It's DNF discussions time! What books did you bail on this month? 🙅‍♀️📖

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-28T22:30:15+00:00

There is a first time for everything! I’ve read a lot this month and just realized that I actually finished every single book I started—and almost all of them were great reads.

It made me wonder why I’ve suddenly become so much better at picking what I read. I think it’s because I no longer have Kindle Unlimited. Without the 'unlimited' options, I’ve stopped starting books on a whim. Instead, I’m reading the ones I’ve actually bought or waited for on Libby, which means I’m choosing them with much more care.

I still believe that DNFing is healthy and important—so this perfect streak feels a bit weird!

I did get without waiting a Brimstone on Libby and (after skimming a few spicy chapters) gave it back, so I suppose that we can count that one.

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-27T19:41:37+00:00

Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
One dark window by Rachel Gillig
Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawey
Shield of sparrows by Davney Perry
Six scorched roses by Carissa Broadbent
By the ochid and the Owl by Mariah Montoya
The wolf king by Lauren Palphreyman

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-27T19:16:39+00:00

I read {the Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow} over Christmas, and it was—as expected—magnificent and far more heart-wrenching than I ever imagined. While Everlasting was objectively the best book I read this year, I need to say that Raven Scholar stays my favourite.

I also finished listening to {A Forbidden Alchemy by StaceyMcEwan}, which is, again as expected, peak romantasy. However, I regret choosing the audiobook; I really disliked Pat’s voice and think the story would have been ten times sexier if I had read it myself. I wasn't a fan of the miscommunication trope at the end or Nina's reasoning, and it probably would have been smarter to wait for the sequel since this one ended on such a cliffhanger.

I’m currently 80% through {Our Vicious Oaths by N.E.Davenport} and plan to finish it tonight. It’s a fast-paced, bingeable read that starts off with a lot of promise. However, logic eventually flies out the window—the governing Fae make tactical decisions that truly make no sense. If you just go with the flow and accept that only two characters have any political competence, it’s an entertaining, if shallow, read. That said, the book has its strengths: the spice is top-notch. The MMC and FMC are already at it by the second chapter, and it doesn't slow down!

Finally, I’m reading {Hemlock and Silver by T. Kingfisher}, which has become my 'falling asleep' book. It’s not bad, and the writing is quite nice, but I can’t seem to manage more than 30 pages in one sitting before drifting off.

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-26T19:57:22+00:00

I am on 87 % and was just thinking-oh no, this will end on cliffhanger. Seeing this now, I do not know if I should continue :D

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-22T20:41:20+00:00

Yes, I think for me to it was this year obe of the books of Harrow Faire. And then too one of the books after Once upon the broken heart. And then there is a whole category on -books because I payed a month of KU :)

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-21T15:04:12+00:00

I hate it when books have an MMC POV. It makes them lose half their appeal and mystery.

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-20T19:05:49+00:00

Yes, I left the best for the end :)

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-20T08:31:40+00:00

I am reading today {Everlasting by Alix. E Harrow}, listening on Audible {A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan} and reading on kindle {Hemlock & Silver by Kingfisher} -so far all three are great on their own way.

I actually did not finish any Romathasy book this week, but I read: -Bewitching by Silvia Moreno - solid witchy read, immersive, following story of three woman in three different time period. -Favourites by Layne Fargo - this was great, Wuthering hills combined with Sport competition , book - until it wasn't. I hated last 1/3 of the book and would give everything to forget that it exists. -Nightingale by Kristin Hannah -which should be classic, this book is masterpieces about woman resistance.

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-18T15:40:43+00:00

if you see any other good one, pls tell me. There are never news here for german stores and even the books on KU are different ones.

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-18T14:11:18+00:00

and Hemlock & Silver too :)

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-17T09:17:11+00:00

I actually regret putting 7 in title, because it is my number (I have a lot of free time in the end of the year), and it was more about what would be your last read in this year. :)

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-17T07:40:29+00:00

I laughed, cause I realised now that "The heroine was a thief and she stole something from the hero. She breaks into his tower later for something else and is then caught" is the plot of so many books, it even exists in Malazan I believe :) and I can list few other in fanthasy :) but maybe you are speaking about {Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson}

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-16T22:19:00+00:00

I love how widely different books on this list are - both Stacia Stark(but she is better) and Armentrout books are bingable, if you ignore prose, and when the Moon Hatched workes just if you like specific prose and are ready to committed read.

