Category: Books

November 2025 Wrap Up

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In November I read six books and watched one movie.

Books:

Dracula by Bram Stoker I listen to as the podcast Re:Dracula which takes the original novel and breaks it up chronologically so you are listing to events as they unfold and has a full cast narration. This is one of my favorite ways to read Dracula. Dracula is my favorite classic but I know that trying to read the novel can be a little bit of a struggle. I would recommend anyone trying to get into the original story to try out this podcast.

Mate by Ali Hazelwood is the sequel to Bride Hazelwood’s first paranormal romance omega verse book and I have a full review also posted. We follow Serena who is the first know human were hybrid and she has become a target that is seems everyone is after. The Alpha of the Northwest pack Koen Alexander turns out to be Serena’s mate but doesn’t seem to want to have anything to do with her. This is a more slow burn romance that I would recommend anyone who liked Bride to try out.

Elantris is Brandon Sanderson’s first published novel and is part of the Cosmere. Set in a fantasy world where ten years before something happened where the city of Elantris was essentially destroyed as those who have the power of the Elantrians are not considered dead and there is no hope for them. We follow prince Raoden who has been taken by Shoad and is sent to live in the city of Elantris, Sarene a princess who was meant to marry Raoden, and Hrathen, a high priest of Shu-Dereth while all of them have different paths their stories become intertwined. Raoden wants to figure out the secrets of Elantris, help his new people, learn to survive and hopes that Arelon doesn’t fall apart. Sarene to help her own people stays in Arelon and gets involved in the politics. Meanwhile, Hrathan has been sent to convert the people of Arelon and if that doesn’t happen they will be wiped out. While Elantris is one of Sanderson’s weaker novels I loved the characters and concepts. Similarly to the Mistborn series there is a focus on religion and how one’s faith can change over time.

The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson is one the secret project books. This is both a fantasy and sci-fi novel where a man wakes up in a version of Medieval England with no memory. When he finds parts of the Frugal Wizard’s Handbook it turns out that he has chosen to travel here. I find the ideas in this book interesting but didn’t love the main character having memory loss for much of the story.

Dumbledore: The Life and Lies of Hogwarts Headmaster An Unoffical Exploration by Irvin Khaytman is exactly what it says it is. This is a nonfiction book that reads more like an article about Dumbledore and what he is doing through the Harry Potter books. The focus is on what he knew, when he knew it, and how his decision impacted other characters. An interesting deep dive on Dumbledore but a little boring in some areas. I would only recommend this to fans that want to research different theories and understandings of these characters as this is a book that I feel only a select few will enjoy.

The last book I read was Saiyuki Reload volume 8 by Kazuya Minekura. This once again continues the Saiyuki story and I plan to have a more thorough review of Saiyuki Reload posted at some point.

Movies:

The only movie I watched in November was Hell House LLC: Lineage. Lineage is set after all the other Hell House movies. We follow Vanessa who survived Russell Wynn’s Insomnia production at the Abaddon Hotel and who now lives in town. It turns out that she and others are connected to the Abaddon Hotel, Carmichael Manor, and Andrew Tully. Going into this movie I believed that is would be the last movie in the series but with how this movie ends there are too many loose ends and I would expect another movie at some point. I enjoy the Hell House series but this one is no longer a found footage movie and because of that I feel like it loses some of the charm of the others. I have never found these movie all that scary this one is I didn’t find scary at all just creepy.

Book Review: Just Stab Me Now by Jill Bearup

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Just Stab Me Now by Jill Bearup is a fantasy/comedy story with similarities to the Princess Bride. We follow Caroline an author trying to write a fantasy romance book but her characters just won’t listen and take the story is an unexpected direction. For the Fantasy parts we follow Lady Rosamund a thirty-six year old widow who with the help of Captain Collins must stop a war and who has no time for fantasy tropes.

The book is inspired by the Fantasy Heroine YouTube Shorts where Jill plays all of the characters including the author and all the different characters in “her” book. The shorts and the book play up a lot of the tropes of Fantasy and Fantasy Romance. Specifically, Caroline is trying for enemies to lovers but the characters are not in that headspace and end up changing the plans.

