Posted February 4, 2026 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments
Love Everlasting
Genres: Fantasy,
Graphic Novels,
Horror Pages: 136
Series: Love Everlasting #3 Rating: 
Synopsis: The next epic chapter of the acclaimed Eisner, Harvey, and Ringo nominated series!
Love Everlasting goes West, exploring the tropes and thrills of Old West Romance as everything shifts perspective and we discover the Cowboy's secret origin. Following the Cowboy as he follows Joan, we learn how Joan was first trapped in these stories...and how she might finally escape! The answers to the questions you've been asking are here in an addictive page-turner that will make you laugh and cry at the story of Joan and her Cowboy.
Collects issues #11-15.
I really really love the art in Tom King et al’s Love Everlasting — I’m glad it’s been consistent, it’s a style I’ve enjoyed. Buuuut the story is getting really frustrating: whenever you think you’re getting somewhere, Joan gets reset and goes through another love story.
I get that the repetition is part of the point, and it’s probably a lot of fun coming up with the multiple love stories in different styles (and the funny titles), but we really really have to start getting somewhere for real.
I’d read a volume four, but it’ll need to feel like a step forward for actually understanding why this is happening.
Rating: 3/5 (“liked it”)
Tags: book reviews, books, Clayton Cowles, comics, Elsa Charretier, graphic novels, horror, Matt Hollingsworth, SF/F, Tom King
Posted January 31, 2026 by Nicky in Reviews / 2 Comments
Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation
Genres: Fantasy,
Light Novels,
Romance Pages: 379
Series: Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (LN) #3 Rating: 
Synopsis: SHOOT DOWN THE SUN
The bloody war against the Wen Clan once led Wei Wuxian to seek power in demonic cultivation, and the dark acts he committed drove a wedge between him and Lan Wangji. Now, those old sins come back to haunt him as his reincarnated identity is revealed to the cultivation world. But even as the other clans call for Wei Wuxian’s death, Lan Wangji stands by him, making Wei Wuxian realize what he took for disapproval in the past might have been a much deeper emotion.
The third volume of MXTX’s Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation flew by for me, with just a little pacing mismatch for me because of the rapid flips between the two timelines. It’s true that the long interludes in the past in Heaven Official’s Blessing weren’t always appealing either, but it’s weird and disorientating to flip back and forth quickly between chapters. I guess there’s no perfect answer there.
I loved seeing a bit more of young Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, all the same, especially Wei Wuxian’s first kiss, and all the tragic goings on of the fall of the Jiang Clan. I’m curious how much we ever learn about Wei Wuxian’s time in the Burial Mounds, and how he got back out: it might be one of those cases where less is more, much as in Heaven Official’s Blessing we never learn exactly how much Xie Lian has been poisoned, tortured, nearly killed, etc.
There are still a lot of characters and a lot going on, but I feel like I’ve got hold of most of the important things now. I’m curious how everything comes together, and — unusually for me — very tempted to start on the next book right away.
Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)
Tags: book reviews, books, danmei, light novels, Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù, romance, SF/F
Posted January 30, 2026 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments
Solo Leveling
Genres: Fantasy,
Manga Pages: 296
Series: Solo Leveling #13 Rating: Synopsis: Outnumbered a hundred to one, Jinwoo and his shadow army ready themselves for the fight that will determine the fate of the whole world. As hunters worldwide gather to make mankind’s last stand, Jinwoo focuses on the gate closest to home and those he loves. A superior strategy is his only hope in the face of such overwhelming odds, but as the first wave emerges, it’s clear his foes are already a step ahead of the new Shadow Monarch... Has Jinwoo leveled up enough to defend humanity from certain destruction?!
If I understand rightly, this 13th volume is the last of Solo Leveling‘s main story, which… it feels like the last 2-3 volumes all happened in a massive rush, because so much happens here. I wasn’t surprised by the fact that ultimately — despite all his allies — Jinwoo went at it totally alone. The clue is in the title: Solo Leveling. In the end, all he can depend on is himself: he learned that lesson very early on.
Now we know why he needed to learn it.
I don’t entirely know how I feel about the time travel plot here: it diminishes some of the sacrifices so far, but it entails a different kind of sacrifice, so… hm.
I think I’d like to read the light novels now: I wasn’t sure at the outset whether I would, because this isn’t my go-to style of story. But, in the end, I like reading a little of everything, and I’m curious to read in a bit more detail, and get an idea of where the story here might’ve been interpreted differently.
[Note: since writing the review, I have indeed started on the light novels, and I love them. Reviews will come eventually, though I still have a huge backlog of written but not yet posted reviews.]
Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)
Tags: book reviews, books, Chugong, Dubu, manga, SF/F
Posted January 27, 2026 by Nicky in Reviews / 1 Comment
Paladin's Faith
Genres: Fantasy,
Romance Pages: 449
Series: The Saint of Steel #4 Rating: Synopsis: Marguerite Florian is a spy with two problems: a former employer wants her dead, and one of her new bodyguards is a far too good-looking paladin with a martyr complex. Shane is a paladin with three problems: his god is dead, his client is much too attractive for his peace of mind and a powerful organisation is trying to have them both killed. Add in a brilliant artificer with a device that may change the world, a glittering and dangerous court and demon-led cult, and Shane and Marguerite will be lucky to escape with their souls intact, never mind their hearts...
I was really hoping T. Kingfisher’s Paladin’s Faith would pick up the threads from Paladin’s Hope — you know, that epilogue! It did reference it, but the impact was relatively low, and instead Marguerite, Shane and Wren are teaming up to handle some courtly intrigue, maybe help get a world-changing invention out there, and of course, fall in love and feel intensely guilty about it (in Shane’s case, at least).
As ever, Kingfisher’s paladins are all running pretty much the same software, and Shane’s particularly self-hating. It took me a bit to gel with him as a character because of his intense self-doubt, but… I stopped noticing it so much partway through the story, so it did even out a bit. I wasn’t as into the relationship between him and Marguerite, but that also felt somewhat less of the focus than in other books.
There’s a lot going on here with the courtly intrigue, and I wouldn’t want to do too many spoilers, but I did get really into this after about 20-25%. There’s a fun cameo from the Clockwork Boys books, there’s some more stuff about how the gods work, a really epic moment for Shane…
And at the end, well, there’s another epilogue with an “oh shit” moment. Less so than Paladin’s Hope, because I wasn’t as invested in what happens there, but… yeah. I really wish there were more books now.
Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)
Tags: book reviews, books, romance, SF/F, T. Kingfisher
Posted January 26, 2026 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments
The Light Conjurer
Genres: Fantasy,
Manga,
Romance Pages: 146
Series: The Light Conjurer #1 Rating: 
Synopsis: Rubin, a seemingly useless summoner whose conjuring attempts are comically futile, secretly dreams of defeating a dragon. Fate has a sense of humor when Rubin summons a mysterious prince who coerces him into going to an abandoned castle… where a dragon lives! Can a useless conjurer face the challenge of confronting a legendary beast?
I’m not entirely sure how to rate Gene’s The Light Conjurer, because it sort of depends how you interpret the inclusion of Boa, who crossdresses and initially appears to be a delicate girl. Given he later appears gratuitously naked at times, I’m leaning toward comic relief, which gives me a bit of an icky feeling — though it’s a non-Western narrative, which is worth remembering for context. It doesn’t excuse it, but it is worth keeping in mind.
Anyway, I wasn’t sure how this was going to turn out to be a BL story from the setup, which involves Robin inadvertently summoning Kyle… apparently a young child, though he does claim to be a prince. It does work out in a non-creepy way in the end, is all I’ll say.
It’s all pretty overwrought and dramatic, though I liked that Robin’s father is endlessly supportive and loving, and that their estrangement isn’t due to intentional bad treatment on his part or anything like that. That part works out pretty cute… it’s just that all-in-all it didn’t hang together for me. I don’t think I’ll read more, though I am a tiny bit curious.
Rating: 2/5 (“really liked it”)
Tags: book reviews, books, Gene, manga, romance, SF/F
Posted January 22, 2026 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments
Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation
Genres: Fantasy,
Light Novels,
Romance Pages: 403
Series: Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (LN) #2 Rating: Synopsis: HAUNTED BY SIN
Following the trail of a dismembered corpse, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji arrive at the gates of Yi City: an old, abandoned town shrouded in mist and restless spirits. A fiendish foe awaits them in the shadows, heralding a tale of heartbreak and tragedy. When the mysterious corpse’s identity is finally revealed, the hunt for its killer plunges Wei Wuxian back into the depths of the cultivation world's politics, where he must keep his enemies close and Lan Wangji even closer.
Volume two of Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation contains the Yi City arc, which takes up most of it and is absolutely heartbreaking. It takes a while for the full story to unfurl, and features a long flashback of seemingly limited relevance to Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji’s current story, but nonetheless it’s completely worth it. Son Lang and Xiao Xingchen’s story is so heartbreaking but lovely.
