Good evening friends and welcome to another Sunday Summary! It’s been a fun week and I’ve picked up some good books.
Before we get into that though, let’s take a look at the blog posts I’ve shared this week. First, I shared a blog tour review of Woden’s Spear by Donovan Cook. It feels weird talking about this in this post because I drafted that post this time last week. However, it went live on Monday… so it counts.
Later in the week, I shared my First Lines Friday post. This week’s feature is one of my current reads. I decided to feature this book having started it this week and really enjoyed the book. The intro really caught my attention, even if I wasn’t reading this for book club, it would have made it onto my reading list anyway.
Books Read
A Promised Land
I’m pleased that I can finally report the completion of A Promised Land by Barack Obama this week!
It’s been an interesting read and opened my eyes to perspectives I didn’t imagine. If there was any book on my February TBR that I expected to not finish, it was this one. However, I’d say it was probably one that I enjoyed the most.
The Housemaid
After finishing listening to A Promised Land, I moved on to The Housemaid by Freida McFadden.
This is our book club read for March, and I decided to pick it up in audio format as I’m getting through audiobooks a bit quicker than regular ones at the moment.
It’s been a good choice! Although I am spending a good deal of the narrative questioning the actions and reactions of some of the characters, it’s an interesting story. As of this Sunday Summary post, I have listened to the vast majority of The Housemaid and I only have a couple of hours also left.
Normal Women
I’ve picked up Normal Women a couple of times over the course of this week. I haven’t made a lot of progress with the book, but I have moved on from the 20-odd-pages I’d read last week to just over 100.
I like the idea of this book, and I’m looking forward to reading further into more familiar modern history. If you’re unfamiliar with the book, it looks at how women in society shaped Britain’s modern history, even when they were talked about in the history books. It’s not about the famous individuals, but rather women as a whole.
Books Discovered
I haven’t added anything new to the reading list this week, so nothing to update you on here!
Coming Up…
The first book post I share next week will be another book review. I confess that as of the point of drafting this post, I haven’t decided which book it is that I will feature all. However, it’s 25 to midnight locally; I’m not going to spend the time looking through my reading list to see what’s coming up next. It’ll be as much a surprise for you as it is for me! 😂
Friday, I’m back with my regular Friday feature, Shelf Control. In this series, I take a look at upcoming books on my reading list, and I’m excited to read them.
Finally, next week, I’m back with another Sunday Summary post. I’m excited to share some more bookish completions with you, so stay tuned!
A fairly quick update from me this week in the interest of time and getting this out on time.
I’m back with a First Lines Friday post to round off the week! If you’re looking for an intriguing read to pick up this weekend, I have a great one for you!
I know that as it’s my current read! I’m just under 3 hours into the audiobook version of this book as of writing this post. The intro really got my attention. Shall we take a look?
If I leave this house, it will be in handcuffs. I should have run for it while I had the chance. Now my shot is gone. Now that the police officers are in the house and they’ve discovered what’s upstairs, there’s no turning back.
They are about five seconds away from reading me my rights. I’m not sure why they haven’t done it yet. Maybe they’re hoping to trick me into telling them something I shouldn’t.
“Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own . . .
Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.
I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.
I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.
But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.
They don’t know what I’m capable of . . .
My Thoughts…
If you enjoy thrillers that have you second guessing what you’re reading, The Housemaid will suit you as it does me. I have no idea what’s going on. I don’t know who I trust. What I can tell you though is that I’m motivated to find out!
I’m listening to The Housemaid going shopping, driving in the car and every opportunity I get. The story so far has set out enough information for me to get a grasp of the story, but at the same time there’s plenty yet to find out. Millie has a past, but we don’t know what. Not all is as it seems in the Winchester family, but who do we believe? Even if I wanted to tell you these things (which I won’t because I’m no spoilsport), I have no idea!
The opening lines caught my attention straightaway. Even if I wasn’t reading this book for book club, that introduction would have the book added to my TBR faster than I could click ‘add to cart’.
Has today’s First Lines Friday introduced you to a future read? Have you already read The Housemaid?
