I confess I’ve written a good deal of today’s Sunday Summary in advance. Today, I’ve taken part in a charity walk, which is an 8.8-mile route down the south of the island. In case I’m pooped afterwards, I’ve prepared this post so I don’t have too much to do!
So, what have I been up to this week? On Wednesday, I published my monthly wrap-up post for April. If you’ve yet to see that post and you want to catch up on all the books I read last month, here’s a link to that post.
On Friday, I shared my monthly TBR for May. I’ve got some great books coming up. This TBR is non-fiction and fantasy-heavy… and I’m excited!
Books Read
Normal Women
This week I decided to put down Normal Women and have a little break from the book. It’s not a DNF and I will be coming back to it soon.
The Poppy War
As of today’s Sunday Summary, I’ve read a little more of The Poppy War in the last week. Admittedly, I haven’t made the most progress with this book. However, I have enjoyed seeing Rin settle herself into Sinegard. The book is already setting up a narrative where Rin is the outsider. Given there are obvious class and perhaps racial divides in the characters, I’m looking forward to exploring this in a non-British or European setting.
I’m not very familiar with non-Western cultural elements. A lot of the fantasy I have read growing up has been Western as opposed to Eastern, and so I’m not as fast as I could be on where these divides may lie in other cultures. That’s what I’m looking forward to exploring in The Poppy War.
Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Shaped the World
I’ve been doing a fair bit of walking during my lunch hours this week. As a result, I’ve listened to about three and a half hours of Crashed.
I’m definitely enjoying this second part of the book more than the first. Don’t get me wrong, there is still a political element to the narrative. However, the emphasis is on the crisis, and that’s what I’m more interested in reading about.
The book is still a little more technical, so some of the detail goes over my head. However, that’s not impacting my understanding or enjoyment of the book.
Books Discovered
I’ve added The Obesity Code to my TBR this week. I read about this book online, and it promises to change readers’ ideas of how weight loss is achieved.
Even if you aren’t invested in the subject, I’m sure you’re aware of how much conflicting information there is out there. I’m trying to wade through it and bust the myths. This book is very highly rated, so I’m hoping it’s one of the more reliable books 🤞🏻
Coming Up…
I plan to keep content on the light side of things early next week. I’ve seen a book tag online that’s based around board games over at Bewitching Books Ravenous Reads. I think this could be good fun to write, so I’ll be sharing this in the next few days.
On Friday, it will be time for my Shelf Control regular feature. In this series, I take a look at upcoming books on my reading list. It’s a great way to get myself looking forward to a particular book. I hope you can stay tuned to find out what’s coming up on my reading list soon.
Last, but by no means least, I’ll return with a Sunday Summary at the same time next week. I’m looking forward to having more reading updates to share with you and how I’m getting on with progress in my May TBR.
In today’s book review, I feature a book which brings together the science fiction and thriller genres. I was intrigued by the combination and the synopsis. I also enjoyed talking to my dad about this book, which doesn’t happen very often and made a fun change.
Shall we take a look at the details of the book, and then get stuck in?
Most people believe their souls outlive their bodies. Most people would find an organization that tracks their souls into the future and passes on their banked money and memories compelling. Scott Waverly isn’t like most people. He spends his days finding and fixing computer security holes. And Scott is skeptical of his new client’s claim that they have been calculating and tracking soul identities for almost twenty-six hundred years. Are they running a freaky cult? Or a sophisticated con job? Scott needs to save Soul Identity from an insider attack. Along the way, he discovers the importance of the bridges connecting people’s lives.
My Thoughts
Plot
From starting the book at the very beginning, I found the concept of the plot compelling. Regardless of your beliefs, the idea of soul reincarnation is an interesting idea. Being able to follow those ‘soul lines’ and pass on memories and fortunes to your future self, well, doesn’t that sound great?
Naturally, however, if someone were to find out about Soul Identity and the assets they held, you can be sure somebody would attempt to steal it. And that’s where the action kicks in!
Scott is hardly your regular superhero. Working in the tech industry, Scott’s job is to safeguard Soul Identity’s network and protect them from hacking and other digital crimes. When he took the job, I doubt he thought he’d find himself in the position he ends up in!
Setting
Soul Identity is set in a very realistic, everyday world like ours. Retina scanning technology as the latest key to unlocking Soul Lines is already in our hands. It makes the premise even more believable.
Even the security, although desirous of being tight, is easy for us readers to understand. Although this book is based around technology, it’s easy enough to follow. I’m far from advanced in terms of IT knowledge (I can turn it off and back on again, and do some basic troubleshooting). Still, I could follow the narrative very well. The familiarity of technology and concepts lends itself to making the story approachable to all readers. It perhaps helps to read in the science-fiction genre, but not overwhelmingly…
Characters
Scott is a pretty relatable main character. He’s funny, clearly quite clever, and like us, comes to the entity of Soul Identity without knowing who they really are. Through his eyes, we come to learn about the organisation and the events that unfold thereafter.
Regardless of your beliefs in reincarnation or such, Scott is a good middleground character. Whilst he acknowledges that the idea is a nice one, he doesn’t necessarily subscribe in either direction. It makes him a good neutral standing point and avoids alienating readers who may have a specific belief or not.
If you enjoy a little romance in your books, Soul Identity has you covered. Whilst it isn’t something I actively look for in my stories, I didn’t find this to be a distraction from the main story going on. I’m sure for some people, this adds to the narrative, but for me, the relationship between Scott and Val was a bit of unnecessary filler.
My one gripe with the narrative is that female characters aren’t treated equally. Rather, their primary ‘selling point’ is how they look; any brains or unique personality quirks come later. It’s a shallow perspective that could be interpreted as a failing on either Scott or the author – I’m not sure which yet. It was obvious enough for me to pick up on it pretty quickly. It is only a small friction point in the grand scheme, but it did bring my review down to four stars.
Narrative Style
Soul Identity is fairly easy to read. Well, put it this way – I read the book in a matter of days. I also read it at a time when I was bordering on a reading slump. Other books I’d read the same week had not gone down well. Soul Identity was the pick-up I needed.
From what I recall, the book had short, digestible chapters. I think this suited the style of the book better than long and detailed ones would achieve.
The book nicely blends the science fiction and thriller genres. Regardless of your preferred genre, Soul Identity is approachable to fans of either genre in any quantity. If you love both, well, you’re in for a treat!
Summary
I’m looking forward to continuing with the sequel, called Soul Intent.
It’s an absolute pleasure to bring to you the next instalment to Peter Gibbons’ The Saxon Warrior series. I’ve featured several books in this series on my blog to date. I’ve had a sizeable break from sharing blog tour posts. However, reviewing Enemies of the Crown is a no-brainer. I want to keep up with this series anyway, so why not do that as and when books are published?
As always when sharing blog tour posts, I like to thank both the author and Rachel at Rachel‘s Random Resources for organising. The other important thing to note is that I am providing this of my own free will; the thoughts expressed within are entirely my own.
If you enjoy historical fiction, in particular books set around the time when Vikings came to Britain, read on to find out more about this fifth instalment to The Saxon Warrior series!
A weakened crown. A country besieged by Vikings, suffering under the oppression of a powerful church.
994AD
King Aethelred the Unready’s rule falters. Policies recommended by the controlling bishops invite more attacks upon his Saxon kingdom as Sweyn Forkbeard, Viking battle-king of the Danes, grows in power; bloodthirsty for conquest.
Beornoth, Viking-killer and kings thegn believed his days in the shield wall to be over until summoned by the king to enforce a policy of retribution against his enemies.
In a time of shifting loyalties, alongside a savage warband of cruel Norman warriors, Beornoth embarks upon a brutal quest to rid England of King Aethelred’s so-called Viking enemies.
However, when this murderous campaign leads to the door of an old friend, Beornoth must choose sides, as his loyalty to king, country, and his brothers of the sword are put to the test.
Can Beornoth triumph over insurmountable odds in this shield splintering battle for the future of England itself?
If you enjoy internal conflict present in the likes of Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom, you’ll enjoy Enemies of the Crown. Like Uhtred, Beornoth finds himself with conflicted loyalties. Between the King he is honour-bound to serve and a Dane he loves as a brother, who does he choose? It seems an impossible decision.
As with all books in the series to date, there is plenty of action to keep us readers engaged. Between Saxon, Norman and Danish factions, it’s hardly surprising there’s a constant power struggle.
The pacing of the storyline and events suited my preferences. I was able to read most of this book in a day. That’s very fast, but it doesn’t have to be read that way either. I guess what I’m saying is the plot and writing are so engaging that I was motivated to!
I can only hope there are more books to come based on the ending – because it sounds like the conflict is not yet over.
Setting
The setting of Enemies of the Crown spans much of England as we know it today. Even if you are unfamiliar with historic town and city names (e.g Somersaete), I feel confident readers can follow along well. As a big fan of the genre through books and television, I’m pretty versed in this knowledge. It’s certainly not a requirement though.
From a political setting point of view, events have moved on since earlier books in the series. Aethelred’s mother is back in a position of influence, and this is not to Beornoth’s liking. Ælfthryth set herself against Beornoth in the past. So, he is naturally wary of her power and influence over the King of England.
There is a good deal of travel that takes place within this narrative, but the vast majority takes place behind the scenes. This keeps the action moving along and helps keep pace and readers engaged.
Characters
I’ve enjoyed seeing a more vulnerable side to Beornoth this time round. In the earlier books of the series, he was a younger man – better able and more physically fit to fulfil his duty in purging Britain’s soil of marauding Vikings. In Enemies of the Crown however, he is starting to show his age. He isn’t quite as quick as he was, and it does land him in danger.
Beornoth is also quite a different character to the man we met in the first book of the series, Warrior and Protector. He is more at peace with his past and emotionally he is far more mature. I have enjoyed his character arc and progression without the series to date, and that includes in Enemies of the Crown.
The final conflict in Enemies of the Crown is an interesting development and thorough it we see a lot about Beornoth. His past traumas come into play and I found his reactions and perspective in this almost repeat scenario interesting.
Narrative Style
By now, Peter Gibbons way of narrating the series is familiar and well-loved. It’s been very easy to get back into the series. Even though the book gets into action quite quickly, there is enough recap included to remind us readers of prior events. As somebody who reads a lot of books, I appreciate these hints being dropped in. It makes for a better reading experience when you can recall what’s happened rather than having to look it up.
With relatively short chapters and a punchy, action driven narrative style, there was always something going on and Enemies of the Crown. And, that’s true for the whole series. I’ve really enjoying the pacing of the storytelling-there’s plenty of action to keep us engaged, but not so much that it feels like we barely take a breath before the next big event is happening.
Summary
Fans of historical fiction, and especially Viking-era Britain will love both Enemies of the Crown and the earlier books in the series, starting with Warrior and Protector. If you have yet to read it, I strongly suggest you do! It’s a series I love and will be keeping up with as soon as the next book is out!
Author Bio
Peter is the winner of the 2022 Kindle Storyteller Literary Award, and an author based in Kildare in Ireland, with a passion for Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, and of course writing! Peter was born in Warrington in the UK and studied Law at Liverpool John Moores University, before taking up a career in Financial Services and is now a full time author. Peter currently lives in Kildare Ireland, and is married with three children. Peter is an avid reader of both Historical Fiction and Fantasy novels, particularly those of Bernard Cornwell, Steven Pressfield, David Gemmell, and Brandon Sanderson.
His books include the Viking Blood and Blade Saga, the Saxon Warrior series, and the Chronicles of Arthur.
Hello friends – it’s time for another book review. When I shared my Sunday Summary a few days ago, I knew I wanted to share a review but hadn’t christened which book. I’m pleased to share today that today’s featured book is from one of my favourite authors. If you’ve read or watched Game of Thrones and you were looking for an approachable book that explores the history of the series’ universe, Rise of the Dragon is my recommendation.
This lavish visual history—featuring over 150 new, full-colour illustrations—is a stunning introduction to House Targaryen, the iconic family at the heart of HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon.
For hundreds of years, the Targaryens sat the Iron Throne of Westeros while their dragons ruled the skies. The story of the only family of dragonlords to survive Valyria’s Doom is a tale of twisty politics, alliances, and betrayals, and acts both noble and craven. The Rise of the Dragon chronicles the creation and rise of Targaryen power in Westeros, covering the history first told in George R. R. Martin’s epic Fire & Blood, from Aegon Targaryen’s conquest of Westeros through to the infamous Dance of the Dragons—the bloody civil war that nearly undid Targaryen rule for good.
Packed with all-new artwork, the Targaryens—and their dragons—come vividly to life in this deluxe reference book. Perfect for fans steeped in the lore of Westeros, as well as those who first meet the Targaryens in the HBO series House of the Dragon, The Rise of the Dragon provides a must-have overview for anyone looking to learn more about the most powerful family in Westeros.
My Thoughts
As can only be expected from George R. R. Martin, this history is packed full of action, intrigue… and dragons! Rise of the Dragon covers a lot of history. The Targaryens are a powerful family and not without internal and external conflict. Consequently, readers will never get bored reading the political machinations and all-out wars that have shaped Westeros and its people.
