December 2025 Book Club: Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

 

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Quite a few things are seen in hell that are not described in detail but mentioned, like orgies, bestiality; Flashbacks of things like inappropriate student/teacher relationships, etc.

  

Katabasis, noun, Ancient Greek:

The story of a hero’s descent to the underworld

Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality: her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world.

That is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault.

Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams….

Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the very same conclusion.

With nothing but the tales of Orpheus and Dante to guide them, enough chalk to draw the Pentagrams necessary for their spells, and the burning desire to make all the academic trauma mean anything, they set off across Hell to save a man they don’t even like.

But Hell is not like the storybooks say, Magick isn’t always the answer, and there’s something in Alice and Peter’s past that could forge them into the perfect allies…or lead to their doom. 

 

This will probably be an unpopular opinion but I've had quite a few of those over the years. I've purposely avoided this author's books in the past because, quite frankly, my gut instinct was that I would find them boring. The only reason I read this one is because it got picked as our book club read for this month. It turns out I was right, this was so incredibly boring. How do you make a trip through hell boring? Somehow this author found a way. 

Not only did I find this book boring, I also found it to be pretentious, with characters I didn't like. I never warmed up to the main character. I did warm up to Peter but it took far too long for the book to reveal his secrets. And that's a problem I have with this book in general. Information is withheld for no good reason, and things are revealed slowly over the course of the book for no good reason. To me it didn't make any sense that they were going to hell to find this professor. I'm not going to say why it didn't make any sense because I'm trying to avoid spoilers. 

There was a lot of academia in this book and it read like a textbook at times. I really couldn't relate to people who wanted to spend most of their lives in academia, especially someone who would give up 30 years of their life to go to hell and get a professor so he could help them academically. Not worth it! If you want to take a slow stroll through hell while philosophizing and reflecting on unpleasant life experiences, then this book is for you. 

 

 

 

 

 

January 2026 Reading List

Reading for book club-

  

Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain #1) by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

 

Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.

ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem and terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer―naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain―and his entire nefarious empire―out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find. 

 

 

Reading at Fantasy Buddy Reads-

I honestly don't have high hopes for this one. I've read some negative reviews but I'm going to give it a try. 

 

Dragons of Deceit (Dragonlance: Destinies #1) by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman 

 

Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman return to the unforgettable world of the New York Times bestselling Dragonlance series as a new heroine—desperate to restore her beloved father to life—sets off on a quest to change time.

Destina Rosethorn—as her name implies—believes herself to be a favored child of destiny. But when her father dies in the War of the Lance, she watches her carefully constructed world come crashing down. She loses not only her beloved father but also the legacy he has left the family lands and castle. To save her father, she hatches a bold plan—to go back in time and prevent his death.

First, she has to secure the Device of Time Journeying, last known to be in the possession of the spirited kender Tasslehoff Burrfoot. But to change time, she’ll need another magical artifact—the most powerful and dangerous artifact ever created. Destina’s quest takes her from the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin to the town of Solace and beyond, setting in motion a chain of disastrous events that threaten to divert the course of the River of Time, alter the past, and forever change the future. 

 

 

Reading with The Mystery Book Club- 

I'll be caught up on this series after this one.

  

Trust No One (Agent Tori Hunter #8) by Roger Stelljes

 

In a cabin by a lake, a mother and father tuck their little girl into bed and kiss her goodnight. But they can’t enjoy the evening summer breeze—because this is no ordinary family on vacation. This is a family with nowhere left to run… and no one left to trust.

When FBI Agent Tori Hunter and Detective Will Braddock are called to a crime scene at a remote hunting cabin, they find blood everywhere. A small pink suitcase has been left behind, filled with children’s clothes and medicine. Has a family been murdered on vacation, or did they run just in time?

The team quickly tracks down the details of the family renting the cabin. But Braddock freezes at the last name. He claims to have never heard it before… but Tori can always tell when her partner is lying.

Furious that Braddock might keep something from her when lives are at stake, when two New York City detectives show up in Minnesota with questions for Braddock her fears are proved right... because there’s a murder case in Braddock’s past he never told Tori about. It took over his life just after his wife died, and forced him out of the city for good. Why did he keep it secret?

