Tag: book-review

July reads, 2025

MarilkaLeave a comment

July, the summer vacation month. 4 weeks off work, and while I did a whole lot of stuff (we even had a guest for two weeks), I still found more time to read than during work days. So 16 books, a bit shy of 6000 pages. More print than digital (because more time to read during daytime since I read Kindle mostly in bed), a bit more non-fiction than average, a bit more in Finnish than average, multiple first books of a new trilogy/series. A good reading month all in all.

  • Helikopterilääkäri, by Heini Harve-Rytsälä – my goddaughter-colleague (whom I don’t know, though have met maybe a few times when we were kids) is a first-responder doctor on a medical helicopter and this is her book about what it’s like. Emotional, wonderful, heart-wreching book. I look at the yellow chopper zooming accross the sky above us multiple times a day with different eyes now, silently wishing “good luck, Heini!” every time it passes, for I know she’s on board that one on her shifts.
  • Enchantra, by Kaylie Smith – book 2 of the Phantasma trilogy, and kinda like more of the same, but not quite. A surprising ending, did not see THAT coming! Enjoyable, dark and sinister read.
  • The Baby Dragon Cafe, by A.T. Kureshi – had to take on something lighter after those previous books and this fisrt book of a magical realism (with dragons 💜) romance series was just the thing. I loved the sweetness of the book! For once people were who they said they were and families were supportive not manipulative, and you know, a hopeful and positive story with HEA.
  • Wishes Most Foul, by Emma MacDonald – dark academy with lots of magic in it. Also begins a series or maybe a trilogy, even though the book comes to a satisfying end and the next book seems to be a fully new mystery related but not dependent. Liked this one a lot.
  • Ystävänä jänis, by Chloe Dalton (orig. Raising Hare) – such a heart-warming true story of Dalton raising and befriending a baby hare without trying to tame it; she strives to maintain the hare’s ability to return to the nature. And how it all changed the way Dalton looks at the world and nature.
  • Servant of Earth, by Sarah Hawley – a fay story, kinda the usual where a young human girl ends up in the fay world one way or another and, well, you know. Needs to strive, conquer and become something more than mere human to survive. Book 1 of a trilogy, left me hanging for sure!
  • The Rushworth Family Plot, by Claudia Gray – book 4 of the Jonathan Darcy & Miss Tilney Austen-inspired mysteries. Very Austeny, witty and enjoyable, and really: will those two ever get each other??
  • Unnatural Magic, by C.M. Waggoner – we have a highly British society in a fully made up world where trolls are at the top of the food chain, and a girl whose magic it too much for the traditional men, but she doesn’t let it stop her. Also, the troll who doesn’t quite fit in, and an army deserter, and the mystery of troll killings. Curious and intriguing, verbally playful and fun.
  • Miksi lakkasimme lukemasta? by Riie Heikkilä – an academic study about the reasons people (of lower classes) don’t read (so much) anymore, and/or what they DO read. Interesting sociological study, which left me thinking and even questioning some of the study which in my opinion was still a very highlevel bare scratch of the surface, so I wrote a whole blog post about it.
  • The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry, by C.M. Waggoner – loosely connected to Unnatural Magic, as in the love interest of the protagonist is the daughter of the troll and the soldier from the first book. A completely stand-alone mystery, which I actually liked way more than that first book.
  • The Undoing of Violet Claybourne, by Emilie Critchley – a gothicy story of tragedy, manipulation, and the need to fit in, to be accepted. Sinister and full of dark secrets and ruthless schemes, that make for a story that holds you in its grips to the very end. Yes, I enjoyed it very much.
  • Karvaisia kohtaloita, by Mikael Ilves – Ilves was a veterinarian (and actually treated my grandma’s dog too and once gave a full check-up to my stuffed doggo too 😄) who saw so much that he compiled a couple books with stories of pets he treated during his career. Some of them sweet, some of them tragic (the humans!), some of them simply outrageous!
  • Book Lovers, by T.B. Markinson (and Miranda MacLeod) – literary themed story about finding love and yourself. Sweet and cute with a twist or two and a HEA, but somehow the book was constructed in a way that every 20% I was wondering how the book can still go on instead of wrapping up in a chapter or two. So maybe not exactly the most thrilling of books, but nice, to use the bland word intentionally.
  • When the Moon Hatched, by Sarah A. Parker – definitely thrilling, on the other hand. Also begins a trilogy, and left off on a cliffhanger. I have high hopes that I might enjoy the next book(s) even better, since this was one of those cases where I love the book while really not liking the protagonist much; she starts to unravel a bit in the end so maybe she’s less annoying in the next book.
  • Upon a Frosted Star, by M.A. Kuzniar – the cursed woman and the smitten artist. Loosely based on the Swan Lake. I loved the story, the slow unraveling of the history and mystery of the swan lady, but if it had been a print book, I’d have thrown it in the end. Friggin’ ending killed me! And still I went and dowloaded another book by the same author…
  • Ariadne, by Jennifer Saint – a retelling of the story of Ariadne and a bit her sister Phaedra. Of the Minotaur and Theseus, mingled in with Dionysus and a bunch of other Greek mythology. the way the stories weave into each other. Excellent book, ethereal and dreamy while full of godly mischief and tragedy.

