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Winning the bloody trial set by the Goddess of Death was meant to liberate Oraya and bring her a future free of fear. Now she finds herself a prisoner in her own castle, surrounded by enemies and married to the vampire who killed her father.  With her trust already broken once, does she dare enter another risky alliance in order to reclaim her empire?

‘The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King’ (ASCK) is the second book in the ‘Crowns of Nyaxia' series.  I thoroughly enjoyed  book one, ‘The Serpent and the Wings of Night’, and so I was eager to return to the series.

Note: Just the existence of book two is clearly a spoiler to book one. If you read further I’ll assume you don’t care about book one spoilers. 

ASCK sees us return to the land of Obitraes in the wake of the Kejari tournament. Raihn, a powerful Rishan vampire, now  rules the House of Night. But his grip on power is tenuous. Raihn's rule is dependent on an unstable alliance of untrustworthy Rishan nobles, and the questionably motivated vampires controlled by the mysterious Septimus. 

Caught up in the political machinations and power plays of the vampire households is Oraya.

Having survived the trials of the Kejari, Oraya must come to terms with her new identity as the Hiaj heir and uncover the uncomfortable secrets her father has hidden across the land. Only by doing so can she reclaim her title as ruler of the House of Night.

More political intrigue, less consistent action

ASCK has more political intrigue and machinations than the previous novel. I enjoyed this element, even though it was mostly predictable. On the flip side, I found the pacing of the action better in book one. Both books follow a similar pattern: rising action followed by  lulls in which the characters heal their wounds and the romance happens. In ASCK, the breaks were more noticeable and didn’t necessarily flow as well, even though they all had a purpose and moved other plot elements along. This unfortunately made the book feel a bit stop-start at times.

Romancing Raihn

Enemies to lovers and back to enemies was the romance formula for book one. Raihn’s betrayal of Oraya sets the scene for a repeat of this in ASCK. We follow our romantic leads as they rebuild their connection in what feels like a two steps forward one step backwards manner. As readers, we know where this is going to all end. This story element is therefore more about enjoying the journey of how our lovers eventually get there, rather than any surprises about the destination.

So who would enjoy this book?

Before picking up this book, you should note it carries a content warning for: graphic violence, violence against children, discussion of sexual assault and rape, and slavery. There is also explicit sexual content.

If you enjoyed ‘The Serpent and the Wings of Night’, you’ll want to read this book and see how Oraya’s story concludes. The pacing is different but the overall style is similar enough that if you made it through the previous novel, this book won’t be a struggle.

Overall, I enjoyed my second adventure in Obitraes and expect I’ll return for book three once I’ve ticked off more of my current backlog of books.

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This month I revisited one of my favorite non-fiction books; Brene Brown’s ‘Atlas of the Heart’. The book aims to expand the reader’s emotional vocabulary, enabling them to connect better with themself and others. This is a book I’m happy to recommend to all readers, as the depth of research and breadth of coverage means everyone should find something of interest in it.

This is my second reading (technically listening this time) of ‘Atlas’. For that reason, if you’re looking for an overview of the book, I’d recommend going back to my original Tumblr post about ‘Atlas of the Heart’.

So what are some things that stuck on the second read?

Is this thing really a big deal? Before you react to something, think about will this be an issue in five minutes? Five hours? Five days? Five months? Five years? Taking this approach can give you perspective on how significant this ‘thing’ is. It’s very similar to Annie Dukes’s recommendation for beating analysis paralysis in ‘How to Decide’. In Duke’s book, the time you take to analyze and make a decision should be related to how significant the impact of the decision is. Duke adopts a similar framework of asking will this matter in .. a day? A week? A month? A year? Ten years? That answer should guide the level of effort you put into a decision.

The role of “stealth expectations” in disappointment.  These are expectations that are  unexamined, unspoken and unacknowledged. They can lead to disappointment because if we have expectations and don’t communicate them to others, we can experience disappointment when other people don’t fulfill those (uncommunicated) expectations.

Sometimes these expectations are things we aren’t consciously aware of ourselves because they are unexamined, so we aren’t even aware of what we need to communicate. If we experience disappointment, it’s therefore helpful to look at whether we have expectations that are unexamined, or that we didn’t communicate.

Near enemies.

“Near enemies are states that appear similar to the desired quality but actually undermine it. Far enemies are the opposite of what we are trying to achieve. For example, a near enemy of loving-kindness is sentimentality—similar but different. A far enemy of loving-kindness is ill will—the opposite of loving-kindness. Similarly, a near enemy of compassion is pity and a far enemy is cruelty.”

 Shame is a dangerous weapon and can be counter-productive.

