Alisha Dempsey

Another year, another reading challenge. My goal for this year is 50 books – my total for 2025 was 53, so I’m hopeful.

So, for the end of January, the current progress is…

I read 4 books throughout!

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner – Stephenie Meyer ★★★★☆
Finally, finally completed the entire Twilight Saga with this one – whilst wholly unnecessary to the story, provides an amazing insight to the lives of the Newborns from Eclipse, as well as how Victoria got around Edward and Alice’s powers.

Until the World Falls Down – Jordan Lynde ★★★☆☆
This was marketed to me via TikTok as ‘Labyrinth, but if Sarah stayed with the Goblin King’. Very, very loose comparison, by which the labyrinth itself was the only real relating factor. Lots of smut, which I hadn’t been anticipating.

When Haru Was Here – Dustin Thao ★★★★☆
My second Dustin Thao – I was enamoured with You’ve Reached Sam, so was looking forward to this. A beautiful story of loss and moving on, and finding love where it was least expected. A horrifying twist, however, that had me absolutely sobbing.

Flowers in the Attic – VC Andrews ★★★★★
Horrifying. Absolutely phenomenal, however. The Dollangager siblings are uprooted from their home after the loss of their father, and are confined to live in their estranged Grandparents’ attic – on the condition that their Grandfather doesn’t know they’re there, or even exist. A tale of forbidden love, familial emotional abuse, and adventure despite confinement.

An eclectic selection, I know, I feel like a kleptomanic reading raccoon, but the heart wants what the heart wants. My reading tastes are a bit like my music tastes – nothing really seems to match or make sense, but I’ve a flavour for every mood.