Here’s an ongoing list of my most recent reads. For more, visit my Goodreads! I rarely rate books, because I find it too hard to boil down the whole book into a single number of stars. Warning: there will be some light spoilers.
2026
If I wanted Rose/House to be a full novel, then you won’t be surprised I wanted this one to be a duology. There was simply not enough room for Dr. Walden’s two love interests, her badass magic tattoos, hormonal student magicians, and the school’s financial troubles. Dr. Walden was a nuanced character and a celebration of how wonderful it can be to reach adulthood, even in a society that overvalues youth.
I needed this to be a full novel! A haunted, sentient house. A body behind a locked door. Intriguing characters and a desert just far enough in the future to be easily imaginable. A concept this big deserves more space than a novella.
I loved this so much that after I finished my library copy, I went out and bought it and read it again. This time travel spy thriller does so much so superbly. You’re deeply immersed in the narrator’s consciousness; it was halfway through the book before I realized we didn’t know her name. The time traveler’s utter confusion with present day (after being plucked from the past) resonated with how strange the world is even for those of us born in this time.
2025
At times both melancholy and hopeful, this magical realism story set in the Alaskan wilderness was, at its heart, about human connection. The magical element was so interwoven I started to doubt whether it was magic at all. A beautiful story about a couple who finds love in each other and in community in the most desolate, rugged of places.
An impressively detailed world and deeply rich characters made this a wonderful read. None of the characters’ motivations were simple. The story was a nuanced reflection about power and the moral sacrifices people make to get it. Very much looking forward to reading the next one.
This book highlighted my conflicted feels about cozy fantasy. I understand the desire to quit your job, start a tea shop, and have uncomplicated romance. But I longed for more tension and growth in the relationship and for problems the characters couldn’t easily dispense with. Which wouldn’t make it cozy after all.
The main character, Charlie Hall, was gritty and foolish and I loved her. The shadow magic was full-bodied (pun intended), and the heists kept me hooked until the end. I can’t wait to read the next one, Thief of Night.
The eeriest part of Pinsker’s novel is how easily I can imagine this not-too-distant-future. Who wouldn’t want a tiny, stylish implant that allows you to infinitely multitask? Spoiler Alert: You don’t want it. Trust me. For this one, the novel’s ending was too quick and neat for me. If a mega tech corporation is going down, I want to see its fall in agonizing detail.
KT Reed Writes 