I would love more and the book and shorts while wrapped up could continue but Jill Bearup has stated that she is not really an author and it was the fans who more or less bullied her into writing this and doesn’t plan to continue it. The book itself is very meta and is probably not for everyone but I loved it. I would recommend checking of the YouTube shorts first because if you enjoy those or not will tell you if this book is for you.

June 2025 Wrap Up

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In June I read five books. All of them which I enjoyed.

Books:

The first book I finished was The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski which is a collection of short stories set in the world of The Witcher and is chronologically set before the first novel. This is where many people recommend to start the Witcher series as we met Geralt and many others before the events of the novels and can better understand the character relationships. I liked the short stories but some I found too long and I didn’t personally like the ones that put so much focus on Dandelion.

Next I read John Green’s new book Everything is Tuberculosis. This is a nonfiction about Tuberculosis how it has shaped the world and Green’s personal obsession with it. While interesting and thought provoking at times it doesn’t seem like it goes far enough but I can see this as a small step stone towards change.

Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski is another collection of short stories following Geralt of Rivia set in the world of The Witcher. While some of the stories are hit and miss the last one goes directly into the events of the first novel. I do feel like if you are just starting the Witcher series you should start with the short stories collections.

From the Wizarding World Archive: Curated Writing from the World of Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling is a collection of articles and anecdotes about the world of Harry Potter. Though it does contain interesting information I didn’t feel like there was a lot of new information or stuff. I personally would only recommend this to fans who like to read everything.

The last book I read in June was Queen B by Juno Dawson. Queen B is a prequel novella in the Her Majesty’s Royal Coven series. This follows Anne Boleyn who really is a witch and her coven in the aftermath of her beheading. I loved this historical fantasy and look forward to reading more in the series.

Book Review: A Pslam for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers (Monk and Robot #1&2)

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A Psalm for the Wild-Built follows Dex, a tea monk that travels and helps people by bring there and listing. He has started to feel like that they are stuck and decides to travel into the wilderness to try and find purpose again. While there he meets the Robot named Mosscap. Mosscap has been sent on a journey from the other robots to find out what do humans need since humans and robots haven’t been around each other for centuries. They travel together and this allows them to help each other out and Dex is starting to understand what he wants to do in the future.

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy is set immediately after the events of A Psalm for the Wild-Built. We follow Dex and Mosscap as they travel to different cities so that Mosscap can learn about humanity and what humans need. This story focuses on the idea that if you have enough or are content do you really need or want more. I love Dex and Mosscap’s relationship and how they are learning from each other. Becky Chambers writes very hopeful books and while I can see where this series could go it also works by ending here.

January 2025 Wrap Up

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In January I read six books including several nonfiction books.

Books:

Christmas at Hogwarts by J.K. Rowling is a picture book version of Harry’s first Christmas at Hogwarts with beautiful art by Ziyi Gao. The text used is from the 12th chapter of the Sorcerer’s Stone. This is great for Harry Potter fans and kids just getting into the Wizarding World.

The Vampire Knitting Club by Nancy Warren is the first book in the start of a cozy paranormal mystery series. We follow Lucy who travels to Oxford to visit her grandmother but her knitting shop is closed and she is supposedly dead. It turns out that Gram was murdered but turned into a vampire to save her and Lucy is trying to figure everything out. A fun story but I don’t think that I will continue with the series.

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson is a book about the last crossing and the sinking of the Lusitania and how this helped bring the United States into World War I. Like all of Erik Larson’s books this is a very easy read and could be a good introduction to the topic.

The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom by Shari Fanke is Shari memoir about the true story behind the 8 Passengers YouTube channel and vlogs and what happened. Given the topic it’s hard to say that I enjoyed this but I’m glad Shari got to tell her story and this is a cautionary tale for all family vloggers.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is the first book in the Empyrean series and I have a full review posted. We follow Violet Sorrengail as her mother has ordered her to join the Dragon Riders at the Basgiath War College instead of joining the scribes. I loved this even though I didn’t think I would and I would recommend trying it.