Tori has no time for games. Tracking down suppliers of the medicine from the cabin is her one lead to find this family before it’s too late. But with fingers pointing at Braddock, and her own instincts screaming that he’d never betray her or the shield, Tori will have to put her own career on the line to defend the man she trusts above all else—and find the real killer with a deadly score to settle.

 

 

 

Burden of Truth (Cass Leary #1) by Robin James 

 

To defend her client, she must dig up a town’s darkest secrets.

Defense attorney Cass Leary thought she’d escaped her hometown for good. But after leaving her high-paying job in Chicago, she decides to revisit her troubled past. When someone murders the beloved high school basketball coach and Cass steps in to defend the girl accused of the crime, she doesn’t expect the death threats that follow…

Confronting the town that shunned her as a child, she unearths secrets that some would kill to keep buried. And after her client confesses to the crime, Cass detects a widespread cover-up. If she doesn’t get to the bottom of it soon, the next fatalities may be the ones she loves…

Burden of Truth is the first book in series of high-stakes legal thrillers. If you like blood-pumping action, compelling characters, and twisted crime conspiracies, then you’ll love Robin James’s dark tale.

 

 

 

Pick it for me book-

  

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center 

Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality with every face she sees.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls into—love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?—with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn’t be worse.

If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren’t looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing.

 

 

 

 

 

  

December 2025 Reading Wrap-Up

I read 7 complete books in December, had 1 DNF at over 80 percent, 5 short stories, and 1 book that I'm still reading. I didn't make any progress on the book I started last month, The Strength of the Few because it's a book I want to be able to give my full attention to, and I've been so busy with the holidays that I didn't think I would be able to. So that one is on hold until January. I'm looking forward to getting back to it. 

 

 

Just His Secretary (Southern Roots Sweet Rom Com #1) by Elena Johnson aka Donna Jeffries

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Romance, Romcom
Content: Clean

 

She's just his secretary…until he needs someone on his arm to convince his mother that he can take over the family business. Then Callie becomes Dawson's girlfriend—but just in his text messages…but maybe she'll start to worm her way into his shriveled heart too.

Callie:
Dawson Houser makes sure everyone who comes into the office knows I'm "just his secretary."

Heck, I've even said it to suppliers and CEOs when they smile knowingly at the two of us during business meetings. He scowls and grumps around the office afterward, as if the two of us dating is the most ridiculous thing on the planet.

Dawson can handle them. I can handle them—and him too, once they leave. And he's no picnic, let me tell you.

Who can't we handle?

His mother.

When Lila Houser comes to town with her faux furs and fashion sunglasses, she only has one question for her spoiled rotten son: When are you going to get married, Dawson, darling?

I expect him to laugh and tell her he's never getting married. I mean, I've heard those exact words come out of his mouth.

Instead, he pulls me to his side and says, "Maybe sooner than you think, Mother."

Oh, that Lila Houser can make a woman feel two inches tall with a simple up-down look. I think I'm a pretty good catch...no matter what my last three boyfriends say.

When Lila says, "I thought Callie was just your secretary," I suddenly want to prove her dead wrong...

Get ready to laugh out loud in this hilarious, sweet workplace romantic comedy! The romance is clean, the jokes witty, and the office grump swoon-worthy. 

 

Ever since I read The Relationtrip by this author I've wanted to find another book by her that I would enjoy just as much. Unfortunately, none of the ones I've picked up since then have been a hit with me. This is the third book I've read since then, and I just keep finding things about them that I don't care for. In this particular book I think the main character just didn't always make sense to me, and I didn't understand why she was hired, or took a job, as a secretary when she had the degree she had. I also didn't get why she would go into the office and work on a Saturday morning when she didn't have to. Plus the work was all stuff related to taking care of cleaning up after her boss, and sending his clothes that he left at the office to the cleaners, unbeknownst to him by the way. He really wasn't very observant. I just didn't understand why she was motivated to do that, especially when she thought he was a jerk. The constant reminders that the main character was "curvy" aka overweight, was annoying to me. It seemed like she wasn't really happy with her weight, but she did nothing to try to change it.

I have a few other books by this author on my list but I'm not sure if or when I'll get to them. 

 

 

 

 

 

Magic Rises (Kate Daniels #6) by Ilona Andrews 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Urban Fantasy
Content: Strong Language, Violence, Sex

 

Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.

Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…
 

This was a reread with my husband. We're listening to the Graphic Audio versions of the books and I'm enjoying them all over again. I actually liked this book better on reread. Some story elements that irritated me before were less irritating the second time around. Overall, with this audio version, I like the voices that were chosen for the characters. They're pretty spot on for what I was picturing in my mind. 

 

 

 

 

 

An Ill-Advised Rescue (Kate Daniels #5.8) by Ilona Andrews

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Urban Fantasy
Content: Strong Language

 

When Saiman is kidnapped, he calls Kate Daniels to come rescue him. 

 

 This short story is included in the Graphic Audio version of Magic Rises.

 

 

 

 

 

Katabasis by R.F. Kuang 

DNF at 80% 

Review to come.

 

 

 

 

 

An Independent Woman by Sophia Holloway 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Historical Romance
Content: Clean

 

The newly widowed Lady Louisa Dembleby is immensely thankful to be released from an awful marriage and vows that she will never marry again. A quiet life of contented freedom with her cherished daughter lies ahead, but her resolution falters when she meets Major Benfield Barkby, recovering from serious wounds sustained fighting in Spain.

Against the backdrop of the social season in Bath, gossip, grandmamas and a climatic duel look set to complicate any chance of a happy ever after. 

 

I love this author's books and this one was no exception. I do think this one lacked a little bit of the humor that I love in these, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. I'm looking forward to the next book my this author.

 

 

 

 

 

Seasonable Doubt (Cass Leary) by Robin James

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Mystery, Legal drama
Content: Strong language

 

This was a standalone novel in the Cass Leary series. We will be reading this series in 2026, I think starting in January. I don't know where this novel fits into the timeline of the series but it was a good standalone with very little spoilers for the rest of the series. There were some spoilers involving relationships but as far as I could tell that was it. It let me wanting to read more of the series, which is always a good thing. I enjoyed reading the Christmas theme at Christmas time. The courtroom drama was little too Hollywood and not quite realistic enough, but that didn't bother me enough to matter too much. Though I hope that won't be a regular occurrence. I didn't care for the narrator of the audio but will probably keep listening to these on audio instead of eye reading anyway. This is the genre I enjoy listening to the most, and I need some audio books to listen to while I work around the house.

 

 

 

 

 

The Creaky Old Barn (The Irish Escape #2) by B.E. Baker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Women's Fiction, Romance
Content: Clean

 

Review to come. 

 

 

 

 

Taken in the Cold (Agent Tori Hunter #7) by Roger Stelljes

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Mystery, Suspense
Content: Strong Language, A sex scene

 

I swear half the book was listening to the narrator say the sounds of the weapons. Bang, bang, bang! Pow, pow pow! Bap, bap, bap! Ping, ping, ping! Boom, boom, boom! Pop, pop, pop! Lol. Every book in this series has this but this one seemed like it had a lot more of it. I've never read another series that includes so much of this. Despite that, this was pretty good but I didn't like it as much as the two previous books in the series. 

 

 

 

The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim (Hercule Poirot Short Story) by Agatha Christie

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Mystery, Suspense
Content: Clean

 

Mr. Davenheim, a wealthy financier, leaves his home to mail a letter, then fails to return. The story fills the newspapers and intrigues Hercule Poirot, who challenges Inspector Japp with the claim that he can solve the case before the police, and without leaving his flat.  

 

This one was ok. My mind wandered a little bit while listening to it. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Plymouth Express (Hercule Poirot Short Story) by Agatha Christie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Mystery, Suspense
Content: Clean

 

When the body of Ebenezer Halliday's daughter, Flossie, is found stuffed underneath a train seat, the wealthy American industrialist hires Hercule Poirot to locate the murderer and over one hundred thousand dollars' worth of jewels which have disappeared at the same time. 

 

This story reminded me of Christie's The Mystery of the Blue Train, and after listening to this one I found out that it is the basis for that full length novel. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Western Star (Hercule Poirot Short Story) by Agatha Christie 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Mystery, Suspense
Content: Clean

 

Poirot investigates the case of a missing diamond, “The Star of the East”, belonging to Lady Yardly. But what is the connection between it and a similar diamond owned by the famous American film actress Mary Marvell? And why does a Chinese man want it returned? 

