I have my radioiodine treatment tomorrow and after a week of low-iodine diet, I am tired and grumpy and craving cheese. I couldn’t even have a vegan pizza at the weekend because I found out they put a seaweed extract in the fake cheese. As soon as my thyroid has sucked up all the radioactive iodine, I’m having the cheesiest meal ever.

Went a walk round Romsey at the weekend. It’s such a pretty town, so many old buildings and it clearly didn’t suffer from the post-war rebuilding eyesores that a lot of places round here have. There’s still a 13th century house standing and lots of tiny doors that even I have to duck to get through. One of my favourite things about Romsey is it sits on the River Test so many things have test in the name. As a software tester, this amuses me greatly.

Romsey Fishlake Meadows - a marsh area with dead looking trees in the distance. Sky is bright blue and cloudless.

We found a walk that went through a nature reserve, with only some minor flooding to navigate. It does look a bit post-apocalyptic at this time of year.

On the blog:

Review: A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon

Review: The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

Books read:

[ARC] The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

Why yes, I have reviewed this already! Beautifully written, gothic horror.

  • ATY # 13. A book that has an object that is repeated on the cover

[ARC] A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley

Fun romance, went a bit too quickly from the “I want to take your soul” back and forth to mushiness, but there was plenty of non-romance plot to keep it going.

  • Popsugar # 10. A romance with a fat lead
  • ATY Rejects: A book related to “soul”
  • SFF Titles # 7 witch

Slay by Brittney Morris

I thought this was sci-fi but it’s more contemporary and I got stuck on the fact a teenager managed to make this hugely successful open-world VR game in her limited spare time without anyone noticing. She didn’t seem to do any coding for the entire book… Good discussion points about safe spaces and black identity though.

  • Popsugar # 1. A book you meant to read in 2022
  • ATY Rejects: A book with a purple cover

Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire

I usually like the standalone Wayward Children books a little less than the ones that forward the series story, but I loved this one. Set in a shop where lost things go, it deals a lot with the doors. Antsy runs from a paedophile at the start of the book, and the onwards story reflects the theme of lost childhood.

  • ATY # 2. A book by an author you read in 2022
  • Popsugar # 2. A book you bought from an independent bookstore
  • ATY Rejects: A book with a door on the cover
  • SFF Titles # 25 lost

Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse

This story just didn’t seem suited to the novella format, it had potential but the characters weren’t all that developed. Celeste is both naïve and self-righteous, and there’s no real time to get to know the others characters or her backstory to see if her personality made sense.

  • ATY # 39. A western

Blackmail and Bibingka by Mia P. Manansala

Well I’ve been listening to this on and off since early December. I don’t know if it’s just because I haven’t really had much enforced audiobook time (thanks winter) but this didn’t hold my attention the same as the previous books.

  • Popsugar # 50. A book with alliteration in the title

tread of angels Cover: Blackmail and Bibingka

Books acquired:

I’m making myself use up one Audible credit a week so that I have a chance in hell of downgrading/cancelling my annual subscription when it comes up for renewal. Fortunately, I can use them on pre-orders, which I did this week on the forthcoming Jojo Moyes (narrated by Daisy Ridley).

Bought – Physical:

Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

Bought – Digital:

Buried by Alice Roberts

For Review:

Blackheart Ghosts by Laure Eve (Jo Fletcher)