Weekly Wrap-Up: 12/8 – 12/14

It’s a new week, and before we can move on to the next one, we gotta wrap up the last one! I’m a little later than I usually am, but… eh, it’s not that bad.

Last week wasn’t bad at all. My novel reading wasn’t the best, but my blogging was pretty good, even if it was constrained to a couple of days. I wish my posting could have been more spread out, but considering I did four posts and am nearly caught up to my book reviews, I can’t complain.

Anyway, without further ado, let’s get on with the Weekly Wrap-Up!

Tuesday 12/9: What Stalks the Deep Review / Top Ten Tuesday

Last Tuesday, I finally posted my review for What Stalks the Deep. It’s really been a long time coming, honestly. And with the posting of it, I’m officially caught up on my October book reviews! Yay!

Anyway, What Stalks the Deep is the third installment of T. Kingfisher’s Sworn Solider series of novellas. And I thought it was pretty good. I’m not sure if I liked What Stalks the Deep as much as the first book, but I definitely prefer it to book two. I gave it ★★★★☆.

What Stalks the Deep Review

I also did another post last Tuesday. It’s been quite a while since I double posted, but I also wanted to participate in Top Ten Tuesday this past week.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly post currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. It celebrates lovely lists, wonderful books and the bookish community. The prompt for last week was Books Set in Snowy Places.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Set in Snowy Places

Sunday 12/14: Penric’s Demon & Penric and the Shaman Reviews / Bewitching Book Covers

On Sunday, I posted another book review. Well, I suppose I should say “reviews” instead as I actually evaluated two books. Or novellas, technically. Whatever, semantics.

So yeah, the two books I reviewed were the first two novellas in the Penric and Desdemona series by Lois McMaster Bujold: Penric’s Demon and Penric and the Shaman. I enjoyed both of them, though I preferred the first book over the second a little. I gave Penric’s Demon ★★★★☆ and Penric and the Shaman ★★★✯☆.

Penric’s Demon & Penric and the Shaman Reviews

I also double posted a second time last week on Sunday. It’s been a few since the last time I did a Bewitching Book Covers, so I thought another one was in order.

Bewitching Book Covers (formerly known as Majestic Mondays and Tasteful Tuesdays), is when I gush over a book cover that I like as well as analyze it (sometimes). I also typically give the book covers funny rating systems – not the usual blank out of five stars kind of thing.

Bewitching Book Covers: For Whom the Belle Tolls

Books I Read Last Week

Wrapping It All Up

So yeah, that was this past week, at least in regards to books and blogging. I would’ve liked to have read more, but I’m mostly satisfied with how everything ended up going. I hope that this coming week is a little better, though.

Concerning posts for next week, I definitely want to get out my reading wrap-up for November 2025. It’s halfway through the month now, and getting increasingly more ridiculous the longer I go without posting it. (I just wanted to get out my reviews for the books I read first, though, okay?) I also want to participate in a couple of my usual weekly posts, as well as my favorite monthly post. And last, but certainly not least, I’d like to do another book review. I’ve got one last one in the tank and it needs to go out!

For books, I want to read at least one new book, and I’d also like it to be from my To Be Read Stuff, as that’s been languishing for a while. Right now I’m thinking Water Moon by Samantha Sotti Yambao, but that could absolutely change. Then… I’m not sure. I’d like to start up the Dresden Files again and do Dresden December like I talked about last month, but I’m not sure if I’m feeling it anymore. Maybe the time has already passed? I dunno – I sure hope not!

The problem is I also recently acquired A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik, and now I’m kind of really interested in that and possibly it’s sequels, depending on how I like it. It’s also a much shorter series, both in book and page length per book. So yeah, what I’m basically saying is: Who knows what’s next for my reading?

Regarding stuff outside of books and blogging, I’m just kind of hanging out – mostly with my spouse. We’ve mostly been watching YouTube in our spare time lately, though sometimes other stuff around the house as well. We’ve also been eating more at home, which I’m happy about. Things in our lives are finally starting to go back to as close as normal as they can get.

Anyway, as always thank you for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day/night!

See ya ~Mar

What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher | Book Review

“That is horrifying and I want to go home,” I said, although I pronounced it, “Ah. I see.”

What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher

SERIES: Sworn Solider #3

LENGTH: 179 pages

GENRES: Horror, LGBT+, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Tor Nightfire

RELEASE DATE: 30 September 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The next novella in the New York Times bestselling Sworn Soldier series, featuring Alex Easton investigating the dark, mysterious depths of a coal mine in America

Alex Easton does not want to visit America.

They particularly do not want to visit an abandoned coal mine in West Virginia with a reputation for being haunted.