“I know we all have deeply passionate and cultural beliefs, but shame and humiliation will never be effective social justice tools. They are tools of oppression. I remember reading this quote from Elie Wiesel years ago and it’s become a practice for me-even when I’m enraged or afraid: “Never allow anyone to be humiliated in your presence.”

A grounded theory of meaningful connection. This ties together the whole book in a framework for how we can build better connections. One of the elements that really stuck out for me here is the need to remain curious and be ok with being unsure or even wrong about things. That’s advice that’s helpful when it comes to the analysis and advice parts of my day job, as well as making more meaningful connections.   

I enjoyed rereading Atlas, and arguably gained new insights from engaging with the topic for a second time. I suspect this will be a book I go back to every year or two just to brush up on my emotional language skills. Atlas is therefore one of those rare books that I’d recommend to every reader or listener - its well worth the price of a copy.

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‘Fourth Wing’ is a romantasy novel that feels like a mashup of ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Divergent’ with dragons and magic instead of tech. Oh, and with spicier romance. Even if romance isn’t your thing, ‘Fourth Wing’ is fun and worth reading if only to see what all the fuss is about.  

Violet Sorrengail didn’t plan on being a Rider. Her fragile body isn’t suited to the rigours of riding dragons and the ruthlessness of combat. Violet just wanted to be a Scribe, quietly studying and writing the history of her world. 

But her mother has other plans, and Violet finds herself thrust into training at Basgiath War College. Basgiath is ruthless to the (sometimes absurd) extreme. It’s a ‘survive and graduate’ or die trying kind of place. As the daughter of a feared general, Violet must not only survive the regular dangers of the academy, she must avoid being killed by enemies among the other trainees. The reward though is great - bonding with a dragon and gaining unique magical powers. Of course if you survive, you’re then sent to the frontlines of a war, so even that reward comes at a price.  

‘Fourth Wing’ is also a romance story, so there’s plenty of pages dedicated to Violet’s longing and lusting over her love interest. Oh, and dragon sex is a thing (logically) but that’s off the page so we don’t get the details on it. 

If you’re more into the fantasy elements it might be tempting to skip the romance scenes altogether. But doing so risks undermining the fantasy story because of the way Violet, her love interest and the dragons are all intertwined. So even if you’re here for the fantasy adventure - don't skip over the romance. 

‘Fourth Wing’ is an entertaining read if you’re ok with the violence and sex.

This story has its share of violence and also some explicit sex scenes. If that’s not your thing then consider yourself warned. My other caution is this is the first book of a series. While the novel has a meaningful conclusion, there’s also a lot of unanswered questions left hanging to be addressed by future books.

If you’re ok with all that, and enjoy a spicy adventure story, then I’d recommend braving the journey that is ‘Fourth Wing’.

P.s. This review is based on the first book read  as a standalone. My views may change as I read more of the series.

P.p.s - scroll further down for spoiler containing extra thoughts on the comparison to ‘Divergent’.

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OK, it’s not quite as simple as ‘Divergent with dragons’, but it certainly gave me those sort of vibes. 

In both stories we have a society that divides people up into castes (or roles) upon reaching a certain age.

In both, our protagonist has grown up assuming they would be part of a peaceful/quiet group in society, but instead find themself part of the warrior group.

Entry into the warrior group involves a dangerous activity (cross the parapet / jump off the train) that involves the risk of death. 

Graduation is basically about surviving.

Love interest is a more senior warrior / instructor.

The protagonist learns that all is not as it seems with their world and leaders. They must make a choice between following orders and doing the right thing. 

Given I generally enjoyed Divergent, I’m hoping I’ll continue to enjoy the rest of this series too.

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‘The Power of Letting Go’ aims to help people ‘let go’ of the distractions, limiting thoughts and pain patterns that hold them back from achieving their goals. The techniques taught in the book are based on the author’s experience with various forms of spiritualism and success in applying them is likely to depend on the reader’s willingness to surrender to these ideas. It’s a book that may work for some people, but is arguably not as universal as the author seems to think.

‘The Power of Letting Go’ (TPOLG) is a self-help book that aims to help people be happier and achieve their goals by following a four step process.

Be present and enjoy each moment

Let go of the thoughts that keep you stuck

Let go of the pain that runs your life

Surrender and tune into something far more intelligent than your brian

The book devotes chapters to each of these steps, encouraging the reader to make use of techniques such as mindfulness, transcendental meditation and reliving past experiences, in order to ‘let go’. The different practices and techniques have been included based on the author's experience with different spiritual practices. 

An overarching theme of the book is that we are part of something greater and more intelligent than ourselves. Therefore, the logic goes, we must surrender ourselves to the universe in order to more effortlessly achieve our goals.

What did I find useful?

There were elements of the first three steps I did find useful.

Focussing on what you want to achieve rather than an inflexible idea of how something should happen.

