I do this post every year. Every year I look back at how hopeful I was, how excited I was to get to all these books and every year I disappoint myself hahaha. Let’s look at what I did manage to read from my 2024 list. Now 11/24 ain’t bad.
Another season is upon us. I love winter until January 2nd. After that I want Spring to arrive straight away. Once Christmas and the hype of the new year has died away then I want Spring to sweep me up and away from the cold and the damp. But to make the winter time a bit easier here are some recommendations that I think work well with the season.
Title: Murder at Holly House
Author: Denzil Meyrick
Series: Inspector Frank Grasby #1
Format: Paperback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Historical Mystery
Plot: A village of secrets. It’s December 1952, and a dead stranger has been found lodged up the chimney of Holly House in the remote town of Elderby. Is he a simple thief, or a would-be killer? Either way, he wasn’t on anyone’s Christmas wish list. A mystery that can’t be solved. Inspector Frank Grasby is ordered to investigate. The victim of some unfortunate misunderstandings, he hopes this case will help clear his name. But as is often the way for Grasby, things most certainly don’t go according to plan. A Christmas to remember. Soon blizzards hit the North York Moors, cutting off the village from help, and the local doctor’s husband is found murdered. Grasby begins to realise that everyone in Elderby is hiding something – and if he can’t uncover the truth soon, the whole country will pay a dreadful price…
Title: Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone
Author: Benjamin Stevenson
Series: Ernest Cunningham #1
Format: Paperback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Murder Mystery
Plot: I was dreading the Cunningham family reunion even before the first murder. Before the storm stranded us at the mountain resort, snow and bodies piling up. The thing is, us Cunninghams don’t really get along. We’ve only got one thing in common- we’ve all killed someone. My brother, my step-sister, my wife, my father, my mother, my sister-in-law, my uncle, my step-father, my aunt. Even me. When they find the first body in the snow, it’s clear that only a Cunningham could have committed the crime – and it’s up to me to prove it.
Title: The Bear and the Nightingale
Author: Katherine Arden
Series: The Winternight Trilogy #1
Format: Paperback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Plot: At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn’t mind–she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil. After Vasilisa’s mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa’s new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows. And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa’s stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent. As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed–this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse’s most frightening tales.
Title: The Christmas Swap
Author: Talia Samuels
Series: Standalone
Format: Paperback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Romance
Plot:Margot Murray is a newly single, high-flying businesswoman with no interest in a cutesy seasonal romance. Ben Gibson is an unlucky-in-love sweetheart in need of a woman to bring home for the holidays. Together, they make a pact: Margot gets two blissful weeks away from London in a picture-perfect manor, in exchange for posing as Ben’s girlfriend. The story can only go one way. Margot is sure to fall in love for real. And she does. With Ben’s sister, Ellie.
Ok so we have OFFICIALLY started the End of Year and New Year posts. MY FAVOURITE TIME OF YEAR and what a great way to start! Today I will be talking about the 25 Books I Want to Read in 2025.
October is officially over and I must say that I actually put in the effort into reading spooky books for this month. I have spent the year trying to steer away from themes but I can’t not read spooky books in October. Anyway let’s jump into my thoughts.
Now I RARELY dnf Christie books. I just tend to really enjoy her work but this book just dragged on for ages with barely plot and just a character meandering around and I hated his internal dialogue. I did google the plot and I guessed the twist so while I probably would have enjoyed the ending and the reveal it just took forever to get there. Literally, I had read 90 pages and it was no closer to a single dead body.
This was a weird book to rate as on one hand I felt that the plot overall was interesting but I felt that the writing and the plot structure was lacklustre. I found the beginning to be really slow to get into and the ending to feel abrupt and underdeveloped. But I really enjoyed the middle and I like the characters. So it was more of a middle of the road experience.
Now this was a horror book! I loved the setting of this book, rural American town where nothing happens but attending church, spooky woods, scary cult like leader. I am sat! The trans rep in this as well as the discussions of body autonomy, safe sex was a breath of fresh air compared to the oppressive environment out main character finds himself in. I like the mystery and I could easily read more books of our MC going to various backwater towns and looking after townspeople. I enjoyed the body horror element as well.
