March-April Reads 2026

Apologies. I've been so busy writing, I've not had much time for everything else. More on that as soon as it's possible.

March

Secret Lives of the Dead, Tim Lebbon

I kept picturing the characters younger than they were, but I really liked the concept of this book. It’s well-written and presented in a fun way, though I think I would have preferred a much-darker story because of some especially enjoyable elements and the title made me expect something darker. 

Relentless, Dean Koontz

A reread for me as part of an attempted book clearance. Relentless is an author’s nightmare ramped up and far worse than an obsessed fan, but an obsessed reviewer. Sounds simple enough, but we soon learn that it’s far from what we first believe to be the problem. The reviewer is not your average man, and the author and his family are far from mediocre. What happens as the story progresses is fun, but this is a novel for those prepared to park any longing for reality in fiction at the first page and just go along for the ride. At the end, you’ll either have enjoyed yourself or might roll your eyes. In that way, this is light with some intense scenes.

The Martian (audio), by Andy Weir, read by Will Wheaton

Having loved Project Hail Mary, I felt compelled to listen to this, despite having already read the book and seen the movie. I just couldn’t resist revisiting the story to enjoy it all over again. Well read, of course; as is easy to expect from Will Wheaton. I’ve only read two of Andy Weir’s books so far, and both went straight into my favourite books pile. He has a way of making the technical details of his stories entertaining and fascinating while weaving a gripping adventure. He’s definitely on my list of favourite authors.

April

The Book Shop, Penelope Fitzgerald

I’d heard the author’s work was worth checking out, I picked up a couple of her books, this being the first I’ve read. The style is of its time, written in the 70s, so there’s a little more tell than show, which is not so preferred by publishers, editors, and readers these days, but the writing is light, lyrical, and enjoyable. The story didn’t have quite the impact I’d hoped for, as it wasn’t as tense as modern readers no doubt prefer, but it was a good read, reflecting a light on the subtleties of nastiness people can so often exhibit in roundabout ways.

Breathless, Dean Koontz

A re-read for me, and one that read almost like a book of two halves. I enjoyed almost all of it, but expected a different outcome. Koontz has been accused of getting too religious in his books over time, though if that’s what he wishes to write, that’s fine. A book's content is the author’s prerogative. Still, this one may be a step too far for me, which doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the wonder created by the narrative, but some storylines come together in too light a way to truly satisfy. Still enjoyable.

February Reads 2026

Your Heart Belongs to Me, Dean Koontz

A reread for me and another solid thriller from Dean Koontz, though one built on quite a simple idea but told in a more complicated and expert way than many might manage. I like the outcome as much as the one who wants perfect endings may also dislike it. Sometimes the imperfect is perfect. But I also don’t believe in all the sentiments. Sometimes even the best people believe in the wrong people, take things at face value, and ignore warnings. In short, almost anyone can be fooled at some time in their life, especially when at their most vulnerable. When fooled by a bad person, it’s still the bad person who’s to blame. Alas, like many thrillers, it’s hard to explain without giving the story away.

Project Hail Mary (audio), Andy Weir, Read by Ray Porter

I’ve had this a long time and am so sorry I didn’t listen to it sooner. I’m a fan of Weir’s first book, The Martian, although the ending got a more Hollywood treatment than the book allows for and when I eventually watch Hail Mary, I expect more of the same because some of the long sequences will be simply too long for film. I also want to read this in print now because this immediately became one of my favourite books. Weir does the impossible by making the science not only interesting but entertaining. Some may not agree with me, but I loved every second spent listening to this. Loved every explanation, even those I only got the gist of. And I loved the characters, settings, complications, and problem-solving. When your antagonist is in trouble, dump more on him or her, and Andy Weir definitely knows how to do that. It’s also read extremely well. Seriously, this is one of the best books I’ve come across in a long time.

