I Finally Get Some Answers

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I have a real treat (I hope) for you today! 

You know that story I was writing last year, and then promptly forgot for about five months? Well it's back, and this is the next entry! 

In truth, I never really did forget about it, but I was having a hard time figuring out where I wanted to go with it. But I finally figured it out! 

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy it. 

I Finally Get Some Answers

Gus leads me into the glass building. I’m wondering if this is the last place I’ll ever see.

Something tells me this Mr Budgeswop is someone that shouldn’t be messed with.

Really hope I’m not about to wet myself. For real, this time.

Gus starts to say something like “So, listen, when I say we might be dead…” but then we wall into the Glass building. To give you an idea of what I’m looking at, I’ll say this. It’s not a glass building- it’s like gravity as a building. Pure white, clear, unlimited space. Like the hyperbolic time chamber in DBZ. It’s like that, but smaller. So maybe not unlimited, but if you don’t keep it clear on where you’re going, you might just end up lost.

Which I most certainly would have been, if Gus hadn’t stopped walking, right in front of me, and screamed in my face.

“Hey, KID! Pay attention to what I’m saying, or Budgeswop really will have our necks. Have you heard anything I’ve just said?”

My expression is response enough, I guess.

Sighing and scrunching his eyes up, as if me not listening is the end of the world, he tilts his head, looks me straight in eye, and starts again.

“Listen Kid. You need to listen to me. I’m your link back home. I’m the only person you know here, and right now, we’re both in some pretty serious trouble. I’m on your side, pal, but we need to be on the same page. You get me?”

Not trusting myself enough to speak, I look straight ahead and nod. Gus takes that as confirmation, and he starts walking and talking again, albeit a little slower this time.

“This is the Artios training centre. It’s our main base. There are rooms for, well, training, but also meetings too. There’s a weapons missionary, where we develop weapons, and then of course practise with them, so they can be tweaked. Right now, we’re going to one of the meeting rooms, where Budgeswop will be, so he can explain some things. Still with me?”

Listening to his words, knowing he’s on my side, a small smile escapes my lips. He visibly relaxes at my reaction, and, breathing slowed, he says: “Let’s move then. We’ve still got a couple of corridors to go.

Now that I’m somewhat adjusted to my surroundings (somewhat), I can pay more attention to some of the conversations in the many rooms we’re passing. Like:

“Oh hey, what's this?”

“I'll show you.” *Woosh of air*.

“What? Oh WAYYYYYY.”

He's flying. They're literally defying gravity.

 

AND. (This had me burst out laughing so much I was almost on the floor- mostly at the look on Gus’ face after this happened.)

“Sir, what seems to be the problem?”

“I have this boil on my nose, Franklin. It's very furious and blistery.”

“Well sir, I'll touch it, see what it does. Probably nothing, sir.”

“Okay... well, make sure you be careful, Franklin.”

“Understood.”

“...It's disappeared, sir.”

“I can see that, Franklin.”

“... Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no. Oh, I think I need to use the bathroom!”

General rushes past protag clutching his crotch area.

 

“…Anyway, let’s get going.” He says, when I finally have my composure again.

After a few minutes, we turn a corner and enter a semi-large room. It contains a large projector screen, some weird computer type thing, a table and a few chairs.  To be honest, this is probably the smallest, most average looking room in the entire building (which by the way, feels a lot like Mary Poppins’ handbag- could carry the world inside it and still have room.)

The only redeeming feature- there’s a real life waterfall inside! It must go somewhere, I suppose, but the way it flows, it seems to flow back to the start, and keep going, an impossible, beautiful, magnificent waterfall. I reach out, wanting to touch it, but nothing! Just pure emptiness! I’m about to turn back to Gus, to ask what the deal with the waterfall is, when I’m shocked out of my daydream with a familiar, booming voice.

“Gus! Will you please control this boy! Time is of the essence, and he’s wasting time!”

I turn around and Mr Budgeswop is on the screen!

I suppose I should describe what he looks like. He looks like Gus, basically, but older, more mature, more developed, more strained, stressed- with bags under his beady little eyes and a constant clenching of the jaw. His skin is a deep shade of red- like he’s permanently sunburned, but slightly darker.

“Yes, sir. Apologies, it’s his first time here. The waterfall can be a lot for the first time. Charlie. Please sit down. Time is of the essence.”

Very glad I’m not about to meet my death, but still very scared, I take a seat, as quick as a shot.

“Good.  Now we can begin.”

Relieved, because I can finally get some answers to my questions, I slowly exhale.

“Charlie. As Gus already told you,” I see some disapproval thrown in Gus’ direction, “you are one of a small group of children selected for the protection of Artios, the city of the stars. We have been monitoring potential warriors for centuries, searching for enough power, against the incredible threat that has been looming for many years. We don’t know what this threat is, where it’s coming from, or when it will arrive. We just know it’s coming.”

Although I was expecting him to say it, my heart was still in my mouth. I had a million questions, but only one was at the front of my mind.

“But… why me? Why me, of all people? I’m unexceptional. I always have been. I’m useless at school- at making friends, at school, talking to girls… what was it that made you pick me?”

Although Mr Budgeswop looked surprised at my surprise interjection, he did not yell. Sighing, he glances at Gus.

“Gus, do you want to explain to Charlie why we knew he was one of the select few? We can reconvene when Charlie has grasped the situation.”

“Yes, sir. Be with you shortly.” I feel a smooth rubbing on my shoulders, and with a soft flash, I knew Mr Budgeswop was gone. I swirled my chair round to face Gus.

“Charlie. Listen to me. We have had potential children, throughout generations, being monitored, at a faraway distance. Certain characteristics, and an ability to think a certain way is what notifies us of a potential protector. We are always sure, by a certain point, when a child has an innate ability. We knew about you from when you were four years old, Charlie. You are one of the selected, one of the children in the prophecy. You just found out a bit earlier than you should have, is all.” The tips of his lips turn up at the end, and I can see he is trying to reach out, to help comfort me.

