Category: Reading Lists

Monthly TBR – June 2026

Posted on June 5, 2026 by fantasyst95

My June monthly TBR is all about trying to complete the Goodreads Spring 2026 reading challenge. Yes, I’m having another stab at this quarterly challenge. Last time, I got to 9 after 12 achievements towards the winter challenge. Being so close, I knew I wanted to take a second stab at this.

If I’m being honest, do I think I’m going to achieve this? Perhaps not. In order to get the remaining eight achievements, I have a hefty monthly TBR to get through. I also hedged my bets on a Pride Month read, which is one of the prompts, which unfortunately did not qualify. Given I already have a hefty list, I’m unlikely to be able to pick up another Pride Month read before the end of June.

Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to the books on this monthly TBR. I already own a considerable number of these, and it’s going to be a productive month for hitting books on my reading list as opposed to working towards other reading commitments. I have 230 books on my reading list, so it will be refreshing to tick off a good chunk of these.

Carryovers from May/Reading Obligations

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

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The first of two books I’ve carried over from May is Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon by James Hibberd. If you watched my monthly TBR video over on YouTube, you’ll see that this was one of four books I pulled out of my TBR jar to read last month. Incidentally, it was also the only book I managed to get to out of those picks. May’s TBR was equally ambitious for very different reasons. However, I’m glad I was able to start Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon.

I have been looking forward to this read because it’s based on the behind-the-scenes action of filming the Game of Thrones TV series. Not only has it given me serious nostalgia for the main series, but it’s given me the opportunity to learn more about the filming of the series that I’ve appreciated ever before. It’s an engaging read, a fun read as well as being insightful. I’m loving the commentary from both cast and crew on the overall production of the series, as well as insights from the author George R. R. Martin himself.

Am I fighting the urge to pick up A Game of Thrones again? Yes. Absolutely…

Project Hail Mary

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My second carryover for May, albeit I made very little progress right at the end of the month, is Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.

I started this book initially when sampling the audio to see if this was the format I wanted to read Project Hail Mary in. After purchasing the audiobook based on the few minutes sample I listened to, I then decided to stick with the first few chapters. It was enough to give me an idea of what the book was about and introduce the character and setting to get me excited to pick up the remainder of the book.

Now that I have finished the other audiobook I was listening to properly at the time, Project Hail Mary is my full-time listen as of this monthly TBR for June. And, with a bank holiday weekend here, I’ve got lots of time to enjoy getting stuck in properly.

Queen of Shadows

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My Throne of Glass read-along continues! If you read my Sunday Summary post dated the 31st of May, you’ll know I set myself the target of finishing Heir of Fire on that final day of May. With around 250 pages left, I pushed through so that I could get up-to-date with my own read-along. Sounds silly, I know. However, for the past few books I have been running behind. With the books now getting longer, I can’t afford to be behind and I need to dedicate more time to making sure I stay up-to-date with these.

Naturally, that’s going to be my priority for Queen of Shadows. This latest book, which is the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series, is around 700 pages long. That’s nearly twice the length of the first couple of books. So, I definitely need to prioritise keeping on top of this one!

Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge Books

The Pillars of the Earth

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Queen of Shadows isn’t the only lengthy book on this June monthly TBR. On the contrary, one of the Goodreads Spring 2026 reading challenge prompts is called Marathon Reader. Yes, as the name probably suggests to you, this is a long book. I’ve chosen The Pillars of the Earth for this prompt because it’s also a book I featured in my 2026 resolutions post. It’s a book I’ve been recommended at least twice, so I wanted to get to this in 2026 anyway.

The Pillars of the Earth weighs in at about 1,070 pages. No small feat, right? My hunch is that I will progress with The Pillars of the Earth over the course of the month rather than reading the whole thing at once. That gives me the chance to enjoy the book in smaller chunks, as well as get to the other books on this June TBR. If I’m going to complete the Goodreads Spring 2026 reading challenge, I can’t afford any dips in reading momentum!

Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe

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For the books on books challenge prompt, I’m reading Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe. I had two books that fit the bill on my TBR. On a practical level, however, it made sense for me to pick up Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe as part of this monthly TBR given I already own a hardback copy.

It’s become very apparent to me in recent days that I have a number of physical books on my bookshelves that I have not yet got to. Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe is one of those. So, perfect timing to deal with that – no?

Katabasis

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I only had one book that fit the AAPI Heritage reading prompt. And you know what, I’m not mad, as it means I get to pick up another book by R.F. Kuang!

I have really come to love Rebecca‘s writing. Most recently, I picked up Yellowface at the beginning of this year. However, I have loved all the books more reminiscent of Katabasis, including the likes of Babel.

I was so excited to pick up a physical copy of this book that I picked it up going abroad last year, only to bring it all the way home. Could I have waited? Sure. Did I want to? Absolutely not!

Challenger

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When reading Orbital by Samantha Harvey at the very top of the year, I got to touch upon the topic of the space shuttle Challenger and its tragic fate in that narrative. It was only touched on very briefly, but it sparked a reminder that I wanted to pick up Challenger by Adam Higginbotham to really learn what happened on that fateful day.

Thankfully, this book qualifies for the editor’s picks prompt for the spring challenge. Honestly, I had a few books that fit in this category, and it was hard to choose which one. However, partly down to the combination of already owning the book, as well as being passionate about the subject from a recent read, gave this book the edge to make it onto this monthly TBR.

Behind Closed Doors

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Finally, given I already have some lengthy reading to get through, I picked the shortest book on my TBR for the community picks prompt.

Behind Closed Doors is a reasonably short mystery/thriller novel that I will hopefully devour! Given I’ve enjoyed books like this in audio format before, and the heavy weighting of physical books on this June TBR so far, I imagine I will pick this up in audio just to help get to it as well.

At just under 300 pages, this feels achievable!

Summary

So, ignoring the fact I currently have a gap to fill in another Pride Month pick, these are the books I plan to read towards the rest of the challenge prompts for the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge. However, I do also have a couple of books on this list that don’t fit that prompt at all. Fire cannot kill a dragon and Queen of Shadows do not qualify for this challenge at all, but they are personal reads I’m invested in picking up in June.

Are you taking part in any reading challenges this month? Do you have any planned summer reading you are taking part in? Let me know in the comments what you’re planning to read this June.

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Monthly Wrap-Up – May 2026

Posted on June 1, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s monthly wrap-up contains affiliate links to Amazon if you wish to purchase any of the books featured. If you follow any of these links, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

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

I’m never not ambitious when it comes to setting a TBR. May proved to be no exception! Unfortunately, I didn’t get to all the books I planned in that TBR. Of the four TBR jar picks I pulled out, I only got to one. Even then, it’s being carried over to June and it’s a current read as of drafting this monthly wrap-up post.

Nevertheless, I’ve had a productive month of reading! There were a couple of moments where I pushed hard to complete some of the reads for deadlines. It’s kept me on track so I have no regrets.

Let’s take a look at the books I picked up in May!

Books Read

Crown of Midnight

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When I published last month’s monthly wrap-up, I had to hold my hands up to some pretty poor reading progress with Crown of Midnight. Given I was meant to finish the book in April, I went into May having only started the first 14%.

Pathetic, right? Well, needless to say, my first focus of the month was to catch up with Crown of Midnight. I confess, even after all that, it still took me until mid-month to finish this second book of the Throne of Glass series. Slack, I know. However, I made good, not only on Crown of Midnight, but the sequel too. More on that one later…

I enjoyed Crown of Midnight. A theme across the latest books I’ve read is that I start off quite slow. However, once the action is really established and starting to go down in the second half of the book, I’ll fly with it. I’d say part of that is due to the events of Crown of Midnight building significantly on Throne of Glass. The magnitude of the series gets bigger with every instalment. I love it, even if it means taking time over the detail of the book to start with.

Why We Get Sick

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Why We Get Sick was an impulse audiobook listen towards the end of April. After a tricky month, I pretty much wrote off my TBR in the end. Instead, to get myself out of a slump, I picked up Why We Get Sick as a change-up and to enjoy a topic I have an interest in.

In the last couple of years, I’ve been more serious about my health. I’ve read a few books around the subject. Ultra-Processed People. The Weight’s Over. A couple of other examples. Hoping to gain information about insulin resistance and the longer-term health consequences that causes, I picked up Why We Get Sick. And you know what, it was an interesting read. The book has a focus more on the biological aspect of insulin resistance, which to be fair, is what I asked ChatGPT for when looking for a book rec on the subject. It lived entirely up to my expectations.

