Rachel Coleman

Books on pre-order:

1. Queen Demon (Rising World 2) by Martha Wells (7 Oct 2025)

Books acquired in July:

• and read:
  1. Moonlighter by Sarina Bowen
  2. Grown Wise (Liminal Mysteries) by Celia Lake
• and unread:
  1. Death by Candlelight (Adam and Eve Mysteries 1) by Emma Davies
  2. The Little Cottage on the Hill (Little Cottage 1) by Emma Davies

Books acquired previously and read in July:

1. A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine [2][Sep 2024]

Borrowed books read in July:

1. Once Upon You and Me by Timothy Janovsky
2. You Had Me At Happy Hour by Timothy Janovsky
3. Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane
4. One-Touch Pass (SCU Hockey 4) by J.J. Mulder [8]
5. The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton
6. Fourth Wing (Empyrean 1) by Rebecca Yarros [2]

Rereads in July:

1. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine [2]

I continue to enjoy all of Celia Lake's books, and I still adore the Teixcalaan books by Arkady Martine, whether reading or listening to them. Stuart Turton wrote the entirely gripping groundhog-day country house murder mystery, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, and I found The Last Murder at the End of the World another very gripping science-fictional murder mystery, this time in weird post-apocalyptic flavour.

Fourth Wing is a massive fantasy tome (21 hours of audiobook!) about a lethal military college for aspiring dragonriders, which piles a great many tropes onto some rather wonky worldbuilding. It is very entertaining and I can see why it is hugely popular. I am part way through the even more massive sequel and I regret nothing.

[1] Pre-order
[2] Audiobook
[3] Physical book
[4] Crowdfunding
[5] Goodbye read
[6] Cambridgeshire Reads/Listens
[7] FaRoFeb / FaRoCation / Bookmas / HRBC
[8] Prime Reading / Kindle Unlimited

Books on pre-order:

• The Devil Comes Courting (Worth Saga 3) by Courtney Milan (6 Apr 20 Apr omg this book and its publication date that keeps moving!)
• Fugitive Telemetry (Murderbot 6) by Martha Wells (27 Apr)
• Son of the Storm (The Nameless Republic 1) by Suyi Davies Okungbowa (11 May)
• How to Find a Princess (Runaway Royals 2) by Alyssa Cole (25 May)
• One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (1 Jun)
• In The Heights: Finding Home by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Quiara Alegría Hudes and Jeremy McCarter (22 Jun)
• For the Love of April French by Penny Aimes (31 Aug)

Books acquired in March

• and read:
  1. A Desolation Called Peace (Teixcalaan 2) by Arkady Martine [1]
  2. Mermaids Monthly Issue #3, March 2021 edited by Julia Rios and Ashley Deng [4]
  3. NANI Volume 1 by ZK Nelson, art by Jason Lamy, Andhika Hafzy, Cristina Alvarez & Bill Masuku [4]
  4. NANI Volume 2 by Olufikayo Adeola (Ziki), art by Jason Lamy, Bill Masuku & Rosette Gaw [4]
  5. Shoreline of Infinity 20 edited by Noel Chidwick
  6. Uncanny Magazine Issue Thirty Nine (March/April 2021) edited by Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas, Chimedum Ohaegbu, and Elsa Sjunneson
  7. Jingle Spells: Witchy Christmas Stories by Helen Vivienne Fletcher, Rem Wigmore, Karen Healey, Jamie Sands, Janna Ruth, Andi C. Buchanan and K M Jackways
• and did not finish:
  1. The Modern Faerie Tales: Tithe / Valiant / Ironsides by Holly Black

I might come back to the Holly Black books, but I found myself not in the right place for reading about teenagers in a bad life situation making unwise decisions. (I found The Cruel Prince compelling when I read it a couple of years ago, but have struggled to get far through its sequel The Wicked King for similar reasons.) Anyway, given that I chose to put that book aside rather than ran out of time to read it, that means I read all the books I bought this month, woo. I think that's the first time I've managed that since I started monthly tracking.

