Marieke Nijkamp Novels
Even If We Break
The locked room book. I've been reading a lot of stories with the theme of a former D&D group getting together for one last game so reading a horror version of that was a no-brainer. This is a pretty standard locked-room mystery (locked cabin) and because of that I knew who the killer was pretty soon into the book. What made the book enjoyable even with that knowledge was the personal points of view of the characters, and how deeply thoughtful and emotional they were. This is Marieke Nijkamp's big gifts: Her understanding of trauma that allows her to go deeply into the thoughts and emotions of her characters. That made the book truly eerie and terrifying.
After We Burned
The fire book. This is the novel that was not what I thought it would be. I thought were were finding out what happened to a missing girl, but then there's a fire, and then there's something bigger and even worse. I enjoyed this because of the layers of secrets involved in the mystery reveals that so perfectly mirrored the layers of secrets involved in what happened and what was done. Once again Nijkamp's gift of pov writing played a huge part in my enjoyment of this book. We all know we lie to ourselves more than to anyone else, and that's fun for me to read.
At the End of Everything
The plague book. Literally, there is a plague, and kids in a facility are abandoned to handle it by themselves. I am immunosuppressed and I now have long-covid, so this book spoke to me. I was beyond delighted to watch these kids turn not to violence as in so many books and shows, but turn to compassion. It filled me with hope. As usual, there are multiple povs and reading the thoughts of these kids about a literal plague and seeing how different they are from the adults who abandoned them is sad and also wonderful. I highly recommend this book.
This Is Where It Ends
The school-shooting book. It is heartbreaking. Through pov chapters and social media, it tells the stories of teenagers during the first day of school, when most of them are in the auditorium for an orientation, some are at cross country practice, some are home, and some are up to mischief, and one has decided to come to school and kill people. Marieke Nijkamp never shies away from the bad and the ugly so we find ourselves in the heads of the shooter's abused sister and beloved girlfriend, for example, both of whom knew a very different person until this day. I reiterate, this is a heartbreaking book. You're going to love these kids you meet and grieve when some die, and you're only going to know them for the worst hour of their lives. I recommend it but be very careful with yourself.
#Bookstodon #MariekeNijkamp #CurrentlyReading #2026Reading #EvenIfWeBreak #AfterWeBurned #AtTheEndOfEverything #ThisIsWhereItEnds
February 2026 Reading List
Novels
Even If We Break by Marieke Nijkamp
After We Burned by Marieke Nijkamp
At the End of Everything by Marieke Nijkamp
Otherworldly by Dwain Worrell (ARC)
We Interrupt This Program by Randee Dawn (ARC)
Murder on a Moon Trek: Fly Me to the Moon by Diane Vallere (ARC)
Novellas, Novelettes, Short Stories
Joiner and Rust: A Tor Original by Lavie Tidhar
Agency: A Tor Original by George Sandison
The Last God of Talam Dor by M.R. Robinson (Giganotosaurus): A hopeful, horrible tale about what it is that makes one a god. It's also a love story. Unbelievably wonderful.
Graphic Novels & Comics
Under York by Sylvain Runberg
Ink Girls by Marieke Nijkamp
Clock Hands by Marieke Nijkamp (ARC)
The Last Witch by Conor McCreery
Pig Wife by Abbey Luck
Aquinnah by Matteo Casali
Mister Magic: The Graphic Novel by Scott Peterson
DC
Absolute Superman Vol. 2: Son of the Demon by Jason Aaron
I loved this. Of course R'as Al Ghul would want The Superman for his son.
I don't love a bulky R'as but everyone in the Absolute Universe is bulky so I'm dealing.
Justice League Red (2025-) #6 by Saladin Ahmed
Fire & Ice: When Hell Freezes Over by Joanne Starer
Harley & Ivy: Life & Crimes (2025-) #3 by Erica Henderson (review in thread)
DC x AEW (2026-) #1 (DC x AEW (2026)) by Steve Orlando
I am a long-time wrestling and long-time comics fan and this intersection is pretty much the current delight of my life. Kenny's gear makes him look more like a super than a wrestler. The match-ups were fun, for the most part I thought they were well done. This isn't going to be a long-term huge story, but it is going to be fun, so I'm in. Also? That's my Masshole, baby.
