Tag: mini book reviews

new blog post: April 2026 wrap-up post April 2026 Wrap-Up Post
Monthly Review

April 2026 Wrap-Up Post

Kara JorgensenLeave a comment

April has turned out to be the month I realize I need to slow down and let myself recover from all the chaos that has been going on. This month’s accomplishments will probably be scant, but you know what? That’s what needs to happen sometimes. Here was what I thought I’d get done in April:

  • Write the rest of “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Edit “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Rewrite some of Flowers and Flourishing
  • Take Katie for her CT scan
  • Take Katie for her radiation treatments
  • Maintain my mental health as best as I can
  • Finish grading for my classes
  • Read 8 books
  • Blog weekly
  • Send out monthly newsletter (with AUC)

Books

My goal was to read 8 books, and I read 10 in April.

  1. The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko- 4 stars, technically this is part of the Raybearer series, but you don’t need to read those books to understand this one. A young disabled woman with vitiligo works as a maid and realizes she’s more than she thought she was. Of course, this means becoming entangled with a crocodile deity who is rather attractive and wants to help her. It’s also a story about revolution and making society better for everyone.
  2. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe- 5 stars, a queer graphic novel classic, but I just read it. Kobabe goes into how xe figured out xeir gender, pronouns, and xeir journey to finding where xe fit in. It was highly relatable as a nonbinary person.
  3. All the Murmuring Bones by A. G. Slatter- 4 stars, a dark fairytale about a woman trying to fight against a generational curse and live her own life. It’s a bit of a slow burn in terms of the story, but I really enjoyed the audiobook.
  4. Liberated: the Radical Art and Life of Claude Cahun by Kaz Rowe- 4 stars, Rowe’s graphic novel is about a queer artist from the first half of the 1900s who created avant garde art and managed to survive the war despite being targeted by the Nazi’s for resisting. It’s short and well worth it as an intro to Claude Cahun’s life.
  5. The Titan’s Bride (#6) by ITKZ- 4 stars, (CW: lots of on page sexual content) I love the two MCs and how they are trying so hard to both be good for each other and for the kingdom they represent. The human MC is so earnest and trying so hard to do right by everyone, and it’s refreshing.
  6. The Titan’s Bride (#7) by ITKZ- 4 stars, see above
  7. Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher- 5 stars, T. Kingfisher is a fav of mine, and if you want a bug horror book that feels like something Guillermo del Toro might create, this one is for you. It’s more gross than scary, and the MC is a naturalist painter with anxiety, which felt highly relatable, lol.
  8. Seasons of Glass and Iron by Amal El-Mohtar– 5 stars, I adored this anthology of stories and poetry. El-Mohtar writes fantastic sapphic stories and stories that focus on women’s lives. Her stories are rich with texture and speak to the longing for places you can no longer inhabit or have never been before.
  9. River of Bones and Other Stories by Rebecca Roanhorse- 4 stars, if you enjoy Rebecca Roanhorse’s work or want to read more work by Afro-Indigenous authors, I highly recommend this short story collection. It collects a lot of Roanhorse’s shorter works in one place and highlights her horror and scifi stories especially.
  10. Painter of the Night (#3) by Byeonduck- 4 stars, (CW: this is a dark romance with dub-con) what I really enjoy about this series is the scenery and set design involved as well as the way the artist MC is losing his innocence in regards to the world as he goes deeper into his relationship with the lord he works for.

Admin/Behind-the-Scenes Stuff

  • Wrote some of “An Unexpected Christmas” (TRM #4.5)
  • Brainstormed some changes for the Flowers and Flourishing rewrite
  • Graded a ton of stories, projects, papers, etc. for my students
  • Took Katie for her pre-radiation CT scan
  • Took Katie to 3 weeks of daily radiation treatments (1 more to go)
  • Printed, collected, and celebrated my students’ literary magazine and its launch
  • Paid Q1 2026 taxes
  • Participated in the Narratess Sale
  • Sent out newsletter
  • Blogged weekly
  • Had to put a new battery in my car .-.
  • Realized I was burning out and tried to mitigate the damage by slowing down

Blogs

Writing

There isn’t much to say here. I posted about this more on Instagram, but I ended up realizing I was burnt out due to the emotional stress from February onward. I hadn’t dealt with the grief and other feelings I was having, and that combined with work stuff and the chaos of the US government caused me to inch closer and closer to burn out the more I tried to force myself to write. Halfway through April I decided to put all my creative stuff on hold until I could decompress a little, which means when the semester ends and Katie’s treatments are over. They have been slowly stressing me out more and more. I plan to start writing again in May, but I’m giving myself the space to just exist for a bit and refill the well.

Hopes for May

  • Write more of “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Brainstorm more changes for Flowers and Flourishing before I rewrite it
  • Finish grading/turn in grades
  • Finish Katie’s radiation treatments
  • Figure out next steps for that
  • Take partner to get glasses
  • Plant pumpkins and peppers
  • Continue to avoid burnout
  • Read 8 books
  • Blog weekly
  • Monthly newsletter

new blog post: 10 Books to Add to Your TBR 2026 Edition Part 1 10 Books to Add to Your TBR 2026 Edition Part 1
Book Reviews

10 Books to Add to Your TBR 2026 Edition Part 1

Kara Jorgensen1 Comment

Every year I make a running list of books I really enjoyed throughout the year that I would recommend to my friends and readers. These aren’t necessarily books within the genres I write, just ones I enjoy. I have tried to give you some info about why I enjoyed them, so use your best judgement and make sure to check for CWs online if you have things that bother you. The links below are affiliate links, so I get a small kickback if you buy something.

