Today I’m posting a round up for 2025 to complete a few loose ends.

During my last monthly round up I put a few books together to try and finish off the year.  Unfortunately, my December reading was quite slow and some of the books didn’t really work their magic but let’s take a look at what I was hoping to read and what I accomplished.

December looking ahead:

1. What Stalks the Deep by T Kingfisher – I’ve read this and will be reviewing soon
2. The Possession of Alba Dias by Isabel Cañas (Carried over from October) – I’ve read almost 60% of this but I am struggling so for now I’m setting it aside.  I might try and complete it during January but I’m making slow progress.
3. Murder Most Haunted by Emma Mason (Carried over from October).  This is a DNF.
4. The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah (Carried over from October) – I read this and it was a decent read, not the best, I felt it needed a bit more atmosphere but I shall be reviewing this title soon.
5. The Blackfire Blade by James Logan.  I read and loved this one.  My review is already posted.
6. I’ll Make A Spectacle of You by Beatrice Winifred Iker  – I was excited by the sound of this one but unfortunately it’s a DNF for me.
7. Outlaw Planet by MR Carey – I’ve read and loved this one (although it took me a little while to get into).  I shall be posting a review soon.

So, I completed four of my seven books.  I might still try to finish The Possession of Alba Dias although it is slowing me down (by which I mean it’s not that the reading is going slowly but it’s making me not want to read, which is a shame as its well written) so we’ll see.

My January books:

1. Rings of Fate by Melissa de la Cruz
2. What Stalks the Deep by T Kingfisher – already read
3. A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St James – currently reading
4. The Wolf and the Crown of Blood by Elizabeth May
5. Fiend by Alma Katsu
6. Enchanting the Fae Queen by Stephanie Burgis

Six books in total but I’ve completed one and started one so hopefully this is achievable.

Bookforager‘s Picture Prompt book bingo.

and the text version:

PICTURE PROMPT BOOK BINGO 2025 (TEXT VERSION)

Today, I’m completing the challenge using books read during 2025

No.1 – A prehistoric flint knapped stone knife, I’m using The Blackfire Blade because the story revolves around the search for a ‘blade’, plus I seem to recall there was the use of older weapons and perhaps a flint headed axe at one point – at the time I had a very good reason for using this but now it sounds very dodgy!

No.2 A Lighthouse, I’m using Outlaw Planet by MR Carey because the use of Towers is fundamental to the story, they’re not lighthouses but they have very narrow high towers that sound very similar to a lighthouse and are used for broadcasting (lighthouses are similarly used to cast a light and give a warning)

Three very tenuous links!!  A bit of cheating or alternative thinking!

No.3 A very large, mechanical telescope, I’m using What Stalks the Deep by T Kingfisher because this takes place in an old abandoned mine where what can only be described as an alien entity seems to be surviving.  So, very tenuous link indeed and maybe this is just cheating!!

The prompts I’ve crossed off so far:

No.4 – the Archery Target with Arrows in it – I’ve chosen the Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford

No.15 The Vipers by Katy Hays

No. 7 A Stag – which I’m using Clockwork Boys by T Kingfisher

No. 16 – A Roman helmet – and I’m using This Monster of Mine by Shalini Abeysekara.

No. 3 – an apple on a leafy branch – Hemlock and Silver by T Kingfisther

No.10 – A Sheaf of Wheat – The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst –

No. 11 – An Old Mechanical Typewriter – The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno Garcia

No.8 – The ruins of a temple-like structure – I’m using Daughter of Chaos by A S Webb

No. 12 – A cluster of four mushrooms – I’m using Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett

No. 13 – A fringed umbrella/parasol – I’m using A Fortune Most Fatal by Jessica Bull

No.14 – A chemistry set-up of bottles and tubes – I’m using Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis

No.9 – A Crab – I’m using The Devils by Joe Abercrombie – if you’ve read this already you’ll be able to guess why.  There are some very unusual creatures in this story.

No.6 – A Human Skull – I’m using The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North – because this is about a serial killer and there are definite human remains included in this one.

Checkout this post for this years picture prompt bingo card.