Readers looking for more in the way of practical tips or lifestyle changes to make might benefit from a different read. This has a couple, but the emphasis is more on how it occurs rather than giving detailed advice on how to reverse it.

An insightful read nonetheless!

The Eagle Will Rise

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I took part in the blog tour for The Eagle Will Rise. This book is the first of a new series featuring a character I love from M.J. Porter’s The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles.

I had hoped to start this book a little earlier and not be so last-minute with reading this book. However, I found myself in a position where I only had a couple of days to pick up the book ahead of my review deadline. For the post part, that was due to taking longer to read Crown of Midnight than initially planned.

Nevertheless, reading The Eagle Will Rise was a breeze. I’ve now read around ten books by M.J. Porter. I know her writing style, the format. What to expect, and the book 100% lived up to expectations. Thank goodness I work well under pressure, because the pace I needed to maintain for this one involved reading around 150 pages a day. This is one of two hard pushes I made with a particular title this month.

If you want to find out more about this book, you can find my review here.

Witch Hunt

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Another blog tour commitment I read towards in May is Witch Hunt. I picked this up in audiobook format well in advance of the tour. So much so, my post is due in the coming days and thankfully, I finished this book a couple of weeks ago.

My motivation to read Witch Hunt comes from the book’s overall setting. In the shadow of Lancashire’s Pendle Hill, infamous for its associations with witchcraft and trials. Amidst modern-time accusations, the murder of one such accused woman appears all but an open and shut case. However, of course, it’s not that simple…

My review for Witch Hunt goes live on Thursday. So, I’m going to keep my thoughts pretty short and sweet here. If you want to find out more, I hope you can come back for that review post.

Makes a change for me not to be confessing to chasing my tail in a monthly wrap-up. Well, not for every book anyway…

Heir of Fire

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For the second half of the month, I made a concerted push with Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas. Heir of Fire is the sequel to Crown of Midnight and the planned reading book for May. Now obviously, I started this readalong late. In fact, I started the book mid-month. So, in fairness to fellow readers, I have this readalong open on Fable and StoryGraph until the 7th June.

However, I got it in my head this weekend that I wanted to get back on track. So I can start Queen of Shadows nice and early, I was determined to binge-read the final 250 pages I had left in Heir of Fire yesterday. And you know what, by the skin of my teeth, I did it! I finished Heir of Fire at 00:15 last night. Technically 1st June, but before I went to bed for the evening. So, it counts in my book 😂

Heir of Fire was a repeat of Crown of Midnight in that the early events of the book invest time in expanding the places, world building, and characters we get to know in the book.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

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Over the course of May, I’ve been slowly progressing with Somewhere Beyond the Sea. Unlike other books on this monthly wrap-up feature, I’ve been deliberately making slow progress with it. When I planned my Completing the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge post, I had to take a stab at an LGBTQ book I thought could qualify.

Given the final prompt was labelled Pride Month until today, I had no way of knowing what would qualify, or if it specifically needed to be a completion in June to count. So, I took a punt, and listened to this audiobook with the aim to complete it in early June. In fact, I finished it earlier today!

The good news is that this sequel lived up to its predecessor, The House in the Cerulean Sea. It’s cute, wholesome, and charming. The characters are funny, if a little ridiculous. But that’s the fun of it. The bad news is that it doesn’t count towards the Goodreads challenge after all. Then again, nothing I have on my TBR with LGBTQ themes does, so I don’t feel too hard done by! At least I got up-to-date with the series.

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

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The penultimate book to feature in today’s monthly wrap-up is my physical current read, Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon by James Hibberd.

This read came out of my TBR Jar in my May TBR video on YouTube. It’s also the only TBR jar pick that made it anywhere near my ears or eyeballs this month. Don’t Fix Women, Sleeping Beauties, and The Great Hunt will just have to wait for another day…

I picked up Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon as a breather from Heir of Fire. I needed a different subject. Something lighter. A topic I was confident I’d love. Well, we all know A Game of Thrones ticks all those boxes for me!

Rather than a return to the main series that inspired it all, Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon is about the filming of the TV series and how HBO and the directors Dan Weiss and David Benioff achieved what had never been done before – took a series deliberately written to be larger than the screen and put it there. At times, heavily constrained by budget. The book features interviews and commentary from cast and crew on all things from casting to creative decision-making progress. It’s insightful, new to me and so entertaining yet informative, and has only tempted me to pick up the first book again a few times.

Okay, that’s a lie… more than a few!

As of this monthly wrap-up, featuring progress up until yesterday, I got to 116 pages in during May. I’ve already picked it up today and blitzed 30 pages over lunch. Now Heir of Fire is done, 100% of my focus is on Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. It won’t last long!

Project Hail Mary

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My final read of the month is my current audiobook listen, which admittedly I only just touched on in May.

It hardly feels worthy of mention in this monthly wrap-up given I only sampled the first few minutes, then a couple of chapters, this weekend just gone. Planning ahead on how to tackle my June TBR (coming out in the next few days… stay tuned!), I decided to try Project Hail Mary in audio format. This book will do me some wonders in my efforts to complete the Goodreads Spring reading challenge. Perhaps now in jeopardy thanks to Pride Month not working out, but I may claw it back yet. We’ll see!

With this in mind, I need to fit this in to make my book choices work harder for me. I like the narration, and I’m intrigued by the introduction. It’s the best thing I can ask for, really. More to follow on this book over the course of the month as I progress with it.

Again, now I’ve finished Somewhere Beyond the Sea, Project Hail Mary has my full, undivided attention!

Summary

At times, May didn’t feel like a super busy or productive month. However, as this monthly wrap-up post has reminded me, that’s really not the case at all. I picked up a number of reads, some of them not small either. A few had deadlines, self-imposed or otherwise. And I hit all those targets.

So, this monthly wrap-up is a bit of a success story, even if I didn’t get to the whole TBR. It was a long shot anyway, and regardless, I had a great time with these reads!

What did you read over the course of May – any recommendations for me?

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Completing the Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge!

Posted on May 13, 2026 by fantasyst95

It feels a little early, but the countdown is on for completion of the Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge. With around 50 days left, it feels like I have plenty of time to read towards this challenge. At the same time, I’ve already got a number of reading obligations on my plate. By the time I’ve got those nailed, I won’t have all the time in the world to finish the challenge.

Before this year, I haven’t actively tried to complete these seasonal challenges. However, after narrowly missing out on completing the Winter challenge earlier this year, I’ve got a vendetta now. Getting ahead, my plan is to look ahead at what books I already want to read can go towards this challenge, and what gaps I need to fill. In my Sunday Summary last week, I mentioned that I have a gap between my May TBR and the books I have/that I can get audiobook copies of. So, this is where this list could come in handy!

Before I jump into the outstanding books/achievements section of this Completing the Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge post, here are the prompts I’ve completed already: –

Achievements Attained so Far

Page-turner – Read 2 Books During Challenge
Speed reader – Read 3 Books During Challenge
Book boss – Read 5 Books During Challenge
Trending Books – The Astral Library

Now, let’s take a look at what prompts for the challenge remain outstanding as of drafting this post. I’ll share what reads on my TBR fit the prompt, or what book I’ve found to fill the gap if I don’t have a natural fit…

Achievements to Get

Community Picks

I have a few books that meet the Community Picks prompt. All of these are on my TBR already, and I love the sound of all of these books. Rather than pick any one of these now, I’m going to keep my options open so I have some mod-reading flexibility!

I don’t have any burning desire to read any of these over the other. The other consideration is other reading lists, obligations or goals. However, none of these books correlate with other reading targets, so anything goes here.

Marathon Reader

Turns out I have quite a few books on my TBR for this prompt! I’ve been looking for an excuse for a LOTR readalong, so that is a strong contender. However, one other book on this list may trump LOTR…

Pillars of the Earth is on my list of reads I want to complete in 2026. I set out this list in my 2026 resolutions post. I’ve been recommended The Pillars of the Earth at least twice, by two work colleagues at the time. So, it makes the most sense to pick this up and kill two birds with one stone. Maybe I can save a LOTR re-read for later in the year…

Editors’ Picks

Four entries from my TBR will qualify for this Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge prompt. The two that most appeal to me are Challenger and The Song of the Cell.