There is also some development between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian, of course, including a kiss — though Wei Wuxian seems pretty oblivious to the full weight of his and Lan Wangji’s feelings, sigh. The bit where Lan Wangji gets drunk is, aaahhh, so ridiculous.
I’m still suffering a bit from the barrage of names, clans, sects, and relationships, but I have the character and name guide in the back to help, and of course a wiki. I’m getting there! Slowly. I’m gonna head straight into volume three to keep up the momentum.
Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)
Tags: book reviews, books, danmei, light novels, Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù, romance, SF/F
Posted January 21, 2026 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments
Solo Leveling
Genres: Fantasy,
Manga Pages: 299
Series: Solo Leveling #12 Rating: Synopsis: Jinwoo faces off against the Monarchs for the first time, and while he's undeniably the strongest hunter in the world, three otherworldly beings prove to be too much for him! But as Jinwoo is about to find out, death means little to the Shadow Monarch, King of the Dead. As Jinwoo Sung finally confronts the true source of his newfound powers, in the real world, a person thought to be lost forever steps in to defend his son's defenseless body!
The Solo Leveling manhwa is ramping up toward the end in volume 12, and it’s a heck of a ride. There are some really cute and touching moments (a certain reunion, and Beru’s… well, most things about Beru, somehow; how is an ant soldier so cute?!), a lot of epic fighting, and a bit more explanation of what exactly is going on.
It’s hard to comment a lot without being super spoilery, but this volume did have some veeery satisfying and long-awaited moments, and while the fight scenes just kinda wash over me, I did want to add that I love the art. The whole thing is consistently gorgeous.
I do feel like the pace is accelerating, and that maybe if there’d been fewer monster-of-the-week type episodes early on — which we lingered on — then all of this climactic stuff could have been explored a bit more. The pacing feels a bit uneven. It’s not that I haven’t liked all of it, but… yeah.
Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)
Tags: book reviews, books, Chugong, Dubu, manga, SF/F
Posted January 17, 2026 by Nicky in Reviews / 2 Comments
Swordcrossed
Genres: Fantasy,
Romance Pages: 384
Rating: Synopsis: The cozy, low stakes of Legends & Lattes meets the scorching bodyguard fantasy of Jennifer L. Armentrout's From Blood and Ash in this enemies-to-lovers romance where, yes, the swords do cross.
Mattinesh Jay, dutiful heir to his struggling family business, needs to hire an experienced swordsman to serve as best man for his arranged marriage. Sword-challenge at the ceremony could destroy all hope of restoring his family's wealth, something that Matti has been trying—and failing—to do for the past ten years.
What he can afford, unfortunately, is part-time con artist and full-time charming menace Luca Piere.
Luca, for his part, is trying to reinvent himself in a new city. All he wants to do is make some easy money and try to forget the crime he committed in his hometown. He didn't plan on being blackmailed into giving sword lessons to a chronically responsible—and inconveniently handsome—wool merchant like Matti.
However, neither Matti's business troubles nor Luca himself are quite what they seem. As the days count down to Matti's wedding, the two of them become entangled in the intrigue and sabotage that have brought Matti's house to the brink of ruin. And when Luca's secrets threaten to drive a blade through their growing alliance, both Matti and Luca will have to answer the question: how many lies are you prepared to strip away, when the truth could mean losing everything you want?
I think the title and emphasis on swords might slightly mis-sell Freya Marske’s Swordcrossed, because though they’re a part of it (and how the main characters initially begin to connect), the story is really more focused around Matti and the problem of his House’s slide into poverty. You could take the swords away and make Luca a dancing teacher, and much would remain the same. One does rather contemplate whether Ellen Kushner’s Swordspoint had something to do with the swordplay elements here; there are certainly some points of similarity. (Though I’m not saying it’s a carbon copy, by any means.)
I think much of the plot is pretty predictable, but there is some genuine tension built up between Luca and Matti — some of their scenes were pretty scorching (especially the ones where they didn’t have sex). I was less sure why I should think they make a good couple; there’s some “opposites attract” sort of stuff, and Luca getting Matti to be a bit more spontaneous, but… I don’t know. When I look back at the story, I’m not sure they had enough that was real to build a happy-ever-after on — the chemistry is there, but not the understanding of how they’d work on a day-to-day basis.
I genuinely loved the detail around the wool industry, though. That offered a bit of weight and detail to it, though a lot of the other worldbuilding was somewhat glanced over.
