Recent Reads – October 2025

Teaching Magic by Alanna Cole is a fantasy novel set in a magic academy, but focused on the faculty rather than the students. The world-building is immersive and the character-driven plot excellent. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but I hadn’t even finished it when I pre-ordered her next release, A Courtship of Dragons.

It’s been a few years since I read Helen Harper’s Highland Magic series and I enjoyed revisiting it. You can find the boxset here.

I must have been on a bit of a British kick this month because I also read Celine Jeanjean’s London’s Edge urban fantasy series. Why aren’t there more hyenas in fiction? Plus, I listened to a couple of episodes from the British comedian Tom Allen’s new podcast/YouTube show, Pottering. Jo Brand is a delight, as always!