The Rebel Romanov: Julie of Saxe-Coburg, The Empress Russia Never Had by Helen Rappaport is Rappaport’s newest nonfiction about Romanov history. This follows Julie of Saxe-Coburg who marries Constantine, the grandson of Catherine the Great and who Julie ends up leaving everything for her own freedom. Julie is not a historical figure that I’ve ever heard of but Rappaport makes Romanov history very interesting and readable.

Book Review: Salvation in the Sun(The Lost Pharaoh Chronicles #1) by Lauren Lee Merewether

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Salvation in the Sun by Lauren Lee Merewether is a historical fiction novel set in Ancient Egypt during the reign of Akhenaten and Nefertiti and the first book in the Lost Pharaoh Chronicles. This focuses on the relationship between Akhenaten and Nefertiti and how they change the religion of Egypt.

Salvation in the Sun is primarily told in flashback starting during the early reign of Akhenaten when he was known as Amenhotep, where the Pharaoh and his advisors are trying to take back the power of the priesthood of Amun by changing the main god of worship to the Aten. As time goes on it becomes more and more apparent that Amenhotep now Akhenaten truly believes that that only god is the Aten and none of the other gods matter.

This change to the religion leads to major political conflicts and I feel like this is a way these events of history could have happened. I have done a decent amount of nonfiction reading on this time period and it is obvious that Lauren Lee Merewether has done her research. While there are somethings that are probably not historically accurate given that we don’t know how these players would have thought or acted this doesn’t feel completely fictionalized.

I would recommend this to fans of historical fiction and those with an interest in Ancient Egypt.

Book Review: Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik

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Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik is a collection of thirteen short stories that span the different worlds of her works and includes a sneak peek at the world of her next novel. I received an early copy for review from the publisher thorough Netgalley. I’ve been a fan of Naomi Novik’s work for years though this is the first book I’ve read in a long time and which has inspired me to finally read more of her works. Overall I greatly enjoyed this work and I will be going through each story individually

Araminta, or, The Wreck of the Amphidrake is a take on regency romance novels. We follow Lady Araminta who is being sent off to be married off but she is not interested in marriage. To protect herself she is gifted with a amulet that turns her into a man and she uses this when the ship she is on is attacked. An interesting take on Pirates and romance but not my favorite story.

After Hours is a story set in the Scholomance world but doesn’t follow the characters from that series. We follow Beata in her first year at the school on a night that she decides to sneak out in attempt to take better supplies from the communal supplies as first year students never get the best stuff. We also learn about her conflict with her roommate Jayne and how dangerous the school can be especially at night. This is a good introduction to the Scholomance if you haven’t read any before.

Vici is a story set in the Temeraire Universe but during Roman times and how Antonius who is a conman ends up with a dragon. He eventually gets sent to Gaul as owning a dragon is a problem for the magistrate and end up fighting with Julius Cesar. This story lays the ground work for how dragons are part of the military with the Temeraire Universe.

Buried Deep is a story about the Labyrinth and Ariadne dancing on the ground where the Labyrinth exists. A retelling of the story of the Minotaur but focuses more on family and the relationship between the Minotaur and Ariadne.

Spinning Silver is the short story that eventually spun into the novel of the same name and there is overlap in this story but you can see where the novel goes into more detail. We follow Miryem the daughter of a moneylender who is not very good at his job. When Miryem realizes that her family is suffering she takes over her father’s job and excels at it. Eventually, she meets a Staryk who wants her to turn silver into gold. Through Miryem’s cleverness and business savvy she is able to accomplish this and Staryk that she would be better as his banker instead of his queen.

Commonplaces is a story about Irene Adler finding out that Sherlock Holmes has died at the Reichenbach Falls and her actions following getting this information. Quick story for fans of Sherlock Holmes and would be more enjoyable if you have recently read those stories.

Seven is an interesting story about a city called Seven that has seven statues and how those statues are created. We follow Kath who learned how to make pottery from her husband and is continuing to do so to feed her family even though she wasn’t properly trained. She eventually is tasked with building a new statue when one of them breaks but the clay used often kills those who work with it.

Blessings is a fairytale about what are the best blessings one could get from fairies and Madga who is given the gift of strength and how that changes her story. Very short but an interesting take on princesses being gifted blessings by the fairies at the beginning of their tales.