It’s been a long time since I took part in a blog tour. However, when Rachel emailed me asking for my help in reviewing Woden’s Spear, I couldn’t resist! I love this particular period setting and genre of book. It’s one I’ve read a good deal of, and I am indeed a fan of the likes of Bernard Cornwell. It’s my first read of March and I’ve started the month off well
The recommendation is well suited if you are also a fan of his books. The events pre-date the Viking era Cornwell writes about so well, but the broader setting of rival factions within Britain is familiar.
Before we get into the details of the book and my review though, I always like to say thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources and to author Donovan Cook for organising the tour. It’s a pleasure to be a part of it!
Banished by those he loved; how far would he go for redemption?
449AD Old Saxony
Octa, the son of a mighty Saxon warlord, stands in the shield wall for the first time, eager to make a name for himself. But instead of the promised battle glory, fear overpowers him and he flees the battle, causing the death of his cousin and bringing shame to his family.
Disowned by his father, and hunted by his own people, Octa is spurred on by his mother’s vision for his future, a promise of greatness to come.
A chance encounter with a wiry traveller offers Octa a chance of redemption with a quest to retrieve a sacred weapon. To do this, Octa must travel to Britannia, a nation abandoned by the Roman Empire and unable to defend itself from its many enemies who smell weakness and riches.
Joining the famous warlords, Hengist and Horsa, Octa travels west to forge his future and redeem his past. He must succeed where others have failed. He must find the lost spear of Woden.
An epic adventure of turmoil, coming of age, and survival set against a time when Britannia was on its knees and fighting for its very existence.
Perfect for the fans of Bernard Cornwell and Matthew Harffy.
Woden’s Spear has a coming-of-age style character arc that has us rooting for the main character, Octa. After disgracing himself in battle, he embarks on a quest to find and retrieve a weapon of the gods. He hopes that succeeding where others before him have failed will redeem his actions. Naturally, no step along the journey is plain sailing…
Folklore and religion have their hand in this story. Regardless of what you believe, the role of the gods and related folklore is relevant to the storyline and setting of the book. I really enjoyed how this played into the narrative, as it adds cultural context and interest to the wider setting.
As can only be expected for a book set in this era, there is a lot of conflict throughout. From large-scale battles to egotistical one-on-one duels, Woden’s Spear is full of action without coming across as too violent either.
Setting
To date, I’ve read a number of books split across Scandinavian and British soil. If you love reading about the Viking era and the in-fighting amongst various tribes and counties across Britain, Woden’s Spear will appeal to you.
Octa ends up travelling to Britain in order to seek out a relic – a weapon that he hopes will redeem his tarnished reputation. If he thought he could get away from in-fighting from his native people, he finds more of the same in Britain. The people of Britain are governed by numerous kings, all competing for land and engaging in regular turf wars.
The setting is hardly ideal for Octa as he tries to avoid conflict and complete his quest. However, it is also the perfect backdrop to step up to the battlefield once again and redeem himself. With conflict around every corner, the book’s setting allows for plenty of action and intrigue to keep readers engaged and on their toes to find out what happens next!
Characters
In books I’ve read in the genre before, I have loved and rooted for characters who start out far from heroic. In the case of Woden’s Spear, Octa is a young man who steps up in his first battle as shield-bearer to a prominent man. When he balks and flees, both his and his family’s reputation is tarnished.
So often, this genre is littered with brave men who face anything that comes at them. I enjoy this honest and realistic character portrayal as it’s one I can sympathise with. Who wouldn’t be terrified at the prospect of others trying to kill you?
Octa undergoes a transformation of character towards the end of this story. As we all probably hope for (and somewhat expect), his past and the repercussions urge him to face his fears. Even still, as he stands in the shield wall once again, he doesn’t relish the role he has to fulfil. He doesn’t enjoy doing what he has to do, but he does so out of a sense of duty. His actions and motives are ones we can get behind and root for him, even against the odds.
Narrative Style
Woden’s Spear is very easy to read. I picked up the book and read it within the course of five or six days at a reasonably casual pace. Personally, I found the length of the book ideal to give each of the characters full scope for their character arts, whilst also not getting bogged down in unnecessary detail.
The short chapters make Woden’s Spear very digestible. If you are the kind of reader who needs to pick up and put down a book around other commitments, this makes Woden’s Spear more approachable.
