There are so many mixed reviews for this, and I don't know what everyone is on about. This is totally awesome and I was completely absorbed from the first to the very last page.
Herc by Phoenicia Rogerson | book review
January 2026 Book Releases
It's a new year and a new opportunity to stuff our shelves full of heaps of amazing new books! Naturally. There are a serious number of exciting releases coming out this month, and I'm going to have a hard time reining myself in when I visit a bookstore. But let's take a look at some of the books on my radar.
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty | book review
This was so damn good. It has a slow start - that can't be denied. But it's so worth it. After the first half, this takes off and was nonstop - I was blown away by how epic this became.
Power Conspiracy by Pedro Urvi | book review
I'm impressed that at book number 9 in the series I'm still totally invested in these characters and what might happen to them next. But that being said, this was probably my least favourite of the series so far.
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton | book review
This is pretty much everything you want from a YA fantasy novel. It's buckets of fun and full of magic, awesome characters and adventure.
The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley | book review
I am thrilled to report that this lived up to my expectations and beyond. This is very much so a tongue-in-cheek romantasy (light on the romance) that is thoroughly enjoyable. It's full of sass, simmering with enemies-to-lovers expectations, and has some seriously fun magic/world-building.
The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin | book review
This was a brilliant and emotional historical fiction novel. Having read The Last Bookshop in London I had reasonably high expectations for this one, and I was not disappointed.
The Ill-Made Mute by Cecilia Dart-Thornton | book review
I have been thinking long and hard on this one, trying to work out how much I liked it and how much it felt like a slog.
The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman | book review
Naturally, this was every bit as enjoyable as its predecessors. I've started really looking forward to the interview at the end of the audiobook between Richard Osman and a special guest. It's a very fun way to reflect on the book right as you've finished it (though I must admit, having just said that, this was my least favourite interview - the interviewer covered a lot of the same ground as from book one's interview #awks and the audio quality was lowkey terrible? But I shall forgive).
Hover Car Racer by Matthew Reilly | book review
This was absolutely thrilling - 100% fun in all the ways you can expect from Matthew Reilly. I had been so curious as to whether this would live up to his usual standards, seeing as it is quite different to his norm. But this was completely addictive and totally unputdownable, just like all his other stuff.
Upside-Down Books 