Well, wishing for Fall bit me in the ass because we literally had like two days that were a little chilly and I was immediately struck down by plague (by which I mean I have a very mild cough). So, forgive me if this roundup is a little more chaotic than usual because I’m a little foggy. We have one new release, one backlist title, and one audiobook to talk about, so let’s get into it!
Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison
This is a time loop horror novel about a woman named Willa reliving the day of her friend’s wedding over and over, the loop ending each time with her being killed in some wild new terrifying scenario. But really, could
anything be more horrifying than going to a wedding and seeing your ex-fiance with his new date over and over for the rest of eternity?
This was a pretty fun time with some genuinely disturbing moments, pretty typical timeloop rules, and an emotionally salient if not particularly novel or exciting ending. The writing was solid, I think it’s a fun premise, and it’s not forgettable per se but I never really got as deeply invested in Willa’s character as I would have liked to. I’ve heard good things about some of Rachel Harrison’s other books so I might still give those a shot, but I didn’t have particularly strong feelings about this book either way.
Paladin’s Grace by T. Kingfisher
This is a fantasy romance about a perfumer on the run from her past named Grace and Stephen, the paladin of a dead God who she has a very embarrassing and very memorable first encounter with. Their awkward flirting gets
complicated when they witness a failed assassination attempt and end up tangled in a web of treachery and intrigue.
This is another book on my twenty-six in 2026 checked off, and it was perfectly fine. Some good humor, the world is cool, and I liked the romance, although I didn’t really care about the mystery plotline (as is typical for me). I read What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher a few years ago and found it to be pretty bland, but I know so many people love her and I feel like it might just be a matter of finding the right thing in her backlist for me, so I’ll keep giving her a shot and see what sticks. I might also continue this particular series on audiobook because I think I’d enjoy it more that way and a lot of people say the books get better as the series goes on.
The Disordered Cosmos by Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
This is a nonfiction book that combines some pop physics with memoir elements and critical essays on gender, race, and disability. The author shares her love of physics while also explaining the massive challenges
she has faced in academia as a queer Black woman and the efforts that need to be made to make a path to success in academia for people from marginalized groups.
I mentioned at the end of my last roundup that I was planning to read this because my dad was reading it and had some rancid takes. Sure enough, he was completely misreading Prescod-Weinstein’s arguments and didn’t even bother to finish the book, which is a shame because I think there’s a lot of great stuff in here. I didn’t follow the physics that much, but the majority of the book is more memoir/essay about some of the truly harrowing shit that Dr. Prescod-Weinstein has gone through in her time in academia, which is as unsurprising as it is disturbing. It’s hard to be a woman in academia, to be a person of color in academia, to be a queer person in academia, and to be a disabled/chronically ill person in academia, so having to deal with all of those things at once seems near impossible. I appreciate Dr. Prescod-Weinstein’s vulnerability both in recounting her traumatic experiences with rape, racism, and misogyny and in admitting that at times the culture of academia has made her hate the subject that she loves so much. As a passionate student planning to go into academia, it’s a real fear of mine that the challenges I face in academia or just the fact of my passion becoming my work will make me grow to resent my discipline.
I will say the author comes on a little strong at points in a way that I understand but I think will alienate people who disagree with her. Ultimately, intersectionality is a very big part of this book, but starting off a sentence like “As a Queer, Black, Jewish anti-Capitalistist, chronically ill, agender woman in academia…” is immediately going to turn a lot of readers off. I don’t think it’s wrong—I understand why she does it and why those identities are important to her, but it makes this the kind of book that can largely only be enjoyed by people who already agree with her. Still, a really great read with a lot of bold perspectives that are refreshing to hear when I think a lot of us are afraid of being too radically progressive.
Perfectly alright week—nothing life-changingly amazing but all pretty enjoyable. In terms of audiobooks, next up is definitely Please Remain Seated by Marcus Kliewer, which is just a little quartet of horror stories. I’ve loved Marcus Kliewer’s two published books and got to see him do an author talk at Powell’s shortly after The Caretaker was released (see my review), and he just seems like a really sweet guy and a super talented horror author, especially when it comes to slowly building tension, so I’m very excited. I also have Hollywood, Ending by John Green checked out on Libby, and know this sounds insane but I’ve actually never read a John Green fiction book (though I have read his nonfiction). His YA books were popular slightly before my time, so my sister read them but I didn’t, but this book sounds interesting and I’m excited to give him a shot. In terms of ARCs, Solace House by Will Maclean and As You Wake, Break the Shell by Becky Chambers (both out 10/13) are next up. I’ve been procrastinating reading Becky Chambers’ new book because she’s one of my favorite authors and I know I’m going to love it, but seeing as it’s also on my twenty-six in 2026 list and I need to knock out at least one of those this week, it might be good to rip the bandaid off (plus, I’m seeing her talk at Powell’s in a couple weeks!). Or maybe I’ll be avoidant and pick something random off the list—who knows? Lot’s to look forward to as always, and hopefully I’ll be back in working order soon!
Have you read any of these books? Did I convince you to read one of them (or not to read one of them)? By all means, let me know what you’ve enjoyed recently or what you’re looking forward to!
Happy reading!
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