Wombling Along
Hellooo!!!
The first week of January with no Christmas related events and for a lot of will work has restarted in earnest. Throw in the U.K. getting very cold, wet and in some places snowy it’s been a testing week!
For many this is the week we all try to do the things we wanted to get on top of things - yes I will have a tidy work inbox again. Yes I will remember to do some exercise and perhaps finally clear the kitchen drawer. For me it’s been a decent week bar Thursday being hot by a fairly strong office cold that made Friday very tricky and I actually had some sense to then log off for the day and get medicated
it’s been a good reading week as I kept to my sort of themes and balances of books I want to do this year and blog wise my intention is to have things ready for next week. I like having a little leeway and want to avoid having every review written hours after reading.
Now for new readers this is the blog’s weekend supplement for you to relax and look at reviews and a few other things I found online. Think of this as a way to look at wha actually the oft-mentioned ‘conversation’ is slowly digesting. Also just how many cool reviewers are out there even if they are cruel booktempters unlike me. But first!
Monthly TBR Challenges
So for those you interested in the at bat challenge available at https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/12/29/the-2026-booktempters-tbr-challenge
January for me has two books one will finish this month and one as you’ll see for the year ahead!
Read the very last book to enter your TBR pile. TBRs come from the habit we have of not reading books because we put them off. You have my permission to indulge yourself.
My last bookshop trip was to a little Reading focused charity near me and on the spur of the moment I saw some books by an author I’ve wanted to try outside my usual genres Watershed by Percival Everett
And for the stretch goal
Read a book that you’ve had in your TBR pile for more than 5 years
It’s the very hefty The Time Traveller’s Almanac edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer a huge collection of time travel stories. Having now read The Big Book of Cyberpunk I think I have a way to tackle these kind of books where the size can be offputting but in relate this is just reading three books in a row - that’s totally doable I just need to chunk it up!
Reviews
NS Ford was fairly underwhelmed by Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
https://nsfordwriter.com/dragonflight-anne-mccaffrey/
Jamreads was very impressed by Project Hanuman by Stewart Hotston
https://jamreads.com/reviews/project-hanuman-by-stewart-hotston
They also enjoyed the folk horror novel Withered Hill by David Barnett
https://jamreads.com/reviews/withered-hill-by-david-barnett
Finally they tempt me with The Ganymede by RT Ester
https://jamreads.com/reviews/the-ganymedan-by-rt-ester
Locus as always has a few to digest starting with We Live Here Now by CD Rose
https://locusmag.com/review/we-live-here-now-by-c-d-rose-review-by-ian-mond/
A review of Analog Magazine
https://locusmag.com/review/analog-review-by-a-c-wise-2/
A new T Kingfisher arrived in the form of Nine Goblins
https://locusmag.com/review/nine-goblins-by-t-kingfisher-review-by-gary-k-wolfe/
They also enjoyed Lives of Bitter Rain by Adrian Tchaikovsky
https://locusmag.com/review/lives-of-bitter-rain-by-adrian-tchaikovsky-review-by-russell-letson/
And as I’ve an afternoon to myself later on I’ll be read this behemoth but this review of Ice by Jack Dukak promises I’m in for a trip at the very least
https://locusmag.com/review/ice-by-jacek-dukaj-review-by-niall-harrison/
Jo’s Book Blog really enjoyed The Raven a scholar by Antonia Hodgson which gets ever nearer the top of my own TBR pile
https://josbookblog.co.uk/2026/01/06/the-raven-scholar-by-antonia-hodgson/
The Fantasy Hive was very happy with The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi
https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2026/01/the-swans-daughter-by-roshani-chokshi-book-review/
The Hive also gets ready for a movie looking at a little known tale Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë based on the Kate Bush song I think
https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2026/01/wuthering-heights-by-emily-bronte-book-review/
Nerds of a Feather really enjoyed Enchanting the Fae Queen by Stephanie Burgis
http://www.nerds-feather.com/2026/01/book-review-enchanting-fae-queen-by.html?m=1
The Nerds also continue their trip through the Realm of the Elderlings series by Robin Hobb
http://www.nerds-feather.com/2026/01/realm-of-elderlings-project-rain-wild.html?m=1
Nerds also has a look at this interesting sounding anthology Will This Be A Problem edited by Somto Ihezue and Olivia Kidula
http://www.nerds-feather.com/2026/01/book-review-will-this-be-problem.html?m=1
Gingernuts of Horror also liked another David Barnett novel in the form of Scratch Moss