  1. Nobody’s Baby (#2) by Olivia Waite- You do need to read the first novella in the series to get some context for the characters and the world, but I absolutely loved this mystery. If you want a break from murders, check out “random babies oopsed into a space journey full of supposedly sterile reincarnated people.” It was an interesting concept and a fun story, even for someone who isn’t a fan of babies (aka me).
  2. Me and My Beast Boss by Shiroinu- This is an ongoing manga series about a human woman in a world full of half-beast people where humans are seen as lesser. She is desperately trying to carve a path at work only to be abused and overlooked until a full-beast man (a lion who happens to be the boss of the company) takes an interest in her. The story is a bit of an office procedural (think Phoenix Wright but office politics instead of law) with a dash of slowburn romance thrown in.
  3. Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti- Technically, this is the third book in a series, but I think it can be read on its own without losing much. It’s a sapphic romance featuring two Gothic novelists who have accidentally written very similar books only to find out, during the confrontation over literary theft, that they knew each other years ago. The two women’s lives were up-ended by the one’s horrid father, but together, they visit a spooky manor and eventually come to realize their lives can be so much fuller together.
  4. The Influencers by Anna-Marie McLemore- this is McLemore’s first adult novel and thriller, and I loved it. It’s a slowburn where we get the intricacies of a mommy-blogger’s family before we get into the who and how of the story. It’s as much about the mystery of who killed Mother May I’s fitness bro second husband as it is about the destructive nature of family vlogging. I absolutely loved the way the characters were fleshed out and how the shapes of their lives are juxtaposed against their mother’s expectations and control. If you’re expecting a more shallow, plot-centric thriller, this isn’t for you. If you want family dynamics and a commentary on online spaces from a queer Latinx author, snap it up.
  5. Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian- I saw way too much of myself in Simon: picky, prickly, chronically ill, and horribly anxious. I love the way Simon and Charlie navigate their relationship as two anxious people who have plenty of mental baggage. Costars turned lovers after a road trip to make sure Charlie’s step-dad isn’t dead was a storyline I didn’t know I needed. These two are just such messes, and I love them immensely. Cat Sebastian is so good at building emotional intimacy.
  6. The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko- a fairytale-esque story about a disabled made with vitiligo who catches the eye of a man who is slowly turning into a crocodile. It’s equal parts Beauty and the Beast and a tale of making the world into a better place, from the lowest people in society to the highest. I think it’s more enjoyable if you’ve read Ifueko’s Raybearer series, but without having read it recently, I understood what was going on.
  7. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe- I am very late to the party, but if you are queer or questioning your gender, I highly recommend this graphic novel. It definitely had me feeling some things because Kobabe’s experience was very relatable as an agender, lightly masc person. The comic is a quick read packed with a lot of gender and sexuality feelings.
  8. Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher- I make no secret about my love of T. Kingfisher’s work, and this was one of those horror(ish), Gothic stories that just hits. I loved Mexican Gothic for its atmosphere, and Wolf Worm has that same vibe but with insects. There’s an unsettling history surrounding the house and town, animals acting uncanny, parasites, and a man with plenty of secrets. I’m not a huge scary horror fan, so if you’re a chicken who prefers the unsettling, this is for you, especially if you like your horror historical.
  9. Seasons of Glass and Iron by Amal El-Mohtar- this is an anthology of El-Mohtar’s shorter works, and I was absolutely blown away by it. It is a fantastic mix of fairytales, myths, sapphic pining, poetry, and yearning for places you can never know. I don’t think there was even one work in this anthology that I didn’t think was fantastic. El-Mohtar is quickly becoming a favorite for me as her work always leaves me a little devastated and wanting more.
  10. River of Bones and Other Stories by Rebecca Roanhorse- I promise the next list will not be exclusively anthologies, but I really enjoyed this one as well. I am a big Rebecca Roanhorse fan, and I snapped up the anthology of her short stories as soon as I heard about it. Roanhorse is a Black and Indigenous author who writes primarily horror and SFF (with a bit of a horror edge). The collection is a great mix of her smaller works, some of which I read in anthologies or as an Amazon short. If you liked her Sixth World books, there’s a Sixth World novella from the male MCs point of view.

Stay tuned for more great books to add to your TBR pile!

new blog post: march 2026 wrap-up post March 2026 Wrap-Up Post
Monthly Review

March 2026 Wrap-Up Post

Kara Jorgensen1 Comment

I had high hopes that March would be calmer than February, but spoiler alert, it was not. It also somehow felt like the longest month where I did not get nearly enough done because my brain was in chaos 24/7. But, anywho, let’s see what I foolishly thought I would accomplish:

  • Write the entirety of “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Edit “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Send “An Unexpected Christmas” out to newsletter subscribers
  • Manage my mental health as best I can
  • Juggle a bunch of doctors’ appointments
  • Keep on top of work stuff
  • Send out newsletter
  • Blog weekly
  • Read 8 books

Books

My goal was to read 8 books, and I read 9 this month.

  1. Ladies in Hating (#3) by Alexandra Vasti- 4 stars, this can be read out of order despite being the third book in the series. Two Gothic novelists get into a spat over potential plagiarism only to realize they know each other. A visit to a spooky old house cements their second chance romance as they work together to find a missing teenager.
  2. The Titan’s Bride (#2) by ITKZ- 4 stars, I was dubious about this series at first because it’s definitely a little… size fetish-y (not really my thing), but the two MCs are super sweet together and the storyline is interesting. It’s nice to see them figure out how to help the kingdom and become a better couple.
  3. The Titan’s Bride (#3) by ITKZ- 4 stars, see above
  4. The Titan’s Bride (#4) by ITKZ- 4 stars, see above
  5. The Titan’s Bride (#5) by ITKZ- 4 stars, see above
  6. Me and My Beast Boss (#4) by Shiroinu- 4 stars, a workplace procedural featuring a full-beast man (very scary in world) and his human secretary (very weak in world) as they navigate taking on the systems that work against humans. This is a slowburn romance, and I am loving it.
  7. I Know What I Like by Vincent Price- 4 stars, a memoir told by Price about his journey into the world of art. In our current climate of anti-arts/humanities, it’s really nice to read a work told by someone who is so obviously passionate about art. Dated in places but still good.
  8. Nobody’s Baby (#2) by Olivia Waite- 4 stars, definitely need to read book 1 for context, but in this story, the problem isn’t a death but a life. New humans aren’t supposed to be born, yet one appears on the ship parentless. Our ship detective must find the parents and figure out how and why a new human has appeared all while her nephew falls more in love with the baby.
  9. Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian- 5 stars, two stars on a long-running TV show who seemingly dislike each other take a road trip to find the one star’s missing step-father only to realize they have far more in common and far more chemistry off-screen than either anticipated. I love a prickly, anxious MC falling for a more affable yet complicated MC, and this hit the spot.