When I picked up my first read of 2026, Orbital, it touched on the events of space shuttle Challenger. I already had a copy of Challenger by Adam Higginbotham – I picked it up last year. However, this casual reference in Orbital has encouraged me to bump this up the list.

My other option is The Song of the Cell. The reason this is higher on the list is because I enjoyed a similar themed book recently. Why We Get Sick is a book specifically about insulin resistance and covers how this occurs on a cellular level. I enjoyed the strong biology-based narrative. After finishing that book, I’ve had The Song of the Cell on my mind as a perhaps less specific, but interesting follow-up.

Books on Books

I only have a couple of books on my TBR that fits this prompt, so I guess this is an easy choice. I think I only own one of these already, so it makes Ink Blood Sister Scribe the more likely of the two I’ll read. However, I’ve enjoyed Janice Hallett in the past. I have incentive to read more from Janice Hallett this year because I want to pick up an upcoming sequel to her The Appeal series later this year.

However, my understanding is The Twyford Code falls outside of this series. So, I’ll suggest this is a strong backup in case I don’t get on with Ink Blood Sister Scribe.

AAPI Heritage

For this final disclosed prompt, Katabasis is the only book on my TBR that meets the prompt.

Like I need an excuse to pick up R.F. Kuang! I was stoked to get a copy of this book pretty much when it came out last year. I picked it up in the airport on my way to Iceland. Oh how terrible that I have an excuse to pick this up and read it in the near future…

I’m gutted, can’t you tell?!

Summer Reading

I have a number of books that overlap with this challenge. The only pity is that I’ve read or DNF’d them. That surprise me, if I’m honest. I wouldn’t describe myself as a seasonal reader. However, the range of books on this list is quite broad, which helps.

So, whilst I can’t actively knock a book off my TBR for this challenge, I’ve picked out a couple I like the sound of. I’ve seen plenty of readers pick up Project Hail Mary and enjoy it, so that’s a solid contender to pick up towards this Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R. R. Martin is also VERY tempting. I love GRRM and his Game of Thrones series especially. I could totally read a spin-off this summer…

Escapist Reads

I love an escapist read! However, for this prompt I also don’t have a TBR prompt that qualifies towards the Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge. I have books I’ve already read…

Interestingly, a pick for the Summer Reading prompt will also work for this one. Reading Project Hail Mary will work for both prompts, although I confess my original plan was to lean into A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms for the Summer Reading prompt. Perhaps I can see how time goes – if I’m pinched I can pick up PHM for both. On the contrary, if I have the luxury of reading both, I’ll do that!

Mystery – Pride Month

The last prompt is technically a mystery, but we can be sure we need to read an LGBTQ+ book for it.

Having looked at my TBR, I have a few books that could qualify for this prompt. My preference for this prompt is to read a book that is LGBTQ+ that is on my 2026 Fixed TBR. That is The Colour Purple by Alice Walker. The Colour Purple is a classic, which is why I added the book to my 2026 fixed reading list. I tried to read the book as a teenager, but it was a bit advanced for me at the time. What makes this perfect to read towards the Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge is that the book explores a lesbian relationship.

Given the prominence of the title, I’d like to think it will qualify for the mystery prompt. However, it may not. In that case, I may nee to swap it out. I have a couple of other books on my list that I’ll prioritise if they come up. Otherwise, I’ll find anything I can that qualifies! Naturally, I’ll update you if I need to switch.

Summary

I’m excited to read towards, and hopefully complete, the Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge! There’s a spectrum of books that can contribute, and also opportunities to get to books I’ve been excited to pull off my TBR and read anyway.

Are you looking to complete the Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge? Have you read any of the books featured today?

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My May 2026 TBR… It’s LONG!

Posted on May 4, 2026 by fantasyst95

When planning my May 2026 TBR, I knew I wanted a fresh start. After a lacklustre reading month in April (see my April wrap-up if you want the low-down on that…), I’m hoping a clean slate is the key to getting my reading groove back.

I have some reading obligations as well, so the deadlines will also go a long way to spurring me on. I have two blog tours, as well as kicking myself up the bum to get my Throne of Glass read-alongs back on track.

Beyond that, I’ve let my brand new, refreshed TBR Jar decide the rest! It pulled out some chunky books, and I confess I tossed one back as it tried to give me a 1,100 pager after already tossing me a couple of 700 pagers. The genres I’m reading this month span horror, thriller, historical fiction, non-fiction, as well as my favourite, fantasy. One epic fantasy sequel as well I’m excited to get to 🎊

Enough teasing, I’ll get stuck in with my obligations first, then I’ll highlight my TBR Jar picks.

Carryovers from April/Reading Obligations

Why We Get Sick

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At the end of April, I started listening to the audiobook Why We Get Sick by Benjamin Bikman. I started this book as I have an interest in the subject, in particular the biological level of detail insulin resistance has on cells.

I didn’t have a book like this on my TBR. Rather, it’s a topic I have wanted to learn about personally. Leaning into a complete change and effectively scrapping my TBR, I hoped picking up a book totally unrelated to my April TBR would give me the fresh start I needed.

As of the end of April, it was working! In fact, this book features on my May 2026 TBR as I finished the book in May – yes – it’s already done 👍 It’s the best of starts I could hope for when it comes t my May TBR – long may it continue…

Crown of Midnight

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Crown of Midnight is a carryover from my April TBR and my current read as of this May 2026 TBR.

My read-along for Sarah J Maas hasn’t gotten off to the best of starts. The fault is entirely mine – I’m not prioritising it enough. That changes this month. Not only am I immediately prioritising down of Midnight to catch up on my being behind, but I will be following up with the sequel immediately.

I’ll also plan ahead to set myself goals so that I DO actually read-along over the course of the month, as opposed to just playing catch up at the end which is what’s happened three times now. I’m going to go and do that on Storygraph and Fable after this post goes live. I’ll havens excuse then, right?!

Heir of Fire

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As above, once Crown of Midnight is finished I’m jumping into the first part of Heir of Fire right away. Compared to the earlier books in the series, Heir of Fire is longer. Compare 400-and-something pages for those first two books to nearly 600 in Heir of Fire.

I can’t catch up with that too late. I need to keep on top of this one…

Watch this space and hold me accountable friends!

The Eagle Will Rise

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The first of my blog tour obligations this month is The Eagle will Rise by M.J. Porter. I signed up to this tour as I’m a big fan of the author’s Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. We also have some character overlap in this book, although the circumstances are very different in this new series.

I’m excited to see where this takes us. I know what to expect in terms of writing style from M.J. Porter, and I’m keen to explore a new plot in a similar setting to that already established in Eagle of Mercia.

Will I enjoy this one as much as I hope? Only time will tell, but I am optimistic!

Witch Hunt

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My second commitment is an audiobook tour. I don’t do these often, but I’m excited to get stuck in!

When it comes to listening to audiobooks, I’m typically slower than reading conventionally. So, with that in mind, I’m going to jump in the gap finishing When We Get Sick has created and start Witch Hunt now. My review obligation isn’t until early June. However, in order to listen to this book in sufficient time, I’ve popped it onto this May 2026 TBR.

What piqued my interest for this book? Its association with witchcraft and being set around Pendle Hull of course. It’s a take on the narrative I haven’t explored for a while. It’s also modern mystery/police procedural type book which is a change on what I’ve read and listened to lately. I’m keen to give this a try and let you know what I thought soon.

May 2026 TBR picks

Moving on, I then pulled four books out of my refreshed TBR Jar. I had filtered out around 30-40 books I had read or removed from my TBR, but then added the latest books that were not in the jar. The net effect was more to pull from the jar, but all up-to-date at least. The paper I used was different this time, so I can visually see old vs new entries. I aimed for two of each; that way I can target some older books, but also deliberately mix in some newer ones to keep things fresh.

Here’s what I pulled!

Don’t Fix Women: The Practical Path to Gender Equality at Work

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The first book that came out of the jar was kind. It was one of the newer additions to the jar. At 266 pages, it fits well with the overall size of my TBR. Pity the next three books I pulled didn’t agree with the sentiment…

Don’t Fix Women is about fixing imbalances in the current workforce. Will this book have the most practical applications for me? Well, aside from being a women, I don’t have much in the way of power at my company. I’m not HR. However, I’ll advocate as much as I can and if I find practical advice here I think we could adopt, I’ll absolutely speak up.