And right now, all I can do is return his smile.

“Okay. I’m not saying I’m 100% okay now, but I’m trying to deal. So, what happens now?”

Clearly relieved that I haven’t freaked out, he starts to say something. I would have heard him, if not for the ear-piercing alarm that drowns out everything else.

“What the… it can’t be!” I hear Gus stammer under his breath. “Charlie! I have to go, but I’ll be back very soon. You have to promise you won’t leave.”

“But! What’s going on?” I can feel my pulse racing; my palms are sticky with sweat. Something is very wrong. “I don’t want you to leave me here.”

Gus is about as panicked as me. “I have to. But I’ll be back soon. Promise me you won’t go anywhere.”

Even through all the panic, I can tell he needs me to promise.

I look him dead in the eyes, reach for his arm, and give him a reassuring rub. “Okay. I promise.”

He takes a slight breath. “Thanks Charlie.” And then he’s gone.

And then the world is spinning.

Okay! That's all I've got! Anybody gripped yet? Nope? 

Oh well. I enjoyed writing it anyway. 

Not really expecting any comments for this one, but it genuinely would make my day if somebody wrote something (not mean) in the comments. 

Right! That's all I have for you all today, I hope you enjoyed it, and I'll be seeing you all soon! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxxx

Skulduggery Pleasant: Month 3

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And following the theme for the past three months, this is my third monthly update on my Skulduggery Pleasant re-read. 

Really hope nobody is bored of reading about my progress regarding my Skulduggery Pleasant re-read, but as I'm just over halfway at the moment, you'll be seeing these for the forseeable future- so get used to it! 

When I started this project, I was hoping to be finished by now, but obviously, things have not gone to plan. But I am happy to report that I have actually made some solid progress this month! 

Will get into details in a second but, without further ado, I hope you enjoy. 

7.5. Tanith Low in the Maleficent Seven 

Pages: 288. 

End of last update: Page 112. 

Reading days: 30th April- 3rd May. 

When I talked about this book in the last date, I mentioned having read it once and not liking it all that much. Happy to report that my opinion of this has completely changed. Gripping from start to finish, especially the scenes about the girl training to be an assassin in the underground. 

Tanith Low in the Maleficent Seven doesn't add loads to the entire story, but it's a shorter novel that is definitely worth the read. It's a good relief from the 600+ paged books from the rest of the series, and I've always loved Tanith Low as a character, so this story was a huge bonus for me. 

8. Last Stand of Dead Men

Pages: 604

Reading days: 5th May- 20th May 

Note: Finished The Names at the same time as reading this. 

I love this one, so, so much. A whole lunch of legendary characters are introduced, there are betrayals, death, disaster, and it's not even from Darquesse. It's a war of sanctuaries. The stakes are upped massively in this one, and after book 8, what we thought was the penultimate upon it's release, nothing is ever the same again. I know it's a huge book, but somehow, none of it seems rushed or unnecessary.

You know how, in the last couple of months,  I've said with a couple of books that they change the course of the story? This is the big one. Out of all released novels (up to 17, as I haven't read 18 yet), this is the biggest gamechanger novel. 

What happened with taking a brief break, and starting another novel? I found I was struggling to find motivation to pick this up. And with already being behind on my Goodreads reading challenge, I knew desperate measures needed to be taken. 

Last Stand of Dead Men will always be one of my favourite Skulduggery Pleasant books of all time. It's nice to know that hasn't changed. 

9. The Dying of the Light

Pages: 605

Reading days: 20th May- 27th May

Was definitely trying to catch up on my Goodreads goal with this one. Actually finished it on the wednesday, the day before it was due to update- will be making up the one book eventually! 

Thoughout this, my emotional state kept changing. I kept remembering what was about to happen, maybe a split second before it did, and then other events completely took me by surprise. 

Tanith, for instance- if you know you know. 

It was a very nerve-wracking, yet confusing experience. 

I also started to remember what it was like reading this for the first time, thinking that this was going to be the very last Skulduggery Pleasant book- ever. So yeah, very confused and anxious mental state. 

Even knowing I still have 9 books to look forward to, it felt like a goodbye finishing Book 9. I will always say that out of the 9 books, the 6 book series, and the trilogy, the original 9 will always be my favourite of the bunch. 

It's nice to read about Valkyrie when she's my age, now, but nothing compares to her teenage years. 

It was a pleasure to read them again. Pun not intended. 

8.5. Armageddon Outta Here

Pages: 479

Reading days: 28th May- now. 

Currently on page 155. 

Armageddon Outta Here is a collection of short stories and novellas that take place throughout the Skulduggery Pleasant series. So far I've read a western, and a story from Gordon's POV, at a swanky Halloween party for authors, and the introduction to a particular vampire that showes up later in the series. I've only read this the once, and same as Tanith Low in the Maleficent Seven, don't remember liking it all that much. 

Obviously this time, the experience is completely different. 

I wish it wasn't so long, to be honest, but I doubt I'll mind when it comes down to reading some of the longer ones, to be honest. After all, it expands the universe, doesn't it? 

And it was so nice to read from Gordon's POV. 

Again, I'm hoping to finish this before Wednesday, so I have time to finish another book before my goal updates, but I'm at the point where I know I will eventually. 

Stayed tuned for more updates on my SP progress. 

Okay! Those are all of the books I have finished this month! Definitely made some solid progress, in terms of keeping on target, I just wish I could go that extra bit of distance and get back on track with my Goodreads challenge. 

After calculating, I finished a total of 1549 pages, which equates to 50 pages a day, rounded up. 

Slightly better than last month, and taking into account the fact that I finished another, non SP book, pretty good progress. 

Hoping to continue on steadily next month, and getting back to finishing 5+ SP books next month. 

