Book Review: The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith (4/5)

15 Jan

I always have mixed feelings about reading these books. They’re really well written and really entertaining. But I strongly object to a lot of the things the author has done and said. That being said, I always wait until I can get a copy from the library so I’m not directly sending money into her pockets. It’s a small thing, I know, but it’s something.

Cover image via Amazon

The Hallmarked Man (Cormoran Strike #8) by Robert Galbraith (pseudonym for J.K. Rowling)

Other books by Galbraith/Rowling reviewed on this blog:

The Cuckoo’s Calling (Cormoran Strike #1) by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike #2) by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3) by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
Lethal White (Cormoran Strike #4) by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
Troubled Blood (Cormoran Strike #5) by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
The Ink Black Heart (Cormoran Strike #6) by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
The Running Grave (Cormoran Strike #7) by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts I and II by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K. Rowling
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, Illustrated by Jim Kay
Harry Potter y el orden del fenix by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter y el misterio del principe by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter y las reliquias de muerte by J.K. Rowling
Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
Very Good Lives by J.K. Rowling

Summary from Amazon:

A dismembered corpse is discovered in the vault of a silver shop. The police initially believe it to be that of a convicted armed robber – but not everyone agrees with that theory. One of them is Decima Mullins, who calls on the help of private detective Cormoran Strike as she’s certain the body in the silver vault was that of her boyfriend – the father of her newborn baby – who suddenly and mysteriously disappeared.

The more Strike and his business partner Robin Ellacott delve into the case, the more labyrinthine it gets. The silver shop is no ordinary one: it’s located beside Freemasons’ Hall and specializes in Masonic silverware. And in addition to the armed robber and Decima’s boyfriend, it becomes clear that there are other missing men who could fit the profile of the body in the vault.

As the case becomes ever more complicated and dangerous, Strike faces another quandary. Robin seems increasingly committed to her boyfriend, policeman Ryan Murphy, but the impulse to declare his own feelings for her is becoming stronger than ever.

I think the first thing I have to say about most of these books is that they’re too long. It feels like the length helps bury the clues, but it also makes it hard to remember everything so when the reveal come at the end, I’m not quite sure I remember all the steps on how it got there even though I was along for the ride. That being said, I liked the pacing of this one. The team identified five different potential victims and they were ruled out as the story progressed which led to some good closure throughout the second half of the book.

There were so many characters in this story that it seems likely there’d be a big variety. There is a good variety as far as socioeconomic background, but despite this there wasn’t a ton of racial diversity. Some of this can be attributed to many of the characters being related, but it’s still a little striking when you think about it. I think Robin and Strike have been well executed throughout this series and this installment is no exception. They’ve developed very logically and I can’t wait to see how they continue.

Robin has always been a favorite. I loved how she balanced her personal and professional goals in this book. She wants to excel at her job, but she also wants happiness and fulfillment outside of work. I think her doubts in her relationship with Ryan were very real and I appreciated how they were voiced. Some things are minor, and some major things seem minor and her indecision on what was an inconvenience and what was a deal braker was really understandable. I’m dying not knowing the next 12 hours after this book ended!

While I’ve never found myself in similar situations to these characters, I still was able to empathize with them. The distrust Robin has of her own judgement in other people felt really relatable to me. I’ve had friendships that I stuck with for too long out of a sense of duty which is what I think of her relationship with Ryan. It’s hard to shake something that has a strong history if the present isn’t what you need and I could understand the confliction Robin is going through.

J.K. Rowling
Image via Biography

There wasn’t a part of this book that stood out as a favorite for me and I think that’s the minor frustration I have with it. Because of the multiple suspected victims and plot lines, it felt like high tension existed for a while without a ton of payoff until the very end.

There were a few times that a lucky hunch paid off very conveniently in this book that bothered me. This is a spoiler so please skip this paragraph to avoid that. The first was when Strike found out what Barnaby’s was. It was far too convenient to me that he just happened to be there and just happened to recognize someone he’s met once years before. The second was his guess at what had happened to Ben abroad. This didn’t have massive implications on the plot, but it still seemed like a really lucky guess and he was never able to really confirm it. The time he spent investigating that hunch was really dark and I always wanted those parts to go by faster.