Some of the breathing techniques and suggestions for clearing the mind.

There’s also something to be said for letting go of pain that’s running your life. 

So where did this book fall down for me?

My main frustration is the idea that ‘letting go’ will magically lead to reaching goals we’ve been unable to achieve. It feels at times a lot like ‘underpants gnome’ logic’.

This is a reference to a South park episode where a group of Gnomes outline their business plan as Phase 1: Collect underpants, Phase 2: ?, Phase 3 Profit. It’s a satire of corporate planning, especially in the start-up world, but I’ve also seen it applied to other contexts.

In TPOLG, the gap is:

Let go,

? ( magic?)

Goal achieved.

That’s the logic we’re presented with for most of the book, though at one point the author makes the more realistic statement that things can “become easier” to achieve if you let go.

Another challenge I have is  the anecdotes about people achieving success after letting go. The success of the author’s methods aren’t being tested in any kind of scientific manner. Instead, people who have had success with letting go recount when doing so worked for them. This comes across a bit like survivorship bias, studying only those who had success with ‘letting go’ and not comparing to those for whom the process doesn’t work. 

Plenty of books in this genre take this approach. I’d probably have less of an issue with the selective anecdotes if the book didn’t try to sell its techniques as some sort of universal and unfailing approach. 

Where ‘unfailing’ does have a qualification.

That qualification is the idea that if you don’t fully commit to letting go, you wont get results. This sets up the situation where any failure can potentially be blamed on someone not fully letting go. 

There are many aspects of life where success is linked to how fully someone commits to an action. (exercise optimally -> better fitness). But ‘letting go’ enough is highly subjective and internalised to the point it almost seems untestable.   

Closing thoughts

The book has given me things to think about, especially in terms of how past pain patterns can still be running the way we live.

How much the reader will benefit from this book though is likely to depend on ones preferred balance between a scientific versus spiritual approach to achieving the things you want. The two can potentially coexist and work together. Readers though should be aware though, this book leans more into the spiritual and faith based approach to problem solving.

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‘The Handmaid’sTale’ is a dystopian story set in a world where fear and religious fervour have combined in a dangerous cocktail. The United States has fallen, replaced by a totalitarian theocracy - the Republic of Gilead. This cautionary tale highlights the human cost of autocratic governments who treat people as means to an end, and see all differences of opinion as punishable dissent.

Dystopia is one of my go-to genres. While most of the dystopia covered in my Tumblr has been oriented at a young-adult audience, I’ve read some classic 20th century dystopian works  such as ‘1984’, ‘Animal Farm’, ‘Brave New World’, ‘Neuromancer’, ‘V for Vendetta’, along with assorted Ayn Rand novels and even ‘We’ (one of the first books banned in soviet era Russia).

‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ was a conspicuous absence from this list. It wasn’t a deliberate omission. A bit like ‘Neuromancer’, it was a book I knew about but hadn’t found time to read until now.  

‘The Handmaid's Tale’ checks all the boxes for a classic dystopian story.

The story is narrated by a young woman known only as Offred. Following a second civil war, the United States has been replaced by a theocratic autocracy known as the Republic of Gilead. Faced with declining birth rates due to environmental disasters and continual war, Gilead’s “commanders” have indoctrinated and enslaved young women like Offred for the sole purpose of conceiving children.

Offred is forced to live in servitude to her Commander and ultimately the state of Gilead. As the story unfolds the reader is given flashbacks to Offred’s life before the civil war, the escalating erosion of freedoms, and the events that ultimately led to her forced servitude as a handmaiden.

This is a story that draws on the full range of dystopian tropes: deprivation, oppression, terror and trauma, extreme class (and gender) divides with plenty of hypocrisy thrown in,  environmental catastrophe, a forever war, and the degradation of the individual at the hands of the state.

I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Elisabeth Moss, who plays Offred in the TV adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale. Her narration was extremely effective in bringing Gilead to life and conveying the emotional trauma of the world. 

My main criticism of the novel is that the first half felt a bit slow. It’s very focussed on Offred’s personal circumstances and drip feeding us broader information about her life before Gilead.  This may have been in part due to Atwood wanting to reduce the amount of exposition dumps (see this interesting interview). The result for me was that the story didn’t feel like it was going anywhere until the second half.

I also felt the ending of the story wasn’t as impactful as it could have been, though others may enjoy it.

If you’re interested in dystopian stories, don’t leave it as long as I did to read this book. It should also be read by anyone wanting to understand why some people are so concerned by elements of the socially and religiously motivated conservatism that is shaping current (2025) social policy in the US. Paperback versions of the novel are relatively cheap and well worth your time, or do as I did and borrow the fantastic audiobook from your library. Just get your hands on this book and soak it all in.