It should make for an interesting read nonetheless. I do enjoy some feminist reading now and then!

The Great Hunt

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The next book I pulled from the jar was also a new book to the jar. I started a read of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series with The Eye of the World in late 2024. It’s about time I got the sequel anyway, and the jar made that call for me.

The Great Hunt comes in at just over 700 pages. It’s not a short read, but it does lean into one of my favourite genres of all time – epic fantasy. I’m looking forward to jumping back to the life and fate of Rand al’Thor. If I had left it too mcc longer, I’d be trying to recall what happened in the first book and I would struggle to pick this up again. As much as this is a long read, I think it’s a bit of a blessing in disguise that it came out now.

Sleeping Beauties

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After pulling two ‘new’ reads, I then targeted slips that have been in my jar since I first put it together. Sleeping Beauties has been on my TBR since January 2018. I also have a copy on my bookshelves, but I’m not sure if I have owned it as long as that or not. The spine is pretty faded from exposure to the sun, so it’s quite possible!

Sleeping Beauties also comes in a fraction over 700 pages. Not a short read either, but one I’m excited to try. It’s also a bit feminist in nature, as well as overlapping with horror/thriller and fantasy for the plot line. A unique mix I’m keen to try!

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

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This last book is actually the second draw from the jar. My first pick that came out was The Weird. Not problem, I thought initially, as I had a hunch it was a collection of short stories. That it is, but the whole volume comes in at 1,100 pages. No way was that going to be feasible. So, I’m being honest here and declaring that’s what the jar give me, but I tossed it back in so I could make a second draw.

That second draw was a far more approachable Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. At 450 pages, this is still somewhat achievable. This May 2026 TBR already has a sizeable page count, so it’s debatable if I’ll get to this one. However, I’ll use access to audio copies of book where I can, maybe even library loans for books I don’t have.

I’m really motivated to pick this up as it’s about one of my favourite TV series (based on books) of all-time – A Game of Thrones! If that’s not incentive to get through the rest of my May 2026 TBR to finish here, then I don’t know what is.

That’s plenty enough to get on with for my May 2026 TBR. What are you reading?

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Monthly Wrap-Up: April 2026

Posted on May 1, 2026 by fantasyst95

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

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

April should have been another productive month. Again, I set myself an ambitious TBR. However, a busy period at work, combined with stagnating on a re-read, meant progress stalled in April. It’s a shame – I’d been on a good run. At least I had a head start so I’m not behind after this month’s progress. Even so, I’m a little disappointed I didn’t pick up more reads this month.

Let’s take a look at the books I picked up, and how I got on…

Books Read

Storm of Mercia

Amazon Purchase Link

Storm of Mercia was a priority read, given I had a review obligation for the book on 2nd April.

Thankfully, I’m the kind of girl who thrives on a deadline. I started the book just a few days before the end of March and still read close up to the deadline. However, my already established love of the series meant this was easy for me to pick up and get invested in.

As I’ve already reviewed this book on my blog, I’m not going to go too heavy into my thoughts on this book here. Instead, I’ll point you to that review if you are a fan of action-based historical fiction with political aspects to the underlying storyline.

The Astral Library

Amazon Purchase Link

My next carryover from March was my audio listen of The Astral Library. In my March wrap-up post, I shared that I didn’t have a lot left to go.

Unsurprisingly, I finished this book in just a few days of the new month. I was invested into the narrative and events of the book were already coming to a head. Naturally, I had every inclination to get to this and see how the book finished. This was an easy book to prioritise and finish! It’s a pity the rest of the month didn’t follow through with this pace…

1984

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I started my April TBR already 33% into 1984 by George Orwell. I had to set this book aside in order to pick up my reading obligations – Rose Red, then Storm of Mercia.

Firstly, the near month break I took between putting down and returning to this book wasn’t ideal. Combine that with a break from reading in general due to doing overtime at work, and tiredness after that, meant I was slow to get going again. Knowing how the book ended, there wasn’t much excitement or incentive for me to pick it up either.

So, long story short, I was slow to pick this back up again. However, towards the end of the month I found my motivation again and finished 1984. Despite the lack of speed, I still enjoyed this one. I’m also keen to pick up the retelling Julia shortly. I’m ready for a slight change of perspective, and it should offer a refreshing change.

Onyx and Ivory

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One of the books I pulled out of my TBR jar in my March TBR video is Onyx and Ivory. This YA fantasy romance was the final book I pulled from the jar, yet equally was the only one I got to this month.

And you know what, it didn’t land perfectly. I knew it was a stretch, being YA fantasy. In other circumstances, I might have gotten on with it. However, listening to this audiobook coincided with my slow patch of 1984. That didn’t help, so in the end, I decided to pick up a fresh audiobook. After that, I didn’t have the inclination to return. I gave myself a deadline of the end of April to return to this. I didn’t, so I’ll call it a DNF.

Looking at Women Looking At War: A War and Justice Diary

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It’s a good job this girl thrives on a deadline. Despite my intentions to start this book in plenty of time before it was due back to my local library on Monday, I only started it last Saturday. Needless to say, I was on the clock to finish the book.

Most of Monday lunchtime was spent finishing the book. I had hoped I could take the book back after 5pm, but unfortunately the library shut then. So, a rocket was firmly up mine to get the book finished… but you know what, I did it!

Looking at Women Looking At War was a really interesting read, so it wasn’t difficult to prioritise this read. It was also unusual to read a book that’s shaping currency events./ It barely counts as history, but it had that vibe. The circumstances of the author’s work, and terrible passing, meant that the book wasn’t finished. It was odd to read a book in which the author’s unedited notes have to stand as the content. But, it brings home what happened and the level of work Amelia was going to in order to document the war crimes and make sure those harmed by the Russians get their justice.

Looking at Women Looking At War is a very different book to those I’ve read lately, and it landed well! Of all the books on this monthly wrap-up, it’s the book I enjoyed the most!

Crown of Midnight

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I’m carrying forward two books into May – my readalong of Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series. Starting this book was later than intended, but I have somewhat of a schedule to maintain. So, whilst I’m a bit late in getting started, as of this monthly wrap-up post, it is my priority read.

As of this monthly wrap-up post, I’m 14% into Crown of Midnight. I’ve enjoyed the start of this book so far, and it has been easy to get back into it. There’s enough ties to events from the previous book that the story is cohesive and I understand where I’m up to. However, already there are hints of new events that are going to unfold in this latest instalment. I’m keen to get stuck in, so watch for some speedy progress with Crown of Midnight in the coming days.

Why We Get Sick

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Finally, I started Why We Get Sick as a break from Onyx and Ivory. Although not on my TBR, I have a personal motive to listen to this audiobook.

I’m trying to learn about insulin resistance and the effects it has on people. I have signs of insulin resistance myself, and I’ve stagnated in trying to lose weight. In order to find this book, I sought the recommendation of a book that goes into the biology of insulin resistance and how to reverse it. I used ChatGPT to seek out the recommendation. So far, it’s interesting and engaging whilst also giving the detail I wanted.

Looking at everything from brain, heart and reproductive health to illnesses like cancer, the book covers the links to insulin resistance. Later in the book, I get to explore more about how insulin resistance comes about and what I can do about it. I’m hopeful this will also be a quick read and help end the slump I experienced in April.

Summary

So, all in all, April wasn’t the reading month I hoped for. However, all is not lost. I’m still two books ahead of schedule to meet my 60 books in 2026 reading goal. My current reads are also well received, so let’s hope they are the remedy I need to get progress in May off to a great start!

Thanks for sticking with me in this monthly wrap-up. I’m not giving myself a break, and May’s upcoming TBR isn’t going to let up any. Onwards and upwards!

What did you read in April?

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Monthly TBR – April 2026

Posted on April 5, 2026 by fantasyst95

My monthly TBR for April is a little bit different. Normally, I have a set of books that I have in mind to pick up and I largely pick this myself. Sometimes that’s shaped by reading challenges, and that is still somewhat true for this month. However, half of this monthly TBR has been decided by a TBR jar.

If you want to go and watch me physically pull these out of the jar and share my initial reactions, I recorded this and published the video over on my new YouTube channel. Rather than rehash all the content, what I’m going to do is share a link to that video in this post, and for those of you who don’t want to go and watch that, I will provide a brief written summary of the books on my TBR below.