I am not sure really how to review this book as it’s very subjective to each individual but I had a great time getting into the mind of these women. Some of them made me laugh, cry or just sit and contemplate my life!
I had the absolute honour to interview Lucy Jane Wood at my bookstore’s final event for 2024. It was a great way to end the year and I had an amazing time. Thankfully, I loved this book with my entire heart. I loved the cosiness of it, the characters, the relationships, the way magic system was super fun, the plot went down a road I actually didn’t expect which was great. I can’t wait to see what this author does next.
Mr Clark is up there with authors that just don’t disappoint! Every single book he has written has been incredible and this book was no exception. Amazing characters, tear-jerking moments, action-packed and twisty plot. I just love a good P Djèlí Clark book!
Now, I love reading a book that gets the cogs turning. I like feeling that my brain is getting a work out. My goal next year is to read more fantasy and sci-fi books that really get me thinking and this book was one of those inspirations. The plot, the characters, the world-building, the way gender is used and how different cultures are represented, discussions of colonialism made for an incredibly interesting read!
Another year, another plea for more book to video game adaptations! I beg of you! Here I thought I would recommend some more books that would be perfect options for adaptations!
Another year, another round of halloween recommendations!
Title: The Hacienda
Author: Isabel Cañas
Series: Standalone
Format: Hardback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Historical Horror
Plot: In the overthrow of the Mexican government, Beatriz’s father is executed and her home destroyed. When handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes, Beatriz ignores the rumors surrounding his first wife’s sudden demise, choosing instead to seize the security his estate in the countryside provides. She will have her own home again, no matter the cost. But Hacienda San Isidro is not the sanctuary she imagined. When Rodolfo returns to work in the capital, visions and voices invade Beatriz’s sleep. The weight of invisible eyes follows her every move. Rodolfo’s sister, Juana, scoffs at Beatriz’s fears—but why does she refuse to enter the house at night? Why does the cook burn copal incense at the edge of the kitchen and mark its doorway with strange symbols? What really happened to the first Doña Solórzano? Beatriz only knows two things for certain: Something is wrong with the hacienda. And no one there will help her. Desperate for help, she clings to the young priest, Padre Andrés, as an ally. No ordinary priest, Andrés will have to rely on his skills as a witch to fight off the malevolent presence haunting the hacienda and protect the woman for whom he feels a powerful, forbidden attraction. But even he might not be enough to battle the darkness. Far from a refuge, San Isidro may be Beatriz’s doom.
I recently read this for Halloween and omg the vibes are so intense and keep you on the edge of your seat!
Title: Escaping Mr. Rochester
Author: L.L. McKinney
Series: Standalone
Format: Hardback
Age Rating: YA
Genre: Historical Fiction
Plot: Jane has no interest in a husband. Eager to make her own way in the world, she accepts the governess position at Thornfield Hall. Though her new employer, Edward Rochester, has a charming air—not to mention a handsome face—Jane discovers that his smile can sharpen in an instant. Plagued by Edward’s mercurial mood and the strange wails that echo through the corridors, she grows suspicious of the secrets hidden within Thornfield Hall—unaware of the true horrors lurking above her very head. On the topmost floor, Bertha is trapped in more ways than one. After her whirlwind marriage to Edward turned into a nightmare, he locked her away as revenge for withholding her inheritance. Now his patience grows thin in the face of Bertha’s resilience and Jane’s persistent questions, and both young women are in more danger than they realize. When their only chance at safety—and perhaps something more—is in each other’s arms, can they find and keep one another safe before Edward’s dark machinations close in around them?
I have not actually read Jane Eyre before I read this book but omg it was so good.
Title: Before the Fact
Author: Francis Iles
Series: Standalone
Format: Paperback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Plot: With these opening words Before the Fact ushers the reader into the dark and experimental world of Frances Iles’ crime fiction. In this classic novel first published in 1932, Iles flips the traditional mystery model of the crime genre to delve into the psychology, fears and motives of Lina as she navigates a life with her disquieting yet charismatic husband Johnnie – and the mounting peril of his murderous intentions.
Probably one of the best psychological thrillers out there. This book will have you screaming and running around due to stress.
