James Nicoll Reviews

November 2025

21 works reviewed. 11 by women (52%), 10 by men (48%), 0 by non-binary authors (0%), 0 by authors whose gender is unknown (0%), and 8 by POC (38%).

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Kill All Wizards by Jedediah Berry (June 2026)

SWORDS, SORCERY, AND A SPOT OF TEA

Kill All Wizards is a blood-soaked romp through high society — picture Conan the Barbarian caught up in a comedy of manners, and you’re almost prepared for this unmissable new series. 

We could think of nothing but the barbarian. He had come here, surely, to murder or marry someone, to exact revenge, or to say or do something very scandalous. We could hardly wait to see which it was. We hoped it would be all of them. 

The barbarian traveled far to consult the wizards of the empire. Instead of lending their aid, they ensorcelled him, exploited his strength, and stole his sword. They should not have done that. 

Now the barbarian plans to kill every wizard who wronged him, even if that means blending in with their vile society: dressing in finery, taking tea in exclusive clubs, and reserving the best box at the theater. 

Oh, he hates it all with the fiery passion of his savage heart — but not as much as he hates these wizards.

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Another piece bounced by ReacTor.

Reactor has published an assortment of pieces praising the good old physical book, in particular the paperback. Each essayist (which include me) has talked about the virtues of physical books. However, there’s one I keep thinking about, one that might just lead to a golden age from the perspective of brick-and-mortar used-book sellers.

Unfortunately, it is not good news.

I promise that this essay won’t be all doom and gloom. There is a light in the darkness.

(Obligatory convoluted reasoning warning. Go get your coffee and muffin, then start reading.)

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Mother of Death and Dawn by Carissa Broadbent (March 2026)

In the harrowing finale of the War of Lost Hearts trilogy, #1 New York Times bestselling author Carissa Broadbent brings this tale of romance, magic, vengeance, and redemption to a close. 

Tell me, little butterfly, what would you do for love?In the wake of a crushing defeat, Tisaanah and Maxatarius have been ripped apart. Tisaanah is desperate to rescue Max from his imprisonment, even as her people’s fight for freedom grows more treacherous. But within the walls of Ilyzath, Max’s mind is a shadow of what it once was… leaving his past a mystery and his future at the mercy of Ara’s new, ruthless queen. 

Meanwhile, in the Fey lands, Aefe has been dragged back into this world by a king who vows to destroy civilizations in her name. But even as her past returns to claim her, her former self is a stranger. 

Tisaanah, Max, and Aefe are thrust into the center of a cataclysm between the human and Fey worlds. The unique magic they share is key to either winning the war, or ending it. 

But that power demands sacrifice. Tisaanah may be forced to choose between love and duty. Max cannot forge his future without confronting his past. And Aefe must decide between reclaiming who she was, or embracing who she has become. 

The choices they make will either reshape this world forever…or end it. 

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Rings of Fate by Melissa de la Cruz (January 2026)

She’s a barmaid who doesn’t believe in fairy tales. He’s a prince cursed to live one.

Aren Bellamore has no interest in being anyone’s princess. She’s too busy running the Raven’s Beak tavern, fending off unwanted marriage proposals, and dreaming of escape. But when a brush with death and a dangerously handsome stranger upend her life, Aren finds herself bound to a bargain that could change everything.

Prince Dietan has carried the cursed Rings of Fate — ancient weapons of devastating power — since childhood. The magic is killing him, and the enemies are closing in. To make the journey to reverse his curse, he needs a bride to hide his secrets. Aren wants freedom. Pretending to be his fiancée should give them both what they want.

But as their perilous journey pits them against political schemes, monstrous Kilandrar, and a growing attraction neither can deny, the line between make-believe and destiny begins to blur. And the fate of two kingdoms may depend on whether a cynical barmaid and a cursed prince are willing to risk their hearts.

Perfect for readers who love the wit of The Princess Bride, the adventure of classic fantasy quests, and romances that balance danger with delicious banter. 

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Reactor sometimes passes on articles. This one, for example, would have been a moderation nightmare.

Series are great! Writers have the security of knowing there is a market for the installment on which they are working, publishers can confidently predict sales, and readers have the comfort of knowing there is more of what they liked on the way. Therefore, certain traditions have arisen to better support series. 

Here are five.

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(I majored in poly-sci econ, not mathematics)

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Dreamland by Olivie Blake (August 2026)

The headlines are calling it the ​“summer of exsanguination” in LA — girls are being murdered, the Santa Ana winds are blowing a strange energy into the city, and all signs point to fire season. 

More pressing for Anya Morris, though, is the drudgery of living at home, working part time at the family store, and contending with her mother’s disdain for the acting career Anya knows she’s destined for but that feels more impossible by the day. It’s in this suffocating late summer heat that Anya receives a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, an invitation to work for the de Witt family, one of LA’s most influential film dynasties. Soon, she’s spending her days and nights at their strange villa high in the Hollywood hills, where she meets Jude, a recluse who is both the family’s heir apparent and its most closely guarded secret. 

There’s a magnetism to Jude that Anya cannot resist, despite warning signs that scream like sirens in the night. Because the villa holds generations of bloodstained history, and an occult family curse may even live within its walls — or within Jude himself. In this city, everyone cuts a deal with the devil. When Anya comes face to face with a devil of her own, she’ll learn just how far she’s willing to go to get everything she’s ever wanted. 

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