Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Length: 304 pages
Publisher: Viking
Release Date: November 10, 2026
ASIN: B0GMTG3ZDK
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone Book
Source: eGalley from NetGalley for Review
Rating: 3/5 stars

“Eleventh century Kangzhu. In a small village, far from the political conflicts of the royal dynasty, a too-young Yu’er is sold off to be married at the word of a jing, a shapeshifting-demon who prophesizes that her parents will thus gain wealth beyond their imagination. Her new husband Xiaozhu is, like her, barely more than a child himself—but he’s kind, and, over the years, Yu’er heals as they build a home together. They become allies, then friends, then lovers.

Until misfortune befalls them, once again at the hands of a demon. They’re left destitute and estranged. Reeling from loss, and determined to never leave her fate in another’s hands, Yu’er decides to strike her own bargain with a jing: she will have all the agency and riches she desires. She just has to leave Xiaozhu and their home together, forever—a price that will cost her more than she then understands.

Yu’er’s choice sets off a saga that will lead her to the heart of the royal court, and bring her more power than she ever dreamed of, but may kill her humanity along the way, in this sweeping tale of love, revenge, and redemption.”

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got an eGalley of this from NetGalley for Review

Thoughts: This was an odd story. I really enjoyed the first part of it, but then things get pretty confusing half-way through. I didn’t really enjoy the progression of the story after that and found the way the story ended to be depressing.

Yu’er and her sister are married off because a jing prophesied that once both of their daughters were married her parents would gain wealth beyond imagination. Yu’er finds herself dropped off in a destitute hovel with a husband who won’t touch her, an abusive drunk of a father-in-law, and a spiteful grandmother-in-law. Eventually Yu’er and her husband, Xiaozhu, start to build a life together. Then disaster strikes at the hands of another jing and Yu’er decides to strike her own bargain with a different jing, a bargain that will give her all the riches she desires.

This was told in an odd format. The first third or so of the book is told from Yu’er’s perspective. This part I enjoyed. We get a look at Yu’er’s day to day life and get to watch as she starts to make the best out of a very tough situation. Then, the second part of the book is told from her husband, Xiaozhu’s perspective. This part was confusing. It is set 6 years after the first part of the book and is mainly about him eking out a living and suffering after Yu’er leaves. We don’t know what happened to Yu’er.

Then Yu’er appears again and we still don’t know what happened to her during those seven years. Eventually, you figure out that the stories between chapters help to tell the tale of the time she went missing. It is a kind of clever way to tell the story but also very confusing to the reader.

In the end, this is a story of revenge and honestly a bit of a train wreck. Yu’er keeps making selfish decisions in an effort to get her revenge, but she never stops to realize how wonderful her life could be if she could just let that revenge and anger go and moved forward. The whole thing made me sad and depressed.

The side characters were underdeveloped throughout the story. Even though we read from Xiaozhu’s perspective, he seems like a very shallow and uninspiring character. All of the side characters were very one-dimensional. The world-building was also very thin here. We know that jing (shapeshifters/demons) exist but we don’t really get any background on how they are woven into the world. We know there is conflict between regions, but that is glossed over as well.

I read this fairly quickly, mostly because I was confused and trying to figure out what happened to Yu’er during the six years she was missing. However, I found the way this ended to be even more depressing and a bit abrupt. Everything about this book just felt a bit underdeveloped and off to me.

My Summary (3/5): Overall there are some interesting ideas here but the format at this book was confusing and hard to follow. Although Yu’er is an intriguing character, all of the side characters felt underdeveloped. The world-building also felt thin and underdeveloped. This is a depressing and bleak story that wasn’t really my cup of tea. I don’t plan to read future books by Marsden and wouldn’t really recommend this one. I finished it, but I didn’t really enjoy the process of reading it, this is a book I would have been fine skipping.