Okay! That is all I have for you guys now, but as always, feel free to comment down below, if you have any thoughts or comments! 

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

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx

The Names, by Florance Knapp

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back with another review! 

I know, I wasn't expecting one this quickly either, but I have a book I want to talk about, and there's nothing else for it, but to put out another review! 

This one is about The Names, Florence Knapp's stunningly beautiful debut novel, and I cannot wait to tell you all about it! 

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy it. 

Title: The Names

Author: Florence Knapp 

Genre: Fiction 

Status: Standalone

Release date: 6/5/2025

Pages: N/A (Listened to audiobook). 

Blurb: "The extraordinary novel that asks: Can a name change the course of a life?

In the wake of a catastrophic storm, Cora sets off with her nine-year-old daughter, Maia, to register the birth of her son. Her husband, Gordon, respected in the community but a controlling presence at home, intends for her to follow a long-standing family tradition and name the baby after him. But when faced with the decision, Cora hesitates....

Spanning thirty-five years, what follows are three alternate and alternating versions of their lives, shaped by Cora's last-minute choice of name. In richly layered prose, The Names explores the painful ripple effects of domestic abuse, the messy ties of family, and the possibilities for autonomy and healing.

Through a prism of what-ifs, Florence Knapp invites us to consider the "one ... precious life" we are given. Full of hope, this is the story of three names, three versions of a life, and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark. It is the story of one family and love's endless capacity to endure, no matter what fate has in store."

My Thoughts

Trigger warnings: Violence, abuse, manipulation, mentions of sexual abuse, toxic relationship, alcoholism, child abuse, gaslighting, pandemic related-stress. 

These triggers are a pretty big part of the story, so please err on the side of caution when picking this up, if you have experienced any of these triggers, in any aspect. 

You need to understand the premise of the novel if you're going to follow this review. 

The Names starts in 1987, when mother Cora, takes her son to have his name registered. The name Gordon has been passed down through generations, and her husband Gordon, expects him to be named the same. Her thought: what if he turns out like her abusive husband? 

From that point onwards, he may be named Bear, the name her daughter Maia chose; Julian, a name that means sky father, that she chose herself; or Gordon, of course. Each chapter jumps to the next name, and every three chapters, they move to a new time period, seven years later than the last. 

For a debut novel, The Names is exceptional. This novel pans decades, until Maia and her brother are adults, and although the story goes far beyond what Cora named him, it all stems out from that original chapter. The job her son chooses, to the relationships of those around him, even where he grows up. At certain points I had to pause the audiobook, just to take in how a chapter had ended, and trace it all back, to see how we got to this point. 

Honestly guys, this book had me hooked from start to finish. I found myself trying to find time to listen to this audiobook, finding jobs to do where I could listen to just one more chapter. I finished it in four days, so it wasn't hard. 

Like I said before, the marital abuse is a fairly large part of it- the whole reason Cora considers not naming her son Gordon is because she doesn't want her son to end up like her husband, so please consider that before picking this book up. 

Saying that, it isn't the whole story. The majority of this book is hopeful, with some beautiful moments, particularly between Cora's mother, Silbhe, Maia, Julian, and Cian. There are some really lovely moments between some of the characters, that make up much of the story. 

All in all, I very much doubt that I won't be putting this on my Favourite Books of 2026 list, even with 6.5 months to go. It was my first 5 star (new read) of 2026, and I think it'll be hard to beat. The Names was moving and honest, and if you have the stomach to read a novel of this magnitude, then I highly recommend it. 

Okay! Those are all of my thoughts on Florence Knapp's debut, The Names! I hope you enjoyed it, and I really hope I've convinced some of you to give it a go (despite the heavy material). 

One more thing: for everyone that has been on my blog, or even returned, in the last month or so, thankyou so much! The views have been exploding recently, and I cannot thank you guys enough! 

That is all I have for you all today, so I hope you have a good day, and I'll see you all soon! (Feel free to comment below, by the way.) 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx

Favourite Audiobooks (Version 3)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back with a (pretty much) recycled idea, but one worth going back to! 

If you've read the title you know what it is, and that I've done it twice before. 

But, the last time was back in 2023, and since I've listened to a fair few more since then (I'm on 80 at the moment), I figured it was worth a reboot! 

It would be interesting to see what some of your favourites are, so please comment down below, because I'm always open to trying some new reads! 

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy! 

1. Becoming, by Michelle Obama

It stood the test of time! I listened to this audiobook 6 1/2 years ago, and still it remains one of my favourite audiobooks. 

Now, the novel has everything you could hope for in a memoir; it has the personal story, from childhood to professional career, where she grew up, her lessons as a child, and her family- what her neighbourhood was like. Then it had her working towards her degree, her time as a lawyer, and meeting her future husband, who would go on to be the president of the united states. 

My favourite part will always be her childhood, hearing about where she grew up, and her family, and when she was learning to play piano. The fact that she narrates the audiobook is what sold it for me- you can actually hear the warmth and sincerity with which she describes that time in her life, and that is what has made this audiobook stand the test of time for me. 

2. Daisy Jones and the Six, by Taylor Jenkins Reid

What can I say? An audiobook with a large cast, each playing one character. This is a book comprised of a series of interviews, sometimes conflicting with others. It's layers upon layers upon layers of this band, Daisy Jones and the Six, which is a made up band inspired by 1970s rock culture (Fleetwood Mac in particular). It's funny, heartfelt, raw and a huge rollercoaster from start to finish. Probably the most cleverly comprised audiobook to date, in my opinion. 

3. Salem's Lot, by Stephen King

I still get shivers when I think of how creepy this audiobook was. There's nothing like hearing the voice of Dracula whisper against your ear. So well performed, it actually feels as if you're in the story yourself, trying to fight dracula and not wind up dead. 100%, the realest and creepiest story I've ever read, in my life. And I've read It. 