But I also really liked about this book is that it includes a map and details about the characters and what factions they are from. If you ever need a reminder on who is who or where characters are, this is a really nice touch. Although not featured particularly in the story, I did also like that the Isle of Man was included on that map. We are regularly ignored…
Summary
If you enjoy action-packed historical coming-of-age narratives with likeable and relatable characters, Woden’s Spear is a new release in the genre I can’t recommend enough!
Once again, it’s a privilege to have read Woden’s Spear for the ongoing release blog tour. All views expressed in this review are my own.
Author Bio
Donovan Cook is the author of the well-received Ormstunga Saga series and the Charlemagne’s Cross series, both of which combine fast-paced narrative with meticulously researched history of the Viking world and are inspired by his interest in Norse Mythology.
Donovan was born in South Africa but raised in England, where his fascination with Medieval History, especially the Vikings and Norse Mythology, took root. In his free time, Donovan loves to read, watch rugby, and go for walks with his wife and their French Bulldog, Joey.
It’s the end of yet another week, friends! You know what time it is. I’m here today to catch you up on all the details in today’s Sunday Summary update. Grab a cuppa and make yourself comfortable.
Before we get into the books I’ve read over the course of this week, let’s recap the blog posts I’ve shared. The first of those posts was my monthly TBR for March. In that post, I shared my hopes for a more successful reading month than I had in February. This month, I have a few carryovers, a blog tour commitment, and a book club pick that I need to prioritise. Outside of that, though, I’m looking to read around the theme of Women’s History Month.
Next, I shared a Shelf Control post on Friday. In this regular Friday feature, I shared my excitement to pick up the second book in a sci-fi space opera series. I started a number of years ago. If you’re intrigued to find out which series this is, there’s a link to that post so you can check it out for yourself.
Books Read
A Promised Land
Listening progress with A Promised Land has been much better this week than in the last couple combined. As of this post, I still haven’t quite finished this book, but I only have 2 hours and 20 minutes left.
Listening to A Promised Land has been a great experience. Before reading this book, I have typically stayed away from politics. However, it’s helped open my eyes to some of the issues that being in politics creates and why it feels like things often don’t get done. That’s always been one of my bugbears about people who take this kind of office. However, having seen a lot of the in-fighting and often childish ways politicians block each other, it makes more sense now what happens (even if I want to smack my head against the brick wall for why they’re doing it!).
Children of Virtue and Vengeance
In last week’s Sunday Summary, I shared my hopes that this book wasn’t going to be another DNF. Unfortunately, though, after reading a little bit further into the book, I made the decision to put it down.
Honestly, I was struggling to connect with the characters and the storyline. I wasn’t invested in where it was going. Rather than try to slog through yet another book I wasn’t wild about, I took the decision to put it down and instead refocus my efforts on the books in March’s TBR.
Woden’s Spear
The first book on March’s monthly TBR is a book that I am due to review tomorrow. With that in mind, reading this book has been my focus for the week.
I think it’s helped having a deadline. Having had so many books where I’ve not been successful with reading them, and then the one book I am reading in full taking so long, it’s been refreshing to have a quick read. It’s also been great to go back to a genre I know and love. An element I’ve enjoyed historically in the genre is characters who don’t necessarily fit into the setting. I’ve enjoyed that through Octa’s perspective. I don’t want to go into too much detail here and spoil my review tomorrow. You’ll just have to check in for that!
Normal Women
Tonight, just before publishing this post, I started Normal Women by Philippa Gregory. I haven’t got a whole lot to write about given I’m only 26 pages in. However, I wanted to let you know that this is my next read and that you’ll be hearing more about it next week.
Books Discovered
Earlier this week, I was recommended a book called Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams. When talking books with a work colleague, I shared that one of the things I try to do with our work book club is read as diversely as possible. Gloria recommended these books to me as she reads from a lot of African writers and she enjoyed these books.
Coming Up…
There is no rest for the wicked, as my first blog post next week lands tomorrow morning. Woden’s Spear has been an enjoyable historical fiction to pick up and I’ll be sharing my full thoughts on the book in that post. Behind the scenes, I’ve actually scheduled this already so I have an easy ride early next week as I’ve no immediate posting commitments.