“Missy is a Wicked cursed with the ability to create disease, but that doesn’t make her evil. Too bad her rival, Atlantes Blackwood, doesn’t see it that way. As a Witch, he has a particular dislike for Wickeds, but he’ll just have to get over it. He needs her help figuring out what’s diseasing the Witches’ network of magic, and Missy is uniquely qualified to give it.

All she’s asking for in return is ten measly little dates to make her ex-boyfriend jealous. What a deal!

Atlantes wants nothing to do with Wickeds, and certainly not the woman who told him he has resting Witch face. From the moment Missy steps into his life, she’s an agent of chaos. If she’s not getting them invited to a cult couples’ retreat, she’s exploding pancake batter all over his kitchen or forcing him to face truths he’d rather avoid.

Together, they have the chance to change the future of all Wickeds and Witches, and maybe their own futures too, because those fake kisses are starting to feel real.”

Series Info/Source: This is the third (and final) book in the Wicked Sisters trilogy. I borrowed this on ebook through Kindle Unlimited.

Thoughts: I absolutely loved this third book in the Wicked Sisters trilogy. This book follows Missy and we learn a lot more about the balance between the Wickeds and the Witches.

Missy made a deal with Atlantes, one of the Pillar Witches; she will help him figure out the disease infesting the Witches’ network of magic if he promises to go on ten dates with her to make her ex jealous. Atlantes hates Wickeds and Missy in particular; when Missy enters his life it is nothing but chaos. However, Atlantes can’t help but admire Missy’s intelligence and toughness. When their fake dating ends up with them at a couples’ retreat, things start to steam up between the two of them.

This was an excellent balance of romance and progression of the story about the Wickeds, the Witches, and the Shadow Council. Missy is the bubbly one, the extrovert, and I was worried I wouldn’t like her as much as the other sisters. However, I ended up really loving her as a character and really enjoying Atlantes as well. The chemistry between the two of them was off the charts. This is definitely a sort of opposites attract type of story, and it was very well done.

The mystery behind the disease in the Witches’ magic network is also fascinating. I really enjoyed how this mystery progressed and loved the resolution to it. We get closure around the Shadow Council and around the instability surrounding the Wickeds’ magic.

This was an engaging story that was hard to put down and incredibly easy to read. The story pulled me through the book, and I read it in no time at all. I love reading this series in the fall and was a bit sad that we will be leaving this unique family of Wickeds behind. I thoroughly enjoyed this paranormal romance series. It is heavy on the romance but also has a good story and unique world to back up that romance.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I absolutely loved this conclusion to the Wicked Sisters series. Both Missy and Atlantes are fascinating characters and have excellent chemistry. I loved the progression of the story around the Wickeds and Witches and how everything tied up. This was a fun read, that was steamy and engaging. I have loved all the books in this trilogy. If you are looking for a wonderful fall read with good family vibes, steamy romance, and an intriguing world and mystery, this is a great series and I would highly recommend it.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 400 pages
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: November 10, 2026
ASIN: B0GTJSXHS7
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd book in The Echo Archives
Source: eGalley from NetGalley for Review
Rating: 5/5 stars

“Kembral Thorne is back on the job. Everything is going great—she hasn’t been in mortal peril for months, her daughter is learning to crawl, and she’s thinking about getting serious with her girlfriend, cat burglar Rika Nonesuch. But then a simple mission goes wrong, and a mysterious Echo hires her for her most dangerous case yet.

This time, the murder Kembral must solve is her own.

Her first warning: Watch out above you. It won’t be her last. The cryptic messages give Kem an edge against her would-be murderer—but there’s more at stake than her own survival.

Rips in the very fabric of reality are spreading through the Echoes, and Kem’s blood is the only thing that can close them. A traitor among her allies is willing to kill to stop her. To save all the worlds, Kem must figure out who she can trust—and Rika must decide how much of her humanity she’ll sacrifice for the power to protect the woman she loves.”

Series Info/Source: This is the third (and final) book in The Echo Archives. I got an eGalley of this from NetGalley for review.

