What I read in October 2025
So many audiobooks this month!
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams [audio 5h 51min]: This was the first time I've listened to the audiobook version narrated by Stephen Fry. All I can say is that it’s excellent! I've read this a couple of times before (years ago now) and I truly enjoyed the audiobook experience.
His Secret Illuminations (The Warrior's Guild #1) by Scarlett Gale, 442p: Such a cool change for a romance novel: the female protagonist is a big and experienced warrior while the male protagonist is a sheltered, innocent monk. The POV is from the monk, Lucien, and he absolutely adores Glory (also known as the “She-Wolf”) in the few chances he had to look at her while at the monastery. It's a sweet, slow-burn romance with emphasis on consent and respecting boundaries. With Glory, Lucien goes out of the monastery and sees the outside world for the first time. He feels overwhelmed at first, but Glory is always there to help him. Lucien is a scribe, and he has some cool magic abilities that are useful for them to track down some missing manuscripts. It was a nice, refreshing read.
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy #2) by Douglas Adams [audio 5h 47min]: This was the first time I've listened to the audiobook narrated by Martin Freeman. It’s impressive how Freeman voices all the characters so distinctly. It’s excellent! Highly recommended!
The Rook (The Checquy Files #1) by Daniel O'Malley, 512p: Definitely a page turner! It's an amnesia/mystery/special powers/secret organization plot with a female lead character. I enjoyed the pace of the book: it kept me interested until the end. The sense of humour is delicious and reminded me of Dr. Who. I still don't know how to say the lead character name, Myfawny Thomas, but I really liked her! It was interesting to get to know her by the letters she wrote to herself. But you gotta have an open mind and turn on your “suspension of disbelief” mode at full power. Lots of crazy things happen and the characters have all kinds of unimaginable powers.
Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism by Yanis Varoufakis [audio 7h 39min]: Interesting read exploring how our global economy is changing with the rise of tech giants. The author presents his theory of how Capitalism has been turned into Technofeudalism, where powerful tech companies act like feudal lords, controlling digital platforms and data instead of land. Users and smaller businesses are like “serfs” who provide data and labour, often for free, to gain access to these platforms, which then extract value from them. I'll admit that I didn't grasp all the economic concepts, but Varoufakis makes the subject accessible through his conversational approach. The book is framed as if he's explaining these ideas to his father, which helps break down complex theories into more digestible pieces.
Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood [audio 4h 24min]: This was a nice cozy novella with nerdy protagonists working in the video game industry. The story centers on team members from rival gaming companies who are unexpectedly forced to collaborate during a wintery team-building retreat. The novella leans into the miscommunication trope, with nice banter and book loving nerdery. It’s a quick read with low-stakes drama and high levels of geeky chemistry.
Neuromancer (Sprawl #1) by William Gibson, 271p: I first read this book 12 years ago, and honestly, I remember finding it confusing. This time around I think I'm grasping more of it, but still, I don't know what exactly is going on half of the time. I can see how this book is a cultural reference to the whole cyberpunk genre, but, wow, it is a strange ride. It's gritty, it's dark and, honestly, the writing style doesn't capture me too much.
Thoughts? Discuss... if you have a Write.as account or Reply by email
By Noisy Deadlines Minimalist in progress, nerdy, introvert, skeptic. I don't leave without my e-reader.