July 6, Popping into our local bookstore yesterday I found this book, Ystävänä jänis (orig. Raising Hare) by Chloe Dalton. I have always been a huge fan of rabbits of all kinds; our home is full of them in all different forms (items, that is, not live ones; I’ve a couple live bunnies too, when I was young). Such a lovely book this is 💜🐰 a bit of an interlude between my fantasy-gorging 😄

June reads, 2025

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My June weekends were mostly full of all sorts of things like hosting a birthday (my own, round 50) 🎂, hunting for a fridge (old side-by-side started dying, see A Tale of Two Fridges), shopping with my daughter 💜, and some reno-related stuff I don’t even have the energy to get into. Surprisingly enough, I still seem to have found time to read almost as much as any other month. June reads were a mix of long-awaited sequels and new releases from favorite authors, and some completely new finds.

  • A Letter from the Lonesome Shore, by Sylvie Cathrall – I loved this sequel to A Letter to the Luminous Deep ❣️ The same ethereal ambiance, some twists and turns and a happy ending.
  • Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me, by Django Wexler – Sequel to How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying. Fun and gamey, but a bit more of a serious undertone as life for Davi is not a game anymore. Mysteries are unraveled and yes, this book too has a happy ending.
  • The Amalfi Curse, by Sarah Penner – A superb witchy realism story where past meets present and romance wins.
  • The Haunted Housekeeping series (4 books), by R.A. Muth – Funky, quirky cozy mysteries with just a touch of supernatural and magic. A bit “easy” reading for my liking.
  • Fearless, by Lauren Roberts – book 3 in the Powerless series (the final one), which was, well in line with the other ones, but liked it somewhat better again than the first one. I think Book 2 was my favorite in this trilogy (series – as it has a book 1.5 which I somehow didn’t feel like reading even though I have it).
  • The Resurrectionist, by A. Rae Dunlap – Historical gothy fiction from a time when autopsies were considered sacrilege, but the more advanced though hushed Parisian syle training, ie. hands on and cutting corpses open, was in need of bodies to work on. Also, forbidden gay romance 💜
  • The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris, by Evie Woods – magical realism romance, sweet and heartwarming, while quite predictable.
  • Bury our Bones in the Midnight Soil, by V.E. Schwab – Three vampire women, destiny tied together in a way that is not entirely guessable in the beginning. Intriguing travels through centuries, stopping here and there for a bit longer to shed light on the evolution of the characters.
  • Phantasma, by Kaylie Smith – Not quite as enchanting as I expected, not quite as ingenious as I hoped. More like a “everything tries to kill you and you just need to survive (though you’re really not up to the task)” kind of a story than witty and puzzly, like I’d prefer. Quite enjoyable none the less, and now I’m a bit past the half mark on the sequel, Enchantra (which is more of the same while different).
  • Enigma, by RuNyx – I absolutely love RuNyx and her way of weaving these dark romance mysteries. Full of twists and turns and secrets to unravel bit by itty bit, clues to tickle your brain and lead you astray, passion, even obsession (which maybe is not my thing, but I can accept it here). Can’t wait to get more RuNyx!

June 1, Finally, finally reading (well, started already yesterday) A Letter from the Lonesome Shore, by Sylvie Cathrall 🤩 I loved the first book, A Letter to the Luminous Deep; this sequel is one my most anticipated reads of the year!

June 14, Started the fourth book of The Haunted Housekeeping, by R.A. Muth, series last night. While the books are kinda funny and quirky – enough to keep me reading through them all, especially when they’re not very long – they are a bit simple to my liking. I realize cozy mystery (even with a paranormal/fantasy/magical realism twist) is just not my cuppa. Things are too easygoing, a bit lame and simple. I want some actual suspense, gory bloody gruesomeness and such. Go figure.

May reads, 2025

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Curiously, my 14 books of May amount to one page more than my 14 books of April 😀 Not exactly true as in pages I read, maybe, since the bios of both Edith Piaf and Judy Garland had a whole lot of pages of lists in the end, so not exactly pages to read. May saw the end of the Sookie series, some books I’ve had in my library for years, some new discoveries, and the long-awaited last book in the Nevermoor (Morrigan Crow) series.

