Reading Roundup: The 26th week of 2025
Some '90s horror nostalgia and of course fanfic, this week.
Another week has trundled ahead and we are somehow in July. Weird to think that over half the year is gone now, today there are fewer days remaining in the year than there have been. Let's get to the books for this week...
4 stars to Let's Split Up (Let's Split Up, #1), by Bill Wood
Book Description:
" A nail-biting and perfectly formed Thriller for the YA BookTok generation. This is SCOOBY DOO meets WIN LOSE KILL DIE. When hot "it-couple" Brad and Shelley are brutally murdered in a manor on the edge of town, a group of teen friends investigate. Set in Sanera, a small community in California where rumour spreads as fast as the fire on the day of the killings, the theory is the old ghoul who haunts the house after his own murder has finally taken revenge. As Cam, Jonesy, Amber and new-girl Buffy investigate, the rumour feels closer to the truth than they ever dared think possible, and as they enter the mansion themselves, the idea of splitting up to find evidence will prove to be either the best ... or worst decision of all... A guaranteed page turner full of tension and twists you won't see coming! From BookToker Bill Wood comes SCOOBY DOO meets WIN KILL LOSE DIE Perfect for the YA BookTok generation
My Thoughts:
" Great 90s' cheesy horror feel about this one. I really struggled with combats as a verb to describe how someone responds to speech, too. Scratched a grammatical itch I didn't know I had!I'll pick up the next one sometime. Younger adult softer strand material"
This Book: has 339 pages, a community rating of 3.59 and was first published in 2024.
3 stars to Taking Control (Taking Control, #1), by fake a smile
Book Description:
" Fandom: Harry Potter Relationship: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley
It's the summer before Harry's 6th year, and Harry is wracked with grief. But what happens when Harry makes a vow to himself to take control of his life? Harry's life takes a sharp turn when he gets an unexpected visitor one night. HPGW. Independent!Harry."
My Thoughts:
" Not a bad story, although a very sudden ending and an abandoned sequel means we'll probably never know what happens next. It's very anti-Hermione, which is new, and for its time was doubtless interesting. The writing is a good enough quality that I'd have really enjoyed finishing the story."
This Book: has 2094 pages, a community rating of 4.00 and was first published in 2008.
Things not on Goodreads or reread
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
I wanted a popcorn novel to reread and here it was. As delightful as the last 3 or 4 times I enjoyed it.
Infinite, by Jeremy Robinson
I read and enjoyed then forgot about this book. For many months now, I'd had a niggle about a story with a chap in a VR world, and it was this one. There's more to come, so I now see. SO I might pick those up sometime.
The second string, by Eider_Down
Another fanfic reread, unusually recently given it was last October. But this is a great Harry story.
The Whole Man, by John Brunner
July 2020 when I first found this one, and after a bit of James White last week I wanted something with that sort of tone.