Kiwiria

A Language of Dragons - S.F. Williamson, 3/5, 469 pages
A good book, that unfortunately didn't work for me. To be fair, I'd picked it up thinking it was a stand-alone novel, and could not see how S.F. Williamson was going to have time to wrap everything up neatly ... spoiler alert - they didn't!

I've always been interested in codebreaking, so the idea of using dragon language to create a new code was intriguing, and I loved the beginning of the novel, as Viv was getting settled at Bletchley Park. But unfortunately at that point the novel changed focus, and it ended up being more about the war effort than the actual codebreaking. I appreciate the dilemma of "how far will you go to support a corrupt regime in order to keep your loved ones safe", but that wasn't the reason I had picked up the book, so it ended up being a bit of a let-down.

Definitely an "it's not you - it's me" situation though. Had I been expecting a novel about fighting for the resistance, it would have been a completely different kettle of fish.


Dungeon Crawler Carl - Matt Dinniman, 5/5, Audiobook ~14hrs
Best read of 2026 so far. I listened to 14 hours in just under 3 days - could NOT put it down.

Those my age and above might remember the ancient DOS game Nethack ... or the slightly newer Windows version, Castle of the Winds. Imagine that game as a book - complete with monsters to kill, loot boxes and maps that only populate once you get to that part of the dungeon. Now add just a tad of hunger games ...

That's the plot of Dungeon Crawler Carl in a nutshell.

I can't fully explain just what it was about this book that made it so appealing to me. Part of it was definitely the narration. Jeff Hays did an amazing job, which definitely added to the experience. Part of it was the absurdity of the plot and the nostalgia of how beautifully it tied into some of the most-played games of my childhood. Whatever the case, it ended up being a clear 5-star book, despite the fact that it's the first in a series and the end was left wide open. It didn't feel like it ended on a cliffhanger - just an obvious progression as we descend through the dungeon.

I'll definitely be continuing on with the series once I get my next audible credit!


The Rebel Witch - Kristen Ciccarelli, 4.5/5, Audiobook ~14hrs
Every bit as good as the first book in the Duology. I had guessed many of the twists ahead of time, but I think we were supposed to - there were certainly enough clues going around.
I greatly appreciated that in addition to the "enemies to lovers" trope, we also had "fake dating" and "there was only one bed!" popping up in this one :-D Three of my favourite tropes - as long as they're done right.

I don't know if it's due to being romantasy rather than plain chick-lit, but it was SO refreshing that there was no third act miscommunication breakup. Whenever Rune or Gideon had a secret the other person ought to know - they were told sooner rather than later! Either by the other person, or - more often - by somebody else entirely. So it never grew to be a source of discontent. Such a relief!

The ending was perhaps a bit contrived ... things seem to happen to Rune and Gideon, rather than them acting out plans. But all in all, one of the best and most satisfying fantasy series I've read in a long time.


Too Hot to Handle - Portia MacIntosh, 2.5/5, 290 pages
I usually like Portia MacIntosh's books, but this was the first one I've read as a physical book rather than listened to as an audiobook, and I don't know ... perhaps they just work better as audiobooks? At least I don't seem to recall there being so many cringe-worthy moments in the books usually, but perhaps they just don't register as much when being listened to?

In any case, this book was almost too silly in places. Fortunately, it never went overboard with second-hand embarrassment, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I had expected to. I do think Portia MacIntosh mismanaged the plot - it could have been such a fun story, if the characters had been less unreasonable about it.


We Burned So Bright - T.J. Klune, 4/5, Audiobook ~7hrs
This made me cry. I didn't think it would, but those last few pages ... yeah ...
To people expecting plot - there isn't much of one. This is a completely character-driven book. But T.J. Klune writes characters so well, that I never stopped to think about that until after I had finished it. The main couple reminded me a LOT of Bill and Frank from "The Last of Us" - complete with the "grump and sunshine" trope. I adored them.

I love how T.J. Klune can switch genres so effortlessly, yet his voice remains the same - the lesbian couple are totally "the mated pair" from the "Tales from Verania" series when they were young :-P


Gregor the Overlander - Suzanne Collins*, 4/5, Audiobook ~7hrs
Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane - Suzanne Collins*, 3.5/5, Audiobook ~8hrs
Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods - Suzanne Collins*, 3.5/5, Audiobook ~8hrs
Gregor and the Mark of Secret - Suzanne Collins*, 3/5, Audiobook ~7jrs
Gregor and the Code of Claw - Suzanne Collins*, 3/5, Audiobook ~9hrs
I really cannot figure out who the target audience for this series is meant to be. The main character is 12, and it reads as a childrens / tween book ... but it is SO dark! Suzanne Collins doesn't pull any punches, and while the main characters all survive the war - it is a WAR, and not all the supporting characters do.

I love the series myself, and Paul Boehmer does an amazing job narrating it (especially
Boots!), but I wouldn't recommend it to just anybody.


Runaway - Harlan Coben, 3/5, 336 pages
Definitely a pageturner! I had a very hard time putting it down. And for awhile there, I thought it would be one of Harlan Coben's best.

But ... I don't know ... the ending just didn't work for me. Too unrealistic, too deux ex machina, too many loose ends left flying - or tied up in too unbelievable bows.