Thoughts: I absolutely loved this whole series and thought that this book was the perfect conclusion to it. I am sad to see the end of this fascinating world and to say goodbye to the intriguing characters.

Kembral is working again, doing low risk jobs. Her and Rika are settling into a pleasant life together. Kem’s baby is learning to crawl, and everything is going great. Then Kembral finds a message from herself in a lower Echo to “watch out above you”. Kembral’s Echoes have been dying and that can only mean one thing, Kembral (as the Prime) is being murdered. So now Kembral has to solve her own murder. To make things more complicated the Ravens have found tears in the fabric of reality that can only be closed with a combination of Raven workings and Kembral’s blood (as the year-namer).

This was incredibly fun, fast-paced, and creative. It was such a joy to read. I love that Kembral is working on balancing her work, raising her daughter, and navigating her new relationship with Rika. It’s rare to get such a realistic dynamic shown in fantasy like this. Kembral and Rika are both fascinating characters. Kembral is known for her decisive action (brashness) and putting herself in danger to help others; but she must balance this with being a mother and anchor for Rika. Rika is known for her sneaky, behind the shadows antics and now for being half Empyrean; Rika must temper her sneakiness to coincide with Kembral’s sense of honor, and temper her protectiveness to let Kembral do her job.

I continue to find all these layers of Echoes fascinating. This is a world of parallel realities where the more layers you drop away from Prime reality, the more unhinged things become. The idea of a vast void infiltrating the Echoes is unique and intriguing.

The end of this book is flawless; the climax is amazing, and the ending is satisfying. I liked all the action and battle and the involvement of the Empyreans, but also really enjoyed getting a look into how things end up for our favorite characters once the dust settles.

This was incredibly easy to read; the writing flows well, the pace is fast, and the book is very engaging and kept my interest. I am eager to see what Caruso comes up with next!

My Summary (5/5): Overall I absolutely loved this conclusion to The Echo Archives series. This final book was the star of the trilogy and did an amazing job with both presenting a new problem for our characters to solve and wrapping up any loose threads from the previous books in the series. I absolutely love the world here and enjoyed the complex characters as well. The pace is fast and fun, and I enjoyed learning more about the Ravens and the world beyond the Echoes. I would recommend this series to those who enjoys intriguing, complex world-building, fascinating characters, and a fast-paced plot.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Cozy Fantasy
Length: 6 hours and 38 minutes
Publisher: Audible Studios
Release Date: January 21, 2025
ASIN: B0DT4R5QSL
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Tales of Rydding Village series
Source: Audiobook from Audible.com
Rating: 4/5 stars

“She found refuge in Rydding and security in bread.

Now a newcomer and a mysterious burglar threaten everything.

After a treacherous journey, Lucina found safety in the bakery of Rydding Village. Her peace is threatened when she learns that Nico, the new apprentice smith, is from the homeland she was forced to flee. Could he be an enemy agent who caught up with her? Even if he isn’t, the newcomer is the chief suspect in a string of burglaries, and Lucina worries the suspicion will spread to her because of their shared nationality. Her nightmares of being driven from the village may come true if she can’t clear his name.

Meanwhile, would-be wizard Bryn and healer Elwyn have their own concerns. The burglar leaves no trace, and the villagers are acting oddly. Is that related to the strengthening sense of magic around the village?

They’ll have to figure it out and find the thief quickly because a wealthy landowner is determined to accuse Nico, and she’s not willing to listen to the truth. Lucina will have to face her own heritage and take a leap of faith to secure the home she’s come to love.”

Series Info/Source: This is the 2nd book in the Tales of Rydding Village series. I got this on from Audible on audiobook.

Thoughts: I enjoyed this book. It was a good continuation of the Rydding Village series. This is a light and easy story that isn’t too complicated and was perfect for me to listen to while driving.

