Overall mood: disbelief. 2025 feels like it has been a series of months: Holiday break, then moving back into work mode, throw in a ten-day indoor sentencing for the cat and suddenly three different months have happened in the span of 31 days. I have managed to get a fair number of books read in that time, half of which are NZ Fiction titles which I am very happy about. It’s all a matter of adjusting and readjusting, isn’t it? January is always one of those months with longing and lethargy involved, even for those like me who don’t like the weather.

Books Read:

Cress by Marissa Meuyer, 4.5/5

I love this book the characters, the action, and tension, and the blend of sci-fi and fairytale elements that make up the complex story world. It is a thrilling ride with many moving parts and characters to root for and the perspectives all feel balanced and well utilised given the plot and action sequences at hand. Highly recommend The Lunar Chronicles to anyone who hasn’t read it before.

On Coming Home by Paula Morris, 4/5

An literary essay regarding cultural identity, expatriatism, belonging, and family, Paula Morris’ On Coming Home is a beautiful literary dive into what it means to be a New Zealander. I highly recommend this for all New Zealanders and to all those who are expatriates and migrants for this is an essay I am sure you can relate to to some degree.

Instructions For Travelling West by Joy Sullivan, 4.5/5

An incredible poetry collection full of rich detail, thoughtful poetic prose, and a narrative that speaks loud and proud. The way in which Joy Sullivan illustrates the space around her and the places within her poems is beyond anything I have seen in recent months, producing a vivid and sensory experience like no other. Instructions For Travelling West is a must-read for literary fiction and poetry fans.

A New Zealand classic I admit I hadn’t read until this month, Witi Ihimaera’s The Whale Rider is a staple in New Zealand literature, a novel well worth the read, and a book full of Māori life and culture. It has elements of magical realism while still sticking close to mythology and Māori history. I wish I had read this years ago because it is one of those books that as a preteen or teen reader I would have read and immediately connected more to my Māori roots.

Winter by Marissa Meyer, 4.5/5

The final in The Lunar Chronicles, Winter is a novel jam-packed with character development, action, tension, plot progression, conflicts, interactions, and most of all, incredible storytelling. Winter has a lot going on but Marissa Meyer makes it feel like a movie, leading us through the book with engaging perspectives, high-stakes, and budding romance ties that are directly in the line of fire. Winter solidifies The Lunar Chronicles as a favourite YA series in my books.

Fox Spirit on a Distant Cloud by Lee Murray, 4/5

This novel is raw and vivid, bringing Chinese mythology and Māori mythology together to tell a truly emotional tale. The themes and characters work to establish a pattern which speaks its own heartbreaking message, changing the tone of the novel fairly early on and making it a read you are unlikely to forget. Fox Spirit on a Distant Cloud is a literary historical fiction you don’t want to miss.

The Black Bird Oracle by Deborah Harkness, 4.5/5

A thrilling addition to the All Souls series, The Black Bird Oracle brings Diana and the family back into the fray, but this time the witches are calling and there are more witches than just Diana in the family now. It is full-on and engaging, deepening the already rich story world and giving us a stronger, fiercer, hungrier Diana as she learns more about magic, the Proctors, and the power her children have buzzing under their skin. Absolutely loved this read!

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang, 4.5/5

This militaristic historical fantasy is full of action, suspense, high-stakes, gripping characters, heavy themes, and pressing themes that will have you immersed, invested, and in desperate need of The Burning God. This is adult fantasy to a tee and the depth of detail and the vast number of layers at play in The Poppy War trilogy makes The Dragon Republic such a great read. Characters aren’t always right, or smart, or thinking with their most logical minds, so there are a lot of grey areas with these characters, making the plot and character decisions so interesting. I highly recommend The Poppy War Trilogy to those who have not read it before.

Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts by Josie Shapiro, 4.5/5

This New Zealand fiction book is beautiful, incorporating a woman’s journey to self-fulfilment through running again with her jagged history with the sport. Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts is literary fiction with a journey to self discovery, a poignant reminder to all of us to surround ourselves with the best people and find a purpose and goal to work towards in life. The writing is easy to read, beautiful, and evocative. I highly recommend this to all readers, but especially to those who are perhaps feeling a little lost in life right now.

Currently Reading:

Human Acts by Han Kang

I am 50 pages into Human Acts and it sure is an emotion-provoking, raw, and intense read. I will certainly be finishing this up by midnight, so it still counts as a January read. As far as foreign literature goes, Human Acts has themes and characters that transcend the boundaries of language, making it a truly heart-felt and engaging read. If you haven’t read any foreign lit or translated lit in the last year, this is your call to try it. There are so many incredible stories out there and language barrier should not be a reason to omit them. Translated stories are some of the best out there and they provide so many lessons and so much meaning to life and reading.

I am also in the midst of The Republic of Thieves and I know I want to take my time reading every page of incredible adult fantasy this novel contains. Not only is it the conclusion of Scott Lynch’s original trilogy, the Gentleman Bastard Sequence, but it is the the final book in a fantasy series that has truly blown me away. If you are looking for a rich adult fantasy world similar to Game of Thrones, or at least one that has so much depth while remaining within appropriate borders, I highly recommend the Gentleman Bastard Sequence to you.