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'You Must Take Part in Revolution' is a near future dystopia that follows the lives of three young people who meet during Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests of 2019. It's an engaging and at times uncomfortable story illustrated with a unique art style. This book will suit you if you want to be challenged by a dystopian story that is frighteningly plausible.

This graphic novel explores the ways in which both choice and circumstance shape not just individuals, but the world they live in. We meet the principal characters at Hong Kong's protests, then follow the different paths their lives take in the wake of tragic events.

The novel's backdrop is a world where China has continued on the path to becoming a technologically advanced authoritarian state. Meanwhile, the US still tries to paint itself as a beacon of democracy, but in many ways has succumbed to the kind of authoritarianism it claims to rail against.

The world as it's portrayed in 2035 is still recognizable as our own, despite the dystopian elements. What makes the story so engaging and frightening is it paints a plausible path to this dystopian future based on current political trends.

This one of those dystopian stories where saying you "liked" or "enjoyed" it doesn't feel right. It isn't because the novel is bad. Rather, it's that the experience is at times unsettling and uncomfortable. Well crafted dystopia should arguably do that. This novel gave me similar feelings to reading books like 1984 or watching Brazil.

'You Must Take Part in Revolution' is a graphic novel that should suit anyone who wants to be swept up into its dark story for about the same time as a typical movie.

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In ‘Sludge’, Cass Sunstein sets out to explore the ways in which both the government and private sector cause harm through processes that create unnecessary obstacles to people achieving their goals.

Cass Sunstein is probably best known for co-authoring ‘Nudge’, one of the most well known and influential books in behavioral economics. Where ‘Nudge’ is centred around the ways that people can be helped to make better choices, ‘Sludge’ looks at the frictions that can be put in the way of people achieving these goals. Sometimes this friction has a legitimate public policy goal. But as ‘Sludge’ illustrates with numerous examples, often this friction imposes massive costs and can cause significant harm to vulnerable groups within society. 

Key points I took away from this book:

Sludge is the needless frictions that get in the way of people achieving what they want to do. E.g. long and complicated forms, unnecessary and inefficient queuing. 

Sludge can sometimes be deliberate, serving as a rationing tool or a way of making it difficult for people to achieve an outcome. There may be political debate over whether making it difficult to access something is good or bad. Sludge related to obtaining an abortion is an example of this.

Much sludge is not deliberate. It’s a byproduct of other processes or legitimate goals. In this case there should be broad support for the end goal of removing as much sludge as possible. 

Sludge can disproportionately impact already disadvantaged communities. (e.g. complex processes for voter registration or applying for social assistance may disproportionately impact groups already at a social disadvantage.)

Deliberate use of sludge by the private sector may in certain situations warrant regulatory scrutiny. (e.g. subscription traps where it’s easy to sign up and difficult to quit, dark patterns linked to manipulation of opt-out and opt-in, prefilling of forms.) 

There’s big savings and potential for a massive impact on people’s lives by taking a hard line on sludge. Paperwork (physical or digital) must be scrutinised to assess if each requirement is really necessary.

‘Sludge’ felt less an academic text and more like a call to action for a crackdown on harmful frictions in people’s lives. If you’re involved in government or private sector bureaucracy, ‘Sludge’ is a short read (or listen) that will serve as an important reminder of the value of making things simple.

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It’s another fantasy novel, and another winner takes all tournament. But for our protagonist, winning the tourney’s challenges is only half the battle. Can Celaena work out who is killing the contestants before she becomes the next victim? 

Celaena is an assassin. At least she was until she was captured and sent to the Salt Mines of Endovier. When the Crown Prince offers her the opportunity to win her freedom by competing to become the King’s Champion, she’s prepared to take her chances. But things like this never go smoothly. And when contestants begin being gruesomely murdered during the the dark of night, Celaena must solve the murder mystery just to keep herself alive long enough to make the competition finale. 

Along the way, Celaenea will be trained by the Captain of the Guard, ‘Chaol’, who must get her back to fighting shape after her time in the mines. This of course means spending a lot of time together... alone …and often under stress. There will be interludes and flirtation with the Crown Prince, Dorian Haviliard. And there is a mysterious foreign princess, and assorted court politics, to deal with. To survive, Celaena must navigate all this, not simply win the tourney.

This is another fun fantasy story. I’ll admit my first reaction was “another tournament story?”, coming as it did after just reading ‘The Serpent and the Wings of Night’. And while both novels centre around  a ‘winner takes all’ competition, they’re different enough to both be enjoyable. 

I enjoyed the mystery elements of the story, as Celaenea sought to uncover the source of the murders. The tournament, while entertaining, probably wouldn't have been suspenseful enough by itself without the intrigue added by events going on around it.

