Chloe Gong dominates when she’s in her lane, with historical fantasy, sharp political intrigue, lush world-building. Coldwire steps into new territory: a neon-lit future, digital realms, and corporate corruption. It’s ambitious, high-concept, and full of potential… but it never quite reaches...

Next year I want to read more non-fiction books 🤔 any suggestions for what I just *have* to pick up?

Start of a Chapter 📖 December 2025 TBR | Magic, Journeys, and the Foundations of Middle-Earth As we close out the year, December’s TBR list is packed with magical tales, epic conclusions, and a deep dive into the vast lore of Middle-earth. This month, we’re revisiting the thrilling continuations…

The Vengeance by Emma Newman ⚔️ Piracy, Vampires and Found Family The Vengeance by Emma Newman is the first book in a new fantasy series blending historical adventure, found family, and light supernatural elements. Set against the backdrop of an alternative France, the novel follows a young woman…

The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells ✨ A Cosy Tale of Love, Legacy, and the Lightest Touch of Magic Set against a misty mountain backdrop where folklore and family secrets intertwine, The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells promises a story rich with enchantment, love, and rediscovery. Rachel…

Falling Back in Love with Non-Fiction Somewhere between finishing school and falling back into reading for pleasure, many of us quietly abandoned non-fiction. Maybe it was the memory of thick textbooks, or the association with obligation rather than enjoyment. Fiction promised worlds to escape…

Hungerstone by Kat Dunn 🦇 A Powerful Gothic Horror Set Against the Wild Yorkshire Moors Hungerstone by Kat Dunn is a beautifully crafted gothic horror novel set against the wild Yorkshire moors, blending psychological intensity, atmospheric writing, and allegorical supernatural elements. This is a…

Bookish Gifts That Feel Personal (Not Generic) Every year, the same list circulates: scented candles, novelty mugs, bookmarks printed with quotes no one asked for. And while there is nothing wrong with those little comforts, gifting for book lovers deserves something more personal, something that…

Daughter of Chaos by AS Webb 🦉 A Promising Mythological Debut That Falters on Impact Greek mythology retellings always have a special pull, the promise of gods, prophecies, and the fine line between mortal and divine. Daughter of Chaos by A.S. Webb dives headfirst into that allure, reimagining…

Building a Creative Routine When It’s Cold Outside There is a quiet kind of beauty that arrives when the temperature drops. The mornings feel slower, the air sharper, the light softer. Outside, the world exhales, but inside our calendars, things often quicken. As the year edges towards its end,…

Start of a Chapter 📖 November 2025 TBR | Epic Conclusions, Dark Histories, and Magical Beginnings As we approach the end of the year, November’s TBR list is all about monumental conclusions, deep dives into the darker corners of Middle-earth’s history, and revisiting the start of a magical…

The city feels different in autumn. Softer. Quieter. A little more like home 🍂 New on Uptown Oracle: Autumn in the City

We count pages. We chase goals. But the books that change us? They’re the ones we linger with. New post On Reading Slower: Romanticising the Quiet Evenings 🕯️

Sundays are for puppy cuddles and reading a good book 😌 Starting on the latest Witcher book, a prequel showing what Geralt was like before we knew him 👀

My favourite fantasy books aren’t always the epic ones. They’re the ones where magic smells like coffee and comfort ☕✨ New on Uptown Oracle: 5 Cosy Fantasy Reads for Darker Nights 🔥

The best part of autumn? The chance to start over softly 🍂 Read my new piece on The Art of the Autumn Reset, about finding calm, clarity, and comfort in Q4 ✨

Remember when I was in my prime, woke up early, survived hours of school, still finished a book in one evening

Start of a Chapter 📖 October 2025 TBR | Final Battles, Epic Re-Reads, and the Fall of Sauron October’s TBR is packed with climactic confrontations, deep dives into legendary lore, and the continuation of grand sagas. This month, we’re nearing the conclusion of "The Wheel of Time," revisiting the…

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil 🌹 A Haunting, Lyrical Vampire Tale V.E. Schwab returns with a lyrical and haunting tale in Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, a novel that unfurls across centuries, countries, and inner lives. Told through the eyes of three very different women bound together…

House of the Beast by Michelle Wong ⚔️ Power, Pain & Pilgrimage House of the Beast by Michelle Wong is a dark, intricate, and emotionally wrought fantasy that marries grimdark aesthetics with mythic romance and razor-sharp character dynamics. With a protagonist bound to an elder god and a society…

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher 📚 A Sword, a Stoic Warrior & a Stubborn Widow Swordheart by T. Kingfisher is a warm, witty, and thoroughly enjoyable romantic fantasy that delivers on both heartfelt character development and delightful magical elements. It’s a character-driven story with cosy,…

The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams ⚔️ A Towering Start to a Classic Fantasy Series If you're looking for a sweeping epic fantasy filled with rich world-building, thoughtful character growth, and the slow-burn momentum of classic high fantasy, The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams might be exactly…

Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan 👀 A Breath Before the Storm… Crossroads of Twilight, the tenth instalment in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, is infamous among fans for its glacial pace and lack of major plot advancement... and I'm not surprised after reading it. However, while it may…

Upcoming Fantasy Book Adaptations 🎬 Dream Come True or Recipe for Disaster? Every fantasy fan knows the feeling... the thrill when your favourite book is announced for the screen… followed by the creeping dread it’s going to get absolutely butchered. For every Lord of the Rings masterpiece,…

Fantasy Adaptations I Would Want to Watch 🎬 Fantasy fans have been spoiled with adaptations in recent years from House of the Dragon’s court politics to The Witcher’s monster hunts. But let’s be honest: while there’s plenty of quantity, the quality often feels repetitive. Dragons, chosen ones,…

