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November 2026 Patreon Boost!

1 Nov, 2026

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Are the best things in life free and should they be left for the birds and bees? These and even more pressing questions are scrutinized as part of my voluminous outpouring of reviews at James Nicoll Reviews. You can facilitate these queries by funding James Nicoll Reviews. Options include

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October 2026 in Review

31 Oct, 2026

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My Hugo finalist material arrived! As well as my 2024 finalist pin (not shown).


Technically October isn’t over as I write this on the 28th but all the reviews are done. The only real question remaining is what sort of potatoes I will offer Halloweeners. 

22 works reviewed. 12 by women (55%), 10 by men (45%), 0 by non-binary authors (0%), 0 by authors whose gender is unknown (0%), and 8 by POC (36%).

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Books Received, October 25 — October 20, 2026

31 Oct, 2026

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The Uninvited Guest by Kelley Armstrong (May 2027)

The irresistible Rip Through Time series by bestselling author Kelley Armstrong continues as a husband seemingly returns from the dead to stop his wife’s wedding.

After falling 150 years back in time, Mallory’s life in Victorian Scotland finally feels like hers. Not only forensic scientist Dr. Duncan Gray’s assistant, she’s his soon-to-be fiance. The two have finally acknowledged their feelings for each other and are eager for their wedding.

But they’ve decided to hold off on the planning until Gray’s sister, Isla, and his best friend, Detective Hugh McCreadie, have their own wedding. After Isla’s husband died on a safari in Africa, she had to wait the appropriate time to mourn. Now, she’s ready to marry Hugh and begin a new chapter of her life. But the long awaited day is interrupted when Lawrence, Isla’s presumed dead husband, appears at the wedding with his face disfigured from an animal attack.

Before Isla and Hugh can wed, they have to prove this man isn’t Lawrence. As they begin their investigation, Lawrence is found dead and all eyes turn to Hugh. With both weddings delayed, Gray and Mallory must quickly identify the stranger, uncover the killer, and save Hugh’s name and reputation. 

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Books Received, October 17 — October 23, 2026

24 Oct, 2026

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Wrecker’s Point by Dave Allen, Clive Oldfield, Simon Wileman et al (Q2 2027)

A remote corner of the Empire filled with pirate lairs, hidden agendas, and desperate fights for survival.

The Jutone Riding, commonly known as Wreckers Point, is an isolated place, with borders defined by the Sea of Claws to the north, the mysterious Laurelorn Forest to the south, and the fetid marshes of the Wasteland to the west. Only a strip of land to the east connects the region to the rest of Nordland, and the road from the headland to its provincial rulers in Salzenmund is long and neglected.

Life on the headland is hard, goblins and pirates infest the coves, islands, and promontories, in such profusion that it is said the goblins have grown piratical, and the pirates grown monstrous. The ruling van der Kratt family are eccentric and reclusive, believing themselves the victims of a witch’s terrible curse. Under their timid stewardship, soldiers of the Nordland State Army muster in their territory, ostensibly to campaign against goblins but spoiling for a fight, some say, with Marienburg. 

Wreckers Point is a sourcebook and adventure for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and offers the definitive guide to the region. The book contains:

A history of Wrecker’s Point, from the earliest settlement by the elves to its current, contested state.

A detailed look at the four major settlements on the headland, with maps of each village and details of memorable places and inhabitants.

The land of Wrecker’s Point, its lakes, rivers, islands, forests, and ruins, many of which are linked to intriguing plot hooks and characters.

The human rulers of Wrecker’s Point, their relationship with their rulers in Salzenmund, and their plans for expansion.

The elves of the northern reaches of Laurelorn Forest, the Ward of Storm, their leader Kaia Fanmaris, and dangerous compromises she has recently found herself making.

The disposition and behaviour of the Reavaz — a tribe of goblins who have been inspired by their human neighbours to raid the seas.

The Threshold of Dominion, an exciting adventure in which a party are led to Wrecker’s Point and engage with many of its eccentric characters and ancient secrets.

Wrecker’s Point requires the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Fifth Edition Rulebook to play.

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Books Received, October 10 — October 16, 2026

17 Oct, 2026

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Love, Witches, and Wahala by Christine Cowan (November 2026)

In Kamalu Lane, Nneka is a witch grappling with an ancient family curse: find her soulmate or risk all the witches of Kamalu Lane losing their powers forever.

In a desperate attempt to force fate’s hand, Nneka brews a love potion, but chaos erupts when the potion is accidentally added to Nneka’s famous puff puffs, causing every man who eats them to fall in love with her, except Dakoru, the handsome architect determined to reshape Kamalu Lane.

Though Nneka feels an undeniable connection with Dakoru, she knows falling for a human could doom them both. But Dakoru is no ordinary man and it’s clear he is connected to magic in some way.

As their connection grows, Nneka needs to figure out if Dakoru is the key to breaking her curse and restoring balance to Kamalu Lane before its future is lost forever. 

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Books Received, October 3 to October 9, 2026

10 Oct, 2026

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Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Fifth Edition by Dave Allen, Declan Aylward, Eoin Burke, Michael Congreve, TS Luikart, Dominic McDowall, Andres Montelongo, Pádraig Murphy, Clive Oldfield, Russell Thurman, Simon Wileman, et al (Spring 2027)

“A Grim World of Perilous Adventure”
Oh, for Sigmar’s sake! Don’t pretend you’re going to walk on by. We both know you can’t stay away. So ready your sword, clean your pistol, and watch out for that dog — he might be small, but he’s unreasonably vicious. 

Adventure across a realm of brutal violence, corrupting magic, monstrous foes, and desperate heroes, where fortune can turn on a single roll of the dice. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Fifth Edition builds on the award-winning ruleset, refining the experience while capturing everything that makes Warhammer Fantasy legendary. Gather your party, choose your path, and prepare to face the grim and perilous reality of the World of Legend.

The Empire’s great cities stand as beacons of civilisation amid thick forests and a threatening wilderness. Its people face dangers from beyond their walls, from Beastmen and Goblins in the wilds to criminals, corrupt institutions, and insidious cults within. Chaos is never far away, and those who venture into the wider world soon discover that survival is rarely guaranteed. 

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Books Received, September 26 to October 2, 2026

3 Oct, 2026

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The Heretics by Joe Abercrombie (May 2027)

Return to the raucous world of New York Times bestseller The Devils in the bloody, action-packed sequel, The Heretics.

This hardcover edition features four-color illustrated endpapers, foil case stamp, and illustrated map and family tree.

When saints turn away, devils must do god’s work…

Mother Beckert, disgraced Inquisitor, has one chance at redemption. To root heresy from the crumbling city of Zeitz, even if she must use heretics to do it.

The venomously ambitious Hugo von Klotz is sixth in line to inherit the city, and a church-sanctioned witch hunt might be just the thing to clear away his jealous rivals. 

But the Chapel of the Holy Expediency – including an insatiable werewolf, a depressed necromancer, and a beggar afflicted by visions – is a cure that might prove worse than the disease, and the rot at the heart of Zeitz goes deeper than anyone could suspect…

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September 2026 In Review

30 Sep, 2026

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September seemed very, very long this year so why didn’t I get more done? Even preparing this seemed to take forever.

22 works reviewed. 13 by women (59%), 9 by men (41%), 0 by non-binary authors (0%), 0 by authors whose gender is unknown (0%), and 10 by POC (45%).

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Books Received, September 12 — September 18, 2026

19 Sep, 2026

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Hide and Seek by Erin Ampersand (February 2027)

The third book in Erin Ampersand’s unputdownable LitRPG series in which everyone on Earth is forced to take part in a worldwide survival competition — everyone, including Meghan Moretti and her three lovably chaotic kids. 

Meghan has learned that protecting her kids also means making sure they’re ready to stand on their own when needed. That’s always been part of her parenting philosophy, but applying it to letting a six-year-old get up close and personal with vicious monsters? Questionable! Certainly not easy. 

Meghan doesn’t have a choice. She’s got to be an expert apocalypse parent while also stabilizing her area, finding a way to handle with the mysterious new Titans, and dealing with the other nasty twists her alien tormentors have planned.

It’s more than she bargained for, but she’s not giving up! 

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