I’m still  undecided on the friendship / flirtation between Celaena and the two male leads -  Chaol and Dorian. As her trainer and mentor, I can appreciate Chaol’s role in the story. While I enjoyed many of the scenes involving Dorian and Celaeana, he seemed less necessary to the plot. My hypothesis is he’s more significant to the overall series than this particular story.

Overall an enjoyable story that I’d recommend to people who like their fantasy stories with a side of flirtatious fun. 

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An engaging fantasy world, plenty of action, political intrigue, and all with a side of slow building romance. ‘The Serpent and the Wings of Night’ (SWN) is an entertaining story that should have appeal beyond the romantasy genre.

Rescued as a child by the Vampire King, Oraya has grown up surrounded by vampires. As the only human in the king’s palace, she knows just how dangerous vampires can be. At first protected by the Vampire King, then taught  how to protect herself, Oraya is more at home in the vampire world than among humans. This despite the ever present threat of falling prey to their bloodlust.     

Driven by desire for the power that would make her an equal, Oraya enters the Kejari: a series of trials overseen by the Goddess of Death herself. If she can win this deathly tournament, the Goddess will grant her wish. But to get there she must not only survive the trials, but kill her vampiric rivals along the way.  That task becomes more complicated when Oraya is forced to form an alliance with Raihn, a powerful vampire from a rival clan that desires her father’s crown. Just how far can she trust Raihn? And will she have the strength to kill him when the time comes?

An engaging fantasy adventure

SWN was a story I fell in love with. For me, it struck the right balance between fantasy action, political intrigue and romance. 

Oraya’s story is a classic hero's quest, and that’s something all fantasy lovers should be able to get on board with. Like all good quests, there is the physical quest (win the tournament, gain power from the goddess) and a character driven quest, as Oraya seeks to understand her true identity. 

The story moves at a good pace with plenty of action along the way. A multi stage tournament is a convenient mechanism for interspacing high energy action sequences with periods of relative quiet and character building.

Though the political intrigue is arguably the lightest element of the story, there was enough to keep me engaged in that mystery too. I suspect we’ll get more of it played out in the second book of this duet, which is something I’m looking forward to.

Finally we have the romance element. 

The book pitches itself as a dark romantasy. It carries a content warning for:

Violence, torture (off page), flashback of rape (consent withdrawn), self-harm, emotional abuse, slavery and references to sexual abuse)

‘Dark Romance’ is still a genre I don’t have a lot of experience with, so you may want to read other reviews if that’s your main focus. 

The romance in SWN is a slow build. As a reader, we know broadly where this part of the story is going to end up, but the exact when and how and its aftermath is still a wrapped candy to be peeled back and enjoyed as the book progresses.  Unlike ‘A Curse of Blood and Wolves , there was enough else going on with the story that I didn’t find myself frustrated by the scenes where the characters were doing little else but admiring their love interest. SWN manages to tease sufficiently throughout the book without slowing down the pace or sacrificing the other elements of the story.

So who would enjoy this book.

First off, be aware of the content warnings. I’ve not historically been a big fan of trigger warnings, but if an author is going to call out stuff up front, I think it’s worth acknowledging them.

SWN is a romance, but it’s also a fun fantasy adventure. Fantasy lovers who can enjoy being dropped into a world without needing overly detailed descriptions of how all the world works - this might still be a book for you.

I enjoyed SWN enough that I’m going to go back for the second book in the duet, and that might be the best recommendation i can give for how much I enjoyed it.

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Annie Duke is a professional poker player turned business coach. Her speciality? Taking the lessons she's learned through study, consulting and playing poker - and helping people make better decisions.

'Thinking in Bets'' (TIB) aims to change people's approach to decision making by encouraging them to "think in bets". Duke argues that asking people how much they'd bet on an outcome is a sure fire way to focus them on just how confident they are about an outcome.

Thinking in bets means no longer treating outcomes as 100% the result of correct or incorrect decision making. instead, Duke encourages people to think in terms of the likelihood of outcomes occurring and the role of chance. Once you recognize what elements of an outcome are down to chance, you can make better decisions about the things you can influence. Over time small improvements in decision making can add up to better outcomes.

Last year, I read Duke's book 'How to Decide'. (HTD), which was published two years after TIB.

Both books cover similar topics such as the role of chance in outcomes, recognizing and mitigating bias in decision making, decision making when faced with uncertainty, and tools that help us better understand future outcomes, and hence make better decisions.

TIB appears to draw more on Duke's poker background, at least for many of the anecdotes used to illustrate different decision making principles and practices. That may make TIB more enjoyable for some readers. TIB also has good discussion on how to build groups and group environments that drive more accurate decision making.

