Tag: books

Book wrap-up 2025

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I have to say, with a total of 163 books (60 137 pages), I’m too overwhelmed to make any top picks, but I’ll try to compile some top lists. First, though, let’s look at the stats a bit:

It’s all StoryGraph this time since it’s more accurate than Goodreads, but feel free to look at my Goodreads Year in Books 2025, if you like.

Now, for some top picks then. I did do a “book of the month” pick for my general Year 2025 review (post in Finnish), so that’s a good place to start, I guess. Though it IS a bit random, picking one of many excellent reads per month, but here you go, my Book of the Month picks:

Perhaps next up could be another round of picks throughout the year, 20 books along the way that I feel I want to highlight here. Some of them (well, quite many, actually) are part of a series, but since I they were separate reads instead of entire series in a binge (you know, starting a new series, latest published book in one, that kind of thing), they’re mentioned here, not in the favorite series list.

So, on to the top series then, ie. series with more than one book published, and that I read in their (current) entirety during last year (or as far as I had time to). So many series! I picked 11 favorites – no number in mind, just took the ones that stood out, even if only a little bit – which left at least a few good series unmentioned, but, you know.

I’m generally quite good at choosing my books and love or at least enjoy almost everything I read quite a bit, but there’s always bound to be some I thought and wanted to love but just didn’t, some I just didn’t like as well as I imagined I would, that simply aren’t my cuppa, and the sequels that simply do not live up to the expectations set by the preceding books in the series. I mean, I didn’t even DNF one single book, so even these 13 least liked books were by no means bad, just the ones I liked least or was disappointed with.

Well, that wraps it up rather neatly – though it DOES pain me not to be able to list all those other awesome books I read that didn’t make it on any of the top pick lists. So I’ll just add here the full set as a pic collage from the Goodreads Year in Books – and don’t forget my monthly reading wrap-ups! They include a bit of an intro to every book I read, too.

On to a new reading year! Starting with Whispers Most Deadly (Dunhollow 2) by Emma MacDonald (print), and The Burning Witch book 3 by Delemhach (Kindle), which, as mentioned, I’ve already read halfway.

December reads, 2025

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December is a tricky month in the way that there’s a lot of holidays that sort of offer more time to read, but then at the same time those holidays are full of baking and cooking and celebrating with the family. Also, some work events and my son’s graduation (though the party will be right after New Year). Still, I obviously found plenty of time to read too, finishing 13 books (5005pages), bringing the total of the year to a dazzling 163 books, 60 137 pages (year wrap-up to come). So, my last month of 2025:

  • The Austen Intrigue (Regency Secrets 4), by Julia Golding – another regency mystery solved by Dora and Jacob, this time with Jane Austen as the main supporting character. Charming and witty with a touch of danger, as always.
  • The Forget-Me-Not Library, by Heather Webber – a touch of magic and a lot of love and goodwill is the recipe for personal healing and finding a home in this lovely story. Webber at her best.
  • The Last Wish of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats 2), by Mary E. Pearson – while maybe I wasn’t entirely happy with the ending, it was still a rather excellent ending to this enchanting fae tale.
  • The House Witch trilogy, by Delemhach (Emilie Nikota) – a lowly cook, a peasant, a supposedly weak witch, who turns out to be a lot more than he seems. Not to mention his familiar, who all but ends up running the entire nation! Charming, hilarious, sweet and romantic, with mysteries to solve and the day to save; everything I love in a book!
  • The Princess of Potential (The House Witch 4), by Delemhach (Emilie Nikota) – the stand-alone book 4 is the story of princess Alina finding her potential, her love, and her place in the world, setting the scene for The Burning Witch trilogy. As excellent as the preceeding trilogy.
  • The Bookshop Below, by Georgia Summers – a bit of a disappointment as I so wanted to love this book, but ended up only liking it. It was it all, but the pace was too slow for me, it sort of slugs along in an ethereal way that is enchanting but not entirely engaging.
  • Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore, by Emily Krempholtz – now this one I simply devoured! Charming, quirky, warm and good at heart. A story of deception and new beginnings. Of victory over the evil, both without and within.
  • The House Saphir, by Marissa Mayer – magical mystery that reads like a fairytale. Absolutely loved the story and the unraveling of the history of the mystery at hand. Learning to trust, learning to ask for help, learning to love. Great read!
  • Books 1 & 2 of The Burning Witch trilogy, by Delemhach (Emilie Nikota) – Kat, the daughter of the House Witch, is charming though maybe a bit annoying (well, she does proudly hold the title of the most annoying person in the world). This book starts her story, how she finds her place, purpose and love. If she wasn’t a witch, I’d just call her ADHD.
  • Cackle, by Rachel Harrison – Start anew, get adopted by a witch, discover you’re a witch, find your own strength while being manipulated. I dunno. There was a lot to love in this story, but still I couldn’t, not entirely. Just rubbed me the wrong way, if only subtly.

