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First Lines Friday – 27/02/2026

Posted on February 27, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s First Lines Friday contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

I’m looking forward to reading a retelling. A specific retelling at that. I featured this book in a recent YouTube video about an upcoming attempt to complete the 2026 Goodreads Winter Challenge. It’s also a book on my fixed list of reads that I shared in my 2026 Resolutions post.

Can you guess what it is from the list? If not, the opening might give you a hint!

It was the man from records who began it, him all unknowing in his prim, grim way, his above-it-all, oldthink way. He was the one Syme called ‘Old Misery’.

He wasn’t truly new to Julia. Fiction, Records and Research all took second meal at thirteen hundred, so you got to know everyone’s face. But up to then, he’d really just been Old Misery, the one who looked like he’d swallowed a fly, who coughed more than he spoke. Comrade Smith was his right name, though ‘Comrade’ never suited him somehow. Of course, if you felt foolish calling someone ‘Comrade’, far better not to speak to them at all.

Julia – Sandra Newman

Genre: Dystopian Fiction

Pages: 400

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Mariner Books

Publication Date: 24 Oct 2023

Goodreads – Julia

Amazon Purchase Link

London, chief city of Airstrip One, the third most populous province of Oceania. It’s 1984 and Julia Worthing works as a mechanic fixing the novel-writing machines in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. Under the ideology of IngSoc and the rule of the Party and its leader Big Brother, Julia is a model citizen – cheerfully cynical, believing in nothing and caring not at all about politics. She knows how to survive in a world of constant surveillance, Thought Police, Newspeak, Doublethink, child spies and the black markets of the prole neighbourhoods. She’s very good at staying alive.

But Julia becomes intrigued by a colleague from the Records Department – a mid-level worker of the Outer Party called Winston Smith, she comes to realise that she’s losing her grip and can no longer safely navigate her world.

Seventy-five years after Orwell finished writing his iconic novel, Sandra Newman has tackled the world of Big Brother in a truly convincing way, offering a dramatically different, feminist narrative that is true to and stands alongside the original. For the millions of readers who have been brought up with Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, here, finally, is a provocative, vital and utterly satisfying companion novel.

My Thoughts…

Next month, which starts this weekend, I’m reading a modern take on George Orwell’s acclaimed dystopian novel, 1984. I’m reading both of these books together to compare the traditional, well-known narrative with the feminist version from the perspective of Julia.

I’m looking forward to this retelling and what new angle it can explore from Julia’s side. It’s funny, because when I first read 1984 in school, I didn’t enjoy it. In hindsight though, it wasn’t so much the book I took umbrage with as opposed to the way I was forced to study it. Fast forward to my re-read as an adult, I loved it!

Dystopian fiction is one of my favourite genre of all time. I have no doubt I’ll enjoy both my re-read, as well as this new perspective.

Have you read either 1984 or Julia? Does this feminist dystopian narrative appeal to you?

Don’t forget, you can support me as a creator and follow this purchase link to get yourself a copy. Then, readalong with me! 😊 I’m reading the book this March along with the original 1984. So, if you want to read and discuss either book, let me know!

Thanks for checking out this First Lines Friday!

Book Review: The Lost Metal – Brandon Sanderson

Posted on February 26, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s review of The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase.***

If I have one aim out of this review, it’s to convince you to pick up the Mistborn series. I read and adored the first trilogy as a teenager. Honestly, I didn’t think it could get any better, but I was really surprised by the Wax and Wayne dynamic of the second half— that, and how Sanderson isn’t afraid to improve on his established magic system! It’s a rare thing to see an author build upon and change their own world. Risky move, but it worked incredibly well!

If you want to catch up on my reviews of the series before diving into this final instalment, my reviews of the earlier Era 2 books can be found below: –

The Lost Metal – Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 507

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Tor Books

Publication Date: 15 Nov 2022

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Purchase Link – Amazon UK

Goodreads – The Lost Metal

For years, frontier lawman turned big-city senator Waxillium Ladrian has hunted the shadowy organisation the Set— with his late uncle and his sister among their leaders— since they started kidnapping people with the power of Allomancy in their bloodlines. When Detective Marasi Colms and her partner, Wayne, find stockpiled weapons bound for the Outer City of Bilming, this opens a new lead. Conflict between the capital, Elendel, and the Outer Cities only favours the Set, and their tendrils now reach to the Elendel Senate— whose corruption Wax and his wife, Steris, have sought to expose— and Bilming is even more entangled.