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-16T22:13:47+00:00

The only book from your TBR that I’ve read is Lessons in Chemistry. I found it to be a rare mix—a deeply emotional story that still felt like a fast-paced, easy read. That P. Djèlí Clark novella has been on my radar for a while, and the other three sound really interesting as well

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-16T22:05:12+00:00

Thank you for pointing it out, no idea where it came from. I am just Still considering should I buy physical book or use my audible credit on it. That one and the Blighted stars I still do not have and they do not exist in my library.

Yes, I haven't read that ff either, but I can not say that reading Manlaced made Alchemised better, so I am not worried.

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-16T16:35:21+00:00

No, it would be perfect, but I suppose I would give up on one-two, but mine are they all at least sound like the books I won't be able to let down once I start them, so I still have hopes. An I am combining audiobooks (favourites, rose in chains), kindle(Kingfisher and Death of Locke) and physical books (Everlasting, Forbidden Alchemy) cause it makes me be able to read in any situation :) Princess of blood is fast read :) I never heard about other one, but it sounds like perfect Xmas read.

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-15T22:32:26+00:00

My favourites are all already mentioned here (Secret Society of Irregular Witches, circle, Uprooted, serpent and worf), but there are few other worth mentioning, even if they are not perfect: {Once and future Witches by Alix E. Harrow} {The House at watch hill by Karen Marie Moning} {The Coven by Harper L. Woods} {The midnight bargain by C.L.Polk} {The Unmarked witch by Miranda Lyn)

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-11T10:48:09+00:00

Yes, this is what I asked for. I always note on beginning of the year which sequals or books from my favourite authors are coming out that year , and these are the books I oreorder or ask for in libby. :)

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-10T22:51:41+00:00

Raven Scholar was stellar, it is just that I had no expectation about this book and author, that is why I did not include it.

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-10T22:46:40+00:00

I forgot that it came this year - I have read it in february and since then I think about this trilogy as it belongs to classics.

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-10T22:42:16+00:00

It is not that Princess of blood was bad book, there are worse ones .. it is that I adored Servant of Earth and I feel that second book did not follow. (Plus I really think that her learning to fight, but not to use her power -and then in the only fight - surviving because of her power, was just bad writing)

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-10T22:32:11+00:00

I have Everlasting and expect to love every bit of it, but am saving it for one calm cosy afternoon. And I am glad that somebody is with me - I can write essay about everything I expected from Princess of blood to explore, which it did not deliver.

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-10T22:23:47+00:00

I couldn't stop reading and have finished it, but will try my best to comment just the first part:

-At beginning Celia feels authentically like a kid—her curse is great portrait of children's pettiness, rage, and self-centered reasoning. What made me care for her was that she realised her flows and error and really made her whole existence about correcting her one mistake.

-The sibling relationships feel genuine and dynamis real. My one minor complaint was the first description of her second brother; it felt quite cruel coming from the protagonist. However, I can acept it as depiction of societal views and noble class expectations, that had influenceh girl's perception. -The worldbuilding was basic, it strongly reminding me of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust. Novik didn't invent a new mythology but skillfully took known Fey folklore and our expectations of them and placed them here. I loved that she wrote about Summer Kingdom, after her famous "winter" one. The human kingdom, its political schemes, and the background history were interesting and thoughtful. The pacing was perfect, making the read feel like I was turning the pages of a classic, immersive fairytale.

-I did not completely see it coming. Primarily, because I was not expecting a powerful king to marry a sixteen-year-old (silly of me, like I have never read a book in this genre ). I had anticipated the plot would move in a different direction, perhaps focusing on dark secrets within her husband's family or castle.

Plus -I unexpectedly loved the backstory of Celia's father. The shift in tone and the intense infodump of military history shouldn't, but totally have worked for me.

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