https://gnofhorror.com/scratch-moss-review-david-barnetts-folk-horror/
In addition they also really enjoyed The Haunting of Sorrows Leap by Chris Sorenson
https://gnofhorror.com/the-haunting-of-sorrows-leap-by-chris-sorensen/
Blogging With Dragons also had a lot of fun reading Snake Eater by T Kingfisher
https://bloggingwithdragons.com/book-review-snake-eater/
Reactor stats Booktempting with a book described as Gideon The Ninth meets Moby Dick - Hell’s Heart by Alexis Hall sounds intriguing
https://reactormag.com/hunting-the-great-white-whale-thing-on-jupiter/
Ancillary Review of Books adds to the reasons why The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes also needs to be read this month
Ancillary also has their regular novella review and this time looks at From These Dark Abodes by Lyndsie Manusos
https://ancillaryreviewofbooks.org/2026/01/07/small-press-dispatch-trapped-in-flesh/
The Expendable Mudge really liked Where The Axe is Buried by Ray Nayler
https://expendablemudge.blogspot.com/2026/01/where-axe-is-buried-ray-nayler-gets-his.html?m=1
SF Book Reviews looks at Queen of the Dead by Sarah Broadway
https://sfbook.com/queen-of-the-dead.htm
Fantasy Book Nerd really enjoyed the folk horror ITCH! By Gemma Amor
https://www.fantasybooknerd.com/2026/01/book-review-itch-gemma-amor.html?m=1
Divination Hollow loved the themes of Linghun by Ai Jiang
https://divinationhollow.com/reviews-and-articles/bookreview-linghun
Lord Samper’s Library enjoyed their weird horror trip in We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
https://lordsamperlibrary.blogspot.com/2026/01/we-used-to-live-here-marcus-kliewer.html?m=1
There is a fascinating review by Green Pigs in Heaven comparing Rakesfall by Vajra Chandrasekera and Peace by Gene Wolfe
https://greenpigsinheaven.wordpress.com/2026/01/06/sweet-and-golden-dreams/
Fan fi Addict really enjoyed The Graceview Patient by Caitlin Starling
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-the-graceview-patient-by-caitlin-starling-2/
Fantasy Book Critic was wowed by Teh Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews
https://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/2026/01/this-kingdom-will-not-kill-me-maggie.html?m=1
SFF world really really tempts me with this review of The Poet Empress by Shen Tao
https://www.sffworld.com/2026/01/the-poet-empress-by-shen-tao/
Best of 2025
There are still a few coming in! Andrew Liptak gives their faves here
https://www.andrewliptak.com/science-fiction-fantasy-horror-best-books-2025/
Strange Horizons lets their many reviewers talk about their reading year highlights in three parts
https://strangehorizons.com/wordpress/non-fiction/2025-in-review-part-one/
https://strangehorizons.com/wordpress/non-fiction/2025-in-review-part-two/
https://strangehorizons.com/wordpress/non-fiction/2025-in-review-part-three/
Renay looks back on 2025 with stats and the reads that made the most impact
https://ladybusiness.dreamwidth.org/2026/01/07/lets-get-literate-2025-reading-recap.html
Pete Long also gives their best reads of the past year
https://peatlong.wordpress.com/2026/01/02/top-10-books-read-in-2025/
In other news
Charlie Jane Anders looks at a connecting theme of memory that’s appearing ina number of books she’s been reading and why this may be the case.
https://buttondown.com/charliejane/archive/the-most-surprising-book-trend-right-now-memory/
Kameron Hurley has this very open and honest look back at their last few years and it’s a reminder however things get bad we can find our own way through
https://www.kameronhurley.com/i-broke-apart-i-came-back-better/
Like many of us I’m very worried what my US friends are experiencing under their government. Uncanny Magazien has this article by Dawn Xiana Moon that reminds us why Science addiction exists to remind us they can be recognised for what they are and will be beaten
https://www.uncannymagazine.com/article/these-stories-teach-us-how-to-fight/
Moving on to lighter news Reactor explains the Hugos, how you can take part and what you can expect from the experience.
https://reactormag.com/anyone-can-vote-in-the-hugo-awards-and-heres-how/
Witty and Sarcastic BookClub has decided to finally reveal the cruel booktempters causing havoc to their TBR piles ….oopsie I didn’t mean it honest
Round Ups
Behind the Pages summarises the series they finished this past year
https://www.behindthepages.org/post/what-book-series-did-i-finish-reading-in-2025-book-talk
Gavreads has their Sunday Summary
https://gavreads.co.uk/2026/01/04/sunday-summary-4th-jan-26/
Gautam Bhatia has their weekly Words for Worlds
https://gautambhatia.substack.com/p/words-for-worlds-issue-112
As always for more great reviews and analysis I strongly suggest you read and then subscribe to Renay’s excellent https://buttondown.com/intergalacticmixtape/archive/intergalactic-mixtape-35/
That should keep you out of trouble while the snow melts or at the very least it gets a bit warmer
Have a great weekend! Keep reading!
