Happy 2025 everyone. I’m excited to be at the start of a new reading year. My goal this year is simple. To have as much fun as I can buying, reading and reviewing books. How hard can it be?
So, let the adventure begin.
I only finished two books this week, but what a start to the year – they were both five-star reads.
‘The Black Path‘ (2006) is the third Rebecka Martinsson book and I think it’s the best in the series so far. What I enjoyed most was the way the story was told. Although this is a murder mystery, the story is not so much about discovering the killer as about understanding the personalities and circumstances that result in soneone being murdered. The narrative was focused on the people: who they are, who they have been, what they want. It took both happiness and sorrow seriously. It wove memory, reflection and action into a square of cloth for each character and used the plot to combine the squares into a quilt that depicted their whole world and led inexorably to violence and death.
All of that was enriched by continuing to discover more about Rebecka Martinsson and Anna-Maria Mella. Martinsson plays a role in solving the crime but the main focus is on her recovery after the traumas of the previous books overwhelmed her mental health. Mella, a tiny woman, is a powerhouse as an investigator who finds her strength and her renewal from her home life.
‘Blood Like Mine’ (2024) came as a complete surprise to me. I liked the cover and picked it up as something for my wife and I to listen to on a long car drive. It was so compelling that we kept listening to it after the drive was over. We were wrapped up in the people and we needed to know how the story ended.
I think this is a story that it’s best to go into blind, knowing only that it’s a powerful blend on crime thriller and horror novel, with a strong focus on the personalities of the people involved. The releationship between the mother and daughter who are on the run is close, complex and convincing. The FBI man pursuing them is self-destructive and hard to like.
The plot uses familiar tropes from both genres but makes them feel fresh by changing who I cheered for (it wasn’t the FBI guy). The plot didn’t go were I thought it would, even after I’d fully understood the situation mother and daughter were in. It kept me on the edee of my seat to the last page.
I went on a bit of a book buying binge this week, mostly because Amazon kept offering me interesting Kindle books for a fraction of the price of a cup of coffee. I mean, it would have irresistible not to take advantage of the oppunity. Wouldn’t it?
Ruth Winters is retired, widowed, and resigned to spending the rest of her life alone in her suburban home. She likes her routine and uses it to avoid having to spend time with other people. She probably wouldn’t call herself fulfilled, but it’s too late now to go chasing happiness.
Then three things happen at once: a beloved niece makes a big announcement, an old flame reaches out, and her estranged sister receives life-changing news. Ruth finds herself reconnecting with people she thought were long gone from her world, as she is forced to reconsider her expectations for this phase of her life.
None of this fits into Ruth’s routine—in fact, the whole thing just blows to bits. But when Ruth starts to pick up the pieces, she discovers that maybe it’s not too late to make something new after all.
This is a mainstream novel for my ‘Books About Old People’ shelf. Ruth is only two years older than me but that just means I’m old too. The opening paragraphs were enough to tell me that Ruth and I have some things in common:
“Ruth Winters never welcomed change. She tried to avoid it when possible.
Too often, it amounted to change for its own sake, as though different were a synonym for better. In Ruth’s experience, it seldom was.
For Ruth, change upset the balance—if not of the universe in general, then of Ruth’s universe in particular, affecting the way Ruth navigated her world. When change also happened to interfere with Ruth’s schedule? That was unacceptable on all counts.
Why, for example, did they insist on regularly shifting the location of every food section in her local Cub Foods supermarket? Ruth was running dangerously low on juice boxes, which were like heroin to the children she looked after. But since the last time Ruth had shopped, the beverages had been moved—from aisle three to aisle twelve. To what possible purpose? Ruth wondered crossly as she trekked across the sprawling store, after an employee told her where to find them.
She was running late enough that she could not afford a game of hide-and-seek with her staples. Besides juice boxes, she needed a package of Pull-Ups, the not-quite-diapers she kept on hand for when the children had emergencies.
But when she asked, she found that these, also, had been moved—from aisle twelve to aisle three.
How symmetrically inconvenient, Ruth thought.”
It is the summer of 1919 and Constance Haverhill is without prospects. Now that all the men have returned from the front, she has been asked to give up her cottage and her job at the estate she helped to run during the war. While she looks for a position as a bookkeeper or (horror) a governess, she’s sent as a lady’s companion to an old family friend who is convalescing at a seaside hotel. Despite having only weeks to find a permanent home, Constance is swept up in the social whirl of Hazelbourne-on-Sea and its colorful inhabitants, most notably, Poppy Wirrall.
Poppy, the daughter of a land-owning baronet, wears trousers, operates a taxi and delivery service to employ local women and runs a ladies’ motorcycle club (to which she plans to add flying lessons). She and her friends enthusiastically welcome Constance into their circle. And then there is Harris, Poppy’s recalcitrant but handsome brother – a fighter pilot recently wounded in battle – who warms in Constance’s presence. But things are more complicated than they seem in this sunny pocket of English high society. As the country prepares to celebrate its hard-won peace, Constance and the women of the club are forced to confront the fact that the freedoms they gained during the war are being revoked.
I had ‘The Hatelbourne Motorcyclee And Flying Club’ (2024) recomended to me when it fiirst came out, I took a look, liked it but decided to wait for the audiobook. Unfortunatey, the ausiobook sample seemed a little slow to me so, when Amzaon offered the Kindle version at 60% off, I bought it. I’m hoping for something upbeat but not too sentimental.
After Skinner Cade’s mother dies, he learns he was adopted. Though his search for his Native American parents hits a dead end, his real name is revealed: Skinwalker.
His frustration explodes into a bar fight, landing him in prison. But everything changes—including himself—when he’s brought to the brink of death during a brutal attack. Skinner transforms into a werewolf, leaving a massacre in the wake of his jailbreak.
Once a college student, now a monster, Skinner embarks on a journey across the West, eventually encountering a pack of fellow vargr, members of a death metal band led by a twin brother and sister with twisted appetites. They take Skinner to the Howl, a werewolf gathering, where he learns about the legacy he carries in his blood—and after a violent melee, rises to become alpha of the pack. It’s only when Skinner goes rogue to save his humanity that he’ll finally discover an inherited power, his true place in the world—and a prophesy only he can fulfill . . .
‘Wild Blood’ (1994) was another how-can-I refuse-it-at-that-price? buy. I enjoyed Nancy Collins’ Sonja Blue vampire novel ‘Sunglasses After Dark‘. I’m hoping this book will give werewolves a similarly edgy treatment.
Kissen’s family were killed by zealots of a fire god. Now, she makes a living killing gods, and enjoys it. That is until she finds a god she cannot kill: Skedi, a god of white lies, has somehow bound himself to a young noble, and they are both on the run from unknown assassins.
Joined by a disillusioned knight on a secret quest, they must travel to the ruined city of Blenraden, where the last of the wild gods reside, to each beg a favour.
Pursued by demons, and in the midst of burgeoning civil war, they will all face a reckoning – something is rotting at the heart of their world, and only they can be the ones to stop it.
Young Adult fantasy is hit or miss for me. When it works, I love it. ‘Godkiller‘ (2023) has gotten rave reviews, the second book is already in print and the final book is due this year. I’m hoping this will be the start of a memorablle trilogy.
Two victims. Twenty years apart. One elusive killer.
Crescent Bluff, West Texas. Everybody knows everybody. And everybody has a secret.
When a boy is found dead with the skin of a hare’s head in his hand, everyone knows who killed him—Willis Newland, just released from prison after serving twenty years for an identical murder.
But what if everyone’s wrong?
Detective Colly Newland reluctantly agrees to investigate a case that seems to involve the whole town, including her dead husband’s extended family. But the deeper she digs, the more secrets she unearths. And as threats against her escalate, Colly realizes someone is willing to kill to keep theirs…
‘The Killing Plains’ (2025) is a roll of the dice. It’s an Amazon First Reads that’s due for publication on 1st February. It’s a debut novel and the plot sounds a little familiar but I liked the writing so I’m hoping I’ll one day look back and say, “I remember when Sherry Rankin was a new talent. I read her first novel before it was even released and it wasn’t half bad.”I
Veronica McCreedy can’t resist the promise of adventure . . .
Nine-year-old Daisy and nearly ninety-year-old Veronica make an unlikely pair of friends.
Fiercely independent and impeccably dressed, Veronica has lived an incredible 87 years. Most of them alone, in her huge house by the sea. But with the arrival of brave and resilient Daisy into her life, Veronica finds she has a renewed thirst for adventure – and that they both share a passion for penguins!
So when Veronica and Daisy are invited to travel to the other side of the world together and visit the penguins of the southern hemisphere, they both jump at the chance.
Veronica had thought her days of new friendships, family and love were over, but perhaps it’s never too late for one more adventure?
I met Veronica in ‘Away With The Penguins‘ a couple of years ago. I liked the writing and the quiet humour. Most of all, I liked Veronica, I’m looking forward to spending more time with her. The book has had mixwd reviews but, even if it’s weaker than the first book, I’m putting on my shelves for when I need something that is gently uplifting.
Set in London in 1837, THE UNSEEING is the story of Sarah Gale, a seamstress and mother, sentenced to hang for her role in the murder of Hannah Brown on the eve of her wedding.
‘A twisting tale of family secrets and unacknowledged desires. Intricately plotted and extremely convincing in its evocation of the everyday realities of 1830s London, this is a fine first novel’ – The Sunday Times
After Sarah petitions for mercy, Edmund Fleetwood is appointed to investigate and consider whether justice has been done. Idealistic, but struggling with his own demons, Edmund is determined to seek out the truth. Yet Sarah refuses to help him, neither lying nor adding anything to the evidence gathered in court. Edmund knows she’s hiding something, but needs to discover just why she’s maintaining her silence. For how can it be that someone would willingly go to their own death?
My wife introduced me to Anna Mazzola’s writing with ‘The Story Keeper‘ (2018) which was an historical Fiction nove with teeth, written in a gothic style, Since then, my wife has read and enjoyed ‘The Clockwork Girl‘ (2023) and ‘The Book Of Secrets’ (2024). So now we’re hitting the back catalogue with ‘The Unseeing‘ (2016)
I still have a few partly completed novels from 2024 but I’m going to add a few new books this week to keep things interesting. One is a book of Scieince Fiction short stories, one is a comedy about a group of disparate people who come into contact with an alien, but perhaps the strangest of them all is a history of fictional small town in America.
Part II of this debut collection by multi-award-winning author and artist Raven Oak brings together speculative fiction stories from the past ten years of her career, ranging from space adventures with a dash of mystery and other near-future tales to post-apocalyptic stories and deep dives into the mind.
You’ll find closed-ship mysteries, foul-acting apps, talking cats, retail hell, and hacked programs in these ELEVEN speculative fiction pieces. Space Ships & Other Trips contains FIVE never-before seen stories for your enjoyment, including a tie-in story from Jeff Sturgeon’s The Last Cities of Earth universe.
STORIES INCLUDED: The Loss of Luna, Hungry, Mouth, Only a Bird, Q-Be, Hands, Ol’ St. Nick, Drip, Level Up, Scout’s Honor, and D.E.A.T.H.
This year, I want to read more short fiction and more Science Fiction. I have two of Raven Oak‘s books on my shelves, ‘Amaskan’s Blood‘, the first book in her YA trilogy, and this book of short stories which I bought because it had a talking cat in it (so it can’t be all bad).
Francie is a reluctant Maid of Honor, for several reasons.
The first is that her friend Serena has terrible taste in men. Previous fiancés have included a storm-chaser, a shaman and a kamikaze base-jumper. This is the closest a wedding has come to happening, and it’s to a UFO-chaser.
The second is that, as a result, the wedding is being held in New Mexico. In Roswell. During the UFO festival.
After a series of travel disasters that end with her car sharing with another wedding guest – who also happens to be an FBI agent – a wedding due to take place in the UFO Museum, conducted by a high priest from the Church of Galactic Truth, and a frankly repellent bridesmaid dress, the alien abduction is actually a high point of Francie’s day.
Bundled by an alien into an SUV, which she is forced to drive, what follows is a chaotic road trip, picking up other waifs and strays, hotwiring an RV, and desperately trying to work out what their alien captor actually wants.
I’m a Connie Willis fan of longstanding but, although it was recommended by people I trust, I didn’t buy this book when it came out because I wanted an audiobook version. My wife has just finished listening to this one and she thought the narration added a lot to her enjoyment. Gvien how much it made her laugh, I’m looking forward to relaxing with this one.
In deepest winter, beware the coldest hearts . . .
The Red Garden introduces us to the luminous and haunting world of Blackwell, Massachusetts. Hoffman offers a transforming glimpse of small-town America, presenting us with some three hundred years of passion, dark secrets, loyalty, and redemption in a web of tales.
From the town’s founder, a brave young woman from England who has no fear of blizzards or bears, to the young man who runs away to New York City, the characters in The Red Garden are extraordinary and vivid: a young wounded Civil War soldier who is saved by a neighbor, a woman who meets a fiercely human historical character, a poet who falls in love with a blind man, a mysterious traveler who comes to town in the year when summer never arrives. At the center of everyone’s life is a garden where only red plants can grow, and where the truth can be found by those who dare to look. The Red Garden is as unforgettable as it is moving.
Sometimes Alice Hoffman’s books are wonderful. Sometimes I wonder what I’m missing. I haven’t made my mind up about this one yet.. My wife and I are listening to a chapter each everning (it’s not the sort of book that I can listen to two chapters sequentially). It’s an odd book. A sort of magical realism version of Lake Woebegon with a strong feminist riff and a long historical reach. Each chapter is a the true story of a legend that has shaped who the people in this small town believe themselves to be. Their written more like fairy tales or teaching stories than dramatic accounts. There have been some memorable scenes but I’m still waiting to see if there is really a story arc here.
Mike Finn's Fiction 
I’ve been meaning to borrow the ladies motorcycle and flying club book from my library ever since it lost the vote at our book club a few months ago – thanks for the reminder.
It’s interesting that you refer to Godkiller as YA. It was marketed to me as adult, but it read very YA. If I had known that I probably wouldn’t have bought books 1 and 2. They were ok reads but nothing special. I hope you enjoy Godkiller more. Going in with the expectation of it being YA will probably help though
LikeLike