Tag: book review

Monthly TBRs

January TBR!

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a wonderful day today. Can you believe it is already time to be sharing my TBR for January 2026?! This year, in my reading journal, I have a 100 book challenge so I tried to fill it with books I am really excited to read and I will be trying to choose from that sheet when I am building my monthly TBR’s.

What I will be reading in January:

Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber

A Season of Scandal by Laura Wood

Book of Night by Holly Black

A Disaster in Three Acts by Kelsey Rodkey

Restore Me by Taherah Mafi

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

A Matter of Murder by Tirzah Price

The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts by Robert Thorogood

What’s on your January TBR? What are you excited about reading?

Monthly Wrap Ups

December Wrap Up!

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today, and Happy New Year! For this, my first post of 2026, I am bringing you the usual monthly wrap up for December, but later in the month I will be sharing an all-encompassing 2025 Wrap Up that covers genres, favourite books etc. Check back later for that if you are interested.

December was a month that felt insanely busy and yet, I couldn’t tell you what I spent the month doing, it is all just a blur. Plus, I was sick for the whole month with different things. Hopefully January will be better.

From my December TBR:

  • Murder at the Orpheus Theatre by Irina Shapiro – I did read this.
  • Pages and Co: Tilly and the Lost Fairytales by Anna James – I did read this.
  • The Dog Sitter Detective: Christmas Tails by Antony Johnston – I read this too.
  • Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency by Josie Lloyd – I did start to read this but unfortunately, I ended up DNF’ing it quite early on. I did not enjoy the writing style of this book and I struggled to be able to tell which time period it was set in.
  • Traitor’s Legacy by S J Parris – I did read this.
  • Fearful by Lauren Roberts – I did read this.
  • Death and the Harlot by Georgina Clarke – I did not read this.
  • Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards – I did read this.
  • A Quiet Life in the Country by T E Kinsey – I did read this.

So, from my TBR I read 7 books from my TBR, DNF’d 1 and I did not manage to read 1. Overall, that’s pretty good, even though I did not complete my TBR. Outside my TBR, I read The Austen Christmas Murders, The Mythmakers by Tamzin Merchant, Murder at Christmas, A Dangerous Train of Thought by Faith Martin and, I FINALLY read Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas.

That means, in December, I read a total of 12 books and I DNF’d 1.

What did you read in December? What did you think of the books you read?

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Agency for Scandal by Laura Wood

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a lovely day today. Today I am bringing you my review for the first book in Laura Wood’s series, The Agency for Scandal.

An all-female detective agency righting wrongs at the
end of the nineteenth century; infiltrating a scandalous upper class
world straight out of Bridgerton and using their wit and bravery
to unmask a villain.

Eighteen-year-old Isobel Stanhope is keeping a lot of secrets.
There’s the fact that she’s head over heels in
love with a Duke who doesn’t know she exists; there’s
the fact that her family is penniless but nobody in society
knows about it; and then there’s her job at the Aviary, an investigative
agency run by women that specializes in digging up scandal
on powerful men.

When Izzy finds herself
pulled into a case that involves gaslighting, blackmail, and
missing jewels, as well as the Duke who holds
her heart, can she and her friends untangle the web of secrets
and lies to uncover the truth and protect the innocent?
And when the stakes are so high, what happens when the crush
she’s been hiding begins to turn into so much more?

‘Incredibly charming’ Sophie Irwin, author of A Lady’s
Guide to Fortune Hunting

  • Bridgerton meets Charlie’s Angels – the most
    romantic, exciting, empowering YA of the year.
  • A smart, charming, brilliantly plotted and swooningly romantic
    story about a collective of bold women changing their world.

My Review:

First, I have to say that what I liked most about this book was its characters. A headstrong, fiercely independent female lead and a gentleman who is actually a bit of a rogue male lead. That is my kind of team. It gave great banter and chance for tension built in different encounters, I don’t want to say too much and spoilt it but there’s the only one bed trope in this and that gets so many of us every time. The plot was also interesting and full of high stakes. I loved that throughout the novel I was not sure who I could trust at any given time, it made the solving of the mystery more interesting. It looks like a long book but it flew by while reading it, so fast paced and full of adventure.

Uncategorized

My Least Favourite Books of 2025

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. I have been doing something a bit different this year. In my reading journal there is a space to put your favourite and least favourite read of each month and I thought today I would share my least favourite reads this year.

January – An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

This book had a stronger romantic element rather than plot element, compared to margaret rogerson’s other books – both Vespertine and Sorcery of Thorns are some of my favourite books. I enjoyed Isobel, the main character and I liked how the story and the romance progressed but as I say, compared to the author’s other books I went into it with higher expectations.

