Category: Fiction Page 3 of 338

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Lianna and the Hombit by Valinora Troy

On January 21, 2026

In Book Tour, Fantasy, Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

I’m very pleased today to welcome The Write Reads Blog Tour for the first volume of Valinora Troy’s Lianna and the Hombit! The Tour’s in full swing, and it’s looking pretty good–take a gander at feed for https://twitter.com/WriteReadsTours or The Write Reads on Twitter or The Write Reads on BlueSky, you’ll see bloggers who have interesting things to say about it.

Book Details:

Title: Lianna and the Hombit by Valinora Troy
Genre: Fantasy
Age Category: Middle Grade
Format: Hardcover/Paperback/Ebook/Audiobook
Length: 255 Pages
Publication Date: January 29, 2026

About the Book:

A grieving girl in need of a friend. A magical creature with a secret task. Can they end the ancient curse threatening their new home?

When 13-year old Lianna, devastated by the loss of her father, is sent to the distant land of Nivram, she finds her new home and guardian every bit as horrible as she expected. When she meets a magical birdlike creature called a hombit, they strike an alliance: Lianna will help it complete its secret mission if it helps her get home.

But her plan goes awry and she accidentally awakens a creature that threatens both her and her new home. Lianna must uncover family secrets to avoid a terrible fate…

A heart-warming story of the healing power of friendship when all seems lost.

Book Links:

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads

About the Author:

Valinora Troy is a children’s fantasy and horror writer from Ireland. She has a MA in Creative Writing, specialising in writing for children and young adults. She has acted as a panellist for the CYBILS awards in the middle grade speculative fiction category and served as a Reading Ambassador for Louth Libraries. Her short stories for adults have appeared in numerous publications. She is the author of The Lucky Diamond trilogy, a middle grade children’s fantasy adventure series. In 2023 she was short-listed for the Staróg Prize. When not writing, she loves visiting schools and libraries to talk to children about books and writing.

You can find out more about Valinora’s books, as well as resources for schools, and sign up to her newsletter on her website: Valinora Troy – Children’s Fantasy Writer

Website ~ Twitter

My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided (including the book).

The Hunted by Steven Max Russo: Who is the Predator, Who is the Prey?

By HCNewton

On January 20, 2026

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Hunted

by Steven Max Russo

DETAILS:
Publication Date: January 1, 2026
Format: eARC
Length: 317 pg.
Read Date: January 12-13, 2026

What’s The Hunted About?

Gerhard Mueller is the head of GSG, a private security/military contractor firm, staffed by plenty of former US Intelligence Agents and military. One of those former CIA analysts is Ophelia Harris–after some time working for the USA and then GSG in Afghanistan, she’s on the run.

She’d say it was because she was set up by GSG. Mueller says it’s because she betrayed GSG, leaving colleagues dead and millions of dollars missing.

This results in Ophelia running for her life from the company.

A chance encounter with someone she had a fleeting encounter with in Afghanistan (and that’s being generous) results in someone else getting sucked into this mess, Austin’s fate tied to hers.

With GSG getting closer, Ophelia realizes that the cat and mouse game only ends with the mouse dead, or it convincing the cat to stop. She and her new ally decide to do the latter.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this up because Steven Max Russo emailed me and said (essentially), “I have a new book, are you interested?” I replied that the “new book” was really all I needed. Over the 4(??) previous books, I know that’s all he needs to say.

Why did I keep going? Because once you start this train moving—you can’t stop. Not that you’ll want to, you just won’t be able to. It’s just about holding on until the train reaches the end of the line.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

The thing that struck home most for me from this novel was trust. Both how much we want to trust others, and how hard it can be when that trust is broken. Granted, you may not send multiple killers after someone if they break your trust—but the impulse will resonate with you.

Other than Austin, each of the major players in this book have had their trust broken. And the reactions to this tell you a lot about each person. Some react with a degree of rage, some withdraw, some are cold and unforgiving, and others…well, that would be telling you too much.

On the other hand, we also see a great willingness to trust others. Austin has zero reason to trust Ophelia—and realizes it, but quickly joins their fates together. Ophelia is on the run because the last people she trusted proved (in her eyes, anyway) to be untrustworthy, yet she (with misgivings) gives the same trust to Austin. The people at GSG have implicit trust in those they work with—or have worked with—in an industry where betrayal seems to be more common than the color green in a rainforest.

And whether you’re in their extreme sort of circumstances or not, that kind of trust is necessary, right? Otherwise, nothing can work. Nothing moves forward. We end up isolated and trying to do everything by ourselves, and that’s just not feasible in the long-run (barely feasible in the short run). Every reader knows this, these characters know it—and show it.

So, what did I think about The Hunted?

There was one misstep that our security consultant and brilliant analyst made (and couldn’t figure out), that I saw just thanks to watching TV procedurals. That bugged me a lot. But as soon as I set that aside, the momentum of the story kept me going.

And that’s the core of this book’s success—momentum, pacing, and adrenaline. There’s a couple of moments of action at the beginning, then we get a little bit of a lull so we can get the board set up. Then Russo makes the first move, and the game is practically non-stop from there. Russo will let you catch your breath—but you need to do that quickly, he doesn’t give you a lot of time.

