Reading Roundup: Spring 2026

The world is warming here. As trees blossom and daffodils enjoy their fleeting reign, I thought it’d be a good time to reflect on what I’ve been reading this season.

Herman Melville - Bartleby the Scrivener

A short novella about a legal assistant that answers every request with “I would prefer not to”. This leads to a bizarre and tragic tale of a person sinking through society like it’s quicksand.

Despite this novella’s influential status, I didn’t much care for it. I just don’t understand what Melville was trying to say with this book. Perhaps it makes more sense in the context of the time it was published when modern capitalism was just taking root, but I didn’t feel like I got any of that. To me, it just felt like a sad story for the sake of a sad story, with no reflection on the events that take place.

Alec Soth - Gathered Leaves Annotated

Okay, not a novel, but a photobook. It contains five of Alec Soth’s most influential photobooks, reprinted with new notes, insights, and updates from Soth. This is something I began reading at the end of last year, but, with five books in one, didn’t complete it until this year.

It’s hard to describe this book meaningfully in words - just go read it. A lot of Soth’s work, while excellent, isn’t to my taste, but A Pound of Pictures was my favourite.

Dr Becky Smethurst - A Brief History of Black Holes

I’ve followed Dr Becky’s YouTube channel for a few years, and really enjoyed reading her first book last year. I read Sagan’s Cosmos around Christmas, and wanted to continue the spacey vibe.

Just like her videos, this book does a great job of breaking down complex scientific topics and making them accessible. An easy-to-read insight into the aetiology of the discoveries that led to humanity’s current understanding of black holes. Dr Becky writes with the same personality she presents her videos with, it’s great.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman - The Yellow Wall-Paper

I read the “Little Black Classics” edition of this, which also included two other shorts stories - The Rocking Chair, and Old Water.

The main story is fascinating. I really felt what the protagonist felt, and it was uncomfortable to go through it with them.

The Rocking Chair was eerie; it genuinely gave me nightmares, though I’m a baby when it comes to anything remotely horror-related. Nevertheless, I have put a wedge under the rocking chair in my daughter’s bedroom, just in case.

Travis Baldree - Brigands & Breadknives

My favourite book of the year so far. I loved Legends & Lattes, and Bookshops & Bonedust even more, so getting to continue Fern’s story was an exciting prospect.

It would have been easy to write a redo of L&L, but I love the direction this took. It’s a little more adventurous than your standard cosy fantasy, but still an excellent continuation of this universe. Baldree’s prose is also fantastic.

Rebecca Thorne - Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea

After B&B, I maintained the cosy vibes by starting this series. This follows a couple trying to escape their separate lives so that their secret romance can flourish.

Admittedly, B&B was a tough act to follow. I could definitely see Baldree’s influence here, though some of the finesse was lacking. There was a bit too much “tell don’t show” for me, with neither main character feeling like a real person to me initially. The story also felt a little chaotic and jarring at times, though I think this did a good job of capturing the chaos of the lives Kianthe and Reyna are trying to leave behind.

Ultimately though, I did enjoy this and am planning to read the rest of the series.

Sarah Beth Durst - The Spellshop

More cosy vibes. As a librarian’s world burns down, she is forced to return to her childhood home on a remote island.

I loved this book. All of the characters were likeable, believable (even Caz), and I really enjoyed the world being crafted here. I’m looking forward to reading the second book in this series, as well as the third when it launches later this year.

Rebecca Thorne - A Pirate’s Life for Tea

Got on with this one much better than Book 1. Most of what I disliked was fixed here - there was a lot less inner monologue, a lot more “just go out and do it”. More lovable characters are introduced, the story is genuinely heartwarming, and it was nice to see this world expand. I’m currently reading the third book in the series.

That’s it! As above, I’m currently reading Book 3 of Tomes & Tea, and will likely carry on with The Spellshop series after that, though my TBR changes order as often as my clothes.