Review: What Stalks the Deep (Sworn Soldier #3) by T Kingfisher
5 January 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, Books, Fantasy, Horror, Review, Sworn Soldier #3, T Kingfisher, What Stalks the Deep
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Soft horror with Unexpected Outcome
I am enjoying the Sworn Soldier series by T Kingfisher although the first book still remains my favourite.
In this story Alex Easton travels to America to help out an old friend whose cousin has gone missing, last known destination – an abandoned coal mine in West Virginia.
The story is a mystery that takes our MC into a supposedly haunted mine where the threat of rock falls or suffocation is the least of the problems. Disturbing lights can be seen where there shouldn’t be any light and strange things go bump in the night.
What I really enjoyed about this.
First and foremost the writing. I love reading Kingfisher, she manages to write compelling characters who find themselves in the strangest places and she infuses her stories with her own brand of humour and darkness.
I like the character that she’s come up with for this series and that’s also what I find myself returning for. Alex Easton is a good friend and a strong person who doesn’t flinch from danger or discomfort. In the past stories Alex has dealt with strange mushrooms and ghosts and in this edition, well, I don’t want to give away any spoilers but this went in a direction that I really didn’t see coming. Really quite creepy – and I must mention the dog! I realise I’m being very cryptic but you have to discover these things for yourself.
I liked the setting although at the same time this was also the issue that brought the story down a little for me. It started off very dark, creepy and claustrophobic. Alex isn’t a lover of small spaces and so caving and crawling through tight spaces into the unknown really brought out the fear factor. I did feel that after the reveal the tension and atmosphere seemed to dissipate. I still enjoyed the story and this is a very quick read but I didn’t feel the sense of dread that I had felt during the first half when the unknown occupant of the mine was creeping around.
Overall, a good instalment in the Sworn Soldier series. I can’t wait to see what dilema Alex gets into next and I hope for many more weird and wonderful adventures.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 3.5 of 5 stars rounded to 4
Monthly Wrap Up/What’s On My Plate: October/November/December
3 December 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, book-blog, Books, Books Bones & Buffy, Monthly Wrap Up, October/November/December, reading, TBR, What's on my Plate
I’m trying to post a wrap up for the end of each month, mainly to help me to keep track of my reading and at the same time look at what I’m intending to read during the month ahead (inspired by Books Bones and Buffy’s What’s on My Plate.
I’ve missed one of my monthly wrap up posts so I’m going to try and give a quick update for October and November and what I’m planning to read in December.
My Monthly Wrap Up: October
The following is the list of books I posted in September that I was hoping to complete in October. Lets take a look:
- Cinder House by Freya Marske
- Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber
- The Cold House by A.G. Slatter
- House of Splinters by Laura Purcell
- Ring the Bells by CK McDonnell
- The Last Witch by C.J. Cooke
- The Possession of Alba Dias by Isabel Cañas
- Murder Most Haunted by Emma Mason
- King Sorrow by Joe Hill
- The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah
- The Everlasting by Alix E Harrow
I’ve linked the books with reviews. The Possession of Alba Dias I set aside because it was a period when my reading mood wasn’t good and so I shall be going back and picking that one up. Murder Most Haunted I also made a start with – I’m not totally sure this one is going to work for me but I’d like to give it another shot. The Last Death of the Year I’ve not picked up yet but I am excited to do so.
My Monthly Wrap Up: November
The following is the list of books I was hoping to complete in November. Lets take a look:
- The Blackfire Blade by James Logan
- The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry
- I’ll Make A Spectacle of You by Beatrice Winifred Iker
- Outlaw Planet by MR Carey
I have read The Place Where They Buried Your Heart – which I loved and already reviewed. I’m currently reading The Blackfire Blade and Outlaw Planet is my next planned read. It doesn’t look as though I read many books in November but I think some of my October reads were actually read in November but because I wasn’t posting weekly wraps it’s difficult to place everything! This is why I need to be more organised. Anyway. It is what it is.
What’s On My Plate: December:
I’m hoping to catch up with review books that I’ve carried forward from October and also complete my last books from November (plus a late addition that went onto my September shelf:
- What Stalks the Deep by T Kingfisher
- The Possession of Alba Dias by Isabel Cañas (Carried over from October)
- Murder Most Haunted by Emma Mason (Carried over from October)
- The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah (Carried over from October)
- The Blackfire Blade by James Logan
- I’ll Make A Spectacle of You by Beatrice Winifred Iker
- Outlaw Planet by MR Carey
If possible I’d love to complete these by the end of December but I recognise that I’m not reading quite as much at the moment as there are too many other distractions at the moment. We’ll see. Maybe I’ll have a strange burst of reading. Never say never.