Books Read: 55
Pages Read: 10,040
Hours Listened To: 270
Book of the Month: Dungeon Crawler Carl. This is currently a contender for book of the year as well!
Biggest Disappointment: Too Hot to Handle. A lot more cringe that I had expected. The second-hand embarrassment was strong in this one.

The Wedding People - Alison Espach, 3.5/5, 367 pages
Took me much longer than I had expected to finish this book. The writing style took some getting used to, but after the first few chapters I stopped noticing it. But even as I turned the last page, I really can't figure out what I think of it.

I never considered giving up on it, so it had that going for it, but I never really connected to it either. It was definitely character-driven rather than plot-driven and more a "slice of life" / "life is messy" story than anything else. No real ending, no neatly tied up bow ... which made it feel real.

I liked Phoebe and loved Juice, but never got much of a feel for the other people. But I can easily see how somebody like Lila could sweep Phoebe up in her tailwind - just expecting her to follow, so of course she did.

At the end of the day, I'm glad to have read it, but don't really see myself ever rereading it.


Sorcery and Small Magics - Maiga Doocy, 4/5, Audiobook ~11 hours
Not exactly cozy fantasy, but definitely not high stakes either. VERY slow burn, but done believably and without the usual amount of angst I'd expect from such a slow burn.

A very enjoyable read. I liked the characters and the way they interacted. I would love to have stayed longer with the Sorcerer and talked more to Jane, but I am also very interested to hear what happens back at the Fount.

It's the first book in a trilogy, but the main story line is nicely wrapped up, so there aren't any cliff-hangers left for the sequel ... which is a good thing, as apparently that one isn't even rumoured yet. A fact that saddens me, as I am impatient!


Dear Debbie - Freida McFadden, 4/5, 336 pages
Possibly even more twisted than "The Housemaid"! And I think I actually preferred this one. Apparently I'd rather read about twisted people than about abusive ones :-P

I hadn't seen any of the twists ahead of time, but Freida McFadden stayed on the right side of "jumping the shark" to make it work. It perhaps wasn't terribly believable, but it stayed true to its own universe, so it worked for me. '

Ridiculously readable - I breezed through it in a day.


Once Upon a Broken Heart - Stephanie Garber, 3/5, 300 pages
VERY slow to start. I think I was more than half-way through before I really got caught up in the plot. It wasn't bad, just too heavy on the fairytale aspects for me really to be interested.

I got there in the end though, and will probably continue on with the second book in the series, as it had an extremely open ending. Seems more like one long story split up into 3 books than three individual books in the same series.


The Lightning-Struck Heart - T.J. Klune*, 5/5, Audiobook ~1 hrs
A Destiny of Dragons - T.J. Klune*, 4/5, Audiobook ~1 hrs
Felt like re-listening to this series. I love them as much as always. Michael Lesley does an amazing job at narrating them.


Call Me Maybe - Cara Bastone*. 5/5, Audiobook ~6hrs
Absolutely adorable, and good enough that I finished listening to it in just 3 days! I think it took me all of 2 minutes to be completely sold, and I pretty much listened to it at every chance I got - laughing out loud more than once, which got slightly embarrassing on the train. I loved Vera and Kal, and their phone conversations were pretty much the cutest thing ever.


Singularity - William Sleator*, 4/5, 176 pages
This was one of my favourite books as a child, and the first "scary" book I ever read. It's still every bit as magical to me now as it was back then, and I was just as reluctant to put it down before finishing.

The odd thing about rereading this book as I get older is that I start thinking about the impracticabilities of it... even within its own universe. But at the end of the day, I still love it, and it is still the same thing that appeals to me now as when I first read the book - the mental and physical routine Harry makes for himself during his year of solitude.


How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days - Jessie Sylvia 3.5/5, 352 pages
Really sweet book - definitely cozy fantasy, and I loved seeing how Pansy and Ren grew to know and appreciate each other.

The ending was more than a little twee though, and had me rolling my eyes a bit. The villain was just ridiculously two-dimensional and the final confrontation could have been handled better.

Still enjoyed it though.


Books Read: 31
Pages Read: 5,539
Hours Listened To: 129
Book of the Month: Sorcery and Small Magics. Really charming story. I can't wait for the next book!
Biggest Disappointment: None this month.

Off to a good start with 9 books read last month! Most of them pretty good too :-)

A Little Place in Prague - Julie Caplin, 3.5/5, 359 pages
Every bit as charming as I've come to expect from Julie Caplin's books. The plot itself is quite formulaic, but I love how she sets her stories in different cities around the world. Having been to Prague myself, I appreciated reading her take on the city, and definitely got some ideas for places I want to see next time ... even if I don't drink beer :-P

The third act breakup bugged me a bit, but as it happened 40 pages before the end of the book, I knew that it would be quickly resolved - and fortunately more naturally than I had expected.

Butter Witch - Tess Lake, 3/5, Audiobook ~6hrs
This was a "free-with-audible" deal, which turned out to be a lot better than I had expected. I'm not usually a huge fan of the cozy-mystery genre, as I tend to have difficulties suspending my disbelief when it comes to amateur sleuths, but this suffered from none of the usual weaknesses of that genre.
- Harlow worked together with the police - she didn't just go off rogue.
- Harlow was involved for a reason - she had abilities that the police didn't.
It's not great literature, but it's fun entertainment. I liked Harlow and her family (Adams especially!) and enjoyed getting to know Harlot Bay. I can definitely see myself reading more of the series.

