Reading theme 2026!

 Hi Book Friends!

 2026 is coming in hot for all of us. 

New York City. Blizzard of: street scene during blizzard. , ca. 1888. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2007678801/.

Or cold, as the case may be. 

It's time for me to pick a new reading theme. I enjoyed my Water reading thing and because of it, I read a lot of books about the ocean, rivers and water in general. I also read a lot of books with water/rivers/ponds and lakes in the title that turned out to really not be about water. Despite that, I feel that I did discover authors that I would not have explored were it not for the water theme.  So- I'm going to do a new theme for 2026. 

   In the past I've done pirates, monsters and water. 

For 2026... I'm thinking 

Outer Space,

Bones ( not the TV show kind, but definitely forsensic kind as well as the poetic kind), or

Music. 

It's going to be hard to choose. For most of 2025 I was sure it would be outer space, but here at the end, I have been fascinated by the amount of "bone books" out there, and love the idea of music as a theme, so I'm now a bit torn. 

Does anyone else use a theme for each year? 

Book review: The Poet Empress By Shen Tao

 

   I am so appreciative of Macmillan audio for the Advanced listener copy of The Poet Empress! 

I give this one 5 stars! 

         This is an original dark fantasy that draws on ancient Chinese history - particularly court politics and poetic traditions - while telling a fictional story of Wei- a daughter of rice farmers, and a particularly cruel prince- Terran.  Wei enters the court almost by accident and is chosen by Terran to be his wife. Power plays, intrigue and desperation abound in the Azalea court, and Wei- raised far outside of this arena must rely on her wits, to position herself to succeed and stay alive. Magic abounds in the Azalea court, with poetic blessings that can change the world.  What is to become of Wei, Prince Terran, the court and the nation as a whole?  Set in a time of change, you'll want to read - or listen - to find out!  I enjoyed the personal relations, the action, court politics, and overall arc of the story. It is a rare instance where the characters are so well developed that I found myself rooting for  BOTH the Hero/heroine and the villain in the story as each layer of development was peeled back through the novel.  The novel allows a reader to explore what makes a person "morally good" or not and the effects of the sum of our experiences on their future actions and choices.  A great book for certain book clubs, because there is a lot to unpack and discuss.

The story takes quite a few dark and unpredictable turns (Check those trigger warnings), which were heartbreaking and brought up all the emotions.  I especially enjoyed the conclusion which was, again, unexpected, but perfection for this reader. I loved that it did not conclude with the ending I expected! 

 This book is not suitable for all audiences due to some of the very heavy content.  It will be important to review for potential triggers prior to cracking that spine or putting on your headphones. 

In short, this was an excellent combination of historical elements, ghostly influences, and magic. It is an excellent book for those who enjoy Dark Romantasy but want something that doesn't follow the usual storyline.  I'm not going to lie, this is a book that literally made me cry in rush hour traffic. I found it was hard to put down and finished it off in record time.  Eric Yang and Katharine Chin were the narrators and voiced the novel perfectly.  I felt entirely immersed in the story through the audiobook and was never distracted by the narration.  

STATS

First Published: Coming January 2026

Pages: 400 pages

Available as an Audio Book : YES  (~ 15 hours) 

Trigger Warnings:  violence, grief, murder, war violence, death, near death, body injury, food insecurity, classism, Child abuse.

(this is not a full list, read responsibly) 

Book Review: The Sea Captain's wife, by Tilar Mazzeo

     I did not finish this in time for Non-Fiction November, but I have to say this is a good one, and it's release in early December, makes it a great choice for a reader on your list, as it's unlikely they will have already read it! 

Firstly,  the cover is really beautiful and encompasses the narrative so well. 

    This book falls into the category of non-fiction that reads like fiction.

   Mazzeo explores the life of Mary Ann Patten, and her husband Joshua. Mary Ann married young, and adventurously traveled with her sea captain husband on his clipper ship in the 1850's.  They were bold, and brave and had their entire live ahead of them as they undertook a voyage on the Neptune's Car. 

Currier& Ives. Clipper  ship Three Brothers,tons: The largest sailing ship in the world. , 1875. [New York: Currier & Ives] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/90716156/.

On this voyage, Joshua fell gravely ill, and Mary Ann took over as Captain and navigator all while putting down an attempted mutiny. 

She nursed her very ill husband, and brought the ship safely to the San Francisco harbor looking well and ship-shape. Women captaining ships was not the norm at that time, and this afforded Mary Ann some instant celebrity. 

   After a somewhat lacklustre opening which was maybe too heavy on details we jump right into this story of peril and persistence and it held my attention right to the very end. 

