Reading Roundup: Spring 2026

The gaps between the trees opposite our house vanished as new greenery filled them. Bluebells rose and fell. Bees bumble, birds mumble, and I read some more books.

Well, a few more books. This was a slow season for me where I started more books than I finished. I signed up for both Dracula Daily and Honeywood Daily. When we race through novels at breakneck pace, we sometimes forget that we’re seeing a highlights reel; we don’t truly feel the gaps between the pages. Both of these newsletters aim to change that, focusing on the experience of stories rather than the finishing of them. I’m thoroughly enjoying them, and (so far) have resisted the temptation to read ahead well, for one of them (more below).

Rebecca Thorne - Tea You at the Altar

As the punny titles deepen, so does the world of these books. It was great to see a core conflict of the series come to a head in such an interesting way. It’s a story about choice, and being the right person at the right time. Despite having a rocky start for me, I’ve enjoyed this series more and more as it’s progressed, and this is a heartwarming addition.

Rebecca Thorne - Alchemy and a Cup of Tea

I finished book three of Tomes & Tea, and immediately picked up Book 4 - the final one in the series. I’ve grown to love these characters, and I’m sad to see them go. This was a fitting end to the series, though. The epilogue genuinely made me sad to see it go.

Sarah Beth Durst - The Enchanted Greenhouse

I read the first book in this series over the winter, and fell in love with the world and it’s characters. I was initially a little disappointed that the books in this series were essentially “one shots” following different characters, and that it wouldn’t be a continuation of Kiela and Caz’s story, but this disappointment turned out to be misplaced.

One particularly haunting passage in the Spellshop is the story of Caz’s creator being turned into a wooden statue to make an example of illegal magic users. Brilliantly, this story follows that character (Terlu) as she goes through this. It took me a while to read; I think the low stakes meant I didn’t feel the need to rush, but it’s a warm, cozy tale that I’m really glad I invested the time in.

The third book is due out later this year, and follows a character introduced in this entry. I’m really looking forward to reading it.

H.B. Cresswell - The Honeywood File

I mentioned above that I started reading this epistolary novel via Honeywood Daily, an email newsletter by which you receive each day’s correspondence “as it happens”. After a few catching-up weeks, however, the creators of Honeywood Daily decided not to stay true to the timeline of the book, which follow’s an architect’s role in the construction of a 1920s mansion. I think this was a good decision; the letters are often very short, and it would have been a very fragmented experience, however I decided to take this one step further, however, and read the rest of the novel over the space of a few days.

This novel is well out of my usual comfort zone, but I’m glad I took the time to read it. It gives an interesting insight into the time it was written, and how business was done during that time. There’s rich character development / voicing in these letters, and the narrator’s comments help keep the reader in the loop. There’s a second book detailing the fallout that follows the first book. I’m not sure when I’ll get around to reading it, but it’s on my TBR.

Edgar Allen Poe - The Tell-Tale Heart + The Fall of the House of Usher

I was looking for a short pallet cleanser, and this Penguin Little Black Classic has been on my TBR for some time. I struggle to read classics; the experience is still quite new to me, and I struggled with some of the language in this - it’s the oldest text I’ve read so far, and I found it difficult to experience tension with the wordier prose. However, both stories are haunting, and I look forward to enjoying Poe’s work more when I’ve had more experience with classics.

That’s it for this season! The next roundup is likely to be filled with more non-fiction books. I’m trying to make myself a better programmer, so much of what I have ongoing is related to this. I’m planning to squeeze a few fiction reads in there too, though!

I am also continuing with Dracula Daily, though that won’t make it into the roundup until November, providing I actually stick to it…