Reading Roundup: November 2025

I read so much in October that I ended up with a blog jam of reviews I needed to write. And a knock-on effect of that is that I slowed down reading (especially audiobooks) because I didn’t want to add to the pile-up! I went back to podcasts, or I tried to… I am either over podcasts now, or I need to find new interesting ones!

I also read less Marvel Unlimited, which is partly because I’m in the mid 90s and X-Men is just not as good and also because I’ve been trying to read my LBR issues, and I cleared up my RSS feeds, so I’ve been back to reading more blogs, and also I’ve been online shopping for Christmas gifts.

November was also #SciFiMonth, but I (predictably) did not find much bandwidth to engage with it.

Only 3 books! 2 audio and 1 ebook.

This was aprox. 322 pages read and 22 hours listened.

I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I loved this one. Beautifully written, well-crafted little story that is ultimately about hope in a Dystopic vision of America. It was totally my vibe, and tied in thematically with lots of things I’ve been reading about, watching and playing lately.

Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I got my turn with Lisa Jewell’s latest audiobook through the library. Fantastic cast, and I was gripped by this thriller! This one shoots to near the top of my Jewell Thriller ranking.

Maskerade (Discworld #18; Witches #5) by Terry Pratchett ⭐⭐⭐

I didn’t love this as much as the previous Witches novels. Opera is not my thing, so references might have flown over my head, and I missed Magrat! There are also a lot of fat jokes in this that were very uncomfortable to read in 2025.

Marvel Unlimited: 19 issues of X-Men

I continued to struggle through X-Factor (issues 79-86), X-Men (issues 10-15 and Uncanny X-Men (issues 291-296).

I am almost at the end of the X-Cutioners Song story arc, which crosses through all 3 titles. The essential plot of this is that Professor X is dying from the techno virus after being (apparently) shot by Cabel. All three teams are scrambling to work out what happened and how to save him.

I was led to believe this would involve Mr Sinister, but it only did for about 5 minutes, and it’s mainly about Stryfe and his hilariously over-the-top parental issues. This arc has been mediocre; it spans 10 issues (of which I’ve read 9), and it did take quite a while to get going. Plus, it involves so many characters that many of them are basically absent, particularly my favourite, Rogue and Gambit.

So far, the most fun bits have been the last couple of issues, which saw Cable, Bishop and Wolverine form a little team… definitely not an ideal combination!

I don’t really remember much else from the 19 issues I’ve read. I have been trying to give the new X-Factor team more of a shot; issue 84 actually had some nice character work in it, and I enjoyed the team working together.

Currently Reading

I’m reading Tiamut’s Wrath (The Expanse #8), and listening to Carpe Jugulum (Discworld Witches #6).

Adding to TBR

I bought a few 99p ebooks:

1. Grip of Film by Richard Ayoade
2. Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti
3. Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite

I also bought some second-hand art books. I’m planning to build a little collection for reference and inspiration:

1. Rayguns and Rocketships
2. Art Nouveau (Masterpieces of Art)
3. Art Nouveau
4. Hieronymus Bosch (Masterpieces of Art)

I’ve also been slowly reading The London Review of Books, but new issues arrive faster than I can read them! I am finding it interesting, and I’m enjoying reading a paper copy and making highlights with a real pen! (Very novel for me these days!). I just need to get better at recording my notes after I’ve finished reading, as I’m picking up lots of interesting ideas.

Book Tag/TTT!

I’m really loving joining in with Top Ten Tuesday! I’ve now added a category to my blog for these posts to make them easier to find. It is a really fun way to find new blogs and potential book friends.

1. 10 Random eBooks in my Calibre Library
2. 10 Books I Enjoyed that were Outside My Comfort Zone
3. 10 Books I’d Nominate As Future Classics
4. 10 Science Fiction Books for My Future Reading List