After Wax discovers a new type of explosive that can unleash unprecedented destruction and realises that the Set must already have it, an immortal kandra serving Scadrial’s god, Harmony, reveals that Bilming has fallen under the influence of another god: Trell, worshipped by the Set. And Trell isn’t the only factor at play from the larger Cosmere— Marasi is recruited by offworlders with strange abilities who claim their goal is to protect Scadrial…at any cost.

Wax must choose whether to set aside his rocky relationship with God and once again become the Sword that Harmony has groomed him to be. If no one steps forward to be the hero Scadrial needs, the planet and its millions of people will come to a sudden and calamitous ruin.

My Thoughts

Plot

Events of the earlier books in the series come to an end. As the title of the book proclaims, a significant part of both Wax and Wayne’s aim in this book is to discover a new metal not previously known to their metallurgical talents. Not only that, but events come to a head in the action act and dramatic way he can only expect from Sanderson. Full of tension and unforeseen plot twists, it is hard to anticipate how the lost metal is going to end, and I confess, it had me devastated.

It was a satisfying book to read nonetheless. I love the scope of this book and the series as a whole. If there is one thing I really enjoy, it is an author who is willing to both build upon and in some ways destroy the world they have built in a way that feels plausible to the plot.

Whilst I can’t really comment on the ties this book has with the Cosmere in general, I believe there are some overlaps that perhaps I’m not ready to appreciate given the volume of unread Brandon Sanderson books on my list compared to those I have. However, I have it on good authority that for the eagle-eyed, there are some links to other books in his wider universe.

Characters

Wax and Wayne are some of my favourite chalk and cheese characters in this series. They are polar opposites; Wax is noble and values justice and fairness. Wayne, well, what’s petty crime when in the name of justice?! Wayne is a bit of a kleptomaniac, but somehow charming and entertaining all at the same time.

Ballsy. Clever. Intelligent. Witty. These are all easy descriptors for characters in The Lost Metal. Wax and Wayne are by far the stars of the show, but don’t sleep on Merasi. I love her character. She’s bright and desperate to prove herself. To a reader like me, she’s incredibly relatable.

I love the variety of characters we see in The Lost Metal, but especially loved seeing an old face reappear in this book. The dynamics between the characters are engaging and they really help lift an interesting and clever story up several layers!

Setting

The latter half of Sanderson’s Mistborn series is Western in vibe. Set both within and on the outskirts of Elendel’s major cities, Wax and Wayne are cowboy-style lawmakers. Guns aren’t their only weapons; I love the magic aspect of the book, and especially how The Last Metal builds on the earlier books of the series.

The world-building in this book and series is fantastic. Somehow, in every single book, Sanderson has managed to get better, make the story more engaging, and build on the magic we’ve grown with.

The concept of the magic behind the series is interesting – ingesting metals grants no specific powers. However, we build far more upon that as the books go on. We get more complex ideas, but it’s not complicated or written to confuse readers. The growth and expansion of the plot and magic is the biggest selling point for Mistborn.

Narrative Style

The Lost Metal, alongside pretty much every Sanderson book I’ve read to date, is easy to read and follow.

The book is made up of around 70 chapters across 500 pages. It makes the average chapter not too long, but also punchy enough to see plenty of action. The writing style matches the events of the book. Whilst it works really well, I don’t know what else to say here. It facilitates everything else I’ve talked about in this review. It would be a showstopper for me if it was difficult to read. However, it’s far from the biggest selling point.

Summary

With a series as epic as Mistborn, it’s hard to imagine how it could end in a way that lives up to the hype. Friends, it did! Sanderson lives up to his excellent reputation, and I already know The Lost Metal and the prior six books of the series will be on my TBR again soon!

If you want to get yourself a copy, you can get it via Amazon here. I’ll definitely be re-reading this one, so we’ll have a chance at a later date to compare notes!

Sunday Summary – 22nd February 2026

Posted on February 22, 2026 by fantasyst95

Another week’s end can only mean it’s time for my Sunday Summary update. It’s been a weird one, as it’s felt a little hands off. I’ve still published my usual content, but a lot of it was prepared in advance. The exception to this rule was my Top Ten Tuesday post. If you’re an armchair traveller and like to read from a variety of settings, this post is one for you to check out!

My Shelf Control intended for a couple of weeks ago finally went live this week. As I drafted it a couple of weeks ago but forgot to publish it, it’s fair to say I didn’t need to do much to get it out in the world…

On YouTube, I shared my review of Notes on a Nervous Planet and a recommendation video for Game of Thrones fans. I’d recorded and prepped these videos by Monday last week, so I haven’t done a whole lot on YouTube content since then…

Books Read

An Offer From a Gentleman

In last week’s Sunday Summary I was 36% into the audio of An Offer From a Gentleman.

