Let’s see how many books from this haul I’ll actually read this year … and how many more will sneak onto my shelves while I pretend my TBR isn’t already its own piece of furniture.
The Silverblood Promise – James Logan
Lukan Gardova is a cardsharp, academy dropout, and – thanks to a duel that ended badly – the disgraced heir to an ancient noble house. His life consists of cheap wine, rigged card games and wondering how he might win back the life he threw away. When Lukan discovers that his estranged father has been murdered in strange circumstances, he finds fresh purpose. Deprived of his chance to make amends for his mistakes, he vows to unravel the mystery behind his father’s death. His search for answers leads him to Saphrona, fabled city of merchant princes, where anything can be bought if one has the coin. Lukan only seeks the truth, but instead he finds danger and secrets in every shadow.
The moment I first saw the cover of The Silverblood Promise, I was completely captivated. It immediately reminded me of The Lies of Locke Lamora, and when I saw that Scott Lynch himself had blurbed the book, my excitement soared even higher. However, as the buzz around the book grew, my enthusiasm waned a little. Many reviewers mentioned that it’s incredibly fast-paced—something I don’t typically enjoy in my reads. Despite this, I found myself standing in the bookstore, unable to resist the allure of that stunning cover. So here we are—I’ve got the book in hand and can’t wait to dive in. Fingers crossed it surprises me!
Prediction Rating: 3.5/5 Stars ★
Small Things Like These – Claire Keegan
It is 1985, in an Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal and timber merchant, faces into his busiest season. As he does the rounds, he feels the past rising up to meet him – and encounters the complicit silences of a people controlled by the Church.
I picked up Small Things Like These because I’ve been wanting to read a book by an Irish author for ages. After scouring the internet for recommendations, I stumbled across this one—and realized it’s incredibly hyped! The story feels like it carries a touch of melancholy, which is exactly what I was in the mood for. I’m curious to see what Irish literature has to offer and whether this little book lives up to its glowing reputation. Fingers crossed for a memorable read!
Prediction Rating: 4.5/5 Stars ★
A Botanical Daughter – Noah Medlock
It is an unusual thing, to live in a botanical garden. But Simon and Gregor are an unusual pair of gentlemen. Hidden away in their glass sanctuary from the disapproving tattle of Victorian London, they are free to follow their own interests. For Simon, this is taxidermy, while Gregors business is exotic plants his latest acquisition, a strange fungus, inspires a marvellous, dangerous experiment…
I’ve always been drawn to atmospheric books, and A Botanical Daughter promises just that. This one had been on my radar for a while, but I was hesitant to pick it up since I hadn’t come across many reviews. Then, during a visit to the bookstore, I spotted a staff recommendation card for it—and I was instantly sold! I have high hopes for this book, especially with its intriguing focus on plants and a gothic setting. It sounds like something fresh and unique, and I can’t wait to dive in.
Prediction Rating: 4/5 Stars ★
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld – Patricia A. McKillip
Sybel, the beautiful great-granddaughter of the wizard Heald, has grown up on Eld Mountain with only the fantastic beasts summoned there by wizardry as companions. She cares nothing for humans until, when she is 16, a baby is brought for her to raise, a baby who awakens emotions that she has never known before. But the baby is Tamlorn, the only son of King Drede, and, inevitably, Sybel becomes entangled in the human world of love, war and revenge – and only her beasts can save her from the ultimate destruction…
Who can resist a big red sale sticker? Certainly not me! That’s how I ended up with this classic fantasy novel in my hands. What really intrigued me, though, was the unique angle: the story revolves around a mother—or rather, a forced mother—which is such a rare perspective in fantasy literature. At just 200 pages, it’s short and feels like the perfect palate cleanser between longer series. I’ll admit, I haven’t read many older classics in the fantasy genre, so I’m approaching this one with cautious optimism. I’m keeping my expectations in check, but I’m curious to see how this story unfolds.
Prediction Rating: 3/5 Stars ★
Talonsister – Jen Williams
Leven has no memory of her life before she was a soldier. The process of turning her into a Herald – a magical killing machine – was traumatic enough that it wiped her mind clean. Now, with the war won and the Imperium satisfied, she finds herself unemployed and facing a bleak future. Her fellow Heralds are disappearing, and her own mind seems to be coming apart at the seams. Strange visions, memories she shouldn’t have, are resurfacing, and none of them make any sense. They show her Brittletain, the ancient and mysterious island that the Imperium was never able to tame. Leven resolves to go to this place of magic and warring queens, with the hope of finding who she really is. Envoy Kaeto has done a number of important little jobs for the Imperium, most of them nasty, all of them in the shadows. His newest assignment is to escort the bone-crafter Gynid Tyleigh as she travels across the Imperium – as the woman responsible for creating the Heralds, his employers owe her a great deal. But Tyleigh’s ambition alarms even Kaeto, and her conviction that she has found a new source of Titan bones, buried deep in the earth, could lead to another, even bloodier war. Ynis was raised by the griffins, and has never seen another human face. She lives wild, as they do, eating her meat raw and flying with her talon-sister, T’rook. The griffins fiercely protect their isolation – the piles of skulls that litter the mountains of Brittletain are testament to that – but the magic they guard will always make them a target for the greed of men. By choosing not to kill Ynis when she was just a baby, the griffins may have doomed themselves – because the girl’s past is coming for her, and it carries a lethal blade.
