I'm beginning to think this is going to be one of those series where I can't help but rate every instalment five stars. I am just LOVING this. Dragons and history are truly a match made in heaven. Plus, this had double the amount of action in it that I was expecting, after the voyage-heavy plot of book two.
fantasy
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle | book review
This was thoroughly delightful to read. I knew going into this, that it's a 1960s classic and a well-loved piece of fantasy, so I had reasonably high expectations. I'm very pleased to say that they were met, and the one takeaway I had from this book, was how beautifully written it was.
October 2026 Book Releases
I might be somewhat slow off the mark with this month's releases that I'm excited about, but I'm here! I apologise for missing severals months, time got away from me while I had my nose in many books.
Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik | book review
Raise your hand if you're absolutely loving this series! *raises all the hands* Despite vast stretches of this book leading to the comment "will they ever get off this boat?", I found this super enjoyable and I cannot get enough Temeraire in my life.
His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik | book review
Well, this was absolutely delightful. I was a little uncertain if this was going to live up to expectations based on the first few chapters, but I soon got into the rhythm of the writing and was swept away on what quickly became a wonderful adventure.
Magic Kingdom for Sale/Sold by Terry Brooks | book review
Shame on me for not reading this sooner. And shame on you for not having this on your radar if you don't. This was both hilarious and a masterpiece, and not at all what I expected. I had originally picked this up on a bit of a whim; I trust that Brooks will write a great fantasy novel, but that title? Surely, this is not taking itself seriously and is going to be a bit silly. I was not expecting this to be anything to write home about. But reader, fetch me my parchment!
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab | book review
This was in some ways everything that I expected, and in other ways, something of a let down. I was really excited for some dark and mysterious vampires written by Schwab. She certainly delivered on the vampire front and with some exceptional writing that lifted the characters off the page. But this book had a meandering plot, that was hardcore on the "meh" side of things.
The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst | book review
This was very sweet and everything I've come to expect from Sarah Beth Durst. Having read The Spellshop, I picked this up in the expectation that this would be a great cosy read – something to really sink into and enjoy the magical atmosphere of; and I wasn't wrong.
The King of the Crags by Stephen Deas | book review
I'm pleased to say that this didn't disappoint following on from the first book - plenty of dragon chaos ensued! I'm still really enjoying this world and the devilish politics going on. There was certainly some interesting character development happening, and I'm no closer to really understanding where I stand with Jehal.
The Adamantine Palace by Stephen Deas | book review
Gosh, I absolutely adored this. I've had this book on my shelf for the longest of times and have been so hesitant to pick it up because the average rating on Goodreads just isn't that great. Because, excuse me, this is brilliant? I don't know how this isn't on everyone's list for dragon-loving fantasy readers.