The audiobook was narrated by Robert Glenister who’s done the other books in the series as well. I love how he brings these stories to life. His voices for the main characters as well as the numerous side characters and people who appear in only one book is amazing. I can only hope he continues to bring this amazing series to life.

Robin’s internal debates about what she should do and what she wants to do defined this book for me. She wants to cause as little trouble for others as possible, but she also knows she needs to do what makes her happy. It’s a difficult balance and while I don’t think she necessarily did it right, I also don’t know that I would have done anything differently. It was the part of the book that made me think the most.

Writer’s Takeaway: Some books are too long and this falls squarely in that category. I don’t think having five potential victims for the Hallmarked Man was necessary. It added far too many characters and complicated the plot beyond what a normal reader might be able to figure out on their own. An editor needs to jump in at some point.

The book was still enjoyable, however, and I felt satisfied with the ending. Four out of Five Stars.

As the first book of the year, this fulfilled the 1990 to Present Time Period for the When Are You Reading? 2026 Challenge.

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at [email protected]. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Related Posts:
Book Review: The Hallmarked Man | One and a Half Minutes
The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith | Love Books and Writing

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WWW Wednesday, 14-January-2026

14 Jan

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived here on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses. Please, take some time to visit the other participants and see what others are reading. So, let’s get to it!

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The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Note: For users of Blogspot blogs, I’m unable to comment on your posts as a WordPress blogger unless you’ve enabled Name/URL comments. This is a known WordPress/Blogspot issue. Please consider enabling this to participate more fully in the community.

Currently reading: I made some good progress on A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin with my commute. I guess that’s the silver lining to being back at work after the holidays!
My progress on The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah has slowed was almost nothing. I guess that’s good because it means I’ve been sleeping better but I should probably find a different time to read it.
No movement in Women’s Hotel by Daniel M. Lavery as I’ve been focusing on Klune. I’ll get back to it!
I’m almost half way through The House on the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. I like it enough, but there doesn’t seem to have been a major inciting incident yet so it feels like it’s plodding along a bit at this point and I’m waiting for it to really take off.

Recently finished: Nothing new finished this week. I suspect I’ll have a few weeks with nothing new to report. BUT! I made great progress on getting my reviews posted. I posted my thoughts on Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins last week. I wasn’t a massive fan, but it was still entertaining. I’ll be honest that I’ll probably read any Hunger Games Universe publication. I gave it Three out of Five Stars.
I also posted my review of Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. This was not my typical book but I ended up enjoying it. I don’t think I’ll continue with the series, though. I’m happy with the ending. I gave it Four out of Five Stars.
Finally, my review of Intermezzo by Sally Rooney went up yesterday. I liked the slow burn of this one a lot and could have happily kept reading about the characters. This also got Four out of Five Stars. And for the moment, I’m caught up on reviews as my final outstanding one posts tomorrow!

Reading next: Still nothing planned. I’m trying to find a review book to take on when I finish Klune but we’ll have to see if that times up.

Leave a comment with your link and comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at [email protected]. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

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Book Review: Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (4/5)

13 Jan

I was in a book shop and needed a book which is a feeling I haven’t had for ages. I’d read all of the books I owned and was hoping to get some more for Christmas. But I needed one in the mean time. I wanted something I could pick up and put down without fear of losing a library hold. I’d heard good things about this book but knew nothing about it. It was also thick enough I knew I’d take a while to get through it and that was just fine with me.

Cover image via Amazon

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

Summary from Amazon:

Aside from the fact that they are brothers, Peter and Ivan Koubek seem to have little in common.

Peter is a Dublin lawyer in his thirties―successful, competent, and apparently unassailable. But in the wake of their father’s death, he’s medicating himself to sleep and struggling to manage his relationships with two very different women―his enduring first love, Sylvia, and Naomi, a college student for whom life is one long joke.

Ivan is a twenty-two-year-old competitive chess player. He has always seen himself as socially awkward, a loner, the antithesis of his glib elder brother. Now, in the early weeks of his bereavement, Ivan meets Margaret, an older woman emerging from her own turbulent past, and their lives become rapidly and intensely intertwined.

