#2026Reading Anthony Ryan's The Wolf's Call, first half of his Raven's Blade duology, became my 20th completed read of 2026.

#2026Reading My 19th completed read of 2026: an e-arc of J G Terral's upcoming fantasy novel He Who Ate the Wild, out June 26th.

#2026Reading My 18th completed read of 2026 is another military thriller, Andrew Warren's 2nd Thomas Caine book Red Phoenix.

#2026reading While mostly reading fantasy and science fiction, my go-to palate cleansers are usually military thrillers like DEAD EYE, 3rd in Mark Greaney's Gray Man series and my 17th read completed in 2026. (No one will have noticed but I skipped 16, a beta read that has no cover yet).

#2026reading My 15th completed book of 2026 is Anthony Ryan's Queen of Fire (2015), book 3 in the Raven's Shadow Trilogy, aka the Blood Song trilogy. Part of my "read the rest of Ryan" campaign and the first novel series I've completed in a while. Still too many book 2's to read!

#2026Reading: The 14th book I completed in 2026 is The Tower Lord by Anthony Ryan, book 2 in the Raven's Shadow Trilogy, first sequel to Blood Song, one of his very best.

#2026Reading Typically I read military thrillers like Mark Greaney's Ballistic (2011), third in his Gray Man series, very quickly (as I have with at least five others from this series) but for some reason I struggled with this one but now it's my 13th completed read of 2026. And back to fantasy...

Day 30/30 #30daysbooksbywomen: Teresa Frohock Where Oblivion Lives (2019) Nefilim and angels wage a cold war as WWII looms over Europe. Book 1 of the Los Nefilim trilogy.

Day 29/30 #30daysbooksbywomen: Tanya Huff The Enchantment Emporium (2009), book 1 of her Gale Women trilogy. Huff doesn't hold the reader's hand on this one but it's one of her most rewarding reads imo.

#2026reading: I've had my eye on G R Matthews for a while and ran into an offer for an Advance Review Copy of his latest book, The Silencing of the North, sequel to Seven Deaths of an Empire, which comprise the first two of his Six Kingdoms series. 4.5/5 and my 12th completed read this year.

Day 28/30 #30daysbooksbywomen: Mur Lafferty Six Wakes (2017) "Locked room" murder mystery on a spaceship!

Day 27/30 #30daysbooksbywomen: Rachel Aaron The Spirit Thief (2010) book 1 of The Legend of Eli Monpress series. Just couldn't pass up a story that begins with the protagonist "convincing" a prison door to open for him!

Day 26/30 #30daysbooksbywomen: Nicola Griffith, Hild (2013). This, along with the first sequel in the Hild Sequence, Menewood, comprises some of the best historical fiction I've ever read. 7th century Northumbria brought to vivid life.

#2026reading: Over the years I've been enjoying Steven Konkoly's military thrillers, starting with his Black Flagged series. His Garrett Mann trilogy is the latest, concluding with A True Kill. I got an advance review copy through NetGalley. Releases Mar 10. 5/5 and my 11th completed read of 2026.

Was lucky to receive a digital arc (Advance Review Copy) of Death Hymns of Homara by Zamil Akhtar, a standalone novel in his Gunmetal Gods universe. This was my tenth finished novel of 2026, 5/5 stars.

Day 25/30 #30daysbooksbywomen: Naomi Novik A Deadly Education (2020), book one in her Scholomance Trilogy.

Day 24/30 #30daysbooksbywomen: Megan Whalen Turner The Thief (1996) (The Queen's Thief Book 1)

Day 23/30 #30daysbooksbywomen: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818). Not the Frankenstein - nor the monster - you know from the movies.

Day 22/30 #30daysbooksbywomen: Martha Wells All Systems Red (2017), book 1 of The Murderbot Diaries It's not easy being Murderbot!

Day 21/30 #30daysbooksbywomen: The Sword of Kaigen (2019) by M L Wang. Airbender inspired magic against a aerial and ground assaults on a mountain compound. Heavy emotional content well handled. One of the better known indie fantasies like, ever!

Around Christmas I participated in a some book giveaways in a social media group dedicated to Military Thrillers. Thus M L Baldwin's Operation Fools Mate 24, sent in trade paperback format, became the 9th book I finished reading in 2026 - although I read an ebook copy in deference to my aging eyes.

Day 20/30 #30daysbooksbywomen: M L Spencer Dragon Mage (2020) book 1 of Rivenworld, finally about to get its sequel this year! Features a neurodivergent MC obsessed with knots :-) .

Day 19/30 #30daysbooksbywomen: Many fans of Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga start with The Warrior's Apprentice, but the story really starts in Shards of Honor (1986).

#2026Reading The 8th book I finished reading in 2026 was Kill List (2026), the fourth entry in the Mick Williams military thriller series Father Black. No cover or exact release date yet as this was an ebook review copy provided by the author.