Admin/Behind-the-Scenes Stuff

Cw: pet illness/medical stuff

  • Waited for Edgar’s biopsy results- not cancer, yay!
  • Took Katie to the vet to get a lump on her face looked at
    • It was cancer- boo, but it’s one less likely to spread
  • Arranged Katie’s surgery to have the lump removed
  • Arranged for her to get a CT scan/radiation in April
  • Set up a GFM because the treatments are draining my savings
  • Spend most of the month vibrating with anxiety
  • Finished putting together the university’s literary magazine with my class
  • Sent it off to the printer
  • Joined the Narratess Indie April sale
  • Kept up with my grading
  • Did my taxes and actually got some money back, yay
  • Took my partner to her one year HRT appointment
  • Took myself to my specialist (yes, it really has been a month of doctoring)

Blogs

Writing

I’m not going to lie, I did not get much writing done this month. As you can see from the admin section, I spent the vast majority of my time running around to different doctor or vet appointments or stressing about dog biopsy results. It has been a rough two months, and I know April will be semi rough too due to the schedule of Katie’s radiation treatments. I’m not sure when they’re going to start, but they will run Monday to Friday for three and a half weeks. That means, I will be running around most of the month. The good thing is that I can use the time I’m waiting for her treatments to be done to get work done since I’ll be waiting in the parking lot to pick her up (they only take an hour or so). I’m hoping that April will be when I can get back into a routine and knock out “An Unexpected Christmas.” I think this story will be really cute, and while stressful for poor Oliver, it ends well.

Hopes for April

  • Write the rest of “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Edit “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Rewrite some of Flowers and Flourishing
  • Take Katie for her CT scan
  • Take Katie for her radiation treatments
  • Maintain my mental health as best as I can
  • Finish grading for my classes
  • Read 8 books
  • Blog weekly
  • Send out monthly newsletter (with AUC)

new blog post: January 2026 wrap-up post January 2026 Wrap-Up Post
Monthly Review

January 2026 Wrap-Up Post

Kara Jorgensen1 Comment

January is always the most chaotic month, but this month felt particularly chaotic. The murders of two people by ICE in Minnesota certainly didn’t help that feeling. Most of the chaos came from finishing up The Reanimator’s Fate and starting the semester again. Let’s remember what my goals for January were:

  • Finish writing/editing TRF
  • Format TRF
  • Publish TRF (1/29)
  • Start working on the #4.5 story
  • Read 8 books
  • Blog weekly
  • Send out my newsletter
  • Set up my stuff for the semester

Books

My goal was to read 8 books, and I read 12 books.

  1. The Sunforge (#2) by Sascha Stronach- 4 stars, this was one of those books where I was continually confused and had no idea where it was going, but I was into it. I like that we got new points of view and explored new worlds. At the same time, I do feel like there’s a lack of cohesion from book to book in this series. Still really good and an interesting series.
  2. Do You Really Want Only a Meal? (#1) by Yasu Tadano- 4 stars, a busy office worker decides to hire a young chef to help him make his meals for the week only to have chemistry with him and the feeling is mutual. I really liked how between the two volumes, the two MCs get much closer, spend time together, and even meet the other’s family.
  3. Do You Really Want Only a Meal? (#2) by Yasu Tadano- 4 stars, see above
  4. The Titan’s Bride (#1) by ITKZ- 4 stars, I did not realize this was more erotica-focused than romance, but it’s an isekai where a young man is summoned as the bride for a giant king only to be tossed into court intrigue, a magical realm, and a suddenly very gay relationship with a relative stranger. A friend recommended it, and while I enjoyed it, I’m not as invested as I am in a similar isekai like The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter. The giant MC seems like a sweety, but this book is definitely someone’s size fetish in book form (not a bad thing necessarily, it just is what it is).
  5. Me and My Beast Boss (#1) by Shiroinu- 4 stars, in a world where beast-human hybrids are the majority, a human secretary goes from being a discriminated against employee to being the right-hand of the full-beast boss who tends to scare everyone by accident. It has beauty and the beast undertones, but I think it would be great for Ace Attorney fans as it’s similar but office flavored. The romance is also a very slow burn, which is very cute.
  6. Me and My Beast Boss (#2) by Shiroinu- 4 stars, see above.
  7. Me and My Beast Boss (#3) by Shiroinu- 4 stars, see above.
  8. The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter (#6) by Kazuki Irodori- 4 stars, a favorite manga of mine. An office worker is isekai-ed into a magical world and decides to fix the books of his new magical world. In the meantime, he gets magical sickness that can only be cured through very close physical contact with an overprotective knight. In this one, we have some near misses, church intrigue, and a little romantic tension.
  9. Through Gates of Garnet and Gold (#11) by Seanan McGuire- 4 stars, we get Nancy again! The underworld is under attack from hungry ghosts who are tearing apart the living, and only Nancy and her friends can save them. I don’t want to give anything away, but I really liked how this was set up. I almost wish it was longer, so we could get more dynamics between the rulers of the dead.
  10. In Which Margo Halifax Earnes Her Shocking Reputation (#1) by Alexandra Vasti- 4 stars, a rather scandalous woman teams up with her brother’s lawyer friend to catch up with her sister on her way to Scotland only to fall for the stuffed shirt young man. All of these novellas as fun, quick reads to case the chaos of the world away.
  11. In Which Matilda Halifax Learns the Value of Restraint (#2) by Alexandra Vasti- 4 stars, the errant sister from book 1 is actually on her way to become the art teacher for a young woman in Scotland, but she has also fallen for her grouchy brother, especially since he is a dom and she’s into that sort of thing.
  12. In Which Winnie Halifax is Utterly Ruined (#3) by Alexandra Vasti, 4 stars, a woman decides to take her life into her own hands by pretending she has a husband in order to buy a sheep farm only to accidentally fake-marry a real man. Once he finds out, he confronts her only to fall in love with her.