Title: The Ferryman
Author: Justin Cronin
Series: Standalone
Format: Hardback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Sci-Fi
Plot: Founded by a mysterious genius, the archipelago of Prospera lies hidden from the horrors of a deteriorating outside world. In this island paradise, Prospera’s lucky citizens enjoy long, fulfilling lives until the monitors embedded in their forearms, meant to measure their physical health and psychological well-being, fall below 10 percent. Then they retire themselves, embarking on a ferry ride to the island known as the Nursery, where their failing bodies are renewed, their memories are wiped clean, and they are readied to restart life afresh. Proctor Bennett, of the Department of Social Contracts, has a satisfying career as a ferryman, gently shepherding people through the retirement process–and, when necessary, enforcing it. But all is not well with Proctor. For one thing, he’s been dreaming–which is supposed to be impossible in Prospera. For another, his monitor percentage has begun to drop alarmingly fast. And then comes the day he is summoned to retire his own father, who gives him a disturbing and cryptic message before being wrestled onto the ferry. Meanwhile, something is stirring. The Support Staff, ordinary men and women who provide the labor to keep Prospera running, have begun to question their place in the social order. Unrest is building, and there are rumors spreading of a resistance group–known as “Arrivalists”–who may be fomenting revolution. Soon Proctor finds himself questioning everything he once believed, entangled with a much bigger cause than he realized–and on a desperate mission to uncover the truth.
It might seem weird to have a sci-fi book on this list but the atmosphere in this book is so tense and unsettling you have a constant feeling of something being off. Such a great reading experience!
Title: The Butcher of the Forest
Author: Premee Mohamed
Series: Standalone
Format: Hardback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Horror
Plot: At the northern edge of a land ruled by a monstrous, foreign tyrant lies the wild forest known as the Elmever. The villagers know better than to let their children go near—once someone goes in, they never come back out. No one knows the strange and terrifying traps of the Elmever better than Veris Thorn, the only person to ever rescue a child from the forest many years ago. When the Tyrant’s two young children go missing, Veris is commanded to enter the forest once more and bring them home safe. If Veris fails, the Tyrant will kill her; if she remains in the forest for longer than a day, she will be trapped forevermore. So Veris will travel deep into the Elmever to face traps, riddles, and monsters at the behest of another monster. One misstep will cost everything.
This was interesting but not exactly what I expected. It felt more of a beat for beat analysis of the characters Dench played and her thoughts on each scene. I expected more of a memoir with Dench reflecting on her time in the theatre, funny moments, things she had learnt, wisdom to pass on but I think all of that got lost by Dench just walking you through every single scene which got super repetitive. Which was a shame as she is so funny and incredibly smart and I wanted more personal anecdotes.
I have never read a nature writing book in my life and I have only read a small amount of current affairs books. I am frankly very new to reading non-fiction but this book was incredibly accessible, engaging, and emotive. I learned so much from these pages and it makes me want to go out and pick litter and go out and take in the countryside. I loved as well the action plan at the end of the book which left you feeling more hopeful than you probably felt when first reading the book as you realise how depleted and destroyed our countryside truly is.
I read this as per request by my friend Morgan and for the second month of my brand new SFF book group at work. This was such a visceral and vulnerable read with great characters, a juicy plot and an ending that just was the cherry on top of a very gory book. I love a book that tackles cult elements of christianity and I dare say this is one of the best post-apocalyptic YA books in the last 5 years!
Now if I wasn’t told ahead of reading this that the book actively lies and gaslights you I would have DNFd. While I enjoyed the book 100%, and I loved what it was doing, the first 2 thirds were a slog to get through. I keep having to remind myself that this was all on purpose but my god. I really like Harrow but she is character that needs a more charismatic side character to bounce off of. Watching Harrow walk around for like 300 pages was a bit of a drag. The last third though made it all worth it. I am never the kind of person to suggest sticking a book out and waiting for it to get better but this one is an exception.
To whoever comped this book as Mexican Gothic meets Rebecca I hope both sides of your pillow are cold at night. While definitely leaning more into the Rebecca side this beautiful and haunting tale set in rural Mexico took my breath away. Great atmosphere, intriguing plot and great chemistry between our two main characters. I will always recommend this book.
