Mel 3004

Yeah, there’s four series in total, and maybe a couple of side books? I’ve been promised that the Liveship Traders trilogy is a great continuation and contains dragons 🐉! I’m glad to hear more love for this author 😊 Definitely looking forward to reading more of these next year.

Assassin’s Quest – Book Review Mel – A wondrous finale to a truly magical trilogy.

I finished reading the #FarseerTrilogy! Definitely one of the best fantasy trilogies I've ever read, I'm sure of that, and with a great finale—which is quite rare! #AssassinsQuest
Read my full review: beyondthespinereviews.com/2025/11/09/a...

Halloween For me, Halloween is about accepting the darkness and choosing to pour my light into anyway.

#Halloween was certainly exciting this year, but I'm tired of the annual resistance I face when my love of Halloween enters conversation: dorkinthedark.wordpress.com/2025/10/27/h...

Stolen – Book Review Mel – Stolen was an exceptional sequel to Bitten.

'Stolen' by #KelleyArmstrong was an exceptional read. I'm really looking forward to reviewing the whole #WomenOfTheOtherworld series over the next couple of years!
In the meantime, enjoy my full review of book two on Beyond the Spine Reviews: beyondthespinereviews.com/2025/10/20/s...

Mandrakes are just onions in reverse?

Folk Tales of the Wolf – Book Review Mel – Hungry for some short tales? Quickly consume this snappy collection!

Folk Tales of the #Wolf is a fun, snappy collection of short, wolfish tales from around the world. I enjoyed an evening of amusement but was left craving something a bit more...
Read the full blog and subscribe for more canine book reviews in 2025! #Werewolf
beyondthespinereviews.com/2025/10/15/f...

#Halloween autumnal #shelfie! Feeling festive for spooky time <3

Dipper (me) and Gruncle Stan (my husband) go to #ZurichPopCon !! #GravityFalls #ZurichPopCon2025 #GravityFallsCosplay

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and The End of The World – Book Review Mel – My first attempt to read Murakami hasn’t inspired me to read more of his works…

I spent the first 100 pages of #HardBoiledWonderland feeling like I was eating the stiff, unsalted white of the egg, waiting for the gooey golden center, only to find that the middle is as stiff as the outer flesh.

Read my full review on my blog: beyondthespinereviews.com/2025/09/23/h...

Reviews of Complete Series There’s nothing better than finding a full set of reviews when you’ve finished a series.

Looking for #BookReviewers that complete the book series? Beyond the Spine Reviews sticks with a story until the final page!
Discover the complete series reviews here:
beyondthespinereviews.com/complete-ser...

Royal Assassin – Book Review Mel – A bit long, but another 5* from me!

Bringing #RoyalAssassin on holiday was both a brilliant and a terrible idea. Brilliant because it was a fabulous read, but terrible because I barely wanted to do anything else!
Read my latest fantasy book review on my blog: beyondthespinereviews.com/2025/09/08/r...

Assassin’s Apprentice – Book Review Mel – The Assassin’s Apprentice is 5/5 read! Discover why in this review…

I recently finished #TheAssassinsApprentice, the first book in #TheFarseerTrilogy. Discover why it was a 5* read in my latest review!
beyondthespinereviews.com/2025/08/31/a...

I'm planning a #LastUnicorn cosplay for Halloween this year! Exciting!

Thank you!

The Best Dogs in Fiction Mel – I’ve read a lot of stories about dogs, wolves, and their human companions. Here are some of my favourites.

I'm celebrating fantasy dogs on #InternationalDogDay! Do you have any recommendations for me to add to this reading list?
beyondthespinereviews.com/2023/03/31/t...

A page of Latin text from a medieval manuscript. Two columns of closely written words are decorated with small illuminations; rubrics, small pictures of birds and other animals, and floral details. In the central column, a small dog leaps playfully over a gilded initial in Ms Bodl 264 fol 8r.

A dog with a rabbit in its mouth runs away from a disgruntled looking owner along the lower left margin of this highly decorated manuscript– highly relatable to modern dog owners, we’re sure. MS Bodl 264 fol 52r.