Genuinely, I would consider this to be one of my favourite Stephen King books, because of this audiobook. 

4. Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, by Matthew Perry 

Rawest book of the lot. This one does not shy away from the hard subjects. Of course it doesn't! Look who wrote it! 

I had this audiobook ready for the right time, for a while I think. 

I listened to it a short time after he passed. But it's important to note that I was always going to read it. 

It was just as amazing, and heartfelt, and real as I suspected it might be. 

I'm not going to say you have to read it, because it deals with some extremely heavy subject matters. But if you can handle it, and you're a fan of his- then you need to pick this up. 

Truly moving, piognant and honest. You won't regret reading this if you haven't. 

5. The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2), by R.J. Kuang

Although I was chipping and changing from the audiobook and the physical book with this, I know that I preferred the audiobook for this. 

In The Dragon Republic, the world gets a lot more vast, the characters get a lot more dimensional- they've graduated from the academy, and the world is about to end- or at least, the stakes a lot lot higher in this one. Reading the physical book just wasn't as gripping as the audiobook was, which is why it's on the list of favourite audiobooks. 

There's nothing like hearing the emotion in the voices of the characters you've grown to love so much, when they're preparing to kill someone. Unforgettable. 

6. George Orwell's 1984, by George Orwell 

Fucking hell, was this an experience. I think I finished this in one day. 

For anyone that doesn't know this, George Orwell's 1984 is an Audible Original, based off of the famous novel. It's recorded by Andrew Garfield as Winston, Cynthia Erivo as Julia, Andrew Scott as O'Brien, and Tom Hardy as Big Brother. I don't have the words to tell you how phenomenally this was drafted. You hear the screams of the prisoners ringing in your head days after you finish this. 

I don't have any critiques on this piece at all. The recording is perfect- so much anguish, so much intensity- I wish I could listen to this without having experienced it before again, so it's fresh in my brain again. It's basically a play, unfolding before your eyes, without the visuality. 

Highly, highly, highly recommend this. 

7. The Women, by Kristin Hannah 

And finally, the instant favourite. Just the book in general. Not the audiobook. 

Whether I read the physical book, or the audiobook, I was always going to love this, and it was always going to make my favourites list for the year. The audiobook just enabled me to read it quicker is all. 

The Women is the first Kristin Hannah book I have picked up, and so far, have yet to pick up any more. But I can guarantee, more of them will be read soon enough. The Nightingale, The Four Winds, The Great Alone, Firefly Lane. I plan on reading them all. And all that has stemmed from one book. 

I can't wait to read them all. 

Okay! Those are my current favourite audiobooks! I hope you enjoyed reading about my favourites, and I'm really happy to see some variety in my favourites! 

 

I have a question: if you have a variety of audiobooks under your belt, do you find that you have a genre that you gravitate towards, or do you find yourself trying new types of reads? I'm genuinely curious, so let me know in the comments! 

Okay, that is all that I have for you guys today, so I'll see you all soon- hopefully with an update on that story that I've forgotten about! 

I hope you have a wonderful evening, wherever you are. 

-Abi xxxxx

Skulduggery Pleasant: Month 2

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back with my 2nd update on how my Skulduggery Pleasant re-read is going! 

I'll be honest. Not as pleasant a start as Month 1, but I have made a good amount of progress within the last week, so hopefully I can keep that momentum going in May! 

I hope you enjoy reading about the progress I've made! 

5. Mortal Coil 

Pages: 572

Reading days: 20th March- 31st March 

Considering this was in the high 500s, I was pretty happy with how quickly I progressed with this. A lot happens at the end of this, that pushes the story along, and it will always be one of my favourites in the series. Reading this book through for the first time, I felt like it had one of the biggest shock twists so far. I still feel like that today, several years later. Even a couple of books down, the characters are still reeling from the repercussions that Mortal Coil presents. 

6. Death Bringer

Pages: 603

Reading days: 1st April- 7th April 

I sure flew through this one! 603 pages, 7 days! 

A very minor character/ quartet of characters become centre stage in this one, not to mention the mysterious Darquesse is a bit more centre too. As you can see, there's a Death Bringer, brought forward by none other than the Necromancers, whose meant to stop the passage of life and death, and bring about a new existence. So there's a new potential Death Bringer, Melancholia. She's the new threat for Valkyrie and Skulduggery, because they're trying to stop her. It's basically a whole load of chaos, a lot of deaths, a lot of last minute saves. It's bedlam basically. 

Personally, after Mortal Coil, this feels like a bit of a drop. I committed to this early because I wanted to get to the next book, Kingdom of the Wicked, and although a lot does happen a lot, I usually get to a point in this one where I want it to be over. That did happen, but I still enjoyed it enough to give it a five stars. 

7. Kingdom of the Wicked

Pages: 607

Reading days: 9th April- 28th April 

Truly, I don't know what happened here. In Kingdom of the Wicked, a whole bunch of mortals develop magic. A sorcerer, who has been in a magically induced coma for a couple of decades, gifts these mortals magic in their dreams, and then they start running riot. Aside from that, Valkyrie gets shunted to a different dimension, where the world's most violent murderer is still alive. I usually really enjoy this book. But for some reason I never found the time to sit down and have a long haul of reading. 

I finished it, that's the main thing. And the fact that I'm now behind on my Goodreads goal may well be the motivation I need to catch up. 

Which brings me to my current read. 

7.5. Tanith Low in the Maleficent Seven 

Pages: 288 

Reading days: 29th April- now. 

Currently on page 112.

I started this yesterday (I will be reading the extras, of course. This is the re-read to end all re-reads after all.) The fact that I started it yesterday, got 30 pages in, and then read to page 112 today? I'm definitely trying to make up for lost time by speed reading through this. 

