Around the Discworld - Series Opener

There are three book series in my lifetime that I would like to complete: 'The Wheel of Time', 'The Cosmere' and 'Discworld'. Much of these books are very uncommon in the thrifting circle in South Australia, which leaves the Library - since where most of these books can be purchased in Australia, I do not want to support, and international shipping is a prick.

I'm not particularly sure if anyone at all would be interested in my journey reading through the first chosen of the above mentioned series, 'Discworld', however if you are, welcome! 😊 I've never been exposed to Terry Pratchett's writing, as these books were not within the circle of my influence. My dad was an avid Clive Cussler reader and my mum was swapping Mills & Boon with Nanny while reading Patricia Cornwell on the side. All this being said though, I did grow up playing Fantasy games like 'The Elder Scrolls', 'Sacred' and 'Neverwinter Nights'. I particularly blame the latter for my grown obsession with fantastical world building and playing Dungeon's & Dragons...

I wanted to explore what this style of world building would be like within a book series, and I had found it within J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings'. I fell in love with these books and Middle Earth so much, so imagine my surprise when I discovered an entire prequel set in the same world following Bilbo Baggins well before his 111th birthday. I continue to keep up with the published works of J.R.R. Tolkien, however I wanted to delve into a new world. 'Discworld' seemed the perfect choice, and now, after my long exposition, maybe you're finally wondering what the point is of blogging about reading these books?

The point is - I want to talk about books! That's basically the crux of it.

I don't know at what pace I will be reading through these novels. Most of them are completely dependent on when my Library holds come in, however, I will be reading them in publication order starting with 'The Color of Magic'. Every time I finish 6 books, I'll post my thoughts in a blog post a lot more casually than my standard book review format.

Feel free to join me on my journey and read the works of Terry Pratchett, otherwise if you have already read them, maybe reading the fresh thoughts of a newcomer might be fun. One of the best things I've seen with people talking about this series is that every novel is a standalone. Within these novels are also miniseries that can be read as well, which I found to be super convenient too if one topic of novel isn't your style.

I will be posting regular updates on my BlueSky (@racheyreads.bsky.social) feed as well as blog post graphics on my Instagram (@rachey.reads) when they're available. Consider dropping me a follow if you're on either of those platforms as well.

Thank you for taking the time to show some interest in my silly little project and I look forward to hopefully connecting with you over 'Discworld'! 😁❤️

The Staircase In The Woods - Chuck Wendig // Book Review

The Staircase in the Woods

Chuck Wendig || Publication Date - 29.04.2025

What lengths would you truly go to for your friends?

Fiction | Horror

Affiliate Link - https://bookshop.org/a/110173/9780593156568

Three dysfunctional friends are living their separate lives when they receive an email from their fourth friend Nick, telling them all he has cancer and to use the plane tickets he has purchased them to see him one last time.

He's promised them a weekend of alcohol, drugs and debauchery as a final farewell before his terminal diagnosis finally takes him away. However, upon arrival to the party, nothing is going to be the same again.

Nick has brought his friends to a remote part of the woods, and convinces them that the resort he has booked for them all is only a short hike away. What they don't know is he has lured them to an impromptu campsite next to an abandoned staircase. Very similar to the staircase which claimed Matty a few decades prior.

What follows is a fever dream of trauma, horrors and facing their own worst demons as they try to find the friend they abandoned all those years ago.

The Review (May Contain Spoilers)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this eARC for an honest review!

I have been craving the type of book lately that gives me the absolute creeps and Chuck did not disappoint. The atmosphere in this novel is truly eerie. I don't think I'll ever be able to look at a Staircase the same again...

The characters that are being focused on in this novel are fucked up in so many ways, however, their bond is wholesome and chaotic. I love their idea of The Covenant. It's gone from a pact to help each other through their lives major setbacks, to invoking unbridled and messy situations. It really opens up the question of "What would you REALLY do for your friends?". The novel explores so many various forms of trauma and character personalities that it's hard not to find an experience through them to relate to. I felt this added even more layers to the horrors the characters are being exposed to, as they are actively being forced to face them head on.

I love how these chapters are set out. It's coasty for a couple of chapters and they continue to get shorter as something looms. Then you're back to longer chapters which keeps building in a sense of dread, and because they keep getting shorter, the pace quickens making everything seem much more urgent and tense.

If there's a single triumph from this novel - I am truly proud to say it gave me the ever loving creeps. I had yet to find a book which actively made me feel uncomfortable, and this gave it to me in spades. Chuck's writing and how immersed I felt during the story truly gave me the feeling I had been searching for when it came to being given the heebies. And deeply I want to thank him 😂

Overall Thoughts

This was an absolute banger of a novel. From start to finish I was gripped by the situation, the characters and the calamity which ensues through the book. So many emotions were felt while reading, all overshadowed by a pressing sense of dread, and it was perfect. As I've said above, this is probably the first horror novel that actually left me physically uneasy while reading. I'd been craving something to make me feel this way and I loved how Chuck's writing imbued me with unease.

If you're looking for a book surrounding dysfunctional friends and a fucked up house, look no further than this. I highly recommend you pick this novel up for yourself, it was a damn good time and I'm so glad I got to read it.