Neverwhere (London Below #1), by Neil Gaiman

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm here with a rare review! 

I chose Neverwhere because, when writting my wrap up for November, I realised that I had way too many thoughts to fit it all into a wrap up, which is why I'm going all out with a review. 

I hope you enjoy it. 

Title: Neverwhere

Author: Neil Gaiman 

Genre: Fantasy 

Status: Book 1 in an uncompleted duology

Release date: 16th September, 1996

Pages: 412

Blurb: "Under the streets of London lies a

world most people could never dream of. 

When Richard Mayhew stops to help a girl he

finds bleeding in the street, his unremarkable

life changes in an instant. 

This act of kindness leads him to a place filled with 

murderers and angels, pale girls in black velvet, a Beast 

in a labyrinth and an Earl who holds Court in a tube train. 

It is strangely familiar yet utterly bizarre. 

Here is London below, the city of people who have 

fallen between the cracks. And for Richard Mayhew, 

it's only the beginning."

My Thoughts

Neverwhere is a book about a world below well, the world. It contains people that have fallen through the cracks. It's a whimsical, magical and mysterious world, full of creatures, beasts, henchman, bodyguards, merchants that deal in information and locked cases. If you're looking for a world with a bit of bite, you've come to the right book. 

Richard Mayhew, our protagonist comes across it by specific circumstances, by an act of kindness to a struggling girl. Next thing he knows, nobody recognises him, he has no job, no house, no money. So, in a quest to find the girl he helped, in order to get his life back, he ends up aiding her in another quest to safety, from the person that killed the rest of her family. 

What's interesting about Richard is that he's pretty much your standard guy; engaged, good job in an office in London. Apart from acting in kindness towards a total stranger, nothing really sets him apart from your standard city guy. Then he's thrust into this totally different, dangerous world. He faces challenges, faces fears and meets terrible people during his time in London Below. You'd expect him to change from an experience like that. Except he doesn't. Which is what's so likeable about him. 

What I mean is, he's much like you and I. Bewildered at this brand new, sometimes scary world, amazed at some of the people he meets, scared at some of the things he's asked to do. Yet he stays set, focused on the one goal of, if he survives, if he helps his friend get to safety, then he'll get his life back. You'll have to read it to find out if he does or not. All in all, I want more books with Richard in them. I keep thinking about him. 

Now, this is probably my issue, because it seems to be taking me an age to finish books nowadays, but I never seemed to want to read for longer than 20 minutes or so, every time I picked this book up. It wasn't like I wasn't enjoying it, I was. But the fact that it was taking me so long to finish, it kind of lessened the enjoyment for me. I'm definitely putting it down to a personal issue on this one, because it was such a good book. 

This is actually the first time I want to spend more time with the characters, rather than spend more time in the world, with which he's created. Don't get me wrong, I love the world, the way you'd feel you have to be looking over your shoulder constantly if you were in there yourself. But it's Richard, Anastasia, Marquis, Hunter, and of course Door, that I want to meet the most. 

It's the will for these characters to survive that drew me to this, not the world. 

To sum up, I really really liked this book. 

At this point, I've read a fair few Neil Gaiman books. Some I felt, I didn't gel with, then there's the odd one that I liked, but didn't LOVE LOVE LOVE.

Then there are two of his books, which are the cream of the crop. Ocean at the End of the Lane is one of them. Neverwhere is the other. 

I really hope we get news on the sequel sometime soon. 

Okay! Those are all of my thoughts on Neverwhere, from the London Below duology! I hope you enjoyed, feel free to let me know in the comments what you thought, of the book, or the review, whichever floats your boat! 

I hope you have a wonderful day, and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxxx

December TBR (2025)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here! 

And I'm here with the last TBR of the year! 

How did we get to the last month of 2025, already? It seems only five minutes I was re-reading the HP series, at the top of the year. 

But, it's time to set the TBR that'll wrap up the year, with a bang- and that's exactly what I intend to do- by reading whatever the fuck I want. 

And that's how it should be. 

(This TBR is going to be full of re-reads, by the way.) 

1. American Gods (American Gods #1), by Neil Gaiman 

So far, the most I've read of this has been from the audiobook, doing RFID on a sunday at 8am. I want to make more of an effort reading the physical book, and whittling through it, little by little. I don't want to put any pressure on myself to read more than I want to, and if that means that it takes an extra week to finish it than it might have, then so be it. 

I'm still slightly reeling from Neverwhere, and Richard's story, but I'm really enjoying reading about Shadow, getting to grips with this weird world he's stepped into, by being employed by Mr. Wednesday. He sounds about as overwhelmed as I am, but I'm really enjoying this story and curious as to what's going to happen next. About a quarter in so far. 

2. Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer #1), by Laini Taylor

Strange the Dreamer. I don't think I've read a beautiful story before, or since reading this. It's been nearly eight years since I read this, and I'm ready to step into that world again. Does anybody else remember when this book was the shit of booktube? My interest in this was largely to do with Katytastic, who was screaming about this, and Daughter of Smoke and Bone, both by Laini Taylor. 

I want re-immerse myself in Lazlo Strange's story, and the lost city of Weep once more. I can't wait to see what I think, nearly eight years on. 

3. Twilight (The Twilight Saga #1), by Stephenie Meyer

4. New Moon (The Twilight Saga #2), by Stephenie Meyer 

5. Eclipse (The Twilight Saga #3), by Stephenie Meyer

6. Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga #4), by Stephenie Meyer#

I've been thinking about re-reading this for literal months at this point. Will I be reading one of the most morbid series' for miles around at Christmas? Absolutely. It's been *hastily checks Goodreads* nearly 6 1/2 years since I picked this series up, and I cannot wait to sink my teeth back into this. (Pun intended, of course.) 

