Romance

• Agents of Winter (2022) Ada Maria Soto (The Agency) 8.5/10
• Color of You (2017) C.S. Poe (A Lancaster Story) 8/10
• Not So Cookie Cutter (2019) Aidan Wayne 8/10
• Candy Hearts (2020) Erin McLellan (So Over the Holidays) 7.5/10
• Vincent’s Thanksgiving Date (2014) R. Cooper 7/10

Fantasy

• Making Love (2017) Aidan Wayne 7.5/10
• Gumption & Gumshoes (2013) Alex Kidwell 7/10

Audio Books

• Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka narrated by Gildart Jackson
  Fated, Audio Edition (2012/2013) 7.5/10, Cursed, Audio Edition (2014) 7.5/10

Every fantasy book I read (excluding the audio book) was a new read.

Every other genre was  all rereads with the exception of Deanna Raybourn‘s A Sinister Revenge.

Just that kind of month apparently.

Although I gave it an average rating, I need to reread Allie Therin‘s  Liar City before I feel like I can give it a true rating, because I lot happened, and I am certain I missed lots of things as I tried to figure out what was going on. Because we were dropped right in and had to pick up the workd building as we read. I like books like that (Paul Cornell’s London Falling jumps immediately to mind) but I tend to miss a lot of details on my first read, as I’m focused on figuring out what is going on.

If you’ve been reading the Veronica Speedwell series, A Sinister Revenge leans heavily on some of the events from the previous book.

Which I had almost completely forgotten. So there was a bit of a mental scramble to remember what had happened.

Honestly, I’m still not sure how I feel about Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies. Serial killer PoV is hard for me to get into.

If you haven’t read K.D. Edwards Tarot Sequence, I don’t recommend starting with The Eidolon. It is a novella which gives us the events of The Hourglass Throne, only from the teens’ perspectives. I really like this series, but I don’t think this is necessarily a good jumping in spot, simply because you’re missing so much from Rune’s story. That said, I really want to know what happens with Quinn after this story.

Aside from that, lots of comfort rereads. I realized I have reread Michelle Diener‘s Regency London series almost every year since 2016 (skipping 2018 for some unknown reason). And I’ve reread Jericho Candelario’s Gay Debut, Nearly a Lady, and Joy five or more times. So that may tell you something about those books.

~Fantasy~

The Eidolon (2023) K.D. Edwards (Magnus Academy) 8.5/10

Liar City (2023) Allie Therin (Sugar & Vice) 7/10

Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies (2022) Misha Popp (Pies Before Guys) 7/10

Baking Up a Magical Midlife by Jessica Rosenberg
Bitter, Sweet, Magic (2022) 7/10, Sweet & Sour Spells (2023) 6/10

~Mystery~

Regency London by Michelle Diener
The Emperor’s Conspiracy (2012) 8.5/10, Banquet of Lies (2013) 9.5/10, A Dangerous Madness (2014) 8.5/10

Grasmere Cottage Mystery by Dahlia Donovan
Dead in the Shop (2018) 8/10, Dead in the Pond (2018) 8/10, Dead in the Garden (2018) 8/10

Lindenshaw Mysteries by Charlie Cochrane
The Best Corpse for the Job (2014) 7/10, Jury of One (2015) 7.5/10, Two Feet Under (2018) 7.5/10, Old Sins (2019) 8/10, A Carriage of Misjustice (2020) 7.5/10

A Sinister Revenge (2023) Deanna Raybourn (Veronica Speedwell) 7/10

~Romance~

Jericho Candelario’s Gay Debut (2018) R. Cooper 9.5/10

Nearly a Lady (2011) Alissa Johnson (Haverston Family) 9/10

Joy (2017) C.S. Poe (A Lancaster Story) 8.5/10

Hottie Scotty and Mr. Porter (2016) R. Cooper 8.5/10

The Agency by Ada Maria Soto
His Quiet Agent (2017) 9.5/10, Merlin in the Library (2018) 8/10

~Audio Book~s

The Lies of Locke Lamora (2009) Scott Lynch narrated by Michael Page (Gentleman Bastards) 8/10

A Curious Beginning (2015) Deanna Raybourn narrated by Angèle Masters (Veronica Speedwell) 8/10

February was a relatively slow month for reading. How slow? 2011 was the last time I “only” read thirteen books in February.

And that’s ok.

I discovered two new series this month: Lydia Sherrer‘s Lily Singer Adventures, and Jessica Rosenberg‘s Baking Up a Magical Midlife series. Both are cozy and distracting, and although they have weaknesses, I still want to know more, so that’s really a win for the author.