I have personally never read Jane Eyre but knew enough about the story to understand what was going on though I don’t feel that you need to know the story to enjoy this book. The stand-out elements from this novel are the two main characters, Jane and Bertha, and the way McKinney creates such a tense and unsettling atmosphere. Jane and Bertha are such realised and thought-out characters with multiple layers. They were kind-hearted, they STRESSED ME OUT, – specifically Jane and they had determination which I loved. The tension and atmosphere around Thornfield Hall were expected. Upon reading the blurb I knew what I was getting myself into… or so I thought. At times I found my heart racing, like I was watching a horror movie waiting for the killer to jump out, and I literally couldn’t take my eyes of the page. I felt the cold seeping in and I felt as a reader I was constantly ‘reading’ on eggshells. Perfect for this time of the year!
Officially the month of Halloween and I have tried to make my TBR reflect that!!
Upcoming Releases
Title: Ink Ribbon Red
Author: Alex Pavesi
Series: Standalone
Format: Paperback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Murder Mystery
Publication Date: 07/11
Halloween Vibe: Murder Mystery
Plot: A group of friends gather in a country house for a birthday party. At their host’s request, they each write a short mystery. They draw names from a hat: in each story, one of the group is the killer, and another the victim. Of course, when given such a task, it’s only natural to use what you know. Secrets. Grudges. Illicit love. It’s just that once you put it in a story, the secret is out. Oh, and just one more thing: this is a story that ends with a murder…
Title: The Last Hour Between Worlds
Author: Melissa Caruso
Series: The Echo Archives #1
Format: Paperback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Sci-Fi/Mystery
Publication Date: 19/11
Halloween Vibe: Murder Mystery
Plot: Kembral Thorne is spending a few hours away from her newborn, and she’s determined to enjoy the party no matter what. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work. She’s a member of the Guild of Hounds, after all, and she can’t help picking up the scent of trouble. She’s not the only one. Her professional and personal nemesis, notorious burglar Rika Nonesuch, is on the prowl. They quickly identify what’s causing the mayhem: a mysterious grandfather clock that sends them down an Echo every time it chimes. In each strange new layer of reality, time resets and a sinister figure appears to perform a blood-soaked ritual. As Kem and Rika fall into increasingly macabre versions of their city, they’ll need to rely on their wits – and each other – to unravel the secret of the clock and save their city.
Out Now!/Backlist
Title: Endless Night
Author: Agatha Christie
Series: Standalone
Format: Paperback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Halloween Vibe: Murder Mystery
Plot: Gipsy’s Acre was a truly beautiful upland site with views out to sea – and in Michael Rogers it stirred a child-like fantasy. There, amongst the dark fir trees, he planned to build a house, find a girl and live happily ever after. Yet, as he left the village, a shadow of menace hung over the land. For this was the place where accidents happened. Perhaps Michael should have heeded the locals’ warnings: ‘There’s no luck for them as meddles with Gipsy’s Acre.’ Michael Rogers is a man who is about to learn the true meaning of the old saying ‘In my end is my beginning.’
Title: Graveyard Shift
Author: M.L. Rio
Series: Standalone
Format: Hardback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Halloween Vibe: Supernatural Elements
Plot: Every night, in the college’s ancient cemetery, five people cross paths as they work the late shift: a bartender, a rideshare driver, a hotel receptionist, the steward of the derelict church that looms over them, and the editor-in-chief of the college paper, always in search of a story. One dark October evening in the defunct churchyard, they find a hole that wasn’t there before. A fresh, open grave where no grave should be. But who dug it, and for whom? Before they go their separate ways, the gravedigger returns. As they trail him through the night, they realize he may be the key to a string of strange happenings around town that have made headlines for the last few weeks—and that they may be closer to the mystery than they thought.