Russo doesn’t give anyone the same kind of Thriller twice. Which is a good thing (as much as I’d like things like his previous ones—primarily Thieves and The Debt Collector). The Hunted is about determination, speed, craftiness, and ammunition. A lot of ammunition gets spent—and characters die unexpectedly. Vengeance gets wrought. I can’t/won’t say if justice prevails—but you can know going in that some scales are balanced.

If you’re looking for a solid Thriller novel—you can find one here (or with anything Steven Max Russo’s name is on, but you might as well start here).

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this novel by the author, as always, the opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced by this act by the author (beyond giving me something to have an opinion about).

Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

Cover Reveal: The Re-Emergence by Alan K. Dell

By HCNewton

On January 19, 2026

In Science Fiction

I’m very pleased today to welcome the Cover Reveals for Alan K. Dell’s Bounty Inc! This year is the fifth anniversary of this SFINCS finalist space opera novella, so Dell made a brand new cover to the celebrate the occasion. Nothing against the original cover, but the new one is worth a little fanfare.

I’ll show you this cover below, but first let’s learn a little bit about the book and author, shall we? It’ll just take a moment, and then we can all take a peak at the cover.

About the Book:

‘IT WAS JUST A MYTH. JUST A DAMN LEGEND PASSED DOWN FROM CORRUPTED DATABANKS…’

A mysterious probe from a long-forgotten satellite network appears in the heart of the Maldaccian Empire, warning about the return of a mythological evil.

After being downloaded by the plucky but inexperienced crew of the imperial flagship, the consciousness of the ancient satellite, Unit-17, embarks on a galactic adventure to bring the empire back from the brink of an interstellar war they are not equipped to fight.

The Qesh’kal’s aging commander, Da’kora Corasar, trusts Unit-17’s intel implicitly, but not everyone aboard agrees. Tensions rise and loyalties are tested as they are thrust into conflict with an enemy of unimaginable power and malice.

A finalist in the first annual Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship (SFINCS)!

Book Links:

Universal Book Link ~ Itch-io ~ Goodreads

About the Author

Alan K. Dell is a British sci-fi author and creative person with far too many hobbies. He writes science fiction described as “by, and for, sci-fi geeks” and loves to explore interesting high-tech concepts in his work.

Outside of writing, he is a book blogger and reviewer, avid videogamer, archer, photographer, musician, husband, and father.

Author Links:

Website ~ Bluesky ~ Threads ~ Instagram ~ Facebook

and now…

The Cover

Covers for The Re-Emergence by Alan K. Dell

The Complete Cover Wrap:

Click to embiggen the wrap.

Go and do the right thing–place your orders for this now, celebrate the anniversary in style.

Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan: Historic China with a Hint of Fantasy

By HCNewton

On January 15, 2026

In Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

She Who Became the Sun

by Shelley Parker-Chan

DETAILS:
Series: The Radiant Emperor, #1
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: June 28, 2022
Format: Paperback
Length: 411 pg. 
Read Date: January 8-10, 2026

What’s She Who Became the Sun About?

This is an epic saga about a China-that-Could-Have-Been back in the 1340s. We follow (well, several people, but let’s focus on a couple of primaries) a young girl who assumes her dead brother’s identity and becomes a monk. This brother had been predicted to rise to greatness (as he was practically starving due to drought and famine, this was quite the fortune to receive). Zhu eventually becomes involved with the rebellion against Mongol rule, and begins to find her way to a new life—one of greatness and power.

On the other hand, we follow General Ouyang, one of the main leaders of the forces set to put down the rebellion. Ouyang is the one member of his family who survived the Khan’s wrath—as a eunuch. He is trusted by some in power, while many others consider him defective and untrustworthy, despite his victories and viciousness.

When these two meet on opposing sides of the conflict—both their lives are set in new directions, and the fate of a nation may be, too.

A Question of Genre

At a couple of points along the line—the last time was about the 2/3 point, I put in my notes, “Where’s the Fantasy?” (I wrote that larger than usual that last time). The elements are just not there—at least not as much as you’d expect in something shelved in that part of a store. In talking with a friend about it, I started calling it the La Croix of Fantasy novels.

It’s there, if you can really focus on it and hope. I have been assured that the Fantasy elements are stronger in the second part of the duology—but not much.

If this had been sold as General Fiction, or Alternate History or something—no one would’ve objected. And I wouldn’t have been distracted by wondering when magic or a dragon or something would come up.

As a fictionalized 14th-century China with a couple of tweaks—this is a great world, and the setting (place and time) is great.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

I’m not entirely sure that this book has much to say about people in general. It has something to say about particular characters—and that can be applied to some, but not all.

Zhu starts off wanting to survive—with the thought that she could claim her brother’s fortune. It’s debatable, but I do think she has some sort of genuine Buddhist convictions—if only because that’s what she’s supposed to believe. Before ordination, she’s given some permission to not be that devout. And her convictions turn to herself—there may be some vague faith about things in general, but ultimately she’s convinced of her own abilities (and if she has to pay for that in lifetimes to come, she’s ready to accept it).