Start of a Chapter 📖 September 2025 TBR | Storms, Triumphs, and the Shadows of Middle-earth September’s TBR list is filled with turning points, triumphs, and the intricate lore of some of the most iconic fantasy worlds. This month, I'm diving into the penultimate stages of the "Wheel of Time"…

Grim, Dark & Glorious: 10 Brutal Fantasy Books That’ll Break You (and You’ll Thank Them) Grimdark fantasy isn’t here to coddle you. It’s here to drag you through mud-slick battlefields, whisper in your ear that hope is a dangerous thing, and remind you that “happily ever after” rarely survives the…

Start of a Chapter 📖 August 2025 TBR | Revelations, Re-Reads, and the Shaping of Legends As we head into August, my reading journey continues with pivotal moments, rich world-building, and explorations of the foundations of Middle-earth. This month’s TBR list includes the next instalment in the…

Top Fantasy Sequels We’re Actually Excited For ✨ Some sequels drag on a story that should’ve ended but these? These are the ones I’d fight dragons to read... They promise deeper magic, bigger betrayals, and a return to worlds I can’t stop thinking about. Here are fantasy sequels I'm genuinely…

Fantasy Hidden Gems You Might Have Missed ✨ There’s nothing like the thrill of falling into a sprawling epic, kingdoms rising and falling, ancient magics returning, heroes wrestling with impossible choices. But not every huge fantasy saga gets the spotlight it deserves! Here are fantasy hidden…

Multiple childhood friends are having babies this year and I *checks notes* am unemployed and have been binge watching films from before I was born

Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race 👑 Political scheming, sapphic tension, and a rotting magic at the heart of Elben… What if all six of Henry VIII’s wives lived at the same time in a court teeming with magic and political corruption? That’s the premise of Six Wild Crowns, a lush and layered political…

Start of a Chapter 📖 July 2025 TBR | Epic Conclusions and Legendary Lays July’s TBR is filled with epic conclusions, the continuation of beloved series, and a dive into the poetic lore of Middle-earth. This month’s selection takes us through battles, farewells, and the timeless legends that shape…

It's finally rained, is a temperature I can tolerate, and I’m reading Crossroads of Twilight 😌 A good start to the weekend ✨️

A pretty good reading month ✨️

July is upon us, summer is in full swing, and there are SO many fresh SFF releases this month. It’s peak season for lounging in the sun with a new fantasy or sci-fi adventure and this line-up is packed with magic, intrigue, and a touch of romance. Here’s what’s on my radar this month 👇

In honour of London being as hot as the fires of Mordor itself, this weekend is for marathoning LOTR extended editions

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid is a tense, dystopian fantasy that brings together survival, corporate control, and complex human relationships in a world buckling under climate and economic collapse.

Seven Recipes for Revolution is a bold and imaginative fantasy debut that blends magical culinary arts with sharp political commentary. Following the story of a young butcher-turned-revolutionary, this is a tale that simmers with rage, cooks up chaos, and leaves you hungry for more.

Susan Cooper is a name every fantasy lover should know. Best known for her acclaimed The Dark Is Rising sequence, Cooper has carved out a lasting legacy in children’s and young adult fantasy, blending myth, folklore, and the timeless battle between Light and Dark into unforgettable stories.

Join me for a deep dive into A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin, the third book in the iconic A Song of Ice and Fire series. From 8th-14th June 2025, we’ll be tackling both Part 1 (Steel and Snow) and Part 2 (Blood and Gold) as one combined readalong, experiencing every betrayal, alliance, and

Small Miracles is a perfect example of cosy fantasy with a strong dose of heart and humour. ou’ll enjoy it if you like light, uplifting reads, found family and redemption arcs, and celestial hijinks without the heaviness.

Arthurian fantasy is much more than just tales of knights and kings; it’s a living, evolving tradition that bridges the past and the present. Whether you’re drawn to its heroic quests, its tragic romances, or its deep explorations of power and destiny, this genre offers a timeless journey into...

Reading slumps are a natural part of any long-term reading life. They don’t mean you’ve fallen out of love with books forever. More often than not, they signal a need for rest, change, or a gentle reset. It’s okay to pause. It’s okay to read less. It’s okay to not finish that book everyone else is r

Looking for a fantasy read steeped in folklore and emotional depth? North is the Night by Emily Rath blends mythic storytelling, atmospheric worldbuilding, and two compelling lead characters into a tale that explores life, death, and the lengths we go to for love.

Start of a Chapter 📖 June 2025 TBR | Lost Tales, Epic Battles, and a Return to Westeros Welcome to June’s TBR! This month, we’re diving into a mix of deep lore, epic fantasy sequels, and the continuing struggles for power and survival. With a blend of new instalments in long-running series and…

Join me for a deep dive into Winter's Heart, the ninth book in Robert Jordan's legendary fantasy series. From June 1st to June 7th, 2025, we’ll follow Rand al'Thor as he grapples with the burdens of the Dragon Reborn, faces emotional fallout, and makes one of the most pivotal decisions in the series

Idk, I just feel like a signed book holds way more value when you’ve actually met the author, had a little chat, and shared a moment before they sign it for you. That signature isn’t just ink on a page, it’s a memory, a story, a piece of your personal reading journey.

Witchy Fantasy for Springtime Vibes As the world shakes off its winter chill and blooms into life, there's something irresistibly magical about spring. The air hums with new beginnings, fresh energy, and a whisper of the uncanny - making it the perfect season to dive into witchy fantasy reads.…

10 Most Anticipated Fantasy Releases – Summer 2025 Summer 2025 is absolutely stacked for fantasy readers! Whether you're craving magical schools, mythic quests, or dark fairy tales, this season’s lineup promises something enchanting for everyone. Here are the 10 most anticipated fantasy releases I…