The Cousins - Karen M. McManus, 3/5, 325 pages
Very easily read, just like all of Karen M. McManus' other books. I did find it a tad less believable than most of her other books though. There were just SO many places where somebody ought to have gone to the police or at least just talked to a grown-up! I know teenagers can be stupid, but come on!

Still a good read though.

Heated Rivalry - Rachel Reid, 4.5/5, 372 pages
This was just sweet! I really enjoyed it.

A rather unusual slow-burn, in that the main characters start hooking up pretty much right away, but it takes quite awhile for them to start to admit they've caught feelings ... even to themselves. As two high-profile players in a very "manly" sport, it's not exactly easy to step out of the closet.

Excellent character development, and I loved both Rose and Shane's parents.

The Night Stalker - Chris Carter, 3/5, 381 pages
Ridiculously short chapters and about 70% of them ended with some sort of cliffhanger. Something like having "I don't believe what I'm looking at!" as the very last sentence. Since they were all resolved in the next few chapters, it didn't really bother me, but it was blatant enough that I started noticing and rolling my eyes a bit at it.

Apart from that it was well written and extremely readable. As usual with Chris Carter, rather graphic and gruesome in places, but not quite as bad as I seem to recall from the first two books in the series. The UNSUB's motivation seemed a bit off to me though, and as I really need for that to be believable in this sort of novel, I don't think I will be continuing on with the series.

Brigands & Breadknives - Travis Baldree, 2.5/5, Audiobook ~8hrs
Unfortunately a huge disappointment. I had had such high hopes for this book, as I loved both "Legends & Lattes" and "Bookshops & Bonedust", but this one just couldn't deliver at all, and I actually considered giving up on it multiple times.

Two main reasons. Firstly, Travis Baldree switched genres on us. This is no longer cozy fantasy but plain ole regular fantasy. This I could easily have forgiven though if it hadn't been for the second reason - I just didn't care about the characters. Fern never grew on me, and while I was vaguely interested in Asterix and Zyll, it wasn't enough to carry the entire book.

There was still enough charm that I ended up finishing it, but unlike the two others, I won't be purchasing this for my physical library. A miss for me, unfortunately.

Atmosphere - Taylor Jenkins Reid, 4/5, 332 pages
I've always been fascinated with space travel, so when I read the back blurb, I knew that I had to read this book.

It mostly lived up to my expectations. Unfortunately, at the end of the day it turned out to be more about the people training to be astronauts than the training / work itself. I still really enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing the relationship grow between them, but wish more time had be focused on space travel.

Time and Time Again - Ben Elton*, 4/5, Audiobook ~14hrs
Time-travel always appeals to me, and Ben Elton managed to deliver a book somewhat similar to "11/22/63" by Stephen King, but with twists and turns that were entirely its own. Some of the twists I had not seen coming, which always pleases me.

As often happens in time-travel novels (at least those set within our own universe), the ending at first glance seemed slightly depressing - but once I started thinking about it, it really couldn't have ended

An Old-Fashioned Girl - L.M. Alcott, 4/5, Audiobook ~10hrs
One of my favourite books as a child, and I still prefer it over most of Alcott's other books (with the exception of "Eight Cousins"). She tends to preach quite awfully in her books, but there's not too much of that in this one, and what there is comes natural. The first half seemed a bit slow at times, but I greatly enjoyed the second half.


Books Read: 9
Pages Read: 1.769
Hours Listened To: 38
Book of the Month: Heated Rivalry - of course I'll have to watch the show now, but only the two first episodes have been released in Denmark so far.
Biggest Disappointment: Brigands & Breadknives - unfortunately.

Last reviews of 2025!

The Baby-Dragon Café - A.T. Qureshi, 2.5/5, 270 pages
This was 100% a book I wanted because of the cover and the title. "The Baby-Dragon Café" just sounded like the perfect cozy fantasy read. I'd also read another of A.T. Qureshi's books earlier this year (written as Aamna Qureshi) and really enjoyed it, so I figured I'd give it a chance despite the lack-luster reviews on goodreads.

Unfortunately, those reviews were mostly well deserved.

Granted, I read this in translation, and regardless of the original writing, the translation was CLUNKY as. Idioms were translated literally instead of trying to find a suitable Danish phrase instead. So since the other book I've read by Ms. Qureshi (A Witch's Guide to Love and Poison) was quite well written, I'm willing to blame the quality of the writing on the translator, rather than on Ms. Qureshi. I did cringe at some of the baby talk used to adress the dragons, but I don't know how much of that was due to poor word-choices by the translator, and how much I would have cringed at the original English as well.

The plot itself was cute, and good enough to keep me reading despite the clunky language. I loved reading about Saphira's café and wish we had gotten to read more about how she actually trained Sparky, rather than just about how much she doted on him and baby-talked to him.

The romance was a bit more tell than show, but ultimately worked for me. I really wish Ms. Qureshi had thought up a different ending though. It seemed like a cop-out to me, and an unnecessary way of bending to society's norms. (Trying to keep it vague to avoid spoilers).

All in all, it ended up being a fairly average read, and I don't think I'll bother with any more of the books in the series ... even if one of them DOES take place in a bookshop!


All Our Hidden Gifts - Caroline O'Donoghue, 2.5/5, 400 pages
This ended up being an "It was good, but ..." read for me.