Books acquired previously and read in March:

1. Paladin's Strength (Saint of Steel 2) by T. Kingfisher [1][Feb]

Borrowed books read in March:

1. A Dance With Danger by Jeannie Lin [3]

Rereads in March:

1. Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell
2. The Remaking of Corbin Wale by Roan Parrish
3. The Last Command (Thrawn Trilogy 3) by Timothy Zahn [3]

[1] Pre-order
[2] Audiobook
[3] Physical book
[4] Crowdfunding

Books on pre-order:

• Network Effect by Martha Wells (5 May)
• He's Come Undone: A Romance Anthology with stories by Emma Barry, Olivia Dade, Adriana Herrera, Ruby Lang & Cat Sebastian (12 May)
• Two Rogues Make a Right (Seducing the Sedgwicks) by Cat Sebastian (23 Jun)
• The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho (23 Jun)
• Rogue Myths (Gatekeeper 1) by Layla Lawlor (1 Jul)
• The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal (14 Jul) (ebook order cancelled by publisher, sob)
• Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor (18 Aug)
• Better Than People by Roan Parrish (25 Aug)
• Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade (6 Oct)
• How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole (1 Dec - was 26 May)

Books acquired in April

• and read:
  1. Above Rubies (Clorinda Cathcart's Circle 7) by L.A. Hall
  2. Torches: Acquaintance Old and New (Clorinda Cathcart's Circle 8) by L.A. Hall [1]
• and unread:
  1. Vagabonds by Hao Jingfang [1]
  2. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
  3. The Switch by Beth O'Leary [1]
  4. The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells [2]
  5. The Serpent Sea by Martha Wells [2]
  6. The Siren Depths by Martha Wells [2]
  7. FIYAH #9, Winter 2019 edited by Troy L. Wiggins + DaVaun Sanders [5]
  8. FIYAH #10, Spring 2019: HAIR edited by Troy L. Wiggins + DaVaun Sanders [5]
  9. FIYAH #11, Summer 2019 edited by Troy L. Wiggins + DaVaun Sanders [5]
  10. FIYAH #12, Autumn 2019: CHAINS edited by Troy L. Wiggins + DaVaun Sanders [5]
  11. FIYAH #14, Spring 2020 edited by DaVaun Sanders
  12. Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet #38 (July 2018) edited by Gavin J. Grant & Kelly Link
  13. Uncanny Magazine Issue Thirty-Four(May/June 2020) edited by Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas, Chimedum Ohaegbu, and Elsa Sjunneson
  14. Uncanny Magazine Issue Thirty-Three (March/April 2020) edited by Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas, Chimedum Ohaegbu, and Elsa Sjunneson
  15. Uncanny Magazine Issue Thirty-One (November/December 2019) edited by Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas, Chimedum Ohaegbu, and Michi Trota [5]
  16. Uncanny Magazine Issue Thirty (September/October 2019): Disabled People Destroy Fantasy! edited by Nicolette Barischoff, Lisa M. Bradley, and Katharine Duckett [5]
  17. Uncanny Magazine Issue Twenty-Nine (July/August 2019) edited by Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas, and Michi Trota [5]
  18. Uncanny Magazine Issue Twenty-Eight (May/June 2019) edited by Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas, and Michi Trota [5]
  19. Uncanny Magazine Issue Twenty-Seven (March/April 2019) edited by Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas, and Michi Trota [5]
  20. Uncanny Magazine Issue Twenty-Six (January/February 2019) edited by Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas, and Michi Trota [5]
• and previously read:
  1. Hammered by Elizabeth Bear
  2. Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer
  3. Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer
  4. An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer
  5. Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett

Technically, I was subscribed to and therefore paying for the issues of Uncanny Magazine all of last year, but it doesn't count as acquired until I actually download and put on the ereader. (totally a rational and thought-out argument and not at all because I don't want to faff with editing them into the relevant to-read pile posts ...)