At one point, Zhu—in the midst of trying to encourage someone else—gives sort of her personal mission statement.

“But you know what’s worse than suffering? Not suffering, because you’re not even alive to feel it… Learn to want something for yourself, Ma Xiuying. Not what someone says you should want. Not what you think you should want. Don’t go through life thinking only of duty. When all we have are these brief spans between our nonexistences, why not make the most of the life you’re living now? The price is worth it.”

Without getting into the rightness or wrongness of her choices throughout the book (and she has plenty of both). I’ve come to think of Zhu as a Walter White character. She starts off as clever and resourceful, looking to do the “right thing.” But at a certain point, she realizes how clever and resourceful she is—and what kind of success can come from that, and her pride (warranted or not)—pride that can (should?) be seen as arrogance—starts to fuel her.

On the other hand, we have Ouyang. He is trapped by Fate. Or his idea of it—expectations of honor, family obligation, and therefore Destiny. He comes close to rebelling—or at least pushing against it—but is it close enough? He exercises agency and free will throughout—but it almost seems like he doesn’t think he can. Early on, he seems more lawless, more independent (for lack of a better word)—but by the end, he seems more constrained. Sort of the flipside.

In the book club meeting, the question was asked, “Does greatness necessitate cruelty in this world?” I’ve been chewing on that a lot. I don’t think so—I think there are a couple of examples of greatness (those perceived to be great, anyway) without cruelty. But by and large, the answer in this particular world is a resounding, “yes.” Or at least just about everyone thinks it’s the case. No one looking for greatness, or who happens to be in a position of greatness here can make it without cruelty. It is the epitome of a dog-eat-dog world, and as Norm Peterson would say, everyone is wearing Milkbone underwear.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this up because it was the month’s pick for the Fantasy Book Club. And for quite a while, that was what kept me going. There were moments that made me think, “Oh, now we’re getting somewhere,” but that didn’t last for long. But curiosity and investment in a couple of secondary characters set in.

Also, I had to answer the question, “Where is the Fantasy?”

So, what did I think about She Who Became the Sun?

I’m really not sure. There was so much that worked here—but I’m not sure how satisfied I was with it in the end.

Parker-Chen can write some glorious lines—they can do more with one sentence of description than many authors can do in paragraphs. And getting to read them do more of that (if I get around to the sequel or wait until a new work) would be a treat.

For a book about war, it’s a relatively bloodless novel. Battles that take out thousands—conquer cities can take less than a page. If you want combat, you’re going to need some one-on-one situations—and there aren’t many. Battle, warfare, is the context of these events—it’s not the focus. Which is a pretty cool thing to see.

As much as I found the characters to be rich and complex (and I spared us all my bloviating about more of them—including the two or three that I like a lot more than those I talked about)—I’m not sure they’re enough to get excited about, alone. But this is a novel about more than the characters and the plot. There’s a lot going on about the nature of fate/destiny, gender, sexuality, morality, ancestry/ethnicity…

Is this a good read? Yes. Could it be better? Oh, yes. But a lot of that has to do with my expectations (magic, creatures, etc.). I just wanted a little more out of the book. If you go into this with the right expectations, you’ll probably get a lot more out of it and appreciate it more than I did. It’s worth the effort.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Ace Atkins: A Tale of Sussudio and Spies

By HCNewton

On January 14, 2026

In A-B, Ace Atkins, Authors, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Everybody Wants to Rule the World

by Ace Atkins

DETAILS:
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: December 02, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Length: 368 pg.
Read Date: January 6-7, 2026

What’s Everybody Wants to Rule the World About?

The year is 1985, and apparently, there are USSR spies everywhere. At least in Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, GA. Reagan’s push for his “Star Wars” program is strong, and the KGB wants to know all it can about it before a summit between Gorbachev and Reagan. Tensions are high, cards are set up, and one teenaged boy is about to send them toppling over.

Because his mom is dating a jerk and Peter has an active imagination fueled by pulp novels and sensationalized “news.” He becomes convinced that his mom is dating a Russian agent and tries to enlist the help of a mostly failed novelist (and his drag queen buddy, a retired NFL player) to expose the boyfriend.

Meanwhile, a KGB officer defects so he can reunite with the love of his life; an actual Russian agent (who may, or may not be the boyfriend) has killed someone; the FBI is investigating that death, and another Federal agent wants to run away with an exotic dancer and is trying to leverage that defector to help him do that.

There’s gotta be another storyline or three that I didnt’t squeeze into that paragraph, too.

The point is, there’s a lot going on. Few of the people involved are properly qualified to deal with it. And the direction of the Cold War hinges on what happens over the next few weeks.

It should be noted that this is a comedy.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

It’s Ace Atkins—the last decade has taught me that I’m likely to enjoy a book he writes. Also—a comedic take on Russian deep cover agents in the 80s is right up my alley. Put the two of those together…

I stuck with it because that’s exactly what was delivered. A great plot with more twists than a corkscrew, a great voice, and an oddball cast of characters.

What Does this Book Say about Humanity?

There is a deep thread of self-deception going on throughout the book—the stories we tell ourselves about who we are, how others regard us, and what we think we’re capable of.