It was well written - I read the first few pages at the library to figure out if I wanted to bring it home with me, and was instantly intrigued. I definitely enjoyed the writing style and wanted to know more about Maeve, Roe, Lily and Fiona.

Unfortunately it was very, very, VERY heavy on the supernatural / occult aspect of things. I know I should have seen that coming from the back blurb mentioning tarot readings, but I'd somehow assumed that it would be more sub- than main plot. It did stay true to its own universe, so I didn't have to suspend my disbelief too much, but that kind of witchy business is not really something I care to read about, so even though I did get the sequel out of the library as well, I think I will just leave the series here.


The Christmas Tree Farm - Laurie Gilmore, 4/5, 369 pages
Christmas rom-com that's a lot heavier on the romance than the Christmas part. Still a sweet story though, and completely lived up to the expectations set by the previous book. In fact, I think I might like this one a tad more, as I thought the way the relationship evolved seemed more believable.


Magic, Maps and Mischeif: A Cozy Neurodivergent Adventure - David Green, 3.5/5, 389 pages
It took me awhile to get properly into this, but once I did, I ended up really enjoying it. I loved reading about Greton's life in Barrow Hill, his map-making business and his growing friendships with Aria, Petra and the pub owning elf (whose name escapes me right now). This toes the line between cozy fantasy and just plain fantasy, and I definitely enjoyed the "cozy fantasy" sections the most.

I'd guessed both outcomes of the ink-making business ahead of time, and was very pleased to be proven right :-D

As the sub-title states, there's a lot of representation in this novel, both with regards to neurodiversity and sexuality. Greton is autistic, asexual and (I think) aromantic. Aria is (probably) ADHD and (definitely) gay ... I think I'll leave it at that, not to risk spoiling anything.

A cozy read, and I'll definitely check out more of David Green's writing.


A Copenhagen Snowmance - Pernille Hughes, 3/5, 385 pages
Aggressively Danish. As a person living in Copenhagen myself, it was quite funny to read how many references to Danish foods, drinks, traditions and places Pernille Hughes could shove into one book. It seemed slightly over the top at times, but looking at the other reviews on Goodreads, it seems to work for other readers, which made me wonder ... are the books I love that are set in Paris / Edinburgh / Prague / etc. as heavy-handed as this one was, and I just don't notice, because it's not my home town?

That aside, I did quite enjoy the book. It was very predictable, but I expect that in a Christmas romance, and I liked both Anna and Jamie and enjoyed seeing them get to know each other. "Fake dating" and "Forced proximity" are obvious tropes for a Christmas romance, but it still worked, and was a lot less cringe-worthy than it could have been.

Even the third-act breakup worked for once, and wasn't due to a miscommunication, but a conflict that needed to be handled.

So a sweet read, even if highly unrealistic. It stayed true to its own universe, so it worked for me.


Nobody's Girl - Virginia Roberts Guiffre, 4.5/5, 400 pages
Fascinating and harrowing story. It is absolutely heartbreaking to hear all that Virginia went through, and how she was let down and abandoned again and again and again by everybody - including the ones who ought to love her the best and protect her the most.

I really appreciated that so much page time was spent on Virginia's (all too short) life after she got away from Epstein. Reading about all the different court cases were equal parts interesting and depressing. If you ever need evidence that "money talks", the fact that it took SO LONG to bring Epstein to justice - and that some of the people Virginia was trafficked to still walk free - should speak its own plain language.

Very well written and extremely interesting memoir.


Books Read: 92
Pages Read: 17,446
Hours Listened To: 371
Book of the Month: Nobody's Girl - can't wait for the sequel!
Biggest Disappointment: The Baby-Dragon Café - although I am kinda curious how much of the unwieldy language was due to the translation and how much was in the original writing also.

... and in case embedding doesn't work, here's the direct link instead.

Prayer and a Bible - Megan Woods
As always I have to start off this list with a recommendation from Simon as he always sends me links to the best songs. I think this might be my favourite of his recommendations this year. It's not my usual fare, but it's just got a certain charm that I can't resist.
And I found healin' / In those ancient words of wisdom
I found what I was missin' / Livin' on a prayer and a Bible

Buzzkill - Lanie Gardner
I have absolutely no memory of how I came across this song, but I love its energy. I think I heard it in a TV series, and immediately used soundhound to add it to my list ... but my google skills are coming up short, so it might just have been that I heard it on the radio instead.

Take Me to Church - Hozier
So, I've been living under a rock, and only actually heard this song this year. A good friend of mine would quote it whenever I mentioned going to church on a given Sunday, and I had NO idea what he was talking about ... until I suddenly heard it on TikTok one day, and went "Oh ... OH!!!"

... so now I tease him that I automatically think of him whenever I hear it ;-)

Affirmation - Savage Garden
Before we left for New Zealand, Henriette and I made a joint playlist to listen to on our long drives. We ended up vastly underestimating how long time we'd spend in the car, and probably listened to it 6 or 7 times all the way through! This was one of Henriette's additions, and I'm back in the car, driving through gorgeous scenery whenever I listen to it.

idk - Allison Eide
A random TikTok find, but I was instantly hooked. It's got a good rhythm, and I really like the message. I might not know the answers to everything - but I know the one who'll see me through it all.

The Life of a Showgirl - Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift seems to be a bit hit-and-miss for me, but every now again she releases a song that I just can't resist. I don't know that I would even have heard this, if it hadn't been for a friend sending me the spotify link, but for awhile there we'd constantly quote it to each other, and now it's just a firm part of my 2025 soundtrack.