For two grieving brothers and the people they love, this is a new interlude―a period of desire, despair, and possibility; a chance to find out how much one life might hold inside itself without breaking.

This book took me a while to get into. I was initially put off by the writing style. Rooney doesn’t use punctuation for dialogue and it was often hard to tell what someone was saying or thinking. Especially in Peter’s sections, where he would think about past events as he was going through the present, I found myself getting lost. But I got used to it and it got easier to follow as I read more and more. This isn’t a story with much action and I liked that. The book dives into the relationships between the people and how those grow and change. I’m not sure I liked where it ended, but I still felt closure.

Rooney took time to draw some beautiful characters. There was a deep history in them that showed well in their interactions and choices. The history of Sylvia in the Koubek family was really interesting and I liked seeing how she was important to both brothers. The parallels and differences between them were really fun to see play out, too. I talked to my partner a lot about the age differences between Peter and Naomi and between Margaret and Ivan and questioned why we felt different about them. It was wonderful to see these relationships grow and change and I really enjoyed them in the novel.

Ivan was easy for me to like. His sections of the book were easier for me to read at first since it took me time to get used to Peter’s narration. His sections also seemed quieter and less frantic. I thought he showed a lot of maturity in how he approached his relationship with Margaret and she seemed to see that as well. He had a really positive portrayal though his brother and mother seem to be unwilling to change their ideas of him from his adolescence.

I think the Koubek brothers are relatable to anyone who has experienced loss and grief. They both think about their father often but they have very different memories of him that they’re carrying with them. Both are trying to get back to the way their lives were before his death and are having trouble adjusting to the changes that have to take place. Even when things seem ‘back to normal,’ there are those small moments that are different because that person is gone. There are moments in conversations where you have to change what you were going to say or thoughts that shift because the automatic response isn’t part of your new reality. The Koubek brothers are navigating these small shifts in different ways and it was really interesting to see how it played out for each one.

Sally Rooney
Image from The Booker Prize

Ivan’s relationship with Margaret was my favorite part of the book. I liked that we got Margaret’s perspective. Not hearing right from Sylvia or Naomi made Peter’s story very one-sided so having both sides of Margaret and Ivan’s story helped make it feel more whole. Hearing both of their concerns and feelings about their relationship and how others reacted to it helped me understand the trepidation and emotions involved.

Peter’s ending bothered me. This is a spoiler so please skip the rest of this paragraph if you wan to avoid it. I didn’t understand what the real plan was around him staying with both Sylvia and Naomi. I loved his relationship with Sylvia and I understood that there were physical elements of it that weren’t possible any longer, but the emotional connection was undeniable. I struggled to see the solution being Peter maintaining a relationship with Naomi. That seemed destined to fail as Naomi knew she wasn’t emotionally what Peter wanted and their relationship was based on physical intimacy and money. I don’t see a way where Naomi stays and I only see her getting hurt. It seemed really unfair for Sylvia to push for that solution. I’m not saying I know what the solution is, but Naomi isn’t it.

Everyone handles grief differently. Seeing the different reactions of two brothers drove that home well in this novel. Neither way was the wrong way but I think there are changes both would make if given the chance. The book was a great study in grief and choices and how we can come out the other side of a tough part of life.

Writer’s Takeaway: I don’t know whether to be impressed or frustrating by Rooney’s writing. The deviation from conventional grammar was really difficult for me to get used to at first and each time I’d pick up the book, there was an adjustment period. However, I have to respect that she found a style that worked for a reader who was willing to give it time. She was able to use it to give voice to her characters in a unique way. I don’t think it’s something I would ever try, but I respect her for being able to pull it off.

A really enjoyable book. This was the slow burn I needed. Four out of Five Stars.