February – This Is Not A Game by Kelly Mullen

I used this book for a chapter in my PhD, however I did not enjoy it. I felt it was trying to take elements of the cosy and the traditional mysteries but did not mesh them well.

March – The Village Library Demon Hunting Society

This book has to be one of my least favoruite of the year, even now in November of the same year I read it I can’t remember much of it, all I remember is how much I disliked reading it, I remember being both frustrated and confused and thinking there was no plot.

April – The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

Having seen the TV show for this book and loving it, I had high expectations for this book and this author who I have read and enjoyed previously. However, I did not love it, I thought it was okay but a little but clumpy and dragged put in places.

May – The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

This is probably my least favourite Agatha Christie book, there’s not much I can say other than I found it a little bit boring.

June – How to Sway A Bard

This book was too short. The premise was excellent, but it wasn’t given enough time and attention to make it amazing.

July – The Mystery of the Painted Dragon

This is a young, middle grade mystery series and it is the third book in that series. I enjoyed the series but I decided to not continue with the fourth book after this one.

August – A Novel Murder

Honestly, I didn’t even reach 100 pages into this book, I did not like the self-pitying main character and I couldn’t imagine growing to like them so this was easily one of my least favourite books of the year.

September – I Hope You’re Listening by Tom Ryan

I finished more than half of this book but I struggled with getting into the story, it just didn’t hold my interest.

October – The Coven by Harper L Woods

This book had a very intriguing premise, it lacked substance for me and felt very rushed but it was still quite enjoyable.

November – The Ripper of Whitechapel by Yvette Fielding

This was a short, engaging, middle grade book which I found good but maybe only a three star read while everything else I read in November was a four or above.

I do not have an answer for December yet as I am still reading for this month, but this is the least favourite books for each month so far this year.

Uncategorized

December Book Releases

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a lovely day today. It is December and so it is time to share some of the books that are being released this month. As always, I am nowhere near a complete list, most of the time I have only seen a couple but I am glad to share any that I can.

Tailored Realities by Brandon Sanderson – 9th December

Spanning the genres of fantasy and science fiction, this collection features stories from beyond the bounds of Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere universe.

Along with the never-before-seen novella ‘Moment Zero’, Tailored Realities will include ‘Snapshot’, ‘Perfect State’, ‘Defending Elysium’ (a novella set within the world of Skyward), and five other stories that were originally published individually elsewhere – never before collected into one volume, and many never before available in print.

In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams – 30th December


🥕 Chef x Farmer
🥕 Brother’s Best Friend
🥕 He Fell First
🥕 Friends to Lovers
🥕 Meddling Townsfolk

Madison Walker was determined to make it in the culinary world of New York. But with her dreams shattered, she returns home to Rome, Kentucky, where an unexpected chance to rebuild her life awaits her – a head chef position at a new farm-to-table restaurant.

Better In Black by Cassandra Clare – 4th December

Ten couples. United by love. Divided by danger.

Jace and Clary seek out an exiled Shadowhunter and learn that love can save the world – or destroy it.
Will and Tessa are enjoying their honeymoon in Paris when a séance sends them down an unexpected path.
Simon and Izzy are together in New York when they observe increased demonic activity.

These are just a few of the beloved couples whose romantic escapades will have you on the edge of your seat across time and storylines from Cassandra Clare’s expansive Shadowhunters series. Don’t miss a chance to reunite with:

Anna and Ari
Emma and Julian
Kieran, Mark, and Cristina
James and Cordelia
Thomas and Alastair
Sebastian and the Seelie Queen
Jocelyn and Luke

A love letter to every Shadowhunter fan, and perfect for any romantasy lover, this riveting story collection also includes a sneak peek at The Wicked Powers, the majestic trilogy that will be the grand finale of the entire series.

Relive the love stories that started it all or begin your Shadowhunters obsession with the first in each series: City of Bones, Clockwork Angel or Chain of Gold.

An Archive of Romance by Ava Reid – 15th December

Monthly TBRs

December TBR

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a lovely day today. It is now December and that means it is time to talk about what books we will be reading this month.

What books do you hope to read in December and before the end of 2025?

December TBR

Murder at the Orpheus Theatre by Irina Shapiro

Pages and Co: Tilly and the Map of Stories by Anna James

Dog Sitter Detective Christmas Tails by Antony Johnston

Miss Beetons Murder Agency by Josie Lloyd

Traitors Legacy by S J Parris

Fearful by Lauren Roberts

Death and the Harlot by Georgina Clarke

Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J Maas

Monthly Wrap Ups

November Wrap Up!

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a lovely day. It is the end of the month and that means it is time to discuss the books that I did and did not read in November.

What books did you read this month? Did you enjoy them?

