January 2025 book blog

I decided that this year would be the year of the re-read, the year that I caught up with missed sequels, the year that I made some progress with those piles of books that are yet to be read. I also decided to go off genre a little more, and use the library. So, the first book of the year is a re-read. A big time re-read. Lisa Tuttle’s ‘Skin of the Soul’ has been on my shelves almost since the day it came out. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read this anthology, but I know it’s been a while since the last re-read.
This was one of the collections that changed horror. I’ve re-read a lot of older anthologies recently, and been struck by how few of the stories were by women. These days it’s unusual to read a decent collection that doesn’t have a lot of women contributors, but if you go back to the nineties, you’d be lucky to find two or three stories from female authors. Then the Women’s Press came out, with their brilliant SF imprint, making space for women in genre fiction. Lisa Tuttle’s collection still feels fresh, and includes many authors who are still big names in horror and genre fiction. I recommend it to all horror fans.

Book 2 of 2025, Joanne Sefton’s ‘The Guilty Friend’ had been on my to read pile for a few months, I bought it direct from the author at one of the Telling Tales events at Chorley Theatre (very much recommended if you’re local to Chorley and are interested in books.) I’m going off genre a lot these days, probably because I’m meeting local authors who write outside sf / fantasy / horror. Having said that, there were parts of ‘The Guilty Friend’ that were pure horror, one of the characters wouldn’t be out of place in a Stephen King novel. So, starting at the beginning – three girls meet on their first weekend at Cambridge, and become friends. Odd sorts of friends, more of a weird clique, but still …
Fast forward thirty years, one is dead, one is widowed and unemployed with kids, the other is childless, a consultant doctor, and in a loose kind of relationship. The living women have lost contact with each other and have no intention of ever seeing each other again. Until, that is, footage from a news story shows the blurred face of their dead friend and sets in motion a series of events that change both their lives forever. This book had a strong story, it was gripping, and I enjoyed it.

So, Book 3 – a library book. Zadie Smith’s ‘The Fraud’. Way, way, waayyyyy off genre for me. Historical ficton is not my forte, but I enjoyed White Teeth a lot, although it was a while ago, and this was the only book in the library that caught my eye. Next time I’ll go there with my specs.
Having said all that, I enjoyed this book. The protagonist, Elisa Touchet (Mrs) is, throughout the book, a stern widow, and housekeeper to the jovial and handsome cousin of her late and unlamented husband. They move in Victorian literary circles, numbering Thackerey, Dickens and Cruikshank amongst their regular dinner guests. Themes of hypocrisy and freedom run riot, and although there is one obvious candidate for the title of ‘The Fraud’, he is not the only character who might deserve that title.
Based on historical fact, this book paints a captivating picture of the period.

Book 4 is another re-read, Joan Sloncewski’s ‘A Door Into Ocean’ from the great and much missed Women’s Press SF imprint. Set on a binary planet system, part of multi planet empire. The water world has been left alone for millennia, and is home to the Sharers, a race of female only humans who are experts in managing the ecosystem and their own population. It’s been ignored by the empire for a long time. The other world is much like earth, with a mix of land and water. The people of this planet are ruled with a somewhat heavy hand. Trade has begun between the two worlds, and Berenice, a heiress to a trader family, is a bridge between the two populations.
An Envoy from the Patriarch visits Shora, the Ocean moon, and sets in motion a deadly series of events that puts the pacifist beliefs of the Ocean people to the ultimate test.
I read this book on release, I must have been tired or busy at the time, because my memory of it was that it wasn’t an easy read. Decades later, I loved it, and enjoyed the re-read. I also found out that there are three more or less sequels to the book now, so I’ve ordered them and will be reading them soon.

Book 5 was a gift. a YA book, A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid. A good story idea, with nice prose.