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at [email protected]. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Related Posts:
Intermezzo | Entirely Fictitious
‘Intermezzo’ by Sally Rooney | Booklight Sally
INTERMEZZO by Sally Rooney | Dave’s Book Group
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney | Of Books and Reading

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Book Review: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (4/5)

12 Jan

Moyes is one of those author’s whose books were incredibly popular but that I never read. I had years of when my TBR was over 100 and I wasn’t making progress but in the past few years, I’ve narrowed it down to the teens! Adding books seemed less daunting so I’ve been adding more and more titles that I wished I had a chance to read when they were popular but that I still want to explore. I’m glad I finally got to this one. I’m wondering if I should jump into the movie soon.

Cover image via Amazon

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Summary from Amazon:

Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex–Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.

Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.

This one was a slow burn. It took me a while to like Lou and it took me even longer to like Will. It’s an incredibly complicated subject and Moyes takes it on well. She’s created a great cast of characters to tell this story and as much as I enjoyed Lou, I can’t image how this has become a trilogy so I think I’m going to stop here.

The characters made this book. I loved how we got to know Will slowly and how we got to see him through the eyes of so many people around him. Nathan, his mother, and Lou all have very different ideas of who Will is and what his life should look like. It was great to learn about Will slowly and get the influence of each of these people on his character while the reader’s opinion is formed.

Treena was a wonderful character and I’m so glad Moyes drew her as well as she did. It was great to see a side character with such a strong arc and who I was cheering for the whole time. I can’t imagine the pressure of being a single mother and Treena handled them wonderfully. I loved seeing her take control of her life again and the care she took to make sure Thomas was adjusting as she made changes. She was a really good mother. The relationship between her and Lou was a beautiful picture of siblings and how they went from being at each other’s throats to allies in seconds.

To some degree, I think there are times in our lives when we feel we’ve lost control. I felt that way immediately after the birth of my kids though it’s different from how Will feels after his accident. Remembering that short time and thinking how Will must feel having lived like that for two years helped me begin to understand the loss of control he must have had.

Jojo Moyes
Image via Amazon

I thought Will’s visit to Lou’s house for her birthday was a great scene. I loved the attention her parents took to make sure Will had access to their home and the way he was able to feel like any other guest. It drew a great dichotomy between them and Patrick which I thought really kicked off the rift between him and Lou. Will’s gift was so thoughtful as well, which made me smile while reading.

The trip to Mauritius was hard for me to read. It was so perfect that you knew something bad was coming, though it was hard to imagine how bad it would be. I knew I was getting toward the end of the book and there was a sense of foreboding that I couldn’t shake the whole time they were there.

I had to wonder how the book would have been different if the Traynor’s weren’t rich. A lot of the comforts Will enjoyed were expensive and I can’t imagine someone middle or lower class having in-home care twice per day and having a non-medical assistant. I have to imagine it would have been much harder on him and I wonder how his life and decisions would have been different with different care.

Writer’s Takeaway: There are topics that are hard to address and Moyes picked a doozie. I think tackling such a complicated subject with fiction is a good way to make people think about it in a different way. I’ve never had to consider life as a quadriplegic and I hope I never have to. Seeing how Will navigated his new life and all of the challenges that came with it was really eye opening. I’m sure Moyes had to do a lot of research but I think she nailed the topic and I hope those more familiar with the subject agree.

This was a solid read and one I’m glad I finally found time for. Four out of Five Stars.

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at [email protected]. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Related Posts:
Review: Me Before You | The Literary Elephant 
Me Before You by JoJo Moyes | Court Reads 
Book Review | Me Before You by Jojo Moyes | Bee the Booknerd 

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Book Review: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (3/5)

8 Jan

This seemed like one of those books I was going to read because I was already invested in the series. I’d felt the same way about The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and left that one minorly disappointed but still entertained. For whatever reason, this one didn’t hit the same and I feel like I was a sucker who feel for a cash grab.

Cover image via Amazon

Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games #0.5) by Suzanne Collins

Other books by Collins reviewed on this blog:

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games #0) (4/5)
Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) (4/5)

Summary from Amazon:

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.

This fell very flat to me. Haymitch is such a character in the original trilogy and Woody Harrelson brought him so well to life in the books that I had high expectations of a book narrated by him. But there was a massive lack of voice and personality in his story. I found parts of the story interesting and I think it set up well the events of the second and third books. However, I didn’t need to know any of this to understand things in the original books. Funny enough, reading this reminded me I never saw the movie for A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes so I watched it right before finishing. In the director commentary, they talked about how much they liked the book Collins chose to write and were thankful it didn’t feel like a ‘cash grab’ because she could have written stories like Finnick’s games or Haymitch’s games… So that didn’t age well.