  • Reckless, by Lauren Roberts – book 2 in the Powerless series. I finished it on the very day the last book, Fearless, was published, but only got that last week so it will be a June read. Anyway, I liked this one perhaps a bit more than the first book; quite good while not among my favorites
  • Sookie Stackhouse books 10-13, by Charlaine Harris – it was a bit bittersweet to bid farewell to Sookie. She got her happy ending, or at least such was hinted, and I got to move on to other books in Kindle (“got to move on”, you know what I mean, eh?). Had some good times with Sookie!
  • Not Quite the Classics, by Colin Mochrie – one of those books that have patiently been waiting to be read, and now the time came. Loved it! First and last sentence of 12 classics, with a whole new Mochrie-story in between
  • Old Bones, by Preston & Child – another one of those, a find from some radom place some years ago. Digging into the Donner Party, with an evil plan lurking over their heads, it’s a story of archeology and crime investigation. It began with way too many characters introduced each in their own chapters before the action got rolling and I almost gave up. Happy I didn’t, for to the end it was full speed and surprising while not
  • Remedial Magic duology (Remedial Magic and Reluctant Witch), by Melissa Marr – sort of like magical realism except more, since there’s a fully magical realm for witches, in need of saving. Salvation comes in the form of two fabulous ladies (obviously in love), one of whom is the reluctant witch, at least at first
  • Paratiisin kartta, by Anja Snellman – yet another book bought years ago from some random booksale. An older book of one of the most famous Finnish authors, I suppose I was curious about her. I did enjoy her memoir some years ago, but at least this story where a teacher remenishes her journey through 12 years of school with her class (with a side of personal history of the communistic seventies in the Uni) was not my cuppa, exactly. Kinda touching and stuff, but a bit (or a bit more) boring imo
  • Edith Piaf: hymni rakkaudelle, by Jean-Dominique Brierre [book in Finnish]- the biography of the beloved Edith Piaf, whom I was introduced to in school French classes, and while her chanson is not something I listen to, really, she made an impression. Such a tragic while enchanting, small yet huge, lady.
  • Silverborn, by Jessica Townsend – fourth and last book of the YA (or middle grade) Nevermoor series telling the story of Morrigan Crow. Delightful, whimsical, wonderfully entertaining fantasy mystery, with the happy ending suggesting that Morrigan will indeed be quite ok after all!
  • Wooing the Witch Queen, by Stephanie Burgis – the first book of the romantacy series Queens of Villainy. Totally fun read, with romance and mystery and misunderstandings, and a happy ending (with a hint of the second book to come (in Jan 2026).
  • Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland, by Gerald Clarke – Edith Piaf made me think of Judy Garland, so I segwayed my way to her upon finishing Edith. Another tragic yet fabulous life, another small yet huge lady. I have been a fan of Judy since I first saw her in some MGM musical or another way back when. Not Oz, though. Could’ve been Summerstock.

May 5, I’m a big fan of Whose Line Is It Anyway, that improv show. Some time back, I was looking to see if any of the WLIIA cast would have written a memoir/autobio, but couldn’t find any – I did find this book: Not Quite the Classics by Colin Mochrie, and now I finally got around to reading it.

Twelve classics, twelve short stories inspired by the classic, with the first and last sentences provided by said book. Funny stuff, like reading an improv show. I can basically hear Mochrie’s “voice” as I read the stories!

May 22, As I was finishing the bio of Edith Piaf (by Jean-Dominique Brierre) today, I was also expecting to receive Fearless, finally, thinking I would read that next. However, as I read the last chapters of Piaf, I felt the pull of the Judy Garland bio (by Gerald Clarke) change my mind, so that’s what I started reading. Didn’t get far yet, just through the brief history of her parents and right to the paragraph about her birth where it blew my mind to learn that Baby in Dirty Dancing is really a nod and a bow to Judy Garland, named Frances at birth, but called Baby by her family!

April reads, 2025

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So, 14 books in April. Sort of shortish ones, mostly; been bingeing on the Sookie Stackhouse series (by Charlaine Harris) and the books are mostly somewhere around 280-320 pages. I’m currently reading Sookie #10 (of 13 main books in the series, read 1-8 in April), so soon will be moving on to something different again (which is kinda good since there’s several quite long expected new releases coming up in May). I’ve been LOVING this series, seriously! There’s something about Sookie that makes these in a way gruesome books full of death and violence just so sweet and lovely, funny even. I guess Sookie herself is just so sweet and lovely, in the midst of all the mayhem.

