Review: Carapace by Travis M. Riddle

Carapace by Travis M. Riddle

Independently Published
Publication Date: September 25th, 2025
Ebook. 241 pages.

About Carapace:

"Relationships shouldn't be this hard.

Our narrator lives a pretty decent life.

He has a job mining for a mysterious toxic substance used in the nation's #1 haircare product, parents who call him multiple times a week toward whom he feels an unyielding sense of obligation, and a two-bedroom apartment with his high school sweetheart Alyssa.

But one day, she reveals to him her dream: undergoing surgery to become a creature.

Although he isn't sure what that means, he is deeply supportive of her like always, and his devotion to her happiness above everything else soon starts to unravel his entire existence, which might be more fragile than he ever realized.

A darkly comedic satirical body horror for fans of The Substance."

This book did not make me feel good--and I mean that in the best way possible.

Where do I begin with this one? (I may start too many of my reviews like this...) The author pitched this to me as "a dark comedy/body horror/satire about toxic relationships and capitalism," and that description really couldn’t be more accurate. Carapace is a strange, unsettling, and entirely absorbing story that feels a bit like being trapped in a bizarre waking dream--one that only continues to grow more and more grotesque and surreal the longer it lasts, and eventually you realize you might actually be trapped in a nightmare that is not going to let you wake up when you want to. If you've read anything else from Travis M. Riddle, then you should know that this book is pretty different from some of his fantasy work, but I think his style is very much present so I think you'll see some familiarity in places...

Our narrator is a miner living with his high school sweetheart, Alyssa. Early on, we learn that Alyssa has a desire that cannot be stopped, and that desire is to be turned into a creature. Apparently, there's a new trend of surgeries where people can turn themselves into a creature of their choosing (with some general frameworks provided, let’s not get crazy here). The narrator, our protagonist, is ever the passive partner and goes along with it. But not because he truly thinks it’s a good idea, rather because that’s pretty much how seems to live his life: with a true lack of agency that makes him fascinating. He is at turns a sympathetic character, but at other (more frequent) turns, he is entirely frustrating and left me wanting to shake him. And something tells me that’s part of the point.

This book is gross and I felt genuinely repulsed at points, but that's exactly what a good body horror is supposed to do. I'd also say there's some “apartment” horror going on here, which is highly oppressive and will leave you feeling claustrophobic, too. Riddle makes the strange feel viscerally present, and I found myself almost constantly scratching my head as characters veered more and more into absurdity that felt absolutely fitting to the satire. Everyone here is just a little (at minimum) freaky, and I love that Riddle really leaned into that. There’s a lot of weirdness going on here, folks. Additionally, I do not think I had any idea where this story was going at any point and I loved the unpredictability of it. You are truly along for the ride and you just have to buckle up and accept that this ride is going to keep taking you on its horrific journey and you cannot get out of the car at any point.

Carapace is one of those books that just makes you feel uneasy, but not in a ‘spooky’ horror way, just in a way where you know things aren’t right. I felt grossed out, annoyed with people, things felt bleak--and yet I couldn’t put it down. And honestly, I know that makes it sound like an unpleasant time, but I really do live for these reading experiences. I love something that makes me actually feel something and also experience something that I haven’t before, and I certainly haven’t quite experienced this before. And that’s also the mark of a great horror/satire: it makes you unsettled, frustrated, intrigued, and most importantly--turning the pages. I’d love to talk about the ending, so if anyone reads it, reach out and chat!

And just to touch on some themes, I was enamored with this exploration of what people will do to survive each day, and what people will tolerate to continue that survival without thought. I think there’s a lot going on with this lack of agency idea and being a cog in something, being caught up in something else, and even this idea of becoming a creature. There’s a lot to think about with this one and much more that could be said, but I’ll let you all explore that yourselves.

I also don’t want to give any type of spoiler, but I have to note: there is a dog, and there’s an event involving that dog that I did not like, and I don’t think some of my fellow animal loving readers will like, either. It’s handled in a way that absolutely serves the story and deepens everything going on, but I just wanted to give readers a head’s up because I did not expect it (and it reminded me why I no longer read any form of horror right before bed).