So, I'll probably be alone in this, but if you happen to be reading this, and follow my twitter, I'll be doing a poll on there. Which Twilight book is your favourite? (Only including the four above by the way, but feel free to comment if your favourite happens to be Midnight Sun or Life After Death.) 

7. Eliza and her Monsters, by Francesca Zappia

When I started thinking about this month's TBR this evening, I wasn't even considering picking this. But sometimes you can surprise yourself. Another book I haven't read in six years. 

We follow Eliza; shy, awkward, an introvert in the outside world, and to everyone except herself and her family. But inside, and online, she becomes LadyConstellation, anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic, Monstrous Sea. Then, Wallace Warland, Monstrous Sea's biggest fanfiction writer, transfers to her school, and Eliza begins to learn what life is like outside of her computer. But when Eliza's computer is found- and all her secrets come spilling out, it's the end of her world as we know it. Everything she's built- her story, her relationship with Wallace, even her sanity- begins to fall apart. 

This may lead to me re-reading Fangirl sometime soon, because for me, they have a really similar feel. I loved them both to be honest, but right now, this is definitely the book that's screaming READ ME the most. It's been too long since I read this last. 

Okay! Those are all the books I want to read this month! Knowing me, it'll probably take me half the month to finish American Gods, and that'll be me screwed. It really doesn't matter to me though, this is a loose TBR after all. 

As always, feel free to comment any reading plans/ plans (FNAF or Wicked plans in particular) in the comments below! I always love to hear them. 

Okay! I hope you have a wonderful evening, and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeee!

-Abi xxx

November Wrap Up (2025)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back with my November Wrap Up (2025)! 

Not as successful a month as last month, with just three finished books- and two of them were re-reads!

I think I just needed a free month, in the past couple of weeks for the very least. 

To be honest, I don't see much changing in December, because of how full on I know it's going to be- but what I will be looking forward to is the posting I'll be doing on here! 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading about my finished books for the month- despite it being shorter than usual. 

1. Neverwhere (London Below #1), by Neil Gaiman 

I finally read a new Neil Gaiman book! It's a shame that I enjoyed it so much- the sequel has been in the preparation stage for several years. I'm holding out on hope that it'll someday be released- and that when the time is right, Neil Gaiman will pick up a pen and carry on working on it. 

I have so many thoughts on this book that they're all fighting to be written down first. I have way too many thoughts on this book to suck them all into a wrap up. Maybe I should replace that Christmas book tag with a review instead... 

Okay, normal human being thrust into the world of the supernatural, with treachery, spies, murder, violence, challenges, and most of all, an epic adventure with unforgettable characters. All for one simple act of kindness, which is rare nowadays. Especially in London. 

Part of me wishes I hadn't read this, because then I wouldn't have become attached to this story, and have to wait for the sequel like the rest of the world. But then I never would have read it. 

And that's even worse.

Definitely a contender for one of my top three Neil Gaiman books. 

2. 32C, That's Me, by Chris Higgins

An old favourite, which I read in one morning. Sometimes you just need to pick up an old favourite. 

32c, That's Me, is about a girl called Jess- who thinks she has it all. The female lead in her school play, Macbeth, a great, not very annoying family, a gorgeous boyfriend. Then her mother is diagnosed with breast cancer- and everything starts to fall apart. She doesn't know where her Dad is half the time, the witches want their clutches on her boyfriend- who plays Macbeth. And then there's her Mum- who might just end up dying. 

I'm not sure what it was that created such a need to pick this book up, or to read it in one sitting, but I'm so glad I did. Chris Higgins was very much a comfort author for me growing up. She deals with very transitional issues in her books, from first love, breast cancer, dementia, eating disorders. You get the picture. They're always short, and impacting, but with extremely likeable protagonists. To be honest, it was just nice to go back to an enjoyable, but hard-hitting book. 

3. Paula: My Story So Far, by Paula Radcliffe

Nothing has made me more excited to start Marathon training than reading this gem. When I turned to my list of comfort reads, in a time when I verging on a reading slump, this was the first book in the pile. Admittedly, the writing isn't the best, but then, Paula isn't an author, she's an athlete, and although it might not be the greatest masterpiece, it's a very honest account of her upbringing and professional career, through and through. 

Whether you are a seasonal runner, or just starting out, this book is worth the read. Because this book is straight to the point. It's real. It shows the highs and lows. It deals with doping, injuries, set backs, world records, and all that comes with the demanding life of a professional distance runner. Of course, the average runner doesn't have to deal with doping allegations or losing out on a world record, but believe me when I say, there's something in this book for everyone. 

Okay! Those are all the books I read in November! It may have only been three, but I'm satisfied with that. I'm sure there are people that read more than me this month, but even if you just picked up a book this month, that's still great. Welcome to the club :-) . 

I hope you have a lovely weekend, and I'll see you all soon with my December TBR (loose)! 

Byeeeeee! 

-Abi 

The TBR I Posted in August

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And today I'll be discussing the last TBR I posted this year: the TBR, where I vowed that I wouldn't be posting another one until all the books on that list have been read. 

Anyway, as this is just the introduction, I won't reveal anything more than that. 

I hope you enjoy my, reality check, of sorts. 

~The TBR I Posted in August~

I'm drawing a line below it. When I posted this list of books. If you still don't know which post I'm talking about, I'll link it here. 

Basically, I thought it would take a matter of weeks, maybe a couple of months at most to finish this pile of books. But, December is a week on Monday, and I still have a significant list of them left to read. 