I’ve been terrible with this challenge this year – I think I’ll just declare this year a failure and start again next year with a proper list to try and get myself into gear.
Bookforager‘s Picture Prompt book bingo.
and the text version:
PICTURE PROMPT BOOK BINGO 2025 (TEXT VERSION)
| 1. A prehistoric flint knapped stone knife | 2. A lighthouse | ||
| 5. A very large mechanical telescope | 7. |
||
| 9 |
|||
Today, I’m ticking off: No. 7 A Stag – which I’m using Clockwork Boys by T Kingfisher for (you’ll know why if you’ve read it). I’ve also gone back through my list and I’m using The Vipers by Katy Hays for No.15 – A stylized sun with a human face – because the setting is the beautiful and dazzling island of Capri and the season is Summer – so plenty of sunshine and sparkling seas. For No.4 – the Archery Target with Arrows in it – I’ve chosen the Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford because one of the female raiders is an expert shot with bow and arrow.
So, three more prompts left – not sure I’m going to make it this year, these last three are tricksy, a flint knife, a lighthouse and a telescope. I might have to do some creative thinking.
The prompts I’ve crossed off so far:
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.
Number of books read this year: 78 (well below target – boo!)
Review: The Everlasting by Alix E Harrow
20 November 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Alix E Harrow, Book Review, Books, Fantasy, Review, Romance, romantasy, The Everlasting
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Another Contender for Best Book
Honestly, I’ve been reading some fantastic books just recently. I mean books that are just so good they’re not only going to stay with me probably forever but I’m undoubtedly going to be ‘pushing’ them and recommending them at every and any opportunity. The Everlasting is definitely one such book.
I went into this a little wary. The reviews were glowing and so I started to avoid the book chatter in order to keep my expectations from going through the roof, and as I started the read I would describe my initial reaction almost as a little doubtful. I think before I picked this up, although I’d heard the general hullabaloo, I had little idea what the story was about and I hadn’t quite expected it to take the turn it does in the first few chapters. Now, take all this with a very large pinch of salt because as soon as the story took this ‘turn’ I fell head over heels in love with it in, literally, a New York minute. In fact it’s ridiculous how much of a big pushover I really was given my initial thoughts that this wouldn’t be for me. I hadn’t expected this whole time loop, nor the Arthurian legend (with a twist) to poke it’s head above the parapet and then the love interest – the nerdy scholar who has read all about her exploits and is perhaps her biggest fan!. It all works so perfectly.
I’m not even going to tell you about the plot because going into this story with no knowledge was a winner for me – so maybe it will be for you too.
So,
Are you enjoying your romantasy at the moment? If so, this is about to knock your socks off. This is the romantasy I didn’t know I needed in my life. I don’t like romance and I really dislike it if the fantasy elements are tacked on rather than grounded. That isn’t the case with this book. This is a love story that puts a stupid smile on your face when you’re reading, it makes you want to turn the pages faster, it makes you want to skip the pages (don’t) so you can find out what’s going to happen, it makes you want to cry but more than that it delivers all the feelings.
Then we have this whole ‘Arthurian legend’ element. The central couple work so well together. The strong knight and the geeky, book loving scholar turned on its head by the fearsome, undefeated knight, being the female whilst the male brings his strength to the table in the form of ‘knowledge’.
Thirdly, the scope of the story is quite breathtaking. This is a couple who know how to wait for each other. They’ve been through so much together but actually trying to simply hold onto it, to retain their own little bit of happiness, is so difficult. They’ve made themselves rules, they’ve broken the rules, they’ve loved, laughed, fought and died for each other but they keep trying and waiting underneath the old yew tree and believing that maybe the next iteration will succeed.
It helps of course that I liked all the characters. Even the antagonist is the perfect fit for the story. I’m not going to say too much about her because, again, I don’t want to ruin the discovery, but she has motivations that you can actually understand, even if you don’t sympathise with her, she’s trying to find her way and to succeed in an environment where she would most probably be cast out with ridiculous ease if not for all her own dastardly interventions.