Later in the week, I will return with a First Lines Friday feature. I’m not going to set myself any particular challenge for this post. Sometimes, it’s nice to leave things open and see what inspires me nearer the time.
Lastly, next week’s Sunday Summary update is my last post on the agenda. Fingers crossed I can finally share a finish of listening to A Promised Land, as well as some more successful reading updates.
I hope you can join me for these posts. Thanks for checking out today’s Sunday Summary and I will see you in the next one!
Good evening and welcome to today’s Shelf Control feature. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve shared one of these posts. But, I’m back and happy to share a science-fiction book I’ve picked up before and I’m looking forward to returning to. Before I get into the details, 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.
In today’s post, I feature a book I started but put down a few years ago. I enjoyed the first book in the series, but I was struggling with longer books at the time. I had started the second book in the series, but ultimately decided to ‘temporarily’ put it down in favour of other books.
The second novel of the galaxy-spanning Sun Eater series merges the best of space opera and epic fantasy, as Hadrian Marlowe continues down a path that can only end in fire.
Hadrian Marlowe is lost.
For half a century, he has searched the farther suns for the lost planet of Vorgossos, hoping to find a way to contact the elusive alien Cielcin. He has not succeeded, and for years has wandered among the barbarian Normans as captain of a band of mercenaries.
Determined to make peace and bring an end to nearly four hundred years of war, Hadrian must venture beyond the security of the Sollan Empire and among the Extrasolarians who dwell between the stars. There, he will face not only the aliens he has come to offer peace, but contend with creatures that once were human, with traitors in his midst, and with a meeting that will bring him face to face with no less than the oldest enemy of mankind.
If he succeeds, he will usher in a peace unlike any in recorded history. If he fails…the galaxy will burn.
My Thoughts
It’s been a few years since I put this down, so the break between stopping this book and my intended restart date has been a little longer than the ‘temporary’ break planned. Admittedly, I’m going to benefit from a recap of the first book’s events, or a reread, to get back into the series.
What also excites me about this book is that it’s a relatively new author to me. I’ve only read the first book of the series, and since I started it with the proof I got from Gollancz years ago, the series has expanded. It’s nowadays total of six primary works- and there’s a final seventh coming up. There are also side stories along the way, so there’s plenty for me to get stuck into!
I enjoy the science-fiction genre. In a slight twist, this series is marketed as a space opera. If I recall correctly, there is a lot of drama, tension, and action to keep me engaged throughout this now epic series.
An additional bonus is that I already have a copy of this second book on my shelf waiting to be picked up. Fingers crossed, it’s not too long before I get there.
Thanks for reading today’s Shelf Control post! Does Howling Dark appeal to you?
March‘s monthly TBR had better go better than February’s. I don’t think I’ve ever DNF’d half of a reading list before. It wasn’t even anything really to do with the theme of Black History Month.
That’s why I’m not apprehensive about going into another month of topical reads. March is Women’s History Month, and I’ve been planning to pick up a few books on this topic for a while!
Shall we take a look?
Fixed Reads
Woden’s Spear
For the first time in a long time, I’ve got a blog tour coming up!
I’ve not taken part in a tour for around a year now. Initially, I didn’t want to take on the commitment whilst things were up in the air in my personal life. However, now that things have settled down, I have the ability to do the odd one or two of the tours again.
When Rachael asked for my help to fill in some spaces on a historical action adventure novel, I was persuaded. I love the genre and time period this book is set in. You’ll be hearing more on this book very soon, as I’m set to review it early next week.
A Promised Land
Given the length of this audiobook, it shouldn’t surprise you that Barack Obama’s A Promised Land is carried over into March.
Throughout February, I listened to 17 and a half hours of this 29-hour-long audio. I made a good dent. This month, I hope to finish it pretty soon!
A Promised Land was the one book on my February TBR that I thought at risk of DNFing. That it was actually one of my favourites of the month is both a surprise, but also a testament to how diverse my reading can be.
Children of Virtue and Vengeance
My second carryover from February is Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi. I’ve picked up this series for the first time in a long time.