On the other hand, 'How to Decide'' could almost have been the directors cut /extended version of TIB. In HTD there is less emphasis on 'thinking in bets' and more on on the overall decision making process and how you can apply it in practice to different types of problems.

Both books have good lessons, and there's arguably a case for reading both. If doing so, I'd recommend TIB and then HTD. The books are relatively cheap on Kindle, so reading the pair is an affordable option on that platform. But if physical books are more your thing and you can only choose one, my recommendation would be 'How to Decide': then read 'Atomic Habits' to help you get better at making decisions stick.

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‘Five Brothers’ is a sexual mystery story set against the backdrop of a ‘rich town v poor town’ struggle. The premise: rich girl Krisjen must figure out which of the mysterious and dangerous brothers she had sex with that lonely night at the Jaeger house. Readers are warned -  ‘Five Brothers’ takes you into a dark and corrupt world.

One of the things I enjoyed about this novel was the world the author created. It’s not a nice world, but it’s one where the characters don’t feel out of place. There’s no giant slabs of exposition. Instead, the ‘rich vs poor’ divide is emphasized incrementally throughout the story. 

The novel repeatedly reminds the reader there is a war between the prosperous St Carmen (Saints) and those who live in Sanoa Bay (Swamp). Sometimes this war occurs behind the scenes via spying, manipulation and blackmail. And sometimes the conflict is more open, with the novel not shying away from graphic fight scenes and violence. The struggle to save Sanoa Bay from the wealthy developers of St Carmen is interwoven with Krisjen’s own journey to discover the mystery Jaeger and decide where her true loyalty lies.  

This was also a novel where I enjoyed that it felt like multiple stories in one. Although some might complain certain characters aren’t fleshed out enough, overall I enjoyed having the perspectives of the different brothers. Getting into the heads of each Jaeger was essential to the storytelling, even if we got to know some less well than others. (Perhaps future books in this world will explore their perspectives further?)

On the weaker side, the conclusion felt a little rushed. While breadcrumbs were being laid throughout the story, one aspect of the finale felt like it needed to be  given more time. 

So who would enjoy this book?

This was my first foray into the dark romance genre, so it’s hard for me to advise regular readers of this genre how it stacks up versus its peers.

This is a novel definitely intended for a mature audience. It carries the content warning  of “dubious consent, mentions of domestic abuse, sexual assault and discussions of suicide.” 

A quick skim of Goodreads will show a LOT of readers weren’t into this book for various reasons, but the subject matter and the age of the protagonist (18yo) seemed to be the main complaint. 

The book kept me engaged and I’d potentially read more from this author if she expanded this series beyond ‘Five Brothers’ and “Trsyt Six Venom’. If the subject matter isn’t off-putting, and you enjoy very spicy sex scenes, then this could be worth picking up.

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If B-grade action movies were a book. 'Eruption' has a fun premise and the allure of action a plenty. But the execution lets it down in places.

'Eruption' is a novel with a great premise. What if there was something secret and dangerous hidden on a military base close to a volcano. Now imagine a looming eruption threatens to set loose that dangerous secret?

It was this premise that got me interested in 'Eruption' when it first came out, and why I added it to my list of audiobooks. I love volcanoes, military thrillers, action movies and conspiracy films. I've even been to a lot of the locations in Hawaii where the book is set. This book was made for me.

'Eruption' was a fun read (listen), especially when I let myself simply imagine some of the sequences unfolding on the big screen. There's plenty of scenes in here that would make for great set-pieces in a big-budget movie; people racing against the clock to make dramatic rescues, dramatic escapes from lava, exploding aircraft, boiling seas. if you like that kind of wild ride, you'll enjoy this novel.

Perhaps because of the book's potential though, I found myself frustrated by the execution. Things like

Characters that we're presumably meant to connect with or value, who don't get properly fleshed out.

Sub plots and side-plots and teasers for these that either don't go anywhere or wind up being relatively inconsequential.

Too much name dropping and technobabble in the wrong places. Yes, telling us about this or that historic volcano does add to the realism - to a point. But doing it in the middle of an action sequence throws off the pacing. Aviation aficionados will appreciate you telling them the model of helicopter when it first appears - but for the average reader it adds little to keep referring to the helicopter by its type rather than just telling us they're in the helicopter.

Overall I still had fun with this book, but its flaws mean I'd only recommend it to those who enjoy one of the genres its trying to stretch itself across. My tip would be get it from your library or pick it up when its hit the half-price stand at your department store.

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This short book offers an introduction to polyamory that's written in a style that should make it more readable by monogamous audiences.

When Mrs Menow and I entered the world of non-monogamy, the first book I read wasn't even about poly, but a book focussed on the problems and unrealistic expectations of monogamy. (I can't say for sure, but the book may have been 'The Myth of Monogamy'?)