Admin/Behind-the-Scenes Stuff

  • Finished writing TRF
  • Finished editing TRF
  • Finished proofing TRF
  • Formatted the ebook of TRF
  • Formatted the paperback of TRF
  • Had Kobo bork the preorder/release of TRF (see blog post in next section)
  • Contacted by narrator about the audiobook for TRF (coming late spring/early summer)
  • Contacted my cover artist about recovering Kinship and Kindness
  • Brainstormed “An Unexpected Christmas” (TRM #4.5)
  • Ran a sale on Chirp for the audiobooks of TRM 1-3
  • Paid quarterly taxes
  • Edited the syllabi for my classes
  • Set up the Blackboards for my classes
  • Shoveled so much friggin snow
  • Finished setting up my bullet journal

Blogs

Writing

The first half of the month was devoted to simultaneously writing and editing The Reanimator’s Fate. I had finished most of TRF by January, but I ended up leaving a bit to dangle while I finished editing in order to make sure I made the best ending possible and that everything tied to together cohesively. I try not to write and do final edits at the same time, but sometimes, it happens. While I don’t like to cut it so close to my deadlines, it couldn’t be helped. Luckily, it all worked out, and I was only stressed out right at the end. I’m very envious of authors who are done with their books weeks or months ahead of their release. I am definitely not that person, though I would like to be. Given any length of time, I will fill it like a liquid, lol. Apart from Kobo having technical difficulties that are beyond my control, my release went well. Hopefully, that will be sorted soon, but I’m pleased that my readers seem to be enjoying TRF. That’s all I could have asked for.

Hopes for February

  • Outline “An Unexpected Christmas” (TRM #4.5)
  • Write most, if not all, of “An Unexpected Christmas” (TRM #4.5)
  • Reread Flowers and Flourishing
  • Take notes on Flower and Flourishing for the rewrite
  • Read 8 books
  • Send out newsletter
  • Blog weekly
  • Keep up with grading
  • Manage my stress
new blog post: november 2025 wrap-up post November 2025 Wrap-Up Post
Monthly Review

November 2025 Wrap-Up Post

Kara Jorgensen1 Comment

November has been one of those weirdly pleasant months where I start to question whether I haven’t been paying attention or if it was actually good. In the US, it feels like the tide is starting to turn, which has bolstered my spirits, and the holidays are approaching rapidly (for better or worse). Here were my goals for November:

  • Write 25,000 words
  • Reread and edit act 2
  • Read 8 books
  • Blog weekly
  • Send out my newsletter
  • Cover reveal (hopefully)
  • Keep up with grading
  • Finish Christmas shopping

Books

My goal was to read 8 books, and I read exactly 8.

  1. Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher- 4 stars, a quirky tale of goblins in the midst of an endless war against humans and elves who get transported into the middle of enemy territory only to run into a veterinarian elf and a mass murdering human.
  2. Network Effect (#5) by Martha Wells- 4 stars, since this is the middle of the Murder Bot Diaries series, I won’t give too much away, but I absolutely love Murderbot. They are the autistic robot I love the most, and in this volume, he is forced to fight for the people he loves, grapple with his own feelings, but have no fear because ART is back!
  3. Snake Eater by T. Kingfisher- 5 stars, a tale of desert folklore where a woman runs away from her old life only to quickly become a member of a small town inhabited by oddballs, demi gods, and desert spirits who are willing to kill for what they want.
  4. The Holiday Trap by Roan Parrish- 4 stars, The Holiday but gay. A Jewish woman from a small town swaps houses with a man from New Orleans who found out his boyfriend had a secret family. They find out their lives could be so much richer if they can get out of their bubble and yearn for more. Absolutely loved it.
  5. Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher- 5 stars, a princess turned convent-dweller turned woman on a mission gathers a group of unlikely heroes, including a demonic chicken and a bone dog, to save her sister and her kingdom. I really love T. Kingfisher’s books, and this one was my favorite I read this month of hers.
  6. Lovers at the Museum by Isabel Allende- 3 stars, someone recommended this to me, and while it had an air of magical realism x Piranesi, I found it a little heavy handed for my taste.
  7. The Long Game (#4) by Ann Leckie- 4 stars, a very weird short story about an alien slug (?) who is trying to extend his life and better the lives of his people while dealing with the large and complex world of humans.
  8. Just Out of Jupiter’s Reach (#5) by Nnedi Okorafor- 4 stars, a short story about seven people who leave earth for 10 years in order to get millions of dollars and bond with a genetically engineered spaceship. Intriguing and weird but with surprising depth for such a small package.

Admin/Behind-the-Scenes Stuff

  • Wrote a lot
  • Edited all of Act 1 again
  • Edited all of Act 2 part 1 again
  • Stayed on top of grading
  • Ran a sale/book bundle
  • My partner came out to my mom and extended family
  • Finished my Christmas shopping
  • Started working on my 2026 goals
  • Voted in my state’s gubernatorial election (dems won, yay!)
  • Had to pay for my meds out of pocket (boo)

Blog

Writing

This month went oddly smoothly with my writing. I feel like I hit my stride with my energy levels until the very end of the month when I mildly crashed a bit around Thanksgiving. I am trying to listen to my body and back off when necessary. I decided to do some editing instead, and I am pleased to report that the beginning of the book is in surprisingly good shape (yay). I’m really hoping that this trend of smooth writing continues into December, so I can wrap this book up without too much chaos. Wish me luck in that regard, but at least the semester is ending soon.