I'm Always Talking to Jesus - Newsong
Another recommendation from Simon, and one where I actually want to be able to say "I'm in this picture and I don't like it." I'm okay at the talking part - less so at the listening.
I'm always talking to Jesus / And He's always talking to me
A comfort again and again / Oh, what a friend
He's always listening
I'm always talking to Jesus / Telling him all of my troubles
I know: wherever I go, I'm not alone / He always hears me

New Heart - Crash Adams
Another song I found thanks to TikTok - I first heard the version where Sophie Powers freestyled a rap as one of the verses, and that version is still my favourite, but unfortunately not available on Spotify. It is ridiculously catchy, and I get the chorus stuck in my mind at the drop of a hat ... but I love it all the same.

A Feeling We Can't Hide - Lyra Vesperi
Simon introduced me to Lyra just a few months ago, and I immediately fell in love. The music is so catchy, and could easily work as a soundtrack to a cartoon I used to read as a child ("Elverfolket" to any other Danes out there). I had a VERY hard time deciding which song to choose, and could just as easily have picked "Dance Upon the Green", "Your Only World" or "An Oath Made in Ale" but ended with this one, as it's the one that most consistently has me tapping my foot in response.

Goodbye Yesterday - Elevation Rhythm & Gracie Binion
We sang this at Arc Church Copenhagen the Sunday my sisters and I visited, and I couldn't get it out of my head afterwards.
You rescued me out of the mess I was in
You traded my sorrow for something to sing
Now, I'm dancin' on the grave that I once lived in

Free Like - Maddie & Tae
This has almost the same vibe to it as "Shoot Tequilla" by Tigirlily Gold which was on my list a few years ago. Instant add :-D

Dusty Bible - The River Sons
Another recommendation from Simon. In fact, there were quite a number of songs I could have added by The River Sons, but this one ended up being my favourite. Even when we stop talking to him, God is never far away - "he just sits idle".

Like Jesus - Ross King
I have a feeling Simon is even more heavily represented on this list than usual X-D Because yes, this is a recommendation from him too. The lyrics by themselves instantly earned them an inclusion on this list.
wanna be like Him when He tells the Pharisees the depth of their own sin
But I don't really wanna be like Jesus, later
When He dies for them

I refuse to pick and choose / The parts of Jesus that are easiest to bow down to
And I won't use / His name in vain to prove
Who I want Him to be / That's just idolatry
I wanna be like Jesus
I don't want Him to be like me

DON'T - LØLØ
Okay, first of all - WHAT is up with English-speaking people using Ø instead of O??? I've seen it so many places, and it makes me roll my eyes every time. Ø is its own letter with its own sound, people!!! It's not just a fancy way of writing O.
... Aaaaaaanyways ...
A random TikTok find that immediately appealled to me. Weirdly enough the singer reminds me a LOT of the actress who plays the mother in "How I Met Your Mother".

God of Promises - Newsboys
I've loved Newsboys ever since I first discovered them back in 1996. I even got to hear them in concert at a music festival in New Zealand. So I'm always pleased when I see that they release something new.

I See a Light - We Are Messengers
Picking just one song by We Are Messengers was hard y'all!! At one point I think I had four or five contenders. But "Joy Comes in the Morning" has always been one of my go-to comforts, so at the end of the day, I knew this song had to make the cut.
When the night comes / Hope is still bright.
Tears may fall in the evening / But joy comes in the light.

Matter to You - We Are Messengers
... I couldn't stick to just one though. The entire album "Where the Joy Is" is worth a listen, but these were my two favourites. Once again these songs come curtesy of Simon, which I guess comes as a surprise to absolutely nobody ;-)
All I really want is to matter to you.

Close - We Are Messengers
I know, I know!!! But you guys, the lyrics to this one!!! This is a longer quote than I usually add, but give it a read anyways.
God, You know the the tears I've cried / And the times I couldn't breathe
Oh, You never left my side / So I rest here at Your feet
I know You're working all things for my good / In the way that only You could
Maybe the why just don't matter / What if it's not for me to know
Maybe the point is just to trust You / Find the faith to let it go
Cause sometimes falling feels like flying / It's the only way I know
So I won't hurry through the heartache / If it's what it takes
To draw me close

Make America Danish - Maximillian Tee
I kept wavering about whether or not to add this song - another TikTok find, made popular in the beginning of the year, when Trump first started talking about purchasing Greenland. It somehow seemed too silly to deserve a place on this list ... but honestly, isn't silly exactly what we need sometimes?
Forget fast food, we're bringing the charm
Butter cookies and Carlsberg on every farm
Make America Danish, it's time to reboot.
Redesign the White House, make it cute

God Is With Us - The Afters
Simon sent this to me waaaay back in January, and I immediately teared up when reading the lyrics - but had no idea how much they would come to mean to me. The message is much the same as "Closer" by We Are Messengers, so I considered only adding one of them - but they approach it so differently, so in the end, I had to include both.
Where is God in the heartache?
Where is God in the fear?
Where is God when it hurts so bad that you can't hold back the tears?
Where is God in the sickness that the prayers didn't fix?
When it don't make sense, where is God in all of this?
Haven't we all had times where we ponder this question?
He is right here where He's always been
He never left, and He never will
Where is God?
God is with us
He is right hеre where Hе's always been
It's where He'll be 'til the very end
Where is God?
God is with us

Lost in the Weeds - Christian Music Creations
Changing music styles completely. I don't know if it's quite right to call this 'country', but it's definitely more country'ish than I usually listen to, yet there is something about it that just appeals to me.
I was lost in the weeds / but you found me there.