Carapace is not a comfortable read, but it’s not meant to be. It’s weird and thought-provoking and hard to fully convey without experiencing it yourself. If you're the type of reader who doesn't mind sitting in discomfort and is ready for an ending to sit with for a while, then this should be your next read. I'm not sure this book is going to be for everyone, but no book is so don't let that stop you!

*I received a copy of the Carapace courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Amazon 

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Graceview Patient by Caitlin Starling & All That We See or Seem by Ken Liu

   

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! 

The Graceview Patient by Caitlin Starling
Publication: October 14th, 2025
St. Martin's Press
Hardcover. 304 pages.
Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:
"Misery meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers in this genre-bending, claustrophobic hospital gothic from the bestselling author of The Death of Jane Lawrence.

Margaret lives with a rare autoimmune condition that has destroyed her life, leaving her isolated. It has no cure, but she’s making do as best she can—until she’s offered a fully paid-for spot in an experimental medical trial at Graceview Memorial.

The conditions are simple, if grueling; she will live at the hospital as a full-time patient, subjecting herself to the near-total destruction of her immune system and its subsequent regeneration. The trial will essentially kill most of, but not all of her. But as the treatment progresses and her body begins to fail, she stumbles upon something sinister living and spreading within the hospital.

Unsure of what's real and what is just medication-induced delusion, Margaret struggles to find a way out as her body and mind succumb further to the darkness lurking throughout Graceview's halls."

Caitlin Starling is a little hit or miss for me these days, but I'm so intrigued by this premise and have high hopes for this one.

All That We See or Seem by Ken Liu
Publication: October 14th, 2025
Saga Press
Hardcover. 304 pages.
Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:
"Award­ winning author Ken Liu returns with his first sci-fi thriller in a brand-new series following former “orphan hacker” Julia Z as she is thrust into a high-stakes adventure where she must use her cybersecurity and hacking skills to unravel a virtual reality mystery, rescue a kidnapped dream artist, and confront the blurred lines between technology, identity, and the power of shared dreams.

Julia Z, a young woman who gained notoriety at fourteen as the “orphan hacker,” is trying to live a life of digital obscurity in a Boston suburb.

But when a lawyer named Piers—whose famous artist wife, Elli, has been kidnapped by dangerous criminals—barges into her life, Julia decides to put the solitary life she has painstakingly created at risk as she can’t walk away from helping Piers and Elli, nor step away from the challenge of this digital puzzle. Elli is an onierofex, a dream artist, who can weave the dreams of an audience together through a shared virtual landscape, live, in a concert-like experience by tapping into each attendee’s waking dream and providing an emotionally resonant and narrative experience. While attendees’ dreams are anonymous, Julia discovers that Elli was also providing a one-on-one dream experience for the head of an international criminal enterprise, and he’s demanding his dreams in return for Elli.

Unraveling the real and unreal leads Julia on an adventure that takes her across the country and deep into the shadows of her psyche."

Admittedly, I have not been much of a fan of previous books I've tried by Ken Liu, but I'm curious about this one and I've been hearing quite a bit about it, so I'm eager to check it out for myself!

Recent Nonfiction Reads Mini Reviews: An African History of Africa by Zeinab Badawi & Batavia's Graveyard by Mike Dash

 An African History of Africa: From the Dawn of Humanity to Independence by Zeinab Badawi

Mariner Books
Publication: January 14th, 2025

Hardcover. 544 pages.

About An African History of Africa:

"Everyone is originally from Africa, and this book is therefore for everyone.

For too long, Africa’s history has been dominated by western narratives of slavery and colonialism, or simply ignored. Now, Zeinab Badawi sets the record straight.

In this fascinating book, Badawi guides us through Africa’s spectacular history—from the very origins of our species, through ancient civilizations and medieval empires with remarkable queens and kings, to the miseries of conquest and the elation of independence. Visiting more than thirty African countries to interview countless historians, anthropologists, archaeologists and local storytellers, she unearths buried histories from across the continent and gives Africa its rightful place in our global story.