This story follows a different character in the village, Lucina. Lucina fled a revolution in her home country and ended up in Rydding village. When she learns that Nico, the new apprentice smith, is from her home country, she worries that he is spy sent to retrieve her. When a spat of burglaries happens throughout Rydding, everyone wants to blame the newcomer, Nico. Lucina is worried that she might have to flee because of her shared nationality with Nico. However, the truth behind the burglaries is stranger than anyone ever dreamed.

We do still get to her from Bryn and Elwyn as well. Bryn and Elwyn are trying to rebuild their relationship (after Bryn’s memories returned last book) and help the town to come together. However, it was fun to get to know a couple of new characters in Rydding. Lucina and Nico both had a rough road to Rydding Village and it was good to get to know them and watch them find a place to belong. The characters in general are all fine; I don’t love any of them but I like them all well enough.

The story here was very straight-forward and easy to follow. It was also pretty formulaic and follows the same format and patterns as the first book. I didn’t mind this because it made this an easy listen while I was driving. This ended up being a simple, feel-good, fantasy story. I continue to enjoy the idea of the town being alive and to enjoy watching this town find new inhabitants.

This audiobook wasn’t quite as good as the first one in this series. The way the narrator did Lucina’s and Nico’s accents made them sound halting and awkward, and was tough to listen to. I also noticed that, although there are three more books published in this series, this is the last audiobook. So, if I want to continue with this series I will have to switch to reading it on eBook. I started this series because I wanted a series of shorter books that I could listen to during my road trips for work. I should have been more diligent about checking that this whole series was being released on audiobook.

My Summary (4/5): Overall this was a fine continuation of this series. This is an easy to read, straight-forward, feel-good fantasy series with an intriguing sentient town and some interesting magic. The characters are all fine; I didn’t love them, but I liked them.

I am disappointed that the next few books aren’t being offered on audiobook. I am also disappointed they are not on Kindle Unlimited and that I would need to purchase each book for $6 to read. These are fairly short books, and I didn’t like them enough to spend that much on continuing the series. I would tentatively recommended if you are looking for a cozy fantasy series with some interesting magic. Just realize only the first two books in the series are available on audiobook and the others you will have to purchase either on ebook or paperback (they are not available through the library or Kindle Unlimited).

In September I read 10 books. You can see the reviews for all of them, which ones were my favorite, etc. below.

Hope you all had a great month of reading!

I started the following series:

• Mortedant’s Peril (The Trials of Irody Harp, Book 1) by RJ Barker (5/5 stars)

I finished the following series:

• None

My Favorite Books of the Month Were:

• Mortedant’s Peril (The Trials of Irody Harp, Book 1) by RJ Barker (5/5 stars)

– Goodreads Reading Challenge (Progress: 122/150)

The full list of books that I read this month are shown below:
1. Lies and Pumpkin Pies (Mitzy Moon, Book 10) by Trixie Silvertale, Narrated by Coleen Marlo (4/5 stars)
2. A Complement of Scoundrels by S.V. Lockwood (4/5 stars)
3. Strange Bedfellows by Amanda Mortlock (3/5 stars)
4. Fates & Family (MEOW: Magical Emporium of Wares, Book 3) by Toni Binns (4/5 stars)
5. I Hope this Email Finds You in Hell by Mackenzie Reed (4/5 stars)
6. Mortedant’s Peril (The Trials of Irody Harp, Book 1) by RJ Barker (5/5 stars)
7. A Divided Duty (October Daye, Book 20) by Seanan McGuire (3/5 stars)
8. All the Pretty Little Horses (Newsflesh, Book 0.75) by Mira Grant (4/5 stars)
9. Moon Over Brendle by Jeff Noon (3/5 stars)
10. Hopes and Slippery Slopes (Mitzy Moon, Book 11) by Trixie Silvertale (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal/Contemporary Fantasy
Length: 5 hours and 7 minutes
Publisher: Sittin’ on a Goldmine Productions LLC
Release Date: April 8, 2022
ASIN: B09XJ3FWGB
Stand Alone or Series: 11th book in the Mitzy Moon series
Source: Audiobook from Audible.com
Rating: 4/5 stars

“A dangerous race. The peal of wedding bells. Will this psychic sleuth catch a bouquet or a bullet?