The writing is, much as I expected from this author, quite beautiful and utterly beguiling to read. This element of the story I can truthfully promise was not a surprise to me. I’ve read Harrow before and love her storytelling. Okay, well, maybe she surprised me a little by not only delivering a first class romantasy to a sceptic but also managing to deliver a story that can at times be so beautiful and yet so dark and brutal.
In conclusion, come for the great writing and stay for one of the most deliciously unexpected romantasies that you’re likely to read. This is a story about the power of stories, a story with many stories creating the whole and a story that truly shows the power that stories can wield. Dare I say – the pen is mightier than the sword!? Maybe not if the sword is wielded by Sir Una Everlasting. Read it and weep people.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 5 of 5 of the most dazzling stars
Top Ten Tuesday: Modern Books You Think Will Be Classics In The Future
18 November 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, Book Reviews, Books, Fantasy, reading, That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday
Today is the first Top Ten Tuesday I’ve participated in for a while, mainly because of being busy and personal reasons, but, I’m getting back on track and, I love this topic. So, here’s my take on modern books (which I’m taking to mean recently written as oppose to contemporary setting – although, obviously, you could interpret it either way) that I think could be classics in the future:
King Sorrow by Joe Hill – I haven’t written my review for this one yet but I absolutely loved it. It’s a chunkster of a book but it’s so good that it doesn’t feel that way.
The Everlasting by Alix E Harrow – this is another recent read that I loved. Again, I haven’t posted my review yet (which will follow shortly) but this was so good. The writing is fantastic, the story is totally absorbing, literally a story that spreads across the ages.
Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow – yes, two books by the same author on this list. It probably seems a little indulgent but I love her books and this particular book is like a love letter to readers.
Station Eleven, the Glass Hotel and Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandell. This is not a series as such but the books all interconnect in ways that you wouldn’t be aware of without having read the others. Basically, each book is a standalone and brilliant in it’s own right but if you have the pleasure of reading all three, well, it’s really quite mind blowing.
The Justice of Kings, The Tyranny of Faith and The Trials of Empire by Richard Swan. Fantasy books with murder mysteries, epic in their scopo but with a more modern feel in terms of ease of reading, great writing and totally gripping. I would love to see these books become recognised for the scope, writing and originality.
A Dowry of Blood by ST Gibson. I’m not always a fan of classic retellings but this story works. Told from the point of view of one of Dracula’s ‘bride’s this is a dark tale of doubt and seduction and based itself on a ‘classic’ I would love to see it last the test of time.
A Boy and His Dog at the end of the World. Such a fantastic tale, told in a way to deliver a really powerful twist. I loved it and didn’t see it coming.
The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar. Oh dear me, how much did I love this book? Ridiculously so. It’s an absolute keeper. A new story told in a way that brings all the charm of many older classics but easily readable and with hints of fantasy.
The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden. The Bear and the Nightingale, The Girl in the Tower, The Winter of the Witch. This series is so good, beautiful writing, fairytale fantasy and Russian Folklore. Quite mesmerising.
Finally, The Broken Empire series by Mark Lawrence. This series definitely falls into the ‘grimdark’ genre (and, as such, maybe isn’t for everyone) but being the first of it’s kind that I read it felt so unique and unusual, plus the writing is superb and the overall scope, of not only this series, but all the following series by this author, well, it really is impressive.
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Delayed Update? Booking Ahead/Weekly Wrap Up
17 November 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, book-blog, book-blogger, Booking Ahead, Books, Caffeinated Book Reviewer, reading, Sunday Post, Weekly wrap up
Weekly Update
Well, until the last month I was doing very well with my review books – then everything went to hell in a handcart and you think to yourself that’s hubris for ya because up to that point I was actually on track! Anyway, here we are. I’m back to blogging, slowly catching up with all you peeps out there. Reading my books – and my lord I’m having some good reads. This week, I completed The Everlasting by Alix E Harrow – if any book was going to bring me to tears it would be this. Absolutely brilliant. I loved it.
Next Week’s reads
I’d like to read The Blackfire Blade by James Logan because I feel like I’ve been bursting at the seams to pick this up for so long now. And, maybe I’ll have time to pick up The Austen Christmas Murders by Jessica Bull – I’m really enjoying this series.
Reviews Posted:
King Sorrow by Joe Hill (spoiler alert – this book is phenomenal)
Outstanding Reviews
- The Naked Light by Bridget Collilns
- The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry
- The Everlasting by Alix E Harrow
- Ragwort by Sam K Horton
Books and travelling with Lynn 