Lord Dunsany’s Teapot is about a teapot that is used in the trenches of World War I and how it ends up keeping some of the soldiers’ safe during this time. Very short but not a story that I was expecting as someone who has researched World War I.

Seven Years from Home is the only story that I didn’t enjoy. This is more of a science fiction story than fantasy and if I had read it alone I might have liked it more. Written in first person we follow the account of a researcher who wants to learn more about a specific alien group. I only skimmed this story so I don’t’ feel like I can say more than that just I think how the story was told made me not want to finish it.

Dragons & Decorum is a Pride & Prejudice retelling set in the world of Temeraire following Captain Elizabeth Bennet and her dragon Wollstonecraft. I’m not a huge fan of Pride & Prejudice but I felt that this was a unique take as Darcy doesn’t know that Elizabeth is a Captain until near the end of the story.

Castle Coeurlieu is a story set during the Black Plague. We follow Isabeau who has recently married and lives in the country side with the son of her husband. On the land is a tower that has many stories and rumors about it and how it may be magical. She ends up in the tower one night when she shouldn’t be but is able to save the son. Interesting take on stories influenced by the events of the Black Plague and the stories that were written at that time.

The Long Way Round is a sneak peek into the world that Naomi Novik’s next book is set in. We follow siblings Tess and Aston who are sailors and ship builders on a quest to sail the long way around the land verses what is considered the safest route. As they attempt this journey they end up find new locations and how those they meet along the way change their future. Story about family and the family you build along the way. I’m interested in where Naomi Novik plans to take this story/world in the future.

April 2024 Wrap Up

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In April I only read two books but I was playing and finishing different video games including Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

Books:

The first book I read this month was Women in the Valley of the Kings: The Untold Story of Women Egyptologists in the Gilded Age by Kathleen Sheppard which I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher through Netgalley. Women in the Valley of the Kings is a nonfiction book about the history of Egyptology and the impact that women have had on the field. I’ve been interested in Ancient Egypt and Egyptology for years but most of the people you hear about are the famous men and their findings. I didn’t realize how many women were involved in the field and how their finds and research impacted others. I would recommend this to those studying Egyptology and those who have an interest in the field.

The other book I read this month was Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Mass. This is the last book in The Throne of Glass series which I loved. I feel at this point that this series is so popular you will know if you want to read it and if you would like it. It took me a while to finish this series mostly because I have been very bad at finishing series in the last several years. However, some of the books are a bit of a slog but the payoff is worth it.

Video Games:

This month I finished Final Fantasy VII Rebirth which I also have a full review posted for. I absolutely loved this game and I can’t wait to see where they take the story in the next game. Two things if you are interested in playing the developers are expecting you to know the story of the original games including Crisis Core for all the emotional payoffs and you should play Remake before trying this one. This is a game for fans but other would enjoy it as well.

The other game I’ve been playing has been The Oregon Trail for Nintendo Switch. I’ve been having a lot of fun playing it but as I only pick it up here and there it will take me a while to complete everything in the game. If you have fond memories of play Oregon Trail as a kid I would recommend it.

September 2023 Wrap Up

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In September read seven books, watched several horror movies, and started playing a new mobile game that I will continue playing for a while. I’ve been very busy the last several months and I’m currently trying to get caught up on the posts that I’ve been meaning to write and schedule.

Books:

The first book that I finished in September was Tinker by Wen Spencer which is a fantasy/Sci-Fi novel that follows the inventor Tinker who lives in a near future Pittsburgh that now exists in the land of the elves. An interesting concept but I hated how everyone kept assuming Tinker knew certain things without anyone stopping to explain what was happening or going on. Its also very clear that it was written in the early 2000s and has many tropes common in books from then.

Next was Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire which was a reread for me as I continue on with the Wayward Children’s series. This one follows Cora and others from Eleanor West’s school going on a quest to help Rini and save her world. Rini is Sumi’s daughter but Sumi was killed in the first book which has thrown her world of Confection into chaos. To save Rini they must find a way to bring Sumi back to life. Not my favorite book in the series but I liked it better on reread.