Mitzy Moon finally has a chance to spend a normal, murder-free day with family. And she’s super-excited to support her legendary snowmobile racer dad as he’s honored for his place in the record books. But instead of a celebration on the podium, she finds a corpse under the snow.

With a holiday wedding at her bookshop looming, it’s a terrible time to take on a new case and an orphan. Somehow, Mitzy hopes to juggle the investigation, the nuptials, her meddling Ghost-ma, and an interfering feline. But when her new house guest sees something he shouldn’t, her secrets start to unravel…

Can Mitzy solve the case before midnight strikes, or will her resolution end in tragedy?”

Series Info/Source: This is the 11th book in the Mitzy Moon series. I got this on from Audible on audiobook.

Thoughts: If you have enjoyed previous Mitzy Moon books I think you will enjoy this one. I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook is very well done. These are the perfect length for me to complete on a monthly road trip I do for work. They are light and fun and don’t require a lot of concentration to listen to. I feel like Silvertale’s writing has been getting better with each book.

Mitzy Moon is being exposed to yet another upper Midwest tradition, snowmobile racing! Unfortunately for her and the other racers, a dead body is found on the side of the track which causes the races to be cancelled. No worries though Mitzy Moon is on the case. Mitzy ends up providing shelter to the young teen who is now an orphan because of his father’s death (she can really relate to being an orphan) and finds out that her dad wants to use the bookshop for his upcoming nuptials. It’s a lot for Mitzy to balance and it gets even more complicated when Mitzy accidentally outs her powers to Sheriff Harper.

This was a fun book. Mitzy takes on a bit of a care giver role which is a big step for her maturity wise. She also ends up having to deal with the consequence of hiding her supernatural powers from Sheriff Harper for so long. It’s been fun to see Mitzy grow both in her powers and as a person. I absolutely loved the addition of the teen boy Mitzy helps take care of, he is an awesome character and I loved reading about him, he’s so enthusiastic and positive despite his tough situation.

These books are so warm and fuzzy, yet also very humorous and have an excellent mystery. They are just fun and leave you feeling happy and hopeful. Although I will say Pincherry Harbor has quite the body count for such a small town!

My Summary (4/5): Overall I really enjoyed this addition to the Mitzy Moon series. This was a well done mystery, introduced some new amazing characters, is humorous, heartfelt, and charming all at once. I look forward to continuing the series on my monthly road trips.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 249 pages
Publisher: Angry Robot
Release Date: May 12, 2026
ASIN: B0FM6ZKW8S
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: eBook for Review from NetGalley
Rating: 3/5 stars

“The Dust tells the story…

1968, Lancashire: It is Joe Sutter’s last summer before going to secondary school. His world is like ours but beyond and beside what we know is Greot; a vast swirling rainbow of many-coloured dust. It settles on the dead, it swathes cities and fields. Joe is one of the few who have the gift of always being able to see it. But no one knows what Greot is. Is it the trillion-eyed god? The history of everything told grain-by-grain? Prophecy? The magic of creativity?

Joe can’t know; all he wants to do is draw comics and listen to music. Then one day, after climbing up to the ancient tower on Brendle hill, he meets an old writer of pulp SF books who is determined to pass on the power and joy of telling stories. And everything changes.

Decades later Joe is a successful SF novelist, and the time has come to tell his story, not only of how he became a writer but also how the secrets of the dust were revealed to him, one grain at a time.”

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got this on ebook to review through NetGalley.

