Once again, I’m behind, both in reading and in reporting on that reading. As usual, I enjoyed a book by T. Kingfisher — Illuminations — even if it was more YA than adult. I also enjoyed the latest Prefect Dreyfus book ( Machine Vendetta) by Alastair Reynolds, which looks to be the last of Drefus, at least chronologically while in the Glitter Band setting. Cascade Failure by L.M. Sagas isn’t space opera so much as space opera meets corporate greed and semi-corrupt military, with a touch of mystery. V.E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic is indeed dark, at least by my standards, but well written. It also has vignettes following the novel that expand on certain aspects of the story… and are better placed separately than woven into the novel.

Even darker, and verging on horror with a religious twist, is a a debut novel by Samantha Mills — The Wings Upon Her Back, but it’s also thought-provoking.

That’s far from all I’ve read, but the others didn’t stand out that much, and several weren’t all that good.