I didn’t feel this way at all about A Marvellous Light, and the author’s note says that Swordcrossed was actually written first, so maybe I’m being a little hard on it. All in all, I liked it, but it feels a bit thin when I sit and look back at the experience.
Rating: 3/5 (“liked it”)
Tags: book reviews, books, Freya Marske, romance, SF/F
Posted January 12, 2026 by Nicky in Reviews / 4 Comments
Greenteeth
Genres: Arthuriana,
Fantasy Pages: 279
Rating: Synopsis: Narrated by a lake-dwelling monster, Greenteeth is an utterly charming tale of fae, folklore and found family, perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher.
Beneath the still surface of a lake lurks a monster with needle sharp teeth. Hungry and ready to pounce . . .
Jenny Greenteeth has never spoken to a human before, but when a witch is thrown into her lake by an angry mob, something makes Jenny decide she’s worth saving. Temperance doesn’t know why her village has suddenly turned against her, only that it has something to do with the malevolent new pastor. All she wants is to return to her husband and children, still trapped under his baleful influence.
Though they have nothing in common, these two unlikely companions must band together on a magical quest to defeat the evil that threatens Temperance’s family, Jenny’s lake, and possibly the very soul of Britain.
This review seems to have missed getting posted back when I read the book, so I’m surfacing it now!
Molly O’Neill’s debut Greenteeth was a delight to me. I didn’t know about “Jenny Greenteeth” as a type of monster, but I recognised much of the rest of the folklore and legends referenced, and was pleased (and honestly, relieved) to see the Welsh spellings used. I imagine people are complaining about the author not anglicising for their benefit, but I liked it a lot.
I loved the way that the “twist” at the ending was seeded through the rest of the story, if you go back and look. There’s a Chekhov’s gun, there are references that set it up, there’s the presence of Cavall… there are so many hints, at least if you know your folklore and legends.
If people are curious about what they may have missed, here are some of the spoilers that made it somewhat obvious what was coming. On my blog this should let you click to expand; hopefully it won’t post in clear text in the email notifications, but if it does, consider this your warning!
View Spoiler »
1. Chekhov’s gun: or should that be Chekhov’s sword? Tossed into Jenny’s pond at some stage…
2. Chipping Appleby, “bound to be an elf door with all these apple trees around”: Avalon is the Isle of Apples;
3. Twrch Trwyth: the boar from The Mabinogion is giving you yet another clue that you’re in an Arthurian story;
4. Cavall: King Arthur’s hound, likewise;
5. Durandal or Excalibur could do the job: gee, I wonder what Jenny’s carrying around;
6. Creiddylad literally says it reminds her of quests in King Arthur’s court;
7. Jenny meets the afanc: again, another clue you’re in Welsh mythology, and specifically Arthurian;
…Okay, I stopped counting here!
« Hide Spoiler
There were some things that dragged a bit for me (the argument between Temperance and Jenny) or didn’t quite ring true — I feel like I could’ve stood to understand a bit more about Brackus’ decision to join Jenny and Temperance — but mostly I just enjoyed the ride.
Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)
Tags: Arthurian, book reviews, books, Molly O'Neill, SF/F
Posted January 11, 2026 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments
Solo Leveling
Genres: Fantasy,
Manga Pages: 312
Series: Solo Leveling #11 Rating: Synopsis: After saving Jinho from the vengeful Dongsoo Hwang, Jinwoo makes a public declaration that he will protect his family and friends no matter what. But when a close ally is killed in a sudden attack by the otherworldly Monarchs, Jinwoo is forced to reexamine who it is he wants to protect—and just how far he’ll go to do so.
It’s difficult at this point — volume 11 — to say stuff about the Solo Leveling manhwa that doesn’t risk being either spoilery or obvious. As usual, Jinwoo’s ridiculously OP, and it’s glorious to see. We get a bit more info about Jinwoo’s dad and what’s to come, and we get some big badass new enemies for him (who he immediately trashtalks, love him).
I did feel a bit sad for Jinho when Jinwoo referred to someone else as his “only” friend, though! Unless there’s something weird going on with the translation, that seems unfair. Not that Jinho heard it, but still, ouch.
I must admit that the (frequent) fight scenes usually don’t do a lot for me because I’m not great with visual interpretations, so I love when Jinwoo stops to strategise, or others comment on his fights. It’s quite the spectacle, just not something I find visually very useful.
Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)
Tags: book reviews, books, Chugong, Dubu, SF/F