Griffins. Do I really need to say more?
Prediction Rating: 5/5 Stars ★
The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet – Becky Chambers
When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn’t expecting much. The ship, which has seen better days, offers her everything she could possibly want: a small, quiet spot to call home for a while, adventure in far-off corners of the galaxy, and distance from her troubled past.
But Rosemary gets more than she bargained for with the Wayfarer. The crew is a mishmash of species and personalities, from Sissix, the friendly reptillian pilot, to Kizzy and Jenks, the constantly sparring engineers who keep the ship running. Life on board is chaotic, but more or less peaceful – exactly what Rosemary wants.
Until the crew are offered the job of a lifetime: the chance to build a hyperspace tunnel to a distant planet. They’ll earn enough money to live comfortably for years… if they survive the long trip through war-torn interstellar space without endangering any of the fragile alliances that keep the galaxy peaceful.
But Rosemary isn’t the only person on board with secrets to hide, and the crew will soon discover that space may be vast, but spaceships are very small indeed.
I know this book is incredibly beloved—not just by sci-fi/fantasy enthusiasts but also by readers outside the genre. It feels like one of those cozy stories that existed long before the “cozy” trend became a thing. What I’m looking for here is a simple, heartwarming tale with great characters and not too much drama. From everything I’ve heard, this seems like the perfect book to unwind with, though it might carry a touch of melancholy as well. I have really high expectations for this one and wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out to be a 5-star read for me. Fingers crossed!
Prediction Rating: 5/5 Stars ★
The Ember Blade – Chris Wooding
Empires rise, civilisations fall and one culture comes to subsume another. It’s the way of the world . . . sometimes ways of life are improved, sometimes they are not. But the progression of change is huge and – usually – unstoppable. In this story, the Ossian way of life is fading and the Dachen way is taking its place and Aren is comfortable with that. Even when his parents are accused of treason he supports the establishment and maintains there’s been some mistake . . . which is all it takes to get himself and his best friend arrested . . . Thrown into a prison mine they plan their escape – only to be overtaken by events when they’re rescued, and promptly find themselves in the middle of an ambush. By the time they’ve escaped, they’re unavoidably linked to Garric – their unwelcome saviour – and his quest to overturn to Dachen way of life. If they leave Garric now, they’ll be arrested or killed by their pursuers. If they turn him in, Garric will kill them. If they stay with him, they’ll be abetting a murderous quest they don’t believe in. There are no good options – but Aren will still have to choose a path . . . Designed to return to classic fantasy adventures and values, from a modern perspective, this is a fast-moving coming-of-age trilogy featuring a strong cast of diverse characters, brilliant set-pieces and a strong character and plot driven story.
I’m always on the lookout for true high fantasy stories—ones with endless descriptions, overflowing with clichés like the Chosen One, the humble farmer boy, and everything else that makes the genre feel timeless. Basically, I want something that gives me the same vibes as The Dragonbone Chair. What makes The Ember Blade even more intriguing is that the author has a background in writing for video games, which adds an exciting layer of depth and creativity to the world-building. I can’t wait to dive into this one and see if it scratches that epic fantasy itch!
Prediction Rating: 4.5/5 Stars ★
When Among Crows – Veronica Roth
Step into a city where monsters feast on human emotions, knights split their souls to make their weapons, and witches always take more than they give. Pain is Dymitr’s calling. To slay the monsters he’s been raised to kill, he had to split his soul in half to make a sword from his own spine. Every time he draws it, he gets blood on his hands. Pain is Ala’s inheritance. When her mother died, a family curse to witness horrors committed by the Holy Order was passed onto her. The curse will claim her life, as it did her mother’s, unless she can find a cure. One fateful night in Chicago, Dymitr comes to Ala with a her help in finding the legendary witch Baba Jaga in exchange for an enchanted flower that just might cure her. Desperate, and unaware of what Dymitr really is, Ala agrees. But they only have one day before the flower dies, and Ala’s hopes of breaking the curse along with it.
To be honest, I have no idea what this book is actually about. 😅 But it immediately caught my attention because the cover is absolutely stunning, and this edition has yellow sprayed edges—my favorite color! Plus, you can never have too many short books that are perfect for devouring in a single day. Sometimes, that’s all you need: a quick, beautiful escape.