Dec 14, I seem to have found a new series (of series) to obsess over: The House Witch series by Delemhach. I finished the first book last night and enjoyed it immensely! It’s humorous with lots of action, quirky lovable characters, loyalty and love. It radiates good will and warmth, that makes you believe that everythig will always turn our alright (and it does!) – even when there’s some evil plans threatening the totally adorable kingdom.

As noted, it seems to be an entire series of series – the original trilogy, the Burning Witch trilogy (daughter of the House Witch), a standalone story of the crown princess of Daxaria (The Princess of Potential), and The Ether Witch duology (or trilogy? is there a third book to come?*) about the son of the House Witch.

*) Yes, I learned that there will be a third and final book in the Ether Witch trilogy. Also, The Princess of Potential definitely stands as book 4 of The House Witch trilogy and should be read before The Burning Witch books, if one wants to read them in their (chrono)logical order.

Dec 23, I finished The Bookshop Below, by Georgia Summers, yesterday, and while I liked it a lot, I was disappointed that I didn’t love it like I had expected. It was a bit too slow paced, a bit too… ethereal, maybe? Today I started Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore, by Emily Krempholtz, and am happy to find that one seems to be exactly what I expected.

November reads, 2025

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Somehow a bit slower reading month again. Been a lot of stuff going on at work and it seems to take a bit of a toll on my ability to focus on books – as much as I want to read, I can’t always seem to have the energy to go on deciphering words and end up playing a mobile game instead 😄 Still, the 11 books of November already brought the cumulative year toll to 150 books exactly, a bit over 55 000 pages so far (which is already over 3000 pages more than last year with the 147 read books, so I seem to increase my time spent with books all the time – and maybe my reading speed is still increasing too).

  • Metal Slinger (Fire & Metal 1), by Rachel Schneider – Well that was a plot twister for sure! I lost count of them 😄 Sure kept things interesting. Looking forward to book 2 (coming in June next year) to see where it all goes in the end!
  • The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, by Stuart Turton – So how many times did Evelyn actually die? That’s for the reader to find out but it¨’s not easy with all the time loop stuff and multiple instances of same person in the same place but different time location and… whoa, have mercy on my brain! Excellently built story.
  • Hex and Hexability (Best Hex Ever 3), by Kate Johnson – The pefect palate cleaner after the mind twists of Evelyn Hardcastle, even though these books include a bit of time travel too. Fun and fast moving and a delicious romance too.
  • Princess of Blood (The Shards of Magic 2), by Sarah Hawley – More court politics than I really care for; thus a more tedious read than book 1. It did gather up some speed towards the end, also as the romance matured, and boy did it leave off on a cliffhanger!
  • Rewitched, by Lucy Jane Wood – A lovely journey to finding one’s bearings and courage, with a dose of mystery and a bit of danger in the mix.
  • The Poisoned King (Impossible Creatures 2), by Catherine Rundell – Sort of independent sequel to to book 1, middle grade read, and a good one for the intended audience, which I obviously am not really, but I did like the story.
  • Uncharmed, by Lucy Jace Wood – I didn’t enjoy this as much as I did Rewitched. The protagonist annoyed me big time with her living to please others (and maybe it hit a bit too close to home too…). In the end though, very satisfying.
  • The Everlasting, by Alix E. Harrow – Started a bit slow, took me 1/3 of the book or so to get to speed but then it was an etherial kind of ride through times in the attempt to stop the one who wanted to rule it all no matter the cost.
  • King’s Ransom (Gabriela Rose 2), by Janet Evanovich – Perhaps not the best of Evanovich but entertaining and fun story taking the reader from the States to UK to Egypt to Italy on a race to find stolen (and missing) artifacts.
  • Brigands and Breadknives (Legends & Lattes 2), by Travis Baldree – D&D or so, a travel story both through the Territories and one’s self. A bit slow moving for me, but I still liked it a lot.
  • Higher Magic, by Courtney Floyd – Dark academia, adult romantacy, themed with divergence (neuro and other) and inclusion/exclusion, infused with literature. Simply a fabulous book, pure enjoyment with the perfect level of mystery and suspence.

