Tag: mini book reviews

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

July 2026 Wrap-Up Post

Kara JorgensenLeave a comment

July is the first month in a while that I feel like I actually accomplished a lot. There were definitely points where I was scrambling and where I dropped the ball (balance, who?), but I feel better about myself knowing that I can push myself occasionally and actually accomplish what I set out to do. Let’s check out what my goals were for July before we begin:

  • Finish “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Finish editing “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Finish the craft projects I started months ago (oops)
  • Finish proofing the audiobook for TRF
  • Send out AUC to my newsletter
  • Maintain my mental health
  • Keeping working out
  • Enjoy my birthday
  • Read 8 books
  • Blog weekly
  • Send out monthly newsletter

Books

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

  1. Vapor by Sara Eliza Johnson- 4 stars, the second poetry chapbook by Johnson that I’ve read. Once again, it was very visceral and slightly gory, but I loved it for those reasons. If you like art and science colliding, I highly recommend her work.
  2. Quackery by Lydia Kang and Nate Pederson- 4 stars, a nonfiction book on the history of various quack medicine categories. I really liked this one because it gives you the origins of many of the whackadoodle “holistic” medicine you see promoted by anti-vaxxers and other grifters.
  3. Audrey Lane Stirs the Pot (#3) by Alexis Hall, 4 stars, Audrey Lane joins a baking show on a whim only to fall for the hard ass producer of the show and accidentally uncovers a sapphic romance from WWII that took place on the grounds the show uses. I loved seeing the human side of Jennifer/the producer after seeing her as a foulmouthed pain in the ass in the previous books.
  4. The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling- 4 stars, gruesome and delicious horror. I love a drowned rat of a woman being set against a scary lady knight. I’m not always a horror(ish) fan, but I have been dying for this kind of pseuodmedieval setting that feels very real despite the fanasy elements.
  5. What Did You Eat Yesterday (#1) by Fumi Yoshinaga- 4 stars, a slice of life manga about two gay men in their 30s/40s living together in mid 00s Japan. I wasn’t sure if I would love it based on book 1, but I’ve grown to enjoy them as a couple more and more as they work through their own neuroses and deal with the societal-level homophobia present at the time. It isn’t overt, but you can feel it in their actions and how they do or don’t do things.
  6. What Did You Eat Yesterday (#2) by Fumi Yoshinaga- 4 stars, see above.
  7. What Did You Eat Yesterday (#3) by Fumi Yoshinaga- 4 stars, see above.
  8. The Titan’s Bride (#9) by ITKZ- 4 stars, a great way to wrap up the egg arc for this series. I really like the way ITKZ handles the arcs (versus something like Ancient Magus’s Bride, which often feels clunky or too fast). Once again, it is definitely graphic, BUT the storyline is so good, so it doesn’t feel like it’s sex first and book second. I mention it so as not to blindside anyone who picks it up based on my recommendations.

Admin/Behind-the-Scenes Stuff

  • Proofed 80% of the audiobook for The Reanimator’s Fate (TRM #4)
  • Wrote the rest of “An Unexpected Christmas” (TRM #4.5)
  • Wrote the blurb for “An Unexpected Christmas” (TRM #4.5)
  • Edited “An Unexpected Christmas” (TRM #4.5)
  • Formatted “An Unexpected Christmas” (TRM #4.5)
  • Sent out “An Unexpected Christmas” (TRM #4.5) to newsletter subscribers (coming soon to everyone else)
  • Celebrated my birthday and had a good time
  • Reached out to my cover designer about cover design ideas for 2 books
  • Added “An Unexpected Christmas” (TRM #4.5) to my freebies page
  • Sent out my monthly newsletter
  • Didn’t completely tank my brain and body this month

Blogs

Writing

This was one of the most productive writing months I’ve had in a long time. To me, there’s a difference between writing regularly and being on a roll. In July while working on “An Unexpected Christmas,” I felt like I was on a roll and writing came fairly smoothly. Usually, I get hung up on transitional scenes or I spend a lot of time hemming and hawing over the order of operations, but in July, I managed to smoothly work through any last minute issues in a very timely manner. This is the kind of energy and flow that I wish I had all the time. If I could harness that regularly, I could write so many books. As someone with chronic issues, I know that’s impossible, but goddamn, would I like to bottle that and tap into it when needed. I hope you all enjoy “An Unexpected Christmas,” which you can find under freebies if you aren’t on my newsletter list.