Hopes for December

  • Finish writing the book
  • Edit Act 2 part 2
  • Read 8 books
  • Send out newsletter
  • Wrap presents
  • Blog weekly
  • Post grades/finish grading
  • Set up Q1 and 2026 goals
new blog post: september 2025 wrap-up post September 2025 Wrap-Up Post
Monthly Review

September 2025 Wrap-Up Post

Kara Jorgensen1 Comment

I don’t know about anyone else, but September was the month of chaos for me. Between random family stuff, a bunch of medical appointments, and other things beyond my control, I felt like I was pulled in ten different directions this month. At the same time, I do feel like I did decently but not on my goals for September. Let’s take a look at what they were.

  • Write 20,000 words of TRF
  • Work more on F&F rewrite
  • Set up my goals for Q4
  • Cover reveal
  • Set up preorder for TRF
  • Stay on top of grading
  • Read 8 books
  • Blog weekly
  • Send out newsletter

Books

My goal was to read 8 books, and I read exactly 8.

  1. A Letter from the Lonesome Shore (#2) by Sylvie Cathrall- 4 stars, the final book in a duology set beneath the sea and told through letters and other found objects. It’s a really cool idea, and I absolutely love the main characters. At the same time, some of the characters come off as juvenile or weirder than they’re meant to.
  2. The Dragon’s Promise (#3) by Elizabeth Lim- 4 stars, the second half of Six Crimson Cranes follows the main characters are they reclaim their positions and figure out how to untangled their world from promises made with dragons. I loved the glimpses of history we get from this book and how they tie to the prequel book.
  3. Eaters of the Dead by Kevin J. Wetmore Jr.- 5 stars, a fantastic nonfiction book about how cannibalistic monsters tie back to death rites, famine, and other sociological causes. It was incredibly interesting and very useful if you are someone who is into why monsters appear and how they fit into our history.
  4. Her Radiant Curse (#0) by Elizabeth Lim- 4 stars, this feels more like a third book than a prequel. It needs to be read after The Dragon’s Promise to avoid spoilers for that series. I think I actually liked this better than the other two books in the series. Lim does a fantastic job weaving in folklore into fantasy.
  5. Conquering Writer’s Block by K. M. Weiland- 4 stars, useful for people who need a little reminder as to what is important how to untangle ourselves from brain chaos and doubt. For someone who has been writing for a long time, it’s nothing you don’t already know, but I do think hearing these things and refreshing our memories with a less than a hundred page book can make it worth it and useful when floundering.
  6. The Summer War by Naomi Novik- 5 stars, a book about sibling relationships, ineffectual parents, and how people need to stick together to create a better future. I especially loved how one of the main themes/messages is that leaving anyone behind means leaving everyone behind.
  7. A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher- 4 stars, a creepy rather than scary horror book about a house haunted by familial expectation. Really creepy and deliciously soft yet ghoulish (as many of T. Kingfisher’s books are). It probably won’t do it for diehard horror fans, but for chickens like me, it was great.
  8. To Clutch a Razor (#2) by Veronica Roth- 4 stars, a novella about dealing with familial trauma, revenge, and how to make things right. I absolutely LOVE this series and how it combines folklore and modern settings.

Admin/Behind-the-Scenes Stuff

  • Set up the preorder for The Reanimator’s Fate
  • Made my goals for Q4
  • Set up my kanban board for Q4
  • The Reanimator’s Remains won in 3 categories of the Indie Ink Awards
  • Created a retroactive outline for The Reanimator’s Fate as I work on it
  • Did celebratory sushi for morale
  • Got my flu and covid shots
  • Got my car inspected and got my partner’s ID done
  • Paid Q2 author taxes
  • Went to my specialist appoint (just a refill, I’m fine)
  • Took my partner for blood work and doctor appointments
  • Dealt with family health stuff (partner’s, not mine but you know how it is)
  • Stayed on top of my grade… yay *laugh-sob*

Blogs

Writing

Writing this month was equal parts productive and chaotic. I had weeks where things went really well, but toward the end of the month, things went rapidly downhill due to external family chaos and a week full of appointments between me and my partner. I think I would have done better if we didn’t have so much crammed so close together, and as an autistic person, it’s really hard for me to do anything before an appointment and I often need to decompress after an appointment. It just takes the life out of me, as does unpredictable things that have to be done to help someone else. The Reanimator’s Fate has been going well, even with a week of no writing, and I’m really excited having it come out in late January. It will definitely be done by then, *knock on wood*.

Hopes for October

  • Write 20,000 words
  • Keep up with grades
  • Maintain my mental health
  • Make a dent in Christmas shopping
  • Read 8 books
  • Blog weekly
  • Send out my monthly newsletter
  • Cover reveal??

new blog post: 10 Books to Add to your TBR 2025 Edition Pt. 2 10 Books to Add to your TBR 2025 Edition Pt. 2
Book Reviews

10 Books to Add to your TBR 2025 Edition Pt. 2

Kara Jorgensen2 Comments

In the past, I would make a best of list for books I read, but I hate holding off on talking about my favorite reads. Instead, I plan to make a few of these posts throughout the year as I find books I loved. You can read the first installment here. The links below are affiliate links, so I get a tiny kick back if you purchase through that link.