A quick search online these days will yield a lot of books about polyamory. As someone who started their poly journey a long while ago, it's encouraging to see there's more books out there now to help people work out if and how poly might work for them. Many of these books are written by and for poly people. 'Mono in a Poly World' (MPW) by Tazmyn Ozga sits in its own niche as a book written by a monogamous woman who spent five years as the partner of a poly man.

MPW is a short book (~70 pages) that aims to explain the basics of polyamory from the perspective of a monogamous person. It introduces key concepts in polyamory, examines the challenges of mono-poly relationships, then discusses topics such as best practices, relationship structures and providing support for the feelings that monogamous partners can experience.

This book provides a broad sweep across a range of poly topics, but does not really deep dive into any of them. It's a good introduction to many poly topics, but shouldn't be all you read.

As a poly person, MPW was a good reminder that there is more than one way to 'do poly' and that change and compromise are often needed to make poly work, especially in a mono-poly dynamic.

Spoiler alert - mono-poly didn't last forever for the author

In the book, Tazmyn cautions against taking the wrong message from online forums for mono people in poly relationships. As she points out, these environments tend to attract people with problems to solve or axes to grind.

By contrast, MPW as a book was generally even handed and non-judgemental about poly. Which is why the final chapter is somewhat jarring. It deals with Tazmyn's personal mono-poly experience and the breakdown of her marriage five years after her husband declared he wanted to be poly.

Things not working out is always a possibility. It's confronting when it is put in your face, but also necessary. For a book intended primarily for monogamous partners, its arguably important that the author shares their own story.

But by making this the final chapter, it leaves the reader with a negative outlook that undoes some of the earlier even-handedness.

Maybe I just like happy endings. Had I been editing the book I may have made this one of the opening chapters. More of a 'let me tell you my story so that hopefully you have more success - or working it quicker that you should leave'.

Alternatively, the book's final chapter could have included experiences from other mono-poly couples that showed a broader spectrum of experiences.

Ending with Tazmyn's story doesn't negate the good things that come earlier in the book, but it may water them down and change the way the reader looks at them.

Wrapping up

For mono folks in a poly relationship, this book could be a useful starting point as it introduces key concepts in a style and tone that a monogamous partner is more likely to be comfortable with. MPW though is more booklet than book. It should serve as an introduction to learning about polyamorous relationships rather than an end-point. This is especially so given how the book ends.

For poly folks, MPW could serve as a reminder of how daunting poly can seem to a mono person.

Lastly, given how short the book is, I'd recommend picking it up as an e-Book (such as Kindle), where it's much more affordably priced.

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‘Icebreaker’ is a fun and at times spicy sports romance. Relive your college days (or compare fantasy to reality) as a series of incidents see hockey captain Nate and figure skater Anastacia become unlikely training partners. 

‘Icebreaker’, by Hannah Grace, is my first foray into the sports romance/erotica genre. It’s one of the books Rainbow gifted me for Christmas in an effort to broaden my reading of different genres of spicy (or romantic) stories.

A light and fun read

The novel follows the (supposedly) unlikely pairing of figure skater Anastacia, with ice-hockey captain Nate. In an enemies to lovers style story, Nate and Anastacia find themselves thrust onto the same skating rink for training. After Antasacia’s skating partner is injured in an accident, Nate is forced to pair up and help Anastacia prepare for an upcoming championship. 

But the path to love is never smooth and the journey is filled with self doubt, anxiety, good friends, and lots of drama. There’s a lot of sex and displays of both aspirational behaviour (what to do in a relationship and when it comes ot sex) and examples of what not to do.

‘Icebreaker’ is written at a level that’s easy to read, and I found myself able to fly through the pages at a fair speed. There’s no detailed scientific explanations or chapter long exposition of the lore of the world. It’s just a simple telling of a spicy but ultimately sweet romance story where the noble characters have limited flaws and the antagonist (villain?) is slowly but surely unmasked.  

Wait? What? Who is that person again?

If there’s a flaw to this book it’s the myriad of minor characters. It’s a book that would benefit from a diagram showing how everyone is connected. I appreciate this large cast provides a wide selection of characters to draw from for future books, but as the entry point to a series it was at times overwhelming. In the end I just found myself focussing on the core group of fealty dozen characters and letting the rest blend into the background.  

A  fun read for those comfortable with lots of sexual content 

Let’s get this out of the way up front. This book contains explicit descriptions of heterosexual sex. If that’s something that’s going to make you uncomfortable, then this isn’t the book for you. But if you like some sexy and spicy scenes interjected into a simple and generally fun story, then this might be one to put on your reading list. 

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If you're still following my Tumblr, I'm going to assume you're a book lover given book related posts are now the main thing i share here.