Day 18/30 #30daysbooksbywomen: Linda Nagata, The Red: First Light (2013)(Book 1 of The Red) Another cool military science fiction tale, with a twist.

Day 17/30 #30daysbooksbywomen: Best known for her debut series The Grishaverse, Leigh Bardugo's The Familiar (2024) is a more recent historical fantasy that marks her as a mature writing talent. Magic and manipulative politics change the life of a scullery maid in 1500s Madrid.

Day 16/30: #30daysbooksbywomen: My taste for military thrillers was partly developed through military science fiction titles like Peacekeeper, first in the Major Ariane Kedros series by Laura E Reeves (2008).

Take Down, an indie military thriller and 3rd in the Father Black series by Mick Williams, is my 7th completed read in 2026. Received as a review copy and reviewed on Goodreads with 4 stars. The next in series, due around the end of February, should be my next completed read this weekend.

Day 15/30 #30daysbooksbywomen: Krystle Matar's indie debut Legacy of the Brightwash (2021), book 1 of The Tainted Dominion.

#30daysbooksbywomen Day 14/30: Kate Elliott, Black Wolves (2015)

#30daysbooksbywomen Day 13/30 Julie E Czerneda Beholder's Eye (Web Shifters #1) (1998)

#2026reading Back early with my 6th completed read of the year, Richard Swan's Empire of the Wolf prequel novellas The Scour. 5/5 VonValt and Bressinger snark it up while investigating murder charges against another Imperial Justice neither liked to start with, lol!

#30daysbooksbywomen Day 12/30: Joan Didion, Slouching Towards Bethlehem (1968)

#30daysbooksbywomen Day 11/30: Jen Williams's The Ninth Rain, first book in her Winnowing Flame Trilogy.

#30daysbooksbywomen Day 10/3: J A Andrews, A Threat of Shadows (2018). Book 1 of The Keeper Chronicles, which I will finish reading this year.

#30daysbooksbywomen Day 9/30: Helene Wecker's brilliant historical fantasy debut set in NYC's Lower East Side and Little Syria in 1899, The Golem and the Jinni (2013).

#2026reading An Advance Review Copy (or ARC) of Miles Lyon's Grimdark fantasy debut was the 5th book I finished reading in 2026. The ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review, which can be found on Goodreads. Out Feb 24. 5/5 stars. Definitely in a writer to keep an eye on.

#30daysbooksbywomen Day 8/30: The one that would go at the top of these were ranked, Harper Lee's masterpiece To Kill a Mockingbird (1960).

#30daysbooksbywomen Day 7/30: Probably better known for her fantasy work, I've enjoyed this 5 book SF series, Vatta's War by Elizabeth Moon a bit more. Starts with Trading in Danger (2003)

#30daysbooksbywomen Day 6/30: Connie Willis Doomsday Book (1992). Perfect fictional complement to yesterday's A Distant Mirror. British time travel outfit drops their investigator in the middle of the Black Death, struggles to bring her back.

Guy Gavriel Kay's The Last Light of the Sun is the 4th book I've finished in 2026. A standalone set in his "Two Moons" universe, it feels a bit different from most of the others in that setting, yet still delves deep into fascinating characters with a narrative that reveals itself over time. 5/5

#30daysbooksbywomen Day 5: Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century (1978) Any guesses which novel set in 14th Century Europe coincidentally occupies the Day 6 slot?

#30daysbooksbywomen Day 4: Audrey Niffeneger The Time Traveler's Wife (2003)

#30daysbooksbywomen Day 3: Anna Smith Spark, The Court of Broken Knives (2017) Book 1 of Empires of Dust

#30daysbooksnywomen Day 2: Andrea Stewart's fantasy novel The Bone Shard Emperor(2020), book 1 of The Drowning Empire trilogy.

#2026reading My third read of the year, and Michael Michel's 3rd entry in the 5-volume Dreams of Dust and Steel series, Banners of Wrath.

#30daysbooksbywomen I'll be posting 1 book each day from 30 female authors, each of which I read and recommend. Some I've read only the one book - others a dozen or more. Alphabetically by first name. Day One: Aliette de Bodard's fantasy novel The House of Shattered Wings (2015).

My second finished read this year, this one an e-arc by indie author Donna K Morgan, her debut fantasy Embers of Steel. Should appeal to fantasy readers in general and fans of dark themes in particular. A strong romantic element builds towards the end. Powerful magics, knights, some elves & dragons.

Good point!

First book finished in 2026 is Guy Gavriel Kay's Sailing to Sarantium, first half of his Sarantine Mosaic duology. Like many of Kay's novels in his "Two Moons" universe, it features a commoner brushing up against royalty, supernatural elements flavoring the story nicely.