 

I enjoyed this one and found parts of it amusing. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor (Hercule Poirot Short Story) by Agatha Christie 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Mystery, Suspense
Content: Clean

 

Poirot investigates the case of a middle-aged man who died under suspicious circumstances just weeks after insuring his life for fifty thousand pounds. Could the man, who was in financial straits, have killed himself to benefit his beautiful young wife? 

Another good one with some amusing parts.

 

 

 

 

  

The Mother's Secret by Karen Clarke 

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Mystery, Suspense
Content: Strong Language

 

Kate and her husband are expecting their first child. Even though it was a surprise, Kate is thrilled and so is her mother, Helen. Kate just needs Helen’s anxieties to ease and for Dan to be on board.

Dan is struggling – he loves Kate, but he is not ready to be a father. With relations between them feeling hostile, the attractive lead singer in Dan’s band offers him a tantalizing escape.

Two weeks before the due date, Kate heads off for an overnight stay at a guesthouse she is designing. When suddenly neither Helen nor Dan can reach her, Helen discloses a dark secret from their past. One that leaves them wondering, has something terrible happened to Kate and the baby? 

 

I've really enjoyed some of this author's other books but this one was just so unbelievable with very little suspense. Everything was pretty obvious from the beginning, and while I found the other books by this author easy to predict, they were still enjoyable with characters I liked. This book had a main character who was too stupid to live, with a husband who was floundering and not very supportive. The very ending of the book involved a huge coincidence that was disappointing.

 

 

 

 

 

Book Lovers by Emily Henry 

Still reading this so no rating yet. I will say that so far I'm not loving it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Best Reads of 2025

This year there are only three books on my best reads list.  I don't feel like I had very many really great reads in 2025, and unfortunately there was no mystery/suspense books that really stood out to me as a favorite this year. So, I have one fantasy that includes some romance. Some people have categorized it as romantasy but I didn't feel like it was quite that heavy on the romance. Then there are two romances that earned 5 stars from me. Maybe that means that I was really in the mood to read books with romance in them, I don't know. I'm hoping that I find more books that I love in the coming year. That's the goal, along with more spontaneous reads and less planned buddy reads. That's it other than a few rereads that I'm not including because I only include books I've read for the first time in this.

 

Favorite Fantasy- 

 

A River Enchanted (Elements of Cadence #1) by Rebecca Ross 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Fantasy, Romance
Content: a couple of mostly non-de-script love scenes between married couples.

 

Jack Tamerlaine hasn’t set foot on Cadence in ten long years, content to study music at the mainland university. But when young girls start disappearing from the isle, Jack is summoned home to help find them. Enchantments run deep on Cadence: gossip is carried by the wind; plaid shawls can be as strong as armor, and the smallest cut of a knife can instill fathomless fear. The capricious spirits that rule the isle by fire, water, earth, and wind find mirth in the lives of the humans who call the land home. Adaira, heiress of the east and Jack’s childhood enemy, knows the spirits only answer to a bard’s music, and she hopes Jack can draw them forth by song, enticing them to return the missing girls.

As Jack and Adaira reluctantly work together, they find they make better allies than rivals as their partnership turns into something more. But with each passing song, it becomes apparent the trouble with the spirits is far more sinister than they first expected, and an older, darker secret about Cadence lurks beneath the surface, threatening to undo them all.

 

I loved the author's writing style, the characters, the way the romance developed, the magical music, just everything about this book was so good. It reminded me a bit of Juliet Marillier's books. I should warn you that if you read this one , then you will need to read book two as well because of the way things are left at the end of this book. That would probably be my only critique of the book, the ending left me feeling frustrated. I did, however, find it worth it because of the way things end in book two.

 

Favorite Romances-

 

Isabelle by Sophia Holloway 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult, Clean Romance
Genre:  Romance, Historical Romance
Content: Clean

 

Isabelle Wareham, whilst caring for her beloved widowed father, has not seen much of the world. After his death, Isabelle finds she is no longer her own mistress but under the guardianship of her unscrupulous brother-in-law, Lord Dunsfold, who sees her as a way to improve his own fortunes.

The outlook looks bleak until events throw Isabelle and the impoverished Earl of Idsworth together. However, Dunsfold is determined to force her into a more lucrative match and Isabelle will need to rise above her circumstances to reach her chance of happiness. 