The result is a gripping new account of Africa: an epic, sweeping history of the oldest inhabited continent on the planet, told through the voices of Africans themselves."

What I liked: I really loved what this book was trying to accomplish--a true history of Africa encompassing a wide swath of its history told from local African scholars and those from the regions she discusses, rather than yet another history of Africa told by outsiders. I really appreciated this goal and I think Badawi made an honest effort to achieve this. Because of the expansiveness of this topic, I think this book works wonderfully as a sort of general overall survey of African history that provides many opportunities for interested readers to pick areas of interest to dive into deeper on their own, or with Badawi's sources (I know I myself found many areas of interest that I wanted to start researching more about on my own). I also think Badawi is an excellent writer and managed to tell so much history in an engaging and accessible manner, and I think many readers will be able to learn a lot from this book. 

What I didn't: I didn't have too many negatives for this book. Due to the sheer breadth and scope of the book, I found some areas to be slightly shallower than I would've liked, and with some details sacrificed, but I hesitate to really call this a criticism given what the book was trying to accomplish. I did find some of the jumps in narrative or time periods a bit abrupt at times, and or simple cut shorter or extending longer than I anticipated in areas that felt a bit more jarring to the narrative. Additionally, as accessible as I found Badawi's writing, I also found it slightly lacking in any sort of strong voice. Now, this is perhaps a debatable opinion, but I tend to appreciate when historians insert more commentary on what they are writing about, and I felt that Badawi's journalistic background may have made this feel more 'to-the-point' with the information and relaying of accounts, rather than one that really dives into more of the complexities of various topics. That being said, it is, again, a large scope of a book, so perhaps this is not the right avenue for such deep discussion, though I would certainly appreciate it. 

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Batavia's Graveyard: The True Story of the Mad Heretic Who Led History's Bloodiest Mutiny by Mike Dash

Crown
Publication: May 27th, 2003

Paperback. 512 pages.

About Batavia's Graveyard:

"In 1628 the Dutch East India Company loaded the Batavia, the flagship of its fleet, with a king’s ransom in gold, silver, and gems for her maiden voyage to Java; the ship itself was a tangible symbol of the world’s richest and most powerful monopoly.

The company also sent along a new employee to guard its treasure. He was Jeronimus Corneliszoon, a disgraced and bankrupt man with great charisma and dangerously heretical ideas. With the help of a few disgruntled sailors, he hatched a plot to seize the ship and her riches. The mutiny might have succeeded, but in the dark morning hours of June 3, 1629, the Batavia smashed through a coral reef and ran aground on a small chain of islands near Australia. The captain and skipper escaped the wreck, and in a tiny lifeboat they set sail for Java—some 1,500 miles north—to summon help. More than 250 frightened survivors waded ashore, thankful to be alive. Unfortunately, Jeronimus and the mutineers had survived too, and the nightmare was only beginning."

What I liked: Batavia's Graveyard is meticulously researched and provides a vivid portrayal of everything that happened on board the Batavia, as well as everything that happened after she wrecked as well. Mike Dash does a great job of really weaving in the psychological elements at play, both with how people reacted to both conditions on the ship and once shipwrecked, with plenty of background and context for the time period, as well as extensive dives into the history of various figures who were a part of this event (and plenty of description of how truly deplorable conditions were on the ship, and let me just I cannot express how grateful I am that I don't have to experience it). There are also a lot of horrors to share, and I have to applaud Dash's thoroughness in relaying every last brutal deed in ways that felt both factual and encompassing of the horrors of what was happening--though at times it ended up feeling like lists of those who were murdered, which perhaps relays how it felt to those there as well. This is easily a very memorable read.