Carryovers from March/Reading Obligations

Storm of Mercia

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Starting with a carryover that I was actively reading as at the change of month, I have already finished storm of Mercier by MJ Porter as I had a review obligation to share my thoughts on the book on the 2nd of April.

I’m not going to go into too much detail here, because my thoughts are already live on the Interwebs. You can check out my blog post here for more on this ninth instalment to this epic historical fiction series set in 10th century England.

The Astral Library

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Another book I’m featuring because I did carry forward into April, but have already finished as of this April TBR post, is my audiobook lesson of the astral library.

I really enjoyed this contemporary fiction and a story that’s really about the power and magic of libraries. If you like the style of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library, it offers a similar feel but a completely unique storyline.

1984 / Julia

Amazon Purchase Link

Amazon Purchase Link

In March, I started rereading 1984 by George Orwell. At just over 125 pages in, I had to put this down in order to fulfil my reading obligations for reviews for Rose Red and Storm of Mercia.

Now those are done, I’m keen to get back into my re-read of this dystopian fiction so I can then dabble in a retelling of the same world, Julia by Sandra Newman.

Crown of Midnight

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I am reading Sarah J Maas’ Throne of Glass series in a bit to both try out this author, as well as read some more trendy books. Usually, I just do my own thing, but I’m trying to be a little bit more current and talk about more tropical books.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to start Crown of Midnight , which I was supposed to read in March. Fear not though friends! If you want to join along with my readalong, I am committed to reading the second book in April.

As well, I will be reading a book a month every month until this is finished later this year. If you want to join in on this readalong, I am digging these on both StoryGraph and Fable, whichever you prefer! My thoughts on book one are also over on my YouTube channel…

Looking at Women Looking At War

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The book I wanted to complete before the end of March to contribute towards the Goodreads 2026 Winter challenge is Looking at Women Looking At War by Victoria Amelina.

Whilst I didn’t get to this book before the end of March, I am intrigued by the story and I want to know about Victoria‘s endeavours to document what was happening at the start of the war between Ukraine and Russia. It sounds awful, and knowing Victoria lost her life in this battle is even more heartbreaking. Not only that, but it offers some very current insight into a conflict. We’re all very aware of (although maybe Israel/Iran and the cost of your petrol has superseded this now…)

Let’s get it back on my monthly TBR and on the radar!

April TBR picks

Fifty Things You Need to Know About British History

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I’m excited to pick this book up. I love non-fiction, and in particular this book about British history will definitely be appreciated. Unfortunately, a lot of my learnings at school were dominated with the likes of the boom and bust of the economy in the USA, the Cold War etc.

I think it was a little remiss of my school program to neglect local history in its teaching. Nevertheless, I can remedy that with my own reading on the subject. Fifty Things You Need to Know About British History should give me a launchpad.

Bag of Bones

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I always enjoy a Stephen King novel. In this particular case, Bag of Bones is a chunky Stephen King novel. At around 700 pages on its own, this monthly TBR promises to challenge me. I was going to say take me right up to the wire, but let’s be honest, it will take me into May…

The TBR jar did me dirty here!

Freakonomics

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I feel like this book could go one of two ways. It’s either going to be really interesting and tie together some unusual behaviours that impact our economy. Or, the synopsis hinting at this is a bit of a gimmick to get you to pick up the book and I’m going to be disappointed.

Only time will tell I’m intrigued to pick up this book and find out. Fingers crossed, I’m wrong in my suspicion and that this book turns out better than I think it might.

Onyx and Ivory

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I’m glad a fantasy made it to this reading list and came out of the TBR jar. Honestly, I would’ve been surprised if it didn’t. I have a lot of fantasy on my list and by rights, the odds of one not being pulled out out of the jar would have been slim.

Onyx and Ivory is also a good pick for me right now as it leans into the romantic genre – what I’m trying to read more of anyway. I feel like this is the kind of topical/trendy book that I’m actively seeking to engage with fans of. Let’s hope I’m a fan as well!

Thanks for checking out my latest monthly TBR! What are you reading this April?

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Books I Turn to in a Reading Slump

Posted on April 3, 2026 by fantasyst95

When I find myself in a reading slump now again, I have a few tried and tested ways to get out of the funk. It happens to all readers from time to time. Maybe you read such a fantastic book you don’t know what can possibly follow it. Or, perhaps the opposite, a run of mediocre reads or books that aren’t your style have discouraged you from trying another, for fear that also lands on the reject pile. Whatever the reason, there is a cure for all!

So, what’s my secret?

I turn to some of my favourite books, and/or authors in these times. Whether I’m in the mood for a short, snappy read to get me out of the funk, or a longer book I can immerse myself in guilt-free, I’ve got plenty of choice. If you’re here for some inspiration for your next read, I hope my list of books I turn to in a reading slump give you some ideas!

Short, Snappy Reads

Terry Pratchett / Discworld

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series are great books I turn to in a reading slump. Satire isn’t a genre I pick up a lot of. However, a lot can be said for serious messages framed in light humour, a slightly ridiculous plot line and cast of characters to lighten the mood. Whilst I didn’t read these books initially to beat a slump, I actually turned to these books at a time when a close family member was hospitalised. Around work and hospital visits every day, I was so tired at the end of the day I couldn’t concentrate on TV. Instead, I’d read 20-30 minutes before bed. Discworld is where my re-discovery of reading began back in 2017. The rest, well, is history!

This is Going to Hurt

Humour is a theme you’ll see in this books I turn to in a reading slump post. It’s lighthearted in some ways, easing tension, pressure, or is a refreshing change from a genre or book you’ve struggled with to get you into the slump in the first place.

This non-fiction is written by a doctor turned comedian. He knows his stuff, and his experience in the medical sector has given him plenty of stories that are both entertaining and at times, heartbreaking. He’s a fabulous writer, and I’ve gone on to read a couple of other of his books. His easy writing style makes this an easy pick up in terms of effort. The humour and silly (but true) stories keep you turning the pages!

The Midnight Library

This book is an interesting combination of an easy-to-read narrative style contemporary book, combined with a thought-provoking plot that has us asking what it would be like to be in the protagonist’s shoes. If you are a contemplative reader especially, slowing down to read this style of book may be the medicine you need.

As page count goes, this is only 288 pages long. Not a heavy investment if your heart isn’t in it right now. There are times when a short book is the best of books to turn to in a reading slump. Other times, you may wish for something a little meatier…

Mid-Range

Harry Potter

The early books of this series especially are short and easy to read. I’ve popped this in the average/mid-range section, because obviously the end books are a lot longer. However, by the time you get there the funk should well and truly be gone. Harry Potter are absolutely books I would turn to in a reading slump. Whilst I haven’t picked them up for this purpose before e(thankfully it doesn’t happen to me often), I know how easy going they are. When you want to immerse yourself in another world without too much effort, you’re in the right place 😊

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

A little broader than turning to a specific book is touching on favourite genres. In my case, I love WWII based historical fiction. Perhaps a little morbidly, especially those that are based on individual stories of survivors of the concentration camps.

Okay, so that’s very specific and may not be the kind of books you want to turn to in a case of your reading slump. However, you do you! What’s your favourite genre – can you immediately think of a book that fits this advice?

Longer Books

A Game of Thrones

A Game of Thrones is my favourite books series of all-time. It’s a series I can read over and over. If immersion and escapism is your aim, or finding a series that makes you feel better because others have it worse than you, GOT is perfect 😂 It’s also a long (albeit incomplete series as of writing), but it’s plenty long enough to forget your book woes.

Maybe go with the audiobook versions of the books for maximum ease. Although, if you get twitchy about the pronunciation of Brienne’s name, we’ll be in the same club…

Turning to favourite books is my go-to strategy. These ARE books I turn to in a book slump. I’ll do it time and again! What is your favourite book or series of time, regardless of length?

Summary

What do you do when you are in a book slump? Do you turn to favourite reads, or pick up another hobby for a change?

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Monthly Wrap-Up – March 2026

Posted on March 31, 2026 by fantasyst95

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

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

This March, I set myself a very ambitious TBR. With hopes that I could read and get all the achievements in the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge, I set myself a long list of books on top of my reading obligations. It was always going to be a big push, so I’m not too disappointed I didn’t get through everything. I am the type of person who thrives on a target or deadline. I’m not disheartened I didn’t quite get there; I’ve gotten the closest I ever have. And, if at first you don’t succeed… try, try again!

