I’m a few days away from the close of January, with close to 10 books under my readerly belt for the year so far. I’ve been trying to focus on reading for fun this month, choosing things that look interesting just as many times as to check off my Reading List.
Mrs. Martin’s Incomparable Adventure by Courtney Milan was the book I read through New Years – started it in 2024 and finished it a day or two into 2025. It was a romance about a very capable (very well off) widow and a recently canned down-on-her-luck business manager .
The age of the characters was the biggest surprise – most older characters I read in fiction are well beyond “romance.” Age + lesbian pairing was extra special in terms of representation. And the cultural/societal expectations of women of a certain age was personally resonant.
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi was really, really fun. While I enjoy sci-fi shows, I tend to struggle with books. For me, the technical details in most sci-fi books make a lot of the genre tough to remain engaged with. Not this one! Loved the premise, sincerely enjoyed the setting, and (like Starter Villain) appreciated the resolution. This is only the second book by Scalzi that I’ve read; after two highly entertaining reads, I’ll be adding more to my TBR list.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones has been on my TBR for many, many years, since seeing the movie of the same name. As with most experiences where I see the movie before I read the book, I had very specific images in my head of all the characters. This felt like a bit of a downer, since there was plenty in the book that wasn’t included in the film. Overall, a fun read. I’d have loved to read this one as a kid.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune was filled to the brim with joy, which I was absolutely here for. Lots of little celebrations of difference, of family, of community, and of kindness and goodness prevailing over cruelty and harm. This book felt good to read.
If there was a way to rate a book based purely on its setting, this would be the one. A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid absolutely nailed the creepy Gothic vibes. Most of the book was accompanied by a constant vibe of a house just waiting to dissolve into the sea at any moment. For me, the actual plot was less compelling. I had a hard time reconciling the regular beat of impending doom with the unwillingness of the main characters to take off. Self-preservation was not a priority until they were wayyyy too close to death. (I mean I guess that also jives with the Gothic theme, maybe I just wasn’t in a mood to appreciate it? I’m generally all topped up on impending doom…)
Kinda blown away that Weyward is Emilia Hart’s debut novel. Solid plot, great stories, satisfying ending, and convincing conflicts. This one came up as a suggestion after my book club read The Frozen River (Ariel Lawhon) and the similarities in stories by and about women are notable. Really enjoyed this book – looking forward to whatever Hart publishes next.
The Undetectables by Courtney Smyth was a fun read. It was dense, and moved slowly, but it was fun. Of particular note (for me) was the exceptional care paid to depicting a main character with a chronic disease. I think Smyth did a decent job creating a supernatural mystery, and a great job writing a main character trying to solve said mystery while in nonstop pain.
I was excited to finally get a chance to read Who We Are in Real Life by Victoria Koops, because I am a big nerd for D&D and this book is all about the D&D. I would have loved this book as a teen and am still delighted by it, many years older than the characters and pretty far removed from their kind of romance. Proof, I think, that it’s an engaging story regardless of the reader’s age or romantic situation. Also, D&D rocks.
At the moment, I’m working through an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge by Kate Khavari. It’s the fourth in a series and so far it’s okay. Not blowing my hair back, but still a clever and engaging Victorian-era mystery with a lady detective as the protagonist.
I started The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty and then the hosting library lost their distribution license for it. I’m on the hunt for another electronic version so I can finish it (so far, loving it).
On deck is A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal and Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. I have actual, real-life copies of both these books so I’ll have to actually get reading them soon so I won’t incur the wrath of the fine gods at my local library. There are a few other ebooks on my electronic library shelf, as well, so I’m set for the next week or so.
Have you read anything mentioned above? I’m on the hunt for more lite D&D fiction and more inspiring ladies as main characters.