There are a couple of major characters who are honest about themselves—and largely understand others. But the rest are deluded to one degree or another—how heroic they are, how things will go when they reunite with an old flame, how their life will be better when they ditch their wife and kids for someone new (who any rational person will see isn’t that into you), how the world is against them, and so on.

Some of these are understandable—the teenage male tossing aside common sense because a hot stranger seems into him. Some are relatable, maybe even admirable—the writer who hasn’t sold anything in ages continuing to try. But the others are kind of sad once you stop to think about them—but you do have to force yourself to stop and think about them, because Atkins has you too focused on jogging to keep up with the book and chuckling at their foibles.

The 80s of It

There are a couple of ways to approach the time setting of the 80s. One way is to go over-the-top like The Wedding Singer or That 80s Show. The other way is restrained—like The Americans or Mad Men (different era, but same idea).

Atkins mostly stuck to the restrained approach, it is an 80s story with 80s concerns and ideas and the setting is appropriately depicted.

But every now and then, in the spirit of the book’s flavor, I do think he went a little over-the-top with the references in a Sandler-esque way. And I loved each time he did that. Over all, Atkins goes for realism and restraint—but when he indulges himself (and/or the reader), it’s just a treat.

Oh, and this is maybe a Content Warning I should give…you’ll find yourselves thinking a lot about Prince and Phil Collins, possibly driven to listen to them…at the very least, you’ll have a couple of songs acting as earworms for days.

So, what did I think about Everybody Wants to Rule the World?

I wasn’t thrilled with Atkins stepping away from the Spenser or Quinn Colson series, as curious as I was about what he’d do next. I’m still not—but if this is what he’s doing instead? I’m getting over it quickly.

This was ridiculous fun. Fast-paced, not quite frantic (because Atkins doesn’t let it happen) filled with crazy coincidences, turns you cannot see coming, twists you think you see coming and are only right occasionally, real people doing stupid and human things—frequently illegal, too.

It is a comedic work, but that comedy is successful because none of the characters is in a comedy. They’re all deadly serious (though some will express that by being a smart arse), worried, scared, or scheming. The danger is real, the stakes are high, people get hurt, lives are changed—it’s a very straightforward thriller that way. But when you can see the whole board, see what they don’t know—it’ll bring a grin to your face and possibly a cackle from you.

A lot of social media/news media can make us all think that the world is ending (and, I’m not for a second suggesting that it might not be)—but this book reminds us that it’s almost ended before. And we’re now far enough away from the genuine, grounded, and realistic fears that we can laugh at them. Isn’t it nice to think that 40 years from now, someone can write a book about now to relieve some stress?

I expected to enjoy this book, I didn’t expect to have fun with it. I don’t know how readers who grew up post-Cold War will react to it. But readers of a certain age will have a good time with Everybody Wants to Rule the World.

Dogged by Michael R. Fletcher: Wardogs Don’t Give Up

By HCNewton

On January 13, 2026

In Fantasy, Fiction

Dogged

by Michael R. Fletcher

DETAILS:
Publication Date: December 8, 2025
Format: eARC
Length: 293 pg.
Read Date: December 20-23, 2025

What’s Dogged About?

Dogged Determination and her mate, Vigilant Aggression, are Wardogs, a canine-humanoid race. They, like the rest of their squad are dedicated to going to other worlds to spread the Emperor’s peace (which could look like conquering a civilization and subduing the populace to someone who isn’t a Wardog). One fateful day, they are marching in formation through a wizard’s portal off to the next mission, and the unthinkable happens—the portal collapses, and the line in front of Dogged is caught half-in/half-out of the portal, leaving chunks (for lack of a better word) of the soldiers on each side.

She and her Kennel Master, stunned, go to report to the Emperor and get the permission of one of the advisors for Dogged to investigate what happened.

The one thing that she has going for her is her determination (she’s aptly named)—when she starts something, she sees it through. She’s not the brightest, she’s not subtle, putting together clues is not probably where she’ll shine But she will not stop looking until she knows what happened to her mate, the others, and why.

The Humans

Along the way she inspires the interest—and eventually loyalty—of the first mate of a commercial ship. Well, acting captain of a ship following a dispute between Dogged and his former captain. There’s sort of a friendship that builds between the two, and Balen sees that Dogged’s just not up for the task ahead of her and decides to help her out—basically acting as her human to Wardog translator. Not long after that, they encounter an elementalist who joins up with them.

The three of them together form a new pack of sorts, providing a kind of connection that Dogged was unprepared for and didn’t seem to know was possible. I don’t want to overplay this idea, but it’s really like Balen and Sahar found a lonely and sad dog at a rescue shelter and decided to bring her home with them. And in them, Dogged may have found her forever home (at least emotionally).

The Tone

Dogged is the best kind of unreliable narrator—she’s not lying (deception is hard for her), but her understanding of the world and people outside her experience and training is limited, so the reader will constantly be interpreting her first-person narration. Like any good dog, her observations and reactions will make an observer smile.