Hopes for August

  • Start working on Flowers & Flourishing in earnest
  • Finish proofing the audiobook for The Reanimator’s Fate (TRM #4)
  • Release the audiobook for TRF
  • Set up syllabi and work stuff
  • Maintain my mental health
  • Finish craft projects
  • Blog weekly
  • Send out monthly newsletter
  • Read 8 books

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

June 2026 Wrap-Up Post

Kara Jorgensen1 Comment

While June was very low key for me (thank god), it was weird in terms of it being Pride Month in the middle of a fascist regime targeting trans people. The vibes this year were just very blah. We’re all tired at this point. I feel like I struggled a bit this month due to seasonal affect disorder and dysphoria as the heat grew worse, but things feel like they’re evening out. Here were the goals I had for June:

  • Write the majority (if not all) of “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Edit “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Continue working on the notes for the Flowers and Flourishing rewrite
  • Proof the chapters of the audiobook for The Reanimator’s Fate
  • Maintain my mental health
  • Do something fun with my partner for our anniversary
  • Take my partner to her doctor’s appointments (there are several)
  • Plant my pumpkin seeds
  • Read 8 books
  • Blog weekly
  • Send out my newsletter

Books

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

  1. Starling House by Alix E. Harrow- 5 stars, a woman living in a small town while striving to give her younger brother the best life she can becomes entangled with an old house with a mind of its own, shadow creatures, and the abrasive man who guards it. The two MCs are broken and complicated, and I loved them together so much as well as the texture of the landscape.
  2. Lore Olympus (#10) by Rachel Smythe- 4 stars, we’re getting to the end of the series, and while I’m so sad for it to end, I’m greatly enjoying seeing everything come together. It’s very straight, but I love seeing Persephone grow into herself and Hades giving up some of his self-loathing to own who he is.
  3. Father Material (#3) by Alexis Hall- 4 stars, I really debating my rating on this book because I spent a large chunk absolutely HATING the one MC, which was the point. He just acted like his father (aka a total jackass), but I loved Luc, Spud, and their foster kid Jazz. It was heartwarming to see everyone figure their shit out and also have Oliver finally crack a bit and realize he’s a bit more messed up than he realized.
  4. Dream On, Ramona Riley– 4 stars, a woman from a small town who is constantly taking care of her younger sister and just trying to get by ends up having to tutor a movie star in how to be a waitress. The problem is that Ramona knows the star is the girl she had a teenage kiss and crush on years ago while Dylan doesn’t recognize her. I always struggle with books where the characters hide things because I know the blow up is coming, but I really enjoyed watching these two get together again.
  5. The Invisible Man & His Soon-to-be Wife (#7) by Iwatobineko- 4 stars, I love the two MCs so much. We have the invisible man and his blind girlfriend trying to figure out how to navigate their relationship while working through accidentally hurt feelings and insecurities. They are just so lovely to each other than it makes my communication-loving heart happy.
  6. The Hollow Sea (#4) by Jordan L. Hawk- 4 stars, our favorite ghost hunting crew goes to a deserted island that used to be a rich man’s playground only to encounter the ghost of a little girl, the rich man himself, and a secret his descendants would rather keep hidden.
  7. Boy with Accidental Dinosaur by Ian McDonald- 3 stars, I wanted to like this so badly, but it felt very obviously written by a European who doesn’t get America. I can suspend disbelief about dinosaurs being common in this world. I cannot do so when it comes to seeing Americans use the metric system. Also, it was just world-building focused over character focused, and that isn’t my jam.
  8. Bone Map by Sara Eliza Johnson- 4 stars, I’m trying to get back into reading poetry since I haven’t read much since I finished grad school, and Johnson’s work is exactly what I wanted. It’s very science and nature oriented in terms of imagery while still pulling at the heartstrings, sometimes literally. If you’re a romantic goremonger, you’ll like her work.