With a week left to listen to this audiobook, it was my priority to finish. And, I’m pleased to share I did! I confess, I wasn’t sure if I’d stick this out. I don’t have the best track record with the novels in this series. Whilst it wasn’t a showstopper and I enjoyed it as much as I thought I would, I’m pleased I made it to the end without DNF’ing.

It wasn’t a sure thing… it wouldn’t be the first book of the series I’ve put down prematurely.

Dear Debbie

I returned to Dear Debbie after finishing An Offer From a Gentleman. That was pretty late this week, so I’ve only listened to this audio a fraction over 20mins.

Naturally, though, with no other audiobook commitments now I’ll be back on this one full force. Dear Debbie isn’t a long audio, so I’m sure I’ll have this cracked in the next week for sure!

Throne of Glass

I confess I’ve only read a handful of pages of Throne of Glass this week. I’ve not physically read much in the way of books full stop. It’s no reflection on the book, but rather because I’ve been juggling a lot of stuff at work this week. By the time I’m home and ready to enjoy some downtime, I’ve turned to easier hobbies on the brain, like my Rivendell cross-stitch.

Hopefully more to share on this one soon – book club is fast approaching! With this in mind, the plan is to read as much as I can this evening once this Sunday Summary is live!

Books Discovered

It’s a good job I didn’t promise no more bookish additions in last week’s Sunday Summary. I was found well, until the other half and some friends suggested I go for a ‘look’ in Waterstones this morning.

Ha, who do they think I am?! Of course I got a couple! The good news is I got them with accumulated points on my loyalty card, so they didn’t cost me anything…

The books I got were A Mother’s Promise (a WW2 Auschwitz story) and River Kings – about Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Road routes. It’s not often to read about the latter, and well, I’m curious!

Coming Up…

Blog

I’ve got a full week lined up for you, and I’m excited! Kicking off next week, I’m sharing my review of Brandon Sanderson’s The Lost Metal. I loved this series hard and I was both delighted and devastated to get to the end. I’ve been a bit wistful about starting The Way of Kings again lately. Maybe featuring Sanderson and another great series will kick me up the butt.

On Friday, I’ve got a First Lines Friday teed up. Given I’ve got some other bookish priorities on next week, I’m not challenging myself this time. I may need all the reading time I can get 😅

On Sunday, I’ll be publishing a blog tour review of The Three Witches. It’s the last of my bookish commitments this week, but a hard deadline and I’ve yet to start the book…

Then, my usual Sunday Summary will go live at 00:01 on Monday morning so the blog tour post has its full day and my weekly update isn’t too delayed 😉

YouTube

I haven’t recorded anything for YouTube yet, which is unusual for me. However, I’ve had a little more on this weekend than usual. I’ll probably try to get some content recorded tomorrow night so it’s business as usual.

The plan, because I have a plan at least, is to film a Meet the BookTuber video. Now I’ve got a few vids under my belt and established my content niche, I want to introduce the myself properly!

Later in the week, I’m curating a list of books I’ve added to my reading list recently that I really think you need too!

Summary

Now, I’m off to try and make some more progress with Throne of Glass. Book bloggers kind of need to read books now and then, after all….

What are you reading this weekend?

Shelf Control #100 – 20/02/2026

Posted on February 20, 2026 by fantasyst95

***This Shelf Control post contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

My latest Shelf Control features a historical classic novel I started years ago whilst in my high school years, but didn’t really get into. I suspect I wasn’t quite mature enough for the book and its themes yet. However, now I’m older, I need to get cracking and read this classic book.

It would also be perfect for anyone looking for a Black History Month read! Before I get into the details of the book, as I usually do, here’s a recap of what Shelf Control is all about.

Shelf Control is a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up.

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

The Colour Purple – Alice Walker

Genre: Historical fiction/ Classic

Pages: 287

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Penguin Books

Publication Date: 10 Dec 2019

Amazon Purchase Link

Goodreads – The Colour Purple

A powerful cultural touchstone of modern American literature, The Color Purple depicts the lives of African American women in early twentieth-century rural Georgia.

Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to and hope in each other across time, distance and silence through a series of letters spanning twenty years, first from Celie to God, then the sisters to each other despite the unknown.

Abused repeatedly by the man she calls ‘father’, Celie has two children taken away from her and is trapped into an ugly marriage. But then she meets the glamorous Shug Avery, singer and magic-maker – a woman who has taken charge of her own destiny.