I liked the personalities that Collins included in this story, specifically the differences in the District 12 tributes. I was glad she didn’t try to give all 48 participants a part in the story and stuck to the alliances that were relevant. Wyatt, Louella, and Maysilee were a good group to bring together and represent the district. I appreciated how they all played together.

I grew to really like Maysilee. I understood why Haymitch didn’t like her at first given their upbringing. I liked her pushback against the Capitol and the kindness she showed to other Districts and tributes. It seemed like she wanted to be a good ally to anyone she could despite her touch exterior. She’s the kind of friend I would want.

I didn’t find any of the characters very relatable. Haymitch’s lack of personality was a disappointment since he was narrating. The situations the characters were in is so extreme that I couldn’t put myself in their shoes at all to empathize. I tend to have this complaint with SciFi and Action books so it’s not unusual for me to feel this way though it is disappointing.

Suzanne Collins
Image via IMDb

The insurrection in this book was a great preview for Catching Fire, the second book in the series. I liked seeing the folks at play in the process and seeing how what they learned from this Games influenced what happened in the future. Some of the parallels were fun because it was easy to see how the movement gained traction for the 75th Annual games.

I thought there were a few too many characters shoe horned into this book that didn’t need to be. I didn’t need an origin story for Effie, for example. And I felt Wiress had enough of a story before and didn’t need the extra layers this book gave her. It feels like prequels are guilty of this a lot so I’m not surprised but, yet again, disappointed.

There’s a lot of strength in Haymitch’s story. It’s easy to see why he connects with Katniss. There’s a line in Ballad that comes up again in this book, “Nothing you can take was ever worth keeping.” I think that’s well explored here since so much is taken from the Tributes and Haymitch in particular.  Arguably, I think he loses some things that were very much worth keeping (staying spoiler free here). But I think that loss makes him strong and turns him into the man we eventually see the original series.

Writer’s Takeaway: I think there are details that a reader doesn’t need. While motivation is important for major characters, minor characters can be more one-dimensional. I think prequels like this that explore a smaller character more in depth can be fun, but at times feel like too much for fans of the original material. There are some things an author doesn’t need to share.

Unfortunately, this book was a bit of a let down for me. Three out of Five Stars.

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at [email protected]. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Related Posts:
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins – Review | Books Real when Shared
Review: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins 🌄 Warning: this book will break your heart | Bookcheshirecat 
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins | Pages Unbound Reviews
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins – thoughts and dicsussion | magic & maybees
“Sunrise on the Reaping” (The Hunger Games #0.5) by Suzanne Collins (Review) | Courtney Reads Romance 

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WWW Wednesday, 7-January-2026

7 Jan

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived here on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses. Please, take some time to visit the other participants and see what others are reading. So, let’s get to it!

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The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Note: For users of Blogspot blogs, I’m unable to comment on your posts as a WordPress blogger unless you’ve enabled Name/URL comments. This is a known WordPress/Blogspot issue. Please consider enabling this to participate more fully in the community.

Currently reading: I jumped back into A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin on audio. It’s crazy to me how much is exactly the same as the show and how much is completely different. I’m kind of sad to be getting to the end of this one because there’s nothing else!
I’m happy to say I’m sleeping better which means my progress with The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah has slowed. I’ll have smaller chunks of time for it, though. I keep trying to prioritize picking this up instead of doom scrolling.
I started Women’s Hotel by Daniel M. Lavery but it hasn’t won me over yet. It’s a slow start so far and I’m hoping it will pick up, but I have put it aside for a bit.
I had a hold at the library come in for The House on the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. I saw so much about this book a few years ago but didn’t find the time for it until now. I’m glad there’s a sequel already out if I end up enjoying it!