FeedBack by Mira Grant is the last book in the Newsflesh series that retells the story of Feed from the perspective of the reporters covering the Democratic side of the election. While I enjoyed being back in this world, I loved the characters from the trilogy so much and we only get mentions of them I ended up loving this book like the others. The most interesting aspect of FeedBack to me was seeing the reactions of these characters when they find out what is really going on and how that is connected to the characters from the trilogy.

Next I read In An Absent Dream and Juice Like Wounds both by Seanan McGuire to continue reading the Wayward Children’s series. In An Absent Dream follows Lundy’s story and her experiences in the Goblin Market and Juice Like Wounds is a short story following one of Lundy’s adventures. In An Absent Dream is my least favorite of the series so far. I loved the concept of the Goblin Market but I feel like the most interesting things that happen to Lundy are not shone. Lundy has trouble choosing between her world and the family she loves to the point that the choice no longer is hers to make and is forced upon her. Juice Like Wounds is more what I was expecting Absent Dream to be like and it gives a better understanding to the choice Lundy is forced into.

The next book I read was Quidditch Through the Ages by J.K. Rowling is a book written like a text book for the characters in the world of Harry Potter. I read the illustrated edition which is like a coffee table book and something I think fans should read once.

The last book I read in September was Old Man’s War by John Scalzi. This is a science fiction book where at the age of 75 you can join the Colonial Defense Force in Space. We follow John Perry who takes this deal and learns what humanity is up against in space. An interesting idea that remined me a little of Starship Troopers (I’ve only seen the movie). While this is a start to a series the end is such that you don’t have to continue it.

Movies:

The horror movies that I watched were Hell House LLC and its two sequels. Set five years after the death of 15 people on opening night of the Hell House haunted house attraction a documnetary crew is trying to find out what happened. They get tapes that show events leading up to the opening of Hell House which is set at an abounded hotel and as the movie continues you start to question is the hotel is haunted or not. The first movie is a good found footage horror movie but sequels removes all ambiguity of what happened and straight up decides to make it a battle between the forces of heaven and hell. I would recommend the first one but don’t feel the need to watch the sequels.

Video Games:

The only video game that I’ve been playing has been Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis which is a new mobile game that retells the stories of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core, and The First Soldier. Currently, I’m having fun with it but I’m making a point to not spend any money on this game. If you are a Final Fantasy VII fan I would recommend trying it out as its free but I can see many people not liking it.

February 2023 Wrap Up

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In February I read three books and to short stories and also watch Glass Onion.

Books:

Women of Myth: From Deer Woman and Mami Wata to Amaterasu and Athena, Your Guide to the Amazing and Diverse Women from World Mythology by Jenny Williamson and Genn McMenemy is a nonfiction book about different women from myth and folklore through multiple cultures. I received advanced copy from the publisher through Netgalley. I loved seeing myths that I’ve never learned about before and all the art work depicting these women.

Abhorsen by Garth Nix is the third book in the Abhorsen trilogy and follows Lirael and Sam as they try to save Sam’s friend Nick and stop the necromancer Hedge from awakening the destroyer. I also have a full review posted for this book. This book is very action/plot heavy and I think I would have enjoyed this series more if the second and third books had been combined. While I like the series overall to me I feel like the first book Sabriel works better as a stand alone then a series.

As Yet Unsent by Tamsyn Muir is a short story in the Locked Tomb series that follows the events of Harrow the Ninth. The shot story is Judith’s report on the Blood of Eden and their activities. I read to to be ready to read Nona the Ninth but I feel like I will need to either reread it and read an explanation of it to really understand this story.

A Dowry of Blood by S.T Gibson is a reimaging/retelling of Dracula through the perspective of one of the brides. I read this initially when it was self published and wanted to see if anything has changed which it hasn’t but I still enjoyed it and I have a full review published. The one thing that I’m still a little disappointed in is the fact that there is nothing but a quick mention of the events that happened in Dracula as I would have loved to read that from the brides perspectives.

An Encore of Roses by S.T. Gibson is a short story from Alexi’s point of view years after the ending of A Dowry of Blood. This story gives us a glimpse into the lives of Alexi, Constanta, and Magdalena and how they are still in love though living separate lives all these years later.

Movies:

I only movie I watched this month was Glass Onion which I loved but don’t feel like I have much to say. However, if you liked Knives Out or murder mysteries you should give it a try.