And gradually Celie discovers the power and joy of her own spirit, freeing her from her past and reuniting her with those she loves.

Beloved by generations of readers, The Color Purple broke the silence around domestic and sexual abuse, narrating the lives of women through their pain and struggle, companionship and growth, resilience and bravery. Deeply compassionate and beautifully imagined, Alice Walker’s epic carries readers on a spirit-affirming journey towards redemption and love.

My Thoughts

I regret not picking up The Colour Purple yet. It’s a highly rated book, and no doubt a must-read for many people – myself included!

The Colour Purple is a well-known title that I’m looking forward to ticking off my TBR. It’s a classic, and one I feel is already overdue to be read. So much so, I included this book on my fixed TBR of books I want to get to in 2026. You can see that, as well as the other books on this list, in my 2026 Resolutions post.

The book is not without its difficult topics. If you’re not for reading about domestic and sexual abuse, then maybe pass on this one. However, I’m not one to shy away from difficult topics and in fact, I deliberately try to read them. Only by recognising difficult truths can we be transparent about them and try to prevent reoccurrence.

Summary

Want to read along with me? Get a copy of the book here and join me in picking up this historical fiction classic. Race is a topic I’m already enjoying reading about in Barack Obama’s Dreams from my Father. Why not continue the discussion by reading The Colour Purple soon?

Thank you for reading my Shelf Control post! Have you read The Colour Purple?

Top Ten Tuesday – Books for Armchair Travellers

Posted on February 17, 2026 by fantasyst95

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday is an interesting topic. When I started thinking about this week’s Top Ten Tuesday – Books for Armchair Travellers post, I was curious to see what variety of books and genres I could include on this post.

When I mentioned this in my Sunday Summary at the weekend, I shared my suspicion that I’d feature a lot of historical fiction here. However, I think I’ve got a respectable mix! Yes, there are four of ten on this list that fit in that category. However, I’ve also got non-fiction, mysteries and literary fiction on the list.

Curious to see what made the cut? Let’s take a look!

Books for Armchair Travellers

Literary Fiction

The Great Passage

Based in Japan, The Great Passage is a fun literary fiction that gave me some real insight into Japanese culture.

I really enjoyed this book recently. If, like me, you read more in the way of westernised books and settings, The Great Passage is an eye-opener. This also appeals to fans of books, words and language. That’s what drew me to the book. As a lover of language and the meaning of words, a protagonist who shares that passion is a refreshing change. Whether the culture or the plot of this book appeals, its a fabulous read for anyone looking to read outside of their normal parameters.

Historical Fiction

The Saxon Stories

Events of The Saxon Stories span the entirety of the United Kingdom. Whilst that’s not really much in the way of exploration for me, there are readers checking out my blog that don’t live quite as close as I do.

What I also love about this series is that it doesn’t stay in one place for long. Throughout the series, travel itself is a significant part of the narrative – and its not forced. The nature of the storyline has the protagonist Untried up and down the country on a regular basis. Sometimes at King Alfred’s request, other times… not.

I’m only seven books into this thirteen book series and already Bernard Cornwell’s set a precedent for the rest of the books.

All the Light We Cannot See

Set across European soil, All the Light We Cannot See spans two main protagonists and a few chapters from Marie-Laure’s father.

This World War II fiction novel is split predominantly across France and Germany, although the characters also move around somewhat. The biggest draw for me into this narrative is reading the perspective from a blind character. I’ve read a lot of WWII books, but it’s completely different visualising an unfamiliar place not from the appearances, but from it’s feel, distance judged by paces and drain covers and by its smells.

It’s very unique, and it was my favourite part of the narrative.

Warrior Prince

Most Viking stories I’ve read are set in the UK and I’ve already featured one of those here. However, Warrior Price is set across Eastern Europe including Russia. In the grand scheme of things, it makes sense that the UK isn’t the only landmass the Vikings would travel to. There well-known travellers after all!

Warrior Prince is a totally different setting, but one that really works. We have all the action and drama, battles and conflict we expect from the Vikings. However, there’s an extent of political intrigue in Warrior Prince as well.

Three Sisters

A traditional WWII historical fiction set in the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp in Poland. Heather Morris does a fantastic job of memorialising the stories of individuals who suffered through the atrocities that took place here. It’s a tough one to do well. It’s a difficult subject to tackle, but Heather does a fantastic job.

Of course, Heather has written all the books as part of this series, so if it’s a rabbit hole you enjoy exploring (like I do), then this is definitely up your alley!