Funny enough, I've only read this the once, that I can recall, and I don't remember liking it all that much. But this read through? I'm loving every page. It's basically a race between the good guys and bad guys to retrieve the god-killer weapons before Darquesse attempts to destroy most of the world. What's better than that? Oh yeah, one of my favourite characters of all time is the protagonist- Tanith Low. 

Overall 

Total page count from 23/03- 30/04: 1857

Average page count a day: 48 pages a day, rounded up. Not bad. 

Same as last month, I am still really enjoying this read through of Skulduggery Pleasant. Next book is Last Stand of Dead Men, which is pretty self explanatory. 

Okay! That is everything I have for you all today! I hope you enjoyed reading about my progress, and feel free to comment below, literally anything! 

See you all soon! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxx

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, by V.E. Schwab

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I was pretty surprised, when thinking of my next post, was a review. But then, isn't it the perfect time? 

After all, I did finish a book two days ago. A book I've been, slowly but surely, getting through for the past three months. 

Which was the perfect way to devour it all gradually, at my own pace. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. 

Title: Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil 

Author: V.E. Schwab

Genre: Horror

Status: Standalone

Release date: 10/6/2025

Pages: 533

Blurb: "Three young women, their bodies

planted in the same soil, 

their roots tangling like roots. 

One grows high, 

and one grows deep, 

and one of them grows wild. 

And all of them grow teeth."

My Thoughts

Genuinely, didn't even realise it was a vampire book until the first character, Sabine, started draining people's blood. In hindsight, definitely should of realised, but when it's V.E. Schwab, and the only indicator is that the only common indicator is that they have teeth, it could literally be anything. They could have been cannibals for all I knew. 

Admittedly, it was at this point, maybe 100 pages in, that I realised I wasn't motivated enough to finish it before the end of February. 

So since then, I've been listening to the audiobook whilst doing RFID at work (shop is closed, so I can), and since then, I found myself drawn to it. Don't get me wrong, it was never going to take time away from my Skulduggery Pleasant re-read, but when that time rolled around again, I found I was a lot more invested and interested in the story. 

Now. Where do I begin? There's the characters, the world building, the romance, how accurate the time period was. Even though I knew this was a twisted horror story, I absolutely loved reading about the time period. The hardships of each of these women: Sabine, in 1532 Santa Domingo de la Calzada, never seeing her family again after being whisked away by her decades-older husband, trapped until she produced a son. 

Lottie, in 1827 London,  pursued by a violent ex. Even crossing an ocean cannot keep the stream of death away from her. 

Alice. 2019. Completely alone in Boston, with a newborn urge to drink blood after a one night stand. Cannot go forward, cannot go back to the past, when the stink of grief nearly overwhelms her. 

All three characters are amazingly written. You can always tell which POV you're reading from, and whether it's past or present. 

All of them amazing in their own right. There was a time in this book, when I found I wanted to read from each character, more than the others. Even if you asked me now, which was my favourite to read from, I wouldn't be able to tell you. I felt the frustration of each of them, Sabine in her trapped marriage; Lottie, in her desperation to finally be free; and Alice, in her confusion as for how her life had suddenly been cut short. 

As usual, V.E. Schwab's writing was spot on. She wound a seamless tale of love, passion, obsession, anguish and sensuality. The romances and relationships that entered throughout gave the story a reason, a reason as for why these characters acted the way they did. It was the motivation behind the madness. 

This book felt like a lot of my guilty pleasure themes all rolled into one book. I love period books about a young woman figuring out her worth when married off. I loved books about sibling rivalries- that feeling of never quite catching up to an older sibling, of constantly being in their shadow. And then there was Lottie's part, which I can honestly say I've never read anything like it. 

Of course, this book was more than just the three main characters. There were friends, mentors that had some really touching, heartbreaking moments that make me want to give them the biggest squeeze. Is it safe to say my heart broke for the undead? I'd say yes, yes it is. 

Overall, the only critique I have of this book is that the pacing was a bit slow in one part, but once I got over that part, accepted where the story was going, I got sucked in, and gained momentum until the very end. 

If you like gothic, horror stories with lesbian vampires at the centre, then this is the book for you. I was in the entirely wrong mindset for this book when I first started it, because I'd just finished a gushy romance, but if it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have become quite so engrossed over a long period of time. And for that, I am eternally grateful (I gave this book 5 stars). 

It doesn't have to be Halloween to read a gothic horror novel. Especially a V.E. Schwab one. 

Okay! Those are all of my thought on Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil! I hope you enjoyed it, and as always, feel free to comment what your thoughts were on the book/ my review! 

Genuinely, I didn't plan on writing this review, but this review idea came into my head and refused to let me forget about it. 

Okay, that is all that I have for you today- hopefully I'll be back at the end of the money, for the Skulduggery Pleasant update, but don't hold your breath on that. 

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

Byeeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxxx

Boston Marathon UK 2026- I MADE SUB 4!

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And if you've somehow gone straight past the title onto this post- I ran Boston Marathon in Lincolnshire on Sunday, and I achieved my goal- A SUB 4 MARATHON! 

A sub 4 marathon meant a lot to me, as it was one of the goals I was hoping to achieve this year. 

I'll be displaying all the in-depth thoughts for all of you that are lucky enough to being close to running a marathon soon, and for the rest of you, so you can laugh at those of us that choose to torture ourselves for a distance! 

Not quite sure how I'm going to structure this, but I'll just see how I go. 

First off, the initial details:

Distance: 26.22 miles (watch measured as 26.30)

Location: Boston, Lincolshire UK

Average pace: 8:56 minutes

Moving time: 3:54:56 (official time was 3:54:48)

Average HR: 167bpm

~Best Efforts: (Based on Strava)~

5km/3.1 miles: 26:26 (8:30/mile)

10km/6.22 miles: 53:07 (8:33/mile)

15km/9.3 miles: 1:19:43 (8:33/mile)

10 miles: 1:25:32 (8:33/mile)

20km/12.44 miles: 1:46:40 (8:35/mile)

Half marathon/21.095km/13.1 miles: 1:52:43 (8:36/mile)

30km/18.64miles: 2:43:48 (8:47/mile)

Marathon/ 42. 195km/26.219 miles: 3:54:14 (8:56/mile)

~Goals~

Going into this, I had an A, B and C goal. As you do when attempting a new distance, or even a new route. 