From my November TBR:

  • Immortality by Dana Schwartz – I did not get around to reading it this month
  • Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead – I decided, after putting two on my November TBR, not to do any rereads this month so I did not read this one
  • The Guest List by Lucy Foley – I did read this book. I have been putting it off for a long time but I have finally read it and I thought it was good, not amazing but good enough.
  • The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrews – I did read this.
  • Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco – this was the second book that I put on my November TBR as a reread, so I did not read this.
  • Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Fairies – I did read this.
  • Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft – I did not read this
  • To Steal From Thieves by M K Lobb – I did not read this.
  • A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna – I did read this.
  • Agency of Scandal by Laura Wood – I did read this.
  • Fate of the Argosi by Sebastien de Castell – I did read this.
  • Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas – I am writing this a little early, I have a week left of November and in that time I plan on finishing Queen of Shadows, Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn.

Outside of my TBR I also read The Ripper of Whitechapel by Yvette Fielding and A Quiet Life in the Country by TE Kinsey.

That means in November, I read a total of 8 books so far this month, but I might be able to add three more to this if I manage to read the three Sarah J Maas books.

Book Reviews

Book Review: Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope that you’re all having a good day today.

Today, I am bringing you my book review for Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson.

Blurb/Synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens comes a thrilling new YA fantasy about a teen girl with mythic abilities who must defend her world against restless spirits of the dead.

The dead of Loraille do not rest.

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who trade whispers about her scarred hands and troubled past.

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being that threatens to possess her the moment she drops her guard. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself.

As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows. And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy might require her to betray everything she has been taught to believe—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first.

My Review:

The first thing I will say about this book is that it is an underrated masterpiece. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into it, I had read both of Margaret Rogerson’s other books: Sorcery of Thorns which I loved, and An Enchantment of Ravens which I thought was okay but ended up being my least favourite book that I read in January of this year. Having mixed feelings about her books I was shocked to enjoy this one so much. An Enchantment of Ravens is very romance heavy, very little plot, Vespertine is all plot and no romance, and Sorcery of Thorns is in the middle as a mix of both of them.

Vespertine follows Artemisia and basically it is her and the voice of the being that has supposedly ‘posessed’ her as they attempt to solve the mystery of what is happening in their land. I loved the banter between the two characters, both of them are willful and stubborn and they slowly reveal their backstories to each other as they are forced into a working relationship. You are also slowly introduced to other characters who you become both trusting and nervous about, I especially loved the Captain Enguerrand.

This novel focuses a lot on the challenge of Artemisia having the weight of all these people on her, every choice she makes has an impact and being inside her head you see how her thoughts are battling, it is deeply emotional.

The other thing I loved is that it is written in a way that Margaret Rogerson could return to this world and I hope that she does.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Monthly TBRs

November TBR!

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a lovely day today. It is November and now that I am free from my PhD work (at least until January), I have a lot more time to read and that makes me very excited – so many options!

What are you all planning on reading this month?

Fate of the Argosi by Sebastien de Castell

Agency of Scandal by Laura Wood

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

To Steal From Thieves by M K Lobb

Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Fairies by Heather Fawcett

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrew

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Immortality by Dana Schwarz

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?

Book Reviews

Book Review: Listen For The Lie by Amy Tintera

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today.

Today, I am bringing you my book review for Listen For the Lie by Amy Tintera. Have any of you read this book? If you have let me know what you thought of it.

Blurb/Synopsis:

What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn’t matter?

Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all and, if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. But after Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer.

It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life. But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast Listen for the Lie and its too-good looking host, Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one who did it.

The truth is out there, if we just listen.

My Review:

I will start by saying I did not think I would like this book. I originally bought it as research for my PhD and then I continued to push it back and find reasons not to read it because I was sure I would not enjoy it. However, I can tell you now, I was completely wrong! I loved this book.
Throughout the novel, you are following Lucy who has returned to her hometown where her best friend was killed and she lost all of her memories of that night. There is a podcaster in town who is investigating the case and together they try to work out what happened. I loved that there was the vibes of an unreliable narrator going on, Lucy had no idea what happened so she was trying to piece it all together while at the same time every single person around her is telling her that she must have killed her, including her parents and the man that was her husband at the time. It added a great dimension because everyone is sure of her guilt, except her, and as a reader you root for Lucy to not be the killer and yet also she might be. It is something I haven’t read before and I really enjoyed that.
I have to say, Amy Tintera’s writing is excellent because there were characters in this I absolutely hated, I hated how they treated other people and the book really made me feel for the people in it. This was a book I read in an evening, when people say I couldn’t put it down – I honestly could not put this book down until I knew what had happened.

Rating: 4 out of 5.