The Carousel Waltz - Richard Rodgers
And finally, a bit of an unusual addition as I don't often include classical music here. But thanks to a friend of mine, I fell in love with this arrangement over the year, and thought it a fitting conclusion to my playlist.

Quite a few books this month, so I'll be kind, and hide the reviews behind a cut :)
( Don't think I'll make it to 100 this year though. I'm only at 77! )
Book of the Month: The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady - such a delightful read!
Biggest Disappointment: The Tangled Web of the Woolgathering Castoffs. SUCH a shame, since I loved the first book!

Lots of rereads this month! But at least it got me back into reading again :-)

Shaman - Noah Gordon*, 5/5, 652 pages
I've read this book several times by now and still enjoy it. I've always liked historical novels, and this is one of the better ones I've come across. It incredibly detailed, but the slow pace makes sense, and allows the reader to fully immerse themselves in the setting and atmosphere.

As always, when I read this kind of book, I'm appalled at how Native Americans (or native anyone really) were treated by the colonizers. It's a hard few chapters to get through.

My favourite parts were still the descriptions of the actual doctoring - both by Rob J. and by Shaman.


The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches - Sangu Mandanna*, 4.5/5, Audiobook ~10hrs
I would definitely characterize this as "cozy fantasy". Take your stereotypical British fiction and add a magical element, and you've nailed the atmosphere of this book to a tee. And it seems to be a stand-alone novel, which is a pleasant surprise.

It's a comfort read with (mostly) likeable and quirky characters. I loved the kids and felt they actually acted like kids rather than "small grown-ups". There are few surprises to be found here (although not none! There were some twists I hadn't seen coming), but in this type of book, I didn't really expect there to be either. I had guessed the final resolution ahead of time, but not - as it turned out - the twist it took to get there.


A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping - Sangu Mandanna, 4.5/5, Audiobook ~10hrs
I'm so glad that Sangu Mandanna is sticking to writing stand-alone novels rather than series. So rare for fantasy authors these days!

I had very high hopes for this novel as I absolutely adored "The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches", and fortunately it completely lived up to my expectations. To the point that I listened to the entire thing in just three days!!!

Once again found family plays a big role in the novel, and I actually think that part was even better done here than in TVSSoIW. I loved all (almost all, anyways) the inhabitants of the inn (Posy especially), and was really taken by Sera's quest to find the magic spell needed to restore her magic.

Certain aspects of the ending I had seen a mile off - others did take me somewhat by surprise. It wasn't quite as satisfying as I had hoped, but on the other hand, I can't quite see how else it could have ended.


The Search - Nora Roberts, 3.5/5, 488 pages
Not one of Nora Roberts' best books, but still very enjoyable. Fiona's and Simon's relationship was a lot more "tell rather than show", but on the other hand I LOVED reading about Fiona's work with the dogs - both the training and the search & rescue. Wouldn't have minded a lot more focus on that.

The suspense part was very predictable, but then it usually is.


Shelter in Place - Nora Roberts*, 4/5, audiobook ~15 hours
I by far prefer Nora Roberts' suspense novels to her romance novels. Sure, there's an element of romance in all of them, but she understands how to balance it properly, and writes suspense really, really well. I thought this a fascinating account of the aftermath of a mass-shooting - how different people handle the experience differently, and how people employ more or less healthy coping-mechanisms in order to move on.

There was less of a twist in this book than in some of the others I've read, but I didn't mind that part. And I loved reading about Simone's art as well as life on the island. Cici was just amazing, and Barney not half-bad either. Simone's fall-out with her family seemed slightly unrealistic, but their way of making up didn't, which really appealed to me. It's seldom reconciliation is written well.


Mr. Mercedes - Stephen King*, 4/5, audiobook ~14hrs
I love how Stephen King doesn't stick to just one or two genres, but seems to write a little bit of just about everything. This is his first foray into crime fiction (that I've read), and I thought he did it really, really well! Especially the last few chapters had me sitting on the edge of my seat and biting my nails (figuratively, anyway). A definite page-turner! And fortunately one with a proper ending, despite it being the first in a trilogy... although I'm still going to go straight ahead with the next book anyway.

I really liked Bill, Janey, Holly and Jerome and am pleased that we'll get to see at least most of them in the next books as well.


The Fault in Our Stars - John Green*, 4/5, 315 pages
I'd been warned by just about everybody that this book would made me cry. People kept saying that it was the saddest book they'd ever read, and to be prepared for a sob-fest. I don't know if I was perhaps too prepared, because while certainly sad, I didn't think it was nearly as bad as they had made it out to be. Certain parts did bring tears to my eyes, but cry? No, not this time. Of course, it might have helped that I'd guessed the ending already in Amsterdam, so it didn't come as the shock to me as it might have to others.

But it's an amazingly beautiful book. John Green really knows how to write characters to the point where the plot is of lesser importance. I couldn't put it down, but kept wanting to know more about Hazel, Gus, Isaac and the rest of them.