Especially since the lead of one series is middle(ish) aged, and has a tween daughter.

I also read the second book in The Janet Watson Chronicle. I wanted to mention it because this was a case of me recognizing when a book is good, while also knowing it wasn’t something I especially enjoyed, yet I wanted to know what happened, so I devoured it, all the while not enjoying the dystopian elements.

In other words, that rating is heavily biased by my personal preferences.

I also stumbled upon the latest SPI files book, which was good, and might be a final book in the series. And I’m ok with that. Would I like other stories set in that world? Definitely. I’d love some short stories based on various cases SPI deals with, but I don’t think Lisa Shearin writes a lot of short stories, so I’ll have to be ok with what I have.

Oh, I finished my relisten to The Raven Boys series, and now I’m grumpy because I am again trying to figure out what I want to listen to that will draw me in and keep me exercising / cleaning / whatever thing I need done.

~Audio~

• The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater narrated by Will Patton
  Blue Lily, Lily Blue, Audio Edition (2014) 8/10, The Raven King, Audio Edition (2016) 8.5/10

~Mystery~

• Tommy & Tuppence series by Agatha Christie
  N or M? (1941) 8/10, By the Pricking of My Thumbs (1968) 7/10

~Science Fiction~

• The Hound of Justice (2019) Claire O’Dell (The Janet Watson Chronicles) 7/10

~Fantasy~

• Grilled Cheese and Goblins: Adventures of a Supernatural Food Inspector (2018) Nicole Kimberling 8.5/10
• The Gorgon Agenda (2023) Lisa Shearin (SPI Files) 8/10
• Open for Business (2016) Angel Martinez (Brandywine Investigations) 8/10
• The Lily Singer Adventures by Lydia Sherrer
  Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Beginnings (2016) 8/10, Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Revelations (2016) 7.5/10, Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Allies (2017) 7.5/10
• Baking Up a Magical Midlife by Jessica Rosenberg
  Butter, Sugar, Magic (2022) 7/10, Bread, Coffee, Magic (2022) 6.5/10

I think I’m going to ignore the fact that the first month of 2023 is already over.

I’ve hardly done ANY hiking this month, and there has been little snow. So I’m not acknowledging winter passing.

On the bright side, I did have plenty of time to read, what with having a cold and ending up with vertigo.

All of which means it’s a good thing I read plenty of good books in January.

Fantasy

Unexpectedly, I read a bunch of new fantasy–including a new-to-me author! Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattes was delightful. It’s what happens after the adventuring, when the hero wants to retire. Except the hero isn’t a he, and isn’t human, and wants to do something entirely new: open a cafe. It could have been written as a joke, but reminded me of Drew Hayes stories, which seem like they would be ridiculous while actually been thoughtful.

And I adore that cover–it’s a throw-back to so much 80s fantasy I read.

A Matter of Magic (1994) Patricia C. Wrede 9/10
Legends & Lattes (2022) Travis Baldree 8/10
There Will Be Phlogiston (2014) Alexis Hall (Prosperity) 8/10
A Bump In Boohail (2022) Kimberly Lemming (Mead Mishaps) 7/10
Soul Taken (2022) Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson) 7/10

Mystery

I am still rereading Agatha Christie mysteries, but I’m going through the series I don’t remember (or might not necessarily have read), which is interesting, although I don’t like them anywhere near as much as the Miss Marple stories.

The new mysteries by Josh Lanyon and KJ Charles were good, and I think that I’ll end up rereading Hide and Seek, because it was interesting and I was suffering a bit with the cold when I read it.

Hide and Seek (2022) Josh Lanyon 8/10
Masters in This Hall (2022) K.J. Charles (Lilywhite Boys) 7/10
Agatha Christie
Superintendent Battle: Murder is Easy (1939) 7/10, Towards Zero (1944) 7/10
Tommy & Tuppence: The Secret Adversary (1922), Partners in Crime (1929) 7/10
Lessons for Survivors (2018) Charlie Cochrane (Cambridge Fellows) 6/10
Murder by the Book (2018) Lauren Elliott 5/10

Romance

I feel like The Holiday Trap is the first Roan Parrish story I’ve read with a FF romance. It was a cute trading places / holiday romance, but unlike her recent books for Harlequin, went a little bit more into the struggles of the characters instead of glossing past those problems. There is nothing wrong with glossing past struggles, it is just really weird for a Roan Parrish story to do so.

The Holiday Trap (2022) Roan Parrish 8/10
The Geek Who Saved Christmas (2021) Annabeth Albert 7/10
The First Snow of Winter (2021) Joanna Chambers (Winterbourne) 6.5/10

Comics

100% comfort reads.