But when their old friend Dr. Denton summons them to help find his lost cousin—who went missing in that very mine—well, sometimes a sworn soldier has to do what a sworn soldier has to do…

My Review

“Another fungus?” I asked sharply. Denton drank down his whiskey and signaled for another one. Ingold watched me, his arms folded, and I wondered how much Denton had told him about what we saw in the tarn.

“Not a fungus,” Denton said, when the waiter had left again. “At least, I don’t think so. But more lights in the deep.”

I was very pleased with What Stalks the Deep. It was definitely a step up from What Feasts at Night and, to me at least, nearly on par as the first novella in the Sworn Solider series, What Moves the Dead.

Alex Easton and Angus are back in a brand new adventure, and they’re both just as wonderful as before. Especially Angus, he’s the best – the highlight of every scene that he’s in. Easton is great too, of course, and I love their narration, but Angus is just… Angus.

“We’ll get to the wasps in a moment,” said Denton. “May I introduce my friend, Mr. John Ingold? John, this is Lieutenant Alex Easton and Angus… ah… forgive me, it occurs to me that I don’t actually know your full name.”

“No one does,” said Angus gruffly.

This book also features the return of Dr. Denton, who was a major supporting character in the first novella. It was nice to see him again. Denton contacts the two for help locating his cousin, actually, which is what sets off the plot of the book. We’re also introduced to a new character, Ingold, who through his connection with Denton, is far more interesting than the characters introduced in book two.

The story here also pulled me in more than the one in the second novel, and the atmosphere was back on point. It’s a little different when compared to What Moves the Dead, but the vibes were similar enough to draw me in the same way. The setting was also a little bit more interesting to me. Nothing like a small town and a creepy old mine to set the tone.

Unlike What Feasts at Night, I actually enjoyed the monster here, as well as the twist involved with it. Similar to the story and atmosphere, the creature feature here was more akin to the one in the first book, which I felt was far better than in the second one. Less supernatural this time around, which I appreciated. The buildup also reaches a satisfying conclusion for me, and I enjoyed how things wrapped up.

“Rules of life,” Angus said. “Be true to your friends, don’t cheat at cards, don’t piss on the less fortunate, and don’t steal other people’s skeletons.”

“You just added that last bit now,” I said.

“Obviously should’ve been there all along.”

What Stalks the Deep was a solid addition to the Sworn Solider series, with a return to form with its monster, unsettling setting and tone, and fast pace. If there’s ever another addition to the series, I’ll definitely read it. I think fans of this series will like the continuation, as well as fans of Kingfisher’s other horror stories.

As always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

Goodreads

Instagram

Monthly Wrap-Up: October Reading 2025

Ugh, this is so late. Oh well, what can you do. I’m still trying to get back into things, but it’s been a little rough. Anyway, reading wrap-up for October 2025 incoming!

Last month was pretty decent, especially compared to the last six months. I read two books! Yay! I hope I can either keep it up or get better before the end of the year. If not, then I’m gonna strive for better next year.

Anyway, let’s just start talking about my StoryGraph statistics from last month! (Edit: Shoot it didn’t post when I wanted it to again. Ugh. Oh well, I fixed it.)

October Reading 2025

I read 2 books and 515 pages

😐 MOODS: I had three Moods in October, which is the same as the month before. The Moods from this past month were: Adventurous, Mysterious and Tense.

👢 PACE: The books I read last month were medium and fast-paced.

🔢 PAGE NUMBER: The novels I read were between 179 and 336 pages.

📖 FICTION/NONFICTION: It was once again all fiction. As usual.

🎭 GENRES: There were several Genres on the graph this past month. They were Mystery, Horror, Contemporary, Young Adult and LGBT+.

📄 FORMAT: This pie chart was incorrect for the first time in ages. One novel I read was digital and one was a physical copy.

⭐ RATING: My median star rating for last month was 3.75.

📉 PAGES READ DAILY: My reading spiked in the first half of October, before dropping off during the second half of the month. My highest peak was on the 9th.

The Books I Read in October

★★★✯☆ • my review

★★★★☆ • my review

Wrapping Up the Wrap-Up

So yeah, my reading in October reading was definitely an improvement over the few months preceding it. I hope I continue to read at least a decent amount for the remainder of the year. We’ll see, though.

I’m not quite sure what I’m going to read next, and I’m not going to force it. I do have a general idea, however, and once I officially pick which book I want to go with next, I just have to ease myself into reading. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get into a new novel soon. I’m still recovering from the past few months of stuff. I’m definitely planning on getting reviews out for the two books I did read last month out soon, though.

Anyway, as always, thank you for joining me in checking out my StoryGraph stats for my October reading in 2025. Thank you also for reading, and I hope you have a great day/night!

See ya ~Mar