Books Read: 51
Pages Read: 9,753
Hours Listened To: 234

Swept Away - Beth O'Leary, 2.5/5, Audiobook ~10hrs
I loved the first part. Reading about Zeke and Lexi being stuck on the boat hit all the right notes of the "forced proximity" trope for me. Sure, it was unrealistic as - but it worked for me.

So 4 - almost 5 stars for that part.

But then ... apparently Beth O'Leary didn't think that almost drowning was conflict enough, but added the most ridiculous and unnecessary of all twists, and I came close to giving up on the book right then and there. Completely pointless, and just plain mean.

So 1 star for that part.

Fortunately they managed to resolve things in a decent manner, which is why I decided to round up rather than down on goodreads. But I could have done without the epilogue!


Waking Gods - Sylvain Neuvel*, 3.5/5, 336 pages
I downgraded the rating a bit on this reread (from 4.5 to 3.5) - there were just too many things left unanswered and too many jumps in narration. I realize this was a deliberate choice by the author, but it kept pulling me out of the narrative. Still enjoyed it otherwise though.


Faraday's Flowers - Tony Kendrick*, 2/5, 190 pages
I first discovered this book when I was a young teen. I came across it at a flee market while on vacation in Bornholm, thought the back blurb looked interesting and picked it up. As such it was one of the first "grown-up" books I read, which probably had a lot to do with how much I liked it. I hadn't reread it in ~25 years though, and alas, this book did not stand the test of time, and I had to downgrade the rating from a 4 to a 2! The mere fact that it took me TWO WEEKS to finish this short 190-page book should tell you something by itself.

None of the characters seemed fleshed out, and Wayse seemed to mostly just stumble his way around Shanghai and accidentally discovering the people he needed to talk to without any real rhyme or reason.

Nostalgia demands that I hold on to this book, as I really did love it as a teen! But I don't see myself ever rereading it.


The House Witch - Delemhach, 4/5, Audiobook ~17hrs
Lovely cozy fantasy :-) The first in a series, but while it did have a bit of an abrupt ending, it was very much a fairytale-style ending, so it was still nicely self-contained. But very charming, so I want to continue on with the series.
I want to read more about life in the kitchen - how Fin uses his magic, how the knights and maids work side by side ... basically more cozy fantasy stuff and less political intrigue stuff ;-)


Library of the Dead - Glenn Cooper*, 4/5, 350 pages
I'm in a bit of a reading slump, so decided to try to restart it by rereading an old favourite - time will show if it worked. It's a fascinating read even on this, my fourth reread.

Books Read: 37
Pages Read: 6,775
Hours Listened To: 144
Book of the Month: "The House Witch"
Biggest Disappointment: "Swept Away".

My total number of books read this month is quite low, but that's in part because I listened to a total of 40 hours worth of audiobooks!!! That's almost as much as in January and February put together!

Sunrise on the Reaping - Suzanne Collins*, 4/5, Audiobook ~13hrs
Really good - but so sad! Of course I knew this going into it, but there were still so many heartbreaks along the way, that I hadn't expected.

Haymitch starts out as a confident young man who refuses alcohol. He has a loving family and a sweet girlfriend. How does he end up a battered victor, mentally destroyed, a drunk who's all alone? It would have to be a rough ride.

And it was. Suzanne Collins did not pull any punches, which made for a hard read. Of course I knew all the other tributes would have to die, but I still got to care about more of them than I thought I would. I really appreciated the backstory to people we meet in later books - that added a nice nuance I hadn't expected.

I did feel that Suzanne Collins lost me a bit in the last few chapters though. The Edgar Allan Poe poem took up way too much page space there, and kinda hijacked the story. It's a clever writing trick, but should have been used MUCH more sparingly than it did. That brought down the rating a bit - especially as I read this as an audiobook, so couldn't just skim those parts.


The Dragonet Prophecy - Tui T. Sutherland, 3/5, Audiobook ~9hrs
Childrens fantasy, but written well enough that it's an enjoyable read for adults also. I liked it well enough, but it's very clearly the first in a longer series, so nothing was resolved.

I liked the world-building, and was fascinated by the ideas of dragons who didn't come into their powers until subjected to their natural environments - that was a really nice touch! I liked Clay, Tsunami and Glory, but didn't really feel like we got to know the others as well. I would have loved to see more of Peril though, and hope that she turns up again in later books.


Recipe for Love - Katie Fforde, 3.5/5, 400 pages
There was a lot to love in this book.
And there was a lot to roll my eyes at.

I LOVED all the descriptions of the competition. I wish there had been more of that. I'm a wanna-be foodie, and reading about the different challenges, and how the contestants completed them? Yes, please!
For much the same reason, I enjoyed reading about Zoe helping out in the kitchen as well and loved Fen and Rupert.

Cher was cartoon-like in her cattiness. Her narcissistic tendencies seemed realistic at first, but quickly went overboard, and Zoe was far too much of a doormat.

The relationship with Gideon was equal parts sweet and eye-roll worthy. Part of that was due to awkward writing, and part was due to it being shoved down the reader's throat, rather than letting it evolve organically.

At the end of the day, I found more to like than to dislike, and I'd definitely recommend it thanks to the contest ... but with a huge disclaimer.