Title: The Korean Myths
Author: Heinz Insu Fenkel & Bella M. Dalton-Fenkel
Series: Standalone
Format: Hardback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Non-Fiction (Ancient History)
Halloween Vibe: Gods and Monsters
Synopsis: Korean myths are a living and evolving part of society, in both the North and South. With the export of Korean film across the globe, K-pop, fashion, K-dramas, literature and comics there is a growing desire to understand the folklore and mythical underpinnings of contemporary Korean Culture. Insu and Bella Fenkl bring together a wealth of knowledge of both the new and the old, the traditional and the modern to guide the reader through this fascinating history and help understand the people, their traditions and culture. From the Changsega (‘Song of Creation’) sung by shamans, to the gods, goddesses and monsters who inhabit the cosmos, including the god Mireuk, creator of the world, and the giant Grandma Mago, who was able to create mountains from the mud on her skirt, these myths have been disseminated for centuries and continue to resonate in popular culture today.
Title: The Woods All Black
Author: Lee Mandelo
Series: Standalone
Format: Hardback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Horror
Halloween Vibe: Horror
Plot: Leslie Bruin is assigned to the backwoods township of Spar Creek by the Frontier Nursing Service under its usual mandate: vaccinate the flock, birth babies, and weather the judgements of churchy locals who look at him and see a failed woman. Forged in the fires of the Western Front and reborn in the cafes of Paris, Leslie believes he can handle whatever is thrown at him – but Spar Creek holds a darkness beyond his nightmares. Something ugly festers within the local congregation, and its malice has focused on a young person they insist is an unruly tomboy who must be brought to heel. Violence is bubbling when Leslie arrives, ready to spill over, and he’ll have to act fast if he intends to be of use. But the hills enfolding Spar Creek have a mind of their own, and the woods are haunted in ways Leslie does not understand.
Title: Ring Shout
Author: P Djèlí Clark
Series: Standalone
Format: Hardback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Horror
Halloween Vibe: Demons
Plot: IN AMERICA, DEMONS WEAR WHITE HOODS. In 1915, The Birth of a Nation cast a spell across America, swelling the Klan’s ranks and drinking deep from the darkest thoughts of white folk. All across the nation they ride, spreading fear and violence among the vulnerable. They plan to bring Hell to Earth. But even Ku Kluxes can die. Standing in their way is Maryse Boudreaux and her fellow resistance fighters, a foul-mouthed sharpshooter and a Harlem Hellfighter. Armed with blade, bullet, and bomb, they hunt their hunters and send the Klan’s demons straight to Hell. But something awful’s brewing in Macon, and the war on Hell is about to heat up. Can Maryse stop the Klan before it ends the world?
Title: The Hacienda
Author: Isabel Cañas
Series: Standalone
Format: Hardback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Horror
Halloween Vibe: Horror
Plot: Hacienda San Isidro was meant to be Beatriz’s haven, her salvation from an oppressive life with her uncle and his vicious wife. When Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposed, Beatriz dreamed only of the security his estate in the countryside would provide, ignoring the rumors surrounding his first wife’s demise and his sinister allegiances. She will have her own home again, no matter the price. But the house has ideas of its own. Visions and voices claw at Beatriz, stealing her sleep, and the weight of invisible eyes follows her every move. Deep in her bones, Beatriz knows—something is wrong with San Isidro. Desperate for help, she turns to the young priest, Padre Andrés. Handsome and sympathetic, he seems like Beatriz’s only hope. But as their passions rise and the walls close in around Beatriz, the weight of secrets everyone is carrying may lead them all to their doom.
Title: Rewitched
Author: Lucy Jane Wood
Series: Standalone
Format: Hardback
Age Rating: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Halloween Vibe: Witches
Plot: Belladonna Blackthorn hasn’t lost her magical spark . . . but she hasn’t seen it in a while, either. Balancing work at her beloved Lunar Books with protecting it from her toxic boss, who’s running it into the ground, and all the while concealing her witchcraft from the non-wicches around her – Belle is burnt out. Perfecting the potential of her magic is the last thing on her mind. But when her 30th birthday brings a summons from her coven, and a trial that tests her worthiness as a witch, Belle risks losing her magic forever. With the month of October to fix things, and signs that dark forces may be working against her, Belle will need all the help she can get – from the women in her life, from an unlikely mentor figure, and even an (infuriatingly handsome) watchman who’s sworn to protect her . . .
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