Those goals were: 

A goal: Aim for a time that Runna predicted, which was 3 hours 40 minutes- 3 hours 48 minutes. Knew that was pretty unlikely, but I was planning on staying conservative, and try for 8:35/mile pace (which equates to 3:45:00 marathon time). 

B goal: Sub 4 marathon. The time everybody hopes to achieve for their first marathon if they've been training for it. I knew that, if I stuck to the plan, and stayed at 8:35/mile pace for the first half, then I was likely to achieve this (so long as nothing completely untoward threw me off). 

C goal: Just finish. That is always the C goal. Just finish. Don't give up, and don't pass out. 

~Preparation~ 

Drinking water: Making sure I was as hydrated as possible, going into race day. I had a couple of extra water bottles the day before, and one extra on the friday. Those that know me know that I'm absolutely terrible at continously drinking water throughout the day, so managing extra beforehand was frankly a miracle. 

Carb-loading. I took extra care with this- on friday, as well as my usual pot noodle, apple, twix and crisps, had a tuna pasta as well. Saturday, I had a beef stew and veg from my favourite cafe in King's Lynn, before travelling to Boston (all the veg- making sure I had all the carbs that were available to me). 

Low fiber. Aware that veggies are high in fiber, for dinner on Saturday, I deliberately went with a plain chicken wrap with lettuce, so as not to come into trouble on Sunday morning. 

Sunday morning: I woke up at 6. Race started at 8. Nutrition was apple porridge and a banana. This is what I'm used to on race day, whether it be 10 miles, a half or otherwise. 

Couple of toilet trips later, and we were off! 8am on the dot. 

~The Race~

Miles 1-10: I was feeling fresh. I was taking gels every 35 minutes, knowing full well that if I didn't, I'd regret it later. The wind was a bit of a surprise, especially the strength of it. I'd dealt with wind in training, so I wasn't too phased by it, but I knew that it might be a problem later (Boston marathon covers a lot of open fields, with no cover whatsoever). Nothing I could do about it, so I pressed on. 

Note: Started to feel an ache in my left hip. That did not go away until the end. Got gradually worse. 

Halfway: I hit halfway at 1:53:ish, and even then, I knew that the wind was going to be the BIG ISSUE for this race. Three quarters of this race is exposed to the elements, as it's all very much open fields. You turn a corner, and you're running straight into head wind. Having seen the splits I was hitting, I had made a conscious effort to slow down. That wind was sapping the strength from my legs, and every other runner I spoke to whilst on the course. I also knew at this point that I was not going to be getting my A goal, that I'd set out beforehand, so I focused all of my energy in beating the 9:09 pace I needed for Sub 4. 

Mile 14-15: Was definitely starting to feel it. My hip was starting to hurt, and I was getting frequent cramp in my right foot, from overuse, and was causing me to slow down for several minutes. The wind wasn't lessening, and was the main reason for the fatigue I was starting to feel. 

Mile 17-18: Low point. The wind wasn't showing any signs of slowing, or lessening, the cramp in my foot had come back once more, and there was still over 10K to go. Mile 18 is survival mode, the point where you hit the wall, and you have the choice of giving up on a time and just getting through it, or gritting your teeth and try to stick to something, anything, to get you through those last miles. These miles are the reason you taper, the reason you carb load, the reason you try nothing new on race day. 

Due to the gels I'd been having every 35 minutes, I hadn't hit the wall. For those that don't know, the wall is that time between 18-21 miles when you run out of glucogen stores in the liver and muscles (which you get from carbohydrates). I don't believe I did hit the wall at any point, due to good preparation and tapering. But of course, there was a lot of wear and tear at this point, because I'd ran so many miles. 

20 miles landmark: 2:56 and some seconds. By this point, I was feeling the second wind I'd been promised I would feel (this was fleeting, by the way- the second wind left and returned over time). At this point, I knew that, unless something absolutely fucking horrible happened (like twisting my ankle) that I was going to get Sub 4. I was checking my watch every five minutes at this point, to see what I could achieve. From this point until the finish, I was just telling myself, just get to 22 milles. Now, just get to 22.22. 4 miles left. 

22 miles- At this point, it was helpful to know how much time I had left, if I wanted to get Sub 4. Now, this was just an assurance for me personally, to know, but I was still trying to get as close as I could to 9:09 average. Looking at my mile splits afterwards, I was definitely slower than 9:09 pace, but thankfully, that first half had given me some wiggle room for those horrendous final miles, out in the cold, engulfed in the relentless wind. (Please do think that this is a sensible thing to do, it's probably the least sensible thing you can do in a marathon, trying to bank time.) 

I had an extra gel in my pocket, for if I needed it. One rule I stuck to, when on my long runs for this marathon, was to always have an extra gel if I needed it. So with 5 miles to go, I took my second to last gel, with the promise that, after I had ran 5K, I would have the final gel, with 2 miles to go. It was that, along with the time that I was making up. I think I had about 42 minutes left, with 4 miles to go, and thinking, how many times have I ran 4 miles in 42 minutes, and the ending of the wind, that was enough encouragement for me. 

Finishing: Reaching the town, getting away from all of the open fields, and the gusts of wind that came with it was the biggest relief I'd felt in ages. With less than 2 miles to go, last gel taken, with more than 20 minutes to go for Sub 4, I knew I just had to get there. More spectators, more encouragement, more noise, was almost overwhelming. I didn't need any of it though, surprisingly. I was focused though, I was calm. I was ready to be done. The only question left though, would I manage the distance with more than 5 minutes to go? You can imagine what I was feeling when my watch buzzed at marathon distance before I crossed the finish line, by quite a bit. 

