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.
historical fiction
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.
Not for the Faint of Heart by Lex Croucher | book review
This, unfortunately, did not quite live up to my expectations. It was a good time and a fun read, but it was nothing to write home about. The humour was very forced and over the top, which I found distracted me and repeatedly brought me out of the story.
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks | book review
Straight onto my all-time favourites shelf this goes! I shouldn't have expected anything less from Brooks. Truth be told, I'd had this on my shelf for a long time and had completely forgotten about it. But you know what? I'm so glad I did, because that meant instead of reading it when I first bought it, I've now had the pleasure of reading this post-Covid.
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.
The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan | book review
This was a very interesting book to read and I've had to have a long think after finishing it to work out how to sum up my thoughts. The short of it, is that this is extremely talented writing and very captivating tale, but one that has quite a soft ending.
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.
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke | book review
This was certainly an interesting read, and a great one for provoking some good discussions. It's also a hard one to review while keeping spoiler free, so I'm going to be somewhat vague. Ultimately, this was a gripping read – almost like a mystery – that had you hating the protagonist in a good way, and feeling desperate to understand what is going on. This book really keeps you in the dark, even when you think you might have figured out what's what.
The Tournament by Matthew Reilly | book review
I really shouldn't be at all surprised that yet another Matthew Reilly has crept onto my favourites list. I adored this, sordid moments and all. This is an atmospheric delight as we romp through history in the midst of a thrilling mystery.