In constructing this book, Mazzeo relied on both maritime journals, and her own expedition of the route Mary Ann followed. Mazzeo freely shares when records were slim, and where some of the narrative relies on customs of the time, rather than exact documented events, making this account feel authentic and real- as we all know that even someone who kept a faithful journal would not enter every detail of their lives. The author brings in the historical context of the Gold Rush, traditional sea-faring, and the politics of the day in a way that supports Mary Ann's history and adds a depth to the narrative that is very satisfying, but still easy to read. 

  It's one of the few non-fiction books that had me shedding a few tears here and there. Well worth a read and an EXCELLENT book club choice. 

   I was extremely fortunate to have both the e-arc and then an audiobook version of the book, and I will say I really enjoyed the audiobook. The book was narrated by Laurence Bouvard who did a smooth clear narration that did not distract from the story. In fact I could see the waves crashing over the ship, and sense Mary Ann's exhaustion at various points in the narration! It does seem to me that I always read some really fine books right at the end of the year, and this one, is definitely one for the year! Loved it and recommend it! 

STATS

First Published :December 2025

Pages: 288

Available as an Audio Book : Yes!

Trigger Warnings: violence, death, disease, 

Not a full list - please read responsibly.

    

November Reading Wrap Up!

  November has been a month of complete and utter chaos. 

Mid Month, I started a new job. I went part time at my old job , but it seems they may have a different idea of part time. So I've been...working a lot. Work is good. 

My grad total for November- 14 books.  A fairly light month. 

TO be fair, I DNF'd a lot of books, and started a few and just havent finished them. 

 So lets see how things stacked up!

 Books in Translation:  2/14 ~ 14%  Neither one was a favorite.  Alas.  Both did expose me to different perspectives. 

Books by Diverse Authors: 4/14 ~ 29%  Probably could have been more. I slipped into some monster romance, why choose- and to be honest, I don't know much about those authors- many using a pen name/alternate identity.  

Favorite Read of the month?

 Hands Down Artifact Space by Miles Cameron. 

A book that deserves an honorable mention: Sanora Babb's An Owl on Every Post.  It should be more widely read. 

What was your favorite from November? 

 

Book Review: Broken Souls and Bones by LJ Andrews

  Many Thanks to Net Galley and  ACE publishing for a reader copy of Broken Souls and Bones by LJ Andrews. 

LJ Andrews is well known in the romantasy world -  She's published a number of books independently and Broken Souls was picked up by Ace, a division of Penguin.  I personally had never read any of her novels, so when we saw this on Net Galley, my reading buddy and I both were granted a copy and did a buddy read. 

 Interestingly, i chose it because I thought it would something my buddy would just be all about, in the end, it was me who liked this book better!

NO SPOILER review-  BECAUSE SPOILERS ARE THE WORST! 

This is a romantasy inspired by Norse mythology and customs. 

Lyra has been stolen from her people, and hidden away as she possesses a certain magic that's prized above all others. She doesn't know about it or how it works, she just knows she needs to remain hidden.  She serves in the household of a Jarl and disguises tell tale markings with a special dye. All goes well until she's discovered in a raid and taken - along with her steadfast friend and protector - to a frightening kingdom. There, she learns to practice her craft, and finds herself strangely attracted and repelled by a guard who only speaks with his hands.  As time passes, raids on the area increase and tensions rise within the settlement. Lyra is forced to face who she is and could become, and to address her growing feelings for the guard. 

 For me personally, I enjoyed the story- it has a slow burn build up to a very frenzied last few chapters where much is revealed. There were some very satisfying moments where some truly terrible characters get their due. I'm definitely interested in reading book two.  My friend pointed out that it's also available as an audiobook, and I listened to a bit of it, and really loved the narrators. 

   If you like romantasy and haven't picked this one up- I'm sure it would be for you, it's got all the tropes we love- secret identities, forbidden love, a unique and easy to understand magic system that's rooted in Norse myth/practice, and a main man who will burn the world for his love. 

STATS

First Published :April, 2025

Pages: 480

Available as an Audio Book : Yes!

Trigger Warnings: violence, blood, bullying, Non-traditional relationships, on page sex.

Not a full list - please read responsibly.

Book Reivew Unmarked & Unbonded by Lolu Sinclair

  Many Thanks To Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review Unmarked & Unbonded:  Bonds of Silence Book 1. 

    I loved the cover. 

 I definitely wanted to explore that as soon as I saw it. When I saw it was a Why Choose SCI FI, I thought that this was a read for me. 

With no spoilers- let me attempt a summary. 