What I didn't: While I find Dash's extensive research and history to generally be a strength, I do want to note that some areas felt a little too dense and tangential and really slowed down the pace for me. At a certain point in the beginning, I found myself slogging my way through just to get to the beginning of the ship's actual journey, and it felt like a long slog. I've read a number of shipwreck and survival nonfiction stories, and I have to say that I expected this one to grip me more than it did. In fact, I found myself not feeling as compelled by this story as I have others, and I do think it was something to with Dash's denser writing that somehow took away from what was happening. Lastly, I know this book isn't necessarily centered around the women who happened to be onboard the ship, but I found myself frustrated with how the author talked about the women in this book at almost every turn. For instance, he described the "women kept for common service" on island--and I'm sorry, are we talking about the the women who were raped and kept as sex slaves? There was also barely anything about their experiences, as well as rather egregiously comparing their suffering to the men and implying that since they weren't in fear of being murdered imminently, somehow being a sex slave was much better. Perhaps I'm reacting too strongly to this aspect, but it definitely struck and kept making me wonder if I was missing something. 

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

 

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Devil is a Southpaw by Brandon Hobson & The Hong Kong Widow by Kristen Loesch

   

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! 

The Devil is a Southpaw by Brandon Hobson
Publication: October 28th, 2025
Ecco
Hardcover. 352 pages.
Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:
"A haunting, unforgettable novel of obsession, pride, and forgiveness, exploring the friendship and rivalry between two gifted boys in harrowing circumstances, from the acclaimed writer of The Removed

Milton Muleborn has envied Matthew Echota, a talented Cherokee artist, ever since they were locked up together in a dangerous juvenile detention center in the late 1980s. Until Matthew escaped, that is.

A novel within a novel, we read here Milton’s dark, sometimes comic, and possibly unreliable account of the story of their childhood even as, years later, he remains jealous of Matthew’s extraordinary abilities and unlikely success. Milton reveals secrets about their friendship, their families, and their nightmarish, surreal, experience of imprisonment. In revisiting the past, he explores the echoing traumas of incarceration and pride.

Filled with Brandon Hobson’s swirling yet visceral writing, and punctuated with original artwork, The Devil Is a Southpaw is an ambitious, elegant, and propulsive novel in the spirit of Vladimir Nabokov and Gabriel García Márquez."

This sounds like an incredible read, I can't wait to have a chance to check it out.

The Hong Kong Widow by Kristen Loesch
Publication: October 7th, 2025
Berkley
Hardcover. 368 pages.
Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:
"Hong Kong, 1953: In a remote mansion, witnesses insist a massacre took place. The police see nothing but pristine rooms and declare it a collective hallucination. Until decades later, when one witness returns…from the Edgar®-nominated author of The Last Russian Doll.

In 1950s Hong Kong, Mei is a young refugee of the Chinese Communist revolution struggling to put her past in Shanghai behind her. When she receives a shocking invitation—to take part in a competition in one of the city's most notorious haunted houses, pitting six spirit mediums against one another in a series of six séances over six nights, until a single winner emerges—she has every reason to refuse.

Except that the hostess, a former Shanghainese silent film star, is none other than the wife of the man who once destroyed Mei’s entire life.

It is promised the winner will receive a fortune, but there is only one prize Mei wants: revenge.

Decades later, the final night of that competition has become an infamous urban legend: The police were called to the scene of a brutal massacre but found no evidence, dismissing it as a collective hallucination. Mei knows what she saw, but now someone else is convinced they know what she did. She must uncover the truth about the last night she ever spent in that house—even if the ghosts of her past are waiting for her there. . . ."

This sounds like an intense and unpredictable ride, and I'm here for it.

Review: The Uproar by Karim Dimechkie

The Uproar by Karim Dimechkie

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: June 17th, 2025
Hardcover. 384 pages.

About The Uproar:

"A “raw, tensely plotted, profound high-wire act of a book” (Téa Obreht) on the intricacies of marriage, class, and race, and just how far one man will go to protect his family—and himself.

Sharif is a good person. He knows that he is good because he’s aware of the privilege that he holds as a white man. He knows he is good because he chose to be a social worker at a nonprofit in Brooklyn, scraping by in New York City. And he knows he is good because his wife, Adjoua, a progressive Black novelist, has always said so.