I forgot about that when I saw Jordan, at the finish line, looking proud and emotional. Then my Mum and brother as well. 

Did I manage sub 3:55:00? You can bet your ass I did. Official time: 3:54:48. 

I've never felt so elated after a race than when that time came through. 

So, what's next, you ask? My next race isn't until September, in a similar place to this one. I'll be doing the Mablethorpe 10K on 13th September. But until that, I want to help Jordan get back up to scratch with his running. I'm determined to get him back to doing sub 24 at the 5K before September, and maybe a halfway decent time at the 10K as well. 

So, if you're a runner, taking on a marathon soon, or even a half, here's my advice: 

1. Take more gels than you think you need, just in case. 

2. Same goes for water. I had water at every station. You're going to feel crap enough as it is, without a headache and stomach ache on top of it. 

3. Talk to people. The race you're doing is the victory lap for all of the training you've just put yourself through, when you were tired and run down, and wanted to quit. Talking to people, admitting you're both hurting, helps. I've never got through a race longer than a 10K without talking to someone during it. 

4. Be proud. How many people do what you're doing, how many people can tackle 26.2 miles, or even 13.1 miles? Less than 1% in the entire human population have completed a marathon. Take pride in your achievement, and shout about it, as hard as you can. Because it's bloody difficult. 

5. NOTHING NEW ON RACE DAY.

Okay! That is my account of Boston Marathon, in Lincolnshire, which I completed last Sunday. I'm sure I'll think of more to say once I've posted this, but for now, I think that's it. I know it's a fair bit different from what I usually post on here, but since it's all I can think about at the moment, I thought it might be beneficial for myself, and anybody else that's considering a half, or marathon in the near future. 

Right! That is all I have for you all today, but I will see you all soon! (Feel free to comment). 

Byeeeee! 

-Abi xxxx

Anticipated Releases (April-June 2026)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back with my annual Anticipated Releases post, this time, for April through to June. 

I have a fair few more than I did for the last Anticipated Releases post, so I hope at least one of them catches your eye! 

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy! 

~April~

1. Maybe Tomorrow I'll Know, by Alex Ritany

Release date: 7/4/26

"Laurie wakes up in a girl's body with no memories, driving down an unknown highway, and promptly crashes the car. Thankfully, a handsome named Gideon comes to his rescue. It's awkward for Laurie to pretend he's a girl, but at least this is the scariest thing he'll ever have to deal with. 

Except the next morning- and every morning after- Laurie wakes up battling down that same highway. He re-meets Gideon every day, with no idea who this girl whose body he's inhabiting even is. Only one thing is clear: he's on a countdown. Laurie has been given only one hundred days to get back in the right body, break the time loop, and not fall for Gideon while he does it." 

This sounds like a unique, fun and light-hearted story with a twist, and the fact that it comes out in just over a week is very exciting. If I have some spare cash in a couple of weeks, I may order it, or get it from my local Waterstones (if it's stocked there). It sounds like the perfect read for Spring, when the weather is just that little bit warmer. I can't wait for this release. 

2. The Escape Game, by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss

Release date: 7/4/26

A MARISSA MEYER MURDER MYSTERY! 

I was totally sold, straight away. 

Basically, The Escape Game is a tv show, that just wrapped up it's fourth season. The ending- Alicia Angelos, contestant- is found murder on set. 

And now, Season Five is underway, and the new contestants are ready to put their skills to the test- figuring out the clues in order to solve the show's trickiest escape rooms. Contestants that include Season Four's murder victim's sister, Sierra Angelos. 

But Sierra's not just there to win. She's here for justice. 

When the contestants start to uncover the clues for the actual murderer's identity, they realise the stakes aren't just high this year- they're deadly. If the teens want to win- and survive- The Escape Game- they must solve the biggest mystery of all- who killed Alicia Angelos?

(Pretending I'll be getting to all of these anticipated releases) this feels very much like a September/October read, but who knows? Maybe I'll be in the mood for it sooner? 

It sounds crazy good. 

3. Until We Meet Again, by Lily Kim Qian 

Release date: 7/4/26

Goodreads describes this as "poignant and vivdly illustrated graphic memoir", and honestly, that is all I needed, when I read what it was about. 

Until We Meet Again is about Lily, who, upon entering her college years, has never felt like she's in control of where she belongs. Her family is contantly on the move, from different towns scattered across Canada and, eventually, to Shanghai, China. Her father plays the role of prime caregiver, while her mother is absent for extended periods of time. 

Now, growing into an adult, all Lily wants is to better understand her family, and her place within it. But can she escape the inherited trauma passed down by her immigrant parents?

Now, clearly, I'm not the target audience for this. But I do understand the feeling of knowing how you fit within your family, even if this family is vastly different to my own. 

And I'm always a sucker for a self discovery graphic novel. 

~May~

1. In the Blood, by April Henry

Release date: 12/5/26

"Adopted as a newborn, Tessa has always wondered who her biological parents are. After turning 18, she takes a DNA test in hopes of finding the answers. With best friend El and lab partner Victor, Tessa uses the results to start building her family tree. But they find more dead ends than answers. Her biological mother, who was raised in a religious cult, has cut all ties with her controlling family. And her biological father remains a complete mystery, at least until the police show up. For fifteen years, they've been trying to identify a serial killer known as the Portland Phantom. Tessa is the link they've been waiting for." 

From what I've seen on Goodreads, this book isn't wildly known. There aren't a huge amount of reviews from ARC reviewers, but what is, shows that it's a well liked books. The majority are 4 and 5 star reviews, and if you add that with the simple, yet unique premise, you have quite the show-stopper here. 