Check, Please! Book 1: # Hockey (2018) Ngozi Ukazu 8/10
Check, Please! Book 2: Sticks & Scones (2020) Ngozi Ukazu 9.5/10

Audio Books

I finally finished Murderbot and after a brief struggle started the Raven Boys series.

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater narrated by Will Patton: The Raven Boys, Audio Edition (2012) 9/10, The Dream Thieves, Audio Edition (2013) 9.5/10
Network Effect, Audio Edition (2020) Martha Wells narrated by Kevin R. Free 9.5/10

Since several of these books ended up in my best of the year posts, and some others I don’t feel like commenting on right now, here we have the books of December.

Fantasy

Blitz (2022) Daniel O’Malley (The Checquy Files) 9/10

Paranormal Bromance (2014) Carrie Vaughn 8.5/10

Posthumous Education (2022) Drew Hayes (Fred, the Vampire Accountant) 8.5/10

Romance

Make a Scene (2020) Mimi Grace 7/10

Delilah Green Doesn’t Care (2022) Ashley Herring Blake (Bright Falls)

Mystery

Agatha Christie
Miss Marple: A Caribbean Mystery (1964) 9/10
Superintendent Battle: The Secret of Chimneys (1925), The Seven Dials Mystery (1929) 7/10

All Lessons Learned (2018) Charlie Cochrane (Cambridge Fellows) 6/10

Wonton Terror (2019) Vivien Chien (A Noodle Shop Mystery) 5/10

Audio Books

Shadow Police series by Paul Cornell narrated by Damian Lynch
The Severed Streets, Audio Edition (2015) 9/10, Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? Audio Edition (2016) 9/10

Murderbot series by Martha Wells narrated by Kevin R. Free
All Systems Red, Audio Edition (2017) 9.5/10, Artificial Condition, Audio Edition (2018) 9.5/10, Rogue Protocol, Audio Edition (2018) 9.5/10, Exit Strategy, Audio Edition (2018) 9.5/10

Non-Fiction

Knowing Why: Adult-Diagnosed Autistic People on Life and Autism (2018) Autistic Self Advocacy Network 9/10

We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation (2021) Eric Garcia 8.5/10

Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism (2018) edited by Barb Cook & Michelle Garnett 8/10

Taking Charge of Adult ADHD: Proven Strategies to Succeed at Work, at Home, and in Relationships. (2021) Russell A. Barkley and Christine M. Benton 7/10

Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism (2015) Barry M. Prizant

I am considering refusing the ignore that November is over. It’s been another long year, and yet it somehow sped by without me accomplishing most of the things I wanted to.

Shockingly, more than half the books I read were new releases, and two of those were November releases.

And some of those were very good!

Going in I didn’t remember much about A Restless Truth by Freya Marske, but luckily it didn’t matter. One heroine is the sister of one of the main characters in the first book, but it wasn’t a problem, so you could read this book without having read the first–with the exception that you won’t get an in-depth explanation of magic here, which may or may not matter to you.

Although I had put off reading it, as it started a new series that’s a spin-off from her previous one, I very much enjoyed Allie Therin‘s Proper Scoundrels. I really like the world-building she’s done, and I very much like the characters–one of whom is badly damaged by his past (Michelle catnip).

There should be another book to follow this one, and I look forward to it.

I normally try to highlight only my favorite books in this roundups, however, I want to note Alexis Hall‘s newest romance, Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble. It is being touted as a rom com, but it really isn’t. That’s not to say there aren’t funny bits, because of course there are, but the main thrust of the story was watching the main character spiral out of control until he has a panic attack and passes out on the street. This book was extremely difficult for me to read, because I was not in a place where I could read about someone having a mental breakdown and not have it be deeply upsetting.

This is not to say it isn’t a good book, because it was well done. But… if you have issues with anxiety you might want to consider skipping this one.

After reading Paris, I ended up going deep into some comfort reads. Happy stories that feel like being wrapped in a warm blanket on a cold and rainy day. So of course I recommend all those as well.

Fantasy

A Restless Truth (2022) Freya Marske (Last Binding) 8.5/10

Proper Scoundrels (2021) Allie Therin (Roaring Twenties Magic) 8/10

Good Enough to Eat (2015) Alison Grey & Jae (The Vampire Diet) 7/10

The Doctor (2022) C.S. Poe (Magic & Steam) 6/10

Romance

Loud and Clear (2016) Aidan Wayne 9/10

Jericho Candelario’s Gay Debut (2018) R. Cooper 9/10

Garnet Run Roan Parrish : The Pride of Garnet Run (2022) 7.5/10, The Rivals of Casper Road (2022) 7.5/10

Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble (2022) Alexis Hall (Winner Bakes All) NR

Mystery

Miss Marple Agatha Christie: Murder Is Announced (1050) 8.5/10, They Do It With Mirrors (1952) 7/10, A Pocket Full of Rye (1953) 8/10, 4:50 from Paddington (1957) 9/10, The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side (1962) 9/10, Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (1985) 8/10

Crown Court Killer (2022) Dahlia Donovan (London Podcast Mystery) 6/10

Miss Vee and the Lecherous Lawyer (2020) Delilah Knight 5/10

Audio Books

Stiletto, Audio Edition (2016) Daniel O’Malley narrated by Moira Quirk (Checquy Files) 9.5/10

London Falling, Audio Book (2014) Paul Cornell narrated by Damian Lynch (The Shadow Police) 9/10

Amongst Our Weapons, Audio Edition (2022) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) 8.5/10

I’m currently at 226 books for the year, so I won’t be breaking 300 this year, which is ok! I read plenty, and I have enjoyed most of what I’ve read, which is all I care about.

And I’ve already started drafting my yearly reading round-up, and as usual am enjoying getting in the weeds.

I can hardly believe it, but I read five new releases in October. Suer, half the other books are rereads, but I tend to sit on new releases, either afraid they won’t be as good as I want, or because I’m not in the mood for them. Yet here I am reading four different books in the same month they were released.

Were the new releases good? Pretty much, yes! I was startled to discover Ada Maria Soto had a new Agency book coming out, and almost held off reading it, in fear I wouldn’t like it as well, but as I’d just reread His Quiet Agent, it seemed silly not to read Agents of Winter.

I was delighted to see Raquel V. Reyes had a new Caribbean Kitchen Mystery out, and was pleased by that sequel as well. And it’s not that I disliked Mia P. Manansala third book in her series, but I kept thinking was the second book in Raquel V. Reyes series, and so was disappointed it wasn’t. And the fact I read both in a couple weeks of each other isn’t going to help me keep the authors straight.

David R. Slayton‘s Adam Binder series finished off the arc started in the first book, and I was pleased with it–even if I probably need to reread the entire series, to pick up the things I missed first go round.

Although it wasn’t a new release, I was delighted by Kathryn Harkup’s A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie. I mean, science and Agatha Christie–what’s not to love?

I’m almost finished with my relisten of Ben Aaronovitch‘s Rivers of London series, and I have no idea what I’m going to listen to after that. (The books I listen to have to be fantasy or mystery and have to be one’s I’ve already read, so that makes things harder, especially since I like immersing myself with audio books, and some of the series on my want-to-reread lists are ones with authors I can’t bear to listen to.

I am still trying to finish my final post on representation, which is behind my reading of several books this month, except there is already one more book to read and always will be, so I just need to finish it and be done.

And that’s October.

Romance

A Girl Like Her (2018) Talia Hibbert (Ravenswood) 8.5/10

Agents of Winter (2022) Ada Maria Soto (The Agency) 8.5/10

Always Only You (2020) Chloe Liese (Bergman Brothers)  8/10

Damaged Goods (2018) Talia Hibbert (Ravenswood) 8/10

Can’t Escape Love (2019) Alyssa Cole (Reluctant Royals) 7.5/10

Bewitching Benedict (2017) C. E. Murphy  (The Lovelorn Lads) 7.5/10

Lucky Yellow Shoes (2020) Jae 7/10

Coffee Boy (2016) Austin Chant

Mystery

Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking (2022) Raquel V. Reyes (A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery) 8.5/10

Agatha Christie (Miss Marple): The Murder at the Vicarage (1930) 7.5/10, Thirteen Problems (1932) 8.5/10, The Body in the Library (1942) 8/10, The Moving Finger (1942) 8.5/10

Blackmail and Bibingka (2022) Mia P. Manansala (Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery 7/10

Fantasy

Uncommonly Tidy Poltergeists (2017) Angel Martinez 8.5/10

Deadbeat Druid (2022) David R. Slayton (Adam Binder) 8/10

Witchmark (2018) C.L. Polk (The Kingston Cycle) 7.5/10

The Great Atlantean Battle Royalchemy (2022) K.D. Edwards 7.5/10

Non-Fiction

A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie (2015) Kathryn Harkup 8.5/10

Audio Book

What Abigail Did That Summer, Audio Book (2021) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Shvorne Marks and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) 8/10

False Value, Audio Edition (2020) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) 8.5/10

Tales from the Folly: A Rivers of London Short Story Collection, Audio Edition (2020) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by: the author, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Ben Elliot, Felix Grainger, Sam Peter Jackson, Alex Kingston, Shvorne Marks, and Penelope Rawlins 8.5/10

Waiting for the Flood, Audio Edition (2016) Alexis Hall narrated by Alexander Doddy 7/10

Towards the end of the month I started reading a lot more. Part of it was receiving some comics I wanted caught up on, but another part was trying to shift my brain back into reading as a distraction.

That is working only so-so.

Oh! There were new releases I really wanted to read. By that I mean, I actually read two books that came out in the same month in which I read them.

Crazy, I know.

I was delighted by both  K.D. Edwards‘s third book in the Tarot Sequence, The Hourglass Throne as well as the first book in Charlie Adhara‘s Monster Hunt series. And actually annoyed I didn’t get another Oliver and Cooper book and so was grumpy about switching to Eli’s POV in Pack of Lies.

Silly me.

I’ve been reading up on the next series of posts I want to write about representation in fiction (I wrote several posts about mental health representation, and although it was good to do, it was also somewhat exhausting) so several of the books I read were ones I went delving into for quotes and ended up rereading the entire thing.

I was able to borrow the latest in Ashley Gardners Kat Holloway series, which I very much liked. I am not sure if the series is preparing to wind up or if it’s just the romance that is going to be settled, so I’m curious to see what happens next.

I did read one book that ended up pissing me off, mostly because they went with a power imbalance in the secondary character’s relationship. As I went through something similar my freshman year, I wasn’t delighted to see it seen as OK for a TA to date a student in a class he was currently assisting. No. Sorry. It’s not ok. Once the class is over, fine. But not concurrent.

Yeah, I’m still unhappy about it.

I got the newest Lacy Mechanika, which was good, but very dark, and a bit cliffhanger-y, which is mildly aggravating as those books are soooo slow to come out. Which isn’t the authors’ fault, but I do hate waiting.

And I had some comfort reads while I was flailing around. And Everything Nice is just a fun story that is full of baking–and no boinking. It’s very sweet. And I randomly got Glass Tidings in my brain and had to read that.

I also want to recommend (again) Loud and Clear by Aidan Wayne because it is sweet and cute and also has some amazing disability rep, making it clear (without preaching) just how much the luck of one’s birth affects whether someone with a disability can succeed.

Plus the romance is incredibly sweet.

I’ve got at least three new releases I coming my way; hopefully I’ll manage to read them immediately as well.

Fantasy

The Hourglass Throne (2022) K.D. Edwards (The Tarot Sequence) 8.5/10
Pack of Lies (2022) Charlie Adhara (Monster Hunt) 8.5/10
Human Enough (2019) ES Yu 8.5/10
Green Creek series by T.J. Klune: Wolfsong (2016) 7.5/10, Ravensong (2019)

Mystery

The Secret of Bow Lane (2022) Ashley Gardner (Kat Holloway) 8/10
Requiem for Mr. Busybody (2020) Josh Lanyon 7.5/10

Romance

Loud and Clear (2016) Aidan Wayne 9/10
Band Sinister (2018) K.J. Charles 9/10
Glass Tidings (2018) Amy Jo Cousins 8.5/10
And Everything Nice (2020) Ada Maria Soto 8.5/10
His Quiet Agent (2017) Ada Maria Soto 8.5/10
The Ruin of a Rake (2017) Cat Sebastian (The Turner Series) 7.5/10
Sympathy (2009) Jordan Castillo Price 7/10
The Other Side of the Roses (2017) R. Cooper
Lucky Charm (2019) Chace Verity
Adorkable (2020) Shane K. Morton

Audio

Rivers of London, Audio Edition by Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith: Broken Homes (2014) 9/10, Foxglove Summer (2015) 9/10, The Furthest Station (2017) 8.5/10, The Hanging Tree (2017) 8/10, A Rare Book of Cunning Device, Audio Edition (2017), Lies Sleeping, Audio Edition (2018)

Comics

Lady Mechanika Volume 7: The Monster of the Ministry of Hell (2022) Joe Benitez, Beth Sotelo, Michael Heisler
Rivers Of London: Vol. 8: The Fey and the Furious (2020) Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Cartmel, Lee Sullivan, Vol. 9: Monday, Monday (2022) Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Cartmel, José María Beroy 7/10

Random Stats:

I’ve read 52 books that were published since 2021, and it’s currently split evenly between the two years.

13% of the books have been audio books, which apparently comes out to 13 days, 4 hrs, and 2 mins worth of audio books so far this year.

The lowest I have rated a book this year is 4/10 while 43% of the books I rated have been 8/10

8% of this years reading has been library books.

And 41% of the books this year have been rereads.