But Sharif’s goodness doesn’t protect him and Adjoua against bad luck. In an emergency, when they must find a new home for their beloved, unruly, giant dog before the imminent birth of their immunocompromised daughter, a desperate Sharif leaves Judy in the care of Emmanuel, a Haitian immigrant and Sharif's social services client.

When Emmanuel agrees to take the dog, it is only a momentary relief. What begins as a dispute between the young couple and Emmanuel's teenage son soon draws both families into a maelstrom of unpredictable conflict. As tempers flare into a public uproar, escalating to social media and taken up by law enforcement, the cracks in Sharif and Adjoua’s marriage are exposed and they’re forced to question everything they thought about race, empathy, and if Sharif was ever good in the first place. Immersive and propulsive, The Uproar is the book we need to understand the moment we live in now."

The Uproar follows Sharif, a social worker currently working at a nonprofit in Brooklyn where helps immigrants and low income clients from all walks of life, backgrounds, and countries of origins to find housing, jobs, or anything they may need to fulfill their dreams and live better lives. Sharif is also a white passing man and his wife, Adjoua, is Black, and these are relevant details for the book as it affects their relationship and subsequent encounters throughout. Sharif and Adjoua are in a bit of a predicament: their soon-to-be-born daughter will be born immunocompromised, which means they must rehome their beloved giant of a dog, Judy, for two years while she undergoes treatment. This desperate need to rehome a 150lb bullmastiff is what kickstarts the entire rest of the events of this book as Sharif leaves Judy with Emmanuel, a client that he barely knows, and as a result... all hell breaks loose, to put it lightly.

This book hooked me so hard. I felt so much anxiety while reading this book and was so stressed at so many different points, but that is also exactly what kept me reading. I had to know how everything was going to turn out, and I was so invested in both Sharif's experiences and Judy--I just had to know what was going to happen with that dog! Have you ever watched a movie by the Safdie brothers, such as Good Time or Uncut Gems? If you have, you might be familiar with this high anxiety feeling the media can invoke in us, and this book very much made me feel how watching Good Time made me feel, if that gives you any frame of reference.

This is also why I liked this book so much, because it yanked me in from the very first page and shoved me right into Sharif's place. He's a relatively ordinary guy, he's a good person, he's relatable, and all he wants to do is take care of his family and help those around him. So when he starts having a lot of stressors and obstacles thrown up in his face, you can't help but feel as desperate, worried, and frustrated as he does. This is one of those books where I am so invested in the character that I feel like I'm right there with him and everything that happens affects me as much as it does him--which is perhaps not ideal when things happening aren't always good, haha.

Through Sharif's experiences, we explore a relationship going through struggles, the various power dynamics at play with race, position, and power, what it means to be a "good person," and we try to explore how far we'd be willing to go to protect our families and reputation. I loved how nuanced this book was and how it explored such incredibly relevant and difficult topics in ways that really challenged some tough topics. I really would love to have a deeper discussion about this book and everything it covers, but I feel like a good portion of what I want to say would veer into spoiler-adjacent territory and I think this book really works better if you are experiencing everything our characters experience as they experience. But if you happen to read this book and want to chat about it, please let me know and we can talk!

Dimechkie deftly explores all of these topics with care, thoughtfulness, and even a touch of humor here and there that kept things feeling grounded in reality. I think the reason all of these topics felt like they were explored so deeply and so well is because at no point did any of it feel unbelievable or unrealistic. Things that happened were crazy and frustrating, but it all felt so real. Life is a mess and is constantly throwing all sorts of things at us that we could never predict--and some things we can predict--and it forces us to face many of these issues head-on every day. The Uproar reflects all of this and present us with a story that feels real, incredibly messy, and one that does not have a "right" answer at its core. It's just chaotic. And our characters, both Sharif and many of the additional characters we meet along the way, don't always do the right things, but that's because they're human and they mess up and often can only work with the information that they have at the time--and the knowledge that they have a family to care for. 

If you are looking for a book that you will not be able to put down and that also covers a variety of relevant and relatable topics, then please do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of The Uproar!