 

Sophia Holloway has become a favorite regency romance author of mine. I love the formula that she has with her stories. There is usually an older relative that decides to cause trouble for the main character and the love interest. This person meddles in things and it can be frustrating but also amusing when they're thwarted. There's just enough wit and humor combined with just the right amount of drama for me, and the romance is usually really well done.

 

 

 

 

When Stars Dance at Midnight (The Midnight Stars #4) by Tess Thompson 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Romance, Historical Romance
Content: Clean

 

She’s sunlight in human form. He’s spent his life in the shadows.

Betsy- 

I’ve spent my life caring for others—easing pain, offering comfort, healing wounds no one else wants to touch. But mine? They’ve stayed buried deep, hidden beneath humor and smiles. When George died, something inside me broke. And falling for a man who’d lost his memory only reminded me how dangerous it was to love someone you couldn’t fully know. Now, I pour everything into my work as a nurse… until Dr. Gabriel Stone shows up, cloaked in secrets, and starts chipping away at the walls I swore I’d never lower again.

Gabriel- 
Grief sent me running. Away from home, away from guilt, away from everything I couldn’t fix. But then I met Betsy Westbrook. She’s sunlight in human form—too bright, too good, and far too tempting for a man who’s done as much damage as I have. Every moment with her feels like grace I haven’t earned. And I know that if I let her in, I’ll want more. Too much more.
 

I thought the third book was the last in this series but was pleasantly surprised that the author gave us a fourth book. I was actually really happy about that because I liked Betsy so much in the last book. I do think she deserved to have her own story. This was, for me the best book in the series. I've really enjoyed the characters, the drama, and the emotional turmoil. Also, the second chance aspect of this series is great. I love seeing the characters get to have a second chance at love after losing someone.

 

 

 

 

 

November 2025 Book Club: Short Stories

I enjoyed all the short stories we read this year for book club, except for one that I thought was a little annoying. The Paperweight Library, All Summer in a Day, I Hate Dragons, and The Door in the Wall ended up being my favorites. Most of these stories do not end on a happy note, but the endings are very fitting. For book club I put together little gift bags with items to represent each story. I'm adding the photos at the end of this post.

 

 

 

All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Sci-fi
Content: Clean

 

I've come to enjoy Bradbury's writing style and the way he blends horror and sci-fi/fantasy together in his stories. In this one the descriptions were so well done that I could feel what the characters were each feeling, especially the one girl who has seen the sun. 

If you're interested in reading this, I found an audio version on Youtube that I liked. You can find it here.

 

 

 

 

The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson 

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult, Children
Genre: Fairy tale
Content: Clean

I had never read this story and I was looking forward to reading the material that inspired Frozen, even though, I have to be honest, I'm not a huge fan of Frozen. Please don't hate me for saying that! I still wanted to read the source material. This story ended up being a bit of a disappointment for me. Surprisingly, I found it a little boring at times. Audible has a free version of this on Audible Plus right now and I did enjoy the narrator.

 

 

 

 

I Hate Dragons by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Clean

 

This was so witty and fun. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. You can find it on Sanderson's website here.

 

 

 

 

The Nine Billion Names of God by Arthur C. Clarke 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Sci-fi
Content: Clean

 

I didn't fully appreciate this story until after I had thought about it for a little while. I enjoyed listening to this rendition of the story by The Tale Master on Youtube. 

 

 

 

 

The Door in the Wall by H.G. Wells 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Clean

 

I found this story to be very thought provoking. The door could have symbolized several different things.

I enjoyed listening to the free audio from Gates of Imagination on Youtube. You can find it here.

 

 

 

 

The Paperweight Library by Stevie Burgess 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Clean

 

This ended up being my very favorite of the short stories. Here's a link to the audio version I listened to on Youtube. 

 

 

 

 

The Man Who Loved Dragons (From the anthology Cross Time Traffic) by Lawrence Watt-Evans

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Clean

 

This was the story I brought and I enjoyed reading it just as much the second time. There's no free version of this one to read or listen to but it's in Cross Time Traffic. 

 

 

 

  

A Study in Emerald by Neil Gaiman 

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Clean

 

I think I would have liked this one more if I was more familiar with Cthulhu. It was a nice blend of the two stories, at least from what I know of them.

Here's a link to the free PDF version of the story. It has a cool newspaper-like layout.