Nov 5, God what a mind twister! The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (by Stuart Turton) broke my brain with the time loop stuff and multiple instances of the same individual in different states of the time loop and… whoa! Didn’t keep me from loving the book, maybe on the contrary. What a ride!

Nov 27, combine academia, literature, and magic into a romantacy mystery, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a book – at least if you aim for my top reads of the year (or decade or maybe life) list. I mean, what’s there not to love? In the hands of a skilled author, it’s pure satisfaction. That’s Higher Magic (by Courtney Floyd) for you!

October reads, 2025

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Dark season is here. It doesn’t affect my reading habits one way or the other – I don’t read any more or less (I read most of my freetime anyway), I don’t choose my books according to season (spooky or any other seasonal theme) – I just keep on reading whatever suits my fancy at any given time. This month includes two books on ADHD as non-fiction, and The Great Gatsby as the classic I was curious about, among the usual setting of fantasy (mostly romantacy and dark academy) and mystery/crime.

  • De-Witched and Season of the Witch (books 2 and 3 of the Toil and Trouble series), by Sophie H. Morgan – fun witchy romantacy-mysteries, feel good books 💜
  • The Secret of Secrets, by Dan Brown – the long-awaited (10 years, I think Brown himself noted!) new Robert Langdon book and possibly the best one yet, or maybe it just feels like it, since it’s been 10 years since reading the previous book and way longer for the ones before, but definitely a fantastic book! It lingered with me for days (and nights) after finishing, a myriad of “what if’s” floating in my head, making me question and assess what could be and what I might believe. In the end, I am an agnostic so from my point of view, it all could be, but might not, and it really doesn’t change anything for me 😄
  • Alchemy of Secrets, by Stephanie Garber – she moved from YA to adult fantasy with such eloquence and style that it took my breath away! I hope she writes more adult fantasy; maybe a sequel to this one? The ending did leave that door open.
  • Petetty, by Max Seeck – the second Milo book took things highly personal for him, Milo the protagonist that is. Guaranteed quality crime, again. Excellent read!
  • Aloittamista vaille täydellinen – ADHD työelämässä, by Jaana Haapaluoma-Höglund and Eve Kottonen – a book about ADHD in professional life, by ADHD people themselves. Recommended read for ADHDers and neurotypicals alike, offering (self-)recognition, understanding and assistance with ADHD issues and strenghts specifically in working life. Personal experiences are complemented by chapters by professionals specialized in neurodivergency (most on the spectrum themselves).
  • Books 1-4 of the Moonlight Springs series (Starlight Antiques, Sweet Memories Bakery, Enchanted Bookshop, Painted Visions), by Lula Ward – cutesie sweet romantacy-cozy-mysteries with magic stirring and alliances forming and evolving into romance, allowing the protagonists to find themselves, their inner abilities connected to magic, and grow past trauma. The writing is a bit clumsy and repetitive, conversations often a bit redundant with same discoveries made multiple times, but I still enjoyed the stories enough to cringe and move on through the annoyances.
  • Arcana Academy, by Elise Kova – a dark academy novel starting a new series. An enemies to lovers romance in a story full of secrets and betrayal, where you never know who you can trust and nothing is quite as it seems. Left of on a cliffhanger, need to wait for a year or so for the next book 😭
  • Ai se olikin ADHD, by Laura Wáthen – another Finnish book about ADHD, written by an ADHD person. All about self-discovery and -understanding, aimed to help cope and deal with issues, which is the key to being able to use the strenghts and strive. Also, a lot of interesting history and facts about ADHD study and recognition in neuro-psychiatry and science.
  • Holly (book 3,5 of Belladonna), by Adalyn Grace -the Christmas themed bonus book in the Belladonna series, a cozy mystery kind of gathering of all the characters from the series in a Holiday celebration. Not usually my kind of a book, but I did enjoy spending some time with the crew!
  • The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald – the classic I finally decided to read since it’s referred to in so many books. It surprised me – I really enjoyed it! One of those I’m sure I wouldn’t have been able to appreciate as a younger reader. Now I found a lot of profound wisdom and insight in it, even if the story itself is not exactly uplifting.
  • The Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating (and Other War Crimes), by Tiffany Hunt – a truly delightful dark romantacy where every chapter title has a sideline in parenthesis (yes, I love that kind of stuff, along with footnotes and other sidenotes). Another enemies to lovers romantacy, where villainy is not black and heroism isn’t white. Second book coming in the spring – can’t hardly wait!
  • The City and its Uncertain Walls, by Haruki Murakami – a bit of a disappointment this one, in my opinion. A bit of a been there read that story, the themes a bit old and already exhausted, the writing too detailed and dragging on, like Murakami tried to artificially turn a 150 page novella into a 450 page novel.

