Quarterly Wrap-Ups
The books I have read in July, August and September of 2025
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Welcome dear Reader to my second installation of Readathon or My Quarterly Wrap-Ups, where I list all the books I have read in the past 3 months. These books are in reading order – chronologically, with a short sentence acting as a review or thoughts and feelings, I had about the books. Where it is appropriate I also share the links for the longer reviews I wrote about them.
For those who only want to see the books, you can find the full list on my UK bookshop* account, which you can access here, or on the right side of the main page under Bookshop.
As always, these are just my personal thoughts please don’t take them factually or personally.
Personal Note
The Winter months are always tough for me. I’m not really a winter girl and where I live we are constantly cloudy for months without seeing the sun, so it could really take a toll on me. Both mentally and physically. However, I try to make the best out of it, so I just go full on depressive or winter-vibes with my book choices.
Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. Depending on my mood, as I am a mood reader to my bones.
October - Classic Reads with a Splash of Once Piece and Romantasy
Interesting month. I started my journey of reading Charles Dickens‘s work, I came back to one of my favourite writer – Shirley Jackson and I read a random volume of One Piece, because I felt like it. I love One Piece since I was in high school so, long history and even longer love. I also read my first novel from T. Kingfisher. A Romantasy, which is usually not my go-to genre, but I like to step out from my comfort zone once in a while. It doesn’t hurt as a reader and especially as an aspiring writer.
Great Expectations* by Charles Dickens
genre and other tags: classics, literary fiction, victorian lit, class struggles, social satire
I was pleasantly surprised that Great Expectations had some lough out loud humour in it. Or at least, I was making loud nose noises, somewhere in between a laugh and a sinus infection. I was also terrified of the prose of the language, that I won’t be able to understand as English is not my native language, but it wasn’t bad at all. There were few words and phrases that I had to look up, but nothing major.
The Bird’s Nest* by Shirley Jackson
genre and other tags: modern & contemporary fiction, mental illness, horror, gothic
Not my first Shirley Jackson novel and definitely not the last. Wasn’t a happy read and it matched the mood of the storm we were having at the time. Complex and compelling character work, I can imagine how it came as a shock to readers back then in the 50s, when mental health issues were pretty much taboo or ‘non-existent’.
One Piece Volume 92: Introducing Komurasaki the Oiran* by Eiichiro Oda and translated from the Japanese by Stephen Paul
genre and other tags: manga, translated comic book, Japanese, pirates, short read
I basically just wanted something light and fun after reading Dickens’s and Shirley Jackson’s works. I picked up where I was at the time with the anime, and it did not disappoint. I’m still shocked how he can come up with so many characters, including their visuals is just mind-blowing to me. Also, the fact that the One Piece flag is present in every citizen resistance movement around the world is just healing my humanist soul. Including Hungary where on the 12th of April, we finally managed to change and break down 16 years of totalitarian regime!
Paladin’s Grace* by T. Kingfisher
genre and other tags: fantasy, romance, mystery, adventure
My first read from T. Kingfisher, and even though I’m definitely not a big romance reader, I have to say, I quite enjoyed this book. Her humour is absolutely spot on, the characters and the plot is ten out of ten for me. I am very curious about her horror books though. Which one should I start with, what you guys think?
November - The month of Horror & the Macabre
Mostly science-fiction, I have started The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells, and I’m so glad I did. I also read a short, weird sci-fi story by Arkady Martine, and a very unhinged fantasy/historical novel by Caitlin Starling. Also, every year I have to read an Adam LG. Nevill novel around Halloween. It’s a tradition by now.
No One Gets Out Alive* by Adam L.G. Nevill
genre and other tags: horror, thriller, ghost stories, curses
If you haven’t read Adam L.G. Nevill you really, really need to read at least one from him. I have started my reading journey way back with his novel: The Ritual* and it just pulled me in so much that I became a fan straight away. Since then I have also read The Reddening and it was so well written that by now I have to read a book from him every Halloween. I don’t really like to watch horror movies, I can play certain horror video games but I absolutely love horror books. No One Gets Out Alive did not disappoint either, probably up in my top three favourite horror reads of all time, so far but there is still so much more to read from him. Also, you can buy books from his website which I like to do, I wish more authors would do, so that I can support them even more.
All Systems Red* by Martha Wells
genre and other tags: science-fiction, action, fast-paced, short novels, robots
My first read from Martha Wells and the first installation in The Murderbot Diaries. Favourite genre, favourite sense of humour, ticked all the boxes for me. Not a single boring page. If you like Douglas Adams you will like Martha Wells. They go hand in hand and I’m the happy child in between. Can’t wait to read the second book in the series.
The Starving Saints* by Caitlin Starling
genre and other tags: fantasy, queer, macabre, horror, magic, medieval, sapphic
Probably the most unhinged book I read in 2025. To be completely honest, I am not sure I know what I read. I do know that the characters were awesome. I thought: Finally, a female character that is actually raw. I really appreciated that. A weird marriage of medieval horror and magic with complex characters. Since then her new novel came out, The Graceview Patient* which sounds right up in my alley. Weird hallucination-induced, haunted hospital fever dream. I’m sold, take my wallet and my savings as well. And, there is going to be another one coming out this October, Milkteeth* which is a vampire themed one so she writes basically for everyone. Whether you like medieval, hospital-themed or vampire horror. So many books are coming out at the same year it’s awesome!
genre and other tags: sci-fi, short novel, thriller, AI, architecture
First book from Arkady Martine as well. I had to pick up my jaw from the floor after I read about her on her website. She is doing all that stuff AND WRITING, While I’m happy if I can manage to survive a night without having an anxiety attack. lol. Rose/House was a short and a typical food-for-thought read for me. Definitely has some dark academia vibes but not engrossed into the plot so don’t expect a full fledged dark academia novel. It has architectural threads and introspective characteristics. A short, exciting read.
December - The Month of Endings and Hope
I only read two books this month. I was away on a family visit going one country to the next, and I’m not really good at reading while I’m away. Too emotionally charged up and overwhelmed to do it. Reading for me is a relaxing activity and most of all a safe place but I need to have an internal calmness in order to be able to read at all.
This being said, I have read a manga that healed a part of me, and a quite interesting dystopian, speculative fiction book, so I can’t say I didn’t manage anything at all.
Circular Motion* by Alex Foster
genre and other tags: science-fiction, speculative, dystopian
My first book from Alex Foster. It was harder to get through than I thought, which makes it very literary in my dictionary, as I had to slow down in order to take in everything that needed to be digested or mulled over. It is a Black Mirror type of projected dystopian future with identity and social commentary. Definitely does more than just being a sci-fi novel sounding the alarm of fast paced technology without any regulations. Big side-eye, AI.
Next Time Around
Deep dive into Polly Barton’s What Am I, a Deer? with spoilers, is in the work right now. I have posted the short spoiler-free review, have a look! Hopefully, I will be able to post it next week or the week after. The next chapter of Readathon – Quarterly Wrap-Ups might come as well soon, where I write about all the books I read in January, February and March of 2026.
ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE MY OWN
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