  1. Turning the Tables by Andrew P. Haley- If you like food history, this is a really interesting nonfiction book about how the rise of the middle class in cities in the mid 1900s led to the restaurant culture we see today. It goes into how “ethnic” cuisine rose above stuffy French food, how dining habits changed, why tipping culture exists, etc.
  2. The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter by Yatsuki Wakatsu- If you like Oliver from my Reanimator Mysteries books, you will love the main character of this manga series. A workaholic accountant gets accidentally transported into a magical world, and instead of becoming the traditional hero, he decides to continue his workaholic ways as an accountant for the magical realm. He runs afoul of people in power, and he finds himself the target of help from a magical knight who decides he needs to save the workaholic from himself. This manga scratches so many book itches for me.
  3. “Ark” by Veronica Roth- This one is less than 50 pages, but it is so good. The world is about to get hit with a dinosaur extinction level asteroid, so as the planet is being evacuated, scientists race to catalog and preserve plants in Svalbard. Samantha prepares to stay behind until she gets to talking with an older scientist who studies orchids. I don’t want to give too much away, but I found this story surprisingly poignant and lovely despite the bleakness of the set-up.
  4. The Duke at Hazard by K. J. Charles- Technically, this is a sequel, but it can be read as a standalone or out of order with The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting. The Duke of Severin has lived a very sheltered life of privilege, and he is itching to get away from his life (and relatives for a time). A bet with his cousin combined with being robbed of a precious ring during a clandestine meeting with another man is the perfect cover and reason to leave. For a month, he will live like a normal person, though he isn’t sure how one does that or how to find the man who stole his family ring from him. That is, until he runs into a gentleman whose family has been ruined for years who doesn’t recognize him but is willing to help. Together, they set out to find the robber, give Severin experience, and perhaps, rescue his new love’s reputation along the way.
  5. The Memory of the Ogisi by Moses Ose Utomi- a caveat for this is that it is the third and final book in the series. I really liked this series, and if you read all three in close proximity, I think it would really highlight the cyclical nature of societies that Utomi is getting at. I wouldn’t say the ending of the series is good, per se, but it does what it sets out to do and it’s interesting. The whole thing is a fascinating and rather brutal look at how knowledge and propaganda shapes histories and society.
  6. Copper Script by K. J. Charles- a policeman ends up becoming intrigued by a graphologist who reads his cousin a little too well only to realize the man’s talents are far realer than he expected. As Aaron tests Joel’s skills, they become embroiled in a case of corruption and murder that becomes far more than they bargained for, especially as they fall for each other against all odds. A bonus is that the one MC is an amputee, and there is quite a bit of hurt-comfort and intrigue going on.
  7. All Systems Red by Martha Wells- this is the first book in the Murderbot Diaries, and I am recommending this as sort of “read the series” recommendation. Murderbot is a security bot who has hacked its government module (aka now it has free will) and spends the majority of its time doing it’s job as little as possible and watching Netflix in its head. Wells does a really good job portraying autism and sex-repulsed asexuality through Murderbot, and the series is fun, well done, and tugs at the heart as we see Murderbot truly come into itself.
  8. Eaters of the Dead by Kevin J. Wetmore Jr.- Eaters of the Dead is a nonfiction/academic book about cannibalistic monsters that appear across the world and in fiction. As someone who writes about monsters and the occasional bit of cannibalism, I found this book incredibly interesting. Wetmore talks a lot about the root cause of creatures like ogres, Grendel, ghouls, etc. along with Eastern vs. Western views of funerary practices and how that plays into different views and anxieties surrounding the dead and cannibalism. Highly recommend if you want to get a deeper understanding of monsters.
  9. The Summer War by Naomi Novik- a rather short book packed with a ton of action about three siblings grappling with their place in the world where they are at endless war with the fae. There’s magic, queer pining of a side character, fae trickery, and so much love and caring. I listened to the audiobook of this in one day and absolutely loved it.
  10. Conquering Writer’s Block by K. M. Weiland- while I found this book to contain a lot of things I already know, I thought it would be useful to those who are earlier in their career. Weiland provides a grounding perspective and some good advice as to how to stay on track or get into good habits. Sometimes, when things get stressful, it’s good to have a reminder of what to do, especially in a book that’s less than 100 pages, so you can read it periodically to reset your flailing brain.

new blog post: june 2025 wrap-up post June 2025 Wrap-Up Post
Monthly Review

June 2025 Wrap-Up Post

Kara Jorgensen1 Comment

Part of me would love to say that this month went really well because I got quite a bit of writing done, but the other part of me looks at the dumpster fire and chaos around me and feels otherwise. Either way, I am happy that I feel like I have finally found my stride with The Reanimator’s Fate. Let’s look at our goals for June before we get started.

  • Write at least 20,000 words of The Reanimator’s Fate (TRM #4)
  • Try to write every single day at least a little to be consistent
  • Get the audiobook for The Reanimator’s Remains (TRM #3) out everywhere
  • Maintain my mental health and balancing my writing and hobbies to avoid burnout
  • Catch up on my stitch-a-long
  • Exercise consistently
  • Read 8 books
  • Blog weekly
  • Send out my monthly newsletter
  • Enjoy my 20th anniversary with my partner

Books

My goal was to read 8 books, and I read exactly 8.

