Every year, I set a focus. This year’s goal is to focus more: to spend less time on social media and more time doing deep focus work. I believe this has had a significant effect on the number of books I read this month, especially considering that two of them were quite long.
To be honest, I started reading Oliver Twist in December and finished it this month, and I did not finish The Little Friend, so keep that in mind with the number I read.
The Little Friend – Donna Tartt ⭐️
I couldn’t finish this. What made it harder was the author; I absolutely adore Donna Tartt. The Secret History and The Goldfinch are among my all-time favourites, but The Little Friend? We didn’t click.
Set in Mississippi, the book is masterfully written. The prose is so thick and atmospheric that you can practically feel the humid, slow pace of life. I read enough to appreciate the cleverness of the concept, but for me, “slow” eventually became “stationary.” Walking away was tough, but I had to honour my 2026 resolution: read for genuine enjoyment.
Strangely, it’s a massive compliment to Tartt. Her writing is so diverse and her books so distinct that it’s natural for some to resonate while others don’t. It proves she isn’t just writing the same story twice.
Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oliver Twist is easily one of my favourite Dickens novels. While I have seen the films many times, I am so glad I finally read the book.
What struck me most was the complex nature of the entwined families. In the book, the connections between characters are far more intricate, adding another layer to the story. The emotional weight of the novel comes from its unflinching portrayal of the worst of society. Dickens takes you into the grime and the shadows, making you feel the desperation of the Victorian underworld.
This is most apparent in the tragic figure of Nancy. Your heart breaks for her in a way the movies can’t quite capture. You feel the crushing weight of her loyalty to people who don’t deserve it and the spark of goodness she tries so hard to keep alive.
Ultimately, reading the original text made the story feel new again. It isn’t just a tale about an orphan asking for more; it’s a visceral, emotional exploration of the human condition that leaves you thinking about the fine line between the “respectable” world and the one hidden in the shadows.
Dark London – Dr Drew Gray ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dark London serves as a fascinating and atmospheric introduction to the shadows of London during the Victorian era and before. The most striking element of this book is undoubtedly the spectacular imagery; the visual presentation is stunning and truly transports you into the fog-filled streets of the past.
It is clearly a well-researched piece of work that has provided me with plenty of topics to research further on my own. However, while it is an excellent starting point, I ultimately would have liked a book with more depth. It scratches the surface of many intriguing historical points, but I found myself wanting to dive much deeper into the gritty details of the era. If you are looking for a beautiful, evocative entry point into London’s history, this is a great choice, even if it leaves the more academic heavy-lifting for your own subsequent discovery.
The Chronicles of Whetherwhy: The Age of Enchantment – Anna James ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Having absolutely loved Anna James’s first series (Pages & Co.), my daughter and I started The Chronicles of Whetherwhy with a certain amount of trepidation. It is always a gamble when an author moves on from a beloved world, but we need not have worried.
While it is completely different from the first series, it is just as good. James has traded the hallways of a British bookshop for the seasonal magic of Whetherwhy. The result is a world that feels both fresh and timeless. The book contains all the fantasy aspects of good fantasy while remaining hugely accessible for children. It strikes that rare, perfect balance where the world-building is sophisticated enough to intrigue adults but clear enough for younger readers to follow without getting lost.
The best way to describe the vibe of the book is Harry Potter meets The Magic Faraway Tree. It combines the magical school tropes and “chosen one” mystery of Hogwarts with the whimsical, nature-based, and slightly surreal adventure of Enid Blyton’s classic. If you were a fan of Tilly and the Bookwanderers, don’t let the change in setting deter you. This is a magical triumph that proves Anna James is a master of middle-grade fantasy.
Blood Over Bright Haven – M.L. Wang ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a masterclass in pacing and moral complexity. It is a rare kind of story that I read in two days because I couldn’t put it down, yet it contains ideas so heavy they demand your full attention.
This is a wonderful standalone fantasy book that manages to build a complete, intricate magic system and a deeply lived-in world within a single volume. While some may hesitate if they didn’t connect with her previous work, let me be clear: you should pick this up even if you didn’t like The Sword of Kaigon. This is a very different beast, a dark, academic mystery that trades martial arts for a scathing critique of power, progress, and the cost of “utopia.”
It is one of the only books I have ever had to put down and walk away from because the revelation was so thought-provoking. It’s the kind of moment that sits in your gut long after you finish the chapter.
Regarding the conclusion, some say the ending was surprising, but I found it to be the natural, inevitable outcome. Although it was the perfect ending, I wasn’t that surprised by the direction it took; it felt earned and consistent with the dark truths the story uncovers.
Ship of Magic – Robin Hobb ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stepping away from Fitz was difficult. However, having turned the final page of Ship of Magic, I actually think I like this more. The emotional connection here feels even more immediate, perhaps because the characters are so engaging.
There is a refreshing energy to this cast. Althea Vestrit’s struggle for her birthright and her identity provides a gripping tale; she might be one of my favourite female protagonists ever. The political intrigue is better explained here than in the previous trilogy, feeling more like a living, breathing chess match where the stakes are crystal clear. There is also a pervasive sense of mystery, from the nature of the Wizardwood to the secrets of the Rain Wilds, that keeps the mind racing.
What truly lingers, though, is how the book stays with you. As I sit here having finished it, I am struck by the clever, intricate details that Hobb has woven into the narrative. The way she plants seeds that relate to the first trilogy is masterful, and the surprise character who reappears (under a very different guise) is an absolute thrill for returning fans. It is a book that grows in your mind as you think about it, expanding in scope and emotional weight the more you reflect on the connections between these two worlds. It is a brilliant, immersive start to what is clearly an epic journey, and I can’t wait to read more.
Brigades and Breadknives – Travis Baldree ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Reading Brigades and Breadknives is a bit like returning to a favourite café only to find they’ve expanded the menu and the seating; it’s still wonderful, but the experience has changed.
The most immediate feeling this book gives is comfort. It is a good, easy read populated with the kind of lovable characters that Travis Baldree excels at creating. However, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t more on Viv and Legends & Lattes. Coming off the back of the previous books, you naturally crave more time with the orc we first fell in love with, and her smaller role here leaves a bit of a Viv-shaped hole in the heart.
That said, the emotional shift happens when you realise what the author is trying to achieve. It seems that Baldree wants to write a series similar to Discworld rather than focusing on one character. Once you embrace this, that the world itself is the protagonist and we are just meeting different inhabitants, the book becomes much more rewarding. It is a rich, expanding tapestry of low-stakes and high-stakes life. It’s a warm, cosy hug of a book that makes you excited to see which corner of this universe Baldree will illuminate next.
What was your favourite read of January?
Until next Friday: Read to learn. Read to escape. Read to smile.