Before I get ahead of myself, back to my March reading list and monthly wrap-up updates!

Books Read

Throne of Glass

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I’ve set myself a challenge this year to read Sarah J. Maas Throne of Glass series. Unfortunately timing slipped a little and I ended up carrying the end of book 1 forward into March. As timing goes, I’ve extended book 2, Crown of Midnight, into April. So, if you have yet to join in my readalong you have time to catch up with Throne of Glass and read Crown of Midnight with me in the coming weeks.

Throne of Glass surprised me in the best of ways. For a romantasy book, the fantasy elements of the plot weighed in heavier than the romance. That suits me. As someone who isn’t really a romance reader, I could get comfortable with the romance sub-plot without it distracting from everything else going on in the wider world. The world-building and intrigue behind the main characters was on-point. My sister was right to recommend this series to me – it’s definitely fantasy first, and I’m excited to read on and discover more about this world and events that I expect to play out.

Wild Dark Shore

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Wild Dark Shore was a fun read, if not quite the book I expected it would be. Set on an isolated island, an intriguing mystery unfolds when a woman washes up on the remote, barely inhabited island.

The descriptions in this book are beautiful and make for an easy experience visualising the setting. It’s desolate, dark in places and it was a refreshing change. I’ve enjoyed picking up a thriller with an interesting and bit different premise this month. The family left on this island are waiting for their last boat off. The seed bank based here for protection being emptied. The tides are rising dangerously, as Rowan knows all too well when she nearly loses her life in the waves.

The atmosphere in this books is spot on. Both reverence for the beauty and power of nature and sinister vibes shine through in the narrative. I had a library loan return deadline for this book, but I didn’t really need it. I stayed up late into the night finishing this one. Fabulous read. 10/10

1984

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A book I started this month, but will get carried over due to competing priorities, is George Orwell’s 1984.

This is my third time reading the book. As anticipated, I’m enjoying revisiting this classic dystopian novel and reminding myself of the details. The reason I picked this up was so I could then go on to read Julia by Sandra Newman towards the Retellings prompt in the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to this book in time to earn the award, but I will still carry this forward into April.

Aside from meeting the retellings award, I set myself a personal challenge to read both 1984 and Julia back-to-back. These books are on my fixed reads list for 2026. So, watch this space for a return to this dystopian world very soon…

As of this monthly wrap-up, I’m 127 pages or around third of the way through the book. Fingers crossed the remainder of the book flies by and I can get to Julia imminently.

An Arcane Inheritance

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My first audiobook of March was An Arcane Inheritance. This book qualified for the Black Heritage achievement in the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge.

I had added this book to my TBR back in January anyway. Thanks to the challenge, this was pulled forward a little earlier than I would have likely read it. And you know what, I’m glad! It’s been a hot minute since I picked up a dark academia book. I loved returning to the genre and this cultural twist into the narrative. The magic was intriguing and like Wild Dark Shore, I loved the underpinning mystery to the storyline.

As a result of reading this, Kamiliah Cole and future books are on my radar. I can’t wait to try more of her books. If they live up to An Arcane Inheritance, I won’t be disappointed!

The Astral Library

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The final audiobook to feature in this monthly wrap-up post is The Astral Library. Reading progress with The Astral Library has been pretty quick. It’s not an overlong read anyway, but the plot line is engaging and reminiscent of another of my favourite reads.

Reading a book about books, and featuring snapshots of well-known titles, makes for an entertaining change of angle. Dipping in and out of the margins of classics has been fun, but of course, it’s not over yet. As of this monthly wrap-up, I’ve got three hours of audio left. I’ve chipped away at this audiobook commuting and listening a little before bed. I can reasonably listen to an hour a day. So, I’m sure you can do the maths and come to the same conclusion that I’ll finish this one shortly!

Rose Red

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One of my final reads to feature in this monthly wrap-up is Rose Red by Sarah Biggerstaff. Progress with 1984 stalled as I needed to prioritise reading Rose Red for a social media blog tour.

This fairytale retelling was a fun foray into fantasy… again. It’s my favourite genre for a reason, and I always love going back to it. More than that, though, this Snow White inspired tale has elements of witchcraft, romance and challenging family dynamics. Whilst in principal the description of this book sounds suitable for YA, I wouldn’t say it is. It has elements of gore and violence that may be too much for a younger audience.

My favourite aspect of this book, however, is that Rose doesn’t find magic instinctive and she has to learn. Often, the hard way. I’m going to share more on this book in the near future. For now, know it’s a solid read.

Storm of Mercia

Amazon Purchase Link

Finally, in anticipation of a review due in just a couple of days, I started and made good progress with Storm of Mercia. On Sunday I made good headway into this ninth instalment of M.J. Porter’s Eagle of Mercia chronicles.

This historical fiction series is compulsively readable and I got back into this book very quickly. On Sunday, I read the first third of the book. Yesterday, another 10% just before bed. I’m hoping for a little more progress tonight before bed, though that may be a push taking into account when this monthly wrap-up post goes live.

I’m reviewing this book on Thursday, so I need to get my skates on. Needless to say, it’s my immediate priority…

Summary

Considering there were 11 books on my March TBR, I made a noble attempt and managed to progress with seven of these. I’ll take the unread books forward into April, so they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Storm of Mercia is naturally going to be my priority, with 1984 returning to attention shortly after. In the coming days, I’ll release the rest of my monthly TBR for April. This month, the other books on my TBR aside from Crown of Midnight and my March carryovers were decided by a TBR jar. I’ve got an unusual mix, so there is something on the list for every reading mood! I hope you can check that out when it goes live later this week.

What was your favourite read of March? Have you read any of the books in today’s monthly wrap-up post?

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Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR

Posted on March 24, 2026 by fantasyst95

I enjoy putting together this regular themed Top Ten Tuesday. I have done variations of this post a number of times now, because it’s great to look forward to upcoming books on my reading list. With spring finally here, and a great start to my reading year under my belt, I’m motivated to pick up some fantastic reads in the near future!

In the interests of featuring some different books, I won’t be featuring anything on my March TBR. Given most of these books are contributions to completing the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge, it wouldn’t be fitting to put them on this Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR, would it?!

Let’s look forward to a few books I plan to pick up in the next few months!

Series Continuation

Golden Fool – Robin Hobb

After a year’s break following the devastation of Fool’s Errand, I think I’m finally ready to go back to Robin Hobb’s The Realm of the Elderlings series. Next on the list is Golden Fool. I’ve enjoyed going back to Fitzchivalry‘s storyline. After a significant detour in her Liveship Trader trilogy, I’m excited to see how fits a story unravels after the events of Fool’s Errand.

Honestly, I have no idea where it is going to go. That’s the beauty of it though – and Robin Hobb is the type of author who will not disappoint!

The Way of Kings – Brandon Sanderson

It feels somewhat cheeky, including Brandon Sanderson‘s first instalment of the The Way of Kings in a ‘series continuation’ section. However, there is a reason for my doing so. In a recent YouTube video, I discussed how I was going to have to go back to the beginning of this series in order to continue it. It’s been a long time since I read The Way of Kings, and I part read Words of Radiance before putting it down. Not that there was anything wrong with it – long books just weren’t suiting me at the time…

It’s been in the region of 7 to 8 years since I attempted this series. Whilst I have very high-level highlights in my head for events that I’ve taken place, there is no way I can appreciate the detail of this series without going back to its origins.

The Empty Throne – Bernard Cornwell

It’s also been a little while since I delved into Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom, a.k.a., the Saxon Stories. And, I am up to a pivotal point with this next book.

The Empty Throne follows events after King Alfred‘s death. Without trying to sound too excited, it’s kind of the point in the storyline where things get interesting as different people start vying for power. This is the sort of thing I love in my reading, whether that’s fantasy or historical fiction. The Empty Throne is the exception in the section in that it is a relatively standard sized book. The other entries on this Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR are chunky fantasy instruments.

It will be a refreshing change to have the excitement I love in a reasonably sized book…

The Great Hunt – Robert Jordan

Another chunky entry on this list is The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan. In recent years, I’ve made more of an effort to pick up sequels in a more timely manner than I ever have before. It’s made avoiding situations like Brendan Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archives more avoidable. Having not long read The Eye of the World, I want to pick up the sequel whilst I’ve still got an idea of what went on before.