Horror Tales from England, Various, Kevin J. Kennedy

I bought this because it contains a story by Adam Nevill, one of my favourite authors, so no surprise that out of the five stories I thought his was the best, and I know I’ll read it more than once. Maybe more of a vision than a story, but one that persists in the mind. Nevill takes his readers down into the depths; here he brings the depths to the surface. My second favourite was the last by MJ Mars, but I found each story enjoyable. I was surprised to see two instances of ‘gotten’ in a book by English writers, as it’s not classed as a word in England, although I believe there are some regional instances, but it still took me out of the book.

January Reads 2026

Not a lot read this month, I admit. But completion of a sseven-bookseries, at last. Hope to do better this year as the year goes on.

The Dance of the Serpents (Frey & McGray), Oscar de Muriel
I found parts of the chase sequences a little erratic, but this was still another enjoyable book in the seven-part series. Not as humorous as earlier books, although this is likely owing to the author increasing tension leading up to the finish.

The Sign of the Devil (Frey & McGray), Oscar de Muriel
And we come to the last one. I liked the relationships changed and surprised me in this book. An excellent ending to a well-plotted series, with ever characters doing their all to help each other in this one. I don’t know if anything really surprised me by the time I reached the end, having taken the time not to rush through them reading them consecutively. But I was definitely rooting for the right people to survive, fearing they might not all make it. Plenty of suspense, and I really liked where the various relationships concluded. I’ve been trying to clear out books after I read them except those I truly love, and I will keep these at least for now.

A Quick Update on Why I'm so Quiet

Hey everyone,

I know, I know, promises and all that. I was going to do better with blogging this year, and I’ve got to write my next update on January Reads. You might wonder why I haven’t. So here’s the best explanation I can give you at this time.

I’m working. Yes, that means writing! And it’s something completely new, although not all my romance readers will be excited as it’s another genre. Alas, I can’t talk about it just yet. I’m really not allowed. Writers sometimes get opportunities that may even turn out to be a lot of hard work for nothing because occasionally some don’t pan out. And, as usual, I’m thinking, OMG, what am I doing? How am I going to write what they’ve asked me to write? Note: this is far from the first time I’ve ridden this emotional rollercoaster, and I never know if it’ll be my last. I’ve always come through before, so I’m keeping my fingers tightly crossed. Though I’m not, because that would make typing impossible, so maybe I should ask everyone else to do that for me.

Writers sometimes have to just hibernate in their ‘writing caves’ to meet deadlines, and I don’t have a lot of time. I don’t have the luxury of being a one book a year author, even though I’ve not been writing as well as I usually do for sometime. But this time I definitely have a timeframe to keep to.

I’ll be back next week with book reading news, but aside from that, bye for now!

Stay well. Sharon x

Three Months in One of Reads

Apologies for running behind, but I hope you spot something worth reading here, and next month I’ll endeavour to get back to normal.

Oct

The Book of Elsewhere (audio), Keanu Reeves and China Mieville (read by various)

A novelisation based on the Brzrkr graphic novels written by Keanu Reeves. Normally, I love China Mieville’s work, but something about this felt off. Entertaining with numerous themes of life and death, even somewhat thought-provoking, but oddly paced. Enjoyable, but overall I found it frustratingly slow. I wonder whether it would have come across better read than listened to.

The Strings of Murder (Frey & McGray), Oscar De Muriel

Top marks mostly from the level of enjoyment, but the plot is well-worked out, with believable characters with credible back stories. I love the way Frey and McGray rub each other the wrong way. Nothing slow about this story weaving historical facts with supernatural elements. I have all the books and now want to work through them.

A Fever of the Blood (Frey & McGray), Oscar De Muriel

I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first in this seven-book series, but it was still solid and entertaining. A touch slower than the first novel but not annoyingly so. The arguments between Frey and McGray escalate for various reasons and are as painful as they are fun. A good percentage of the fun of these books is their oscillating relationship. Snips and snipes galore.