A dog riding a deer, jousts against a monkey on goatback in this very elaborately decorated 12th Century Psalter. Lots of colour, illustration and gilding throughout this manuscript. An illuminated initial immediately above the jousting animals shows a man being knighted. Shelfmark: Bodleian MS Douce 131 fol 32r.

A beloved pooch faithfully waits at their ailing mistresses’ bedside in a two panel illustration. The mistress lies on her bed with her head on her hands, while a small white dog is on the floor next to her. This manuscript belonged to Louise of Savoy, 1476–1531, whose son became King Francis I of France. Shelfmark: Bodleian Library MS. Douce 195 fol. 1r.

Our medieval offerings for #InternationalDogDay:

1. Dog leaps over an initial in Ms Bodl 264.
2.'Drop it!': a dog with a rabbit in its mouth runs away from its owner. MS Bodl 264.
3. Dog jousts a monkey MS Douce 131.
4. Lapdog sits by their ailing mistress MS. Douce 195.

Wind and Truth – Day Five Review Mel – It’s time to come clean… My honest feelings about Stormlight 5.

I'm finally coming clean on #Stormlight5. I'm shelving #WindAndTruth halfway through, and you can find out why in my latest review: beyondthespinereviews.com/2025/07/27/w...

Defiant – Skyward Book 4 Review Mel – The Skyward finale was galactic!

Sci-fi for YA? Yes please! It's a fun, galactic finale that left me feeling... defiant!
The #Skyward series completed in 2024 with the publication of its fourth book, #Defiant, and I have finally published my review:
beyondthespinereviews.com/2025/06/25/d...

Great Fantasy Reads for Pride Month Mel – I’ve been reading a few LGBTQ+ positive books this year!

Happy #PrideMonth! I updated my Great Fantasy Reads for Pride Month post with #TSOA The Song of Achilles <3
Discover more LGBTQ+ friendly reads on my blog:
beyondthespinereviews.com/2023/06/26/g...

It drives me crazy how people use ‘+’ and ‘&’ interchangeably in professional contexts.
#Copywriting #ContentWriter

The Best Dogs in Fiction Mel – I’ve read a lot of stories about dogs, wolves, and their human companions. Here are some of my favourites.

Two years after posting my review on The Best Dogs in Fiction, I have returned to update it with mention of works by #KelleyArmstrong! Wolf enthusiasts go here, and I'm excited to hear your recommendations! #WolfBook beyondthespinereviews.com/2023/03/31/t...

Bitten – Book Review Mel – It’s the first book in the Women of the Otherworld series!

I've finally posted my review of the #werewolf novel 'Bitten' by #KelleyArmstrong! 4/5*, not breathtaking but a fun romp. I look forward to reading more of her work in the future!
Read my review on my book blog:
beyondthespinereviews.com/2025/05/31/b...

Made some cute little lemon tarts today.

Beyond The Spine Reviews Book Reviews from Fantasy Readers

I'm really excited to announce that my #BookReview blog is now free from Wordpress' automatic adverts!

You can check out my reviews for #OUaBH, the #Cosmere, and #KelleyArmstrong here: beyondthespinereviews.com

I've been busy working on writing an urban fantasy #VisualNovel in #Ink recently! Looking forward to sharing the first part with betas for feedback soon!

#EURODAB
Another amazing Eurovision week!!

If you write ‘as discussed’ in a follow-up email when no ‘discussion’ was had—if you simply stated it with no back-and-forth—then you are the problem.

WRITING ‘AS DISCUSSED’ SHOULD MEAN THAT *A DISCUSSION* WAS HAD.

Wind and Truth – Day Four Review Mel – My favourite ‘Day’ of Stormlight 5 so far!

My Day 4 review of #WindAndTruth, #Stormlight5 is out! Day four was my favourite so far, but there's a lot of trauma to unpack here, same as any other Stormlight book!

Follow my blog for reading updates... because JOURNEY BEFORE DESTINATION!
beyondthespinereviews.wordpress.com/2025/04/23/w...

I'm reaching 20k words on my WIP novel this month! Manifesting it!!! #MIAW #WritingCommunity