I confess, as of this monthly TBR, I’m undecided how I feel about the book. I’m yet to feel the same spark of enthusiasm about it as I had for the first. Still, I’ll stick with it a bit longer yet. It may come to me as I get more immersed in the story.
Normal Women
One of my Women’s History Month picks for this monthly TBR is Normal Women by Philippa Gregory.
I originally discovered this book when I featured Philippa’s podcast of the same name on my blog as part of a limited series. The subject generally is a topic of interest, but the podcast episode I listened to went into some of the research Philippa undertook when writing the book. The podcast piqued my attention, and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the book and the other broad span of topics covered.
Narratives: The Stories that Hold Women Back at Work
At 254 pages, Narratives is the shortest book on this monthly TBR. Also fitting into my Women’s History Month topical reading, I’m looking forward to seeing if I can relate to any experiences within. Naturally, I hope not. Equally though, if I’m informed on ways women can be held back at work, the better I can approach the situation.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a career woman. I love clocking out at the end of the day and getting into my PJ’s for a relaxing evening. I still have some ambition to push myself and maybe take on a leadership role in time.
Eve
The potential last Women’s History Month book on this TBR is Eve.
Leaning into some more non-fiction, Eve looks at the ways in which the female body has evolved and shaped humanity as we know it. It’s a little out of my comfort zone, but equally I’m hopeful the book includes a lot of humour and insight that keeps me engaged.
Work Book Club Pick
Lastly, I’ll be picking up one final ‘fixed read’ for our work book club. However, as of this post, that hasn’t been decided. Members had until the end of today to vote from three contenders; I’ll be looking at the results and announcing the winner to members tomorrow.
So, I can’t tell you which it is in this monthly TBR. You’ll have to stay tuned on the blog to see what it is!
Mood Reads
Calamity
I only have one mood read on March’s monthly TBR. Outside of my carryovers for the month, it’s the only book not fitting the theme of Women’s History Month that isn’t another reading commitment.
I recently got back into the series when I listened to Firefight in January. Now that I’m so close to finishing the trilogy, I want to power on and get it finished!
Summary
I have a lot of books to cover this month, but I’m optimistic I can avoid the same reading funk that spoiled February’s monthly TBR.
Good evening all – welcome to this week’s Sunday Summary instalment! I hope you’ve had a good week?
If nothing else, mine has been a better one in terms of keeping up with blog commitments. My first post of the week was my book review of Becoming by Michelle Obama. I read this book a couple of years ago – that it coincidentally came around as due for review during Black History Month was ideal!
On Saturday, I shared my monthly wrap-up for February. I confess, reading this last month didn’t go as well as I hoped. If anything, the book I didn’t expect to love was one of my best pick-ups. What was more surreal to me was that I ended up DNFing half the TBR…
Books Read
A Promised Land
Listening progress with A Promised Land is up from last week’s two and a half hours. This week, I’ve knocked another 3 and a half hours of audio off the total time left.
I appreciate I’ve featured this book in quite a few Sunday Summaries now. However, it’s not a quick listen. Of the total 29 hours runtime, I have 11 hours and 20 minutes left. I envisage this book may feature for another couple of weeks; the closer I get to the end though, the more motivated I’ll be to get there!
Honestly, I wasn’t sure how I was going to get on with this book. That I’ve picked it up in audio format, and before Barack narrates it himself, makes it a more enjoyable listen.
The Da Vinci Code
I read another 10% of The Da Vinci Code last week before DNFing it ahead of our book club meet. As I shared in yesterday’s monthly wrap-up post, I didn’t like the tone and I felt the story too ‘clever’ and farfetched.
Children of Virtue and Vengeance
The final book I started this week is Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi. It’s the second book of her Legacy of Orisha series.
It’s been a long while since I picked up the first book, Children of Blood and Bone. As a result, I’ve not really gotten into the book that easily. The storyline is okay, but I’m not feeling the same love that I had for the first book. I’m about 20% in so far and I’m going to persevere a little longer. I just hope it picks up and doesn’t end up being my fourth DNF of the year…
Books Discovered
I’ve been good again this week – no news is good news!
Coming Up…
With the beginning of a new month comes a new TBR. Fingers crossed I have better luck with the list I set myself for March. If you want to find out which books I plan to pick up in the next few weeks, you don’t have long to wait.
On Friday, I’ll get to that Shelf Control post I missed a few weeks ago! It’ll be good to take a look at my TBR again and whittle down any books I’m not interested in anymore and feature one I am.
Finally, this time next week I’ll return with my next Sunday Summary. Hopefully I’ll have some more positive reading news to share…
That’s all for today’s Sunday Summary update! Have a good one and I’ll see you in the next post!
We’re now two full months into 2025. I want to get in nice and early with my monthly wrap-up for February to update you on the books I picked up, and in some cases put down, during the last month.
One of my main reading goals for February was to pick up books around the theme of Black History Month. Not all of my books fit into this category, as they were either carryovers from January or I had to read them for other commitments. How I did with February’s TBR surprised me; there were books I wasn’t sure about that but I’ve gone on to really enjoy, yet equally there are books I thought I’d get on with, but didn’t.
Shall we get into this monthly wrap-up so you can see just how this month has gone?
Books Read
A Darkness at Sethanon
A Darkness at Sethanon was a carryover from January‘s TBR. I was just a couple of chapters in at the point of setting this book on my February monthly TBR.
Admittedly, I didn’t get much further than that before I put it down. Although I had recapped myself on events so far in the series, I was struggling to get into it. If I’m entirely honest, I didn’t love the books before this one. They were okay to read, but I didn’t have any burning desire to pick up this last instalment. If anything, I was motivated to try so I could mark the series as complete.
However, I decided it wasn’t worth slogging through this book in order to give myself that accolade. I have now finished this series, but it has a DNF as opposed to a completion.
Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia
A few weeks ago, I started listening to Fearing the Black Body. I ended up listening to this audiobook over the course of a weekend. I didn’t expect to love this book in the way that I did. It was really interesting, and I liked how the book was broken down and considered different ideas and arguments. I wouldn’t say this book is to be taken as gospel. However, it does consider some interesting ideas on why racism could play a role in our current culture’s fat phobia.
I wouldn’t describe this as a book that I would typically read. However, I’m glad I did. It’s a good way to get an alternate perspective on things, as well as consider things from a non-racial perspective as well. In addition to the race argument, the author also offers religion as a possible source of some of the negativity around larger bodies too.
A Promised Land
The second audiobook I picked up this month, and admittedly I’m still reading as of this monthly wrap-up post, is A Promised Land by Barack Obama. If there’s one book on this TBR I thought I was at risk of DNFing, it was this one. In truth, it’s one of the books I’m enjoying the most this month.
Politics is a subject that is out of my comfort zone. My overarching opinion generally of politicians is that they don’t achieve anything for the masses. instead, they use their office to promote their own self interest. I can be forgiven for this view when you consider the amount of cronyism that gets highlighted on the news.
So far, I don’t find Barack to be your typical politician. My overall perception of Barack Obama when he was in office was that he was a decent president.
Listening to his book, I still have this view. I’ve enjoyed listening to some of his insights on what his priorities were as a president. He also covers a number of different unplanned situations he had to deal with in office.
Naturally, this book is far more involved to the likes of Michelle Obama’s Becoming in describing the politics of his life. He’s not averse to making jabs here and there against other parties and individuals, but for the most part I’m getting on with the book well.
The only reason I’m still listening to this audiobook at the end of February is because it is so long! The audiobook is just over 29 hours long. As a drafting this post, I have just under 12 and a half hours left to listen to.
In Every Mirror She’s Black
Another read I intended to complete as part of this February TBR relating to Black History Month is In Every Mirror She’s Black. A few years ago I acquired my copy of the book in a Waterstones sale after Christmas. I liked the sound of the book and I thought it was going to have something quite prominent to say when it comes to race – how seemingly different black women end up experiencing the same treatment in life.
However, having gotten a third into this book, I still couldn’t tell where the storyline was intending to take us or what message it was trying to put out. So, I decided to DNF it. I was bored. The plot was meandering between the three female perspectives and not really giving any context as to what it was trying to say. Nothing significant was happening and I wasn’t enjoying reading it.
It’s a shame, because I think it could’ve been a good book if it started to get to its point a little quicker.
The Da Vinci Code
If you are a regular reader, you will know that I host a book club at work. We meet once a month, typically towards the end of a month, and discuss a book of a members choice.
A couple of months ago, we came up with the idea of reading The Da Vinci Code. Some members had already read the book a long time ago, whereas others like myself had not read it before. It sounded like a good book for discussion, so we decided to pick that up.
I’m sorry to say that I didn’t like this one either. I read 29% of the book before I DNF this one too. Whilst I enjoyed the ideas of symbolism and the murder mystery aspect of the storyline, I felt overall that it was a very pretentious book. There is a lot of detail on symbolism and at times, I felt the narrative was talking down to me to have to explain some of it. I also found the idea of these clues being left for Robert too far-fetched.
In principle, one of the characters had approximately 15 minutes to lay down all these clues before he passed away from a fatal injury in order to point Robert to his murderer. After discussions with another book club member, there are perhaps reasons why this was plausible for the character to do given his position and preplanning for such an eventuality. However, it just felt far-fetched to me and I wasn’t a fan of the tone of the book.
Children of Virtue and Vengeance
Lastly, we get to the final book of my February TBR, Children of Virtue and Vengeance. I am still reading this book as of publishing this monthly wrap-up post, but I confess I’m not loving this one either. At this point, I don’t think it’s the fault of the book, but more to do with the fact that I’m in a reading funk.
As of this monthly wrap up post, I’m 20% into the book and I’m going to keep going with it for now. I probably not help myself in that it’s been a good number of years since I read the first book of the series. I have recapped myself on events, But leaving it so long is probably acting as a blocker helping me immerse myself back into the storyline.
Summary
It’s fair to say that reading progress in February didn’t end up going so well. Whilst I have read some enjoyable books in the month, I DNF’d three books – basically half the list!
I may need to reconsider my reading plans for March to help get myself out of whatever reading funk I’m in right now.
Thanks for reading today’s monthly wrap-up! Have you read any great books recently that you can recommend to help?
Today’s book review is a topical one given its Black History Month. It’s also a pure coincidence that timing-wise, it’s come around now for review. I read this book a couple of years ago because it was also Black History Month at the time. I’m not much of a seasonal reader, and that’s something that’s probably going to change this year. That’s why I’ve picked up the likes of Barack Obama‘s A Promised Land and Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi this month.
Today though, we’re not talking about Barack Obama or my other current reads. Instead, we are looking to Michelle Obama‘s memoir, Becoming.
An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir; 17 million copies sold worldwide
Now in paperback featuring a new introduction by Michelle Obama, a letter from the author to her younger self, and a book club guide with 20 discussion questions and a 5-question Q&A, the intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States
In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her — from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it — in her own words and on her own terms.
Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations — and whose story inspires us to do the same.
My Thoughts
Naturally, Michelle Obama’s life experience overlaps that of the presidency and being the first lady, but that does not define her identity. If Becoming taught me anything, it’s that Michelle didn’t want to feel bound by those restrictions and is far more than a prominent man’s right hand.
But first, we ought to go back to the beginning. Becoming tells the candid story of Michelle‘s upbringing in Southside Chicago. It covers race, naturally, as well as class differences; how she and her family fought against prejudice on a daily basis to make their own way in the world. Sadly, it’s a story I’m sure many can relate to. It’s a difficult topic to talk about, because it feels like I don’t have the authority to. As somebody who didn’t grow up in similar shoes to Michelle, I can’t imagine what it’s like to have to fight for everything you have. Even still, I was able to put myself in Michelle’s position and understand the difficulties she went through. She does a fantastic job of being able to translate her life experiences into one that everyone can imagine and sympathise with.
Of course, though, Michelle in her lifetime went from a reasonably regular life with its struggles – family, career and then having and juggling children on top, to being the First Lady. I didn’t particularly get the vibe from Becoming that Michelle didn’t like politics as much as Barack implies in A Promised land. Instead, she talks about her priority of making sure the children stayed out of the limelight and lived a normal lives themselves. She also talks about charitable works she championed whilst ‘in office’.
If her memoir tells us readers anything, it’s that Michelle is a considerate and well-rounded woman. She has excelled in every role life has thrown at her – being a woman, a career lawyer and mother, before turning her attention to charitable works and supporting youth as First Lady.
Summary
Although I’m not one for politics really, Becoming doesn’t really touch on this aspect of Michelle’s life. If you want to touch on the family of the Obama’s without the political element, Becoming is a great read. It’s also an interesting read if you want to see what hard work and determination can get you – even against the odds.
Happy Sunday folks – I’m back with this week’s Sunday Summary post! I hope you’ve had a good week?
Overall, mine has been pretty good. I’ve had a few bits on, but nothing wild. I’ve had fewer social plans than last week, but also more than I expected. As a result, I haven’t picked up my current reads as much as I thought I would. More on that in a minute. First, let’s recap the blog posts, or rather post (singular), I shared this week.
My first and only post that went live this week, before today that is, is a Top Ten Tuesday. This week’s topic was books I’ve never reviewed. Whilst I did just about scrape ten, it’s fair to say I review the vast majority of what I read!
I was supposed to share a Shelf Control post on Friday. However, I confess I completely forgot about it until Saturday afternoon. Sorry folks, I have a goldfish brain…
Books Read
A Promised Land
Last week I boasted over seven hours of audiobook progress. This week, it’s a more modest two and a half hours.
But you know what, progress is progress. I won’t knock it. I’m enjoying listening to Barack Obama’s A Promised Land. I wasn’t sure what I expected to take from this book, but I’m liking it a lot more than I anticipated.
Things have gotten a little more political in what I’ve listened to this week, but it’s been okay to listen to. I’ve been able to follow what’s going on, with the odd bit of Googling terms to make sure I’m understanding everything. Until this, I’ve never paid attention to politics…
In Every Mirror She’s Black
After progressing with another 70 pages of In Every Mirror She’s Black this week, I DNF’d it at 33%.
If I’m entirely honest with you, I was bored. The storyline didn’t seem to be going anywhere meaningful and I wasn’t getting any enjoyment or enlightenment from it. If the book has a message, it takes its time getting there. I ran out of patience for it.
It’s my first DNF in a while. It’s a shame, but I’m not going to slog through a book I don’t like either. I have better things to do.
The Da Vinci Code
With the deadline for reading The Da Vinci Code fast approaching, I made it a priority to start this week. Book club meets next week to discuss the book. As of this post, I’m 20% into it.
I’ve mixed feelings on the book. I’m intrigued as to who is behind the murder. At the same time, though, I can’t shake my first impression that the narrative feels pretentious. There’s a lot of info dropping on cryptology and symbolism, as well as art particularly. No doubt it’s needed for the narrative, but the way it’s done doesn’t strike me as treating the reader as an equal. It feels like it’s talking down to me.
I’m going to stick with the book and read as much as I can before Wednesday. I’m not likely to finish it before we meet. Honestly, I won’t feel too hard up on being spoiled if I don’t either…
Books Discovered
There aren’t any new acquisitions to let you know about this week ☺️
Coming Up…
My first post of the week will be a book review. It’s been a couple of weeks since I shared my thoughts on Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. Next, I plan to share my review of Becoming by Michelle Obama. Ironic timing, but maybe it’s a good thing! And, it’s also topical considering it’s Black History Month!
On Saturday, I’ll share my monthly wrap-up for February. In that post, I’ll take you through the books I read throughout this month and recap what I thought of them.
Finally, I’m back this time next week with my usual Sunday Summary recap. I’ll let you know how I get on with my current reads, as well as what’s coming up on the blog over the next week.
Thanks for reading this Sunday Summary update. Until my next post, I hope you have a great week!
What book blogger wouldn’t proclaim themselves an avid reader?
If found without a book in hand, send for medical aid!
My name is Rebecca; welcome to my humble little blog.
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here:
Cookie Policy
Rebecca’s ReaderRank
Rebecca has reviewed 358 books with an average rating of 4.321 out of 5.
66 people have found Rebecca’s written reviews to be helpful on Goodreads.
If I leave this house, it will be in handcuffs. I should have run for it while I had the chance. Now my shot is gone. Now that the police officers are in the house and they’ve discovered what’s upstairs, there’s no turning back. 
Genre: Science-fiction 
Genre: Non-Fiction/Memoir
Top 1% in Epic