  1. The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting (#1) by KJ Charles- 5 stars, two fortune hunting but charming young people come to London hoping to find stability and find more than they bargained for when the young man sets his sights on the well-off niece of a cranky brewer only to fall for the brewer instead.
  2. Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date (#3) by Ashley Herring Blake- 4 stars, Iris has sworn off love after too many failed relationships while Stevie is trying to get back into the dating world after leaving a long-term relationship. When anxiety wrecks a one night stand with Iris, Stevie thinks she’ll never see her again until they end up in the same queer community theater production.
  3. The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter (#3) by Yatsuki Wakatsu- 4 stars, an accountant ends up accidentally ending up in a new world along with the woman fated to save it only to find out he’s allergic to magic and the only one who can keep him safe is a very serious, slightly overprotective knight. The world’s books are a mess, and they may be the key to saving the kingdom.
  4. The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter (#4) by Yatsuki Wakatsu- 4 stars, see above.
  5. The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter (#5) by Yatsuki Wakatsu- 5 stars, see above.
  6. I Hear the Sunspot: Four Seasons (#3) by Yuki Fumino- 4 stars, a hard-of-hearing man joins a new company only to realize he’s stepped in it in regards to one of his coworkers. Meanwhile, his boyfriend is struggling with his own issues at work and how to deal with being a queer person.
  7. The Duke at Hazard (#2) by KJ Charles- 4 stars, a duke ends up duped out of his signet ring and goes on a mission, while incognito, to find it only to run into a ruined noble who might be the key to helping him find it.
  8. Mr. Collins in Love by Lee Welch- 4 stars, a very sympathetic retelling of Pride and Prejudice from Mr. Collins’s point of view where he is neurodivergent and struggling to maintain the life he desperately wants to keep. His life changes for the better when he runs into his childhood best friend only to realize it runs up against his patroness’s desire for him to find a wife.

Admin/Behind-the-Scenes Stuff

  • Wrote the initial blurb for The Reanimator’s Fate
  • Published The Reanimator’s Remains (TRM #3) on Amazon, Audible, Apple Books, Spotify, Chirp, Nook, Kobo, LibroFM, library systems, and every other major audiobook platform
  • Enjoyed my 20th anniversary with my partner
  • Got my partner’s blood work done (this gets a spot here because it was an ordeal)
  • Made my goals for Q3
  • Edited someone else’s book
  • Took a weight-lifting hiatus due to the heat
  • Played Coral Island extensively to maintain my sanity
  • Incessantly bothered my senators and congress person
  • Fell even further behind on my stitch-a-long project (oops)

Blogs

Writing

While I didn’t hit my goal for the month, I did write quite a bit and feel like I’ve finally hit my stride. The beginnings of books are where I struggle most. It feels like there are so many paths open that it is overwhelming to me. By the time I hit the end of act 1, I find my footing, and my daily word counts get progressively larger. Part of the problem is that the #3.5 short story took longer to write than I expected, and then, I had to restart the beginning of TRF because I didn’t like it. This version is significantly better, and I will not yeet this draft into the void. Oliver and Felipe are dealing with a case of death by book while also grappling with librarians being weird, buildings with a mind of their own, and of course, their own neuroses getting the better of them. Next month, I will have more to show you and talk about, so stay tuned.

Hopes for July

  • Write at least 20,000 words of TRF
  • Set up the preorder for TRF
  • Work a little on the rewrite of F&F
  • Manage my stress better as a USian living in this hellscape
  • Keep up with my bullet journal better
  • Catch up with my cross-stitch
  • Enjoy my birthday
  • Read 8 books
  • Blog weekly
  • send out my monthly newsletter
new blog post: may 2025 wrap-up post May 2025 Wrap-Up Post
Monthly Review

May 2025 Wrap-Up Post

Kara Jorgensen1 Comment

I feel like every other month I say, “Damn, that month went fast,” but truly, May went very fast. The first half was taken up by finishing my grading while the second half was taken up by letting my brain quiet before refocusing on my writing project. Since it feels like forever, let’s get reacquainted with our goals for May.

  • Write 20,000 words of TRF
  • Write the working blurb for TRF
  • Maintain my mental health
  • Keep working out consistently
  • Continue proofing the audiobook of TRR
  • Finish grading portfolios
  • Send out my May newsletter
  • Read 8 books
  • Blog weekly

Books

My goal this month was to read 8 books, and I read exactly 8. All links below are affiliate links, so I get a small kickback if you buy from them.

  1. Death in the Spires by KJ Charles- 5 stars, a mystery that flips back and forth 10 years from when Jem was a student at Oxford when his friend was murdered to the present as he tries to solve the crime and gain control of his life again. It is very queer, rich in texture, and just a fantastic read.
  2. Tasting History by Max Miller- 4 stars, an interesting cookbook based on the Youtube channel about historical recipes. The recipes themselves are great, but I really love the tidbits about the history behind the recipes. I highly recommend his Youtube channel as well.
  3. From Bad to Cursed by Lana Harper- 4 stars, opposites collide when two witches have to figure out who hexed someone at a festival. It’s an MF romance in a series with queer couples as well. Rowan and Issa have a complicated past, but seeing them come together is worth a read.
  4. Lore Olympus (#8) by Rachel Smythe- 5 stars, we’re nearing the end of the series, and this volume was chef kiss. I love seeing Persephone and Hades grow toward each other.
  5. Saga (#12) by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples- 4 stars, Hazel is maturing and growing into a teenager, so this volume speaks a lot about PTSD, mental health, and finding where you belong. I love every volume of this series and also hate that the end isn’t that many volumes away.
  6. The Magus of the Library (#8) by Mitsu Izumi- 4 stars, the young magi have their first encounter with spirits and the villains who want to bring the library to its knees. As always, Theo is just such a cinnamon roll, and this was an action-packed volume.
  7. The Other World’s Books Depend on a Bean Counter (#1) by Yatsuki Wakatsu- 5 stars, I picked this manga up on a whim and LOVED it. If you like Oliver from my books, you will love the MC. He is an accountant who gets sucked into another world by accident and takes on the accounting in this new world only to become an enemy to someone in high places and catch the eye of a magical knight who saves him from himself.
  8. The Other World’s Books Depend on a Bean Counter (#2) by Yatsuki Wakatsu- 5 stars, see review above