At the same time, Dogged is a warrior. She is great with a spear—and not bad with (human-sized) bladed weapons. But even without that, she’s a walking weapon: full sets of claws at the end of her hands, vicious and sharp teeth, and strength to go up against Conan and his mighty thews. And, yes, she’s trying to learn new ways of dealing with problems and questions—she’s being forced to, anyway. But for her entire life, all she’s ever been given to use is a hammer—every instinct, reflex, and response he has is to treat things as nails.

A lot of blood gets spilled, organs are torn, limbs are severed—starting in the opening scene, and it doesn’t let up.

You get this great mix of bloody violence, canine innocence, and heart. It’s hard to explain—but Fletcher pulled off something fantastic here.

So, what did I think about Dogged?

I think I just said it. This is a fantastic read.

The cover appealed to me and made me look into it. Some of the reviews—starting with Andy Peloquin’s—convinced me that I’d probably enjoy this book. Boy howdy, did they undersell it.

On some other day, I might not have relished this the way I did. But there’s no day where I don’t have an absolute great time with it.

I’m on the verge of overhyping this here. I don’t know what else to say that’s not potentially overblown.

This was the right book for me at the right time—I didn’t expect it, but it’s the case. One of my favorites of 2025—probably the 2020s as a whole. I dunno—let me get some distance on it before I start saying things like that.

I’m just telling ya—get this, you won’t be sorry.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author in exchange for this post—I read the book because I wanted to, and the opinions expressed are my own.

Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

My Favorite Crime/Mystery/Detective/Thriller Fiction of 2025

By HCNewton

On January 9, 2026

In Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc.

Covers of King of Ashes, The Final Vow, Everybody Knows, Don't Tell Me How to Die, Where the Bones Lie, The Broken Detective, Second Lies the Son, Dark Neon & Dirt, One Death at a Time, and The Bang-Bang Sisters, next to an image of an anthropomorphized Pilcrow and the words 'My Favorites of 2025 Crime Fiction'
Finally, we’re at the end of my 2025 wrap-up. Thanks for sticking with me for so long! (assuming you have). I’ve taken to considering this genre apart from everything else when I put together my Favorites Lists, or just about everything else would get ignored. Even if I went with a Top 20 instead of a Favorite 10, maybe 5 books from the previous lists would’ve made it along with all of these. Maybe.

Once again, I’ll note that I limit my lists to things I read for the first time. Yes, there are some author names on here that have been on a couple of these lately. Under half the list. It wouldn’t surprise me if any of these showed up in the years to come. I might have to retire some authors from consideration. Maybe this list should be renamed “S.A. Cosby, M.W. Craven, and some others.”

As always, re-reads don’t count for these lists.

(in alphabetical order by author)

King of Ashes

by S.A. Cosby

This was a twisted, gripping, read about a group of siblings trapped (and shaped) by a shared trauma from their childhood. Now adults, they find themselves trapped in a deal with a local gang of drug dealers, and the only way out may be to become worse than them. Told with Cosby’s signature style and humanity, this will leave you in a daze.

The Final Vow

by M.W. Craven

This is a lighter book than the last couple of Poe and Tilly novels–but that doesn’t make it less compelling to read. Just a little more fun, and probably won’t leave you haunted and unable to get a good night’s sleep right away. It definitely sets a new direction for the series. But none of that matters. This is M.W. Craven at the top of his game–he sets a puzzle worthy of Poe and Tilly, puts some big obstacles in their way, and let’s the reader sit back and revel in it. Who could ask for more?

Everybody Knows

by Jordan Harper

My original post
This is one of the best and starkest depictions of human depravity and the dangers those who dare to stand against it will face. The only thing that makes this experience entertaining is Harper’s prose and fantastic pacing. It left me speechless.

Don’t Tell Me How to Die

by Marshall Karp

My original post
This is a devilishly clever story that’s also emotionally effective. I mean, part of the book’s premise is that the protagonist’s mother died young. Early in the novel, we flashback to that, and I got choked up. I knew the woman was dead before I started the book, and it still got me. Just imagine what the book did to me by the end. As far as the rest of the story goes–the less I say, the better it is for a potential reader. But it’s a doozy–a new kind of story for Marshall Karp and just as good (if not better) as his previous best.

Where the Bones Lie

by Nick Kolakowski

My original post
Kolakowski brings us a little L.A.-noir here with this book–a former Hollywood fixer gets a shot at a new life when someone hires him to find out why her father died many years ago. The interplay between the protagonists is great to read, the mystery is compelling, and the contemporary California-ness of the setting is so real (geographically, environmentally, and in the entertainment industry). It’s a really strong work from Kolakowski.

The Broken Detective

by Joel Nedecky

My original post
We move from L.A.-noir to Winnipeg-noir, which is a thing (apparently). This tale of broken detectives hunting for one particular broken woman in the midst of crime, corruption, and the worst of humanity grabs you in the first couple of pages and won’t let go until a couple of days after you finish. It’s one of the most satisfying endings I read last year, too.

Second Lies the Son

by Matt Phillips

My original post
Here’s another haunting read–Matt Phillips is one of those writers that I just want to read the prose of. The plot and characters don’t matter as much to me as the experience of reading Phillips. But, he always comes through with characters and plot that matter as much as you want, too. This is a fast, lean novel that will leave you moved (disturbed might be a better word) and chewing on it for days.