1. American Gods and Anansi Boys, by Neil Gaiman 

2. The Miniaturist, by Jessie Burton 

3. I Am Pilgrim, by Terry Hayes

4. Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell 

Now, the only ones I feel truly bad about are the Neil Gaiman books, because I was gifted those over a year ago (still going to try and finish those before the end of the year), but I've decided that it's in my best interest to pause that list for now, or maybe, not to push myself to read them, one after another, when I don't want to. 

Most of the time I'll argue that it's worth pushing through a book at the start when 1) you know the book will improve- like if you've read books by said author in the past, and you know the writing style, or 2) you know you'll end up regretting not pursuing said book (like Great Expectations, for example). 

Let me explain. With Great Expectations, I knew the language was going to be difficult. I knew I was going to struggle with it. Yet I read it any way, because I like the story, and wanted to, despite how difficult the language was. Pushing through was what got me through it. It just required a lot of focus and determination on my part. 

That's Great Expectations. But when you feel like that with almost book on that list, and the motivation to carry on with that dwindles rapidly, it's so hard to keep going. 

Which is why I'm drawing a line under it. I don't want to go into December, and possibly even January, reading books I don't have the interest in. I want to read fluffy romances about Christmas, or even, I want to be able to read books I want to read on the spur of the moment, not books on a list I feel obligated to pick up. 

And that's fine. For the rest of the year I'm going to be picking up books on the spur of the moment. Right now I'm re-reading Paula Radcliffe's autobiography, a book I've been thinking of re-reading since she took on the Tokyo and Boston marathons earlier this year. 

I will be posting a loose TBR in December, but I definitely won't be sticking to it 100%. 

Moving on, I wanted to add a brief word about the posting I'll be doing in December. They're your standard December posts: 

1. December TBR (2025)

2. Anticipated Releases for January- March 2026. 

3. Favourite Books of 2025. 

4. Maybe a Christmas tag, if I have time?

5. Yearly Wrap Up (the big whoopang!) 

I know, right? Barely posts three times a month, then decides on 5 at the end of the year? Anybody want to put a bet on that I won't do it? Well, we'll see. 

Okay! That is all that I have for you guys for now, but be on the lookout for my November Wrap Up, coming up some time next week! 

I hope you have a wonderful evening and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxxx

Reading Tastes

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And recently I've been thinking alot about our reading tastes. How they change as we age, books we get the urge to go back and re-read, and how we simply forget the entire plot of others, as new, more interesting books come into the picture. 

I've been doing some digging on Goodreads this evening, looking for my 'Most Read Authors' section on my profile, only to find it missing. Turns out, it was removed from Goodreads 6 years ago. 

Anyway, I wanted to see whether I still thought the same about these books, all those years ago, to now. 

That section may be gone now, but I'm still going to discuss it on here.

This is basically going to be another rambler post so sorry to anyone that was looking for QUALITY tonight, because this won't be it. 

But I'll do it anyway. 

I hope you enjoy it. 

~Reading Tastes~

Okay, so. Growing up, I was a HUGE distopian fan. Like most preteens discoving the wide world of books. They're exciting, full of adventures, romances, fights, death. They're great gateways to the adult fantasy genre, as well as middlegrade adventures, like Harry Potter, or Narnia, Percy Jackson, etc. 

Authors like Cassandra Clare, Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, Stephanie Meyer. They were my introduction to the dystopian genre. Of course the YA subgenre was smack bang in the middle of that too. 

Fast forward to today, I keep thinking about how golden a time that time was. Late 2000s, the Twilight film came out. A few years later, A City of Bones, The Hunger Games and Divergent all got film deals. I am so thankful that I was the right age for these book release/ film releases, to feel the magic when my favourite books became loved by all who knew them. 

It was at this time that #Booktube reached an all time high. Live shows, getting to talk to Booktubers in America about these releases. To this day, I remember reading the entire Lunar Chronicles series in time to finish Winter, in time for the liveshow (which I fell asleep for, in the end, because in the UK it was 2am that it took place). There was #UKYAChat, a Twitter conversation with youtuber Lucy Powrie (now author of The Paper & Hearts Society series), who created the theme, and posted questions, every Friday night. It was the time for booktubers and distopian fiction. 

And now, as a 28 year old woman, I want to go back. Not to re-read, but for the first time. To all of it. I'll reach to one of these favourites every so often, when I'm in danger of dissolving into a reading slump. Teri Terry, Lemony Snicket, and of course, I'm still reading Derek Landy's Skulduggery Pleasant novels, sixteen years later. 

Because of that Booktube community, I feel like certain books, that were popular within the group, led me to my reading tastes today. The Book Thief, is what started my interest in historical fiction, I'm 100% sure of it. Cassandra Clare, Nicola Yoon, Adam Silvera, all authors that I discovered and loved, because of those liveshows. 

Now, that wasn't all I was reading. I had a strong love for Sci-fi, I still do. But, is it just me, or do not as many people go in for Sci-fi as much as fantasy? Like, I get that magic and all is amazing, but space, stars, unknown species from outer space, and a world without gravity is interesting too, surely? 

My love of Science Fiction hasn't changed much at all, really. I still have a long list of Science Fiction books that I'm eager to get to, the Skyward series at the top of the pile. 

Saying that, if anyone has any recommendations for sci-fi novels, let me know in the comments- I don't have as many on my list as I'd like. I think maybe the subject pool is bigger for fantasy, hence why there's a bigger interest for the average reader. 

Before I move on to fantasy, I just want to make a note about fiction/ contemporary. Looking back at my reading taste as a teen, there's a single book that springs to mind that's the most similar to the type of fiction book I like to pick up now. That book is Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell. That book, the light-hearted tone, about a writer, going to University, and trying to figure herself out as an individual, without her twin sister, was the gateway to authors like Taylor Jenkins Reid, Marian Keyes, Jodi Picoult, Fredrik Backman. Not that I don't like cutesy fiction, but I'm very much a sucker for a tough journey. 