*I received a copy of the The Uproar courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating. Thanks to Little, Brown for the copy!*

Amazon | Bookshop.org

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Atlas of Unknowable Things by McCormick Templeman & The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson

   

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! 

Atlas of Unknowable Things by McCormick Templeman
Publication: October 7th, 2025
St. Martin's Press
Hardcover. 320 pages.
Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:
"High in the Rocky Mountains on a secluded campus, sits Hildegard College, a celebrated institution known for its scientific innovation and its sprawling, botanical gardens. Historian Robin Quain has been awarded a residency to examine Hildegard’s impressive collection of ancient manuscripts, but she has a secret. She’s actually on the hunt for an artifact—one she must find before her former best friend turned professional rival gets his hands on it first.

But Hildegard has secrets of its own. Strange sounds echo across the alpine lake, lights flicker through the pines, and the faculty seem more like Jazz-age glitterati than academics. And then there’s the professor who holds the key to Robin’s research. She vanished suddenly last spring. What exactly did she do at the college, and why does no one want to talk about her?

As Robin searches for answers, an unknown source sends her a series of cryptic messages that makes her question whether she’s the one doing the hunting, or whether someone is hunting her. Drawing on historical, botanical, and occult research, and steeped in the gothic tradition, Atlas of Unknowable Things considers what it means to search for meaning in the scientific, only to come face to face with the sublime."

I've had an ARC of this for a little while now and I can't wait to get started--this sounds right up my alley!

The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson
Publication: October 14th, 2025
MCD
Hardcover. 736 pages.
Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:
"The Wayfinder is an epic, sweeping novel set in the Polynesian islands of the South Pacific during the height of the Tu’i Tonga Empire. At its heart is Kōrero, a young girl chosen to save her people from the brink of starvation. Her quest takes her from her remote island home on a daring seafaring journey across a vast ocean empire built on power, consumption, and bloodshed.

With the grandeur of Wolf Hall, Shogun, and War and Peace, The Wayfinder immerses readers in a world untouched by Western influence, evoking the lost art of oral storytelling. Far from a conventional swashbuckling adventure, it conjures a world of outrigger canoes and celestial navigation, weaving a narrative that is as much about survival and self-discovery as it is about the sweeping history of the Tongan people.

In this monumental literary work, Adam Johnson explores themes of indigeneity, ecological balance, and the resilience of humanity in the face of scarcity, marking the novel as a profound meditation on both individual and cultural legacy."

I've been yearning for an epic tome of a story (especially a historical one!) for a while and this sounds like it could be a perfect fit. 

Review: A Tangle of Time (The Hexologists #2) by Josiah Bancroft

 

A Tangle of Time (The Hexologists #2) by Josiah Bancroft

Publisher: Orbit
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Paperback. 416 pages.

About A Tangle of Time (The Hexologists #2):

"From one of the most exciting and original voices in fantasy comes the second book following the adventures of the Hexologists, Iz and Warren Wilby, as they tackle a case that could redefine the nature of magic itself.

As the nation’s foremost investigators of the paranormal, Isolde and Warren Wilby are accustomed to bumping up against things that go bump in the night. They have made quite a name for themselves as the detectives of the uncanny, the monstrous, the strange. After a decade of wedded bliss and dozens of fantastical adventures, there is little in the world that can still surprise them.

But when a famous artist dies under suspicious circumstances, Isolde finds herself investigating a murder that may not have happened, and a crime scene that seems to shift beneath her feet. Not one to be easily thwarted, Isolde is compelled to take greater and greater risks in pursuit of her elusive answers. Meanwhile, the laws that govern magic appear to be breaking, and those cracks are spreading to the everyday world.

The mystery will carry the devoted duo to seedy underworlds, enchanted gardens, and subterranean military zoos. Old friends will come to the Wilbies’ aid as they infiltrate secret societies, battle vicious imps, and flee from a pack of venomous wolves. Equipped with Isolde’s hexes, Warren’s muscle, and an enchanted bag full of magical relics, the Hexologists will have to risk life and limb to unravel the riddle at the heart of A Tangle of Time."

