Eight books in, "A Parade of Horribles" is the course correction "Dungeon Crawler Carl" needed after the bloat of book seven. Chapter 57 — Carl and Donut dueting to A-ha's "Take on Me" — is the most purely joyful sequence in the series.
All tagged fantasy
This Inevitable Ruin – Matt Dinniman
Six books of buildup, and the Faction Wars arrive with a whimper. "This Inevitable Ruin" is overstuffed, repetitive and 300-pages too long — a GoT "Long Night" moment for the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. The emotional beats that define the series are still here, just buried under dungeon mechanics and escalating conflict from gods.
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride – Matt Dinniman
Book six of “Dungeon Crawler Carl” doesn't match the highs of its immediate predecessor, but the emotional core — Carl's devastating backstory, character sacrifices and Donut's vulnerability — keeps the series humming. An off-kilter audiobook narration and a slow first third test patience, but the back half delivers.
The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook – Matt Dinniman
Overall, this feels like a step back from book two’s momentum. Dinniman is inventive and occasionally brilliant, but he could use a firmer editorial hand. If not for Donut – still the emotional and comedic engine of this series – I might have tapped out here.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold Series (Books 1-3) – Toshikazu Kawaguchi
If you’re curious, read the first book and stop there. You’ll get the warmth, the melancholy and the best of the concept without watching it grind itself down. And seriously — if you put a cat on the cover, give me a cat in the book.
The Bees – Laline Paull
High-concept fiction always walks a fine line between bold and baffling, but “The Bees” topples into the latter. If you like your dystopias with a side of entomological fever dream, by all means. Otherwise, buzz past it.
The Measure – Nikki Erlick
Like “The Alchemist,” another polarizing philosophical fable, it may resonate deeply with readers seeking affirmation about life, death and purpose. I just wish it had trusted us to think more and feel harder, rather than spelling everything out.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea – TJ Klune
“Somewhere Beyond the Sea” wants to be a beacon, but it ends up an echo of what made “The House in the Cerulean Sea” so beloved. It wants to offer the inclusive magic Rowling won’t, and for some readers, that alone may be enough. But intent doesn’t equal impact. The message may still shine through, but the journey is far less enchanting than before.
Even Though I Knew the End – C. L. Polk
Expectation: A horror-tinged murder mystery that celebrates queer love.
Reality: Fantasy-heavy and a bit convoluted, as a non-genre fan it became too much, but the fantastic audiobook kept me enthralled.