[1] Pre-order
[2] Audiobook
[5] Hugo finalist

Books on preorder:

• Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher (11 Feb)
• Finna by Nino Cipri (25 Feb)
• Spider-Man: The Venom Factor Omnibus by Diane Duane (10 Mar)
• The Twisted Ones by T Kingfisher (17 Mar)
• The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo (24 Mar)
• Vagabonds by Hao Jingfang (14 Apr)
• The Switch by Beth O'Leary (30 Apr)
• Network Effect by Martha Wells (5 May)
• How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole (26 May)
• Two Rogues Make a Right (Seducing the Sedgwicks) by Cat Sebastian (23 Jun)
• The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho (23 Jun)
• The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal (14 Jul)
• Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor (18 Aug)

Books acquired in January

• and read:
  1. The Rat-Catcher's Daughter (Lilywhite Boys 0.5) by KJ Charles
  2. Gilded Cage (Lilywhite Boys 2) by KJ Charles
  3. A Queer Trade (Charm of Magpies World) by KJ Charles
  4. Proper English by KJ Charles
  5. Unfit to Print by KJ Charles
  6. Wanted, a Gentleman by KJ Charles
  7. A Fashionable Indulgence (Society of Gentleman 1) by KJ Charles
  8. A Seditious Affair (Society of Gentleman 2) by KJ Charles
  9. His Love Match (Weddings by Diana 1) by Shirley Hailstock
  10. FIYAH #13, Winter 2020 edited by Troy L. Wiggins and DaVaun Sanders
• and unread:
  1. The Art of Ferdinand by Tara Bennett [3]
  2. A Gentleman's Position (Society of Gentleman 3) by KJ Charles
  3. The Art and Making of The Lion King by Michael Goldman [3]
  4. The Black Widow: Creating the Avenging Super-Spy by Michael Mallory [3]
  5. The Long Cosmos (Long Earth 5) by Terry Pratchett and Steven Baxter
  6. Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson [3]
  7. The Future of Feeling by Kaitlin Ugolik Phillips
  8. Fireside Magazine Issue 75 (January 2020) edited by Dominik Parisien
  9. Uncanny Magazine Issue Thirty-Two (January/February 2020) edited by Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas, Chimedum Ohaegbu, and Elsa Sjunneson
  10. HBR's 10 Must Reads for New Managers by Harvard Business Review [2]
  11. HBR's 10 Must Reads on Leadership by Harvard Business Review [2]
  12. HBR's 10 Must Reads on Managing People by Harvard Business Review [2]
  13. HBR's 10 Must Reads on Managing Yourself by Harvard Business Review [2]
  14. Take Us To A Better Place by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• and previously read:
  1. Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer
  2. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine [3]
  3. Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett
  4. Men At Arms by Terry Pratchett

Books acquired previously and read in January:

1. Any Old Diamonds (Lilywhite Boys 1) by KJ Charles [Apr 2019]
2. The Magpie Lord (Charm of Magpies 1) by KJ Charles [Mar 2016]
3. A Case of Possession (Charm of Magpies 2) by KJ Charles [Mar 2016]
4. A Case of Spirits (Charm of Magpies 2.5) by KJ Charles [Mar 2016]
5. Flight of Magpies (Charm of Magpies 3) by KJ Charles [Mar 2016]
6. Jackdaw (Charm of Magpies World) by KJ Charles [Mar 2016]
7. Rag and Bone (Charm of Magpies World) by KJ Charles [Mar 2016]
8. This Spectred Isle (Green Men 1) by KJ Charles [Mar 2016]
9. Think of England by KJ Charles [Mar 2016]
10. Non-Stop Till Tokyo by KJ Charles [Mar 2016]
11. The True Queen by Zen Cho [2] [Aug 2019]
12. Flight #116 is Down by Caroline B. Cooney [3] [Dec 2019]
13. Dead in Dublin by Catie Murphy [1] [Dec 2019]

[1] Pre-order
[2] Audiobook
[3] Physical book

Books on preorder:

• A Delicate Deception (Regency Imposters 3) by Cat Sebastian (10 December 2019)
• Thor: Metal Gods (Serialbox) by Aaron Stewart-Ahn, Jay Edidin, Brian Keene, and Yoon Ha Lee (12 December 2019)
• Dead In Dublin by Catie Murphy (31 December 2019)
• The Twisted Ones by T Kingfisher (17 March 2020)
• Two Rogues Make a Right (Seducing the Sedgwicks) by Cat Sebastian (31 March 2020)
• The Switch by Beth O'Leary (30 April 2020)
• Network Effect by Martha Wells (5 May 2020)