Now, moving on to fantasy. There was never a chance I wasn't going to like this genre, after picking up Skulduggery Pleasant, age twelve. Conjuring fire, powerful boxers with a face full of scars, kick-ass women with knives running up walls- that book completely changed my life- and with the final book due to be released in March, I don't know how I'm going to deal with it (though there's an epic re-read coming up, you mark my words). That book series sparked a love for fantasy, for magic, every kind of it, and it's never gone away. It's just changed somewhat. 

The kind of fantasy novels I crave now, are huge, 700-800 pages of dialogue, discovery, vast worlds, complicated characters, a full series I can lose myself in. I've changed from reading Cassandra Clare, Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo, to wanting to read Robin Hobb, R.F. Kuang, Fonda Lee, N.K. Jemison. 

Which is natural. It's normal to grow as a reader, to develop a liking to different themes, tropes, different authors. 

That's what's great about reading. There's something for everyone. 

Okay! Those are all my thoughts on reading tastes! I'm sure I'll be thinking of a lot more than what I've written, the minute I publish this, but for now, that's my lot. Please don't hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments if you feel like chatting though! I love any imput! 

Okay! I hope you have a lovely evening and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxxx

October Wrap Up (2025)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back with my October Wrap Up! 

I read a fair few books, which I'm pretty happy with, considering one of them took me a while to get into. 

Anyway, with further ado, I hope you enjoy, and as always, feel free to comment what you read, or got up to, in the spookiest month of the year! 

1. Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens

My achievement of the year! I got this for my birthday/ Christmas last year, and when it got to August, I decided it was crunch time. The target was the end of the year. 

Knowing how difficult the language was going to be, I decided not to shy away from it, and picked it up almost immediately. And let me tell you, I'm so glad my friend decided on this, and not Les Mis, because I reckon if he had, I'd still be reading it now. 

The language was challenging to say the least. I had to re-read a fair bit of this to make sure I was still following what was going on. Charles Dickens is definitely a bit of a 'waffler', it took a while for me to see the point of where he was going with a story. But nevertheless, I enjoyed the story, the characters were excellent, the pacing was fantastic, there were points in the story that I didn't want to put the book down, so I could find out what was going to happen next, and I'm eager to start another Charles Dickens book soon (when I've read some of my other unread books, of course). 

I will definitely be watching the 2010 BBC TV show of Great Expectations this winter. 

2. Skyward, Vol.1: My Low- G Life (Skyward #1), by Joe Henderson

3. Skyward, Vol. 2: Here There Be Dragonflies (Skyward #2), by Joe Henderson

4. Skyward, Vol. 3: Fix the World (Skyward #3), by Joe Henderson

 

I bought these with me for the flight to Dubrovnik because, being graphic novels, I knew they would be a fast-paced read. That was almost exactly what they were. Simple premise, protagonist is Willa, a girl born just before everything (literally) went up in the air. Grown up, she's looking for an adventure, a reason to leave, to explore what else the world has to offer. Except maybe not her Dad's grandmaster plan to bring back gravity, that could potentially get her killed. 

But here she is, smack bang in the middle of it. 

A fast-paced, fun graphic novel series is what I wanted, and that's exactly what I got. Another series conquered for the year. 

5. The Porpoise, by Mark Haddon 

The Porpoise. A book I never would have ever considered, had it not been for The Mysterious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. Not wanting a huge marathon of a book for my holiday in Dubrovnik, I hesitantly chose it, after being gripped by the first chapter that sets up the story. 

After Angelica is the sole survivor of a horrible plane crash, she is kept in almost perfect isolation by her father Phillipe, and can do nothing to stop his abusive behavious and troubling obsession with her. Desperate for any kind of escape, she turns to literature for comfort, to resilient strangers embarking on wild escapades, and living to tell the tale. Sometimes she forgets where she ends and the stories begin. 

After a very gripping and fast-paced first chapter, we're fast forwarded a couple of years to when Angelica is a few years old. We see her grow up, form almost unnatural habits with regards to her over-protective father. We read from the time that Angelica is a few years old, until she reaches maturity and the abuse gets worse. A visitor arrives, about some paintings, which his recently deceased father was in business with Phillipe for. After he guesses at what's going on, tries to get Angelica away, and barely escapes with his life, we reach the beginning of the story. Stony resillence from Angelica from now until the end of the book means that the rest of the story is mostly the stories she is reading, to keep from dissolving into a complete breakdown, when fighting against her father inwardly. 

I have to admit, after we switching to the novels we were picking up, I didn't have the faintest clue what was going on. It was a good 40 pages until I twigged, and it was such a struggle to get to three digits. Once I did though, once the story had moved on some, it was like there was a switch flicked. And suddenly I couldn't put the book down. I struggled through 50 pages in an afternoon, and then suddenly it was 75 pages in a couple of hours, travelling on the bus, mostly. 

The Porpoise is a beautifully-written book about how stories can give you hope and bravery in the face of danger, and keep your head above water. It reads completely differently to The Mysterious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, and it was a pleasure to read it. 

6. A Heart Full of Hatred (Skulduggery Pleasant #17), by Derek Landy 

A solid four star. Not my favourite in the Skulduggery Pleasant series, but then a 4 star for Skulduggery Pleasant is going to be better than any other normal four star anyway. 

Obviously, this is book 17 in the series, so I can't say much, because spoilers. 

I'm both ready for this series to be at an end and also not, because I've been reading this series for 16 years. The last book is out in March and I'll be doing an epic SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT SERIES SENDOFF around then, I've already decided. 