Mystery/Thriller

The Atlantis Covenant

I confess, I didn’t expect to feature mysteries/thriller novels on this list. However, a recent read of The Atlantis Covenant makes this book an easy pick. The events of this particular book, and the characters involved, span the globe.

Some secrets managed to survive across the globe and an international effort from UK, US and other national citizens globetrot to uncover lost history and civilisations.

Eruption

A high octane read if you want to explore the isles of the United States, is Eruption by Michael Crichton.

Bonus points if you love reading how the geography of a place like Hawaii could be devastated by a volcanic eruption. As someone who went to Iceland last year and indulged in museum visits and learning more about the power of mother nature, eruption suited me.

In Eruption we roam volcanoes on foot and fly over partial eruptions in daring helicopter pursuits. Dare-devils be warned, you’ve met your match in John MacGregor.

Non-Fiction

The Woman Who Would be King

Pre-historic Africa also features on today’s Top Ten Tuesday – Books for Armchair Travellers.

The Woman Who Would be King is the story of Hatshepsut, an unusual figure in history. One of just a few female pharaohs of her time, she ruled for around twenty years. Egypt prospered under her reign. Whilst her successors and history has not been so kind to her, she is one of the best-known female Pharoahs for her feats and the countries prosperity under her rule.

Twelve Years a Slave

Set in South America, Twelve Years a Slave tells the story of Solomon Northup, born a free American man. That’s not to last, however. He is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Hard labour and cruel conditions mark the next 12 years of Solomon’s life.

Deep South America, particularly Louisiana, is the feature of this book. Solomon spends his servitude in lumber mills, cotton fields and sugar plantations. He has many owners before he is able to secure his release via his family.

A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

This books features on this list in a way the others don’t – I haven’t read this one. Rather, I was recommended this book by a colleague Isabelle at work at lunchtime. Whilst Izzy is more of a quiet reader than I am, I’ve taken a few recommendations from her now.

This book is about murders that take place in Rome. I don’t know much more than that, but I’m intrigued. I hope it catches your eye too…

Summary

Whilst I haven’t managed to quite span the 7 continents in this Top Ten Tuesday – Books for Armchair Travellers post, we’re pretty close. Not only that, but I’ve done so with a variety of book and genres.

Regardless of your preferred genres or types of books, I think there’s something here for most readers.

Where is your next ~~book~~ adventure taking you?

Sunday Summary – 15th February 2026

Posted on February 15, 2026 by fantasyst95

Today’s Sunday Summary comes after a busy week. Both work and blog deadlines took their toll, so I’ve deliberately enjoyed a more relaxed weekend!

Early in the week, I started off my blog with a post about books that inspired me to pick up another read. These are less obvious choices rather than sequels to series ands the like. I’ve got three books and what they inspired me to read next if you’re interested. Next, my deadline for reviewing Grace fell on Thursday. It was a pleasure to review this horror novel and launch the tour on a very positive note 😊

Over on YouTube, I published a review of my first 5* read of the year, Yellowface by R.F. Kuang. Later in the week, details of the Goodreads Winter Challenge I’m looking to complete before 31st March! It’s the first time I’m pushing myself to complete one of these. However, with five of twelve achievements under my belt, there’s no reason I can’t achieve it.. .

The Shelf Control that stayed in drafts last week by accident also didn’t get published this week, but for an entirely different reason. All I have to do is make it live and share the link. However, I unfortunately had to work overtime on Friday and didn’t finish until quite late. After a busy week and then that on top, I decided to just let that post roll to next week. You understand, yes?

Books Read

Dreams from my Father

When I shared last week’s Sunday Summary, I disclosed I had just over 3 hours left of the audiobook of Dreams from my Father to go. Admittedly I finished this on Monday this week. Having enjoyed the audiobook to date, I was keen to reach the conclusion and that shows in how I devoured the last part of the book.

Dreams from my Father lived up to my expectations. After reading and being pleasantly surprised my A Promised Land, I was excited to delve more into Barack’s personal history and story. It did not disappoint. The book is insightful and somewhat emphasises his priorities as a person and why he stands for the things he does. I had no idea he had lived in Indonesia for a stretch of his childhood, or the path that could have taken him away from the life he lived as we know it.

Very interesting book – I’m glad I read it!

Grace

Another finish on Monday was Grace by A.M. Shine. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as I needed to prioritise this to share my review on Thursday.

This horror was totally atmospheric and I loved the small town, dark and supernatural tale. It was twistier than I expected! A fun read, a different read, and one I’d recommend to all fans of the genre. If you want to find out more, my review is live and ready to read here should you want to take a look. Pretty please? 😅