Dark Neon & Dirt

by Thomas Trang

My original post
And now we’re back to L.A.-noir…Trang’s debut is the kind of assured, nervy book that is a delight to find. You’ve got dirty (or at least compromised) cops, professional thieves, and a collection of coincidences that entwine them in more ways than they find comfortable. The diallogue is fantasitc. The whole things feels like a slick Winslow novel as cool as Miami Vice was at its height.

One Death at a Time

by Abbi Waxman

My original post
Abbi Waxman’s first mystery novel proves (to me, anyway) that she can write anything. The mystery portion of the novel is really well done; the characters are well-designed and well-executed, the relationships between them are strong and obvious—you like the people you’re supposed to like enough that you wish you sat around the room with them, watching them go back and forth Also, it’s funny. That’s a one-two-three combination that I’ll always enjoy and recommend.

The Bang-Bang Sisters

by Rio Youers, Kristen Sieh (Narrator)

My original post
This rollicking adventure captures the spirit of music and live performance (and inter-band dynamics) as…well, any rock novel I can think of. There’s a serial killer equal to Francis Dolarhyde; a violent, kill-or-be-killed, “game” as nasty as Chain-Gang All-Stars; and three great women characters with all the style, skill, and general badassery as The Deadly Viper squad–all in a book with the violence level equal to—if not greater than—Kill Bill, Vol. 1. It’s got the pacing of a classic rock song—with occasional bursts of speed metal–it’s fast, it’s furious, it’s bloody, it’s raw emotion, it’s dangerous. It is so much fun. It is Rock and Roll.

A few books that almost made this list, and I want to be sure to mention:

Mississippi Blue 42 by Eli Cranor; Medusa Protocol by Rob Hart, Righteous Trash by Nick Kolakowski; and The World Entire by Jo Perry.

PUB DAY SPOTLIGHT: Fairest Hunter by M.K. Felix

By HCNewton

On January 9, 2026

In Fantasy, Fiction

I’m excited talk about today’s release of (literary local) M.K. Felix’s Fairest Hunter. I’ve chatted with her a couple of times, and this sounds like a fun take on Snow White and Robin Hood both. I’m happy that I can finally own it (and very likely read it in the next 7 months at the rate I move). Here’s a little more about it to get you interested.

Book Details:

Title: Fairest Hunter by M.K. Felix
Title: The Favored’s Curse, Book One
Format: Hardcover/Paperback/eBook
Length: 353 pg.
US Publication Date: January 9, 2026

About the Book:

A rebellious huntress. A cursed prince. A coup to change it all.

Rowena:
The king spreads darkness with his words, and when he asks me to kill his own son, it’s the final tipping point for me. Guess that solves the issue of how to overthrow the tyrant. We’ll put Prince Alvor on the throne. Except, the Alvor before me is not the same one I knew growing up. This Alvor, well he’s entirely too alluring. He keeps tearing my walls down, reminding me that I’m not the only one who needs to fight for this kingdom.

Alvor:
With one glance into Rowena’s eyes, something changed. She has magic, and the more I reconnect with her, the more I’m sure she’s the key to saving our kingdom. But time is not on our side. I need to claim the throne before my father drives our kingdom into the ground with his greed. The only problem? I’m not ready to let Rowena sacrifice herself for me or my people. Especially not after she broke my curse and rekindled the sparks in my heart.

Book Links:

Hardcover ~ Paperback ~ eBook ~ Free Companion Novella: Lady Scarlett

About the Author

Idaho mom writing clean ✨FANTASY✨

Website ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Linktree

My Favorite Non-Crime Fiction of 2025

By HCNewton

On January 8, 2026

In Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, News/Misc., Science Fiction

Covers of The Goblin Emperor, Light from Uncommon Stars, Anxious People, A Drop of Corruption, Five Broken Blades, Dogged, Mushroom Blues, Bounty Inc., The Price of Power, My Documents, and The Amazing Twin Chicken Freedom Fighters, next to an image of an anthropomorphized Pilcrow and the words 'My Favorites of 2025 Other Than Crime-Fiction'
Back when I started this site, I knew the content would be largely “genre”-oriented. I’d have wagered the content would be roughly 1/3 Mystery/Detective fiction, 1/3 Urban Fantasy, and slightly less than 1/3 SFF, with “non-genre” fiction, humor, and non-fiction being enough to make my one-thirds just an approximation (honestly, if you asked me what I read regularly, that’s pretty much how I’d describe it today). Actual numbers show that’s wrong—it’s typically almost 40% Crime/Thriller Fiction, the rest of fiction is around 30% combined. This is just a long-winded way to get to these two points: because Crime Fiction takes such a big chunk of my reading, it gets its own “Favorite” list, but none of the others really garner enough numbers for their own. This year, however, the numbers are a bit more even gross-genres, but…the practice has been set. We’ll see what next year brings.

When it comes to this particular list of favorites this year, I just couldn’t get lower than 11 (I’m thankful I made it lower than 24). But as this is a catch-all, I figure I can be a little loose with the numbers. So here’s my list of 11 favorite non-Crime Fiction Novels of 2024. Hopefully, you will find something here to tempt you.

As always, re-reads don’t count—only the works that were new to me.

(in alphabetical order by author)

The Goblin Emporer

by Katherine Addison

To say I was daunted by the incredibly detailed pronunciation guide and information about names before the novel is to put it mildly, but that went away almost immediately. This is a wonderful work–such an intricate web of courtly manners and rules (written and unwritten), a murder plot, a coup or two, and some geeky engineers. Okay, that’s a bad way to try to describe this. I read this a couple of months ago, and already want to re-read it. Once I got into this novel I didn’t want to leave.

Light from Uncommon Stars

by Ryka Aoki

Words fail me as I try to talk about this contemporary Fantasy about a woman whose way out of a Faustian bargain depends on her damning others. And it turns out that I really liked this woman, and hoped she’d get that last soul. Just not the one she’s decided to use to fulfill the bargain, because this one should be protected and nurtured. Oh, and there’s a bunch of aliens on the run from an intergalactic conflict.

This book made me happy–it delighted me in the description of music, in fact. It broke my heart. It made me tense. It filled me with hope. There might be books on the lists this week that are better technically, but I’m not sure any of them worked on my heart the way that this one did.

Anxious People

by Fredrik Backman

Of this books that made me laugh this year, this is probably in the top 3. It’s also the book that probably made me think of fatherhood more than any other. And marriage. And all the ways we can let each other down, and the hope that exists for the next time when we don’t.

It’s Backman, so you know he’ll be funny. You know he’ll tug at your heartstrings. You know he’ll make you think. He does that, and more–because he throws in some small town cops, a bank robbery that went wrong, and a bunch of hostages. If I stopped reading after this one in February, I’d have called 2025 a good year for reading (although I’d have been so bored for the remaining 10 months, it’s good I didn’t).

A Drop of Corruption

by Robert Jackson Bennett

My original post
This is simply a perfect follow-up to The Tainted Cup–new strangeness to explore in this world, new depravities to be seen, new political machinations to watch, new opportunities for Ana Dolabra’s brilliance (and strange way of seeing the world) to shine–yet entirely of a piece with the first book. A Drop of Corruption is another fantastic mystery/fantasy hybrid. Like so many of the others on this list, superlatives fail me.

Five Broken Blades

by Mai Corland

I love the set-up to this book–a bunch of killers of varying in strengths and modus operandi are brought together for one joint-job. And one of them is a traitor. And the reader doesn’t know (but we can guess, and will) who the traitor is, why they’re doing it and more.

I liked this one so much that I bought the hardcovers for the rest of the trilogy right after finishing. I never do that.

I’ve seen some criticisms of the work–and some of them have merit. But while I was reading it? I was so taken in that I didn’t notice any of them. And now? I don’t care about any of the criticism, I had so much fun with this book that you could tell me that I’m the only one in the world who likes it and I’d be fine with it. (I’d also know you were lying, but that’s okay)

Dogged

by Michael R. Fletcher

This is a violent, grisly novel about an empire on the brink of ruin–and the devastation this wreaks on the populace. It is also one of the most heartwarming tales I’ve read this year about loyalty, determination, and doing what’s right for those important to you.

The central character just might be the character of the year for me–she embodies so much of what I love in a noble warrior character.

This book made my month in December–and I read a lot of books that I really enjoyed. But while I was reading this one, almost everything I’d read last year paled in comparison (including every other item on this list).

It sucks you in, it tells a perfect story in an almost perfect way–and makes you want more. I don’t want a sequel, it’s a wonderful stand-alone. I just want a half-dozen books just like it.

Mushroom Blues

by Adrian M. Gibson

My original post
A Police Procedural set in a world with Earth-like technology and laws. However, it’s inhabited with humans and a sapient, humanoid, fungal species. Basically, humanoid Mushrooms. It’s hard to explain.

The mystery/police procedural part of this was great. The alternate world was outstanding. The worldbuilding is top-notch. The primary and secondary characters were drawn so wonderfully. The motives for the crimes (and the crime fighting) were complex and messy—and almost entirely understandable. The genre-hybrid of this feels entirely natural to an extent that you can almost wonder why anyone hasn’t been approaching these genres in a similar fashion for decades.

Gibson’s scheduled to get a sequel out this year. I’m going to be at the front of the line for it.

Bounty Inc.

by Adam Holcombe

My original post
This book is a space opera/SF adventure. With intrigue, action, strangeness, betrayal, and more. It’s what you expect from this kind of book—and it delivers that well. But I can also describe it as a wholesome, found family, cozy-ish, feel-good novel at its core. With an earnest spirit that reaches every corner of the book.

Is the big romantic arc entirely predictable? Yes. Is it effective, sweet, and wholly satisfying? Yup. Will you get gut-punched by what happens to some of these characters? Yup. (I didn’t say it was cozy, I said it had that heart, bad things happen). Will you cheer at parts of the action? Yes. Will you be dismayed by some of the twists? Yup. Will you want this pretty long book to be longer? YUP.

Satisfying on several levels. Fantastic action. Strange alien species. And entertaining on every page.

The Price of Power

by Michael Michel

My original post
I read four books this year that I might have described as “one of my favorite fantasy novels” at one point. It’s a hotly competitive rank apparently. This is one of those. And that thumbnail review is still true.

This is a gritty, intense read following four primary characters (and a couple of others nearby each of them). The world it sets up and introduces us to is teetering on the brink of civic upheaval and all-out war. And something tells me those’ll be the easier problems to deal with. Book three releases in a couple of weeks not and my anticipation level is high.

My Documents

by Kevin Nguyen

My original post
This is a timely work about the complete internment of Vietnamese-Americans following some terrorist strikes. It is chilling. It’s occasionally joyful (usually as a precursor something utterly absent of joy, but also as a reminder of its importance).

This is a powerful, haunting, (purposefully) uncomfortable read that will also charm you. It’s been residing in a corner of my mind since I read it, and I keep almost making references to it when talking to others about current events as if it’s something in our shared cultural moment. It’s impact is going to last a while in my mind–and I’d recommend you let it impact yours, too.

The Amazing Twin Chicken Freedom Fighters

by Zephaniah Sole

My original post
This is either brilliant or the ravings of a madman. Possibly both.

It is absurd in every way. It’s hilarious on several levels–from very low-brow to philosophical riffs. Sole plays with narrative, meaning, reality…and I don’t know what all, really. If I was pursuing some sort of English degree right now, I’d be using this (and the promised sequel) as the foundation for a few papers.

It can also be read as twisted fun–you’d be missing a lot, but you’d have a great time.

A few books that almost made this list and I want to be sure to mention:
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E Butler, The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman, Bones & Betrayals: Silence of the Dead by Andi Ewington & Erica Marks, Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Mathew Norman, Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by Jason Pargin, and How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler.

A Few Scattered Thoughts on My Latest Reading of The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis

By HCNewton

On January 7, 2026

In C.S. Lewis, Fantasy, Fiction, Further Up and Further In

Further Up and Further In A Year with C.S.Lewis

The Last Battle

by C. S. Lewis , illustrated by Pauline Baynes

DETAILS:
Series: The Chronicles of Narnia, #7
Publication Date: June 25, 1994
Format: Paperback
Length: 211 pg.
Read Date: December 24, 2025

If you need to know what this book is about, or anything about this series…seriously, just stop what you’re doing and pick up this book. I don’t mean to be a snob, or maybe I do, but something was missing from your childhood, and now is your time to fix it. I realize that there are many legitimate reasons for people not to have read this (more than some of the earlier), and I’m not questioning the choices you or your parents made (actually, I guess I am). But I’m not going to try to talk about this book like I do most others.

If only because everything worth saying has been said by other, better, writers. Probably several times.

I’ve also read this too many times to count as a child—even through my college years, and at least once a decade since. I’ll probably pick up the pace of re-reading them so I can talk to the grandcritters about them, too.

But I feel the need to say something now, so here are a few things that jumped out at me during this read:

bullet Shift is the first Narnian primate we’ve seen, right? There’s probably a lot of meaning to be mined from that. hmmm….
bullet A couple of pages of watching Shift in action is enough to make a guy want to go hang out with pre-Dragon Island Eustace just for the company.
bullet I just want to yell at Tirian to pay attention to the Centaur and his reading of the stars. I mean sure the astrology is nonsense (or is it in Narnia?), but the rest of it…
bullet Then just a few pages later, we get word that “Aslan” is ordering tress to be cut down and sold. Sorry, just how clueless are Tirian, Jewel, and anyone else who thinks, “yeah, this could maybe be the guy.”
bullet

The King was so dizzy from being knocked down that he hardly knew what was happening until the Calormenes untied his wrists and put his arms straight down by his sides and set him with his back against an ash tree. Then they bound ropes round his ankles and his knees and his waist and his chest and left him there. What worried him worst at the moment—for it is often little things that are hardest to stand—was that his lip was bleeding where they had hit him and he couldn’t wipe the little trickle of blood away although it tickled him.

That is just a great little detail there at the end. Hard to resist the impulse to wipe your mouth/chin there.
bullet Even in the midst of the end of the world, Lewis can find time to bring a smile with something like this:

…in Narnia your good clothes were never your uncomfortable ones. They knew how to make things that felt beautiful as well as looking beautiful in Narnia: and there was no such thing as starch or flannel or elastic to be found from one end of the country to the other.

bullet I thought about talking about Susan’s absence at the end, but it seems even less controversial to me on this read than on others. Also, I just got my hands on Gaiman’s “The Problem with Susan,” and should keep my powder dry until I can read/interact with it.
bullet I didn’t take that many notes while reading this one–I think I just caught up in the reading. Oops. I really liked Jill here (nothing against Eustace, but Jill really got to shine).
bullet This isn’t a wholly satisfying ending to the series, but it’s such a good one. I wonder a bit if Lewis could’ve done more–but I really can’t complain. It’d have been really easy for him to bungle this–I’ll take a pretty good conclusion over a mess.

And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can: most truly say that they all lived happily ever after, But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.