A Tangle of Time is a consistent continuation of the Hexologists series and another fantastic example of Bancroft’s witty, detailed writing and storytelling. It has thoughtful, witty, characters with colorful personalities and a world that always seems to have something new lurking around the corner. 

As much as I wanted to enjoy this sequel as much as or even more then the first book, I don’t think this quite lived up to the first Hexologists book. It had all the hallmarks of Bancroft’s writing and I should have really loved it, but it almost felt like it leaned too much into quirks and character details and I didn’t really find myself connecting with the story itself or really feeling that compelled to find out what the mystery was. Something about A Tangle of Time just felt a bit lacking compared to the previous book. That said, it's still a very solid and entertaining read--it is still Bancroft, after all--and it did continue to expand the world and magic, which was definitely a plus, though still not quite enough to make it stand out.

Iz and Warren continued to shine in their own ways and have very strong personalities that work well for the story. I continue to appreciate that they have such a well-established relationship and are a solid team; they clearly love and respect each other, which is always nice to see and makes it so that romance is not a huge plot point, as I know many people are wanting a bit less romance-focus in their books lately. I still have the slightest issue with them in that sometimes they don’t feel quite real and by this I mean that they’re such interesting characters that they almost lack a certain depth that makes them feel authentic, if that makes any sense. They are still very well-written, so it’s hard to fully explain the issue, but you might understand what I mean if you've read these books. I really enjoy seeing how Iz and Warren interact and support one another in their relationship and that really continues to be a highlight for me. I will say that I don't really feel that I saw all that much growth with their characters in this book, but I also don't know how much is really necessary given the context of this series, so I don't say that as a particular negative, just as a note. 

Bancroft’s trademark wit absolutely came through, and honestly those are some of my favorite parts of the book. I love all the random details. The only downside--which shows up in most of his books but especially in this one--is that it sometimes feels like there are too many tangents that really slow the pacing down. There was nearly a whole chapter of Warren telling a story to introduce a character at the beginning of the book and while it was technically entertaining and I get the point of it, it was a bit much and honestly really slowed down the pacing for me. Still, if you love those aspects of Bancroft's writing, they’re definitely here and make it highly entertaining to read on their own, regardless of the story itself. There's a lot of banter of sorts, a lot of wit, and some wonderful attention to detail in language that I think always sets Bancroft apart from others. The only downside to any of it was that I sometimes feel like there's an attempt to set this into the "cozy fantasy" realm and I'm not sure how intentional that is, but I'm not sure it entirely works for the story. 

The time-shifting elements were definitely a fun addition to the world and interesting in themselves. I wasn’t entirely captivated by these elements at all times, but it was still a concept worth exploring. The mystery itself wasn’t what kept me turning pages, and it didn’t feel overly interesting or captivating and didn’t come across as the star of the show. Things felt overly complex at times, and the pacing was slower, which then left it a bit harder to keep my attention. The mystery plot wasn’t quite strong or intriguing enough for me personally, which left the other elements to overtake it therefore leave the story feelings slightly unbalanced. All this being said, I'm about to contradict myself and say that the details and complexity are also what make Bancroft such an excellent writer and such a joy to read. There's always something new or something weird to explore, and that's very much the case. Sometimes it works really well, but I think sometimes it gets slightly carried away as well and it leaves his books slightly bogged down, as this is something I also recall seeing a bit in the later books of the Books of Babel series. 

Overall, I’d recommend fans of the first book to give this one a read. If you enjoyed that one, you’ll very likely enjoy this one. Also, I should note that I don’t think it’s necessary to have reread the first book recently, as my own memory of it was slightly fuzzy and I didn’t struggle too much to keep up with everything in this book. Still, I do wonder if I might have enjoyed this more if I’d read the first book again beforehand. I absolutely do still plan to continue this series, however, as I do still enjoy these characters and this world, I think this one just didn't quite connect for me as I'd hoped. 

*I received a copy of the Hexologists courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

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