Please, let this be the last one. I don't want any more characters dying. 

Okay! Those are all the books I read in October! As I mentioned up top, let me know in the comments what you all read in October, or even if you watched/ saw something new. Just write about it in the comments! 

That's all I have for you all today, so I hope you have a lovely day and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxxxx

I really hope that's not pee running down my leg...

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back with the third installment of, I'm still not sure what I'm calling whatever this it- short story? I guess we'll see how long it goes on for. 

Collection of scenes! We'll go with that! 

Well, nobody has told me to stop yet, so I'm just going to keep going. 

I did actually put some thought into how this story is going, I promise, so hopefully you'll get a little bit more of a window into how this story will progress in this scene- or you'll still be confused! Let me know in the comments below! 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. 

~I really hope that's not pee running down my leg...~

What the fuck was that? Trying to process things here.

Okay, so I’m walking home, someone is following me, I’m freaking out, and then he’s dead. Because of fricking light beams coming out of my HANDS? How is this possible?

This kind of stuff just doesn’t happen. Not in the real world, anyway.

Yet somehow it did.

Me. Charlie Frank. Simpleton. 15 years old. Just blew fucking light beams out of my hands!

This is amazing! I’m a superhero! I’m the best person ever.

If it wasn’t for the fact that I just killed a man.

My stomach turns and I’m very nearly spewing up everything that’s in it. Before I can do that though, I feel a kind of swaying. It starts in the sky, directly above me. It’s the kind of feeling you get when you’re on a boat. Not chaotic, or dizzy-ish at all, more like a gentle swaying where you never seem to get your balance right. This swaying continues downwards, until it feels like it’s all around me, cascading down into… me.

And that’s when… it appears.

Short guy, no more than five feet, might be Italian, or Greek, a bit like Phil from Hercules. Okay, maybe a lot like Phil from Hercules, complete with a headset and tattoos on his muscled arms. He descends fast, faster, faster, faster than speed itself, then STOPS, right before it looks like he’s about to crash. By this point I’m 99% sure I’m dreaming. I really hope I’m dreaming.

Please let me be dreaming…

Anyway, after the dead stop, he starts to turn (assuming he’s, well, a he) spinning, slowly downwards, until he places his hooved feet onto the pavement.

 I don’t know what he saw in my face, but whatever it is, makes him sprint over to me and hold me in place.

“Wait, wait! Don’t bolt, or throw up, please! Just let me explain!”

Couple of things. One- I must really be out of it, because I had plenty of time to get away, if I wanted to- whoever this guy is, can’t run very fast at all, and two- never actually heard him talk, I heard him in my head. Telepathic? I must be dreaming.

Because somehow, I’m not making any noise either.

“Okay, okay! Not bolting, but please, explain everything! I’m seriously freaking out here!”

Convinced at last, he lets me go. He takes a deep breath, and with a nervous glance around himself, begins again.

“My name is Gus. I’m part of the security team keeping tabs on watchers. To make sure nothing happens to them.”

A calming feeling has taken over my entire body. I’m sure it’s something to do with him, and although I’m trying to resist, I can’t help but listen to what he’s saying.

I take a deep breath, changing from ragged to barely breathing, as the calming effect, takes effect, and relax, before I say anything else.

“Wait, what are watchers? Security team for what? And what kind of things can happen to watchers?”

A slight slimmer of a smile passes along his lips. “Something like what you just did.” He indicates behind him. “Sometimes clients can lose control, when they get anxious. I shouldn’t even be here, to be honest with you. This is extremely special circumstances. In fact, we really can’t stay long.” Gus taps a triangular-shaped icon on his arm, mutters something non-committal, and a circular thing (no idea how else to describe it) slides open. He goes to grab my arm, but quick as lightning, I’m out of range. (What the actual f? I’ve never moved that fast in my life!)

“Wait! What even is this? Who is this guy, why was he watching me? What’s all this about? I’m not going anywhere with you until you tell me that!”

Sighing, he taps another button on his arm. The circular thing closes.

“I really shouldn’t be telling you this. There are rules, and threats, and dangerous times coming. I should not be telling you this.”

He’s pacing now. I wish he would just spit it out. Or stop pacing. Laughing at his walk won’t help things.

He seems to make his mind up about something. Looks me dead in the eye.

“Okay, you’re one of the many hand-picked children chosen to defend Artios, the city of the stars. Something is coming, and although we don’t know what it is, there is a legend of a handful of children, arriving to save the city, and all of its inhabitants. You’re one of them. Now, please, you must come with me!”

And much like every other teenage boy being told they’re destined to save a city they’ve never even heard of, I start to freak out- again.

“WHAT? But, but, but, that can’t be true! I’m Charlie, I’m 15, and new, and weird. Complete simpleton. I can’t have been chosen!”

Gus goes on. “We’ve been on the look out for the past one hundred years. Something is coming, and you’re involved. Now, I can tell you more where it’s safe. But you have to come with me now. Please, will you? Or will you be left vulnerable, without a watcher? Because he’s your lot.”

I glance back at my watcher… What do I do? There’s Mum, she’ll be worried about me. Or will she? Gus has powers, he’s already, somehow, calmed me down, which is a feat in itself. Surely Mum will be fine?

“Your Mum will be fine. She already thinks your staying at a friend’s.”

Trying to ignore my shaking my hands, I take a deep breath, and say:

“Okay. But you need to tell me everything when we get there.”

“Deal.”

The portal opens and we walk in.

Okay! That was Installment #3! I hope you enjoyed it, and of course, any thoughts would be appreciated, if you want to share them. 