Nov

A Mask of Shadows (Frey & McGray), Oscar De Muriel

The third in the Frey and McGray series. I like that the author has taken a different approach with each of these books. In this, the story is told in reports, action-based narrative, and interlude’s of Bram Stoker’s journal. Weaving historical fact with fiction makes for an entertaining mystery with a touch of questionable supernatural occurrences. The author notes at the end of the book, which must be read after concluding the novel to avoid spoilers, make the reader appreciate what they’ve just read all the more.

Pet Sematary (audio), Stephen King, read by Michael C.Hall

I wish I’d had the time to listen to this in one sitting. There’s still something about having a story read to you that takes book lovers back to their first experience of storytelling. I’d forgotten how good this book is, and listening to this over Halloween and beyond was perfect for the autumn season. I’d also forgotten the creepy moments and the sad.

Dec

Doctor Who Ten Days of Christmas (audio) Steve Cole, read by various

Easy to listen to set of stories starring the tenth Doctor and various companions. Like most anthologies, I liked some stories more than others, so I’ll simply say I enjoyed the penultimate story, and the split story starting and ending the book the most. The reader in the first and last reads the Tenth Doctor like no one else except David Tennant himself, of course. Good fun.

Loch of the Dead (Frey & McGray), Oscar de Muriel

I enjoyed this one in part because it was set on some islands, taking Frey and McGrey out of the city. The remoteness added another layer to the suspense, and also caused both men to cease arguing so much, making them more of a team with an actual sense they have each other’s backs despite their differences. There were a few possibilities for the outcome here, which also kept me guessing.

The Darker Arts (Frey & McGray), Oscar de Muriel

Although I enjoyed this book as much as any in the series, and it certainly had me on the edge of my seat when a character’s life was threatened, I found certain elements of the conclusion a little too convenient. Still, the book is as well plotted as all have been so far in the series, and I expect all will be right up to the end, with plenty of tension. Part of me wants a supernatural element Frey can’t find a way to explain.

Madly, Deeply: The Diaries Alan Rickman, Alan Rickman

Some hidden gems, but mostly I can’t help feeling this book should never have seen publication. There’s little here of the man that Emma Thompson mentions, and the man I would like to think Alan Rickman was. I heard a comment saying the book makes him seem mean-spirited, and while I wouldn’t go that far, there’s little to enjoy and few insights. I think these diaries were a simple way for Alan to keep track of events and to let off steam after a long day of work, and he definitely worked. He seldom seemed to pause, and he seldom seemed to get much sleep. What shone through was his wanting to be a perfectionist. I dipped into this book between lying it to rest for long periods, so took me a couple of years to finish this.

A Good Guy, Dean Koontz

A reread for me and another intense and well-plotted thriller from Dean Koontz. A second read after many years was as enjoyable as the first. If I can think of a con, I guess it’s that the bad guys in many novels come across as extreme odd-balls with a fanatical and bizarre worldview, although sometimes such as here that makes for a character you can really love to hate.

The Voice of Our Shadow

The HAVOC Files 6

Take a trip down memory lane with eight new stories from Candy Jar’s Doctor Who spin-off ranges.

Join Bill Bishop as the Laughing Gnome plants him outside International Electromatics. Discover what Anne Travers finds lurking beneath the Museum of Scotland. The Brigadier faces old friends and foes with new colleagues at UNIT, before the Dominators and Quarks provide a brief intermission in an exclusive new comic strip.

The collection then closes with several stories linked to some of the most popular Lethbridge-Stewart novels, bringing the adventures right up-to-date in 2025.

There’s something here for everyone!

The HAVOC Files 6 is the second of two anniversary collections celebrating fifteen years of Candy Jar Books and ten years of the Lethbridge-Stewart range.

 

Sept Reads 2025

Somebody’s Voice, Ramsay Campbell

Ouch might be a good one-word summation of this book without cursing; there’s a sting on almost every page, and in most sentences, especially the dialogue. It’s an uneasy read, but then it’s surely supposed to be. SHOULD be. I can understand if it’s polarising, especially with the trans part of the plot. Yet, I can also see why the Carla/Carl points aid Alex’s ambiguity with his memories, helping to splinter his personality, even his sanity with his increasing confusion. This isn’t the type of book I’m used to from this author. I’m used to the horror of unlit basements, of parallel worlds seeking to overlap our own, and dark entities that creep along in shadows. Rituals. Demons.

