January 2026 Reading Wrap Up

I've put together a January Reading Wrap Up on my blog. There were several 5 star reads for me this month!
One of them was Jade City by Fonda Lee (book 1 in her Greenbone Saga series). See here:
toomanyfantasybooks.blogspot.com/2026/01/janu...

In my country they're known colloquially as "Mexican walking fish". But I guess the correct term is amphibian...

Image shows the illustration of a red dragon flying through a sky at sunset. The colors of the sky range from dusty purple to pink to peach and finally to butter-yellow. White fluffy clouds sit below the dragon. In the middle of the image are the words: Fantasy-Faction is Looking for Contributors!

📣 Fantasy-Faction is looking for Contributors! 📣

We're looking for people who'd like to review books, talk about SFF news, or give insights into publishing and writing on our main site, Fantasy-Faction.com.

Check the link for more info! - JI 🐉

fantasy-faction.com/2026/fantasy... #booksky

Some of the authors featured:
@emilytesh.net
@rjbarker.bsky.social
@mollyoneillwrites.bsky.social
@robertjbennett.bsky.social
@cw-snyder.com
@aptshadow.bsky.social
@lainitaylor.bsky.social
@gengornichec.bsky.social

Best Fantasy and Horror Books of 2025

I've put together a list of the best Fantasy & Horror books I managed to read in 2025. A pretty good year overall. Which took the number 1 spot? Find out here:
toomanyfantasybooks.blogspot.com/2026/01/best...

The first 3 Fitz books were enough for me. All done.

- Daughter of Crows by Mark Lawrence
- The Fox in Winter by Antonia Hodgson
- Nightshade and Oak by Molly O'Neill

Not interested in DNFs, but would like to hear what books you did finish. (I DNFed a book yesterday and also threw 2 out.)

The best fantasy books of 2025 for me were (ordered from highest to lowest):
1. The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
2. Heart of the Wyrdwood by R J Barker  
3. A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett  
4. Greenteeth by Molly O'Neill  
5. The Art of Legend by Wesley Chu

King Sorrow by Joe Hill, and an indie fantasy book at the same time.

The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson.

For an indie book, The Ascension of Light by Ryan Kirk (the Legend of Adani series #3).

Die Hard? Yippee ki yay! LOL.

Yeah, he repeats that Dark Tower phrase like 3 times in the same chapter. I'm only up to page 250 but there are quite a few fantasy in-jokes so far, LOL

Read some fantasy books while on a treadmill or an exercise bike ;-)

William Carlos Williams would be proud, LOL (or at least it reminds me of his poems).

The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson, even though I read it back in April.

I guess the White Witch waved her wand and turned Aslan to stone...

Haha, I wish more dark/horror writers would make funny songs about their own books. LOL.

Scott's review of Children of Light and Shadow (The Legend of Adani Book 4) 4/5: The fourth book in this series is an interesting follow-on, now set after many years have passed and a younger generation of characters are emerging. Elian and Samora, now elders, must face a new threat from forces of the Void. One of their children is captivated by the new master of the Void's promises, while a grandchild instead follows a new destiny to transform and fight against it. I found the earlier sections of this book were a bit slow and subdued, but as usual the action picks up in intensity near the end. It's a worthy extension of the story. A minor niggle were the half dozen ...

I finished reading Children of Light and Shadow by indie fantasy author Ryan Kirk. An interesting follow-on to the first three books in the series. 4 / 5 stars from me.
www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

That's my favourite book of his :-)

@lightspeedmagazine.com

Scott's review of Lightspeed Magazine, Issue 185 (October 2025) 5/5: I found this to be the best, most consistent issue of Lightspeed for a while. Every story was of high quality and enjoyable, for me. - "O Mechfighter, O Starfighter" by Osahon Ize-Iyamu is a b...

The current October issue of Lightspeed magazine had SF stories of consistent high quality. 5/5 stars from me.
www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Review - The Door on the Sea by Caskey Russell

The Door on the Sea by Caskey Russell is a fantasy adventure at sea, set in a world inspired by native Alaskan legends. 4 / 5 stars from me. See my book review:
toomanyfantasybooks.blogspot.com/2025/10/revi...
(Thanks to @solarisbooks.bsky.social & NetGalley for an ARC of this book.)

That's only a rough sketch? Wow.

Probably the second Gormenghast book by Mervyn Peake.

The big, protracted battle near the end with everyone in it is worth getting to ;-)

Scott's review of Greenteeth 5/5: Fans of the folklore and legends of the British isles will enjoy this book. I enjoyed reading a story told from the viewpoint of ancient, immortal fae creature and the adventures she and two frie...

Greenteeth by @mollyoneillwrites.bsky.social is really likeable fantasy book for fans of folklore of the British Isles. Wonderful atmospheric descriptions and lively adventures. 4.5 stars from me.
www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Scott's review of The Incandescent 4/5: A bittersweet, convincingly genuine look at life at a magical academy, in a modern world just like our own but with spells and demon summoning. The main character, a school manager and senior tea...

The Incandescent by @emilytesh.net is a bittersweet, convincingly genuine look at life at a magical academy, in a modern world just like our own but with spells and demon summoning. 4.5 stars from me.
www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I thought the Tainted Cup was a fantastic book (and it just won the Hugo Award).

I wish I had stylishly curled hair like that guy.