I hope this entry gave the story a bit more of a direction, there was certainly a lot more to it than the previous entries! 

I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxxxx 

Anticipated Releases (October- December 2025)

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And I'm back with my long overdue Anticipated Releases post for the final three months of 2025! I know I always say this, but I can't believe how quickly this stage of the year has rolled around!

Nevertheless, there are still a great many books that are about to be releases, and I can't wait to reveal my own personal list!

I will be starting from the start of October, even including the books that have already been released, just so you know.

I hope you enjoy this list, and don't forget to post your own anticipated releases list in the comments!

~October 2025~

1. Remain, by Nicholas Sparks & M. Night Shyamalan

Release date: 7/10/25

When I first heard about this, I wasn't sure whether to put it on my list or not. It didn't seem all that different from other supernatural romances I'd heard about in the past, even if I'd heard of Nicholas Sparks in the past.

Then I found out who M. Night Shyamalan was- world renowned writer and director of Unbreakable, Split, and The Sixth Sense, and looking at this with a fresh pair of eyes, I decided to add it to the list after all.

"When New York architect Tate Donovan arrives in Cape Cod to design his best friend’s summer home, he is hoping to make a fresh start. Recently discharged from an upscale psychiatric facility where he was treated for acute depression, he is still wrestling with the pain of losing his beloved sister. Sylvia’s deathbed revelation—that she can see spirits who are still tethered to the living world, a gift that runs in their family—sits uneasily with Tate, who struggles to believe in more than what reason can explain. But when he takes up residence at a historic bed-and-breakfast on the Cape, he encounters a beautiful young woman named Wren who will challenge every assumption he has about his logical and controlled world.

Tate and Wren find themselves forging an immediate connection, one that neither has ever experienced before. But Tate gradually discovers that below the surface of Wren’s idyllic small-town life, hatred, jealousy, and greed are festering, threatening their fragile relationship just as it begins to blossom. Tate realizes that in order to free Wren from an increasingly desperate fate, he will need to unearth the truth about her past before time runs out . . . a quest that will make him doubt whether we can ever believe the stories we tell about ourselves, and the laws that govern our existence. Love—while transformative—can sometimes be frightening.

A story about the power of transcendent emotion, Remain asks us all: Can love set us free not only from our greatest sorrows, but even from the boundaries of life and death?"

Aside from that, it also looks like this is going to be a film in 2026. I'm very much hoping the book sells well, but consider the names behind this project, I'm almost expecting it to do well (will definitely be joining the large fan base in reading this).

2. The Scammer, by Tiffany D. Jackson

Release date: 7/10/25

I read Grown by the same author five years ago yesterday, and it's turned into one of those books that I still think about today. Tiffany D. Jackson is known for her sensitive subjects and hard-hitting writing style and although I haven't picked up a book by her for the last five years, I have a feeling that I'm going to love this one.

"Out from under her overprotective parents, Jordyn is ready to kill it in prelaw at a prestigious, historically Black university in Washington DC. When her new roommate’s brother is released from prison, the last thing Jordyn expects is to come home and find the ex-convict on their dorm room sofa. But Devonte needs a place to stay while he gets back on his feet—and how could she say no to one of her new best friends?

Devonte is older, as charming as he is intelligent, pushing every student he meets to make better choices about their young lives. But Jordyn senses something sinister beneath his friendly advice and growing group of followers. When one of Jordyn’s roommates goes missing, she must enlist the help of the university’s lone white student to uncover the mystery—or become trapped at the center of a web of lies more tangled than she can imagine."

3. Twice, by Mitch Albom

Release date: 7/10/25

This one is a bit different from the previous two. It tells the story of Alfie Logan, who, from the age of eight, discovers that he can travel to any point of his life, and relive that moment again, and make a different decision about what to do. A second chance basically.

As he grows older, he eventually directs his gift to his love life. Studying his crushes, then going back in time to make himself more appealing. Soon he meets Gianna, and it isn't long before he falls deeply in love with her.

But, his eyes begin to wander, and soon he finds out about his gift's fatal flaw: once he undoes a love, that person can never fall in love with him again. Knowing this forces him to make a decision that will change Alfie's life forever.

The book begins many years later, when Alfie is arrested for allegedly cheating and winning millions at a casion roulette wheel.

This sounds so interesting, especially with the mixed up start and end. Maybe a heartwarming story for December? What do you all think of this?

4. The Secret Christmas Library, by Jenny Colgan

Release date: 14/10/25

I don't need to know anything but the fact that this book is about a Secret Christmas Library. That's literally all I need to know.

I'll copy/paste the blurb here for you guys though:

"Mirren Sutherland stumbled into a career as an antiquarian book hunter after finding a priceless antique book in her great aunt’s attic. Now, as Christmas approaches, she’s been hired by Jamie McPherson, the surprisingly young and handsome laird of a Highland clan whose ancestral holdings include a vast crumbling castle. Family lore suggests that the McPherson family’s collection includes a rare book so valuable that it could save the entire estate—if they only knew where it was. Jamie needs Mirren to help him track down this treasure, which he believes is hidden in his own home.

But on the train to the Highlands, Mirren runs into rival book hunter Theo Palliser, and instantly knows that it’s not a chance meeting. She’s all too familiar with Theo’s good looks and smooth talk, and his uncanny ability to appear whenever there’s a treasure that needs locating.

Almost as soon as Mirren and Theo arrive at the castle, a deep snow blankets the Highlands, cutting off the outside world. Stuck inside, the three of them plot their search as the wind whistles outside. Mirren knows that Jamie’s grandfather, the castle’s most recent laird, had been a book collector, a hoarder, and a great lover of treasure hunts. Now they must unpuzzle his clues, discovering the secrets of the house—forming and breaking alliances in a race against time."