As an illustrated book, there are plenty of levels of interest to this book beyond the writing itself. The beautiful imagery helps break up the narrative and is a great visual aid to what is going on in the story. Arguably, it’s more approachable than his epic tome, Fire and Blood, because it doesn’t fixate on some of the depth and detail.
Rise of the Dragon is an easy-to-read and approachable history. Rather than mirroring a studious account and analysis of the histories, Rise of the Dragon sets out to inform without overwhelming. It’s a neutral account of events, written in plain language and is understood by readers of all levels.
Summary
Rise of the Dragon is a great read for a broad age range. Whether you are a casual fan looking to brush up on the history behind A Game of Thrones, or enjoy every little detail, the book is suitable for all.
I’m always happy to read about and around the famous universe, and this book makes that available to as many as possible.
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.
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.
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.
***This post contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. Note that 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***
In today’s book review, I share my thoughts on a young adult mixed-media book I really enjoyed! The best part is, Illuminae is the start of a trilogy. Therefore, fans of this first book will be pleased to know that the saga continues; book two is largely set around different characters, and book three brings them all together for an epic conclusion.
But, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s start at the beginning…
The internationally and New York Times bestselling first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy that bends the sci-fi genre into a new dimension.
Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the worst thing she’d ever been through. That was before her planet was invaded. Now, with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra are forced to fight their way onto one of the evacuating craft, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.
But the warship could be the least of their problems. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their biggest threat; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady plunges into a web of data hacking to get to the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: Ezra.
Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents, Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy.
My Thoughts
Plot
Well, I say let’s start at the beginning, but actually the book begins near the end. In the courtroom, with us readers almost as one of the jury, Kady, Ezra, and many characters we meet along the way present their case against Beitech Corporation.
Greedy corporations remain at large in this fictional world. Beitech are accused of killing and displacing many of the characters within this first book when attacking their home planet in favour of gaining resources. From there, it’s a mad scramble for civilian survival. And the clock is ticking…
Not for one moment can we accuse this novel of lacking in action. For fans of an action-driven plot, this will appeal to you for its time-pressured and high-stakes drama.
Naturally, I can’t say too much as I don’t want to give away any aspects of the storyline (either in Illuminae or in the subsequent books). Just take my word for it that it’s amazing and go and read it!
Characters
A number of characters contribute to the overall storyline within. Not only is this a multiple-perspective book, but it’s also a multiple-media book. In that regard, this appealed to me as I enjoy seeing things from a variety of perspectives. That naturally fits with this narrative and media type well. One person can’t be everywhere at once, and with so many elements going into the storyline, we need everybody’s perspective in order to paste together the final picture.
The primary perspectives are that of Kady Grant and Ezra Mason. If you enjoy teenagers who totally dig each other but you know, aren’t in a relationship, then you’ll like these pair. Personally, I liked both perspectives but not necessarily for their romance or relationship with each other. That’s not to say I wasn’t rooting for them reuniting though.
If I had to say which aspect of the book leaned most heavily towards making this a young adult book, it is the characters. This plotline could be set with much older characters and sit well in the adult genre.
Setting
Illuminae is set across several intergalactic places. Thankfully for readers, it’s very obvious where things are going on with location and timestamps where applicable. The nature of the story and following that characters means that things are pretty chronological and don’t jump around too much either.
Set in our nearish future, it doesn’t feel too far-fetched. Although the idea of living in space probably feels a bit off, I think the technology available feels largely reminiscent of what we have today. It’s only a small leap for mankind – excuse the pun.
If you enjoy reading or watching science fiction, then reading Illuminae won’t be too far of a stretch. Even if you aren’t that imaginative when it comes to imagining the spaceship layout or dynamics of what’s going on, this book is very good at illustrating that for you. Literally. I remember technical diagrams of each of the ships. It makes it a very easy narrative to get on with.
Narrative Style
Told in a mixed-media format, this book is great for readers who have short attention spans or benefit from short, snappy content.
With everything from transcripts to posters and images, the action is spread across a variety of media that keeps us engaged. It’s a fun way of telling the story too. With the science-fiction slant on the narrative, it helps circumnavigate any understanding issues and makes the content more applicable to its intended younger audience.
Because of its format, I was able to read a large quantity of page count without too much effort. The constantly changing content types kept me reading on just that little bit longer and kept me engaged with the storyline throughout.
Summary
Regardless of whether you are a fan of the young adult genre, or even the science-fiction genre, I cannot recommend Illuminae enough. It’s a great introduction to reading something a little different. With plenty of action to keep readers’ attention, combined with a variety of mixed media to help with understanding and engagement, Illuminae is a fabulous start to a series I have since gone on to read voraciously and enjoy!