Admin/Behind-the-Scenes Stuff

  • Proofed the entirety of the audiobook for The Reanimator’s Remains (TRM #3)
  • Sent corrections and paid my narrator Jack R. R. Evans (they’re awesome)
  • Published the audiobook for The Reanimator’s Remains (it is currently trickling out to distributors, libraries and Amazon/Audible will take a few more weeks)
  • Wrote the blurb for The Reanimator’s Fate (TRM #4), so keep an eye out for that soon
  • Accidentally sent my monthly newsletter out super late in the day
  • Finished grading all of the papers and portfolios for my classes
  • Sent out a few job applications to non-academic jobs
  • Worked out fairly consistently
  • Fell very behind on my stitch-a-long project because my mental health dipped a bit
  • Rested mid month to avoid burnout/a mental health spiral
  • Voted in the NJ democratic primaries by mail (send in your ballots if you have them, early voting starts 6/3)

Blogs

Writing

I think I have finally found my footing with this draft. Halle-friggin-luah. Last month I mentioned that I had to scrap the draft I had because I just didn’t like the direction it was going or the tone. It wasn’t working, and sometimes, it is better to start over than torture yourself by trying to force something that just isn’t going to end well. Scrapping it was the right choice, but it put me behind. That, of course, gave me anxiety, which made it harder to write and led me to falling more behind. You can see how this can cause a downward spiral. I took a small break, got my brain shit together, and restarted my book. Now, it’s flowing much better. I have a clearer direction of where I need to go, what the characters are doing, etc. It’s especially hard when you know it’s the last book in a series and you want to make it extra spectacular for your readers. The most important thing is that I am back on track and cruising along at a slow but steady clip (as the beginning always is). When I get further along, I will post the preorder and all the relevant information for this book, so stay tuned.

Hopes for June

  • Write at least 20,000 words of The Reanimator’s Fate (TRM #4)
  • Try to write every single day at least a little to be consistent
  • Get the audiobook for The Reanimator’s Remains (TRM #3) out everywhere
  • Maintain my mental health and balancing my writing and hobbies to avoid burnout
  • Catch up on my stitch-a-long
  • Exercise consistently
  • Read 8 books
  • Blog weekly
  • Send out my monthly newsletter
  • Enjoy my 20th anniversary with my partner

new blog post: 10 Books to Add to your TBR 2025 Edition Pt. 1 10 Books to Add to your TBR 2025 Edition Pt. 1
Book Reviews

10 Books to Add to your TBR 2025 Edition Pt. 1

Kara Jorgensen1 Comment

In the past, I would make a best of list for books I read, but I hate holding off on talking about my favorite reads. Instead, I plan to make a few of these posts throughout the year as I find books I loved. The links below are affiliate links, so I get a tiny kick back if you purchase through that link.

  1. Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire- this is the tenth book in the Wayward Children series, but I think this one can be read out of order. The story follows a Russian girl who was born without an arm who was adopted by an American family who tries to change/fix her. She falls into a water world and finds that she is capable of far more than her adopted parents ever thought she could be while still staying true to who she is.
  2. Two Friends in Marriage by Jackie Lau- once again, this is the third book in the series, but they can be read out of order. This story is a queer MF romance where both characters are queer! We have a demisexual FMC and a bisexual MMC. I loved how both characters are queer and stay true to themselves throughout the story. It was just super sweet to watch this marriage of convenience become a romantic and sexual relationship as their emotional intimacy builds.
  3. 10 Things that Never Happened by Alexis Hall- after getting a concussion while having an argument with his asshole boss, a man fakes amnesia in order to keep his coworkers from being fired, but when his boss takes care of him after his head injury (which is real, unlike the amnesia), he finds the man is far more complicated and caring than the jerk they all know at work. It’s very much gay, reverse Overboard, but I loved it.
  4. The Knight and the Butcherbird by Alex E. Harrow- a short story packed with so much post apocalyptic goodness. An old knight arrives in town with his hawk to slay the woman who has turned into a demon only to have her lover (and the town memory-keeper) step in. It’s about love, subverting regimes that want you dead, and so, so much more in a very concise package.
  5. The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar- it’s the tale of two sisters, magical willow trees, and a river of grammar. The story is short but has so many layers. Magic is grammar, grammar is magic, both are words, meaning, etc. It is fascinating and beautiful. I highly recommend the audiobook version as the author and her sister play the music for it and sing as well. It is immersive and gives a fuller experience than just reading it.
  6. When the Earth was Green by Riley Black- a nonfiction book that is about how plant life evolved over eons. What I particularly love about Black’s books is that she weaves history, science, and narrative in such a seamless way. This is the opposite of a dry textbook. If you’ve ever wondered about plant life evolution, especially in the very distant past (think dinosaurs and before humans), this is a great place to start. There are also cool illustrations peppered throughout.
  7. Time Loops & Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau- a workaholic woman who is feeling unfulfilled by her life eats some dumplings and ends up in a time loop. This story is sort of a Ground Hog Day meets 50 First Dates where the main character has to figure out how to get out of the time loop while slowly falling for the man she meets nearly every day in the loop.
  8. Don’t Sleep with the Dead by Nghi Vo- a loose sequel to her retelling of The Great Gatsby, The Chosen and the Beautiful, this story returns to Nick twenty years after the end of the last story. He is facing his own demons in magical New York City alone, or is he? When he hears Gatsby’s voice in his ear, he goes looking in the shadows. It’s a story of unrequited love, desire that borders on gluttony and greed, and fantastically grotesque creatures.
  9. A Gentle Madness by Nicholas A. Basbane- even though this book was published in the 1990s, it was a fantastic nonfiction read about the world of book collecting. I think I liked it because it takes place before the digital age, and we get to see the world of trading, collecting, and how the world’s most famous book collections came to be. Basbane also talks a lot about bibliomania, and the history of book collecting.
  10. Death in the Spires by KJ Charles- because this is a mystery, I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s a historical murder mystery that takes place in the late 1800s at Oxford where seven friends met and became embroiled in the death of one of their best friends. A decade later, Jem sets out to figure out once and for all how his friend died and who killed him. As with all KJ Charles books, the texture of the world is rich, and the characters are complex and wonderful (even when they’re awful).