5. The Women of Artemis (Retold: The Grecian Women), by Hannah M. Lynn

Release date: 21/10/25

This is the never-before told story for the world's most ferocious heroines: the rise of the Amazons.

When Otrera married at the age of fourteen, she imagines a life of unity, of love and partnership with her new husband. Years later, living in destitution with her abusive husband, she now knows that that kind of marriage doesn't exist. It is simply a women's lot to live with the treatment of her husband, whoever he may treat her. Until it's not.

Rallying women in a similar situation to herself, Otrera fights back, and she takes no prisoners. She is raising an army of women, and their reasoning is clear to her: when men are in charge, freedom isn't granted. It's bought with blood. It's a price she is more than willing to pay, if it means freedom for the women she stands with, if it means getting them all away from their abusers.

But a community of women- an army of women- is bound to make enemies of men and Gods alike.

~November~

1. The House Saphir, by Marissa Meyer

Release date: 4/11/25

A new fairytale retelling by the phenomenal Marissa Meyer! *Adds it to the list*.

But seriously, there was a time, maybe a decade ago, where Marissa Meyer was one of the biggest names around in the fantasy genre, for her Cinder series especially.

Now, she's back, with none other than a fairytale retelling that promises to be gory, addictive, and above all, intense.

"The ghost of Bluebeard. A handsome count. A con artist in over her head.

Mallory Fontaine is a fraud. Though she comes from a long line of witches, the only magic she possesses is the ability to see ghosts. She and her sister eke out a living by selling fraudulent spells to gullible buyers and conducting tours of Count Bastien Saphir's mansion - who killed three of his wives more than a century ago. But she never expected to meet his great-grandson and heir to the Saphir estate. Armand is handsome, wealthy and when he offers Mallory a large sum of money to rid his home of Bastien's ghost, she can't resist.

But when murder returns to the House Saphir, Mallory is almost certain the killer is mortal. If she has any hope of payment, she'll have to solve the murder and banish the ghost, all while upholding the illusion of witchcraft.

Still that all sounds easy compared to her biggest learning to trust her heart. Especially when her heart's desire might be the murderer himself."

2. The Merge, by Grace Walker

Release date: 11/11/25

This sounds like everything that's science fiction done right. The Merge is about the world's first experimental process, where two people are merged into one, in extreme circumstances. It sounds new, and exciting, and unlike anything I've read for a very long time. Aside from that, it's Grace Walker's debut as well. This sure sounds like one interesting book.

"How far would you go to never say goodbye?

Laurie is sixty-five and living with Alzheimer’s. Her daughter Amelia, a once fiery and strong-willed activist, can’t bear to see her mother’s mind fade. Faced with the reality of losing her forever, Amelia signs them up to take part in the world’s first experimental merging process for Alzheimer’s patients, in which Laurie’s ailing mind will be transferred into Amelia’s healthy body and their consciousness will be blended as one.

Soon Amelia and Laurie join the opaque and mysterious group of other merge teenage Lucas, who plans to merge with his terminally ill brother Noah; Ben, who will merge with his pregnant fiancée Annie; and Jay, whose merging partner is his addict daughter Lara. As they prepare to move to The Village, a luxurious rehabilitation center for those who have merged, they quickly begin to question whether everything is really as it seems."

3. Making Mary Poppins: The Sherman Brothers, Walt Disney, and the Creation of a Classic Film, by Todd James Pierce

Release date: 11/11/25

I don't think I've had a non-fiction book on one of these posts before. But, there's a first for everything. Making Mary Poppins contains every piece of information you could want about, well, making Mary Poppins. From the time the Sherman brothers approached Walt Disney with a single song, to meeting him in person, to composing the entire score, and all the production surrounding the film. I really hope this isn't going to cost the bomb I think it will (and that I can find it in my local Waterstones too, because I desperately want to get my hands on it).

4. The Botanist's Assistant, by Peggy Townsend

Release date: 18/11/25

There seems to be a lot of books about botanist's coming out, doesn't there? I must have found at least three in the past six months, when searching for new releases. They must be pretty good, for publishing houses to keep releasing them too.

"A murder in the science lab shatters a woman’s quiet and ordered life when she decides she must solve the crime herself in this entertaining and uplifting mystery.

Plenty of people consider Margaret Finch odd. Six-feet-tall and big-boned, she lives alone in a small cabin in the woods, drives a 20-year-old truck, and schedules her life so precisely you can tell the time and day of the week by the chore she is doing and what she is wearing. But the same attributes that cause her to be labeled eccentric—an obsessive attention to detail and the ability to organize almost anything—make her invaluable in her job as Research Assistant II to a talented and charismatic botanist.

It's those very same qualities, however, that also turn Margaret into a target after a surprising death shakes the small university where she works. Even as authorities claim the death appears to be from natural causes, Margaret fears it might be something more: a murder born of jealousy and dark secrets. With the aid of a newly hired and enigmatic night custodian, Margaret finds herself thrust into the role of detective, forcing her to consider that she may not be able to find the killer before the killer finds her.

With a cast of quirky and likeable characters that one won’t soon forget, The Botanist’s Assistant is a delightful story of perseverance and the power in all of us to survive."

If I do end up picking this up, I think I'll have to pick this up in November- or risk having it on the shelf until January at least- it definitely wouldn't be a book that gets me in the mood for Christmas.

~December~

1. Persephone's Curse, by Katrina Leno

Release date: 2/12/25

Having read the blurb, and then some of the reviews, it reads a lot like Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott. It's the strength of the relationship between the sisters that sells this book to me, mixed in with the tale of Persephone from Greek legend. I think I might have to do a bit of research regarding Persephone's story before reading this book, since it's not one of the more familiar Greek tales.