Recently finished: I more or less ignored my family on Sunday to finish The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling). I think reading this in such a short time helped me enjoy it more because I could keep track of the people and facts a lot better. I’m a bit behind on reviews now but I hope to get to this in the next few weeks. I’ve given it Four out of Five Stars.

Reading next: No plans at this point. I’ve got a lot to go in all my books so I don’t think I’ll have any movement in the next week.

Leave a comment with your link and comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at [email protected]. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

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2025 Wrap Up: Top 5, Challenges, and Look Back

6 Jan

Having forgotten to do this for 2024, I’m excited to take a look back at 2025 and reflect on my books for the year. I felt like I got back into a groove this year after surviving the infant stage with my kiddo. I’m hoping to keep this feeling going into 2026 and beyond!

Challenge Update

I took on two challenges in 2025. The first was my own making, the 2025 When Are You Reading? Challenge. I shared my progress on this page throughout the year and I’m excited to say that I finished this challenge after falling short last year. Sometimes, this challenge feels like I’m forcing myself to read books I don’t want to, but this year it felt very natural. I think starting to fill the gaps in the summer rather than in November helped me pepper in books I hadn’t planned to read instead of cramming them in at the end. I’ll be hosting this one again 2026 and I’m already excited about it!

I also did a Goodreads challenge in 2025 and, to be honest, I killed it. I had the goal of reading 20 books and I ended up with 46! I had a lot of changes this year with my kids getting older and having a Return to Office mandate late in the year. I think the increased commute helped because it gave me more audiobook time. I don’t love it, but I’ll take the silver lining.

Look Back

I’m a big fan of the Goodreads Year in Books. I think it’s a really fun way to see what reading trends there were in what I picked up.

I read 46 books, an increase of 25 from the year before, more than double! A lot of that is credited to my kids getting older and having more time to myself for reading. And the commute. The number of pages I read was 18,499 (including equivalent for books I listened to) which is also more than double what I did in 2024.

I’m not surprised that my shortest book was When I Grow Up I Want To Be by Nancy Boegler which was a children’s book I took on for review. My longest book was The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) which doesn’t shock me at all. I listened to this one and I think it was slightly to my detriment because some of the big clues were from chat conversations that were hard to follow when read aloud. It was still really enjoyable, though and I can’t wait to continue the series. My average book was 402 pages which surprises me because that seems long! It’s 60 higher than last year’s average. I think these long audiobooks are helping.

My average rating was 3.4 stars which is about on par for me. I’m pretty critical and only give out 5 Stars for books I adored and even 4 is hard for me to justify. Here’s how it broke down:

5 Stars: 6
4 Stars: 17
3 Stars: 14
2 Stars: 9
1 Star: 0

I’m happy nothing got 1 Star and I’m actually happy with how many 4 and 5 Star reviews I have! I guess it’s all those 2s bringing the average down.

Top 5 of 2025

This is hard for me ever year and 2025 is no exception. But let’s get to it because I’m excited to talk about these.

#5 Slow Dance (Bailar lento) by Rainbow Rowell. I don’t know if my Spanish read of the year has made it onto this list before, but this one has to. I’m a massive Rowell fan and I especially love her stories without magic in them (no shade to Simon Snow, just a preference). The slow burn of this love story was amazing and the characters were incredible. I can’t wait for more from her.

#4 Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. I didn’t expect this one to blow me away like it did and I loved it so much. I became obsessed with Mt. Everest for a while and it still pops up on my feeds all the time. I never want to climb mountains like this and I don’t understand the appeal since the disasters can be so deadly. This book was so well written and took me along for the ride in the best way.

#3 The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling). I love this series more than I think I should given how much of an issue I have with the author. The characters are incredible and the mystery is so fun to see untangle. I liked the exploration of the online game in this book and feeling like I was getting close to the answer and then feeling completely lost was fun.

#2 The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling). This book still makes me anxious when I think about it. The writing was incredible and the tension and pacing were just spectacular. I gave this book 4 out of 5 Stars initially but I’m now thinking I might need to revisit that since I can’t get it out of my head!

Cover image via Amazon

#1 Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray. This book has stayed with me from the second I finished it. I was sad it ended not because it was sad, but because I wanted more. I adored all the characters and the story was just incredible. I should read some more Bray as she’s been a hit for me in the past as well. I highly recommend this one!