Admin/Behind-the-Scenes Stuff

  • Worked on writing “An Unexpected Christmas” (TRM #4.5)
  • Edited a chunk of “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Proofed roughly half of the audiobook for The Reanimator’s Fate
  • Contacted my cover artist about some upcoming projects
  • Sent out my newsletter with updates
  • Worked on the plan for the rewrite/expansion of Flowers and Flourishing
  • Got back on track with my working out, which helps my mental health
  • Did some more gender poking/questioning (a double-edged sword as many of you know)
  • Got the all-clear from the vet that Katie’s face looks good (next appointment in September)
  • Enjoyed my anniversary with my partner
  • Took partner to get new glasses
  • Helped partner send in name change paperwork (yay!)

Blogs

Writing

This month was weird in terms of writing because I wanted to be productive, but I was giving myself permission to not run myself into the ground. The good thing is that I made more progress in June on AUC than I have in months, which makes me really happy. The bad thing is that I didn’t finish it. Ultimately, that’s fine because Christmas in July is a “thing” versus Christmas in June, lol. As long as I’m making writing progress and not feeling like my brain is going to pour out of my ears, I’m happy.

Hopes for July

  • Finish “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Finish editing “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Finish the craft projects I started months ago (oops)
  • Finish proofing the audiobook for TRF
  • Send out AUC to my newsletter
  • Maintain my mental health
  • Keeping working out
  • Enjoy my birthday
  • Read 8 books
  • Blog weekly
  • Send out monthly newsletter

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

May 2026 Wrap-Up Post

Kara JorgensenLeave a comment

May is finally over. This month feels like a transition into [hopefully] significantly less chaos. We finished Katie’s radiation treatments, she’s healing up, and Edgar is being his peppy self again, so everything is on the up and up. Can you tell I am so hesitant to say this for fear of jinxing it? Here are the goals I had 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

Books

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

  1. Hemlock and Silver by T. Kingfisher- 4 stars, a poison expert is called to the palace to help cure the king’s daughter of a mysterious malady only to discover a mirror world with some horrifying secrets. There’s also a hunky, himbo guard that I loved very much.
  2. Dearest Beast (#3) by Felicia Grossman- 4 stars, a riff on Beauty and the Beast that features an upper class Jewish man who is forced to temporarily house a working class Jewish midwife after his daughter accidentally wrecks her shop. It’s a disdain with passion to love relationship. At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about this pairing, but it grew on me the longer they were together.
  3. The Culinarians by David S. Shields- 4 stars, a nonfiction book on important and famous chefs from the 1800s. It was incredibly interesting to read about the lives of chefs during this time period, especially the Black and female chefs/caterers. I think this pairs really nicely with Turning the Tables as a way to round out the information. The author also has a ton of good recs at the beginning of the book for more specific aspects or groups related to 19th century culinary history.
  4. A Long and Speaking Silence (#7) by Nghi Vo- 5 stars, a jump back to Cleric Chih’s early days with Singing Hills where they get stuck in a village that is dealing with the growing tensions between the local population and immigrants fleeing a natural disaster. Chih tries to help a young woman and ends up learning more about her own history as well.
  5. Platform Decay (#8) by Martha Wells- 4 stars, MurderBot is sent to rescue several of Mensa’s family members that are stuck behind enemy lines only to be forced to rescue a past enemy’s family as well. This leads to danger, road trips, and plenty of ridiculousness.
  6. The Titan’s Bride (#8) by ITKZ- 4 stars, as always, I love the way the MCs have grown together and become even better than they were separately. It’s lovely to see the human MC get involved in Titan culture and try to help his partner gather support in his kingdom and make things better for everyone.
  7. Yield Under Great Persuasion by Alexandra Rowland- 5 stars, a grumpy, bitter man who runs a tea shop finds out that he and his frienemy lover have both been blessed by the harvest/fertility goddess. At first, he’s quite pissed as he feels they have both done him dirty, but he soon realizes he is holding himself back. It was really nice to watch a character try to become a new/better person and while doing so, still struggle. Very cozy in a get your ass kicked by the harvest goddess and reality sort of way.
  8. We Could Be Anyone by Anna-Marie McLemore- 4 stars, con artist siblings pose as a ghost and spiritualist medium in order to swindle rich people only to realize the ghosts haunting the resort may be real. I like other McLemore books more as I felt the characterization at the beginning was rushed compared to other works by them. At the same time, I enjoyed these two and the queerness infused throughout the book along with references to mythology.