Prediction Rating: ?/5 Stars ★
The Honey Witch – Sydney J. Shields
The Honey Witch of Innisfree can never find true love. That is her curse to bear. But when a young woman who doesn’t believe in magic arrives on her island, sparks fly in this deliciously sweet debut novel of magic, hope, and love overcoming all. Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude has always preferred the company of the spirits of the meadow to any of the suitors who’ve tried to woo her. So when her grandmother whisks her away to the family cottage on the tiny Isle of Innisfree with an offer to train her as the next Honey Witch, she accepts immediately. But her newfound magic and independence come with a price: No one can fall in love with the Honey Witch. When Lottie Burke, a notoriously grumpy skeptic who doesn’t believe in magic, shows up on her doorstep, Marigold can’t resist the challenge to prove to her that magic is real. But soon, Marigold begins to care for Lottie in ways she never expected. And when darker magic awakens and threatens to destroy her home, she must fight for much more than her new home-at the risk of losing her magic and her heart..
How adorable is the name The Honey Witch? And that cover—absolutely stunning! I already feel like this will be the perfect read for spring, when those blooming, fluttery feelings are in the air again. I’m also excited that it features a sapphic romance. I’m hoping for a story that’s warm and comforting but still has the ability to tug at my heartstrings just a little. This one feels like it’s going to be something special—I can’t wait!
Prediction Rating: 4/5 Stars ★
The Silence Factory – Bridget Collins
Henry dreams of silence. A world without the clattering of carriages through cobbled streets, the distant cries of drunken brawls, the relentless ticking of the clock. Then he meets a fascinating, mysterious gentleman who sells just that. Precious silk that can drown out the clamour of the world – and everything Henry is so desperate to escape. Summoned to Sir Edward’s secluded factory to try to cure his young daughter’s deafness, Henry is soon drawn deeper and deeper into the origins of this otherworldly gift: a gift that has travelled from ancient Mediterranean glades to English libraries. Ignoring repeated warnings from the girl’s secretive governess, he allows himself to fall under the spell of Sir Edward and his silk… but when he learns its true cost, will it be too late to turn back?
I still remember reading Bridget Collins’ The Binding. Back then, I had completely different expectations for the story, and I felt a bit disappointed when those expectations weren’t met. At the time, I would have given it 3 out of 5 stars. But even now, I still think about that book, and my perspective on it has changed. If I were to rate it today, it would probably get a much higher score. Now that I know what kind of storytelling to expect from this author, I’m genuinely excited to dive into this new book. Here’s to a fresh start with Bridget Collins!
Prediction Rating: 4.5/5 Stars ★
Notes From The Burning Age – Claire North
Ven was once a holy man, a keeper of ancient archives. It was his duty to interpret archaic texts, sorting useful knowledge from the heretical ideas of the Burning Age – a time of excess and climate disaster. For in Ven’s world, such material must be closely guarded, so that the ills that led to that cataclysmic era can never be repeated. But when the revolutionary Brotherhood approaches Ven, pressuring him to translate stolen writings that threaten everything he once held dear, his life will be turned upside down. Torn between friendship and faith, Ven must decide how far he’s willing to go to save this new world, and how much he is willing to lose.
Oh, stories about scholars, as this one seems to be, are always such a delight to read. Finally, a protagonist who relies on their intellect rather than just brute strength and sword-swinging! This book feels like something truly special. It’s not widely talked about, and I get the sense that it’s not a story that will appeal to everyone. But my expectations are sky-high. What’s funny is that this book wasn’t even on my reading radar—it just found its way into my life. And now, I can’t help but think it might end up being the best thing I will read in 2025.
Prediction Rating: 5/5 Stars ★
The Hungry Dark – Jen Williams
Children start to disappear across the Lake District and Ashley becomes involved in the investigation, eager for free publicity to promote her work as a psychic. She never expected the collaboration to bear fruit, but when she discovers the body of one of the missing children, everything changes. The police are convinced that she’s involved with the killings, and the press are hounding her for answers. Desperate to clear her name, she works with true crime podcaster, Freddie Miller, to investigate. As they look deeper into the disappearances, Ashley must dig into the demons of her past, before the nightmare in the present comes for her, too.
I usually don’t go for horror books set in the modern day. I’m much more drawn to atmospheric gothic reads set at least 100 years in the past. But Jen Williams has such a knack for coming up with wild, creative ideas—like in The Ninth Rain and her other fantasy series—that I’m genuinely curious to see how she brings her unique imagination into the horror genre. This might just be the exception to my rule. Let’s see where her twisted brilliance takes me!
Prediction Rating: 3/5 Stars ★
Have you read any of these books? What are your thoughts?
The Reading Stray 
I adored The Silverblood Promise, and I’m so excited for the sequel. Lovely book haul, I hope you enjoy all of them😁
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Oh that’s great to hear 🙂 I’ve seen the sequel will come out in November, so I’ll start the first one in October to be ready 🙂 I hope so too, thank you 🙂
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