Thank you so much for coming along on this look back at 2025. I hope 2026 is even better but that’s a tall order. Happy reading!

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at [email protected]. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

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Introducing the 2026 When Are You Reading? Challenge

5 Jan

It’s time to get this kicked off! Better late than never, right? If you haven’t set your reading challenges for 2026 yet, then it’s not too late to add in the When Are You Reading? Challenge!

Back for it’s 13th year (yes!), this is a great challenge for historical fiction fans who find themselves stuck in a certain era. You’re challenged to read one book from each of 12 time periods. That’s one book per month! Even if you’ve set your challenges, you can still add this in.

It’s up to the reader where a book falls. I’ve used some publication dates, some settings, and some times picking the mid-point of a book. And I’ve used a different demarcation on different books in the same year. It’s what you make of it!

The challenge is located here. If you’d like to participate, leave me a comment somewhere on the blog letting me know and giving me a link to your challenge page or post. I’ll add a link to my challenge page so other readers can visit you and see what you’ve been reading.

The time periods are:

  • Pre 1200
  • 1300-1499
  • 1500-1699
  • 1700-1799
  • 1800-1899
  • 1900-1919
  • 1920-1939
  • 1940-1959
  • 1960-1979
  • 1980-1999
  • 2000-Present
  • The Future

I do hope you’ll consider joining me. I’ve had a lot of fun with this challenge over the past several years and I’m looking forward to doing it again.

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at [email protected]. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

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WWW Wednesday, 31-December-2025

31 Dec

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived here on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses. Please, take some time to visit the other participants and see what others are reading. So, let’s get to it!

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The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Note: For users of Blogspot blogs, I’m unable to comment on your posts as a WordPress blogger unless you’ve enabled Name/URL comments. This is a known WordPress/Blogspot issue. Please consider enabling this to participate more fully in the community.

Currently reading: Happy New Year’s Eve! I feel like I made some good progress this week. I haven’t listened to any of A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin and I’m planning on focusing on this one in the new year.
I’ve dedicated as much time as possible to The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) in the hope I can finish it before it returns to the library. It’s a bit long winded but I’m still enjoying it so far.
I needed a new ebook and picked up The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. I’m hoping my insomnia subsides and I can stop making such good ebook progress, but I’ll look at the silver lining!

Recently finished: I finished Intermezzo by Sally Rooney just last night so I’m still processing it a bit. The writing took me some getting used to but I liked the characters a lot. I’m still thinking about a rating and review to come!
I got so close to the end of Me Before You by Jojo Moyes that I started focusing on it to see how it ended. I’m crushed, to be honest. And I’m not sure how this book has two sequels? I’ve given it Four out of Five Stars.

I got a few reviews posted as well! I’m behind again, but it still feels good. My review for The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown posted yesterday. While it was entertaining, this book didn’t knock it out of the park and I gave it Three out of Five Stars.
I also posted my review for Red Hood by Elena K. Arnold on Monday. This book entertained me at times, but I also had a lot of issues with it that kept me from enjoying it. I’ve given in Three out of Five Stars, but I considered Two for a while.

Reading next: I’ll need a new physical book to start tonight. One of my kids randomly picked out books in the store and after turning down a book about soccer and a coffee table book on trolls, my partner relented when they picked up Women’s Hotel by Daniel M. Lavery. I know nothing about it, which is what I like best. We’ll see how this goes.

Leave a comment with your link and comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at [email protected]. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

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Book Review: The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (3/5)

30 Dec

I remember the controversy about reading Brown’s beak out novel, The DaVinci Code. Of course I read it. And then I read all other books Brown had written. And even as I see his hero, Robert Langdon, continuing to be a debonaire superhuman as he ages, I keep reading them. I had to wait a while for this eaudiobook hold to come in and then speed read it, but I still enjoyed the journey.