 

 

 

 

Tikki Tikki Tembo 

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult, Children
Genre: Folklore
Content: Clean

 

I read two versions of this story. The one that was picked for book club was the version by S.E. Schlosser. You can find it here. It was a little darker than the children's book by Arlene Mossel which I also read. 

I'm not really a fan of this story. I found it kind of annoying. When I looked it up I found that it is thought to have actually originated in Japan and not China. 

 

 

 

My husband, David's story was A Study in Emerald, and mine was The Man Who Loved Dragons, so we put cthulhus and dragons on top of the cupcakes. David 3D printed the cthulhus, and also the doors and the wells that we put in the gift bags. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The gifts for everyone-

Snowflake ornament for The Snow Queen. 

A well for Tikki Tikki Tembo.

A dragon and a dragon bookmark for the two dragon books, I Hate Dragons, and The Man Who Loved Dragons.

A galaxy stress ball for The Nine Billion Names of God.

A paperweight for The Paperweight Library.

A green door for The Door in the Wall.

A sun pendant for All Summer in a Day.

Cthulhu for A Study in Emerald.

December 2025 Reading List

I have 5 books planned for December, plus I'm going to continue reading The Strength of the Few by James Islington, which I started in November but didn't have a lot of time to read. 

 

 

My pick it for me book-

I've been looking forward to trying this author's books. 

 

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

 

 

 

Reading for Book Club-

I like this cover, the UK one, so much better than the US one.  

  

Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

Dante’s Inferno meets Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi in this all-new dark academia fantasy from R. F. Kuang, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Babel and Yellowface, in which two graduate students must put aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul—perhaps at the cost of their own.

Katabasis, noun, Ancient Greek:

The story of a hero’s descent to the underworld

Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality: her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world.

That is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault.

Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams….

Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the very same conclusion.

With nothing but the tales of Orpheus and Dante to guide them, enough chalk to draw the Pentagrams necessary for their spells, and the burning desire to make all the academic trauma mean anything, they set off across Hell to save a man they don’t even like.

But Hell is not like the storybooks say, Magick isn’t always the answer, and there’s something in Alice and Peter’s past that could forge them into the perfect allies…or lead to their doom.

 

 

 

Reading with The Mystery Book Club-

  

Taken in the Cold (Agent Tori Hunter #7) by Roger Stelljes

When gunshots ring out from an exclusive family home on the edge of Northern Pine Lake, Agent Tori Hunter races through the gathering snowstorm to discover that ten-year-old Teddy Marist has disappeared. His mother and her new boyfriend are dead in the family kitchen, breakfast still cooking on the stove. And racing to track down Teddy’s father, Tori finds he is missing too.

Local police are certain this is a simple case of a jealous ex-husband turned violent over his recent divorce. But interviewing everyone she can about Teddy’s father, Tori’s gut has her questioning if he would really kidnap his own child? And when Teddy’s father is found dead in a pool of blood at an abandoned vacation resort, Tori is devastated to be proven right.

Just as she’s desperately following a set of tire tracks leading away from the crime scene Tori gets a chilling phone Teddy is safe. But not for long. Meet me—alone. No guns. No backup.

Surrounded by the driving blizzard and the biggest storm Manchester Bay has seen for decades, Tori is determined to go it alone. But she knows the phone call means this case is about more than one lost little boy… and that a deadly, decades-old secret about the history of the abandoned resort could threaten the whole community.

With Teddy’s life—and the lives of those she loves—hanging in the balance, can Tori track down the kidnappers before it’s too late?

 

 

  

Seasonable Doubt (Cass Leary) by Robin James 

It’s the week before Christmas and Santa is on trial for attempted murder…
Known to locals as the “Christmas Guy,” Nick Whittaker has delighted his neighbors with an elaborate holiday light show and his uncanny resemblance to Santa Claus. A bit of a loner, Nick has found his place and his calling as a mall Santa in the quaint Northern Michigan town of Helene. He’s the last person anyone would have suspected in the brutal beating of a local politician. But when the bloodied murder weapon turns up in his trash and surveillance video puts him at the crime scene, Nick finds himself on trial for his freedom.