Anyhow, there were other books too, so let’s take a look:

  • Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World (Aristotle and Dante, book 2), by Benjamin Alire Sáenz – such a heartwarmingly wonderful sequel continuing the story of the young lovers in a time when being gay was not really accepted
  • The Lights of Sugarberry Cove, by Heather Webber – turned out to be a lovely story, once we got past all that whining and resentment going on in the family (I mean, it was the foundation but kinda went on for a bit too long; I got tired of it)
  • The Courting of Bristol Keats, by Mary E. Pearson – I really enjoyed this one! Beautifully written story of the crude and brutal fae world at war
  • Three Wild Things and the Truth, by Markus Zusak – A memoir of their life with adopted (rescue – though they don’t call them that) dogs, big and rowdy and violent even. Resonated with my dog experiences a lot (even though ours are small)
  • Powerless, by Lauren Roberts – a bit of a Hunger Games copy, or at least heavily standing on their shoulders. YA, quite good reading, but nothing truly special or something I’d gush about

April 20, Gee, I loved The Courting of Bristol Keats, (Mary E. Pearson)! One of those books that go to show how very different we are in what we like, even inside a genre. I bought the book, actually specifically ordered the special Fairyloot edition since it was available through a bookstore chain in our nook of the woods too, because a) it was beautiful and b) I knew I was gonna love it.

Then I read some reviews in Bookaholics, that were less than promising. People had struggled with it, not getting into the story, it was too slow, whatnot. I almost got discouraged, but decidedly pushed other people’s opinions away, and started reading the book. It had me hooked in three pages. It held me tight for all 541 pages and now I have a book-hangover – AND have to wait for a half a year for the sequel (and hope that I can get it in the same edition without needing to wait extra…). Another top read of the year (they just keep on piling up, don’t they 😂)

March reads, 2025

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My March weekends were again taxed with reno work at home and some other Life® related stuff, but you can’t keep a reader down 😂 Though ok “only” 11 books read, but some real quality books, most of them! Not that that’s unusual, so.

  • Torinon enkeli, by Taina Latvala, was my first March read. A Finnish book, one I bought some years ago at a book fair where I seemed to buy a lot of books that interested me only mildly. Still I read it, and I guess it was a quite nice story.
  • After that bookstore on my way home from work had done that reno, making English books more visibly displayed, I first found out that The Inheritance Games (by Jennifer Lynn Barnes) acually had a book 4: The Brothers Hawthorne, so I had to get that (in Kindle though), obviously! Loved it!
  • Also loved to discover, upon finishing that, that Jennifer Lynn Barnes has started a new sequal trilogy: The Grandest Game, of which the first book (that’s the name of the book too) is already available and so I got and read that too. Book 2 coming out in July.
  • Perhaps the read of the month, though, was the Belladonna series: Belladonna, Foxglove, and Wisteria, by Adalyn Grace. Maybe. These rating things are hard for me 😂
  • The Village Library Demon Hunting Society, by C.M. Waggoner, on the other hand was a tiny bit of a disappointment, plus the ending puzzled me a touch.
  • The Other Bennet Sister, by Janice Hadlow, was another “read of the month” along with Belladonna and the Hawthornes (no, not the Thorn Grove ones, the other ones)
  • I also absolutely loved Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Aristotle and Dante, book 1), by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and am 4/5 through book 2, so that will be featured in April reads
  • Finally, Evidence of a Folktale (Autopsy of a Fairytale, book 5), by Nicole Scarano! As excellent as expected! Also, book 6 coming out in October, yey!
  • And last but not least, Simon and Milt Bevell and the Sorceress of Oden, by LIsa M Whitehead, which I finished only last night. Maybe not my favorite – I found the story kinda jumpy and sometimes it felt like something had been edited out or changed but not fully edited, and a lot of grammatical errors that occasionally made reading a bit difficult – but I think I’d like a loan arhcer to come and kill my loans with his silver arrows 😝 Fun story, though!

March 15, The Belladonna series by Adalyn Grace – those books I bought at the end of Feb and had an actual conversation about in the book store – they were fabs! They’re right at the top of my best reads so far this year! They’re gothicy, sinister, mysterious, deliciously dark, decadently atmospheric – as Kerri Maniscalco states on the cover of Foxglove, and I can’t put it any better.

Belladonna starts the series, hooking you right up, Foxglove brings it to its peak – definitely the best book of the trilogy, and finally Wisteria brings the storyline to its end. Wisteria started kinda slow, and I didn’t exacly like the ending, but still an excellent read❣️

March 27, Finally, finally! Book 5 of Nicole Scarano’s Autopsy of a Fairytale series, Evidence of a Folktale, was published and dropped into my Kindle on March 21, and just finished it tonight. I didn’t get to it immediately as I was still in the middle of The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow – the longest read of the year so far with 660 pages or so – at that point, but it was naturally next in line. At the end of book #5 I learned that there’s book #6 to come in October, so another Kindle preorder, another Autopsy book to look forward to still this year!

About that other Bennet sister. It was a wonderful Austen spin-off book, the story of Mary, where we see her bloom and become a charming young lady. It was totally Austenian in the storytelling as well as the ending, and I loved it!