Thoughts: I found this incredibly slow and ended up setting it aside 25% of the way in. This has a very nostalgic feel to it. I just kept waiting for something to happen, and nothing really happened in the first 25% of the story. This might work for those who like deliberately paced coming of age stories with some magical elements to them. I struggled to get through the first 25% and was dreading sitting down to read more, so I decided to call it.

Set in rural England in the late 1960’s Joe Sutter is plodding through the summer. However, Joe is not like other kids he can see the Greot, a swirling could of rainbow colored dust. Joe’s summer gets more intriguing after he meets an old writer of SF books.

The idea of the Greot is intriguing, as is the fact that some can see it and others can’t. However, at 25% of the way in, we were still watching Joe wander around and do “summer stuff” like kids used to do; get in trouble, hang out in abandoned train-cars, and try to navigate his best friend getting interested in girls. It was, to put it bluntly, boring and not at all relatable to me. I really struggled through this and was just getting to the part where Joe meets the sci-fi writer. I absolutely dreaded sitting down to push through more of this…so I set it aside. I have a lot of books to read, and this just wasn’t for me.

The part that I did read flowed well and was grammatically easy to read. It just felt like we get a lot of Joe wandering around and admiring the colors of Greot and not of anything intriguing happening. I was hoping that the mystery of what Greot was would help pull me through the story, but I found myself disinterested in reading about more swirling colors as I progressed.

My Summary (3/5): Overall this was incredibly slow and I did not find it at all engaging. The writing flows fine, and there are some interesting ideas in here, they just don’t seem to go anywhere. I liked the idea of Greot, I liked that only certain people can see it, I enjoyed the nostalgic summer feel to this. I didn’t enjoy the characters and didn’t enjoy the fact that by 25% of the way in the main character was still wandering around aimlessly. This might be for those who enjoy a very deliberate sci-fi story with a nostalgic feel to it. It was not for me. Giving it a neutral 3 stars because I read less than half the book.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopian
Length: 103 pages
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: October 3, 2017
ASIN: B075Q9P5BM
Stand Alone or Series: 0.75th book in the Newsflesh series
Source: Bought ebook for Kindle
Rating: 4/5 stars

“Stacy and Michael Mason are among the most famous heroes of the zombie apocalypse. Stacy, however, has fallen into a deep depression after having to shoot their infected son. In the aftermath of the pandemic, they start publicly documenting the recovery effort, which Michael hopes will take Stacy’s mind off of her trauma and help her recover.

As they film the rescue of an enclave of orphans and report on the orphanages that have sprung up to care for traumatized, parent-less children, they begin to consider the last, greatest step of recovery: adoption.”

Series Info/Source: This is a prequel novella in the Newsflesh series. I bought this on ebook.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this novella prequel to the Newsflesh series. I read and really loved the Newsflesh trilogy (back before a fourth book was added) and was excited to revisit this world. This is a fast-paced novella that takes a look at how Georgia and Shaun ended up in the family that raised them.

This follows Georgia and Shaun’s parents; Stacy and Michael. Stacy is suffering severe depression after having to shoot their only son when he became infected. Michael is trying to hold things together. When Michael realizes that what Stacy needs is action, he starts signing them up to document the recovery efforts in various cities. Stacy ends up loving the adrenaline-filled recovery efforts and is strangely amazing at photographing and videotaping it. As more and more orphans are recovered, Stacy and Michael are tasked with filming and reporting on the orphanages that spring up and end up making a decision that will change their lives forever.

This was well written, fast-paced, and fun to read. It is gory and disturbing as well. It has been a long time since I read the Newsflesh trilogy (I read the final book in the original trilogy in 2012). However, I fell back into this world immediately and had no issues with following what was going on. It was intriguing to get a look at the early days after the virus started to be contained and humans were starting to recover.

If you enjoy the Newsflesh world I would definitely recommend this novella. It made me want to go back and pick up the fourth book “Feedback” which was released four years after the original trilogy was finished. It also made me want to check out more of the novellas set in this world and there are quite a few of them.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this. This was an intriguing and fast-paced look at the world shortly after humans started recovering from the virus. It also gives some back story on how Georgia and Shaun ended up in the family they ended up in. I would recommend if you are looking for more Newsflesh. I also think this could stand fine on its own if you haven’t read the original series and want to get a taste for this world.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Length: 384 pages
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: September 29, 2026
ASIN: B0G771X2VN
Stand Alone or Series: 20th book in the October Daye series
Source: eBook for Review from NetGalley
Rating: 3/5 stars

“October “Toby” Daye is settling into life with a baby, remembering the ins and outs of motherhood, and trying to find ways to balance her work with her desire to keep her baby safe at home and away from all the terrors Faerie has to offer. Her whole household is pitching in, from May all the way down to Raysel, the estranged daughter of Toby’s liege lord, who is currently serving out a term of offense in Toby’s home.

Naturally, as everything is beginning to find a balance, it’s time for Raysel’s term of offense to end, and Luna Torquill very much wants her daughter back.

But Toby has been helping Raysel get the help she desperately needs, from giving her a safe place to hide all the way to finding her a licensed therapist who works with the fae, and Raysel isn’t ready to leave. Luna isn’t taking no for an answer, and before anyone can realize what she’s planning, she steals her own child away to Blind Michael’s lands.

Not even Luna knows all the terrible secrets her father and his works hid from the world, and not even she can protect her daughter from the monsters in their lineage. All too quickly, Toby must race the clock to save Raysel—before it’s too late for her to ever come home.

It’s been years, but now the question will be asked again: can she get there and back by the light of a candle?”

Series Info/Source: This is the 20th book in the October Daye series. I got this on ebook from NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: Previously this had been one of my absolutely favorite series. The last few books, though, have been really dragging for me. There is so much recapping, back story, and over explanation that the story moves forward at a slog. I find myself skimming paragraphs of over explanation to get back to the meat of the story.

Toby and crew are settling into life with new baby, Miranda. Unfortunately, Raysel’s term of offense is about to end and Raysel isn’t ready to return to her home and her overbearing mother, Luna. When the Queen gives her blessing to extend Raysel’s term of offense, Luna flies into a rage. Luna kidnaps Raysel and drags her into Blind Michael’s lands. Toby has a duty to Raysel. While Toby’s crew babysit; Toby and Tybalt must make a deal with the sea witch to journey back into Blind Michael’s lands.

This was soooo slow. There is so much recapping that it is painful. You are 25% of the way into the story before Raysel’s kidnapping happens. That 25% is just a lot of recapping, over-explaining, and juggling daycare for Miranda. I don’t need a complete explanation of every bit of history behind every type of faerie every single time a fairy type is mentioned. We got this background in previous books, and this series is published yearly. I feel like every book in this series has been getting worse and worse about this. I frequently found myself skimming paragraphs of backstory, recapping, and detailed explanation that just wasn’t that pertinent to the story.

I am not sure what to say about the characters at this point. Toby has formed a wonderful found family at this point. Her and Tybalt are happily starting a blood family of their own as well. Toby continues to charge into danger and suffer grave wounds (which don’t seem to matter because she’s invincible now). I found the whole premise of this story to be very outside of her character. She is willing to sacrifice everything she has worked for to protect Raysel, a girl who did nothing but cause pain to others. Yes this is noble but it also seems a bit out of character and I think Tybalt is a saint for not protesting more. Tybalt and Toby have a right to protect their family and find happiness. Yes, Toby is invincible, but that doesn’t mean she still doesn’t hurt.

The whole storyline around Titania re-writing the world felt contrived and unnecessary to me. This book is mainly dealing with the emotional fall out all the characters had from when that happened. It feels like this series is being pushed to continue rather than getting the cozy ending it deserves.

There are characters in here who do deserve to have their stories told. The short story at the end of the book takes a shot at this by visiting Quentin’s POV. I give this short story a 4/5 stars. I think if this series needs to continue (which I am not sure it should) we’d be better served by hearing from some of the side characters directly (like the Sea Witch, or Raysel, or any other number of intriguing side characters).

So why do I keep reading this series? I honestly almost didn’t pick up this book; I’ve been frustrated with this series since book 17 “Sleep No More” where the Titania reality shift happened. I do really love these characters, though and I think I keep picking this series ups in hopes of seeing the characters get some finality and peace in their lives.

My Summary (3/5): Overall this was okay but I feel like 50% of this could have been cut without effecting the main story. There is so much recapping, back story, and over explanation in here that this really drags. I continue to love the characters but find the story itself to be very contrived. It is like this series is being dragged along by contrived and unnecessary events; I am really not sure what the point is anymore. I have been struggling with this series since book 17 and would love to see our characters get some closure and peace. If the series has to continue, it would be nice to have it focus on some of the side characters that have more compelling stories to tell.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Steampunk
Length: 422 pages
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: May 19, 2026
ASIN: B0FMS8WC25
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in The Trials of Irody Harp series
Source: eBook for Review from NetGalley
Rating: 5/5 stars

“Irody Hasp is a Mortedant, a cleric tasked with reading the last thoughts of the dead—though no one thanks him for it. No Mortedant is popular, but Irody is scarcely tolerated even by the other members of his own guild, and rarely selected for anything but the lowliest of jobs.

This impoverished existence would be dismal enough—but after reading the corpse of a low-level records keeper, Irody’s troubles quickly multiply when his own apprentice is murdered, and all fingers point to him as a suspect. The only way to save his own skin is to find the real culprit himself, an investigation that quickly attracts powerful enemies with few scruples, and draws him into a plot that threatens the entire corrupt yet wondrous city he calls home.”

Series Info/Source: This is the 1st book in The Trials of Irody Harp series. I got this on ebook from NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: I ended up really loving this. The characters are interesting, and the world-building is amazing. This is a murder mystery wrapped into an intriguing city of strange magic powers and steampunk elements. I have been meaning to read some of Barker’s books for years; this is the first one of his book’s I have read, and I loved it! I will definitely be adding his other series to my “to read” pile.

Irody Hasp is a Mortedant and a good one, he can read the last thoughts of the dead. However, he is disliked by his guild and ends up on some of the lowliest of jobs. When his apprentice ends up murdered, Irody is stuck trying to find the killer or be blamed for the death himself. With someone trying to assassinate him and a guard placed on him, he must navigate this complex city in order to clear his name. Along the way, he starts to unravel some truly awful secrets of both the ruling parties of the city and secrets of the city itself.

The description in here made me feel like I was walking through this world first hand; it was incredibly well done. Irody Hasp is not a likable person, no one likes him, however he ends up strangely likable and engaging by the end of the story. He ends up pulling together a sort of odd found family in a young thief girl who becomes his Neophyte and a strange “person of the sea” named Whisper who is assigned as a guard to him. The three of them end up dodging assassination attempts and unraveling the deep secrets of this complex city as they try to figure out who murdered Irody’s original Neophyte.

I found this story incredibly compelling. Part of what drives the story is unraveling the secret behind the murder of a low tier accountant that Irody is asked to read. You can’t help but wonder if Irody will solve the mystery before he is put to death himself. The other part of what drives the story is the complex city of Elbay. Elbay has so many layers to it and each is more mysterious and complex than the last.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I loved this and was constantly looking forward to picking this up to read. I was absolutely transported to this amazing world every time I started reading. I loved this complex and mysterious city and the complex and mysterious characters who dwell there. I look forward to the next book in the series, “Mortedant’s Enigma”, which is scheduled to release in May 2027. This had similarities in tone to the Ana and Din Mysteries (Shadow of the Leviathan series) by Robert Jackson Bennett. I think if you enjoy the Shadow of the Leviathan series, you would enjoy this one as well.