This promises to be every bit as much the chunky fantasy instalment as it’s predecessor. It’s not going to be a light or quick read by any means. For that reason, I’ve deliberately withheld from putting too many other books like this on this Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR. It needs to be achievable – putting too many junkie roots on this list means I will never get to them all!

Standalone Novels

Eve – Cat Bohannon

Another behemoth on my TBR, though thankfully a standalone novel is Eve by Cat Bohannon. If you’re a regular reader here on my blog, you will know this book has featured several times in the hopes I will get to it shortly. First, in my 20 Books of Summer Challenge. Then, as a hopeful contributor to the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge (though sadly this book does not qualify, so it was swapped out).

I love the intended focus of this book focusing on how the biology of women has contributed to the success of humans to date. It’s quite different from the usual content I pick up. However, its scientific backing will make for a refreshing read.

The Midnight Train – Matt Haig

Not too long ago, I shared a list of highly anticipated releases in 2026 over on my YouTube channel. In that list, I include a book by Matt Haig which is technically a sequel to a book I have already read, but I will be picking this up as a standalone. I have already read that first book twice quite recently and I don’t need to pick it up again. Not only that, but I think the style of the book is a spin-off from how the original was written rather than a direct continuation.

That book is The Midnight Train by Matt Haig. Instead of focusing on the what if of living an alternative lifestyle as we see in The Midnight Library, my understanding of The Midnight Train is that the protagonist is much older, perhaps looking at the what if from that perspective instead.

The Director – Daniel Kehlmann

In my blog post last week about the Booker 2026 Longlist, I shared my intention to read books from the longlist for this year. It’s not really something I have ever set out to do before, but I’m excited to try this challenge and stretch myself out of my reading comfort zone.

One of the books I was most excited about from this list is The Director. A historical fiction set around the period of World War II, which is one of my favourites, this book has every promise to be something I enjoy. Naturally, I want to hit the ground running with this list and inspire myself to continue with this reading challenge. With that in mind, it makes sense to start with one of the books I’m most excited for and feel I have the closest overlap in terms of genre of reference.

The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner is a well-known classic title. It’s one I confess I have not yet picked up as of this Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR. Given it’s popularity and how well known this book is, it feels like a complete oversight that I have yet to pick it up. Hopefully, that’s one I can change in the next few months!

A reading objective I have talked about on my blog recently, including in the Booker 2026 Longlist post I mentioned earlier, but also in the likes of my review of The Great Passage on YouTube, is reading or diversely. With The Kite Runner, I have every confidence I can achieve this! The Kite Runner is on my fixed reading list on my 2026 resolutions post.

#murdertrending – Gretchen McNeil

In the grand scheme of things, I feel like the books featured so far in this Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR are quite serious.

To lighten the mood, I have included a book called #murdertrending. In terms of genre, it’s different to other books on this list. The length is also pretty reasonable; it should therefore be a quick read to help me along through this TBR.

The Nights are Quiet in Tehran – Shida Bazyar

Another Booker 2026 Longlist entry that I’m hoping to get to pretty soon The Nights are Quiet in Tehran.

This is a pretty short entry on the list, so definitely achievable to get through pretty quickly. Not only that, but its feminist angle has been excited to see what this book is all about and whether it is worth the hype of the Booker Longlist! I can only read it and find out…

Summary

There’s a good variety of books on today’s Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR. It’s ambitious, as always, but where is the fun in giving myself an easy ride?!

Have you read any of the books on this Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR?

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The Booker 2026 Longlist – What to Read?

Posted on March 18, 2026 by fantasyst95

For the first time, I’m taking my some interest in the Booker 2026 Longlist.

I read and loved Orbital by Samantha Harvey – a previous prize winner, back in January. First read of the year, actually.

So, I’m intrigued to look at and maybe read some of the current year’s entries. In today’s Booker 2026 Longlist post, I’ll cover details on each book and the synopsis. After the details, I’ll recap what I’m interested in reading!

Do I want to read these Booker 2026 Longlist books? Let’s find out!

The Booker 2026 Longlist

Taiwan Travelogue

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 280

Audience: Adult

Publisher: And Other Stories

Publication Date: 05 Mar 2026

Amazon Purchase Link

Synopsis

A bittersweet story of love between two women, nested in an artful exploration of language, history, and power.

May 1938. The young novelist Aoyama Chizuko has sailed from her home in Nagasaki, Japan, and arrived in Taiwan. She’s been invited there by the Japanese government ruling the island, though she has no interest in their official banquets or imperialist agenda. Instead, Chizuko longs to experience real island life and to taste as much of its authentic cuisine as her famously monstrous appetite can bear.

Soon a Taiwanese woman—who is younger even than she is, and who shares the characters of her name—is hired as her interpreter and makes her dreams come true. The charming, erudite, meticulous Chizuru arranges Chizuko’s travels all over the Land of the South and also proves to be an exceptional cook. Over scenic train rides and braised pork rice, lively banter and winter melon tea, Chizuko grows infatuated with her companion and intent on drawing her closer. But something causes Chizuru to keep her distance. It’s only after a heartbreaking separation that Chizuko begins to grasp what the “something” is.

Disguised as a translation of a rediscovered text by a Japanese writer, this novel was a sensation on its first publication in Mandarin Chinese in 2020 and won Taiwan’s highest literary honour, the Golden Tripod Award. Taiwan Travelogue unburies lost colonial histories and deftly reveals how power dynamics inflect our most intimate relationships.

The Wax Child

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 192

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Viking

Publication Date: 06 Nov 2025

Amazon Purchase Link

Synopsis

It was a black night in the year 1620 when Christenze Krukow made the wax child, when she melted down beeswax and set it in the image of a small human. For days, she carried it tucked beneath her arm, shaping it with the warmth of her flesh, giving it life. She fashioned for it eyes and ears that cannot open, and yet – it watches and listens.

It looks on as Christenze is haunted by rumour, it hears what the people whisper. It sees how, in the candlelight, she gazes with love at her friends, and hears the things they say in the shadows. It knows pine forest, misty fjord and the crackle of the burning pyre. It observes the violence in men’s eyes and the cruelty of their laws. In time, it begins to understand that once a suspicion of witchcraft has taken hold, it can prove impossible to shake…

Based on an infamous seventeenth century Danish witch trial, The Wax Child is the extraordinary new novel from Olga Ravn, one of the most acclaimed and original writers at work today: a mesmerising, frightening vision of a time when witches and magic were as real to the human mind as soil and seawater.

Women Without Men

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 128

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Penguin Classics

Publication Date: 12 Mar 2026

Amazon Purchase Link

Synopsis

Women Without Men traces the interwoven destinies of five women – including a wealthy middle-aged housewife, a sex worker and a schoolteacher – as they arrive by different paths to live together in an abundant garden on the outskirts of Tehran.

Drawing on elements of Islamic mysticism and recent Iranian history, this unforgettable novel depicts women escaping the narrow confines of family and society, and imagines their future living in a world without men.

The Witch

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 144

Audience: Adult

Publisher: MacLehose Press

Publication Date: 07 Apr 2026

Amazon Purchase Link

Synopsis

In a small, sleepy town, a mediocre witch, in a mediocre marriage, tries to pass on her gifts to her twin daughters, who, it becomes immediately apparent, have skills far beyond her own.

‘NDiaye at her most dazzling’ Katie Kitamura

‘This is NDiaye at her disquieting best’ New York Magazine

Lucie comes from a long line of witches, powers passed down from mother to daughter. Her own mum was formidable in her powers, but ashamed of her magic. Perhaps as a result, Lucie’s own gift is weak: she can see into the future, sometimes – but more often, she can only see the present of some other location. Not very useful. And the worst part? All she can ever see are insignificant details – a scrap of outfit, the colour of the sky.

Lucie’s own children are initiated into their family’s peculiar womanhood when they reach twelve years of age, and in a few short months, Maud and Lise are crying the curious tears of blood that denote their magical powers. Having learned, they take off quickly and fly the nest. Literally.

Witty, dreamlike, vaguely unsettling, and utterly enchanting (pun intended), The Witch brings the mysteries of womanhood and motherhood into sharp relief and leaves us teetering on the edge, unbalanced by questions as seemingly unbreakable relationships break down left and right.

Who is to blame for family failures? And how can you – can you? – build a nest that no one wants to fly?