I really hope they stock this in my local Waterstones, because I would quite like to read this one. 

2. Force of Nature, by Melissa Clark 

Release date: 19/5/26

Obviously, a book is so much more than what the blurb describes it to be. We force feelings, thoughts, romances, plotlines, passions and all of the above into a couple of short paragraphs, and hope that articulates what's in a story. 

What I got from this blurb- it's a whirlwind of everything. 

(See what I did there? Hehe.)

Anyway. Here's the Goodreads blurb. I am definitely excited for this one. 

"Who is Chloe Lovejoy, really? A straight C- student, a girl with a crush on the cutie from chorus, an all-powerful being responsible for taking care of the planet... or perhaps all three. That's what Chloe finds out on her sixteenth birthday, when she unexpectantly inherits the role of Mother Nature from her grandmother. Chloe is overwhelmed, to say the least. Then, when the unthinkable happens, and grandma is no longer around to guide her, Chloe is left to oversee the natural laws of the world all by herself. 

Between managing earthquakes and hurricanes, rivals at school, and her not-very-helpful-mother, Chloe tries to maintain balance and harmony on Earth and in her everyday life. But someone in the community has an eye towards harnessing her powers for nefarious purposes, which means Chloe needs to dig deep and get her act together before her secret is found out. After all, the universe is depending on her." 

I mean, I'm not gonna lie, the cat on the cover was what drew me in. But the premise is what held my attention. 

And hey, I've been throwing the world unique around a lot in this- but that's what this book is. It doesn't have the best reviews on Goodreads, but then, there's only five of them. 5 reviews doesn't mean a thing. 

I'm willing to give this book a chance. It might even be a favourite of the year. You never know. 

~June~

1. The League of Dangerous Young Ladies, by J.A. Morgenstein

Release date: 2/6/26

    Now, I have no idea how J.A. Morgenstein came up with something this genius, but that's precisely what it is. Famous villains' offspring, running round, solving mysteries, and killing monsters? That's a story I can get behind.

Reading from the POV of Rose Moriarty- daughter of Sherlock Holmes' arch nemesis, has made a name for herself by fighting off monsters and solving crimes. But that was before she was faced with a mystery she couldn't work out- her Headmistress' murder. Now, she's out of school, without a purpose, or a friend and completely alone. 

"On the very day Rose receives word that an old friend is drying, the shadowy Count Christoph and his ward Clara show up at her door. Rose has already figured out why they're here (to hire her) and what's in their bag (an ancient orb with incredible powers), but questions remain: Can Rose convince these strangers to help save her friend's life? What are the grotesque, bug-shaped stalkers that plague their every step? And how can Rose pursue this adventure while avoiding a certain boy from her childhood? The only thing certain is that Rose is no longer alone, because danger forges strange alliances... 

... and Professor Moriarty wasn't the only famous villain to have a daughter." 

I love the idea of this. It has a Girl in Red (Christina Henry)/ Pride and Prejudice and Zombies vibe to it. Not to mention this is a debut novel. 

I'm expecting this to be a huge hit, to be honest with you. 

2. How to Lose Yourself Completely, by Peter Bognanni

Release date: 2/6/26

An extremely emotion novel, about Case, that goes to 'adventure therapy' to try and start coming to terms with his brother's death. Sean, Case's brother was basically the only person to truly understand him. 

Who else is there? Brother's girlfriend, Diana, trying to do exactly the same thing. 

Sorry, this adventure therapy sounds like a horrific idea. But, thinking that maybe, just maybe, roughing it out in the woods with a group of strangers, might actually help, he agrees. 

And what happens? In between the horrific bonding over shared pain, the counselor mysteriously disappears, turning a cheesy camp into a night of survival. This leaves Case, Case's brother's girlfriend, and the rest of the kids to go out and look for him, with the only thing in common being their prescriptions, and lack of social skills. 

In order to survive, they must find their own way back home, lost and alone. In the process, they will change each other's lives forever.

 

3. The Music of Us, by Emereld Alexandrea

Release date: 2/6/26

This was all I needed, in order to get on board with this book:

-Set in cat cafe. 

-Student, instead of enjoying her summer before college like her friends, is struggling to make enough to pay the rent in her mother's cat cafe. 

-Emails old school friend, now part of a band, with past romance history- can he do a live performance to raise Cat Cafe money? 

-Old flame romance & raising money for Cat Cafe plot

-Did I mention it's set in a Cat Cafe? 

-Also romance, which is very cute and fluffy. 

That's literally all I needed to know. Should be enough to get you to read this too, if you like cats and romance. 

4. Finish Lines, by Sarah Broyles & Hannah Schroy

Release date: 16/6/26

This is more or less a bullet point book as well to be honest. Pretty simple in it's premise, but straight and to the point. Also a graphic novel, so I expect to get sucked into this in the first page when I get to it eventually.

"Miranda has a plan: ace her junior year, get into an Ivy League school, and skip anything that doesn't look good on a college application. But the pressure is getting to her, and now her parents have cut her off from every club, competition and committee she's a part of. 

Desperate to get back on track, Miranda sets her sights on the Texas Water Safari- a 260-mile canoe race her mom was set to do with her grandad. With her mom sidelined with an injury, Miranda joins her grandfather. It's grueling, messy, and scorching hot. 

Can a perfectionist survive the wild long enough to find out who she is outside of a college checklist?"

I've been dying to get my hands on another fast-paced, standalone graphic novel for the longest time, and this seems like the perfect choice. I personally love a physical challenge, but I can understand the feeling of falling behind on the future you've set your heart on, so I think this will be the perfect fit for me on a personal level. I genuinely can't wait for this release. 

Okay! Those are all of my anticipated releases for April- June! I may already have a list started for July onwards, but that doesn't mean I'll be skipping these releases! 

As always, if you have an interest in these or any other releases, let me know in the comments, and we can chat about them! 

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

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx