Author: fantasyst95

Sunday Summary – 5th January 2025

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Happy snowy Sunday, my fellow Manxie and UK friends! As always, welcome to my weekly Sunday Summary update 😊 I hope you’ve stayed safe today? We’ve not had as much snow as the UK, and only I saw some today as I live higher up. It is only quite thin and slushy though. I reckon it will be gone by morning. At least, I hope…

It’s my first Sunday Summary of 2025, and I have good updates to share with you! Firstly, let’s take a look at the posts I’ve shared, then get to my reading updates and what’s coming up on the blog next week.

On Wednesday, 1st January, I shared my monthly wrap-up for December 2024. It was a more productive month of reading than I anticipated. I even picked up a mood read at the end of the month! It’s been a while since I had the time to do that!

Yesterday, I followed up with a wrap-up post for 2024 as a whole. I share my reading stats for the year, as well as update you on how I did with my 2024 resolutions. Ultimately, I didn’t meet any of the goals I set myself this time last year. There are reasons though, and I share those in that post.

Books Read

The Priory of the Orange Tree

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve listened to 11 hours of this audio, evenly split about 5 and a half hours each.

Progress has been slower this week. I’m back at work and currently working through a very busy period. Not only that, but I’ve been spending more time working on social media and blog content in my free time. I’ve still made time to listen to The Priory of the Orange Tree in the car, or whilst cross-stitching. However, not as much.

This week, progress stands at 3 hours and 50 minutes. Considering audiobook progress before December was at a crawl, this is still decent!

We’ve covered some interesting plot developments in the audio I’ve listened to this week, so it’s been fun to listen to. I feel like anything can happen in the 7 and a half hours I have left, and I’m curious as to how events across the map are going to come together for the end!

Fool’s Errand

The second current read I’ve made progress with this week is Fool’s Errand by Robin Hobb. Over the course of the week, I’ve read an additional 265 pages. That puts me at pretty much 50% into the book.

I love being back in the world of Hobb. I confess it’s taken me some time to read other books of hers in this series. There’s been a lot of detail and world-building to take in. However, for the first time in this series, I’m back in a familiar setting. We’re 15 years on, so there are some changes to discuss in the narrative. However, I’ve found this book easier to read… and for longer stretches.

I have a suspicion that something later in this narrative is going to break my heart – I can only hope I’m wrong! I guess I’ll find out and tell you more in next week’s Sunday Summary.


Books Discovered

In this section of today’s Sunday Summary post, it’s a case of no news is good news!


Coming Up…

I have lots to talk about with you next week, especially looking ahead at what reading goals I’m striving for in 2025.

I’m following a rare four-post schedule next week to catch you up! As it stands, I’ll be sharing my January TBR nearly a third into the month. I’m keen to get these posts live, so set your watches to check out my next post tomorrow.

That first post of the week will be my reading goals for 2025. Before I share my January TBR with you, it makes sense to explain what I’m working towards and how those selections work toward my goals.

Then, on Wednesday, I’m sharing that TBR. At the moment, I’ve ambitiously got 7 books on the list. I think I may have to defer one to February. But, I’ll see how quickly I can make progress with my current reads and make a decision on Wednesday.

On Friday, I’m back with a Shelf Control post. I’m keen to keep looking ahead and reviewing the upcoming books on my TBR. I hope you can join me for this post as well.

Lastly, it’ll be the turn of my next Sunday Summary update. Fingers crossed I have a lot of reading progress and insights into my posts (just shared and coming up soon).

For now though, I’m ready to put my feet up and enjoy some more reading before bed!

What are you currently reading?

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My 2024 Wrap-Up!

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As we wave goodbye to 2024 and look forward to a brand new year, today I’m looking back at the reading progress I made last year. In today’s 2024 wrap-up post, I’ll be taking you through some of my key reading stats from last year. As well, I cover how I progressed with the resolutions I set this time last year.

Overall, I had a great year. Although you’ll see in the resolutions section of this post that I didn’t technically meet most of the goals I set, I still enjoyed it nonetheless. When I set out my goals for the year, I had no idea that change was on the horizon. Just a month after I set those goals, I took a step out of my comfort zone. I asked a boy I was chatting to casually a couple of times a week out for a coffee. Now we live together.

Naturally, last year did not go as I’d expected it to in the best of ways. Whilst I’ve still had time to enjoy all the hobbies I have in good quantity, it was always going to be a less. Priorities shifted. Not only that, but I stepped back on both reading and blogging obligations for three months whilst I studied for a professional qualification.

So, now that I’ve made my excuses (I jest – I don’t think that’s the case really), let’s get into my 2024 wrap-up in earnest and talk numbers!


Reading Stats

Resolutions and Goals


Goodreads Challenge – Read 60 Books

 


At the beginning of 2024 in my resolutions post, I set myself the goal of reading 60 books. Whilst I have met this once and exceeded it twice before, in truth, 60 was supposed to be a maintenance goal. In 2023, I read 60 books after setting a challenge of 50. I felt it was a good amount to stick to. As I’ve explained earlier, I have exceeded this twice before, reading 62 books in 2017 and 72 in 2019. Certainly in 2019 I was feeling a little bit burnt out by the end; so I didn’t want to push myself that hard.

In the end, I completed 42 books in total in 2024 and carried forward two ongoing reads into 2025. Fool’s Errand by Robin Hobb and The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon will now count towards my 2025 total.

I did start and put down one book in the year, christening it a DNF at 26%. In the grand scheme of things, only putting down one book without finishing it in a year is pretty damn good! There is no point forcing myself to finish something I’m not enjoying. Coupled with the other statistics I shared this post above, it goes to show that I focused on finishing books I enjoyed in 2024.


Read >15 non-fiction

The second goal I get to talk about in this 2024 wrap-up post was my intention to pick up more than 15 non-fiction books by the end of the year. This is a reading goal I set myself in 2023 as well. Whilst picking up non-fiction that year in order to meet that goal was a very deliberate and intentional thing, it felt far more natural this year.

It’s fair to say I now choose to read non-fiction on a semi regular basis. As I started getting into the habit of reading more of the genre in 2023, I’ve been adding more books from it to my reading list and generally taking more of an interest in this subject.

Over the course of 2024, I finished 11 non-fiction books, with that one DNF I mentioned earlier also being a non-fiction. I’m not counting that one, but adding it here to show you that non-fiction has been prevalent on this reading list, and it’s been a very natural process. I’ve picked up these books around the year because I want to, not because I feel like I have to in order to meet this goal.

So, I didn’t beat my target of more than 15. However, that’s okay! My target in another context was for non-fiction to make up 25% of my reading list throughout the year (15/60). In the end, 11 out of 42 of my completed books were non-fiction, which is a percentage of 26%. Although I’ve not read as many as I wanted to do this year, the percentage of non-fiction books I’ve picked up is as intended. I’m reading the genre as often as I wanted to. It’s not a complete pass, but I’m not going to mark this as a total failure either…


Finish 10 series by end of year

When I shared my resolutions post with you last year, I confided that I had a vast number of ongoing series. I had at least 18 where I only had a maximum of 3 books left in order to finish them. That’s ignoring the likes of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld and Robin Hobb’s Realm of the Elderlings series where I have several books to go before I’m anywhere near the end.

I set myself a target of finishing 10 series; the definition of finish being either to get entirely up-to-date with a part-published series, or to finish it if the author has completed it.

I got pretty close to this goal in the end. As of this 2024 wrap-up post, I have to give myself 7 out of 10. I would have been one closer but for the fact that one of my ongoing series published a new book in November. I’ve had to dock myself a point for that…

The series I completed in 2024, for a quick recap, were:-

  • The Illuminae Files (full completion)
  • The Tattooist of Auschwitz (full completion)
  • Skyward (full completion)
  • The Celestial Kingdom (full completion)
  • The Saxon Warrior (up-to-date)
  • Empire of the Vampire (up-to-date)
  • Eagle of Mercia (up-to-date)

Overall, a completion rate of 70% is still very good, and also in line with my Goodreads reading challenge. 42 books out of 60 is also 70%. So, it’s fair to say that I’ve been prioritising finishing series in equal proportion to my reading list. Again, I won’t call it a success or failure in this 2024 wrap-up. 


Blog Goals – Make Social Media a Habit

This is the point in today’s wrap-up post where I have to be completely honest. I cannot blag this one. I did not make social media habit in 2024.

It is a goal I will be working on forever more because I am not drawn to social media. I recognise that it can be a useful tool, but I don’t love using it. Making content for it is a completely different ballpark to posting on the blog, and I would say it’s harder. At least, for me.

If you’ve looked at any of my socials in the last week or so, you can see some kind of renewed effort on trying to use and post on social media more often. As to how long it will last remains to be seen. I’m doing my best in these next few weeks to start making a habit of creating content ahead of time and doing so in a concentrated block. We’ll see if it sticks.


Summary

Even though I didn’t strictly meet any of the goals I set myself at the beginning of 2024, I’m still happy with the progress I’ve made with them.

It’s clear that I have continued to make the progress I wanted to throughout the year and that both finishing series and reading non-fiction have become a habit.

Thanks for taking the time to read my 2024 wrap-up! How did you fair against any resolutions you set yourself in 2024?

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Monthly Wrap-Up – December 2024

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December’s monthly wrap-up is here, and I have great books to share with you! For the first time in a while, I had time left over at the end of the month to choose a mood read! It was a novelty, actually…

Shall we take a look at what I read in December?


Books Read


The Eye of the World

As of my December Monthly TBR post, I had 420 pages of progress, or 55%, left of The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan. It is not a small book— in fact, it is the longest I read in 2024.

It took me until 20th December to read The Eye of the World, but I had a great time. Fortunately, I had time off work and some time to kill when out Christmas shopping. Then there was a morning spent in town waiting for work to be done on my car. You can be sure I brought my book or Kindle with me to pass the time. Otherwise, I’d probably have only just finished this by the end of the month.

I enjoyed The Eye of the World, and I’m curious as to where the rest of the series will take us. This first book has set down a good foundation. But, there is a lot that has yet to be explored. It’ll be good to see some of that fleshed out in its sequel, The Great Hunt.

I expect I’ll pick this up before long— especially as I have a copy already!


Three Sisters

Leaving off from my last monthly wrap-up post, I had just started and listened to the first 2 hrs of Three Sisters before the end of the month.

Truly, I devoured this audiobook. Especially when you consider how long it took me to listen to Defiant, I finished Three Sisters in record time.

Again, I took advantage of being on leave and listening whilst performing the usual Christmas preparations like wrapping presents. I recall doing that last year, and honestly, it makes the task more enjoyable. It’s a bit of a strange combination; listening to a fictional story about the institutionalised suffering of Jews and prisoners of war (among others) during the festive period isn’t exactly typical. However, it’s one of my favourite genres and topics.

I loved Three Sisters, and rated it 5 stars accordingly. It was also a success on completion as it’s a trilogy I’ve now completed 🥳

Next, I have a book written by Heather Morris called Sisters Under the Rising Sun, which I’m sure I’ll pick up soon too.


The Woman Who Would Be King

The Woman Who Would Be King was my first foray into non-fiction Egyptology and is my only non-fiction in this monthly wrap-up. I was originally drawn to the book as I wanted to learn more about this little-known female King and how she was erased from history.

Having never read anything like this before, I had no idea what to expect. However, in all, I considered it a well-rounded book.

Naturally, with the nature of Hatshepsut’s erasure from history (which I found out in this book isn’t necessarily personal), there are a lot of unknowns and conjecture. But, all in all, I think the author did well to explore a few different options or interpretations of what is known.

Given my experience of this book, I plan to read and watch more documentaries on the subject. Reading The Woman Who Would Be King really emphasised how different civilisations were then, and I’d like to learn more.


The Priory of the Orange Tree

Before the end of the month, I made a solid 55% progress with The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. As with Three Sisters, I made the most of time off and opportunities where I couldn’t sit down and read conventionally to listen to this book. Think driving in the car, etc. I’ve also been working on a cross-stitch project I’ve had ongoing for a while; these two hobbies go well together!

It’s been a good while since I listened to a fantasy audiobook. I don’t do it too often as I find I take in details better by reading rather than listening. However, as I’ve not been doing anything too taxing and I’ve made the progress I did in a smaller window, I’ve got a better grasp of the world and events than anticipated.

The Priory of the Orange Tree continues to be a current read, and I’m looking forward to this being one of my first finishes of 2025. I have high hopes for it being a highly ranked read!


Fool’s Errand

The last book to feature in this monthly wrap-up for December is my last current read. I picked up Fool’s Errand in the final days of December. I didn’t set a large TBR for December, and as a result, I saw the end of it for the first time in a while.

Honestly, I’ve enjoyed having the time to pick up a mood read. I nearly picked up Fool’s Errand in late November (I picked up The Eye of the World instead). It’s good to be back in the world of Hobb and another very different style of epic fantasy.

Robin Hobb is a favourite, and I picked the next book up in her Realm of the Elderlings series for two reasons. One, it will help me make progress in that ongoing series. Two, and more importantly, I expect to love this book, and I’ll start my 2025 reading list on a high.

As of this monthly wrap-up post, I’m 56 pages in. It’s a solid start, and I have plenty of reading ahead of me!


Summary

The fantasy genre dominated this monthly TBR, and it’s been a fun month of reading for it. I do love how diversely I read as a whole. However, it’s my favourite genre and will always be my baby.

As well, it was a novelty to finish my Monthly TBR and give myself a chance to pick up a mood read at the end of the month. As well, I’ve lined myself up with some great reads to take forward into January and 2025 as a whole.

What did you read in December? What was your best read of the year?

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Sunday Summary – 29th December 2024

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Welcome to my last Sunday Summary of 2024. I can’t believe how quickly the year has flown!

This week has been a relatively quiet one on the blog. I took a few days off to celebrate Christmas with friends and family for the first half of the week. I don’t know about you, but I had a really great day. It’s the first time we’ve done it a little differently this year, but it worked out really well.

Back to business for the second half of this week, I shared a First Lines Friday post featuring a historical fiction novel I devoured recently and I expect to feature on my upcoming best reads of 2024 list.

 

Books Read


The Priory of the Orange Tree

I’m nothing if not consistent, as I’ve listened to another 5 and a half hours of The Priory of the Orange Tree this week. Admittedly, I’ve done most of that today whilst taking down Christmas decorations and generally pottering around the house. Call me Scrooge if you wish for taking them down so early, but I was planning on doing it no later than New Year’s Day anyway. I love Christmas, but when it’s done, I’m ready for it to be done with as well.

Overall, I’m now 55% of the way through The Priory of the Orange Tree. I feel like I’m getting a better grasp of characters, events, and how things are going to tie together a little bit. When I first started, there was quite a lot to take in and especially in audio format. Broadly, it’s a format that I really need to pay attention to in order to take up such detail. Naturally, in a fully invented fantasy world, there’s a lot to take in! However, I’m confident I’ve got the grasp of things now and I’m really enjoying this audio.

Story aside, I can recommend this audiobook for its production; I am really enjoying the narrator and how she is portraying characters through her voice. She’s making the job of following along with her a lot easier.

You can probably tell that I’m looking forward to continuing with this listen, and I expect to take this through into the beginning of the New Year. If my first impressions are anything to go by, this is going to be a highly rated book to kick off 2025 with!


The Woman Who Would Be King

As of my last Sunday Summary post, I had only just started The Woman Who Would Be King by Kara Cooney. To be more precise, I’d only made progress with the first 12% of the book.

I unexpectedly finished this last night. I say unexpectedly because the end of the book is actually 68% of the way through the e-book’s total page count. There are a lot of references and notes that go along with this book, and they take up the last 30%.

I confess, I’m not one to particularly go through these notes and verify the sources and assumptions that have come from them. I have better things to do… like read more books! That said, it is the kind of book that you could take from it what you will. If you want to engage in further reading, you absolutely can. I remember watching some television documentaries years ago that touch on some of the key individuals within this book, and reading this has inspired me to go and watch more.

I enjoyed the content of The Woman Who Would Be King. Whilst there are naturally some assumptions and opinions shared throughout this book based on scant detail available, I think those presented aren’t unreasonable, and counterarguments are provided. The author doesn’t assume authority on the subject but does offer the facts and a reasoned opinion.

It’s the first time I’ve picked up a non-fiction book on ancient Egypt, and I would definitely like to read more of the subject in the future.


Fool’s Errand

Finally, the last book I’ll feature in this Sunday Summary post is my current read, Fool’s Errand by Robin Hobb.

After finishing The Woman Who Would Be King last night, I found myself in a bit of a strange position. I’ve not really finished a monthly TBR for quite some time. Having gotten to the end of my prescribed list, I had full freedom to pick up whatever I wanted to do next. My main priority was picking up a fantastic read to get started with the new year.

I had debated picking up Fool’s Errand instead  of The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan. In fact, I got somebody else to pick out of the two for me. Robin Hobb is fast becoming one of my favourite fantasy authors. I have every confidence that I’m going to enjoy this first book of her next trilogy in the Realm of the Elderlings series. Picking up this book is also going to fit in well with some of my upcoming reading goals that I’ll be sharing in the next week or so. Plus, it’s exciting to get back to visiting, or rather revisiting, some characters from the first trilogy in the wider series.

I confess that isn’t too much to tell you at this point given I’m only 25 or so pages into this narrative. However, I have enjoyed the introduction and I’m looking forward to catching up with all my favourite characters!


Books Discovered

I received a couple of books for Christmas in addition to vouchers to spend at a later date (amongst other lovely gifts – thanks to everyone for them).

The first of these books is one I have already read at least twice and will no doubt go back to again in the future. I received the Penguin clothbound classic edition of 1984 by George Orwell, which is a book I’d asked for.

However, in addition to this, I received a copy of a book set in the same place but offers a different perspective. I had no idea Julia even existed or that it offered a more feminist take on the classic world originally set out by George Orwell. Rather than telling an alternate version, this works alongside 1984 and offers a different perspective. I suspect I’ll end up reading the two side-by-side so I can appreciate the original again before taking a look at this companion narrative.


Coming Up…

New Year is fast approaching, so that means it’s going to be a busy time coming up on my blog. Not only do I have the impending monthly wrap-up and January TBR to share with you, but I also have a recap of the year to share and new reading goals to set. I’m not going to get all that done next week. It’s a lot to do anyway, but it’s also one of the busiest times I have at work. So, to avoid burnout or overcommitment, some of these posts will drag out into the following week.

So, what is actually on the agenda for next week? My first post of next week will go live on Wednesday, the 1st of January. That will be my monthly wrap-up for December.

On Saturday, I’ll be back on the blog sharing a wrap-up for the year and a review of where I got to with my 2024 resolutions and goals.

Finally, on Sunday, I’ll be back for the usual weekly round-up, also known as my Sunday Summary post, to update you on my current reads.

If you’re still with me, thanks for taking the time to read today’s Sunday Summary catch-up. I hope you have had a great week yourself and that I will see you around very soon! What is the last book you’ve picked up in 2024?

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First Lines Friday – 27/12/2024

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Happy final Friday of 2024, readers; welcome to my last First Lines Friday feature of the year as well! Hasn’t it gone fast?!

For this final First Lines Friday post of the year, I decided to look back at the books. I have really enjoyed this year and was one to feature. In the end, I decided to feature one I’ve read quite recently. I devoured this book when I picked it up, which is testament to just how much I enjoyed it!

Here’s today’s First Lines Friday introduction, then I’ll follow with the details and my thoughts on the book:


The three sisters, Cibi, Magda and Livi, sit in a tight circle with their father in the small backyard of their home. The oleander bush their mother has tried so hard to coax back to life droops disconsolately in one corner of the small garden.

Livi, the youngest, at three years old, leaps to her feet: sitting still is not in her nature.

‘Livi, please, will you sit down?’ Cibi tells her. At seven years old, she is the eldest of the siblings, and it is her responsibility to chastise them when they misbehave. ‘You know Father wants to talk to us.’

 


Three Sisters  – Heather Morris

Genre:  Historical fiction

Pages: 417

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Zaffre

Publication Date: 14 Oct 2021

 

Goodreads – Three Sisters

When they are little girls, Cibi, Magda, and Livia make a promise to their father – that they will stay together, no matter what. Years later, at just 15, Livia is ordered to Auschwitz by the Nazis. Cibi, only 19 herself, remembers their promise and follows Livia, determined to protect her sister, or die with her. Together, they fight to survive through unimaginable cruelty and hardship.

Magda, only 17, stays with her mother and grandfather, hiding out in a neighbour’s attic or in the forest when the Nazi militia come to round up friends, neighbours and family. She escapes for a time, but eventually she too is captured and transported to the death camp.

In Auschwitz-Birkenau the three sisters are reunited and, remembering their father, they make a new promise, this time to each other: That they will survive.


My Thoughts…

I absolutely loved Three Sisters and its conclusion to Heather Morris‘s The Tattooist of Auschwitz series. I read this book pretty fast overall, but especially so given that it’s an audiobook format. It’s the format I use the least, and typically I struggle to find time to listen. However, I was actively making time to listen to Three Sisters.

Another element I enjoyed is how these books do somewhat tie together even though they are independent stories. Characters that come up in previous books make their way into the later ones, even if it is a passing mention. That’s great because readers have the flexibility of reading the whole series or being able to pick up on these little things, or equally, readers can pick up just one book and read it standalone.

Three Sisters is set in one of my favourite historical fiction settings of all time. Call me morbid, but I have a fascination with reading stories set in the concentration camps and learning what really happened to people there.  If you are a World War II fiction fan, then Three Sisters will be right up your street.

Do you enjoy World War II fiction? Have you read Three Sisters or any of the other books published by Heather Morris to date?

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Sunday Summary – 22nd December 2024

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This is my last Sunday Summary post before the Big Day – you know… the C word! Are you ready? Before I get too excited thinking ahead, let’s jump in with my weekly recap of all things bookish and blog-related!

I started off the week with a late Top Ten Tuesday post. This week’s feature was all about my Winter 2024/2025 TBR. Weighing in at the end at over 1600 words, it really goes to show that when I say I’m excited about books, I can’t shut up about them!

Friday’s Shelf Control feature did me a service in helping me take three books off my upcoming reading list before settling on Middlegame by Seanan McGuire. If you like fantasy like myself but don’t necessarily want to commit to a series, check out this book. Whilst it is technically part of a trilogy, it can be read standalone.


Books Read


The Eye of the World

I have a finish to share with you this week! As I expected, I blitzed through the final 25% of The Eye of the World. I’m glad I picked up this book again despite not finishing it the first time I tried it. That first read and ultimate put on hold was because I was trying to read this book at a time when I didn’t have the mental stamina for a chunky book.

What was different about this time is that I picked The Eye of the World up as a mood read. I specifically picked it because I wanted a chunky book after reading several shorter ones. Honestly, I didn’t really know what to expect in terms of the conclusion for this first book as I know it’s part of a big series. I’ve therefore gone into it pretty blind but that’s been a good thing. Not only was the ending of this first book engaging in its own right, but it also has me asking questions about where the series is going to go next!

The Great Hunt is on my shelf ready to pick up when I want the answer to this question!


The Priory of the Orange Tree

I’ve made another 5 and a half hours of progress with The Priory of the Orange Tree this week. Including progress from last week too, I’m now a third of the way through the audio.

Whilst I think I’m faring okay so far in following characters and places, the true test will be when I come to review the book. Maybe I’ll start making some notes to be sure! 😂

I’m intrigued by the storyline and where it’s going to go. At where I’m at in the storyline, I’m not sure just how pieces are going to slot together just yet. There’s plenty of time to find out! I’ve been listening to this audio and making good progress with a cross stitch I’ve got on the go over the last week. I’ve still got a few days of leave yet, so I’ll be continuing with that.

 

The Woman Who Would Be King

After finishing The Eye of the World, I’ve picked up what is probably my final non-fiction book of the year.

The Woman Who Would Be King is about a little-known female Pharaoh who has been almost lost to time. Hatshepsut (pronounced Hat-Shup-Soot according to Google – in case your eyes glazed over when reading the name like mine did the first time!) did everything right. She performed her duties but failed to bear a son. Instead, she ruled in a world of men for 20-odd years. How did she do it? It was pretty unprecedented for the time, and we have but fragments to look back on and piece it together.

I’m only about 12% through the book as of this Sunday Summary. There’s not too much to write about right now beyond its solid introduction. I’m looking forward to reading on to find out more!

 

Books Discovered

My net position in terms of my TBR is down 3 this week from my last Sunday Summary update. However, I have added one book to my TBR this week after chatting to my mum.

She has recently read and enjoyed three books by Claire Douglas, and I’ve added one of those to my reading list to give her a try. The book I chose was The Woman Who Lied.


Coming Up…

With Christmas imminently around the corner, I’m taking the next few days off to enjoy the festive period with friends and family. That’s what it’s about, after all! Just don’t tell that to the part of me that stressed and obsessed over what gifts to buy this year…

However, I’m back on Friday with my usual First Lines Friday post. It’s what you’re expecting and honestly, I want to keep it simple. I’m back at work for pre-year end madness so I don’t want anything too mentally taxing.

Finally, I’ll be back for my last Sunday Summary post of the year this time next week. It’ll all be over and I’ll be preparing for a busy period both at work and here on the blog!

Until next time, enjoy the rest of your week and I look forward to catching up with you in my next Sunday Summary.

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Shelf Control #83 – 20/12/2024

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Today’s Shelf Control post has helped me whittle three reads off the TBR, as well as share this new fantasy trilogy!

Before we get stuck into the book, here’s a recap on what to expect from my Shelf Control feature.

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.


Middlegame – Seanan McGuire

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 492

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Tor

Publication Date: 07 May 2019

 

Goodreads – Middlegame

Meet Roger. Skilled with words, languages come easily to him. He instinctively understands how the world works through the power of story.

Meet Dodger, his twin. Numbers are her world, her obsession, her everything. All she understands, she does so through the power of math.

Roger and Dodger aren’t exactly human, though they don’t realise it. They aren’t exactly gods, either. Not entirely. Not yet.

Meet Reed, skilled in the alchemical arts like his progenitor before him. Reed created Dodger and her brother. He’s not their father. Not quite. But he has a plan: to raise the twins to the highest power, to ascend with them and claim their authority as his own.

Godhood is attainable. Pray it isn’t attained.


My Thoughts

I added Middlegame thinking it was a standalone fantasy. It’s actually part of a trilogy, so I have the flexibility of reading it either way. I don’t think the books follow the same characters, so it doesn’t really matter.

I’m intrigued by the hinted-at amorality and darker side of magic. It’s giving me dark academia vibes, and that’s a sub-genre I’ve discovered and really enjoyed in recent years. Babel and The Secret History are examples of how much I’ve gotten on with it so far.

I love the emphasis on characters with affinity for language and maths. At school, they were subjects I enjoyed more than most. As to what impact this has on the storyline is anyone’s guess. Well, until I read it that is!

For the most part, I’m going into the book blind. I haven’t seen or heard much about it from other readers or bloggers. The synopsis just caught my attention and I’m always willing to give something new a go.

Have you read Middlegame?

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Belated Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my 2024-2025 Winter TBR

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The topic of today’s Top Ten Tuesday post is my 2024-2025 Winter TBR. I regret this post is coming out a day late just because it ended up a lot longer than I expected. Clearly I’m passionate about the upcoming books and why I want to read them!

I quite enjoy taking part in these quarterly seasonal reading lists. They give me a great opportunity to look ahead and get a feel for the books I want to pick up over the next few months. Next year, I’m going to make an effort to read a little bit more around topical themes and that reflects in this reading list.

So, what’s on my radar for the beginning of 2025? Let’s take a look!


January

With no special theme prevalent in January, my main aim for the books I want to pick up as part of this Winter TBR is to read what I’ve been intending to for a little while. That way I set myself up with some quality reads to kickstart my yearly reading list.


Firefight

Whilst I haven’t officially decided to set myself a goal of continuing series again in 2025, it’s always something I’ll look to do. As a big fan of Brandon Sanderson, it also makes sense to pick up one of his books to really get 2025 and this Winter TBR off to a good start.

Firefight is the second book of his Reckoner series. I really enjoyed the first instalment of the book, Steelheart, when I read it back in September 2020. Maybe considering the length of time it’s taken me to get to this sequel, prioritising started series does need to be a reading goal of 2025. For the third year running…


Rose Under Fire

I recently featured Rose Under Fire in a Shelf Control post. Since then, I knew I wanted to pick this book up soon.

I first experimented with Elizabeth Wein’s writing when reading Code Name Verity. It’s also been a good while since I picked that book up (editing Rebecca here – that was in December 2017! I’m really not good at carrying on series, am I?!)

It’s finally time to continue with this series, albeit I’m reading it out of order. I don’t think it’s the kind of series that has to be read in order though, so in the grand scheme of things that shouldn’t matter. Either way, this is an author I’ve really enjoyed to date, and the book is World War II fiction. It should be a 5 star candidate.


The Bone Collector

I’m embarrassed to admit that my sister got a copy of this book for me as I expressed an interest in it when she was back studying at university. I added this book to my Goodreads reading list in 2017. It seems I have a backlog, wouldn’t you agree? That makes The Bone Collector the perfect candidate for this Winter TBR. 

Although The Bone Collector is the first book of a series, I don’t know if I’m going to continue with the series after reading the first book. It’s only really this one story I’m interested in. I suppose it depends on how good it is. That probably sounds like a very weird thing to say, and normally I would be questioning myself on this decision. However, that is my intention at this time. I have a lot on the reading list already without adding more.


February

February is Black History month, and I have added a number of reads on my Winter TBR that fit in with this theme:


In Every Mirror She’s Black

By the time I pick up In Every Mirror She’s Black, I’ll have had this book on my reading list for just over two years. I don’t really have much of fiction fitting the black history theme, but this book is one of a few.

In Every Mirror She’s Black is the book I picked up in the spur of the moment when shopping after Christmas sales a couple of years ago. I really like the sound of the synopsis and how three seemingly very different characters ultimately have similar experiences based on their race.


Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia

I wanted to pick up Fearing the Black Body for a couple of reasons. Obviously, this looks at the racial themes behind fat phobia. Whilst I can’t say for sure if this is the exclusive reason those of us of a bigger size are judged, it’s a unique and topical perspective. I can also see it in a way.

As a not so skinny person myself, I have some interest in subject for other reasons. Thankfully, I’m beyond the most vulnerable age of giving a monkeys what people think of how I look. Frankly, I care far more about my health than my appearance. If anyone wants to judge me, they’re welcome to do so; I don’t care.

That being said, I would stand up for anybody being picked on for the same reason in a heartbeat. That’s why I also think it’s important to read this book and generally make myself better informed on the subject and society.

You’ll see another theme on this Winter TBR of continuing with non-fiction. Again, I don’t know if this will be a goal for next year, but they are definitely a greater part of my reading than they ever were.


Children of Virtue and Vengeance

The second fictional book I have that I plan to read during Black History month as part of this Winter TBR is Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi.

I fair only slightly better with this book in that I read the first book of the series in 2018 as opposed to 2017. It’s still been a good six years. I really enjoyed Children of Blood and Bone, that first book of the series, and I’m looking forward to continuing with it. We also have a third book in the series to date which was published in June this year. It’ll be good to get a wriggle on and get more up-to-date with this series. And hey, that’ll be another completion once I’ve finished the trilogy!


A Promised Land

An unusual selection for my TBR is A Promised Land by Barack Obama. I next to never pick up political reads. I’m just not that kind of person. Broadly speaking, my approach to politicians is one of skepticism.

However, I do think Barack enacted some good changes during his time as President in America. I also think he has a unique perspective on historic events that it will be interesting to read about.

It’s important to read out of your comfort zone now and then, and A Promised Land is going to be that for me. Will I enjoy all the political elements to the book? Probably not. Am I determined to get as much out of it as I can, though? Yes!


March

March is the month in which Women’s History is the prevalent theme. I’m looking forward to reading books in and around this genre. I have no qualms about saying that I am a feminist. I do believe women‘s rights should be bettered to make us equal to men.

Technically March is bordering into my Spring TBR as opposed to this Winter TBR, but I want to cover topics across the whole period up to the next Spring TBR post, which will be mid to late March.


Normal Women

I picked up a copy of Philippa Gregory’s Normal Women comparatively recently to some books on this TBR. Having read some of her historical fiction books in the past, I’m looking forward to this non-fiction where history is told through the lives of everyday women.

So often throughout history, the lives of women do not feature at all or in some cases have been erased completely. That’s the theme for a couple of the books I’ve got on this reading list. I’m especially looking forward to picking up this book as I especially enjoyed listening to a podcast in which Philippa discusses some of her research around one of the chapters in this book. Therefore, I’ve already had a feel for the content of some of the book and I can’t wait!


Narratives: The Stories that Hold Women Back at Work

It’s well documented that women have come across numerous setbacks at work. From being sidelined for promotions to getting less pay per hour for the same work, it’s a real problem.

I want to read some of these experiences for myself so I can educate myself and others about it.  Not only that, but I can recognise any signs of these things happening and advocate for change for myself!


Eve

Eve was a recent discovery in the bookshop, and it fits the theme of Women’s History perfectly. That’s why it’s on my Winter TBR. 

Much like Normal Women, the purpose of Eve is to highlight how women have shaped humanity today. Even when we’ve been suppressed, we’ve played a vital role that can’t be scrubbed from the records.

Where Eve differs from Normal Women is that the book takes a more biological lens. Whilst society is touched upon, the focus of the book is on the biological evolution of the female body and how that has contributed towards change in unexpected ways.


Summary

Today’s post is quite a long one (nearly twice the length of my average posts!), but I think you’ll agree I’ve got some great books coming up early next year.

What are you planning to read in the near future?

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Sunday Summary – 15th December 2024

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Good evening friends and welcome to my latest Sunday Summary post! As always, I hope you had a pleasant week?

I’ve enjoyed the latter half of this week most, because I have now finished work until after Christmas! It’s been nice to get wrapped up and now I can enjoy the run-up to the festive period. Not only that, I can take time to do the things I like – reading, crafts etc. And get my Christmas shopping finished…

I’ve done pretty well on the reading front too, with one finish to share with you this week amongst other updates.

Before we get to that though, I’ll quickly recap the blog posts I’ve already shared so far this week. The first of those posts was a book review of Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan. If you want to dive into the realms of Asian fantasy, this is a great book in its own right and part of a duology if you like a series.

Next, I shared a First Lines Friday post later on in the week. In that post, I shared a book that I read and enjoyed nearly 10 years ago now. I set myself the challenge of featuring a book I recommend to my fellow readers. This first book of the seven part Mistborn series is one I recommend to anyone wanting to try Brandon Sanderson.


Books Read


The Eye of the World

As of last week’s Sunday Summary post I was around 50% into The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan.

I’ve read 25% of The Eye of the World this week alone. I’ve enjoyed more reading time now I’m a Celeb has finished, but also a little more than usual on Friday after doing some Christmas shopping now I’m on leave.

I’m now further along in the book than I got to in my first read through. It’s a good thing I’ve gone back to it. Now I’m in the mood for a longer read, I’m finding it much more enjoyable to read!

We’re close to the point in the book where I’m that close to a finish that I’ll really push for it. Hopefully this time next week I’ll be able to share that completion with you!


Three Sisters

Speaking of completions, Three Sisters has been officially moved to my ‘read’ pile.

I’ve also taken advantage of time this week to get into my audiobooks again. From car journeys to shopping, I’ve wanted to get back into the world of Three Sisters and so I’ve made time to do it. I finished Three Sisters whilst wrapping some Christmas presents yesterday, and I’m glad I’ve done it finally. It’s both a heart-breaking and heartwarming story, for it is naturally filled with loss but also togetherness and determination.

Thousands did not have a happy ending after Auschwitz; neither did the sisters really. However, they survived and built a new life for themselves. I loved listening to this audio – it reminded me of how much I love the genre and subject.


The Priory of the Orange Tree

Whilst I was in the audiobook mood, I got stuck into The Priory of the Orange Tree a few hours after finishing Three Sisters. Already, I’ve listened to the first three hours of audio since yesterday afternoon.

The Priory of the Orange Tree is a big book. Three hours may sound substantial, but this audiobook is over 25 hours long. In truth, I’ve barely scratched the surface.

Although I had reservations about retaining detail on who is who and what’s going on, I think I’m faring okay so far. It’s still all new to me, but I’m enjoying the book and I’m following along just fine.

There isn’t a whole lot to share at this time as I’ve only just started. However, I’m having a good time with it. All I can say is I hope that continues!


Books Discovered

With Christmas now coming up I’m trying to be on my best behaviour. I even went into several shops selling books the other day and didn’t get a single one for myself.

Surely that deserves a reward right? 😅


Coming Up…

So, what’s coming up on the blog schedule in the next seven days?

This week I’ll kick off with a Top Ten Tuesday Books on my Winter 2024-2025 list. I enjoy these quarterly posts. They are a great way to look ahead at upcoming reads and plan for and topics or themes I want to read about.

On Friday I’ll be back with a Shelf Control post to discuss an upcoming read on my TBR. In these fortnightly(ish) posts, I like to share why I added a particular book to the list and why I’m excited to read it.

Finally, I’m back with my next Sunday Summary this time next week. Will I have finished The Eye of the World? Stay tuned to find out!

That’s all from me in this Sunday Summary update – what are you reading right now?

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First Lines Friday – 13/12/2024

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Happy Friday 13th folks and welcome to today’s First Lines Friday feature.

I didn’t explicitly set myself a challenge when I talked about posting this First Lines Friday in my Sunday Summary. However, given it’s been a little while since I did, I want to set myself one. More often than not, I’ve been forward-looking in these posts and sharing books I’m looking to read soon. Instead, I want to use today’s post to feature a book I recommend to you fellow readers!

So, without any more preamble, here’s today’s First Lines Friday introduction, then details of the book:-


ASH FELL FROM THE SKY. Vin watched the downy flakes drift through the air. Leisurely. Careless. Free. The puffs of soot fell like black snowflakes, descending upon the dark city of Luthadel. They drifted in corners, blowing in the breeze and curling in tiny whirlwinds over the cobblestones. They seemed so uncaring. What would that be like?

Vin sat quietly in one of the crew’s watch-holes—a hidden alcove built into the bricks on the side of the safe house. From within it, a crewmember could watch the street for signs of danger. Vin wasn’t on duty; the watch-hole was simply one of the few places where she could find solitude.

And Vin liked solitude. When you’re alone, no one can betray you. Reen’s words. Her brother had taught her so many things, then had reinforced them by doing what he’d always promised he would—by betraying her himself. It’s the only way you’ll learn. Anyone will betray you, Vin. Anyone.

 


The Final Empire  – Brandon Sanderson

Genre:  Fantasy

Pages: 541

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Tor Books

Publication Date: 17 Jul 2006

 

Goodreads – The Final Empire

 

What if the Dark Lord won?

A thousand years ago evil came to the land and has ruled with an iron hand ever since. The sun shines fitfully under clouds of ash that float down endlessly from the constant eruption of volcanoes. A dark lord rules through the aristocratic families and ordinary folk are condemned to lives in servitude, sold as goods, labouring in the ash fields.

But now a troublemaker has arrived and there is rumour of revolt. A revolt that depends on a criminal no-one can trust and a young girl who must master Allomancy – the magic that lies in all metals.

 

My Thoughts…

It’s almost a shame that I read the early Mistborn books before I started my blog. I absolutely love this series by Brandon Sanderson. He is an absolute legend of a man anyway, but he very quickly became one of my favourite authors of all-time.

He’s in the bookish socials lately for encouraging readers of all genres not to discriminate against others for sub-genres they read (particularly romantasy). I’m all for that even though it’s not a genre I read. It doesn’t matter. I don’t discriminate – if that’s what you like to read, I’m all for you enjoying whatever books you like. I’m just glad people are finding joy in reading.

A part of me wants to revisit these early Mistborn books and review them on my blog in time. They are what I recommend as a starting point to new readers of Brandon Sanderson. In fact, I recommended them on Threads to readers interested in trying his books very recently. Shameless plug – I’m on Threads – pretty please follow me, you know… if you want…

It means that I’ll also have the whole series reviewed on my blog eventually. Plus, I remembers loving these books. I read the first at the age of 21, so maybe I can schedule in a revisit as it’ll be nearly 10 years ago since I first read the books.

Have you read any of Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series? What do you think of it?

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