Have you read Illuminae or any other books by Jay Kristoff or Amie Kaufman?
It’s ironic that the timing of this review coincides with my recent finish of reading Fool’s Errand. I’ve loved being back in the world of Robin Hobb’s The Realm of the Elderlings series. It’s great to be back in the world of Fitz and the Six Duchies. However, Ship of Magic and the ensuing foray into the Liveship traders series was a fun jaunt into a different side of the world!
Let’s take a look at the synopsis, and then I’ll get to my review –
From the author of the classic Farseer trilogy, SHIP OF MAGIC is the first part of the Liveship Traders. Set in a land bordering the Six Duchies, Robin Hobb begins her epic tale of pirates, talking ships, magic, sea serpents, slave revolts, dashing heroes and bloody battles.
On the northernmost point of the Cursed Shores lies Bingtown, a bustling hub of exotic trade and home to a proud merchant nobility famed for its extraordinary vessels.
Only Bingtown liveships can negotiate the perilous waters of the Rain Wild River and plunder the riches found upstream, but such vessels are made from the most precious commodity in the world – a material with the ability to become sentient – and so are extremely rare.
The fortunes of one of Bingtown’s oldest families rest on the newly awakened liveship Vivacia. For Althea Vestrit, the ship is her rightful legacy. But the fate of Vivacia – and the Vestrits – may ultimately lie in the hands of the dark and charming pirate, Kennit, who lusts after such a ship and has plans of his own . . .
My Thoughts
Plot
I confess it took me a little while to get into the world and plot of Ship of Magic. Living and talking ships isn’t exactly a natural phenomenon. The greatest hurdle to my mind was how completely different the world was to what I’d read in The Farseer trilogy. Whilst I knew the focus moved away from the characters I was familiar with, I don’t think I expected to start again, as it were.
The Liveship Traders books are worth the investment, however. It’s a great trilogy overall, and it has quite the page count! If you like a sizeable trilogy, this is certainly for you.
Ship of Magic is the start of a trilogy of conflict and suffering. The fate of the Vestrit family lies at its heart. However, within their tale we see how their infighting impacts their community and beyond.
Characters
Unlike the Farseer trilogy which predeceases The Liveship Traders, Ship of Magic enjoys a varied cast. With multiple perspectives painting the tale of the Bingtown traders and their strife, the book has a completely different feel.
I also attribute this to why getting into Ship of Magic took longer. Characters split off quite early and so it takes a good few chapters to get a rounded view on world events.
I confess I didn’t like all the characters we get perspectives from early in the series. Malta in particular was a difficult character for me to stomach. If anyone feels the same way you’ll be glad to know her character growth arc is both fantastic and somewhat redeeming. However, in Ship of Magic she is quite a bossy madam!
It’s not the only book series I’ve gotten through this before; if you are a regular reader you’ll know how much I love A Game of Thrones. I didn’t like Sansa at the start of that one. These kinds of characters do tend to have good storylines, so they are worth reading!
Setting
Like The Farseer trilogy, events of Ship of Magic span geographical locations that give us an opportunity to explore the map (and differences in the people that live there). At first the populace of Bingtown and their customs seem exotic compared to the Six Duchies… and then we meet Rain Wilders.
The variety of the people and places give us plenty to dive into. Ship of Magic feels less of a ‘fill the gaps’ exercise in world-building and more of an exploration. How much more there is to discover remains to be seen!
The plot of the book very naturally allows us to split off and follow different characters across the map. That’s quite different from the earlier books in the series in that we get multiple perspectives as opposed to a single point of view.
Narrative Style
I generally prefer books with multiple points of view. So, Ship of Magic appealed to me because I get to live in so many characters heads. Admittedly, not all of them were desirable. However, as a reader who likes to discover character motives, I had plenty to chew on.
The pacing of Ship of Magic starts slowly as we are introduced to this new side of the world and its customs. I found this got quicker once the groundwork was laid and the storyline could flourish from there.
Summary
Ship of Magic builds on The Realm of the Elderlings series by taking us to new places and exploring new magic. Ship of Magic is very much a character driven tale. I enjoyed delving into the new conflicts that ebb and flow throughout the plot of the whole trilogy, but for which a solid foundation is laid out in Ship of Magic.
Have you read any books by Robin Hobb, or read any part of The Realm of the Elderlings series?
Genre: Science fiction 
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Genre: Non-Fiction/Memoir
Genre: Science Fiction
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Top 1% in Epic