The Space Between - Lauren Keenan, 3.5/5, 320 pages
I haven't read many books set in New Zealand - and especially not many historical novels set in NZ, so this made for a fascinating read about a period in time I don't know all that much about. It's very well-written, but naturally (given its subject matter) a fairly bleak book. It's ridiculous how horribly indiginous people were treated by colonizers no matter where they arrived. This book may have hit closer to home than most, as I've been to Parihaka Marae, and heard about not just the loss of land, but the loss of this land from people touched by it.

It was a bold move to use so much Te Reo Māori in Matāria's chapters, but I rather liked the fact that everything wasn't translated (even if I would have appreciated a glossary together with the bibliography and historical notes at the end of the book), and most things could be gleaned from context, so I don't feel like I missed out on much.


The Time-Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger*, 4/5, 18hrs
I had forgotten just how sad it is. There are a few chapters near the end that are almost depressing, and the NYE chapter had me sobbing.

There were also a few chapters that seemed almost pointless - I've never enjoyed reading about other people's dreams, and clearly this was no exception. The long descriptions of Claire's work bothered me less, as that seemed to help flesh her out as a character.

I'm nitpicking though. I still really enjoyed the book - even if I did downgrade it from 5 stars to 4.

Books Read: 21
Pages Read: 3,979
Hours Listened To: 85
Book of the Month: Probably "Sunshine on the Reaping", but it was a close call.
Biggest Disappointment: None this month.

Sooo ... up until November I had only bought/received 8 books the entire year, and thought I was doing really well!!!

Then came the book fair, my trip to Edinburgh and Christmas! Suddenly I wasn't doing so well any longer! X-D So this list is slightly long ... On the plus side, I've read all but 4 books on it! (... and have trashed 3 - less great statistics)






Happy Place - Emily Henry Emily Henry is a bit hit-and-miss for me, and unfortunately this was a HUGE miss. I read it - and put it straight on my "to be trashed" pile.
The Silent Patient - Alex Michaelides Not really sure what I thought of it. It drew me in, but the ending fell a bit short.
The Housemaid - Freida McFadden This book suddenly turned up everywhere and everybody was raving about it, so of course I had to see what the fuss was all about. Unfortunately, I found the second half deeply unpleasant, so while it was hard to put down suspense-wise, I have absolutely no desire to read more of that series.
The Last Murder at the End of the World - Stuart Turton I didn't even know he had a new book out, but thanks to great timing, Liz told me about it the very week Lars was off to London, so he could buy a copy for me :-D Not quite as good as his two other books, but still really, really good!

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend - M.J. Wassmer I found this in a bookshop in Stockholm and thought it sounded really intriguing! And the set-up was excellent, but the execution extremely frustrating. Another book that went straight to the trash.
The Scholomance - Naomi Novik I heard this trilogy as audiobooks and absolutely loved them, so knew they had to be added to my physical library :-D
The Wishing Game - Meg Shaffer and Mind Games - Nora Roberts These two were birthday presents from my parents. Both 5 star reads that I owned as audiobooks and where I knew I wanted to add them to my physical library as well :-D

The Book Club Hotel - Sarah Morgan I came across this at the annual book fair and thought the back blurb sounded interesting. I'm so glad I bought it, as it ended up being one of the best books I read all year! Nothing special, but just SO cozy. Right book at the right time.
Smile, Sisters, Guts, Drama, Ghosts - Raina Telgemeier The book faire sold all five books as a set at a price that was too good for me to resist. "Smile" and "Drama" were by far the best, but they were all worth reading.
The Spellshop - Sarah Beth Durst I stumbled over this while in Edinburg and could not resist the cover! Fortunately the plot completely lived up to it too. I don't usually buy hardcovers because of their price point, but this was SO worth it :-D
Legends and Lattes - Travis Baldree Another book I'd read as an audiobook and wanted to add to my physical library.

Beach House Summer - Sarah Morgan Christmas present from my in-laws. Good, but not great. I liked it well enough, but definitely not Sarah Morgan's best.
The Picture House By the Sea - Holly Hepburn Also a Christmas present. I'd seen this at the book fair and thought it sounded interesting. Haven't read it yet, but am keeping my fingers crossed that it'll live up to my expectations.
... I came across a "3 books for £6" deal in Edinburgh and ended up buying 6 books :-P
Murder in the Bookshop - Anita Davidson This was a historical cozy mystery. I wasn't a huge fan, but it was decent enough - and at £2 definitely worth the price!
The Christmas Love Letters - Sue Moorcroft I discovered that I don't own very many Christmas books, and thought this one sounded sweet. Didn't get to read it this Christmas though, so I'm saving it for next year.

The Summer Swap - Sarah Morgan So far Sarah Morgan has either written solid 3-star books or clear 5 star ones. That's a good enough track record for me to want to read more by her.
The House Sitter - Mira V. Shah Very intriguing "closed room" mystery. The start reminded me a lot of the TV series "The Flight Attendant", but it quickly veered off in another direction.
The Gingerbread Christmas Village - Kiley Dunbar Unfortunately this was a huge disappointment, and I actually ended up DNF'ing it :-( I'd LOVED the only other book I've read by Kiley Dunbar, so had great hopes for this one, but it was way too depressing, and I ended up just not caring for any of the characters. So after forcing myself to read the first 200 pages I gave it up as a lost cause.
The Library of Lost Love - Norie Clarke I'll be honest - I mostly bought this because of the title :-P The back blurb sounds really cute too, and at £2 I figured it was worth the chance :-)