Books bought in October

and read:

1. Favours Exchanged (Clorinda Cathcart's Circle 5) by L.A. Hall [1]
2. Documenting Light by EE Ottoman

and in progress:

1. Thrall by Avon Gale and Roan Parrish

and unread:

1. New Amsterdam by Elizabeth Bear
2. Pinion (Jacob's Ladder 1) by Elizabeth Bear
3. A Crossworder’s Holiday by Nero Blanc
4. A Crossworder’s Gift by Nero Blanc
5. Wrapped Up in Crosswords by Nero Blanc
6. A Crossworder’s Delight by Nero Blanc
7. Euro Tripped by Sally Bryan
8. Marry Me Mischa McPhee by Kate Gordon [4]
9. Icefall by Stephanie Gunn [4]
10. Newton’s Cannon (Age of Unreason 1) by Greg Keyes
11. A Calculus of Angels (Age of Unreason 3) by Greg Keyes
12. Empire of Unreason (Age of Unreason 3) by Greg Keyes
13. The Shadows of God (Age of Unreason 4) by Greg Keyes
14. Man vs. Durian (Baldwin Village 3) by Jackie Lau
15. The Other Side of the Sun by Madeleine L'Engle
16. A Live Coal in the Sea by Madeleine L'Engle
17. A Winter’s Love by Madeleine L'Engle
18. Merry Happy Valkyrie by Tansy Rayner Roberts [4]
19. The Last Dance by Martin L. Shoemaker
20. Winter's Tale by Nike Sulway, illustrated by Shauna O'Meara [4]
21. Sweetest Thing by Natasha West
22. Dragon and Thief (Dragonback 1) by Timothy Zahn
23. Dragon and Soldier (Dragonback 2) by Timothy Zahn
24. Dragon and Slave (Dragonback 3) by Timothy Zahn
25. Dragon and Herdsman (Dragonback 4) by Timothy Zahn
26. Dragon and Judge (Dragonback 5) by Timothy Zahn
27. Dragon and Liberator (Dragonback 6) by Timothy Zahn
28. My Kingdom for a Panel edited by Jenn Arledge and Natalie Cooper [4]
29. Future Visions edited by Microsoft and Melcher Media

and previously read:

1. Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett
2. Making Money by Terry Pratchett

Books acquired previously and read in October:

1. Bearista by Zoe Chant [Dec 2018]
2. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine [2][Aug]
3. Pet Rescue Panther (Bodyguard Shifters #2) [Dec 2018] by Zoe Chant

and in progress:

1. The True Queen by Zen Cho [2]

Library books read in October:

• The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King

[1] Pre-ordered
[2] Audiobook
[4] Crowdfunded

Books on pre-order:

• The Twisted Ones by T Kingfisher (1 October 2019)
• The Duchess Deception by Cat Sebastian (10 December 2019)
• Dead In Dublin by Catie Murphy (31 December 2019)
• The Switch by Beth O'Leary (30 April 2020)

Books acquired in August

• and read:
  1. Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe by Deborah Blumenthal [3]
  2. New Ink on Life by Jennie Davids
  3. Two Weddings & Several Revelations (Clorinda Cathcart's Circle 4) by L.A. Hall [1]
  4. Raven Heart by Murphy Lawless
  5. Siryn by C.E. Murphy
  6. A Little Light Mischief by Cat Sebastian [1]
• and still unread:
  1. The True Queen by Zen Cho [2]
  2. A Tale of Two Houses (Defy The Stars 1) by Susan Harris
  3. The Undefeated by Una McCormack
  4. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine [2]
  5. What If? by Randall Munroe
  6. Captain Marvel: The Art of the Movie [3]
• and previously read:
  1. The Foundling by Georgette Heyer

Books acquired previously and read in August:

1. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison [Jul]
2. The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary [Jul]
3. Invitation to the Blues (Small Change 2) by Roan Parrish [Q1]
4. The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells [Jun]
5. The Vela Season 1 (Serialbox) by Yoon Ha Lee, Becky Chambers, Rivers Solomon, SL Huang [Jun]

[1] Pre-order
[2] Audiobook
[3] Physical book