Oct 5, Reading Dan Brown’s Secret of Secrets, where Langdon quotes the opening line of ”one of his favorite novels” which just so happens to be Dan Brown’s very first published book, Digital Fortress 😁 I love finding easter eggs in books 😂

Oct 9, I loved Stephanie Garber’s Caraval and Once Upon a Broken Heart series – such devious mysteries with clever twists and turns – and so I jumped in excited expectation when I first saw a post about her then upcoming adult fantasy debut Alchemy of Secrets.

The book dropped into my Kindle two days ago upon publishing and immediately cut in my TBR line. The book is awesome! I can only call it fantasy noir as my head keeps creating this film noir scenery and music as I read.

Oct 24, Holiday themed books aren’t my cuppa in general, but since I so loved Adalyn Grace’s Belladonna trilogy, I couldn’t pass Holly, the bonus book 3.5. It’s a truly Christmasy story, sweet and cutesie cozy kind of mystery with plenty of Holiday spirit – among other spirits. Still not something I would read more of, but I did enjoy this story a lot 🥰 Also, the holly-garland growing throughout the book and the manga style illustrations made it a special kind of a treat!

Oct 25, If you’re gonna read a classic you’re not sure you’ll like, you might as well do it in style 😉 The Great Gatsby (by F. Scott Fitzgerald) is quoted and referred to in so many other books that I finally became curious enough to want to read it – and for me that means acquiring it in one form or another – so I bought this beautiful painted edition, and today, I read it.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the book! I have a more or maybe less warranted caution for classics; so many have bored me to no end. Gatsby, I truly enjoyed. And it amused me that he had a grumpy Finnish maid-whatever 😄

“…a sense of the fundamental decencies is parcelled out unequally at birth.” — “The rich get richer, the poor – get children” — “Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead.”

Oct 31, Finished Murakami’s The City and its Uncertain Walls today. It was, in a way, Norwegian Wood all over again, but twice as long and magical, though apparently the story is old (novella from 1980) and the novel here is a rework of that. Be as it may, it was too long for the story itself, and I found myself rather bored halfway through, at which point I switched to speed-reading. The story picked up again at the very end when everything became fully confusing.

So, not the best of Murakami, not even close. Lacking the intellectual intrigue while repeating themes from other books (or maybe they repeat themes from this one? whatever). Actually, there are certain topics or themes that seem to be present one way or the other in all of his books, or at least most in most or so. Parallel/intertwining universes/realities, lost love from the youth, people’s shadows or lack of or being separated from, mental issues and/or autistic traits through trauma or by birth. This book had it all, but unfortunately the execution got a bit long-winded and reading a bit tedious.

September reads, 2025

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September was a month with one birthday party (and baking for it) and one Sunday spent fully with my (adult) kids, a bit of shopping, eating and a concert in the evening. A regular reading month, though “only” 11 books, but some rather long ones in the mix, like Murakami’s Kafka and 1Q84 books 1-2 (one volume).