Cover image via Amazon

The Secret of Secrets (Robert Langdon #6) by Dan Brown

Other books by Brown reviewed on this blog:

Origin (Robert Langdon #5) (4/5)

Summary from Amazon:

Robert Langdon, esteemed professor of symbology, travels to Prague to attend a groundbreaking lecture by Katherine Solomon—a prominent noetic scientist with whom he has recently begun a relationship. Katherine is on the verge of publishing an explosive book that contains startling discoveries about the nature of human consciousness and threatens to disrupt centuries of established belief. But a brutal murder catapults the trip into chaos, and Katherine suddenly disappears along with her manuscript. Langdon finds himself targeted by a powerful organization and hunted by a chilling assailant sprung from Prague’s most ancient mythology. As the plot expands into London and New York, Langdon desperately searches for Katherine . . . and for answers. In a thrilling race through the dual worlds of futuristic science and mystical lore, he uncovers a shocking truth about a secret project that will forever change the way we think about the human mind.

This book was exactly what I thought it would be. It was fast paced, it involved a great deal of fascinating history, and Langdon acted like a Secret Agent Superhuman while saving the day. As always, Brown is a master pacer with this book moving at a wonderful speed around Prague and New York.

Brown’s hero’s never seem to have flaws. Langdon and Solomon don’t make mistakes and are in peak physical condition in their 50s. Their quick thinking saves the day multiple times. It seems far too unrealistic to me and it bothered me more in this book than it has before. This is one of my usual complaints about the action genre so I wasn’t surprised but I wish Brown would take a chance and make his hero less perfect.

Sasha was my favorite character. I thought she had a really interesting backstory that became even more fascinating as the story went on. It was obvious she was very important to the plot early on, but finding out how and why was a great mystery. I felt bad for her on many occasions- it seemed like things outside of her control kept happening to make her life more and more complicated. She seemed to be doing the best she could and I had a lot of respect for her.

There wasn’t anyone in this book I related to well. That’s another flaw in the action book genre that makes it something I don’t enjoy as much. The characterization and arcs are very minimal as these people just need to play a part in the larger plot. Katherine seemed the most relatable but I think that’s just due to her being a professional and a woman. There wasn’t much about her personally to latch onto.

Dan Brown
Image via the author’s website

I liked the beginning of the book when we were going back-and-forth between Prague and New York with Jonas Faukman. The jumping location was fun and I liked connecting what was happening in the two places with each other. I was disappointed when the New York timeline seemed to stop less than half way through the book. It was a bit of a disappointment and felt like we were leaving those characters prematurely.

I wasn’t a massive fan of the government conspiracy theories that took over the second half of the book. I know there are secrets the government is keeping from the world, but I don’t like to think about the money that’s poured into those secrets instead of helping people who really need it. The idea of the facility that was described and the astronomical cost of it were really frustrating. I didn’t like thinking about how aggressive and violent the government agents acted in order to protect their secret. I wish Brown would stick to secretive fanatical religious cults.

The audiobook was narrated by Paul Michael. Overall, I liked his reading. He did a good job of keeping tension high during the numerous high-tension moments. My one nit-pick with him is the voice he used for Katherine. It seemed almost taunting in how feminine it was. This wasn’t an issue for me with Sasha or Dr. Gessner, but he was also doing accents for them so maybe that softened it.

There wasn’t a strong over-arching theme in this story. It was a fun ride to take with a familiar character. There were some questions of morality that Heide Nagel has to navigate but it didn’t seem to be a strong theme in the book. I’m never surprised when an action book doesn’t leave me with much to think on afterward but if it had, it would have been a nice touch.

Writer’s Takeaway: Keeping me turning pages from the get-go, Brown is a master pacer. It’s shocking to think the entire book takes places in about two days with now long it is. I appreciated being kept on the edge of my seat and having questions that I wanted answered before I was willing to take a break. That’s part of what I love about the genre.

An entertaining romp, but not my favorite of the Langdon books. Three out of Five Stars.

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at [email protected]. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Some of the links on this post may be affiliate links. Taking on a World of Words is a participant in affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products. If you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but Sam will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Related Posts:
“The Secret of Secrets” by Dan Brown | The Saturday Reader
Book Review: The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown | The Inkbound Reader
Book review: The secret of secrets by Dan brown | Rightbrain Writings

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