Marvel
Spider-Man Noir: The Gwen Stacy Affair by Erik Larsen
Sorcerer Supreme (2025-) #2 by Steve Orlando: My girls are lovers and fighters.
Strange Tales (2025-2026) #4 (of 4) by Jeremy Whitley
All-New Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider (2025-) #7 by Stephanie Phillips
Moon Knight: Fist Of Khonshu (2024-2025) #13-14 by Jed MacKay
Ultimate X-Men (2024-) #21 by Peach Momoko
Ultimate Black Panther (2024-) #22 by Bryan Edward Hill
Ultimate Wolverine (2025-) #11 by Christopher Condon
Ultimates (2024-) #18 by Deniz Camp
The Last God of Talam Dor by M.R. Robinson
A hopeful, horrible tale about what it is that makes one a god. It's also a love story. Unbelievably wonderful.
Giganotosaurus
https://giganotosaurus.org/2026/01/01/the-last-god-of-talam-dor/
Content Warning: religiously motivated ableism and homophobia, both internalized and external; self-harm; and depictions of ritual sacrifice including drowning, hanging, and burning, not very graphic. Alone but for the crows, the priestess peers through her narrow window and counts the riders. The year before, when the king sent his son to the priory to die […]
The Parsley Girl by Theodora Goss (poem). A retelling of Persinette (or Rapunzel). Wonderfully told.
Uncanny Magazine Issue 68: January/February 2026
https://www.uncannymagazine.com/article/the-parsley-girl/
I. The parsley girl is trickier than you think. Wouldn’t you be, if your own mother sold you to a witch for a bundle of parsley? Winter had come and she was craving anything green, would have eaten grass if a blade had been poking through the snow. The witch did not particularly want […]
2026 Short Speculative Fiction Likes/Recs
Potential 2027 Hugo Award Nominations
Please read any and all content warnings at the story links.
The (Mis)Fortunes of Saint Ilia's School for Gifted Girls, In No Particular Order by Catherine Tavares. This was a clever little mystery at a magical school that unfolded through an origami fortune teller.
The Dark, Issue 128, January 2026
https://www.thedarkmagazine.com/the-misfortunes-of-saint-ilias-school-for-gifted-girls-in-no-particular-order/
On June 17, 2004, six students and two faculty members from Saint Ilia’s School for Gifted Girls were found dead. A not altogether shocking occurrence, as mishaps of the fatal variety often happen when one thousand powered teenagers are crammed under one roof, and with a fire conveniently destroying much of the school, there is […]
January 2026 Reading List
Novels
The Death Row Club by V. A. Vázquez
Nightmare on Nightmare Street by R. L. Stine
Aurora's End (The Aurora Cycle) by Amie Kaufman
The Inheritance (Breach Wars Book 1) by Ilona Andrews
Novellas, Novelettes, Short Stories
Clarkesworld Issue 232
The Dark, Issue 128, January 2026
Uncanny Magazine Issue 68: January/February 2026
The Last God of Talam Dor by M.R. Robinson, Giganotosaurus
Nonfiction
Sigil Witchery: A Witch's Guide to Crafting Magick Symbols by Laura Tempest Zakroff
Graphic Novels & Comics
Behemoth by Grant Sputore
Christmas 365 by Mikey Way
Gargoyles Winter Special One-Shot #1 by Greg Weisman
Gargoyles Volume 2: Here in Manhattan by Greg Weisman
Gargoyles: Quest Vol 1 by Greg Weisman
Lost Angels: Paradise High by David Accampo
Let This One Be a Devil Volume 1 by James Tynion IV
Something is Killing the Children Vol. 9 by James Tynion IV
Steam by Shaenon K. Garrity
Godzilla: Heist by Van Jensen
Godzilla Legends--Mothra: Queen of the Monsters by Sophie Campbell
Star Trek: Lower Decks (2024-) #13-15 by Tim Sheridan
DC
Hawkgirl (2023) Vol. 1: Once Upon a Galaxy by Jadzia Axelrod
Supergirl: Universe End by Mariko Tamaki
Justice League Red (2025-) #5 by Saladin Ahmed
Harley & Ivy: Life & Crimes (2025-) #2 by Erica Henderson
Gotham Academy: First Year (2025) #1-3 by Brenden Fletcher
Batman: Gotham by Gaslight - A League for Justice (2025) #6 of 6 by Andy Diggle
Marvel
Superior Avengers by Steve Foxe
Binary (2025) #1-3 (of 3) by Stephanie Phillips
Storm Vol. 2: Thunder War by Murewa Ayodele
Phoenix Vol. 3: Astral Bond by Stephanie Phillips
Weapon X-Men: The Real Thing (2025) by Joe Casey
X-Men: Hellfire Vigil (2025) #1 by Jed MacKay
Uncanny X-Men (2024-) #21 by Gail Simone
Wiccan: Witches' Road (2025-2026) #2 (of 5) by Wyatt Kennedy
Spirits Of Violence (2025-2026) #1 (of 5) by Sabir Pirzada
All-New Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider (2025-) #6 by Stephanie Phillips
It is difficult to catch up on old storylines because there is a lot of grossness there.
