James Nicoll Reviews

Until the Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow (February 2026)

The Good Place meets the Brandy version of Cinderella in Until the Clock Strikes Midnight, a cozy, romantic fantasy from award-winning author Alechia Dow. 

Darling is the most talented — and unusual — Guardian to get a chance at winning the coveted once-in-a-generation Mortal Outcome Council mentorship. Getting the spot would mean having the opportunity to shape the future happiness of all mortal realms — if she succeeds at her first assignment, Lucy Addlesberg. Darling thinks it’ll be an easy razzle-dazzle job… until she actually meets Lucy. Her life is a complete mess, from her failing bookshop in her downtrodden village to her doomed flirtation with the princess of Lumina. But if there’s one thing Darling’s good at, it’s a makeover. 

Calamity is the most talented — and arrogant — Misfortune of his class. It’s his job to save mortals from their own terrible decisions made in the pursuit of the mythical ​“Happily Ever After. 

” When Calam is granted a shot at the Mortal Outcome Council mentorship, he thinks his dreams are finally coming true. But first, he must pass the test. It should be easy — Lucy Addlesberg has been unfortunate for years. All he has to do is continue her string of bad luck so she can finally come to terms with reality and settle for a safer, more logical path in life. Yet when he arrives, he finds that Lucy has a Guardian assigned to her too — a chipper overachiever who is as colorful as the magic pouring from her glittery wand. 

To thwart each other, Darling and Calam insert themselves into Lucy’s life posing as a betrothed couple. As they try to guide her down what they each see as the best path for her, they start questioning their roles and ultimately what they truly want for themselves… and if those feelings of loathing they have for each other might actually be something more like love. 

The Regicide Report by Charles Stross (January 2026)

An occult assassin, a living god and an elderly queen face off in A Regicide Report, the thrilling conclusion to Charles Stross’ Hugo Award winning Laundry Files series.

After 60-plus years in power in the U.K., Queen Elizabeth II has gathered a surplus of mana from believers spread across the British Commonwealth. That makes her a threat to the Elder God recently installed as Prime Minister — and a target to a shadowy faction within the Laundry looking to depose the Black Pharaoh.

An assassin is dispatched to take out Queen Elizabeth and neutralize the threat of the Black Pharaoh. Bob Howard and Dominique ​“Mo” O’Brien return for the last time, reluctantly pressed into service protecting the queen.

Plus, Mhari Murphy and her team, many of whom are now infected with vampirism, are back from their mission to Washington DC with mixed success.

God save the Queen — someone has to. 

The Beasts We Raise by D. L. Taylor (March 2026)

Will she fight for her true love or marry her enemy to avoid all-out war? The heart-shattering conclusion to this dark romantasy duology is perfect for fans of Adrienne Young, Tricia Levenseller, and Brigid Kemmerer.

Newly-appointed Prime Mancella is desperate to keep the peace within her realm and within herself. Having recently acquired the power to physically split into separate versions of herself, her identity is beginning to fracture — along with her land, which is on the brink of war. The only semblance of normalcy in her life is her budding romance with thief-turned-confidant, Silver… at least until the mysterious Prime Reltas arrives at her doorstep asking, or rather demanding, her hand in marriage.

If Mance wants to avoid a fight that will devastate her realm, she’ll have to consider the proposal. Even if it destroys Silver. But Mance isn’t ready to give up just yet. Desperate to free herself from the betrothal, Mance must seek allyship from other Primes and learn to control her new magic. If she fails, her decision to refuse Reltas’s proposal will implode the delicate state of affairs across the realms, setting off a catastrophic war — and shatter two hearts in the process.