   Our main character Rienna Vale, has grown up in a society that seems controlled by rhythms and frequencies. Upon coming of age, folks attend  a temple ceremony and hope to find their one bonded love. Marks appear on wrists and people are sure and secure in these connections. Rienna, of course, must go against this and become one who is unmarked and unbonded. She's not against love, but she wants to choose it for herself.  She gets by doing various jobs, and continues her life as a misfit until a strange occurrence in the desert allows not one, but three bond marks to appear on her skin. Rienna isn't ready for that, and seeks answers. As she seeks, she gathers her three soulmates (a rebel, a scientist and a solider)  and together they work to find a place and situation that will work for all four. 

   I loved the concept. I did not totally love the book.  This story has good bones, dare I say - excellent bones.  It unfortunately lacks the detail that I crave in this type of a novel. The world building is sparse so readers are left to fill in the blanks, which might be alright, but I found that I needed just a few more details about this world that we're drawn into. Is this a future earth? Another planet? Is it all a glass desert? Why is the Sanctum chasing after this one human woman, is she a threat to their way of life, or is the Sanctum just sort of cruel? What kind of end goal is there?  What about the frequencies and rhythms? Are they set up by the gods or coding or?  Is it all some fancy math? 

This could be an excellent Sci-Fi Why Choose with a bit more world building and back story, as it was, I didn't feel a strong pull to any characters in general and in the end, didn't care that much about their future.  In general, the tale was told as if we had some background information that readers definitely do not have. 

    I didn't dislike it though, I just felt like I was missing some key element.  Frankly, i read this one with my own eyeballs, and that should say a lot as I'm more prone to choose an audiobook these days. 

 I liked the writing very much, Sinclair has a way of making analogies that really grab a reader and avoid being trite. I also liked that the author brings in math and physics with frequencies and harmonics, I just wish I had a teeny bit more understanding of those pieces!  I will likely read book two as it ended with very little resolution and I want some resolution! 

So in conclusion, this is an interesting Why Choose, with lots of room left to imagine and dream.  If you like why choose, science-magic systems and are comfortable with filling in your own details, this could be a winner!  

STATS

First Published : December 2, 2025

Pages: 210

Available as an Audio Book : not currently

Trigger Warnings: violence, blood, religion, bullying,  Non-traditional relationships, on page sex, alcohol use. 

Book Review: Artifact Space By Miles Cameron

   Friends.  I am obsessed with this novel. 

 I received an E-Arc from Saga press, as they are re-releasing this novel with a new cover in January 2026. This was originally published in 2021 through Gollancz. I had not heard of this one, which really isn't all that surprising as there are so many books published each  year! Click HERE for a map of books published each year. 

     I finished this novel about 2 weeks ago and I continue to think about the characters, and wonder what's coming in the next installment. 

 As always, you can count on me for a spoiler free discussion!  This is a adventurous space opera romp through the stars!  Our main character is Marca Nbaro. Her story begins- as so many stories do- at an orphanage. Nbaro is determined to overcome her start in life, and also some self imposed hiccups along the way. With gumption and wit (and a slew of forged credentials) she joins the crew of a greatship and becomes a bit of a hotshot pilot. Along the way she forges relationships that sometimes get a little messy, has some hair-raising adventures, and finds her people. And it's good that she does, because peril awaits. 

    What I found so interesting about this novel is that, for me, it sits right in-between super hard Sci-fi and a softer Sci-fi.   

Hard Sci-fi focused on scientific accuracy and often spends quite a bit of time discussing the details of space travel, light years and concepts rooted in physics, chemistry and astronomy- and basic calculus.  Soft Sci- fi of course focuses  more on ideas, and concepts. Then there is squishy soft sci-fi  which really just uses outer space as a setting. I honestly like it all.

Artifact Space has a compelling character focused narrative, but also employs details about different gravities, problems with the Space Time continuum and ideas about how Space Warfare occurs given different modes/speeds of space travel.  Cameron gives just enough detail about protective suiting, time differences and various gravities, while focusing on a character driven narrative.

 This novel will appeal to those who love Star Trek and Deep Space Nine, and likely also those who are fans of S. A Corey and John Scalzi. 

 For me Marca Nbaro as a character was maybe a bit too relatable at the start, which made me QUITE attached, and I actually had a few moments where I found myself reading and holding my breath- which wasn't a great combo! There are elements of romance, but they are, maybe not the best parts of the book.... 

I'm loving the new cover design which reflects the character driven aspect of the novel, and I cannot wait to pick up the Deep Black! 

5 Stars! 

STATS

First Published: 2021  Re-Release January 2026!

Pages: 576

Available as an Audio Book : I have not found an audio version YET. 

Trigger Warnings:  violence, grief, murder, war violence, death, near death,body injury, food insecurity, classism. 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)