The Duke

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 488

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Foundry Editions

Publication Date: 04 Nov 2025

Amazon Purchase Link

Synopsis

Outside Vallorgana, a tiny, isolated village high in the foothills of the Dolomites, the ‘Duke’ lives in the villa of his aristocratic ancestors. The last in the centuries’ old line of the Cimamontes, he spends his days on his land and absorbed in the family archive, tolerated, if gently ridiculed by the villagers who are his neighbours. When he finds out that the village big man is taking timber from his land, he has a decision to make. Will he stay in his glorious, cerebral isolation or will he honour his ancestral blood and take action against this affront?

Matteo Melchiorre’s portrait of the idiosyncratic character of the Duke and the world of Valorgana is a sweeping feat of literary imagination. With the pace, panorama and plot twists of a great nineteenth-century classic, the breathless story of the Duke’s ensuing feud unfolds, asking some big twenty-first century questions about our relationships with privilege, the past, the natural world and each other.

On Earth As It Is Beneath

Genre: Horror

Pages: 106

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Charco Press

Publication Date: 12 Aug 2025

Amazon Purchase Link

Synopsis

On land where enslaved people were once tortured and murdered, the state built a penal colony in the wilderness, where inmates could be rehabilitated, but never escape. Now, decades later, and having only succeeded in trapping men, not changing them for the better, its operations are winding down. But in the prison’s waning days, a new horror is unleashed: every full-moon night, the inmates are released, the warden is armed with rifles, and the hunt begins. Every man plans his escape, not knowing if his end will come at the hands of a familiar face, or from the unknown dangers beyond the prison walls.

Ana Paula Maia has once again delivered a bracing vision of our potential for violence, and our collective failure to account for the consequences of our social and political action, or inaction. No crime is committed out of view for this novelist, and her raw, brutal power enlists us all as witness.

The Director

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 332

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Riverrun

Publication Date: 22 May 2025

Amazon Purchase Link

Synopsis

From ‘one of the brightest, most pleasure-giving writers at work today’ (Jeffrey Eugenides), a visionary tale inspired by the life of the 20th century film director G.W. Pabst, who left Europe for Hollywood to resist the Nazis and then returned to his homeland with his wife and young son and began making films for the German Reich.

An artist’s life, a pact with the devil, a novel about the dangerous illusions of the silver screen.

G.W. Pabst, one of cinema’s greatest, perhaps the greatest director of his era: when the Nazis seized power he was filming in France, to escape the horrors of the new Germany he flees to Hollywood. But under the blinding California sun, the world-famous director suddenly looks like a nobody. Not even Greta Garbo, who he made famous, can help him. And thus, almost through no fault of his own, he finds himself back in his homeland of Austria, which is now called Ostmark. The returning family is confronted with the barbaric nature of the regime. But Goebbels, the minister of propaganda in Berlin, wants the film genius, he won’t take no for an answer and makes big promises. While Pabst still believes that he will be able to resist these advances, that he will not submit to any dictatorship other than art, he has already taken the first steps into a hopeless entanglement.

Daniel Kehlmann’s novel about art and power, beauty and barbarism is a triumph. The Director shows what literature is capable of.

She Who Remains

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 160

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Peirene Press

Publication Date: 10 Feb 2026

Amazon Purchase Link

Synopsis

High in the Accursed Mountains, in a village ruled by the ancient laws of the Kanun, Bekja escapes an arranged marriage by becoming a sworn virgin, renouncing her womanhood to live as a man. Her decision sets off a brutal chain of events, destroying her family and separating her from the one she loves the most. Years later, as Bekija – now Matija – tells their story to a visiting journalist, long-buried truths come to light, along with the realisation of all that might have been.

Small Comfort

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 384

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Wildfire

Publication Date: 12 Mar 2026

Amazon Purchase Link

Synopsis

‘You know, love is love, he says. But what about the revolution?’

Intricately built and wickedly humorous, these five interconnected short stories are all about one thing: money.

From an interview with a child-star-turned-thief to the mysterious death of an employee at a drug manufacturer – or the couple feigning marital bliss to keep their inheritance, Ia Genberg carefully unravels the value we place on both money and people.

What does it really mean to be in debt to someone? How does our financial worth permeate the ways we think and feel? And what do we lose when we supposedly win? Small Comfort skewers its characters, slyly implicating the reader along the way.

The Deserters

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 224

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Fitzcarraldo Editions

Publication Date: 08 May 2025

Amazon Purchase Link

Synopsis

Fleeing a nameless war, a soldier emerges from the Mediterranean scrubland, filthy, exhausted and seeking refuge. A chance meeting forces him to rethink his journey, and the price he puts on a life. On 11 September 2001, aboard a small cruise ship near Berlin, a scientific conference pays tribute to the late Paul Heudeber, an East German mathematician, Buchenwald survivor, communist and anti-fascist whose commitment to his side of the Wall was unshaken by its collapse. The oblique pull between these two narratives – a cipher in itself – brings to light everything that is at stake in times of conflict: truth and deception, loyalty and betrayal, hope and despair. Superbly translated by Charlotte Mandell and told in Mathias Enard’s typically mesmerizing, inventive prose, The Deserters lays bare the ravages of war on the most intimate aspects of life – and asks what remains of our selves in its wreckage.

The Remembered Soldier

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 695

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Scribe

Publication Date: 03 Jun 2025

Amazon Purchase Link

Synopsis

An extraordinary love story and a captivating novel about the power of memory and imagination.

Flanders 1922. After serving as a soldier in the Great War, Noon Merckem has lost his memory and lives in a psychiatric asylum. Countless women, responding to a newspaper ad, visit him there in the hope of finding their spouse who vanished in battle. One day a woman, Julienne, appears and recognises Noon as her husband, the photographer Amand Coppens, and takes him home against medical advice. But their miraculous reunion doesn’t turn out the way that Julienne wants her envious friends to believe. Only gradually do the two grow close, and Amand’s biography is pieced together on the basis of Julienne’s stories about him. But how can he be certain that she’s telling the truth?

In The Remembered Soldier, Anjet Daanje immerses us in the psyche of a war-traumatised man who has lost his identity. When Amand comes to doubt Julienne’s word, the reader is caught up in a riveting spiral of confusion that only the greatest works of literature can achieve.

We Are Green and Trembling

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 208

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Harvill Secker

Publication Date: 12 Jun 2025

Amazon Purchase Link

Synopsis

A sumptuous and surreal historical reimagining of one of South America’s best-known trans men, Antonio de Erauso

From deep in the wilds of the New World, Antonio de Erauso writes a letter to his aunt, the prioress of the convent he escaped as a young girl. Since leaving his past behind, he’s become Antonio, conquistador. Now, hiding in the jungle and hounded by the army he deserted, Antonio is caring for two Guaraní girls he rescued from enslavement. But the New World has one more metamorphosis in store, which might save them all from extinction.

Tender and surreal, We Are Green and Trembling conveys glimmers of hope for the future within the brutal colonial history of Latin America, finding in the rainforest a magical space for transformation.

The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 228

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Scribe

Publication Date: 29 Apr 2025

Amazon Purchase Link

Synopsis

A captivating, polyphonic novel of one family’s flight from and return to Iran.

1979. Behsad, a young communist revolutionary, fights with his friends for a new order after the Shah’s expulsion. He tells of sparking hope, of clandestine political actions, and of how he finds the love of his life in the courageous, intelligent Nahid.

1989. Nahid lives her new life in West Germany with Behsad. With their young children, they spend hour after hour in front of the radio, hoping for news from others who went into hiding after the mullahs came to power.

1999. Laleh returns to Iran with her mother, Nahid. Between beauty rituals and family secrets, she gets to know a Tehran that hardly matches her childhood memories.

2009. Laleh’s brother Mo is more concerned with a friend’s heartbreak than with student demonstrations in Germany. But then the Green Revolution breaks out in Iran and turns the world upside down …

A topical, moving novel about revolution, oppression, resistance, and the absolute desire for freedom.

The Booker 2026 Longlist – Which Should I Read?

Well, the short answer is I want to read all of them!

When I reviewed The Great Passage recently, I shared my intention to read more diversely. Picking up books from this list will go a long way to achieving that. With authors representing 14 nationalities and translated from 11 languages into English, there’s plenty here to broaden my reading horizons.

Not every book is published yet. However, with the last expected early next month, I plan to start reading in the near future so by the end of the year, I can get through as many of these as possible.

Do you want to read and books on this Booker 2026 Longlist? Have you read any already?

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