Caffeinated Reviewer

Narrated by James Marsters, Twelve Months by Jim Butcher is the eighteenth audiobook in the Dresden Files. One of my absolute favorite urban fantasy series. We were all left raw after the events of Battle Ground, and Butcher did a stellar job of not only showing how Harry & Chicago have suffered but picks up story threads and weaves a tale I could not stop listening to.

Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, has always managed to save the day—but, in this powerful entry in the Dresden Files, can he save himself?

One year. 365 days. Twelve months.

Harry Dresden has been through a lot, and so has his city. After Harry and his allies narrowly managed to save Chicago from being razed, everything is different—and it’s not just the current lack of electricity.

Harry lost people he cared about in the battle, and that’s the kind of loss that takes a toll. Harry being Harry, he’s doing his best to help the city and his friends recover and rebuild, but it’s a heavy load. He needs time.

Time is one thing Harry doesn’t have, however. Ghouls are prowling Chicago and killing innocent civilians. Harry’s brother is dying, and Harry doesn’t know how to help him. And last but certainly not least, the Winter Queen of the Fae has allied with the White Court of vampires—and Harry’s been betrothed to the seductive, deadly vampire Lara Raith to seal the deal.

It’s been a tough year. More than ever, the city needs Harry Dresden the wizard—but after loss and grief, is there enough left of him to rise to the challenge?

Full disclosure, this is a series that I own both in audio and Kindle format. As with any urban fantasy, it is essential to read/listen to this series in the order of its release. I always listen first and read second with the voice of Marsters still in my head. I also make it a point to read all short stories from this world.

It’s been almost a year since the events of Battle Ground. Harry is healing physically, but emotionally he is mourning a loss. It’s deep and raw, but Harry also knows the city has suffered and has opened up his home to some of the displaced.

Demands from Mab, the Winter Queen of Fae, who has formed an alliance with the White Court of vampires, see Harry as her knight betrothed to Lara Raith. He’ll need to go on three dates with her. We have Ghouls attacking in the streets of Chicago, and then there is Harry’s brother Thomas. Toss in a bodyguard and a new apprentice, and there is no time for Harry to be tired, and mentally he is exhausted.

Butcher pulled me in, and it was great seeing characters I am so familiar with. Despite what has happened, life goes on and needs need to be met. The situation with Thomas is time sensitive and Harry will need to figure out how to save him. It was interesting seeing him and Lara work together to save him, even if their ideas don’t always align. Meanwhile, Mab has made her demands clear. She is scary, and Harry pushed with his interactions with her.

In signature style, Butcher weaved in humor and terrific one-liners that made me chuckle even as a wiped a tear. The pace was slower, but I think we all needed it after the events of Battle Ground. It helped me reconnect with Harry and others and showed us the devastation caused. The last three-fourths were intense and more action-packed and left me craving the next installment.

I don’t think I will ever tire of this world and characters. James Marsters has become the voice of these characters and does an exceptional job of showing this side of Harry.

Amazon | Audible | Libro.fm

About Jim Butcher

Jim Butcher is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. His resume includes a laundry list of skills which were useful a couple of centuries ago, and he plays guitar quite badly. An avid gamer, he plays tabletop games in varying systems, a variety of video games on PC and console, and LARPs whenever he can make time for it. Jim currently resides mostly inside his own head, but his head can generally be found in his home town of Independence, Missouri. Jim goes by the moniker Longshot in a number of online locales. He came by this name in the early 1990′s when he decided he would become a published author. Usually only 3 in 1000 who make such an attempt actually manage to become published; of those, only 1 in 10 make enough money to call it a living. The sale of a second series was the breakthrough that let him beat the long odds against attaining a career as a novelist.

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About James Marsters

James Marsters, famous as Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is a highly acclaimed audiobook narrator, best known for bringing Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series to life, where he voices multiple characters and is praised for his emotional depth and performance. He also narrates books by other authors like Cassandra Clare and Oscar Wilde, earning an Earphones Award for his work.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2026 Audiobook Challenge

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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