pickAlice Law, a postgraduate at Cambridge studying analytic Magick, decides to journey to Hell to retrieve her advisor, the brilliant and toxic Jacob Grimes. She is willing to pay a high price, but as she travels deeper into the realms of the underworld it becomes clear that she's already endured an incredible amount of pressure and self-imposed punishment just to follow her ambitions. Dark academia at its darkest and most academic. Loved it.
Schedule for the next one. I really think reading this part of the Cosmere is a good fit during busy December. It doesn‘t feel like too much. I hope you‘re all loving it as much as I am. #CosmereBuddyRead
pickThis is easily one of my favorite reads of 2025. The first 40 pages are a rollercoaster of crazy, and that's just the prologue. Vera is a beautifully realized character with a brilliant arc. Quirky, horrifying, philosophical, mysterious, fast-paced, I got a similar enjoyment reading this that I did with Chuck Palahniuk's early work. There is a fun nod to his novella Straight at the end.
pickI absolutely loved this one. It felt like a bit of a break from the big heavy stormlight books. I like this world the best.
#CosmereBuddyRead
pickBeautiful, cozy underwater fantasy told through letters. I loved all four correspondents, the slow‑unfolding mystery, and the queer‑normative world. Read it by the sea and it was magical. The reveal is satisfying but left me wanting more—and that cliffhanger! Grateful book two was coming soon. A gentle, luminous delight. 🌊✨📬
pickI‘ve only dipped my toe into Romantasy, but I found this first book in this duology enjoyable. The world is a little confusing at first, but I loved the characters. (We ride at dawn for Gargoyle!!)
pickA very strange story! I liked it and all the horror and character bits throughout.
pickMaybe a little more straightforward than I'd like as far as the symbolism goes, but it's a cute idea, and I was invested for the duration of this short novel. There's a lot here about the limitations of shaping ourselves to please others, feeling like we don't belong and worrying that we'll never be loved and clinging to things and people out of fear. It's a very young book in that sense. I mean, I'm older than the MC's parents. #tob26 longlist
Rereading this book, which was first given to me in high school by the student assistance person who helped me get through that mess. She told me I would relate and that felt good in those survival years. Revisiting it now, I still love the book but it does bring up sad feelings about those times. Also very grateful feelings for people who care and books that help.
Still an excellent read, do recommend.
