Welcome To Stephen Reads Books!

Hello everyone, and welcome to Stephen Reads Books!

I have waited a long time to write those words, but today is finally the day where I make my return to book blogging. And I have really missed it.

For anyone who doesn’t know or recognise me, I had a book blog called Stephen Writes, which I started all the way back in 2018 and posted regularly until last summer. All the time I was on a free WordPress plan, but still received lots of positive engagement. But then in July 2025 something happened and I had to take the site down, and so I began the long and painstaking process of having to relaunch – this time with a paid plan!

It was sad to lose something that I devoted years of my life to, but also quite liberating to start again. And I still had all my old posts (764 of them!), which I have re-uploaded and are here for you all to read at your own leisure :) I would have been devastated if I had lost them all forever. So you can consider Stephen Reads Books as a continuation of Stephen Writes.

Anyway, enough of that! It is time to reintroduce myself, so I have decided to write a post all about me and what you can expect to find on my blog.

Who am I?

My name is Stephen and I am an avid reader from the UK! Books are my favourite pastime, and as well as reading books that also includes talking about books, recommending books, buying books, browsing bookstores, and of course writing about books. My life is very much a case of so many books and so little time, as my pile of unread books would testify.

But my life isn’t just about books. I have a wide range of other interests including writing – I am editor of an international magazine called Soccer 360 and I like to (occasionally) write poetry. I also like watching sports, listening to music, baking, exploring new places, immersing myself in history, arts, and culture, and doing quizzes and puzzles.

I work full-time as a university administrator.

Finally – and most importantly, I have a cat called Felix, who is two and-a-half years old and very adorable.

What I Read

I read a very wide range of genres! Enjoying a variety of books is one of things which makes reading so fun and interesting for me. Every book I read is a new experience and I find swapping genres after each book I read keeps things fresh.

Most of the books I read are fiction and contemporary releases. My favourite genres and the ones I perhaps read most frequently are mystery, crime, domestic thrillers, and historical or Gothic fiction. Yet I also like to read fantasy, young adult, and the occasional horror or dystopia.

I mainly read physical books, usually paperbacks but there are some beautiful hardback covers I find impossible to resist! I also have a Kindle that I use for reading occasionally, and in the last few years I have got more into audiobooks.

I take part in the Goodreads Challenge and set myself an annual target of 52 books. The most I have ever read in a year was 66, back in 2020.

My Favourite Books

If you asked me what is my favourite book of all-time, I would probably say These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. For me, this book had absolutely everything. A thrilling, multi-layered plot, amazing characters, a setting that came to life on the page with its atmosphere and diversity, a star-crossed romance that makes you feel the full range of emotions, and a writing style which simmers with intensity. It was the most extraordinary debut, and Chloe Gong’s books have been must-reads ever since.

This is just a selection of some of my other favourite books and series, just to highlight the variety of books I read! The Miniaturist was the book which made me fall in love with historical fiction. Daughter Of The Moon Goddess is perhaps the book I have recommended the most. The Whispering Muse was my top book of 2024, closely followed by Six Crimson Cranes. I am also a huge fan of series ranging from the cosy mystery of The Thursday Murder Club to the intense fantasy of the Grishaverse.

My Favourite Reads Of 2025

Here are my top three reads of 2025! The first two were actually published about 10 years ago, but I am so very grateful to have finally read them. Better late than never! I listened to Radio Silence on audio – it was my first ever Alice Oseman book and it blew me away. It made me feel emotions that no other book has evoked in me before, and was in many ways relatable and even life-changing.

To me, Steve Cavanagh is an absolute genius. His fast-paced legal thrillers are so well plotted and keep you on the edge of your seat. The Plea was actually only the second book I had read from him after Thirteen, but I am now hurriedly playing catch-up.

And to a more recent release – Cursed Daughters swept me away in its tragic beauty. It is a sad story, but so incredibly deep and moving in its exploration of culture and family dynamics. I got to meet Oyinkan Braithwaite shortly after finishing it and that experience cemented the book’s place as a new favourite of mine.

As of today, I have just had my first five-star read of 2026 – The Burial Plot by Elizabeth Macneal. Here’s to many more!

Why I Love Book Blogging

From a personal perspective, having a blog is such an important creative outlet for me. I take a lot of care in my writing and over the course of running Stephen Writes I overcame the initial imposter syndrome and became a much better all-round writer. It also gave me some other skills too, such as in web design and using a content management system like WordPress.

It has given me opportunities such as being able to have Q&As with authors, take part in blog tours and awards, and receive advanced copies of books. It is also something outside of my day job that I can take pride in.

But above all, the most rewarding part of being a book blogger is connecting with fellow readers. I have made so many very good online friends, a few of whom are now among my very closest friends. I regularly buddy read books with friends I have ‘met’ through blogging, and it is just a very lovely, inclusive part of the internet. And although I know that book blogs are not as popular as they were a few years ago because of the rise of other platforms, they still deserve all the love and many of those connections I have made and continue to make, will last forever.

What You’ll Find On My Blog

I write in-depth reviews of almost all the books I read, any share them on here. They usually range from 750 to 1,000 words in length, but sometimes more or less depending on how much they give me to talk about!

My reviews are always spoiler-free, and most importantly they are my honest thoughts. If I loved a book I will happily gush about it endlessly, but equally if I am writing about a book I didn’t enjoy, I would never describe it in an unkind way. At the end, I always give a short verdict with a star rating out of five.

As for my other posts, I always try and be original. I like to come up with interesting or unusual bookish lists, and find different topics for discussion. Every December, I always look back on the books I have read during that year and share lots of top five lists, such as the most powerful or character-driven books, or the ones with the most dramatic plot twists. You will also find the occasional tag and reading challenge updates.

My regular publishing schedule is twice a week, a review every Saturday and a different post on a Wednesday. Life does get in the way sometimes though, so there might be occasional breaks to that pattern.

Examples of blog posts

Here are some of my previous posts from my Stephen Writes era, just to give you an idea of what to expect:

Book Review – Daughter Of The Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

Book Review – The Shadow Key by Susan Stokes-Chapman

Book Review – Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang

Discussion – My Favourite Authors by Category

Top 10 Most Unique Books I Have Read

Books I’ve Read With Characters Who Don’t Exist

Books I’ve Read With Animals In The Title

Full list of Book Reviews

Let’s Connect!

You can find me on Instagram @stephenreads1308

You can also find me on Goodreads.

Please do leave your links in the comments! I would love to check out your site, and also keep enjoying so many of the other wonderful book blogs that I already follow.

Until next time, happy reading and I look forward to sharing more of my new posts!

Stephen