Reblog and tag your book lover friends for Valentine’s Day. <3

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‘Draw to Win’ (DTW) is an informative introduction to how to use drawing as a tool for problem solving, leadership, and teaching. 

This is another book I’d put in the category of airport business books. It’s a relatively quick read that aims to impart knowledge on a specific topic in the shortest time possible. The sort of thing designed to catch the eye of corporate travellers and be easy to read between appointments. 

As someone with an interest in visual communication, I really enjoyed this book. But DTW isn’t just for presentation geeks. It’s a fantastic introduction into how to pick up a pen and unleash your visual creativity to solve problems, inspire others and share knowledge. You might not think you can draw, but as author Dan Roam explains in this book, anyone can draw once you know the basics.

Like similar books on visual communication, DTW begins by explaining how people take in visual information. Based on the way our brains process this information, Roam explains how to use simple drawings to engage our own brain, and that of our audience. Six different types of drawing are then introduced, each accompanied by an explanation of how and where to use them.

Overall I found this a great book. I read it on Kindle and even in black and white the drawings were still engaging. (Which in itself is a point about the value of simplicity). I’d recommend this to anyone looking for new ways to improve the way they problem solve or share ideas with others.

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‘A Darkling Plain’ brings to a conclusion the ‘Mortal Engines’ quartet, a post-apocalyptic story spanning two generations and multiple continents. Much like travelling in the giant cities these stories centre around, the journey hasn’t always been smooth. But ‘A Darkling Plain’ ties together the series with a satisfying ending.

First off, the spoiler free stuff.

‘A Darkling Plain’ (ADP) is the fourth book in the ‘Mortal Engines’ series. The novels are set on a post-apocalyptic Earth, where giant ‘traction cities’ roam the scarred planet, consuming each other while also waging war against the ‘static’ cities seeking to reclaim the Earth. If you’re able to suspend belief around some of the curious technological contradictions (steam powered cities alongside cyborgs), the world is one with a lot of potential. 

Books one and two are arguably oriented more toward young teens (or upper primary), whilst books three and especially four, are more complex stories that probably sit closer to the young-adult category.

I’ve been on the Mortal Engines journey for over a year now, so there was a sadness in farewelling this world. Overall I’ve enjoyed the series and ADP is a fitting finale. It suffers less from some of the issues I had with the earlier books (see my previous posts) and  brings to fruition many of the seeds planted in book three. There is drama, mystery, action, and resolution to the stories of the novel’s main protagonists.

I’d recommend the  Mortal Engines series to anyone prepared to accept a simpler narrative style in return for what ultimately builds to an intercontinental adventure and quest to save the Earth.

Spoiler Containing

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Spoilers - you have been warned.

If you’ve come to this section I’m going to assume either you’ve read the books yourself, or dont care about spoilers.

Reaching the end of  A Darkling Plain felt like the end of a long journey. I started with Mortal Engines  back in December 2023, and read or listened to the remaining books throughout 2024 and into 2025.  

Thoughts on the conclusion and fates of the characters

The ending for most characters felt satisfying, especially the final chapters. 

Tom and Hesta are our original protagonists, and  meet a tragic end. I had wondered if the Stalker Shrike (the cyborg) might sacrifice himself so that Tom could live. It would have been a fitting way to show love to Hesta, whom he treated like a daughter. But Hesta’s darker side seemed destined to catch up with her at some point. And being abandoned to die with Tom in her arms seems a fitting end to her arc.

Wren and Theo get a happy ending. They are meant to symbolise hope and the future. They at least have the prospect of a better  life in New London, and a potentially more optimistic world.

The stalker (cyborg) Shrike. Eventually one of my favorite characters. I had hoped for a more heroic ending. But as the oldest character and being near immortal, he was really the only person whose eyes we could use to see the world of the far future. 

‘A Darkling Plain’ feels (mostly) suited to a YA audiences

One of the issues I've had in relation to earlier books, especially books two and three, is that you have very young (pre-teen) characters who can in one scene be childlike, then flip in the next scene into a ruthless or uncaring killer. Could that happen - yes, but for me the way that stuff was written felt incongruous. For the teenage characters, less so and hence I was able to suspend disbelief longer.

ADP also has a more complex, but skilfully interwoven plot. Perhaps reflecting this being the fourth book, many of the characters felt more fleshed out. It also felt better integrated into book three. Where  book two felt like a sequel written to capitalise on the first book’s success, books three and four felt like an integrated story .

Final thoughts

Having done some background reading on Mortal Engines, I learned the story was not originally intended to be a children’s story.  ADP shows the potential for what could have been had the novel been written for a more mature audience. In some regards, this is frustrating, but that frustration is worth it to get the quality of story and series finale we did.