Here's the blurb:

"Are the four Farthing sisters really descended from Persephone? This is what their aunt has always told that the women in their family can trace their lineage right back to the Goddess of the Dead. And maybe she's right, because the Farthing girls do have a ghost in the attic of their Manhattan brownstone —a kind and gentle ghost named Henry, who only they can see.

When one of the sisters falls in love with the ghost, and another banishes him to the Underworld, the sisters are faced with even bigger questions about who they are. If they really are related to Persephone, and they really are a bit magic, then perhaps it’s up to them to save Henry, to save the world, and to save each other."

To be honest, this book sounds perfect for February. It's still winter, it's still dark, it's about love, family love and romantic love. Definitely a nice placeholder until then.

2. Better in Black (The Shadowhunter Chronicles #22), by Cassandra Clare

Release date: 2/12/25

It's been a very long while since I've included one of Cassandra Clare's books in an Anticipated Releases post, owing to the fact that it took me a good couple of months to finish Queen of Air & Darkness in 2019, and I never seemed to have finished her novels (there were always several that were either waiting to be released, or I had on my unread shelf). But this one is a little different. Cassandra Clare has orchestrated a series of short stories from all of her Shadowhunter books, with each of her fan-favourite couples within them.

I don't really care if there are short stories of characters I haven't met, but there's a story about Will and Tessa in this book, so it's worth getting, just for that.

She's really been quite clever with this, to be honest. She's keeping newer fans hooked into the franchise, and bringing back old fans, so they can get another taste of some of the older couples as well.

Okay! Those are all of my Anticipated Releases for the last three months of 2025! I think there are a good few on there, and I hope you've enjoyed reading about my list (of course, feel free to comment your own list in my comments, in case there are any you want to short about).

With that, I hope you have a wonderful evening, and I'll see you all soon!

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxxx

September Wrap Up (2025)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm here with a (slightly) late wrap up, due to a two day trip to Lincoln. 

But I'm here, and I will be posting both this and an Anticipated Releases post for the last three months of the year- in due course. 

Without further ado, here is a breakdown of the books I finished in September. 

1. Girl, Woman, Other, by Bernadette Evaristo

Just putting it out there: every time I see this book, I think Bernadette Peters is the author, which is terrible of me, to get the name of the author wrong, but I think the same thing whenever I hear the Bernadette, regardless of what context. 

Girl, Woman, Other is a compilation of short stories, from the POV of 12 different characters. There are three stories to a section, and each of those characters cross paths in some way or another. 

I actually found with this book, that even though I absolutely adored each and every story, I struggled to stay engaged to it. Thus, why it took me the best part of three weeks to finish it. 

These characters were from a variety of ages, sometimes through generations in a family, sometimes the interaction came from a school setting, but they were all powerful stories, moving and heartfelt in a way that you rarely see in the Fiction genre these days. They each had their own challenges, their own obstacles to overcome and it was interesting to read and find out how they dealt with their own individual situations.  I have been wanting to read this for the longest time, and I was so happy when I was given the chance to. 

Of course, you find out each character's ending in one ending paragraph, at the afterparty of the first story's theatre premiere- coming full circle, and it was a good ending to a brilliantly thought-out tale. 

2. The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman

My colleague was nice enough to lend me this book, in exchange for The Ocean at the End of the Lane, (she in fact finished that before I had even started this) but that's not the point :). 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The Graveyard Book tells the story of Bod, whose taken in by two ghosts in a graveyard, after he escapes the assassin that killed his entire family. It's a short novel, not even 300 pages, but you read about Bod from the age of 2, all the way to when he's a young man, seeking a future outside of the graveyard, but unable to leave, because of the hunter, still hell-bent on his murder. 

For me, the first few chapters felt unconnected. It was like each chapter was a whole new story, and was unrelated to anything I'd read previously. Other than the introduction to a new character, whose relevance I couldn't see at the time, a lot of the chapters almost fell flat (despite me liking reading them at the time). Then I reached a point, maybe 100-120 pages in, that it felt like the story finally came together. 

From that point on, you could say that I was a bit more anxious to find out what happened with Bod, and the killer that wanted him dead. 

The second half of the book is enough to struggle through the first part in my opinion. 

Overall, lovely, whimsical writing, a very unique story, that should not be underrated. I would say with some certainty that this is on my top three Neil Gaiman books. 

And I'm not done yet. 

3. Fence, Vol. 6: Redemption (Fence #6), by C.S. Pacat

4. Fence, Vol. 7: Challengers (Fence #7), by C.S. Pacat

Of course I was going to drop everything when I unwrapped these for my birthday! I just wish there were more volumes! I'm aware that there are standalones of course, but I don't want to say goodbye to everybody else! Anyone know if C.S. Pacat is planning on coming back to the series? Because I need more?!

God knows there aren't many sports book series, much less fencing, but that's why this series is such a standout. Amazing, adorable characters that I love so much, so intense, I practically bite a nail off after every graphic novel, just an amazing, fast paced story- you must understand, I've never had withdrawal symptoms like I have for this series- ever. 

SO I NEED THE NEXT VOLUME.

Okay, so those are the books that I read in September! Right now I'm working Great Expectations, and have been for a while- which is why there aren't anymore books on my Wrap Up for September. 

I'm very much hoping to finish it before I holiday to Dubrovnik next thursday, but we'll see how we go. 

Anyway, that's all I have for you today- as always, feel free to comment what you got up to in September, and I'll be posting my Anticipated Releases as soon as I can! 

I hope you have a good morning, afternoon, or evening- wherever you are! 

Byeeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxxx