Autumn Kotsiuba
Writer & Reader

2025, like most years, was a mixed bag. The entirety was overshadowed by health issues--it feels oddly apt that these seem to be wrapping up as the new year begins--and by adjusting to life in the UK. I started a new job, a few new hobbies, and met some great people. I found new favourite books and visited new cities. I grew closer to family and friends and even to myself. I spent yesterday at a local reserve. As we watched two long-tailed tits land feet from the hide, my friend asked me if I...

Every year I make a list of my favourite books. They're not necessarily published in 2025, but they were read in that time. If you haven't read any of my reviews or followed my Goodreads account, beware that my tastes tend to lean sci-fi heavy. So: in no particular order, these are the 10 books I enjoyed most this year. 1. Pretenders to the Throne of God by Adrian Tchaikovsky This is the 4th full-length novel in Tchaikovsky's "Tyrant Philosophers" series. If you've read any of my book...

I started birdwatching this year. Maybe a switch gets flicked on when you enter your thirties, I don’t know. But I love it. Like most of my hobbies, it began with a book. I read Birdwatchingwatching , the story of a UK comedian who decided to get into the world as a way to get closer to his dad. Soon after, I started noticing birds within my city. I love the white stardust on starlings, the plumpness of the dunnock, and even the little waddle of the pigeons walking by. I’m lucky in that Leeds...