  • Midnight in Everwood, by M. A. Kuzniar – a retelling of Nutcracker, quite enjoyable, while maybe not exquisite
  • A Dark and Secret Magic, by Wallis Kinney – witches and warlocks, secrets and danger, love and courage, the perfect mix for a rather perfect book
  • Kafka on the Shore, by Haruki Murakami – maybe Murakami’s best known book, been in my library for some years, waiting for me to be in the mood. Great read, with its parallel universes kind of magical realism that only slightly twists the brain, but not too much
  • The Queens of Renthia trilogy: Queen of Blood, The Reluctant Queen, The Queen of Sorrow, by Sarah Beth Durst – where the spirits are torn between wanting to build and wanting to kill humans, only a powerful queen can keep them in control. A story with tragedy, love, hope, and deception. Loved it💜
  • 1984, by George Orwell – I was surprised by how much I liked this despite my prejudices. Excellent book about politics, power greed and human psychology
  • The Witch is Back, by Sophie H. Morgan – first of a series, a witchy romance. Cozy sweet read.
  • 1Q84 books 1-2 and book 3, by Haruki Murakami – inspired by 1984, though the connection is very loose. Magical realism, the best of Murakami in my opinion, excellently woven parallel stories with just a bit of mind twisting and suspence
  • Accomplice to the Villain, by Hannah Nicole Maehrer – just can’t get enough of Evie, Trystan et al! The mystery of the prophesy unravels slowly, as does the romance between Evie and Trystan, but there is more deception and destruction to come! One more (at least, you never know with these nincompoops, as the author stated) book to come, need to wait a year for it 😭

Sept. 13, I’m halfway through George Orwell’s 1984. I don’t exactly know how I avoided it in school, but I did, and it really never interested me; I was sure it would just infuriate and disgust me so I’ve been avoiding it until now. I’ve had a copy in my library for some years now, though, and the reason I’m reading it now is the reason I bought it to begin with: Murakami’s 1Q84, which is now next up on my TBR. So gotta read 1984 first.

I’m actually finding it an intriguing read. It resonates but is sufficiently distanced from reality that it reads like any dystopia, no more sinister than that even though a whole lot of the stuff IS reality to some extent. I found myself thinking that e.g. the Cancel Culture people should read it – but then immediately thought, just like Winston: they wouldn’t listen to him. I can relate to Winston in his musings on many levels, and he puts my ultimate feeling in words with the notion: “I understand HOW: I do not understand WHY.”

I think I wouldn’t have known how to appreciate the book when I was young. I think it’s better I didn’t get to it until I had a few more years behind me.

Sept. 20, At the end of 1984, I still did not understand the WHY. “Power” as a “why” makes zero sense to me. Anyway, it surprised me a bit how much I liked the book, despite my heavy prejudices. Those prejudices had leaked somewhat to my expectation of Murakami’s 1Q84, due to the connection, but at least that slate was wiped clean, then. I had put off reading 1Q84 for twofold reasons, fueled by its 1984 connection: 1) I “needed” to read 1984 first, 2) it’s long and what if I can’t stand it? I hate to DNF books.

Well, now I’ve finished book 1 of 3, and I have to say it is probably my favorite work of Murakami’s. The parallel universe twist is subtle enough to tickle the brain while not fully twisting it, the two stories are being woven together masterfully, one tiny strand at a time, and it is highly intellectual and intelligent, a real treat to one’s mind. The connection to 1984 is more inspirational than a real connection, but having read it, helps understand many of 1Q84’s nuances that might otherwise be lost on the reader.

As it goes, I select the books I read at any given time purely by mood, current interest, feeling, inspiration – and it pays off to listen to that and not try to push. Time was ripe for these two works now, and I am fully enjoying my experience!

Sept. 27, ”Someone once said unless you have those kind of opportunities [being in jail or having to hide out for a long time], you can’t read the whole of Proust.” – 1Q84, book3 (Haruki Murakami)

Well, I’ve certainly never even looked at Proust, doubt I ever will, but I definitely am enjoying these 3 books of 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami.