Wombling Along
Helloooo!
I hope you’ve managed to have a relaxing week! i think I increasingly find the period around the winter solstice is slightly more a reset for me more than Christmas or New Year are when you’ve got to go a visiting and stuff. Knowing now that the days are getting lighter feels a nice turning point and I’m starting to ponder some things I’d like to get gone in 2026. Reading speed ha recovered while I’ve been off work and I’ve got a fairly tasty mini TBR pile awaiting me for the next week or so. There may finally be a TBR Challenge too…
Now Wombling Along is the blog’s weekend supplement where I share reviews and more online articles I think worth a look! I did worry this may be a very short Wombling but fear not! Enjoy this selection box of bookish reading
Reviews
First up, Fan Fi Addict looks at Spread and by Sarah Gailey
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-spread-me-by-sarah-gailey-2/
Locus has a short fiction look at Asimovs
https://locusmag.com/review/asimovs-review-by-a-c-wise-2/
Lord Samper’s Library really enjoyed The Hamlet by Joanna Corrance
https://lordsamperlibrary.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-hamlet-joanna-corrance-newcon-press.html?m=1
Locus enjoyed the ride that The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes takes the reader on in a very balanced review
https://locusmag.com/review/the-works-of-vermin-by-hiron-ennes-review-by-niall-harrison/
Gingernuts of Horror really enjoyed Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
https://gnofhorror.com/witchcraft-for-wayward-girls-by-grady-hendrix/
Dinipanda Reads enjoys Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid
https://dinipandareads.com/2025/12/22/book-review-heated-rivalry-by-rachel-reid/
Locus also enjoyed Angelmaker by Elizabeth Bear
https://locusmag.com/review/angel-maker-by-elizabeth-bear-review-by-adrienne-martini/
Diversity in Horror is impressed by The Villa Once Beloved by Victor Manibo
https://diversityhorror.com/2025/12/20/the-villa-once-beloved-by-victor-manibo/
Nerds of a Feather enjoyed The Wolf And His King by Finn Longman
http://www.nerds-feather.com/2025/12/book-review-wolf-and-his-king-by-finn.html?m=1
They also tempt into 2026 with Making History by K J Parker
http://www.nerds-feather.com/2025/12/book-review-making-history-by-k-j-parker.html?m=1
Fantasy Book Nerd really enjoyed Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison
https://www.fantasybooknerd.com/2025/12/book-review-black-sheep-rachel-harrison.html?m=1
Hugo Book Club was impressed by Outlaw Planet by M R Carey
https://hugoclub.blogspot.com/2025/12/wild-animals-of-wildest-west.html?m=1
Bookriot really enjoyed discussing how the novella Linghun by Ai Jiang handles the topic of grief
https://bookriot.com/linghun-ai-jiang/
Strange Horizons delves deep and is tempting me into Harmattan Season by Tochi Onyebuchi
http://strangehorizons.com/wordpress/non-fiction/harmattan-season-by-tochi-onyebuchi/
Jamreads further tempts me to Cry Voidbringer by Elaine Ho
https://jamreads.com/reviews/cry-voidbringer-by-elaine-ho
The Guardian meanwhile is called by Ice by Jack Dylan
Best of lists
At Fan Fi Addict Eleni shares their top reads of the year
https://fanfiaddict.com/elenis-top-reads-of-2025/
Finding Time to Write shares their favourite reads from the first half of 2025
https://findingtimetowrite.wordpress.com/2025/12/22/favourite-books-in-first-half-of-2025/
And the second half soon after
https://findingtimetowrite.wordpress.com/2025/12/26/favourite-books-in-second-half-of-2025/
Ancillary Review of Books asked its contributors for their notable reads of the year
https://ancillaryreviewofbooks.org/2025/12/22/arbs-2025-notable-books/
Claire Mcalpine shares their top reads in translation
https://clairemcalpine.com/2025/12/22/best-books-of-2025-top-reads-in-translation/
At Fan Fi Addict George shared their top reads
https://fanfiaddict.com/george-dunns-top-reads-of-2025/
And yes they had even more suggestions too!
https://fanfiaddict.com/lordtbrs-top-reads-of-2025-in-no-particular-order/
Cheryl Morgan shared highlights of her reading year
https://aqueductpress.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-pleasures-of-reading-viewing-and_02062490762.html?m=1
Best of SFF gives their first part of their best reads of 2025 focusing on fantasy
https://www.sffworld.com/2025/12/sffworld-best-of-2025-part-1/
And the to horror in part 2
https://www.sffworld.com/2025/12/sffworld-best-of-2025-part-2-horror-books-and-an-added-extra/
JamReads has their favourite reads too!
https://jamreads.com/articles/my-favourite-books-of-2025
In other news
Elizabeth Bear shares thoughts on art, aging and the solstice
https://www.patreon.com/posts/146361911
I loved this article exploring when bad reviews are really just bad criticism Bad reviews or bad criterion’s
https://episodes.ghost.io/art-criticism-not-smarter/
Round Ups
Gavreads has a Sunday Summary in a quiet week!
https://gavreads.co.uk/2025/12/21/sunday-summary-21-dec-25/
I wish you a relaxing Twixmas period, happy reading and I’ll see you next week!