Admin/Behind-the-Scenes Stuff

  • Katie finished her radiation treatments and got to ring the end of cancer treatment bell (I got weepy- the vets and techs were so good to her, and she is healing up really well)
  • Katie went back for a follow-up and got a clean bill of health (x-rays and a recheck in September)
  • Edgar had a Lyme disease flare, got antibiotics, and is better now
  • Finished grading my classes’ work and turned in grades
  • Had to get my car towed/fixed because it died in the driveway, which was, thankfully, a semi cheap and easy fix as a battery cable needed to be replaced, but holy stress Batman, why does it have to be when I need to take my dog to get radiation.
  • I managed my stress on and off. Please see the aforementioned bullet point for why I called my mom panic-crying from the driveway on a Monday morning.
  • Reread and replotted “An Unexpected Christmas” (TRM #4.5)
  • Started working on “An Unexpected Christmas” (TRM #4.5) again
  • Read Flowers and Flourishing and took some more notes about how I will expand it in the near future
  • Set up all of my spreadsheets and writing stuff for June
  • Got back into working out again (my arms hurt, lol)
  • Got a pepper plant (but forgot to plant my pumpkin seeds)
  • Played Coral Island to decompress my brain

Blogs

Writing

At the end of April, I decided to take a writing hiatus because I was frying myself with work and taking Katie to her radiation appointments. This turned out to definitely be the correct choice. Before when I tried to write, it was like trying to do so when I had a migraine but without the pain. Prolonged stress had sapped my short-term memory, executive function, and word recall. Word recall tends to be the thing that short-circuits first if I have a migraine aura, and I’m not going to lie, it freaked me out to lose words that I definitely knew. After some Googling, I confirmed that this is very common when someone is stressed out for a prolonged period (like from February to May), and taking a few weeks to let my brain decompress as I finished taking Katie to and from her treatments as the semester wrapped up was needed. I like to pretend that I’m super human and able to handle anything life throws at me, but when it comes to my dogs, I lose my ability to cope.

Toward the halfway point of May, I finally picked up “An Unexpected Christmas” again. I reread it and didn’t like the tone and pacing of it, so I scrapped the draft and started over. I could feel my own stress permeating all of it to the point that it contaminated the narrative. Even Oliver felt more wound up than he ought to be given the situation. Restarting it has made the process easier, and I think it will be far better than the previous draft now that everyone has room to breathe. It will also probably be longer than anticipated, so at least you all are getting more value for waiting a little extra time. Once again, thank you all for your patience and kind words during this rough time. I appreciate you all so much.

Hopes for June

  • Write the majority (if not all) of “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Edit “An Unexpected Christmas”
  • Continue working on the notes for the Flowers and Flourishing rewrite
  • Proof the chapters of the audiobook for The Reanimator’s Fate
  • Maintain my mental health
  • Do something fun with my partner for our anniversary
  • Take my partner to her doctor’s appointments (there are several)
  • Plant my pumpkin seeds
  • Read 8 books
  • Blog weekly
  • Send out my newsletter
new blog post: April 2026 wrap-up post April 2026 Wrap-Up Post
Monthly Review

April 2026 Wrap-Up Post

Kara Jorgensen1 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 Jorgensen2 Comments

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.