Defense attorney Cass Leary has a soft spot for lost causes. When she crosses paths with Nick Whittaker on a trip up north, she realizes she’s his one shot at a fair trial. As a blizzard barrels down on Helene, Cass quickly learns the evidence against Nick may not be what it seems. Both he and the victim had enemies and secrets that could bury them and a courtroom bombshell throws everything into chaos. As Cass races against time to unravel the twisted threads of this mystery, whispers of intrigue and betrayal echo through the courthouse.

In the dead of winter, Cass Leary fights for justice in a town where even Christmas can't thaw the icy grip of suspicion.

Seasonable Doubt is the next pulse-pounding book in the Cass Leary Legal Thriller Series. Prepare for a legal thriller that will chill you to the bone and leave you breathless until the final verdict.

Note: This book, while related to the main Cass Leary series, can be read as a standalone. 

 

 

 

Other-

 

The Creaky Old Barn (The Irish Escape #2) by B.E. Baker

Three failing families. Two different continents. And one creaky old barn that heals them.

With her marriage over and her kids (mostly) excited about moving to another continent, Natalie’s finally en route to Ireland. There’s a lovely and expansive estate waiting for them in southern Ireland.

Samantha’s bags are packed (again) and she’s ready to jet across the pond as well. She’s said all her goodbyes, and she’s ready to fall in love with new horses in Lismore.

But when they discover that their dear friend Vanessa’s struggling, they reconfigure their plans to rally behind her, because that’s what friends do.

In the meantime, creaky old barns and crumbling old estates don’t just maintain themselves. Can these three best friends patch up the leaks and fix up the creaks in their lives (and their hearts) and find a way forward. . .together?

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

November 2025 Reading Wrap-Up

I read everything I had planned to read for November except The Tattling Whisperwoods. I'm not sure I  will get to that one because I'm having a hard time feeling in the mood for it. I ended up reading a couple of other books that where not on the list. That's the goal for me going forward; to read more books that I feel in the mood to read in the moment, and less planned reads. As for the short stories that I had on the list to read for book club, my favorites ended up being, The Paperweight Library, I Hate Dragons, All Summer in a Day, and The Door in the Wall. I'll post more about those in a separate book club post.

 

 

I started the month off with this book-

  

Blind Date with a Werewolf (Alpha and Omega) by Patricia Briggs 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Urban Fantasy
Content: Strong Language

 

When the deadly werewolf Asil is gifted five blind dates by some anonymous “friends,” his reclusive life will never be the same.

Dear Asil

We are worried about you. A werewolf alone is a sad thing, especially at Christmastime. So we have a challenge for five dates in three weeks. We have taken the work out of it and connected you with five people from online dating sites. You should also know that we have informed the whole pack and instigated a betting pool. Have fun!

Sincerely,
Your Concerned Friends  

 

I loved reading these stories about Asil. I'm also curious to find out more about the new lady in his life.

“A successful date is one in which (a) neither party runs screaming into the night, (b) there are no dead bodies at the end of it, and (c) you attend longer than two hours—at least an hour and a half of which is spent with your date—” 

 

 

 

Next I read the short stories but I'll post about them later. After that I started listening to this on audio- 

 

Their Lost Souls (Agent Tori Hunter #6) by Roger Stelljes 

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Mystery, Suspense
Content: Strong Language, Sex that is mostly fade to black 

This was probably my second favorite book in the series. I think the series and characters have all improved over time.

 

 

 

 

Next up were these two romance books that are part of a series I had read the first book in- 

 

Love Comes Quietly (Love Comes #3) by Laura Ann

 

You can read my review of this book here. 

 

 

 

 

Love Comes Swiftly (Love Comes #4) by Laura Ann

 

 You can read my review of this book here.  

 

 

I needed a change of pace after reading two romances back to back, so I read my pick it for me book next-

 

You Have to Believe Me by Minka Kent

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Suspense, Thriller
Content: Strong Language

 

I predicted this one early on but it still kept me very entertained. Definitely not the best I've read by this author but not bad either. 

 

 

I went on a road trip over the Thanksgiving holiday and listened to this in the car with the husband. We also got halfway through Magic Rises on the way back-

  

Magic Gifts (Kate Daniels #5.5) by Ilona Andrews

Still 4 stars.

 

 

 

And last, I started this one but haven't gotten very far into it yet-

 

The Strength of the Few (Hierarchy #2) by James Islington

No rating yet.