This — a book where the core is one of abuse — comes disturbingly grounded in reality. In genuine horror and actual monsters. Alex’s seemingly wild thoughts, as he loses his mind, his sense of himself, and of the truth, can make the reader’s head hurt. No doubt in a similar way to how Alex’s brain hurts as the book gathers momentum. There’s so much going on here. So many biases. So many agendas. Ugly falsehoods, assumptions, and repulsive truths, all combustible fodder for a world too eager to jump on, rely on, and believe social media. All of it was painful. A trap, which Alex falls into where his personal relationships are concerned. So I can’t say I enjoyed this book — it’s not that kind of novel. That doesn’t stop it from being an impressive piece of work that could (possibly) have been improved, but I was never, as some people have said they were, confused. And I would never want to improve Ramsay Campbell’s work, a writer whose name should be a household name.

The read was heavy going in places and I sometimes backtracked a little to work out who said what, so a few more dialogue tags may have helped there, but I can’t help wondering whether the author wanted the reader a little lost because this, too, helped me connect with Alex. No writer can please everyone, or delight fans with every book, and it’s unrealistic to expect them too, but I will say, if you’ve not read Campbell before, don’t start with this. Read half a dozen others first, because if something in here puts you off, you could well be missing out.

The Darkest Evening of the Year, Dean Koontz

A solid supernatural mystery thriller with an ending some may view cynically. I like to view it as a source of hope, in whatever form speaks to the reader. Some of the character backgrounds may be a little unnecessary but are used well and make it more difficult for the reader to guess the outcome. Take note: this is a tough read for anyone who has loved a dog, but only in the most heartfelt, bittersweet way.

Wildcat Tower, G.Christopher Davies

Essentially, the story of how four boys spend their summer in the north of the UK. I’m clearly not the intended audience be this a story of fishing, hunting, and questionable cruelty and compassion towards animals with a backdrop of a (possible) ghost in the place they’re staying — a grand ‘old peel’ built to protect Northumbrians. I can’t say I exactly enjoyed this, which was a little disappointing be it as I picked this book up during a visit to Hay on Wye, partly because I had started reading it while browsing, but mostly because I was surprised to stumble across so old a book in good condition complete with a handwritten inscription, (as far as I can make out) ‘Gilbert from Frantlee Aug 23rd 1890, the book being published in 1889. A book one-hundred and thirty-six years old, covered in spots of age, but complete with all its spectacular illustrations. The book was worth it for the illustrations alone, which, were one able to destroy a book that has survived for so long, would be perfect for framing. I am tempted to scan the odd one to frame, which would be as good, as they are a delight — intricate drawings of the wildlife and countryside of Northumberland — the like of which we seldom see in books now. I couldn’t help doing a little research. The G stands for George, who was a prolific writer and photographer who died in 1922. I wonder what he would have thought, knowing that original copies of his books are still in circulation.

Dead Funny (Horror Stories by Comedians), Edited by Robin Ince and Johnny Mains

When I picked up this book, I must have expected a surprising blend of humour and horror, but many of the stories turned out to be surprisingly dark. I disliked the first immensely — it’s an extremely difficult balance to introduce animals in any horror story, as one hurt creature can lose an audience. But others made me smile with the right twisted humour even when I found the writing a little disjointed. Overall, an eclectic mix with some I found enjoyable. 

Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam (audio), M.C.Beaton, Read by Penelope Keith

Murder once again follows Agatha around, this time during a break in Norfolk. Where Agatha hopes to find the right path in life, or the right man, she only seems to find strange people and stranger situations. Penelope Keith reading these is the best thing about them, though how Agatha keeps stumbling across dead bodies is always good for a chuckle.