What If? Civil War (2007) #1 (What If? (2007-2008)) by Ed Brubaker
X-Men by Chris Claremont: Prelude To A Future Past (2025) #1 by Chris Claremont
Ultimate Universe
Ultimate Wolverine (2025-) #10 by Christopher Condon
Ultimate X-Men (2024-) #20 by Peach Momoko
Ultimate Black Panther (2024-) #21 by Bryan Hill
Ultimate Spider-Man (2024-) #22 by Jonathan Hickman
Ultimates (2024-) #17 by Deniz Camp
Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion (2025) #5 (of 5) by Deniz Camp
Battleworld 2015
Korvac Saga: Warzones! by Dan Abnett
Inhumans: Attilan Rising by Charles Soule
Captain Britain and the Mighty Defenders (2015) by Al Ewing
Secret Wars Warzones!: Spider-Island by Christos Gage
E Is for Extinction by Chris Burnham
Secret Wars: Agents of Atlas (2015) #1 by Tom Taylor
Runaways: Battleworld (Runaways (2015)) by ND Stevenson
Steam by Shaenon K. Garrity (Emily Holden, Artist)
If you've also felt there's some sort of secret key to winning at the universe and understanding people then you're probably going to like this. Ruby, an escaped science experiment only programmed to fix things is also a barista and the thing she's become focused on fixing is people's love lives. This story is kind and sweet and was a delightful place to inhabit for a while.
Something is Killing the Children Vol. 9 by James Tynion IV (Werther Dell'Edera, Artist)
A solid entry in a solid series that I've been reading since issue 1. In this volume we're with a young Erica who has not earned her Black Mask and ceased training with her mentor Jessica. It's an intersting look at Erica (who has pretty much been herself since she was taken) but it's a far more intersting look at Jessica Slaughter and her past. I'm already looking forward to more.
Advanced reader copies provided by NetGalley.
#Comic #ComicReview #BookReview #2026Reading #Bookstodon #Steam #SomethingIsKillingTheChildren
ICYMI:
I read Rachel Reid's _Heated Rivalry_, the second book in her Game Changer's series of contemporary, hockey-set genre romances.
#2026Reading #RomBkBlog #GameChangers #RachelReid
https://herhandsmyhands.wordpress.com/2026/01/16/heated-rivalry-by-rachel-reid/
I read Rachel Reid's _Heated Rivalry_, the second book in her Game Changer's series of contemporary, hockey-set genre romances.
#2026Reading #RomBkBlog #GameChangers #RachelReid
https://herhandsmyhands.wordpress.com/2026/01/16/heated-rivalry-by-rachel-reid/
Godzilla: Heist by Van Jensen (Kelsey Ramsey, Artist)
Using Godzilla to steal Mechagodzilla is such a bonkers idea I knew I was going to love it from the first page. The twists were non-stop, the backstory was a traditional one for the genre, and the ending (and the lesson learned) were wonderful. This thing is paced like a good movie. Someone make it so.
Godzilla Legends: Mothra Queen of the Monsters by Sophie Campbell (Matt Frank, Artist)
All human twin sisters Mira and Emi have to do is travel back in time to the Jurassic period, find Mothra's egg, bring it back to the present, and raise it to adulthood so Mothra can once again save the world. The art is so beautiful and all the covers were gorgeous. Though a lot of this story is about the humans (and faeries) who support Mothra, there are plenty of fights to satisfy.
Both advanced reader copies provided by Netgalley.
#Godzilla #Mothra #Comic #ComicReview #BookReview #2026Reading #Bookstodon
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